Joseph “Headgraphix” Headen—a graphic designer, vegan chef, and social media and branding creative—is a prolific visual architect.

Everything that Headen, who is based in Raleigh, touches seems to turn into gold. Like many millennials, he’s traded in a singular side hustle, instead embracing his many skill sets. By doing so, he has contributed to the Triangle’s creative scene in many ways, from helping brands and local hip-hop artists flourish to curating unique social experiences that are often directly influenced by hip-hop. His multi-hyphenate talents further prove the importance and fluidity of the graphic designer role.

“I would say I’m an all-around creative who pushes the bounds of what being a creative means,” says Headen. “I don’t just do one thing.”

What’s especially special about Headen’s work is that it is apparent that his love for graphic design remains at the center of his many creative endeavors.

Over the phone with the INDY, Headen shared that an entertainment and marketing class in high school first sparked his interest in graphic design. After a few years of teaching himself how to navigate Photoshop and other design software programs, he went on to pursue a degree in Digital Media in 2011 at Living Arts College.

There, his relationship with local Triangle hip-hop artists began to flourish. After doing a few album cover art pieces for free, he started to slowly build a clientele. Once Headen realized he could monetize his talent, he maximized his connections with artists like M8alla, Ace Henderson, King Mez, Shame Gang, and Well$ and began shooting their music videos. Ever the forward thinker, Headen realized there was a lack of hip-hop events for artists to showcase their talent, so he became an event planner, sometimes even shooting recap footage of the events.

“I went into designing artwork for hip-hop artists because hip-hop is what I know,” Headen says. “I grew up on it so I know it very well. Creating visuals to coincide with the culture has been perfect for me. It’s the lane I organically stepped in, and I’ve been in this lane for over 10 years now.”

Since he began assisting artists with building their brands and hosting hip-hop showcases, Headen has since gone on to curate a wide range of local events including Trap Karaoke, Bad Boy and Brushes, Wings and Mimosas Day Party, Monsters Ball Halloween Party, The Skate Party, and the infamous DuRag Festival. While reflecting on his approach to curating events that cater to young Black millennials, Headen said, “I am more interested in creating experiences [as] opposed to just a regular event that people come to.”

Unlike larger metropolitan areas like D.C., NYC, or Atlanta, the Triangle has yet to maintain and/or build a stable brunch or day party scene that is influenced directly by hip-hop culture. As a result, Headen and his innovative ideas remain in a lane of their own, thus making his events well attended. In addition to designing graphics for his events, Headen is the mastermind behind innovative Triangle community branding, working with organizations and businesses like the Black Farmers Market and The Bull City Apparel store.

Right around the time that Headen was finding his footing in the event and design world, social media was starting to become embedded in our everyday lives. In particular, Vine—the now-defunct six-second video platform—was beginning to make its mark on the internet.

Not surprisingly, Headen was an active participant from the beginning, taking full advantage of the unlimited creative possibilities that Vine provided. His presence on the app (he had more than 100,000 followers) allowed him to expand his brand, and get his video editing skills exposure on a national level. His most infamous viral Vine video “Bruh” is still making an impact even with Vine no longer operating. His overall popularity on social media has led him to be featured on major hip-hop media outlets like Complex, XXL, Thisis50, and Revolt, to name a few. Today, Headen carries that legacy on Instagram (@Headgraphix).

Once COVID-19 hit, Headen, like many others, sought a way to remain creative. With previous experience in the service industry, he opted to take a shot at putting a spin on vegan creative dishes. Before he knew it, his social media followers began requesting recipes and plates and soon, he began selling them. His visual and branding aesthetic gives a fresh spin to his marketing materials for his new business, called Plant Based Pressure. Some of his most creative meals include Chik’N Empanadas, Southwest Eggrolls (Slutty Edition), Black-Eyed Pea Stew w/ Fried Oyster Mushrooms, and Vegan Gumbo. Headen is definitely a ‘cool’ vegan chef, and when asked about his new identity, he responded with an on-par level of coolness.

“I’m not a regular chef,” he says. “I’ve been intentional about including elements to my cooking visuals and marketing material so people can tell that I am a graphic designer when they see my menus. I change my menu up every week, so offer a different visual aesthetic each week.”

As he thinks about the future, including additional ways he can flex his graphic designer muscles and build out the thriving digital creative community he’s a part of, Headen envisions a studio or co-working space where “people can come to flush out their ideas.”

“I’m working on developing either of the two,” Headen says. “That’s my goal for the top of next year—building a creative hub.

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