Story & Lesson Highlights with Alex Basaldua of Tempe AZ

Alex Basaldua shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Alex, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I’m walking a path, one I knew I was walking. I’ve stumbled plenty of times, lost my way, and taken detours all while never losing site of my goals.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Alex Basaldua, I’m a Los Angeles native and I’ve been with Trap Culture for a little over 3 years now. I’m the event coordinator and vendor contact for all cannabis brands for our cannabis event company, I also hold a few other titles and job responsibilities throughout our other companies. The thing about Trap Culture is that we’re unlike any other company out there, there is no one else out there that does what we do as successfully as we do it. Trap Culture is the leading Premier Cannabis Event and Lifestyle company here in Arizona. What makes us unique is that we curate the best cannabis events in the United States. Where others throw a cannabis events once in a blue moon on smaller scales and not always legal, we stay consistent, bringing the best brands and the best environments to engage with like minded individuals and bringing communities together through our love of cannabis and music while staying in compliance with local and state laws. We have thrown events like Cannafest at a water park, pool parties for Buds & Bikinis, food festivals like Mangia Ganja and Fully Baked, low rider shows and music festivals like Arizona Smoke Out. We have brought out Artist like, Suga Free, MC 8ght, Spice One, X- Raided, RBL Posse, Kirko Bangz, and Yung Joc to make sure we deliver a one of a kind experience. If you’re in Arizona we are actually planning our next event in collaboration with Arizona Supershow Saturday February 28th called The BLVD. and if your into cars, bikes, low riders, food, culture and cannabis you’re not going to want to miss this one. The Arizona Supershow brings people from all over the United States to show off their vehicles and enjoy themselves in a one of a kind event at State Farm Stadium. So stay tuned and make sure you keep up to date on all of our events by following us on Instagram @trapculture_az or getting on our email list at www.TrapCultureAz.com .

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with God is the one which shaped how I see myself. Like I mentioned before, I’ve stumbled and lost my way plenty of times before I found myself back on my path. I’ve been through rough patches that would have broken other men and has broken others. I went through a bad divorce, lost my family, my house, my friends, everything. I entered into this position with Trap Culture and a month in I became homeless. A lot of people didn’t know that this big loving, fun and happy person was going to sleep in his truck at a park after throwing these huge events. I didn’t tell a lot of people what I was going through because I didn’t want the pity. I wanted to pull myself up without any hand outs and that’s what I did but I did have a handful of people I trusted with this information that let me take showers and wash my clothes and I’ll always hold them in high regard for being there for me when I needed it. It was truly humbling and taught me a lot about myself. All that time alone gave me plenty of time to have so many conversations with myself and with God, I placed my trust in Jesus Christ and he provided opportunities for me to lift myself up. It was never easy and I’ve been met with obstacles and failures but in Christ I found them as lessons and not losses and I always emerged stronger and wiser. I know I’m always going to face these trials and I’m not always going to come out on top, but I know this path I’m on is the right one with him guiding me.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Never, as a man you have to realize that no one is coming to save you but you. I put everything into what I do, there is no Plan B, there is no fall back and no one to run to, it’s just me and my success fully depends on myself.

There’s plenty of times I could have stayed homeless, I could have stopped working and went back to construction. I could have went back to retail, I could have gone back to being a mechanic, I could have gone back to California and found help with old friends. None of which was an option for me. I hit rock bottom and I was determined that I was the only one that was going to be able to change my situation. Not giving up has broadened my horizons and opened so many doors for me, building beautiful friendships and relationships, finding family that has no blood ties and becoming apart of this wonderful cannabis community here in Arizona.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I hold strong traditional family values being brought up in a traditional Hispanic household. I was brought up with a father who showed me right from wrong and what it is to be a man of my word and if I want anything in life it’s never going to be handed to me, I’d have to work for it.

Brittany Dial aka BZ, this woman has been through so much in her life and she always emerges stronger and wiser. She’s owned multiple companies and has been through so many tribulations and she’s never lost site of what’s important to her: her family and helping provide for others. She’s one of the most genuine, companionate, loving , fun, and generous people I have ever met and I’m happy and proud to call her a friend and a family member. Through her various companies she’s made sure they’ve benefited others rather than her self and she continues to do so, this is the kind of person I aspire to be like.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do. Knowing who I am and what path I’m on, I’m following my passion which is cannabis, and in that is where I found everything I need; family, love, and compassion. This company, this industry that I’m in, it’s a tight knit community, it’s smaller than people think it is and it gives me the opportunity to be the person I’m meant to be. If there’s ever a time I feel like I need to leave this path and walk a new one, I’ll worry about it and cross that bridge when I get there, but right now, I’m going to continue this path I’m on until God guides me elsewhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.trapcultureaz.com
• Instagram: @trapculture_az / @ajbas22
• Twitter: @Trapcultureaz
• Facebook: Trapp Culture
• Youtube: @trapcultureaz