Floyd “Freshdaily” Johnson is a ubiquitous man in Cincinnati’s party scene. He’s the networker, the guy with the nickname who knows what’s going on every night of the week.
Floyd supports any and all events, from art openings to house parties and shows at Northside Tavern to events at downtown nightclubs. He has a change of clothes to assimilate to any situation, a BlackBerry permanently attached to his hand and a belief that parties have the ability to bring different groups of people together.
So as we go into 2009 with our hopes for the coming year resting on the grand festivities of New Year’s Eve, let us take a moment to reflect on the great parties of 2008 and read about Floyd’s efforts to make next year bigger and better.
CityBeat: What do you do?
Floyd ‘Freshdaily’ Johnson: I want to help create and strengthen Cincinnati’s subculture and continue to build relationships.
CB: How do you find time to support so many local events? Why is it important?
FFJ: Easy, I just do it. I’m an advocate of support and change. I work full time and part time and I’m a night student at Cincinnati State (in marketing management). Supporting for me is a principle. You simply have to give in order to receive.
CB: What’s your biggest complaint about living here?
FFJ: The biggest complaint I have is that Cincinnati lacks diversity. It’s mind boggling to know that different races just don’t interact with one another. However, I think as the new generation continues to emerge this problem/frustration will become obsolete. I’m thankful for neighborhoods like Northside that are relentless to resolve this.
CB: Describe how you try to make an effort to change Cincinnati.
FFJ: I don’t think I change much in Cincinnati, but I do focus on bringing people together through events.
CB: How do you plan events?
FFJ: It doesn’t take much to plan a good event. The “real people” don’t need the cheesy nightclubs with the plush furniture and expensive drinks. They just want good music, good energy and a good time.
CB: What’s the most important part of planning an event?
FFJ: It’s important for me to know who the tastemakers are in Cincinnati. These people are fundamental in every aspect. They’re the leaders of their own packs — DAAP fashion design students, Clifton/Northside skateboarders, local Hip Hop artists — and you have to build relationships with them to know what the need is. After being an ear to the problem, it’s time now to execute a solution. This part gets tough because the pressure is on to find a distinctive location. So it channels back to building relationships.
CB: What are your favorite venues in Cincinnati?
FFJ: Country Club art gallery. The aesthetics of this place are phenomenal. It’s natural and lacks pretentiousness. Everything from the cool shows to their book collection is amazing.
CB: What were your favorite parties or events in 2008?
FFJ: The best events this past year would have to be Publico’s closing show (Publico 2003-2008/Clublico), Rooftop Movie Night at Mockbee (which screened Boyz n the Hood) and the David Ellis Uh-oh show at Country Club.
CB: How many friends do you have on Facebook?
FFJ: 1,468. I like people, and I like Facebook. A lot of cool things happen to me through this Web site. A couple years ago I was featured in Playboy magazine’s Best Dressed Man on Campus, which happened through Facebook. I have a solid network in five other cities outside of Cincinnati thanks to this social utility system.
CB: What phone plan do you have?
FFJ: 1,500 anytime minutes, BlackBerry unlimited package and unlimited text.
CB: How do you think people see you?
FFJ: I honestly couldn’t answer this question. People all have their own perception, which is a good thing. I just don’t want to be categorized in one box. That’s my greatest fear.
