Since 2013 Perry D Clarke has made himself a fixture on the Middle GA scene.
The era we live in praises and encourages people unafraid of starting their own companies and telling their stories. Macon, GA native Perry Clarke has spent the last decade carving out a lane for himself first as a clothing and brand designer and now as the owner of his own show, Dangerous Paradise TV, on YouTube.
Incorporating a mix of sports commentary and interviews with artists such as Cee-Lo Green, Curtis Snow, and more, Perry’s used his platform to create a voice for people in his city and his area to share their stories.
Macon. Georgia is typically associated with a mix of both promising and challenging historical facts which include it being the home of the Allman Brothers Band Museum, Little Richard, and Otis Redding, as well as one of Georgia’s cities with the highest amount of population decline and at times one of the highest homicide rates in the nation.
For him, it was a healthy mix of both.
“Life growing up in Macon was what you made it. You can be playing sports or at school. I saw the rough sides of it with gang culture, but it’s all about choices and minding your business” says Perry.
Raised by both sides of his family, Perry’s father attended Morris Brown College and played basketball there. As a child, his dad exposed him to sports and encouraged Perry to put education first.
Perry went to several elementary schools in Macon and got an education that was steeped in both the social and cultural forces around him. Bouncing from a small religious school Bethany Christian Academy to Burdell-Hunt forced him to in his words, “put an edge on”. In spite of the pressure, he was able to excel, eventually becoming a rising star for Northeast High School’s basketball team. From there, he went to Fort Valley State University where he was able to blend his love of sports with his love of knowledge.
A mover and shaker even back then, Perry connected with athletes and artists alike. He received his degree in Mass Communication and after school decided to create and influence culture.
“Basketball didn’t pan out like I thought it would. I thought I’d be a video editor behind the boards working the angles, says Perry. What grew out of that was his first creative venture, Dangerous Paradise LLC.
Established shortly after graduation in 2013, Dangerous Paradise became a clothing brand that mixed the aesthetics of skateboard clothing stores like Clockwork with urban streetwear.
“I was applying for jobs and getting rejected left and right. I was trying to figure out what I can do. I started playing with ideas and used my name to come up with the brand. My name is Perry and my middle name has a D in it. After playing around, I create this oxymoron of Dangerous Perry-Paradise. It flows. I get the chills.”
Premiering his work in Macon, GA, his store became a staple in the city’s downtown area. Perry’s brand covered every end of clothing from shoes to shirts and sweaters which he created by hand. Soon acclaimed DJs like DJ Swin, who also went to FVSU, began rocking his clothing which helped increase his brand’s notoriety. Dangerous Paradise soon became an umbrella name for everything Perry loved which soon grew into his most notable venture, Dangerous Paradise TV.
Hosted on the Hip Hop Network Television platform, Dangerous Paradise TV interviews rising entrepreneurs, current stars, and business moguls who need media while also bringing in Perry’s love for sports. Perry’s list of notable guests includes everyone from Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob, Curtis Snow from the acclaimed documentary, Snow on the Bluff, and TY, the son of New Orleans rapper BG.
In the decade since it’s been on, it’s grown to the point where he’s been able to monetize his platform and almost triple his original follower count.
“It’s been a journey with the Hip Hop Network because I’m really bridging the gap between Macon and Atlanta. I’m doing this without any radio help or media help outside of myself, HHN, and YouTube. It’s a blessing.”
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