Kenneth Dabney Is Turning “Below Average” Into a New Orleans-Born Culture Movement

For New Orleans native Kenneth Dabney, “Below Average” was never meant to describe his potential. It became a reminder of what can happen when someone refuses to accept the limits others place on them.

As the Founder and Creative Director of Below Average Clothing, Dabney has transformed a phrase rooted in being underestimated into a growing fashion, music, lifestyle, and community platform. What began as a clothing brand is evolving into something much larger—one that connects entrepreneurship, creativity, faith, culture, and the voices of people who understand what it means to be counted out.

Dabney’s perspective was shaped early. Growing up in New Orleans, he experienced moments when people made assumptions about his abilities based on his size, appearance, or the color of his skin. Those experiences created a mentality centered on perseverance: if someone questioned whether he belonged, he would find a way to prove that he did.

Eventually, that mentality became the foundation for Below Average Clothing.

But Dabney’s entrepreneurial journey also required him to make a more personal decision. After spending significant time and resources investing in other people’s ideas, he realized that some of that same energy needed to be directed toward himself.

He decided to bet on his own vision.

Below Average became the result.

The brand’s philosophy is closely connected to another phrase: BIG GOD little me. For Dabney, the message represents faith, humility, and perspective—building something meaningful while recognizing that the mission should remain bigger than the individual.

That philosophy is also shaping the company’s expansion into music.

In August 2026, Below Average released its seven-track Below Average EP, bringing together New Orleans artists Willhebe, 3dNatee, GreatWhite, MaxxP, Jay Jones, and Kidd Kidd.

The project features Purpose, Rose, Psalm 56, Mothers Prayer, The Process, Little Ole Me, and The Benediction, with each record exploring themes of purpose, struggle, family, faith, perseverance, prayer, and personal growth.

For Dabney, the music is not a departure from the clothing brand. It is another way to communicate the same philosophy.

The music tells the Below Average story in a different language.

The brand’s community presence has become another important part of that story. During its 2026 back-to-school car show and giveaway outside the Below Average Clothing store, approximately 250 backpacks were distributed to children, bringing families, businesses, organizations, car enthusiasts, and supporters together.

The event demonstrated Dabney’s larger vision: Below Average is not simply about selling apparel. It is about creating experiences and building connections that people remember.

That broader approach reflects the spirit of New Orleans itself—a city internationally recognized for its influence on music, fashion, food, art, and culture, while also producing generations of people who have learned how to create opportunities from limited resources.

Dabney is taking that mentality and building it into a business platform.

Fashion gives Below Average a visual identity. Music gives it a voice. Community initiatives give it purpose. Entrepreneurship gives it room to grow.

And underneath all of it is a message aimed at anyone who has ever been underestimated.

The athlete told they were too small.

The artist overlooked.

The entrepreneur whose idea wasn’t taken seriously.

The person judged before being given an opportunity.

The individual who spent years believing in everyone else before finally deciding to believe in themselves.

Below Average isn’t about where you rank. It’s about what you do after somebody counts you out.

Kenneth Dabney is no longer simply trying to prove that the doubters were wrong.

He is building something for everyone who has ever been made to feel like they were not enough—and giving that mentality a name, a wardrobe, a soundtrack, and a growing place in New Orleans culture.

Stay In Touch

Website: baverageclothing.com

Instagram: @dab17 & @belowaveragethebrand