Today we’d like to introduce you to Taikyokills.
Hi Taikyokills, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a youth growing up, I was not particularly talented in anything, some children gravitate to sports however my “basketball” was animals! Watching things such as “Animal Planet”, “Discovery Channel”, and “Steve Irwin” left such an imprint on my mental that I began taking in ANY knowledge I could from any source I could find. Being I was only about 9 (this is the EARLY 00’s we are talking) those sources were often my elementary school library. There was a brand named “Zoobooks” that was out around that time, those became my primary source for knowledge. The first pet I got as a kid was not a goldfish, or a dog, it was a snake you see my father also had a passion for animals particularly reptiles! This catapulted my interest even more, and with the release of the Jurassic Park films I just knew I wanted to be a paleontologist but as life goes on (especially when you are a youth) your interests tend to shift!
Fast forward to 2009-2011 my high school years, by that time though still at the center of my heart, I had all but forgotten about being a paleontologist it was the beginning of my interest in fashion, Baggy clothing was slowly being phased out of style for a slimmer look. I began my fashion endeavors purchasing clothes from brands American Eagle, Hollister, and Hot Topic styling myself to be as different from my peers as possible!
Around 2010 a dance movement known as “Jerkin” hit St. Louis. Skinny jeans, bright colors, and braggadocious rap lyrics we had never seen ANYTHING like it. Initially met with HEAVY criticism even by me eventually started becoming accepted. Eventually I joined in on the movement which at the time I did not realize this thing would help me discover ME the unapologetic, truthful ME. Creating my own jerkin crew we would in one years’ time become the best in the city. We were sponsored by companies such as “Vlado Footwear.” this was when I started my own YouTube for our crew with our highest viewed video gaining over 13,000 views. I taught myself to edit videos add effects and more, after graduation I joined the Marines which but all but halted doing YouTube videos, that and the dance movement was dying off.
After the Marines I began modeling and eventually my passion for animals returned. These things were purely hobbies until I noticed I started to gain a following in each of these fields, I quickly turned my reptile hobby into a business, but it became much more. My thirst for knowledge in the field of Herpetology became insatiable. It was not enough to just know what size enclosure was needed I began attempting to replicate biomes where a certain species of reptile was located from UV levels, and native plants to adjusting certain lights to come on at certain times to replicate the rising and setting sun. I now have over 40+ reptiles in my care living in highly sophisticated zoo level enclosures! I breed certain species each year and sell them to knowledgeable owners, I also rehabilitate, rehome injured reptiles, and help admin/moderate the biggest reptile groups on Facebook!
I also am back You tubing again! I unbox and review clothing brands using my knowledge of fashion and materials to help the viewer/consumer make an informed decision on rather or not to buy a product. This has become SO successful that Grammy winning artist Tyler, The Creator invited me to a SUPER EXCLUSIVE gathering for his GOLF le FLEUR* store. He did not have an agent contact me, but HE HIMSELF while telling me “I love your videos and your attention to detail.” Guests such as Andre 3000, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and MANY high level fashion icons like Kerwin Frost and Reign Judge were in attendance. The opportunities I got from this have been monumental I plan to continue pushing past my limits and let nothing stand in my way!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ha, I wish, you see, sometimes the longer the road the more arduous it becomes traveling it. I have had to face MANY obstacles along the way, mostly typical but not overwhelming, you see the Marines prepared me to face the most arduous of challenges so there was not much that I encountered that I have not been able to handle except for my biggest obstacle… ME. I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist to a fault. I will spend hours on the smallest of details rather than be in my video creating on YouTube, my Outfits on a shoot, making sure all lighting parameters are correct within each reptile enclosure I am always looking for the slightest error to correct in something I have finished. Overcoming this has been difficult but it took me to realize you can still take pride in your work and make mistakes, imperfection is beauty.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
So professionally, I am a YouTube partner, Model, Conservationist, and Facebook Gaming level up partner. On YouTube, I make videos in the field of fashion. I unbox and try on clothes from different brands going into depth about the materials, pricing, and even where the clothing was manufactured, all of these details help the consumer/viewer make an informed decision on rather or not they will purchase the featured product(s). Modeling I am mostly scouted by brands via IG (Taikyokills) in which I receive monetary compensation or free clothing in exchange for sharing my outfits in their clothes, I have been featured on “Humanrace”, and “Laulhere France pages most recently. Though care for my animals is year round (with the exception of the ones in brumation) Spring and Summer is when I begin breeding Bearded Dragons and the critically endangered Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana Delicatissima) for sale with the latter only being sold to EXTREMELY experienced owners. On Facebook Gaming I stream fighting games 3x a week for an hour.
I’m most proud of myself. There was so many times I wanted to give up not feeling the support of friends and family but I endured through and eventually was noticed and reached out to personally by Tyler, The Creator which opened up so many doors for me.
I would say what sets me apart from others is my extreme attention to detail and the need to tell people the truth. I do not believe in being “bought off” for my opinion which you see with a lot of reviewers, how can one give an accurate opinion of something they have never used themselves or why would I pay $1000 for a Balenciaga Wool blend cardigan, when I can pay $550 for a GOLF le FLEUR* cardigan made from Super Kid Mohair (Super Kid Mohair is a superior material). So I just want the people to know these kinds of things before they make a purchase.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Absolutely. Believe in the you, that believes in you, stay CONSISTENT, and NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. that is all.
I definitely wish I realized early on how important networking is! Even if you are super independent there are just some walls you cannot break through alone. Making friends in the field that you are in will make the process much much smoother!
Pricing:
- Modeling: $75 hrly
- Unboxing Video+Review: $50
- Reptiles: $80-$2300
Contact Info:
- Email: michaelpenny89@yahoo.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Taikyokills | Instagram.com/Kingdomherps
- Facebook: FB.GG/Taikyokills
- Youtube: Youtube.com/Taikyokills
Image Credits
Taikyokills
