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Meet Keith Chapman
Keith Chapman is an Orlando native who was raised on the west side of Orlando. He’s the Founder of Kreative Dreamzzz, New West Orlando (NWO), and Orlando vs The World. Keith’s focus is on uniting the local community and showcasing the real Orlando to the world.
A few minutes with Keith and you’ll immediately feel welcome and on top of the world. Even as I was setting up for our interview at the Magic Mall, there wasn’t one person that walked by his store he didn’t greet with a smile and an indication he knew them personally.
Shaped by a Supportive Upbringing
Whether it’s someone pulling up in a Bentley or walking up sweating from the Florida heat, saying “Hi'' and engaging with people comes natural to Keith, and much of that comes from the supportive upbringing and the diverse community he grew up in. He considers his supportive upbringing a huge blessing. His parents always taught him, “No matter who anybody is, you treat them with respect” - It’s this energy that Keith has embodied and it’s the energy he gives off to all he engages with. He says that he’s seen that energy come back to him a thousand fold.
No matter who anybody is, you treat them with respect.
Becoming i4chapman
After graduating from Dr Phillips High School, Keith attended Santa Fe College in Gainesville. About 15 minutes away, Tim Tebow was enrolled at the University of Florida where he was lighting up the SEC and the whole NCAA football league. As someone who loves people and having fun, it was easy for Keith to embrace UF, and of course, the number of parties that surrounded the community at that time. However two semesters in, and some academic probation, Keith was done at Santa Fe and onto his next journey.
Still wanting to go to school, he moved to Tampa to attend HCC. It was in Tampa where he connected with his brother and found his interest (and talent) in promotions and nightlife. Following Tampa he ended up in Jacksonville where his cousin Mike Lockley had signed with the Jaguars. Over the years, Keith found himself to be criss-crossing through central Florida along i4, which led to his name i4chapman.
Coming back to Orlando with a Purpose
Moving around to different places and experiencing different things (including time in Denver, where he went to learn about what was going on with medical marijuana), Keith came back to Orlando with a deeper understanding of who he was, what he was good at, and the type of community he wanted to create.
Being away from Orlando and telling people where he grew up, the image of Orlando to the outside world didn’t seem to fit his perception. Orlando was home - it was a place where he experienced a welcoming diversity and a community of people who represented a city that was more than just theme parks and tourism. It was here that he wanted to define his legacy.
Heart of the City
What people might not know about Keith is that he has Sleep Apnea and it affects his ability to have a normal job. It's also why his company Kreative Dreamzzz is spelled the way it is. The K for Keith, and the three Z's representing both sleep, and where he gets his ideas from (dreaming).
To work around the sleep apnea, he took on a security night shift job at Rosen Hotels. It was on the job at Rosen where Keith began to jot down ideas around his heart for the city. He reflected on his own upbringing, where he lived, what he experienced, and how he felt there was something new coming. He jotted down New Generation, New Vibe and then landed on New West Orlando. He looked at it, and realized that it made NWO. Being a wrestling fan he loved the connection and with the help of his parents, ordered apparel to serve as a unifying brand for people on the west side of Orlando.
The brand was a hit and the apparel took off like wildfire. The energy it created went beyond the west side and caused people to reach out to Keith to ask what he could do for them. During the Pandemic, Keith launched Orlando vs The World, a brand that represents unity for all who live in Orlando.
Every step Keith takes is focused on enjoying life, uniting the community, and showcasing Orlando in the way he sees it, and hopes to see it. He looks at all the moving parts that make up a thriving community and finds ways to incorporate them in his mission. From putting together serving opportunities in the community, apparel that symbolizes unity, to bringing together a number of local artists to create a collaborative album, titled: Neighborhood Legends.
Defining the Orlando Life
