SAN FRANCISCO - TelAve -- Move over, Labubu. There's a new plushy will soon take over backpacks, TikTok feeds, and Gen Z streetwear scenes—and it's got an ill flow and deep crates. Meet DJ Retro, the wide-eyed, boombox-headed mascot of RetroSlang®, is now swinging from zippers and is poised to be stitched into the hearts of culture-forward youth across the globe.

What started as an anthropomorphic character in the mind of its creator, R. Byron Hord, spawned from his growing frustration at the loss of authenticity in music and art has now spilled into the real world, riding a wave of nostalgia, cultural identity, and fashion-forward expression. Gen Z, long praised for its mix of individuality and community-mindedness, has adopted DJ Retro not just as a collectible, but as a symbol of affiliation—to eras past, and to the slang, music, and messages that shaped them.

From Toy to Token: A Symbol of Cultural Fluency

Unlike Labubu—which surged thanks to scarcity, surrealist charm, and a growing desire for tactile engagement—DJ Retro isn't rare, he's relevant.

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"DJ Retro isn't just a plushy," says Maya J., a 19-year-old from Atlanta. "He's a vibe. He reps what we say, what we wear, what our parents wore in the '90s. When you rock him on your bag, it's like saying, 'I get it.'"

The plushy's retro-fitted fit (a gold rope chain, oversized sneakers, and RetroSlang® crewneck) reflects the golden era of hip-hop while remaining playfully expressive. And that's the point—this plushy is expressive merch, not passive fashion. It speaks volumes about how Gen Z and Gen Alpha wear their influences—literally.

A Badge of Belonging in the RetroSlang World

Every plushy comes with a QR code linking to exclusive drops at RetroSlang.us website, as well as the soon to be RetroSlang experience on Meta's Horizon Worlds—a virtual world where slang words like "Jelly" and "Bounce" are brought to life through games, music, and digital drops. Winning a round of Four Square or spinning a DJ set in the virtual world might even unlock new plushy accessories.

The goal of the DJ Retro plushy is to become not just a statement of style, cultural affiliation, and shared nostalgia but a much needed bridge between the physical and the digital.

Whether you discovered DJ Retro through the RetroSlang website, in a Horizon Worlds corridor, or on the backpack of someone walking down Canal Street—one thing is clear: this plushy is more than a toy. It's a statement.

A movement is forming—one plushy at a time.  Visit us at https://retroslang.us