Alternate Route: Phillip Rollins's OffBeat
With a new location - 109 North State Street - and space to welcome even more customers, Offbeat's Phillip Rollins - DJ Young Venom - looks back on the last eight years and the hopeful future of Mississippi's only Black-owned record and comic book store.
![Offbeat store interior](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=0ef502bd003f2a1c2fa57768b0fd18e8 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=1335a5796815aca6d33557106850cf25 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=57cc29bbf444a4ec8fac9cfb42b7c82f 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=bdd8615190b5890e37a89b10fa9fb965 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0c63b3b83d8a83f2a3e2643382e051b3 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=1327b84d4ad1eae43828bf0f0035e6c8 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=0955818091928abd75b1162aaba648d3 1920w)
The idea for Offbeat was born from Rollins' invitation to be a part of the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute (MBLI), which inspires, connects, and uplifts forward-thinking black professionals across multiple disciplines. "At the time, I worked at the ACLU as a Youth Justice Organizer, and all of my classmates [at the Institute] were doctors, lawyers, councilmen, and so on. I walk in, and they're like, 'Oh yeah, you're a DJ,'" Rollins laughs.
At the close of the Institute, members were tasked with creating a product that positively impacted the community. Whereas most of his peers went on to run for public office or start a practice, Phillip wanted his contribution to be more hands-on. To him, there wasn't a much better or more diverse gathering space than a local book and record shop that also acted as an art gallery for emerging minority artists.
![Offbeat Phillip Rollins](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=320&s=b4a9c12db4c10a8bf2f2c596dcea6f3c 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=540&s=3c6b04b93f04ab5b64ac09e69ba7f835 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=768&s=63a21a4e026a7ca4e637a8f99cb615da 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=1024&s=9adadd689100ddb58e36f508a1323b05 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=1200&s=7e83de47a2a91664c2640a44731052ae 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=1440&s=845136d42483a84e656dd4133d671248 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Phillip-Rollins.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=48.2%2039.22&q=80&w=1920&s=2d2d124ddec2e146ad7cd791b27db814 1920w)
"At the time, I was going to a lot of places in Fondren and around Jackson, and I was noticing the fact that we have two HBCUs, and our city is 80 percent black, but there's hardly any black artists' work on the walls," Rollins said. "That was one of the driving forces behind OffBeat because I wanted to make sure that these people had an outlet to showcase and sell."
Rollins recalls his childhood years growing up in the larger Jackson area and Madison County and the cultural and musical influence of his godparents, particularly his godfather.
"My godfather was big into music and taught me where samples came from," Rollins said. "My grandmother listened to the Blues, but no one in my family was listening to jazz. Once I was a teenager and college student, I wanted to listen to that and alternative rock and hip-hop. Those sounds are what inspired my work as a DJ, which was mostly self-taught. It was also one of the major catalysts behind Offbeat, where there could be one collective space to find all of those genres and more."
![Offbeat looking from front door to Old Capitol](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f70b43308303b6fc7f42cb9a859e0324 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=c765ffec0a35580b97716d027e5676ec 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=e4d3c9e2a7e70c20fc83fe9269cc06db 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=cae19a669fe0c0e4e121b3a17bcb3917 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=445c965227b556f602303b7679dc756e 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=12aebfcac903d8395f4ec21ab24a6fd4 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-looking-from-front-door-to-Old-Capitol.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=2c135d3ef338f961dbdc41cfdd02118b 1920w)
His other passions - sketching and drawing - motivated him to pursue a career in graphic design. However, Rollins attributes growing up in the South to stricter standards of what constitutes a viable trade. "I grew up hearing I'd be a starving artist," Rollins said. "I think that goes back to our culture in this part of the world; your parents wanting you to thrive, and not viewing art as a thing that allows for that. Ever since OffBeat's beginnings, I've wanted it to help other creatives sell and showcase their work and show that you can find success in being an artist."
At Offbeat, Rollins is broadening what constitutes art in the world of alternative culture, from vinyl and artwork to clothing, comics, Japanese toys, model builds, games, and more.
"At one point, some of the only places you could get this kind of work would be in cities like New York, L.A., and Miami. I wanted to see if I could bring some of those things down here and inspire people, and also display our local talent," Rollins said.
"[Jackson] is a blank canvas. We can create anything we're missing." Rollins
Rollins points out the Bearbrick (rendered Be@rbrick) figures on display, which are collectible toys designed and produced by the Japanese company, MediCom Toy Incorporated. This so-called child’s play stands at the intersection of art, fashion, and innovation, featuring colorful designs from the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, David Bowie, and more.
"In other states, those are in museums, and we carry them right here in Jackson for sale," Rollins said. "It's getting the public exposed to all of these things, and showing that everything in this shop can be a form of art to be appreciated. Someone had to draw, paint, design, screen print, or storyboard to come up with these concepts. And that's a powerful thing."
![Offbeat Bearbrick](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=97379d27699c2210da06fb77ee8e0cb3 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=6b6c089d6ec3e89fc743cffd7d3560db 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=72d31a9b9500c6e12c6ef2123eeea8f4 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=47743c73974251ca482e49778f33cd8c 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=b007fd327278bea7dfe0985bf344e0b6 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-Bearbrick.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=e171e261fb5a7036c2a208e40888a553 1280w)
Rollins is quick to point out that Jackson gets knocked for lack of this or that, but a deeper look reveals what the city does have.
"A customer might come in looking for a certain thing, but be inspired to check out something new on the way out. We have so many talented artists here, and I hear all the time how Jackson has nothing 'cool' to do. It's not that - it's a blank canvas. We can create anything we're missing."
To keep up with Offbeat's artist meet-and-greets, store events, and merchandise, check out their website and social media.
![Offbeat store interior lounge](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=8cd1e5eaed9ae4072781fa07891fd87a 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=9b2ad923caee9dad022a4e634c8c3532 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=cedba3e9dc345a5808d7d10da839dcd3 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=1178101e7671370c8f9e97fd02235d1f 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=de402940e3f5ce27f2e2a9178ff351e4 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=c87d96b582d0183dbaf623c6428d19a6 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Offbeat-store-interior-lounge.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=604768457b0334aa6d24c8150481dfdb 1920w)
Phillip’s Top Spots In Jackson
Mississippi Museum of Art - "I would say the Mississippi Museum of Art is very underappreciated. They've got some really good exhibits and installations that people definitely need to check out."
The Eudora Welty House & Gardens - "I think everyone needs to go see her house, at least once. There's also a cool coffee spot over there while you check things out."
Eddie & Rubye's Snack Bar - "It's a little hole-in-the-wall takeout spot right by Jackson State University. Their Catfish and Pantrout Fridays are always packed. You're going to go there and get a plate full of fish and fries. It's amazing."
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Alternative Culture Store + Art Gallery
109 North State Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39212
(601) 376-9404
Website
Offbeat Jxn109 North State Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39212