‘Born x Raised’ co-founder Chris Printup dies in tragic car accident months after father’s demise

Born x Raised co-founder Chris Printup, akaSpanto, has died in a tragic car accident on Tuesday, June 27, Opoyi reported. Printup created the famed companywith Alex ‘2Tone’ Erdmann a decade ago. Some of their high-profile collabs included New Era, Converse, Babylon, as well as several Los Angeles franchises like the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Rams, and LAFC.

Printup was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013, a month after he started Born x Raised. In 2018, it was reported that he was cancer-free. In an Instagram post just six months ago, Printup took to Instagram to share a reflective post about his health and journey.

“I just want to take a moment to take a long, hard look back and what has happened over the last ten years. I think if you would take a peek at my instagram and see the highlight reel and think it might’ve been easy – but.. from where ive started (like in the early years of my life).. growing up my dad was homeless and my mom was mentally ill – I spent a lot of time in and out of the system from an early age from central juvenile hall to many years spent in the county – I decided to create a clothing brand while the last time I was incarcerated – I cooked up bxr while I was in the hole at supermax (idk if anyone who is reading this has been there but if you’ve ever eaten juke balls for a month you know the deal),” Printup wrote.

“A couple years after working on bxr we started moving, things were great and one month after we launched with union I was diagnosed with terminal cancer (YES, TERMINAL) so from 2013 until now I’ve been battling cancer, did 4 years of chemo lost 100 lbs and my hair numerous times – what I’m getting at is life is hard for everyone and I want anyone to know, that if you’re feeling discouraged or like life has given you too many handicaps – ITS OKAY. you’re going to be fine things will get better,” he continued.

“I’m cancer free, I’m not incarcerated and my family has a house to live in and I want to look back at all that has happened and say THANK YOU – because just 5 years ago I was in the worst place in life I’ve ever been and just this last week I’ve been in Vogue, NY Times and a bunch of other places that I am extremely grateful for. If you would have told me 10 years ago I would be hosting a dinner with Nike on the roof of Soho house for 100 of my friends I would’ve never believed you,” he added, thanking some special people in his life.

Born x Raised teamed with Levi’s for a project this month, to pay homage to Butch, Printup’s late father. Butch reportedly died this year. “I found this Levi’s denim jacket that he used to wear a lot when I was a kid and immediately knew I wanted to dedicate a project to my father’s memory,” Printup told Vogue. The photos for the Levi’s collab were shot in Los Angeles, and also his grandfather’s childhood home of White River, Arizona.

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