Vendor Interview: Shariff

Photo: Emil Lombardo

How did you get involved in selling DOPE Magazine?

I got involved pretty much in the early stage, when it was the second edition. I was one of the first ones to promote DOPE Magazine. From me only doing it, now everyone’s doing it. I mean it done me wonders. What it did for me was, I was in a situation where I had no status. It was either that or crime. So I chose this – I might be getting humiliated all the time, a thousand ‘no’s – it wasn’t easy, but it really helped me in a massive way.

So you find it useful?

I find it very useful. It’s educational.

Where do you sell?

I sell it everywhere. I sell it in Liverpool Street, that’s where I started. Now every Tom, Dick and Harry’s doing it there. It’s like a glitch to the system in people going to jail. You know, it helped so many people, opened so many eyes. Do you know like, that’s what this country does, misleads people. The biggest beggars are the charities, not us.

What do you do when you're not selling DOPE?

Pretty much nothing, just do my thing.

What kind of things are you interested in?

I like to pray and that. Play a little bit of basketball and stuff. I go and start preaching religion. That’s what I do. That’s my kind of thing. Convert people.

DOPE helped me a lot man. If I had any money in my will, it would all go to DOPE,  seriously. It helps people. You’re a non-profit organisation, which is music to my ears. For me, if I ever had millions it’d go to DOPE.