Travis Bennett, formerly part of the hip hop music collective Odd Future, has a not-so-odd hobby: searching for vintage and thrift clothing and furnishings. “I collect a lot of random old things,” the Dave star declares.
His love for repurposing items started as a child. “My mom really opened me up to the idea when I was younger. She had a store when I was a kid and she would go to Goodwill to buy a bunch of things to sell. Being with her, I found a hoodie that I loved and that sent me off to the races.”
Bennett shares his secrets for finding vintage treasures with EBONY, and what to expect from his character in this third season of his FX series Dave, based on the life of rapper and comedian Dave “Lil Dicky” Burd.
EBONY: You are a very environmentally conscious individual.
Travis Bennett: Yep, everything I have on right now minus my socks and underwear is vintage.
How does sustainability play a big part in your life?
I like creating a physical version of my brain for somebody to walk around in, so decorating my house has been my main fun for the past six months. I bought an old gas sign that I have hanging from the ceiling and it lights up. A friend came to my home and asked who did this piece. He’s an art buff, and I died laughing. I told him it was just something I made. To have someone see a vintage piece that I fixed and hung up a certain way and think it’s a piece of art is amazing because art is so subjective.
What is your vintage shopping strategy?
I like flea markets, and I dig for my vintage. I have gone to a flea market at five in the morning and stayed until I find something I love. It’s the satisfaction you get from going through the steps, which brings it to life for me mentally.
Do you have any favorite flea markets where you like to hunt?
The Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, California, is a big one. I love Melrose Trading Post in Los Angeles and one my friend put together, the Cactus Plant Flea Market. I think that one’s really nice.
What’s your greatest find of all time?
Everybody knows I love basketball and that I’m obsessed with the Lakers. It’s the number one thing in my life a majority of the time, so my best find is a gray Lakers shirt I bought for $40. And I have a Los Angeles Fire Department t-shirt that has so many holes in it, but I love it so much. I can only dry clean it because it’s torn to shreds.
What can we expect from your character on Dave, season three, who is traveling the country on his rap tour?
There are a lot of great guests this season, and you’ll see everybody go through what they’re going through and experience different things. I think it’s nice to see characters, especially after two seasons, still developing and figuring out the next steps and phases of their lives and careers. And exploring America with a ginger guy, a Jewish guy, two Black kids and an Asian woman, it’s a very diverse set of people to be traveling around the United States.
Tell me about your character, Elz.
He’s very sarcastic, cuts through the BS and is brutally honest at times when he doesn’t need to be, but he’s a sweetie pie. He’s a sensitive being, very loving and very loyal.
Is he going to go have a major storyline this season?
This season, his insecurities and vulnerability are meeting and at one point, they’ll peak. He’ll have to come back down to earth, humble himself and be brutally honest with his friends about the situations that he’s put himself in. Elz is hard on himself, but he’s very optimistic and excited about the future.
Will Dave play any part in Elz’s transformation, or will he just be a doofus about it?
Dave will play a huge role in the transformation but he’ll remain a doofus no matter what.
You were part of a music troupe and morphed into acting, how has that whole experience been?
It’s been a trip, honestly. Coming up with a group of musicians, it was a lot different to step into acting, they are just two separate worlds. For me, a lot of growing up had to happen very quickly for TV; it’s just more responsibility and moving pieces. When I was on tour with the group, there were eight or 10 of us in total. A TV set is 140 people a day. So you have to remain prepared. Then combine that with mental stability and toughness and put your ego aside so you can be the best teammate you can be for everybody else on set.
Your sister is Sydney Loren Bennett, also known as Syd Tha Kid, who toured with you. Is there any sibling rivalry between you two?
No sibling rivalry here. We really are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. People think it’s a joke because of how much I cheer for my sister. If she got a lollipop for free, I’d say, “Alright, let’s go!” I’m a very big cheerleader for everybody around me and their accomplishments.
What would be one hobby people would be surprised to discover about you?
I recently picked up golfing and I’m catching the bug for it. I’m watching the Masters Tournament, which is the oldest, whitest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.
Catch Bennett on Dave, currently playing Wednesdays on FX and streaming on Hulu.
