Bookmarking Time with Sagan Lockhart and “I Don’t Play Vol.2”

Words by Matthew Spence:

Oh, don’t mind me; I’m just going through my old photobook. I like to call it “The Book of Jokes that Isn’t Funny Anymore.” Ahhh, yes, here’s 5-year-old me crying in the corner…. Don’t actually know who took this photo and why, now that I think about it…. Good times. But sitting here in remembrance of me got me thinking that suburban motherfucker Ferris Bueller was right. Life does move pretty fast; however, it’s not just speeding by when you’re not looking around, like 2 am traffic. It also fucking sprints like an Olympic champion running from the cops when you’re in the middle of it, having fun. Dawg, just 10 to 12 years ago, I was laughing with the homies, shuffling my playlist filled with Earl Sweatshirt, Lil B, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa, New Boyz, Kreayshawn, and the Lonely Island. Discovering classic rock in school while surrounded by Tumblr girls and dudes who snort the sour from the bottom of the Sour Patch Kids package. All while dressed as if a delusion puked all over me, cause there’s no way I purely thought these were good fits. The 2010s, yo. Now, 10 years later… Well, still around it, just writing about it and adulting.

When we’re beamed down here from the greatest prankster of all time, God, many of us are set with a broken compass in the beginning. We don’t know where the hell which way to go, but we do know we want to reach a destination, and if your four-leaf clover has enough juice, you’ll find your space, community, scene, and passion that’ll keep you in the moment along the way there and directly or indirectly guide you to your stop. And if your homies are playing their respective roles, someone is making sure these memories will last forever in many ways. Hopefully, all for the better. Cause best believe, you don’t want that 2:45am at Taco Bell situation to last forever in a pic, let alone a memory.

Now, many faces can go on that Man on the Moon poster; however, a good example is Sagan Lockhart. Little did he know, though, that finding his scene wouldn’t just lead to dope memories, but he and his camera would be preserving a generation-defining era and creating a creative career of storytelling and dopeness.

Sagan Lockhart—photographer, documenter, skater, company owner, and a supporting actor who’s long overdue to get his lifetime achievement award, all while doing his part for his local community.

 

 

Over the past 10 years, he’s been living ghostface style (not slashing, but flashing camera lights); you see his work but not him (I mean, unless you follow him on Instagram, but still). Expanding his portfolio and consistently creating, you might have come across his work before if you’re around the right hip-hop circles and tapped into the skate scene. Maybe you watched his company-produced skate video “Paris De Noche” from 2024 (featuring Carlisle Aikens and original music from BADBADNOTGOOD’s Alex Sowinski).

You might be familiar with his name and photography work from a group that he was apart of, in the early to mid-2010s. Odd Future. Remember them? They were 90% why everyone in your high school probably had Supreme, increased vulgarity by 70%, and are one of the most important hip-hop acts of recent memory that helped reshape the landscape of youth culture and hip-hop culture in so many ways.

 

 

Sagan wasn’t dropping verses, though; he was more on the sidelines documenting and photographing the group and everyone and anyone around. Now, this wasn’t a typical help wanted sign circumstance; he didn’t send a resume to get that position. Hell, it wasn’t necessarily suggested to him.

 

He was just a homie who they liked holding the camera the most, in essence adding to the magnetic energy that Odd Future wore around like a Supreme box—a group of homies who just wanted to create and have fun, so saying it was an “unofficial role but official membership” makes more sense than scouting for a photographer. It was a perfect pair, like extroverts and Friday nights.

 

Sagan’s first chamber of photography is what I like to call “Pissing In The Wind” style. Real-time epitome of “fuck it, let’s shoot.” They can pose like it’s Vogue or not even be paying attention to their surroundings like it’s study hall. Perfect backdrop like a Sears family portrait or a surprise attack of you coming out of the bathroom. Real time, just living and flicking. His choice of weapon was shaky. Film cameras. Either it comes out dope, or you’ll see more blurry faces than Twenty One Pilots. “There are so many pictures that didn’t even come out or see the light of day because the film just didn’t work, so I would just shoot whatever and just hail Mary and hope that the film develops.” Seeing eye to eye with the nature of the group as they’re just living and creating. From photographing the ultimate names in hip hop to skate culture. From 2013, he was shooting an Earl Sweatshirt Mass Appeal cover, to 2023, he’s shooting a Freddie Gibbs music video. From pics of Mac Miller to Playboi Carti.

 

 

 

 

From selling clothes to being Earl Sweatshirt’s tour manager. Was this all part of the plan? Well, no Joker, not necessarily, but it’s most def something he didn’t mind rolling with. Going with the flow but wanting a bit more in life helped bring Sagan where he is currently. A legend with a cult following. But how did he Forrest Gump his way to this point?

 

I’ll be your wiki here for a bit. Starting here, Sagan…. uhh….Insert Last Name, due to me forgetting to confirm if Lockhart is his actual last name. Let’s skip a couple steps. Sagan was like any kid growing up in Cali, surfing through adolescence, soaking up influence, and figuring out the world and himself through mediums, “thinking as a kid, as a child, you’re just into like random shit, but when I was 10, 11, or 12, that age range is when I started a deep passion like skateboarding and music. Like Shorty’s skateboard, that shit was crazy. I’d watch the video every single day. I just ran their VHS tape into the ground, and all the hip-hop I was exposed to at the time. Wu-Tang, Nas, Gang Starr, and Mobb Deep are definitely my early influences to bridge the gap into me finding other shit.” While as he’s getting further into his teens to early twenties; he was just living it up for the best of times and the slightly dangerous minds, but thankfully came to the conclusion of not wanting to take it any further. He explains, “Maybe there are some situations that went a little bit further than we anticipated, and then you’re like, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t keep doing that. I had friends with no ambition and had friends with ambitions, so you definitely see that separation.” He continued by saying, “For me, I might have done a couple things I didn’t want to do, but I’d had goals, small goals like ‘I want to work in the skate industry, I want to do this or that or whatever,’ but they were like some goals that I felt kept me out of trouble.”

 

Luckily for him, in the midst of staying clear-minded, one of his homies gave him one of his first film cameras, which would be the unknown catalyst for the future. “I couldn’t afford a skate photography setup. So my friend was like, Yo, shoot this. I wasn’t even shooting skateboarding. I was shooting people on the street or at work on Fairfax.” Well, by the grace of not wanting to fuck up, Sagan laced up his shoes and went on the path of being legit. Working at Diamond on Fairfax and skating to work, Lupe Fiasco style. Now, there might’ve been other jobs he worked before this; however, this is the most important job, as it set the stage for the butterfly effect of a brewing end-all-be-all era. Fairfax. What was like a clubhouse for many, Sagan would be right in the center of it all, seeing many names and faces of people on the come-up and people already on the go, like Nipsey Hussle and Nas. However, with so many names popping up and so many faces roaming around, he’d eventually get close to a bunch of dudes who constantly visited the area left and right, becoming a double whammy of a moment.

A collective that called themselves Odd Future. A bunch of teenagers and early 20-year-olds who were slowly bubbling in the underground and ready to blow into the mainstream. That group included Tyler the Creator, Hodgy, Left Brain, Matt Martians, Jasper Dolphin, Syd, Travis “Taco” Bennett, Domo Genesis, Mike G, L-Boy, Frank Ocean, and Earl Sweatshirt. Combinable with the resurgence of the Supreme skate team as well, with member Nak-Kel Smith. It all gets super duper tight with one another, to the point where it took Sagan a year to even find out they made music. And bam, Sagan is on tour handling merch for OF and taking pics. The rest is history, and not whitewashed history for once.

 

 

He’d be an additional iron-on patch on the Odd Future jacket. A sprinkle to their donut if you will. From pics to Loiter Squad skits to studio sessions, Sagan was there for the good stuff and played a role many would dream of. Develop a career from hanging with homies and having fun, while also being immersed in culture while also being apart of the movement thats another life to it: music, fashion, etc. “There’s a lot of shit I’ve done, and I think about the list of things I’ve been lucky enough to do. There’s shit I’ve done and I didn’t think about, like I think I have an IMDb. I can say I’m an actor, like I’ve never even tried to do that.” However, humble is his middle name cause even when getting his flowers, he doesn’t get too caught up and understands why his flowers get delivered in the first place. “It’s still tough to digest because I try not to be an egotistical person, so I understand I was a part of the puzzle, but still, at the end of the day, Tyler, Earl, Frank, and all those insanely talented people definitely had to do their thing for me to be a part of this thing. If they didn’t do anything and I could’ve done the same exact thing, all of a sudden I’m not important, so I’d still give them the flowers at the end of the day.”

 

 

 

Fair assesment for sure, however the fact of the matter is everyone member played their role. Sagan like every other member of OF was a piece to the puzzle. A key member, but not the face, so to speak, unless your camping and refreshing sites paid off and you copped the Sagan Lockhart shirt. He’s listed on the Odd Future Wikipedia page but doesn’t have an individual wiki, not even a broken red link. Going deep down the Odd Future iceberg, he’s a member with more question marks on him than the Riddler, but yet he’s part of the family tree that continues to make its mark by creating and inspiring.

In two folds, launching the Escape brand in 2024, “AM-FM,” but not decks, but wheels. In the same year, however, with his highly malleable project/imprint “De Noche World,” the great possibilities are endless for what the outlet can bring to the table, and recently released it’s first mini doc on its YouTube page on LA legend Dough Networkz (DoughBoy): “People who have an interesting story to tell, I just want to help amplify their voice.” However, the main attraction is the release of the second installment to his photo book “I Don’t Play Vol. 2.”

 

 

 

Filled to the brim with 2010s culture, Sagan documents countless moments, artists, etc., from the early to mid-2010s (Spirnkle in some late 2010s moments as well). I Don’t Play goes beyond just being an “Odd Future” book and damn near has a restraining order against “being a cash grab on nostalgia,” but feels like an intimate scrapbook made straight out of his personal collection. A time capsule of what youth culture and counterculture were for many of us. Flipping through each photo, you geek out and reflect on the long ride it’s been—15 years for many, 10 years for others. We’re in different places in our lives (I’d hope so at least), and I Don’t Play is a dope and lighthearted reminder of that. Sagan explains, “That was definitely a goal of mine when I was making it. When I was going through all the photos, I was like, ‘You know what, it can be very easy for me just to do an Odd Future book and call it that, but it’s important for me to show this time. He continues saying, “Just because when I look back on it, it’s super fun memories, and I wanna include other people and other instances. Of course, Odd Future is a big part of it, and it’s a majority of the book, but I was like, “I want to show this as a time capsule piece and not just call it the ‘Odd Future’ book.”

With every flip of a page and every look at a photo, you can’t help but wanna spam VH1’s inbox and pitch a revamp of their I Love series or make a petition to bring back MTVs “When I was 17” so the 2010s and its glory can deservingly get their appreciation. Whether it’s a face you recognize or a “does not compute” identification, every pic serves the same purpose. A real-time documentation of their era and a reminder of yours. From the fashion to music behavior to slang to attitude, it brings a tear from your left eye thinking of the simpler times, and a tear from your right eye when you remember all the trash fits and cringeworthy moments you had from those times as well. But Sagan reminds you not to be too embarrassed by it: “It’s something to be proud of that you were into a certain thing. Apart of what was going on back then.” That’s the beauty of it.

A book that helps refresh your brain to remember to have fun now and appreciate the moments that may feel small, but the future will show otherwise. Just like I did with this interview. Being an Odd Future fan from that time period myself, this felt like a full circle moment for me because if you told me in 2012 I was going to talk to Sagan Lockhart, I would have told you to shove an iPod up your ass. But what do you know, g? Not an iPod in sight. On a sunny day in June, I got to have a long-ass conversation about I Don’t Play, Volume Two; his creative outlets; future endeavors; music; politics; meeting Keanu Reeves; an infamous Riff Raff video; and so much more in the convo that may or may not make the interview. Something something something something… if you need it. My nephew scribbled my segue notes; I couldn’t read it.

How have you been, yo?

I’ve been good. I just spent two months in Asia and got back to LA three to four days ago or something like that. Just hustling, man. That’s how it is—just everyday hustle. <chuckles>

Despite being active and doing a lot, it feels like there’s a lack of press on you. Is that intentional, or are you just chilling?

I think it’s more towards the latter. I mean, I feel I should go harder on having a team of people there and whatever. I don’t know how people get a lot of press and shit. I just have some connections, and if I feel like reaching out to them, I will, but I feel like I’m just chilling. If people gravitate to something, I just leave it at that. I’m also just one person. I don’t know how other people operate, but I’m just on my own, so if I travel somewhere and set up a signing or exhibition, it’s already so much work, and all the other shit falls flat because I don’t have the time for it. It’s not that I’m trying to be super mysterious or private; that’s just how it goes. It’s all just how my nature is. I’m just chilling and just do what I can.

Who did you wanna skate for growing up?

I mean, I loved Shortys essentially when I was a kid, but I was probably like a Girl-Chocolate fanboy. They were just so big at the time, and they just had a grip on everyone then, like the S-Shoes. I got all that shit. We also had, like, a pro for my hometown area who skated for all these brands, so he’s like the hometown hero, so it’s like super easy to gravitate to those things too, like, “OH, this guy MADE IT.” That’s like a superhero to you as a kid.

How do you balance living in the moment versus capturing it back then?

Yeah, these kinds of questions, it’s deeper now, thinking about it, but at the time, for real, I wasn’t really thinking about it. There wasn’t a whole lot of thought to it. If someone wanted to pose, cool; if not, I’m still going to take the picture, and that’s what it was at the time. You also have to think too; we all know everyone I was shooting aren’t your regular homies. They’re super colorful characters; you never know what you’re going to get, but I never really thought about it too much. I was just like, “This seems cool; I’m just going to take a pic, and whatever happens happens.”

How important is going with the flow versus overthinking?

You gotta find a balance; it is the most important thing to me to, like, not be confined into some normal structure that societys  created, but also, like, you know, I got to pay rent and all this other shit <laughs>. As much as I can, I like to be free-flowing and go with whatever, but there has to be that balance. If you let that shit go too far off, you might neglect some shit or might drop the ball on a project. Like, I know I could put shit out, and maybe it sells a lot and makes a lot of money, but also imagine you put a lot of work and dedication into the rollout and stuff and maximize what you’re doing and just try to be aware of that shit.

Creative burnout versus impostor syndrome? What affects you more?

I’d probably say impostor syndrome, but I don’t know; everything takes balance. Like, I don’t know, I learned to overcome those things for sure and just give myself the time I need to not let those affect me. But I mean, both of those things affected my life at one time, but as I got older, I just learned to overcome those things and see the signs of when it’s coming and be like, “Alright, how do I make it over this hill?” Give yourself room to breathe.

How do you say you evolved as a creative from back then to now?

I was young at the time. I’d say back then, I just don’t think I knew how to monetize it as a creative. I was just making shit that was fun and everything, but then I worked so many different jobs and learned so much shit, and I think that now, as a creative, I think I’ve figured out how to make it my career now for as long as it goes. I was just more uneducated back then, going too much with the flow <chuckles>.

What’s been your Fairfax as of late?

I think it’s a mix of being older, but also try to seek out and ask other people. I just don’t think we have a place like that anymore. I can’t think of somewhere to go to and meet a bunch of people on the same type of shit we’re on. The games changed. I think there’s definitely people trying to create some creative spaces, but we don’t have a Fairfax like that anymore.

What would you say at the eulogy for Fairfax?

A eulogy? Fuck, man… I don’t know; that’s a tough one <chuckles>. I’m just super thankful that place existed and I got to be there at that time. I know there’s a lot of negative connotations surrounding it, like “this weird outdoor mall,” but for everyone that was there and got to experience it before it was super blown out, it had this super energy that’s not going to get recreated. It was also due to all the people hanging there; the stores being there created the space to have a place to hang out at, but to have all those people on one block every single day that are into the same shit I don’t even know where to go find that in LA anymore.

Do you have any photos for I Don’t Play Vol. 3 and 4?

I have enough to make five books. I thought I could make two or three, but in December, I went through every single film photo I ever shot in that era, and I was like, “Fuck, I have a lot,” but I don’t know if it makes it that far because I’m only going to make it if people want it.

How do you navigate what photos make the cut or not and figure out what’s too sentimental versus stuff you want everyone to see?

Mm… I don’t know if I’ve ever really considered “Oh, I gotta keep this photo to myself.” I think it’s all a part of what we were talking about earlier: letting people try to get that feeling of what this time was like. So there’s people I put in the book, like ex-girlfriends in there and other people we probably hate each other now, but I feel it really makes it a proper time capsule of what I captured. ‘Well, I think we have to include them cause we were out together at that time and cool at the time.’ I think it would be an injustice to not put those photos out; I’m not really trying to keep anything to myself.

If you were to make an I Don’t Play compilation album, what would make the cut?

I can’t think of exact song titles, but at the time, Clipse, [Lil] Wayne, Dipset, Waka [Flocka Flame], and Lil B. Those are like the very first ones that come to mind. Those are the most prominent ones we were listening to.

Favorite shows you’ve been to?

Ooohh, two faves: Daft Punk and Depeche Mode are my two favorite shows that if I could go back and do again, I would!

Fuck, Marry, Kill; Digital, Polaroid, Film?

Kill digital, fuck Polaroid, and marry film.

 

 

Pick up a copy of I Don’t Play Vol.. 2 from De Noche World. Keep up with Sagan, and all he’s got going on. Remember, you don’t lose your soul from taking pics, if you have never had one to begin with!