247livemaga5thedition1

Happy New Year!

ISSUE 6 / JAN 2014

Fitness Special

New Year, New You

A Year in Review We say goodbye to 2013 and welcome 2014

Ginuwine

Sweetboy of RnB

Hollyoaks Special

Newcomer Aaron reveal all

Fashion

Urban trends for 2014

Ones to watch

Artists to look out for in 2014

12 YEARS A SLAVE

EDITORSNOTE Hello, It’s a Happy New Year from all of us at 24/7Livelisings.com. 2013 was a very special year for us. Our baby was born and we laughed and loved in 2013, got to try some amazing new experiences and hopefully we will try a lot more as we are really looking forward to 2014.

We met some interesting people last year. we got up close and personal with Rihanna, Trey Songs, SWV, Faith Evans, and Bobby V. Laughed with Eastenders star Fatboy and Funny Man Slim and took selfies with the original Suga Babes Keisha Siobhan and Mutya.

We are definitely starting as we mean to go on and for this issue, as we have highlighted things to look out for in 2014. Including ones to watch on the music scene, the best films and shows and of course whats going to be big gadgets and fashion wise.

As usual the mag is jam packed with goodies for you all to enjoy from a special feature on the film of the moment 12 Years a Slave, toexclusive interviews with 90’s r&b sweet boy Ginuwine and Hollyoaks Newcomer Aaron Fontaine.

But let me stop there and let you enjoy the mag. Any thoughts, then hit me up at michelle@247livelistings.com

Michelle x

MEET THE TEAM THE TEAM BEHIND 24/7 LIVE MAGAZINE Gavin A Peters Features Editor

gavin@247livelistings.com

Nicole Robinson Beauty

Fabian CollymoreSports/Fitness Expert

Damien Brome Money & Finance

Grant Richards The Sneaker Pimp

Mazel John Fashion

Jammz Designer

Darren Lobban The Games Master

Jazinhino Phillips Motoring

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URBAN TRENDS: Looks for 2014

38 12 Years A Slave:

48 FITNESS: New Year, New You

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BUBBLING UNDER: Artists to look out for in 2014

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24/7NEWS

Queen Bey also talked about not feeling ashamed of her sexuality, saying it is ‘a power we all have’.

Lorraine Pascale’s Racist Hell at the hands of Internet trolls.

Baking Made Easy star Lorraine Pascale has recently admitted that she was the victim of vile abuse online so much so, that she has had to call in the police.

‘I get hundreds of nasty messages Twitter,’ said the celebrity chef ‘I don’t really tell people about them but there has been a few that has really affected me. the difficult thing is that even when someone’s had there twitter account closed, there is little to stop them opening a new one’.

And it’s not just online that she’s encountered racism either she revealed that whilst in a pub a landlord once told her ‘All black people should go home, but you can stay because my wife likes your cakes.’ He seemed to think that was an OK thing to say to me. It was so ridiculous it was almost funny.

Beyoncé: I’m Sexier Now I’ve lost the Baby Weight The Countdown singer was speaking exclusively in a documentary about stripping off for her new album Partition – Bey said she was ‘very aware of her body image after dropping 65lbs following the birth of Blue Ivy. ‘I was 195 pounds when I gave birth,’ she revealed. ‘I lost 65 pounds. I worked crazily to get my body back. I wanted to show my body. I wanted to show that you can have a child and if you work hard you can get your body back.’

Cowell Snubs X Factor Runner Up Tamera Foster X factor founder Simon Cowell is reportedly refusing to sign X Factor runner up Tamera Foster to a record deal despite all 3 judges on the hit show tipping her for international stardom.

According to insiders, Cowell doesn’t think Tamera is ready for a massive recording contract due to her questionable performances on the live shows. But Tamera shouldn’t worry because according to a well placed source, The dad to be is keen to sign her on to a development instead and has his eye on Rough Copy and Nicholas in his continued quest for pop music domination.

Tulisa turns to psychics to help her feel positive 6

and although he knows Paul - who died in a car accident at the age of just 40 last November - would want him to be happy he’s finding it tough to deal with his loss.

The star told United Arab Emirates newspaper 7DAYS: “He was one of my best friends ever. I find it hard to enjoy life because he’s not here ... but knowing him, he’d want us to keep smiling and having fun.” Tyrese also described his late pal as a joyful person who he never saw “sad” or “crying”.

Former N Dubz singer Tulisa has reportedly turned to psychics to keep her thinking positive about her future.

The 26 year old currently on police bail for drugs offences is using close friend Alex Thornhill, who claims to have psychic ability for advice. The Younger singer has asked her old friend to give her some readings on what the future may hold.

Tia and Tamera Reality Show Ends After three years, The Tia and Tamera reality show is coming to an end on the Style Network.

The Sister Sister stars issued a statement that said ‘We are truly blessed:) More than anything, I wanted you all to see who I was TRULY as a person and the show “Tia and Tamera” has done that,’ Tamera tweeted on New Year’s Eve. ‘Thank you for always supporting us throughout the years.”

The twins have announced that instead of doing a fourth season, Tamera was going to start focusing on her talk show The Real, while Tia would work solely on her Nickelodeon show Instant Mom. “Tia n I decided it was time 2 live r family lives behind the cameras:)” Tamera added.

Nicole Sherzinger: I avoid Fizzy Drinks The X factor judge has revealed the secret as to why her skin looks so great – because she has a total ban on Fizzy Drinks.

The singer claims to have never ever tried a carbonated beverage instead just sticking to water ‘The secret [to glowing skin] is simple girls, you need to ditch the fizzy drinks,’ says Nicole, 35. ‘I drink only water.

I have never had a carbonated beverage, well I suppose a beer, but Coke or 7Up I have never had that. ‘Just water really, lots and lots of water.

I don’t think fizzy drinks taste good and I love water. It is all about hydrating the skin.’ Nicole also credits her Hawaiian genes with helping her look fresh despite her bad beauty habits.‘It has got to do with my heritage [too],’ adding ‘I hate to say it but I usually go to bed with my make-up on. I am like a tomboy in that way.’

Tyrese: I Miss My Best Friend Paul Walker’s co star and best friend singer Tyrese Gibson is “finding it hard” to move on with his life after the death of the Fast and the Furious actor.

American R&B singer Tyrese, who appeared in 2013 film Fast & Furious 6, is still grieving for his friend and co-star 7

24/7NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEFS

Dominic Celaire His sexual antics on a London stairwell on NYE went viral, earning him a spot on gossip site World Star Hip Hop and allegedly the loss of his job and his friends.

Kim Kardashian has revealed that she gets her style inspiration from British women.

The star, who recently launched her own clothing range Kardashian Kollection for Lipsy with sisters Kourtney and Khloé, said she admires the Brits for their standout fashion sense.

We all love UK street fashion,’ Kim, 33, told TV Extra.

Adding ‘I love how [British girls] style outfits in a completely different way than girls back home.

Theo Walcott Arsenal star has been ruled out of the England squad for this summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil after picking up an injury paying against Tottenham

Prince: Live Tour 2014 Music icon Prince has announced dates of a national UK tour after a hiatus of nearly 7 years.

The Purple Rain singer has announced a 21-date residency at London’s 02 Arena. The veteran will celebrate his 35-year musical career and it will feature his classics as well as reworked hits and new material.

The star has recently finished performing a three – night set in Connecticut to rave reviews. The singer will be returning to the UK with a 21-piece band.

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Danny Dyer Joins Eastenders Professional cocky geezer is the new owner of the Queen Vic, landing on the square on Christmas Day and we love him!

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24/7BAROMETER

WHAT’S

HOT? ‘BEYONCE’ IS A HIT

Having only released her album last month Beyonce’s fifth self titled visual album has already sold in excesss of 1Million worldwide, and still remains no1 on the US Billboard charts.

WHAT’S

NOT? N-DUBZ STAR ‘N’ DEBT Former N-Dubz member Fazer has been declared bankrupt, court records reveal. The rapper – real named Richard Rawson – filed for the status on December 4 using a North London address.

FIRST ‘BLACK’ LADY REACHE 50!

First lady, Michelle Obama, celebrates her milestone birthday of 50, ( Jan 17th). The White House will be holding a party the following day called, “Snacks & Sips & Dancing & Dessert.”

BABY JOY FOR JAY

UK Rapper, Jay Sean and wife Thara Natalie has given birth to their first child - a baby girl! born on the 13th December, weighing in at 6lbs 7ozs. Named their daughter Ayva Loveen Kaur Jhooti.

J DUPRI WRONGFUL ARREST

Jermaine and his crew were cruising Miani Beach when they were stopped by Police in his Lincoln. A single Xanax pill caught the eye of a officer, only to find out that it was a prescribe drug for of one of the passengers.

KIM K BABY WAX?

Kim Kardashian has denied reports that she has waxed her 6-month year old baby, North-West eyebrows., after posting a Instagram picture on her timeline. Whereby she suggested she performed beauty procedure on her daughter.

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X FACTOR QUEEN

Having been crowned the winner of X-Factor last month and reaching number 1, Sam Bailey, 36, split proceedings of her album sales to 2 childrens charity, Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity and Together For Short Lives.

GLOBE NIMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

With seven nominations each, “12 Years a Slave” and David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” are in direct competition for four awards: : best director, best screenplay, best supporting actress and best supporting actor.

MARRIAGE MAY NOT BE BLISFULL According to reports Married A-list couple Justin Timeberlake and Jessica Biel are having marital problems- the pair have recently been seen without their wedding bands and not appearing together in public

GONE HORSE

Recent Big Brother evictee and former Heavy weight Boxing champion confessed on UK Big Brother that he had punched a pregnant horse in the face.

24/7GOSSIP

the film entrepreneur have circulated in recent years.

In a recent interview with popular American talkshow hist Andy Cohen, he asked Perry: ‘ There are rumours all over the”A” that you have “dated” some Atlanta Housewives. Is this true?’

To which he replied laughing : ‘I plead the fifth. Perry is known for both creating and performing in drag the Madea character, a giant, overreactive, and thuggishly tough elderly woman.[ In 2011, Forbes named him the highest paid man in entertainment; he earned $130 million between May 2010 and 2011.

ROWLAND ENGAGED Former Destinys child singer Kelly Rowland has revealed she is engaged.

Rowland, 32 took to instagram to post a video where she revealed that she is to tie the knot with her best friend and manager Tim Witherspoon.

It was first rumoured that she was engaged in mid November when she flaunted the ring on the social media website. The X Factor USA judge was in Bulgaria, when her partner Tim proposed via Skype, she told talk show host Queen Latifah in a recent interview.

‘He put a ring on it’ she gushed to the host.

She added: it was so late, I remember we were both just kinda like, honestly, just staring at each other ... and he asked me, and it was just that simple to say yes.’

The Lay it on Me singer was previously engaged to NFL Football Player Roy Williams, feels she found her soulmate. ’

ADELE AWARDED FOR MUSIC British Singer Adele has been awarded an MBE for her contribution to music from the Queen.

The Skyfall Singer, was named in the Queens Birthday Honours list for her services to the music industry, which last year saw her win an Oscar for the James Bond theme song The 25-year old mum of one will now be titled as Miss Adele Adkins MBE, a member of the Most Excellent Oder of the British Empire.

The Grammy award winner is rumoured to release her third studio album this year, and has been busy with her first born son Angelo with partner Simon Konecki, born last October.

IN THE BLUE Blue singer, Lee Ryan has revealed on Celebritiy Big Brother that he is in fact bisexual.

In a candid open conversation Ryan confessed that he had slept with guys before.

It has also emerged that he has also been inimated with fellow blue member Duncan James who also came out as Bi-sexual back in 2009.

The singers, are said to have an ‘incredibly intense relationship’ which involved being ‘intimate’.

A source revealed to Dan Wootton in The Sun: ‘Lee has an incredibly intense relationship with Duncan. He feels he is the only person in the world who truly understands him.

The source added: ‘Even though they both have children, neither has married and that’s quite telling.’

Lee recently opened up about his sexual experiences with men on reality show Big Brother, saying: ‘Yeah I’ve been with a man. Everyone’s done experimentational s***.’

He added: ‘I’m a well-travelled person.

I’ve never admitted it anywhere. No-one’s bothered to ask.’

MILEY CYRUS GAY? Twerker, Miley Cyrus is rumoured to be on the verge of coming out as Gay. Cyrus, 21 recently posted a pic of her snogging the face off model, Cara Delvingne with a GAY flag superimposed onto the image..

In the past year the Wrecking Ball singer has pulled a string of stunts in which she has managed to create headlines and exposure for all the wrong reason.

MADEA STAR DATED MAN? According to reports Madea Star Tyler Perry allegedly dated a gay man from a popular hit US Tv series.

Perry 44, seems to have caught himself in yet another explosive rumour surrounding his personal life.

Its not the first time that such rumours about 11

IMAGEGALLERY

ROUND UP OF 2013 EVENTS

FEBRUARY: This month was a movie month. Disney/

JANUARY: Cissy Houston recently revealed that she

Pixar’s Brave won in the Best Animation category at the Bafta awards and at the Oscars beating Paranorman and Frankenweenie. Skyfall won a Bafta for Best British Film and Ang Lee won Best Director for Life of Pi at the

doesn’t blame Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, bad boy singer Bobby Brown, for getting her daughter hooked on drugs; it turns out Cissy’s son Michael first introduced his younger sister Whitney to cocaine.

APRIL: British RnB/Pop group JLS announced there

MARCH: Justin Bieber apologised to fans for appear-

were splitting after five years together. The group came to fame on the UK talent show X-factor.

ing on stage late at his O2 arena show in March. Fans booed and jeered the teen star.

JUNE: Tulisa ‘caught in cocaine deal’ by undercover

MAY: Saturdays star, Rochelle Humes and Husband,

Marvin Humes of JLS, became parents for the first time with the arrival of baby daughter Alai-Mai

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reporter.

JULY: A Royal baby is born, Prince George made

AUGUST: Miley Cyrus mashed up her own quirktrack ‘We Can’t Stop’ with Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’, grinding away against her duet partner’s groin while she was doing it.

his very first public appearance!

SEPTEMBER:: Apple finally answered all our

questions with the announcement of two new phones - the swanky iPhone 5S (£549), and the colourful and not-so-budget iPhone 5C (£469).

OCTOBER: KIMYE’s getting hitched! West proposes to Kardashian at the AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, with a screen reading: “PLEEEASE MARRY MEEE!!”

NOVEMBER: Apple release their next generation

DECEMBER: Beyonces surprises the whole world

in iPad technology, the thinner and lighter iPad Air.

by releasing a brand new album 5th studio album along with videos.

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24/7BEAUTY

‘BLACK BEAUTY’

By Nicole Robinson This month we take a look at some products which we recommend for Black and ethnic skin, we have compiled a top 10 beauty products to help you.

Cream To Powder Foundation (For all skin types) from £16.24 This rich cream to powder foundation gives light to full coverage for all ranges of black skin. Easy to blend, light as a feather, Flori Roberts Cream to Powder foundation will smooth uneven skin tone, cover imperfections, and help deeper skintones remain velvety matte throughout the day.

Fashion Fair Lipstick £12.00 Lipstick. This unique non-drying formula is enriched with vitamins and emollients to soften and soothe delicate lips. Concentrated colorants, deliver true and rich colour to lips for intense colour impact that wears for hours. Delightfully fragranced.

Colour Splurge eyeshadows from £4.22 Highly pigmented and crease resistant formula richly enhances eyes in deep, vibrant color. Complementary duo shades are transfer-resistant and provide buildable and seamless coverage. Vitamin-enriched formula conditions and offers a silky smooth finish. Paraben-free. Dermatologist approved.

Covergirl Lipgloss from £4.30 Twist up the color and glide on the shine. Treat your lips to a balm that complements darker skin tones and is fortified with shea and mango butters for a smooth look with a hint of color.

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IMAN Corrective concealer, Clay £11.45 Smoothes on, convering dark circles, and tiny imperfections. Matte finish.

IMAN Time Control Oil-Free Moisture Complex SPF 15 From £3.00 This advanced hydrating complex conditions the skin with soothing botanicals as it controls oil. Provides sun protection with SPF 15. Leaves skin soft, supple, and radiant.

Optimum Oil Therapy Ultimate Recovery Shampoo £3.29 A shampoo that cleans, instantly softens and revitalizes dry, damage prone hair. Follow with Optimum Oil Therapy Ultimate Recovery Conditioner.

CELEB TIPS... Nicole Scherzinger NICOLE uses Radiant Toning Lotion £36.00 An essential step in your skincare regime, the Radiant Toning Lotion removes all traces of trapped dirt and impurities from your skin while tightening pores and preparing skin for maximum absorption of further Murad treatments.

The milky formula leaves skin feeling clean, bright and beautiful while infusing skin with essential vitamins and nutrients, including powerful antioxidants to fight free radical damage. Skin will feel healthy and look radiant while exfoliators soften and smooth the skin.

Brightening agents such as advanced Vitamin C technology and Botanical Extracts break down discolouration and dark spots, leaving skin looking luminous while preparing skin for further treatment and preventing future damage.

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24/7FASHION NEW YEAR, NEW ME

As it’s the New Year, we thought it best to start a new way of presenting our column.

We decided to feature flourishing urban designers from around the world, and to kick start our 2014 feature we thought we’d focus on Boy London. This brand has exploded onto the urban fashion scene with an increasing army of loyal boy fans. We’ve picked some key pieces that pay homage to the brand as well as feature current fashion trends. It’s fresh, funky and hides your festive eating sins. Enjoy. X

THE LADIES: Girl Better Know!

By Mazel John OUT FIT 1(left) Boy London Slouchy Beanie in Black (£33) SHOPAKIRA.COM MSGM Leopard Fur Sweatshirt (£230) SHOPLESNOUVELLES. COM J-Brand black thin Super Skinny jeans (£190) MONTAIGNEMARKET.COM Elodie Black Buckle Cut Out Ankle Boots (£37) SHELIKES.COM OUTFIT 2 (right) Tessa Black Cable Knit Bobble Hat (£60) SHELIKES.COM Boy Repeat Sweat Black at XileClothing.com (£55) XILECLOTHING.COM Boohoo Avery Dark Acid Wash Boyfriend Jeans (£30) BOOHOO.COM Nike Air Max 90 Essential Black Trainers (£97) ASOS.COM

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THE GUYS: Black Street Boys

OUTFIT 1 (above right)

OUTFIT 2 (above left)

Boy Eagle Beanie Hat Black at XileClothing.com (£30) XILECLOTHING.COM

Boy London Trucker Cap (£35) ASOS.COM

River Island Black Hack pour homie sport sweatshirt (£40) RIVERISLAND.COM

Boy London Large Logo Sweat Top (£55) CRUISEFASHION.CO.UK

NAKED AND FAMOUS Skinny guy stretch jean (£110) FARFETCH.COM

Boy London Print Fleece Jogging (£60) LUISAVIAROMA.COM

Underground X Boy London Ankle Boot Mens (£135) SOLESTRUCK.COM

Nike ‘Air Max 90’ Sneaker (Women) Womens Black/ Black 5.5 M (£73) NORDSTROM.COM

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FIT AS A FIDDLE

LOOK GOOD, BUT KEEP IN SHAPE WITH SOME OF THESE OUTFITS. AN CONVENTIONAL WAY TO LOOK SPORTY AND HIDE THE BULGES YOU HAVE ACCUMULATED FROM THE HOLIDAYS

outfit 1(right)

Things to help you…

outfit 2 (right)

Blue Zip Up Hoodie (£6) NEWLOOK.COM

Cool Gear Stay-Fit Cool Gear EZ Freeze Pure Stay Fit Protein Shaker (£7.18) CASA.COM

Adidas Firebird Two-Layer One-Piece (£215) ADIDAS.COM

Majestic Men’s Raiders Revell Cuffed Hem Jogging Pants (£16) THEHUT.COM

adidas Defender Medium Red Duffel adidas NEO High-Top Bag model 5122680 Sneaker - Mens (£18) SOCCERGARAGE.COM (£43) DSW.COM

Black Gola two-tone low trainers Hamilton Beach Searing Grill (£25) RIVERISLAND.COM (£49) TARGET.COM 18

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24/7GADGETS

By Gavin Peters

A New Year, usually means brand new gadgets to look forward to. Here are just some of the revolutionary treats in store for us in the coming year which will potentially change our everyday lives, take a look and see for yourself....

SMART WATCHES

BIG SCREEN APPLE TV

Hot on the heels of the Pebble and Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watches, will surely come newer and more innovative mobile-linked wristpieces. Apple also have a similar product rumoured to be released this year.

AirPlay lets you wirelessly stream what’s on your iOS device to your HDTV and speakers via Apple TV. Or mirror exactly what’s on your display to the big screen. Holiday photos, blockbusters, the latest games — AirPlay and Apple TV put it all on your TV.

ELECTRIC CARS

CANON EOS M2

From the Nissan LEAF to the BMW i3, 2013 started to bring electric cars more to the middle of the road. As more charging points are rolled out across the country in 2014, expect the interest in these motors to increase. As well as helping the environment, they keep the cost of driving low with no need for petrol or diesel. All you do is plug them in overnight and off you go in the morning. Of course, you have a limited range but they’re great for local and short hopper journeys.

With Nikon likely to turn up in Vegas with a new mirrorless camera, Canon is likely to offer something similar. The EOS M2 will be the successor to the super sharp EOS M (pictured) and come laden with impressive features and a cool, compact design. The 20 megapixel sensor will be backed up by improved autofocus skills, with a launch expected at CES. Like Nikon’s effort, this will be a pricey solution for hardcore camera fanatics.

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iPHONE 6?

The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014. It will follow the iPhone 5S which was released in September 2013.

According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a “new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included”. It will surely include Apple’s new Touch ID finger print tech though?

SCANADU SCOUT The Scanadu Scout is actually a fitness monitoring device that goes on to track all of your vital signs. All you’ll have to do to get a diagnosis is press it to your temple. It then provides all of the medical data relating to your pulse, electrical impulses, temperature, oxygen levels, and more. But it goes even further in value by providing a data analysis. It’s also expected to come out with additional add-ons that can evaluate if you’re sick and with what.

NINTENDO ANDROID TABLET

DRIFT HD VIDEO CAMERA

The Japanese gaming giant is reportedly working on an Android tablet for release in 2014, although sadly for fans of Mario and Zelda, it’ll be for educational games only. The idea, according to chatter on Twitter, is to appeal to young kids, so there won’t be any ports of classic NES and SNES titles. More’s the pity.

Action cams such as the Drift HD can be a good motivator to go outside. They capture amazing moments in 1080p HD video, which, upon watching, will make you want to go right back outside again. The small, light camera can be mounted to helmets or strapped on wrists and can also be controlled remotely. A night mode also means you can record in dusty or dark conditions. Feeling motivated to get your workout on?

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24/7 MOTORING

YEAR OF THE CAR

By Jazinhino Phillips

Happy New Year everybody. Well it looks like 2014 is going to be an interesting year for the motoring industry.

Some vehicles you will not particularly notice or care for & there are other vehicles that will not only raise your eyebrows, but you could find yourself at the dealership screaming “TAKE MY MONEY!!!”. I am going to give you a general idea of what to expect this year so that you’re able to make an informed decision. If you’re not in the market to purchase a vehicle then you may end up reconsidering, you too could be at the dealership using your current vehicle as a part exchange.

FEB This month VW will release their electric car the e-up. This is the first VW four seater electric car. Porsche will have the Macan, BMW will release the X4 & the iconic Mazda MX5 with an extreme makeover will also be available.

MARCH Audi will be providing us with the Crosslane Coupe. This car is to steer customers away from the Evoque, we shall see how this rivalry unfolds.

Which car will win? Only you can determine the answer.

APRIL Audi are up again, this time they are releasing the S3 saloon. Now this car will have 40mpg. I think this car will be a great seller. you will have the practically, the performance, & it’s economical. Honda’s offering is the Honda Civic Tourer & Ford will have the new Mondeo.

MAY Citroen is giving us the DS2 which is a revamp of the 2CV. BMW are also up again with this beautiful little sports car the Z2. Range Rover have decided to give us the Evoque convertible, just when their competitors are trying to match the current Evoque. Ouch.

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JUNE Chevrolet have also decided to release an electric car. The Spark EV.

SEPTEMBER Maserati have made a diesel car called Ghibli. This is their first diesel car.

OCTOBER Ford will be launching the Mondeo Hybrid.

DECEMBER Finally the Honda NSX has made a reappearance. Unfortunately we have to wait until the end of the year.

Now before some of you start shouting about the fact that I’ve missed out certain cars like the BMW M3 & M4, I did state at the beginning that I’m giving you a general idea. I did not say I was going to provide you with every single car that is being launched in 2014. So now you may return to your seats QUIETLY. 23

24/7LOOKOUT

A quick guide to the Films & TV Shows that we predict will be big in 2014 Name: That Awkward Moment Release date: January Stars: Zac Efron Michael B Jordan Plot: Three best friends find themselves where we’ve all been - at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when you have to decide “So...where is this going?”

Name: Need for Speed Release date: March Stars: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Chillie Mo Plot: Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross-country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins

Name: Ride Along Release date: March Stars: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart Plot: Fast-talking security guard Ben joins his cop brother-in-law James on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta in order to prove himself worthy of marrying Angela, James’ sister.

Name: Single Moms Club Release date: March 2014 Stars: Nia Long, Amy Smart Plot: Brought together by a vandalism incident at their children’s school, a group of single mothers from different walks of life bond, and create a support group that helps them find comedy in the obstacles of life 24

Name: About Last Night Release date: March 2014 Stars: Kevin Hart, Joy Bryant, Regina Hall Plot: New love for two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom and are eventually put to the test in the real world.

Name: Think Like A Man Too Release date: September 2014 Stars: Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Wendi McLendon – Covey Plot: All the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas, but plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event.

Name: Reasonable Doubt Release date: UK release tbc Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominic Cooper Plot: A District Attorney has his life turned upside down when he’s involved in a hit and run and another man is arrested for his crime and charged with murder.

TV Name: Mob City Dates: January 2014 Channel: Fox Stars: Jon Bernthal, Milo Ventimiglia Plot: Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont returns to TV with this gritty crime series. Based on real-life accounts of LAPD-mob wars of the late Forties, the series certainly looks grimy.

Expect cameos too, starting with an appearance from Simon Pegg.

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24/7LOOKOUT TV Name: Brooklyn Nine Nine Release date: January 16 Channel: E4 Stars: Andy Samberg Plot: Brooklyn Nine-Nine will finally hit these shores via E4 this spring. The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg stars as a truly infantile detective with a surprisingly high arrest rate. Thankfully, it eschews the easy Beverly Hills Cop angle for a more workplace humour in the veins of The Office or Parks & Recreation.

TV Name: True Detective Release date: February 2014 Channel: Sky Atlantic Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson Plot: Sky Atlantic’s latest American import True Detective takes the low-key, morally bleak approach to crime drama of The Killing, the anthology format of American Horror Story, and transposes them onto the hard-boiled landscapes of the Bible Belt. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star as two Louisiana state detectives working a serial killer case in the mid-Nineties, who are then tasked with reconstructing the case in the present day. It’s beautifully shot, sex and violence layered with the religious moralizing of the deep South - and as you’d expect, both actors are at the top of their game.

TV Name: The Smoke Release date: TBC Channel: Sky One Stars: Jamie Bamber, Rhashan Stone, Taron Egerton Plot: The Smoke focuses on a group of London firefighters, and looks to be worth a watch the eight-part series follows the high-adrenaline adventures of White Watch, a team of London firefighters. Leading the crew is Kev (Bamber), a good man injured and betrayed during the worst fire of his career.

Standing by Kev’s side as he returns to work is his gutsy girlfriend Trish (Whittaker) and his cocksure friend and fellow firefighter Mal (Rhashan Stone). Other members of the crew include the fearless Ziggy (Pippa BennettWarner) and the mysterious new boy Dennis (Taron Egerton).

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TV Name: Death in Paradise Release date: January 2014 Channel: BBC 1 Stars: Ben Miller, Danny John Jules, Sara Martins and Don Warrington.

Plot: The third series of the comedy crime-drama sees Ben Miller continuing his work as Detective Inspector Richard Poole. On the paradise Island of Saint Marie.

TV Name: Sleepy Hollow Release date: January 2014 Stars: Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie Channel: Universal Plot: Ichabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery that dates all the way back to the founding fathers.

@24sevenLive 27

24/7FILM

the donor. As David struggles to decide whether or not he should reveal his true identity, he embarks on a journey that leads him to discover not only his true self but the father he could become as well.

LAST VEGAS (12A) RELEASED: 3/1/2014 Last Vegas is a laugh-out-loud take on The Hangover with a genius 60+ cast and the director of the cult classic Cool Runnings. Billy (Michael Douglas) is finally getting married to a much younger woman and wants to celebrate his stag night in Vegas with his childhood friends.

Putting their gripes with each other behind them, they head out to recapture their mis-spent youth, but Vegas is a very different place now. Can they step up and do Sin City justice with medication to remember and early bed-times to observe? Last Vegas is warm, touching and, most of all, very funny.

THE BOOK THIEF (12A) RELEASED: 30/1/2014 Based on the beloved international bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, an extraordinary and courageous young girl sent to live with a foster family in World War II Germany.

She learns to read with encouragement from her new family and Max, a Jewish refugee who they are hiding under the stairs. For Liesel and Max, the power of words and imagination become the only escape from the tumultuous events happening around them. The Book Thief is a life-affirming story of survival and of the resilience of the human spirit.

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (12A) RELEASED: 3/1/2014 This epic motion picture spans Mandela’s extraordinary life, from his childhood in a rural village to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of South Africa. Mandela is the thrilling story of an ordinary man who rose to the challenge of his times and triumphed - an intimate portrait of the making of a modern icon.

12 YEARS A SLAVE (15) RELEASE: 10/1/2014 Twelve Years A Slave is based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES (15) OLDBOY (12A) RELEASED: 10/1/2014 Delivery Man tells the story of affable underachiever David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn), whose mundane life gets twisted in a knot when he finds out that he fathered 533 children via sperm donations he made twenty years earlier.

In debt to the mob, rejected by his pregnant girlfriend, things couldn’t look worse for David when he’s hit with a lawsuit from 142 of the 533 twenty-somethings who want to know the identity of

Following the discovery of black magic items and some of the tapes shown in Paranormal Activity 3, Jesse finds bite marks on his arm. As events take a turn for the worse, his friends and family attempt to save him from the mysterious forces at work.

Samantha starts showing odd behavior, she and Zach initially write it off to nerves, but as the months pass, it becomes evident that the dark changes to her body and mind have a much more sinister origin.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (18) RELEASED: 17/1/2014 A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration.

JACK RYAN (12) RELEASED: 24/1/2014 Jack Ryan (Chris Pine), working as a financial consultant in Moscow, goes undercover as a CIA Analyst to get to the bottom of a Russian terrorist plot to bring down the US economy. His wife (Keira Knightley) is caught up in the middle of the crisis and Ryan faces a frantic race against the clock to save her and put an end to the threat.

RAILWAY MAN (15) RELEASED 10/1/2014

GRUDGE MATCH (12) RELEASED: 24/1/2014 Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen (Robert De Niro) are age-old rivals of the boxing ring, but their battle isn’t over yet.

After featuring in a video game, they’re encouraged back into the ring for one last bout, thirty years on from their last meeting.

DEVILS DUE (15) RELEASED: 16/1/2014 Devil’s Due is a chilling combination of Rosemary’s Baby and Paranormal Activity. This suspenseful horror film is shot as “found footage”, from a first person perspective of the lead character, Zach. combined with surveillance and hidden cameras. Devil’s Due tells the story of Zach and Samantha, a newlywed couple who experience a mysterious, lost night on their honeymoon and shortly after find themselves dealing with an earlier-than-planned pregnancy. When

Based on his best-selling memoir, The Railway Man tells the extraordinary and epic true story of Eric Lomax, a British Army officer who is tormented as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labour camp during World War II. Decades later, Lomax discovers that the Japanese interpreter he holds responsible for much of his treatment is still alive and sets out to confront him, and his haunting past.

Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky, and starring Academy Award-winner Colin Firth, Jeremy Irvine, and Academy Award-winner Nicole Kidman, the film is a powerful tale of survival, love and redemption.

LONE SURVIVOR (15) RELEASED: 31/1/2014 Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg, tells the story of four Navy SEALs on an ill-fated covert mission to neutralize a high-level Taliban operative who are ambushed by enemy forces in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. Based on The New York Times bestseller, this story of heroism, courage and survival directed

by Peter Berg (Hancock, Friday Night Lights) also stars Taylor Kitsch, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch and Eric Bana.

courtesy of myvue.com

24/7MUSIC ALBUMS

24/7 Recommends...

KID INK: MY OWN LANE (6 JAN 2014) If you aren’t attentive enough you may confuse Kid Ink’s aesthetic for superficiality. The punch-drunk nature of his clubby, infectious hit, Show Me, a collaboration with Chris Brown, is a rather cursory reflection of his brand as a whole if you take it simply at face value. However, when digested with more scrutiny, Kid Ink’s music weaves an elaborate web of sounds and textures that tackles classic rap tropes of glitz and glamour with creativity and flair. The LA rapper is quite chameleon like when shape shifting to fit a particular task at hand; his wordplay gets rapid and elastic when he seeks to showcase his lyrical chops and it gets dense and saturated when he wants to lessen the punch. Kid Ink is a character actor adapting his performance to fit his role. On his debut My Own Lane , the production is as diverse as the roles he plays. With a hand from a few famous friends, Kid Ink carves out a space for himself in the West Coast landscape as its resident transfigurer.

My Own Lane is an interesting title for this album given the fact that Kid Ink doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel here. The medley of artistic choices is more a pastiche of signature styles from various genres than creative inception. Still, there is no questioning the project as his brainchild or that he actually feels he’s created something truly unique. In reality, Kid Ink’s debut is less of an innovation and more of an amalgamation; the album is a seamless union of rap and pop motifs, plain and simple. Despite what some might suggest, though, this is just as

impressive a feat as generating something entirely original. From the outset, he tightropes genre boundaries with the utmost finesse without venturing off into Flo-Rida territory – or complete pop fluff. Kid Ink isn’t an innovator. Kid Ink is a masterful replicator that reinvents genre’s strengths and refashions them into a sound that moves forward while managing to stay true to its LA hip-hop roots.

He hits all the high notes, tapping into the club energy that will undoubtedly make him a star, but he also hits all the right notes, crafting the more grounded records that will keep him humble. There aren’t many who can effortlessly make the transition from mixtape rapper, to hitmaker. For Kid Ink, it is proving to be an incredibly smooth one.

new, with Cudi repeating anxietydriven lines like “Heavy little thoughts get jumbled in a bundle, and their tucked deep down in the back of my brain” . “Enjoy the vibes!” he said on Twitter, then thanking fans for their support, saying, “Im so happy to be alive, im so happy to have u as my fans, i’m so happy u guys love Satellite Flight!

ONE TO WATCH...

CHRIS BROWN ‘X’

KID CUDI - SATELLITE FLIGHT: THE JOURNEY TO MOTHER MOON [EP] (13 JAN 2014) A little while ago, Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi announced he would be releasing a new EP called Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon based on 24-hours notice. Almost out of nowhere, Cudi has shared the title track off that work today and you can give it a listen after the jump.

The track sounds like a mix of old and

The eagerly anticipated 6th studio album. Due out this year, It is also rumoured to be his last album after he took to twitter: “Don’t worry mainstream America. After this ‘X’ album, it’ll probably be my last album,”

SINGLES

BUSTA RHYMES FT Q TIP, KANYE WEST & LIL WAYNE- THANK YOU (20 JAN) REBECCA FERGUSON- LIGHTS ON (6 JAN) Lights on is the follow up single for, X factor finalist Rebecca Ferguson, taken from her second album Freedom.

The track itself is very easy listening and Vocally she is flawless- not belting out her vocals on the track- the moderate singing tone on the track has a peaceful feel about it.

The track itself I’m sure will do well in the charts as it has an appealing sound which most people will like.

Rating: 3/5

YASMIN FT SHY FX & MS DYNAMITE (13 JAN)

Expect big things from 23-year old Yasmin Shahmir.

Having worked with Devlin on Runaway and her last single Finish Line produced by British artist Labrinth, She now teams up with drum and bass DJ, Shy FX and veteran singer Ms Dynamite for her latest offering Light Ip The World.

The track has a heavy summery reggae influence with a happy uptempo feel to it.

The track overall is well produced and I’m sure will go down well with drum and base fans.

Thank You is the latest offering from Hip Hop heavyweight Busta Rhymes.

The track features ATCQ Legend, QTip, Yeezus star Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

This cut has a funky throwback feel which most hip hop fans will enjoy.

The track from Busta’s forthcoming Extinction Level Event 2 LP which drops this year.

4.5/5

Rating 4/5 WILL.I.AM FT MILEY CYRUS, WIZ KHALIFA & FRENCH MONTANA- FEELIN’ MYSELF (13 JAN

Feeling myself is a musical montage of the most unlikely stars you would expect to feature on a song The Will i AM produced track features artist of the moment Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa and French Montana The up-beat Hip Hop inspired trackis quite a catchy song, with the artist raps adding a unique dimension to the track.

Fair dues to Will i Am, he is a hit-maker extrodinaire. I expect big things from this song when its released in the charts Rating: 4/5

PUSHA T- NOSETALGIA (3 FEB)

Pusha T’s latest offering is Nosetalgia featuring man of the moment Kendrick Lemar.

The track is a hardcore Hip Hop track, with sick raps from both artists especially Kendrick, who always adds his flare.

The track itself is well produced and offers something different with its sound.

Rating: 3.5/5

24/7FEATURE

JAHAZIEL

By Michelle Martin When you think of hip hop music, especially UK hip-hop, Gospel and spreading the message of Christianity through rap are not normally things that go hand in hand. But one young rapper has successfully married the two and is now on a mission to share the lord’s message through the unequivocal voice of hip-hop.

When asked why he chose Christianity over all the other religions the Award winning rapper replies confidently

‘I think the most impressive thing for me was the God he was speaking about was the God who created every God, everyone else I was talking had a picture of a relationship with God that only appealed to certain 24/7livelistings.com caught up with the Christian rhyme master Jahaziel,people, it was like you had to be of a certain type, or a certain colour, or who took time out of his busy schedule to tell us about his life as a culture to get in, but this religion to me seemed like the God that created Hip hop messenger and how he intends to spread the word of Gospel everything. through rap music.

But 247livelistings.com wants to know is how Jahaziel managed to ‘My love for rap music started when I was a lot younger’ said the born marry his love of the lord and his love of hip hop into a popular and again wordsmith ‘I was listening to the likes of Public Enemy, Gangster award winning international career? rap and stuff like that. It was that type of hip-hop that really inspired me to start rapping’.

‘The union of Gospel and hip hop initially wasn’t an easy one’ admits the rapper ‘because, they ,[the church], didn’t agree with rap at that time so ‘Early on I was rapping about a lot of stuff that I thought people wanted I never really mentioned to no one that I was rapping’. to hear, A lot of falsehoods. A lot of lies about a lifestyle that I wasn’t actually living.

He added ‘but it just seemed natural to me from what I was hearing and what I was learning to incorporate the two so I just translated it and put The South London native readily admits that his introduction to hip hop it into rhyme, to me its poetry and so far its paid off. came at a time when he was living a dangerous life on the roads ‘Yeah I was living a life on the streets but after a while, I soon realized My music has been well received both nationally and internationally. I that it was not what it was cracked up to be. have been a MOBO winner and a MOBO nominee and I am one of the few British people, who do Christian rap or Gospel rap, I became disillusioned, I started to see things for what they really were. And that a lot of Americans are aware of me and my music hence why I People that I used to look up to getting put in prison, getting stabbed have recently been signed to a US label. and even murdered.

I have been blessed to work with some of the biggest names in the inIt had me really thinking, if they’re ahead in the game and that’s where dustry including reggae legend Maxi Priest, who incidentally happens to I’m trying to be and ultimately that’s where they are ending up, is that be my uncle. It was a long time coming and it was a great experience.’ really where I want to go?’

Finally as we wrap up the interview 247livelistings.com asks Jahaziel Questioning the role if any he had on the streets, led to a chance meet- what his plans are both for his music and spreading the word of Gospel ing with an old acquaintance that was to change the course of his life in the future, laughing he replies forever.

‘I write my plans in sand and my goals are set in stone. Where I want to ‘Around that time I bumped into a friend that I hadn’t seen for a long get to and want I want to achieve both musically and with Christ have while, we used to be close, we even raved together,’ said the Christian really changed in the last 10 years. But the route at the moment I’m youth worker, ‘but this time he seemed markedly differently so I asked flexible with, because who knows what will happen this year. So my goal him, what’s changed? ultimately is to make Christ known through music He revealed that he was a born again Christian, I didn’t really know what that meant and I wanted to know more, so he came to my house every week and gave me bible studies, then he invited me to church, there I saw that it was real’.

And to close I will say this, If god inspires you to do something don’t let no one tell you cant and know that God gives you the vision, the strength and the tools to make that dreams happen’

24/7 GAMING

THE GAMESMASTER: PS4 REVIEW

By Darren Lobban Next generation PlayStation is here

Ok, so we now know the PS4 itself is a wonderful piece of hardware and as we all know hardware alone is not enough; In November 2013, Sony released their PS4 (PlayStation 4) you need decent infrastructure to back up that hardware console to most of the major gaming world (not Japan) to so to get the best out of the PS4 you’ll need PS+ subscripmuch praise. However, is it worth your money at £349 and tion (PlayStation plus). This gives you discounts on games, is there anything decent for you to play on it? “free” games and more importantly it gets you on line play to most games (the exception being free to play games Well let’s start with the hardware; the PS4 is quite small which don’t need a subscription). PS4 also lets you stream with the Power and Eject buttons seemingly hidden at first your gameplay to the world via U-stream or Twitch so eveglance. It has all the usual connections to plug into your ryone can see your gaming skills. The UI (user interface) big 50” HD (high definition) television and surround sound has also been dramatically overhauled from the PS3 (Playsystems of your choice. Depending on the gaming pack Station 3) and is now far easier to navigate through without you get with it, it can come with a new camera which tracks any fuss. your movement and has a built in microphone but this isn’t necessary if you just wish to immerse yourself into your The PS4 was released with strong third party backing of shiny games. You also get a mono in-ear headset with mic games from the likes of EA (Electronic Arts) and Activiwhich is a bit tacky and pants to be frank; however at least sion, with heavy hitting tittles like Call of Duty: Ghosts, Fifa you get one out of the box now. The PS4 also comes with a 14 and Battlefield 4 to name a few. This is all well and good DS4 (Dual Shock 4) control pad which feels and reacts so but most third party tittles are available on other formats much better than any of the other control pads that came so it’s the exclusives that will sell the console and out of the with previous PlayStation consoles. Under the bonnet, the initial release, Killzone Shadow Fall and Resogun are the PS4 easily has enough chops to run any game without a hic- games that stand out. Both games look, sound and play in cup extremely smoothly. truly next generation fashion and couldn’t be done on pre-

vious hardware. The reviews for Resogun and Killzone Shadow fall will come next month so watch this space.

So in short after losing the UK and North American gaming market to Microsoft’s Xbox console, Sony could

actually win them back with what is actually a really good piece of kit. Obviously, snooty PC gamers will continue to look down their noses at console gamers because their gaming rig is just “so powerful” but with games running at 1080p native resolution and 60 frames per second, the PS4 is a power house every gamer can be proud to own.

24/7EXCLUSIVE

12 YEARS A SLAVE

By Michelle Martin It’s billed as the greatest movie about slavery ever made and many are betting that East London born film director Steve McQueen is on course to make history by becoming the first black film maker to win a Oscar for his sophomore feature film 12 Years a Slave. It’s a blockbuster that is capturing the hearts and minds of both audience goers and critics alike.

Steve McQueen’s first started out as one of the UK’s leading visual artists moving on to directing making his debut with his 2008 offering Hunger. The harrowing tale of the 1981 IRA prison hunger strikers. This film won him much critical acclaim and awards including the prestigious Sydney Festival Prize and the Los Angeles film critic’s award.

It was during the making of Hunger that the Idea of turning the novel 12 Years a Slave into a feature length movie.

The novel is a true narrative of the life of Solomon Northrup, a citizen of New York, kidnapped in Washington City in 1841 and rescued in 1853 from a cotton plantation in Louisiana.

Every page was a revelation.”

‘The story is so astonishing, people think they know slavery, often it’s the case that they don’t, what many don’t seem to realize is that slavery was a world industry. As soon as I had it [the book], in my hands I was trembling. Every page was a revelation.

However bringing the story to life was not an easy process as the young film maker admits it was ‘mental and physical torture, people have to remember why I as an individual am sitting here today – I’m here because members of my family went through slavery.

Fact.

Casting In order to make the film as authentic as possible choosing the right actor for the role of Solomon Northrup was paramount.

‘I had to cast some one who would be able to convey the dignity and courage of Northrup and the first person McQueen had in mind was the British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor’.

“As soon as I had it in my hands,” he says, “I was trembling. However the Dirty Pretty Things star was initially re-

luctant to take the role admitting that he ‘needed a moment to work out if he wanted the part’ speaking exclusively to the BBC he revealed that ‘When I read the script, I thought it was an extraordinary story but I did feel the weight and the responsibility of it, I didn’t want to be the guy that messed it up’ ‘Filming on the plantations felt like “dancing with ghosts... present right in the soil’ But once he had assumed the role the actors admits that he felt a ‘connection’ when filming on plantations in the deep south ‘I felt like I was dancing with ghosts…present right in the soil’ adding ‘There are some places that have a rich investment in what happened there - there are some turned into museums, then there’s other places that seem very removed, almost as if it never happened’.

Family The film boasts a stella cast who all give standout performances, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch assumes the role of slave Owner William Ford, Hunger star Michael Fassbender plays sadistic plantation owner Edwin Epps.

Luckily for McQueen the cast gelled really well and he took his role as ‘patriarch’ on set very seriously In order to allow the cast to “make mistakes and then make bigger mistakes,” resulting in a shoot he describes as “joyous.”

“We were a family,” he says. “We ate together. We drank together after the shoots. It moves me, gives me goose pimples thinking about it.” Fassbender told me that the level of focus on set was so high “you could almost hear it humming.”

Newcomer Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o gives a breathtaking performance as a young slave girl named Patsy who is brutalized mentally and physically by Epps. And Brad Pitt, turned down a main role in the film for fear that his children would be disturbed by the savagery of the main character and 12 Years a Slave is out in cinemas now its shocking imagery.

24/7FEATURE

NEW YEAR, NEW KICKS

on other brands, brands that have equally as cool kicks.

Here are my top tips for alternative brands to check out.

By Grant Richards It’s a New Year and many people are getting stuck into their New Year resolutions. Some people may have broken them already but one thing I’d like to suggest is that at some point in 2014 you break with your tradition and reach for something new to you, in the sneaker world.

As a long term sneaker head, I’ve been played time and time again by overpriced, Limited Edition Nike that I can’t get my hands on’

‘New Balance (above), I’m pretty sure these are on your radar but maybe you’ve just not taken the plunge yet?’

First up are New Balance, I’m pretty sure these are on your radar but maybe you’ve just not taken the plunge yet? Don’t delay, cop some now.

From a trainer collectors perspective it’s all about their heritage range like the NB574 which is actually an old performance running shoe, but receives as many The market share that Nike and Adidas have is huge, throw makeovers as the Air Max 1. in the fact that Jordan Brand is so big it can sit alongside the other two as separate entity, it makes you think ‘Let’s try If you get the Made In The USA versions they can some different’ well it sure makes me think that. actually end up costing quite a bit, so be warned, the Made In The UK versions are cheaper. Over the years ‘As a long term sneaker head, I’ve been played time and time again New Balance have seen some fantastic collaborations by overpriced, Limited Edition Nike that I can’t get my hands on, including the Crooked Tongues collection (Crooked unless I queue up or then pay over the odds to the eBay reselling Tongues is one of THE best online sneaker resources crew.’ and stores).

It is frustrating, but over the years it’s also made me focus 40

Next up we have Saucony. Another running brand that makes its bread and butter with performance running footwear. Of course it also has a heritage range that has a

classic silhouette that really does look sick at the end of your denim.

My personal fav are the Saucony Shadow(below). Again they come with limited edition make-ups if you wanna chase that, but if not just pick a complimenting colour and rock them well.

‘Creative Recreation have been adopted by Wretch 32 and a variety of other musicians and celebs over the past few years’ There are a few of these new brands out there, like Clae and Gourmet but my fav has to be Creative Recrea-

The other good thing about Creative Rec(below) (that’s how the ‘in the know’ fans of the shoe call it)

are they aren’t available in that many places, meaning there’s less chance of seeing someone with the same shoes as you. Which is always a bonus for a sneaker freak like me.

Last but by no means least, I’m going to highlight Asics.(above) Much like NBs, you’ll know about them.

It may be from their football boots or again it may be from their performance running shoes?

‘If I can get one person to walk past the Jordan’s and to pick up any of the above, then my work here is done.’

But do you know about their heritage range? Kicks like the Gel Lyte III or the Gel Saga change hands for some serious cash on eBay and they are THE shoe of choice for the real Sneaker Snob. Releases like the rare Ronnie Fieg releases that sell at the KITH store in New York get the Hypebeasts seriously salivating.

I’ve scratched the surface above and hope that I’ve highlighted a few creps that you should try and work into your wardrobe over the coming months. If I can get one person to walk past the Jordan’s and to pick up any of the above, then my work here is done.

tion, the trainers look good, especially the Cesario Hi/ Lo which, much like the classic AF1, come in a myriad of different make overs and they are made very well.

24/7INTERVIEWS...

GINUWINE

He is the singer that bought us Pony, the Maryland native that helped define a musical genre. During a crackly translantic call the 90’s r&b legend Genuwine talks exclusively to 24/7livelistings.com about why he loves the UK and how honoured he feels to be seen as a musical pioneer

By Michelle Martin What is it that you love about London?

London is like my second home to me that am why I constantly come over. Everyone over there knows that I love him or her and that’s why I think he or she for support me so much. I’m always screaming London because of the continued love that you give me. Every time I do a show and ya’ll sell it out and thank you for the support.

So who would you like to work with in the future?

I want to work with anybody over there that wants to work with me.

I’ve always been the kind of guy that just loves success and loves the joy in music so whoever wants to work with me and wants to collaborate I’m always up to do that.

I don’t listen to the radio anymore, I’m kinda fed up with the radio, I’d like to say I’m old school, I like to hear true r&b songs Which British musicians are you feeling at the moment?

I love Craig David. That’s my man and hopefully when I come back to London we can catch up and do some music together.

You have been described by many as a musical pioneer how does it feel to know that you are part of a musical renaissance?

It feels good to be described as a musical pioneer, I’ve been in the business for two decades now and for me to be in the business for that long and for the likes of Chris Brown and Neyo and all them shout my name is

an honour. I just feel like I have been a great example to them. Like Michael Jackson and Prince were to me when I first started out in in the music business.

What motivates you to keep making music especially when the music scene is constantly changing ?

I’ve been doing this now for almost two decades, so I don’t know anything else.. I don’t have the love that I once had for it because of a lot of the things that happened in my career, but as far as the performing part of it, I still love it.

What advice would you give to any young person starting out in the music industry?

The music business is not an easy business. I had a rough road and I worked hard to get where I’m at right now. As an artist, you can’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it.

You need to do it and know what you are doing. And you have to take control of your career. You have to keep up with your career and those that are over your career.

So what does the future hold for Ginuwine?

Right now I’m working on a new CD Called Old School Young and I do a lot of animation that’s like my second hobby, I got a series on you tube that’s called Buddies and I have four parts to it so far and you know we just going to keep that going.

And finally what would you like to say to any fans reading this?

Thank y’all for supporting me for nearly two decades, I’m going to stop. I’m going to keep going and as long as you support me, I’m going to be there.

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Date: 26 January 2013 / Doors open from: 18:00pm

24/7FITNESS/HEALTH

By Fabian Collymore

Its a brand spanking New Year, which means a brand new you is in order. Here we have compiled a guide for you to kick start your Year to a healthier and fitter you!

NUTRITION That’s right, more important than exercise initially is a change in diet. Before you buy a gym membership or even some new spandex, take a week to make some dietary changes. If you have access to a good dietician or trainer, you can get more detailed than what I present here.

For instance, they can analyze your current eating habits to calculate how many calories you currently consume, then construct a meal plan with the exact amount of nutrients to insure steady weight loss. And that’s great. But it is not necessary. The base diet I present here is virtually guaranteed to be an improvement over your existing habits. In order to maintain weight loss, all you must do is weigh yourself once weekly.

If your weight goes up after the first week, reduce the portions slightly. If your weight drops too quickly, add a bit. Again, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need to buy any books or scales. Just apply the basic principles. And they are: Eat frequently. Five meals per day is great. Increase gradually if needed. If you have only been eating twice, go to three, then four, and so on. The meal replacements that are recommended here make it very convenient. Do not allow more than four hours to go by without eating if possible.

• Eat only natural foods. Notice I did not say organic. Organic is great. Fantastic stuff. But not necessary at this point.

What I am calling for are regular vegetables and whole foods. If it is processed or has chemicals added, skip it. That isn’t food; it’s a cancer concoction.

• Reduce sugars This goes along with number 3. Most of the carbohydrate, which is sugar.

• Drink lots of clean water. Use a water purifier at home and work if possible. Beware of bottled waters, especially spring; they have no higher standards of purity than regular tap. Distilled is best, followed by UV and microfiltration waters. But most importantly, just drink lots of water.

• Take a multivitamin/mineral. If you are doing anything other than laying on the couch

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Top 3 Body Weight Exercises 1-Mountain Climbers Works the Core, Shoulders, Oblique and Latissimus

2-PLANK/SIDE PLANK Spice up your plank really good for the Oblique

Squats Works your legs, Gluteus Maximus hamstrings lower back and most of all the Core.

24/7FITNESS/HEALTH Top 3 Gym Workout Machines 1-Free Weights In general, people will practice cardiovascular activities and forget about weight bearing exercises when it comes to burning fat. And there are still many trainers who will say that aerobic exercises burn off fat and weightlifting is only used to build muscle bulk. This statement is not entirely correct because the more muscle mass one acquires through weight-bearing exercises, the more he will burn fat calories, even at rest.

2-Cross trainer A cross trainer is a cardio vascular machine designed to simulate the upper and lower body motions of walking, jogging and running while keeping the pressure off the joints. Because it involves arms and legs a cross trainer is a big calorie burner - up to 12 calories a minute if you’re really exerting yourself plus it builds strength and endurance from a greater number of muscles than an exercise bike or a treadmill.

Cross trainers keep the impact low and the movement is guided by the handles and footplates minimising injury from impact or poor technique. And as well as being a big calorie burner a cross trainer can improve flexibility and tone the whole body.

3-step machine Sort of like a fast-moving escalator for the gym, this machine stimulates climbing stairs – except the steps actually move! “This is one of the hardest pieces of cardio equipment It’s like a treadmill with stairs One reason it works so well for weight loss is the potential for calorie burn - you could climb the equivalent of 10 or 20 flights of stairs. “You’re working against gravity – essentially going up a flight of stairs – and you’re forced to bear most of your bodyweight you have to lift your foot off of the step and up onto the next step as opposed to a Stairmaster or elliptical trainer, where your feet stay planted on one step for the duration of the workout. This extra movement causes more work and burns more calories.”

If you lack motivation my advice for a harder workout in less time is 30 seconds hard 1 min easy over a 10-15 minute period on both cross trainer and step machine. If that doesn’t help you, you can also try a personal trainer

Top three workout DVDs 1- Insanity not for the weak minded (trust me ) by Shaun T

2- Jillian Michaels – Six Week Six-pack

3- GRITbybrit

24/7SPORTSfeature

EARLY PROMISE DELIVERED Muaythai duo rule the world

By Paul Macey EARLIER this year the I visited the Muaythai gym in Croydon to meet two local teenagers who had fought their way to represent England at last month’s WKA World Muaythai Ring Sports Championships in Italy.

I was promised another interview if they came home with World Championship belts, and recently, they made good on that commitment.

With their belts proudly on display, the pair expressed quiet satisfaction with their hugely successful week’s work in the beautiful Tuscany countryside.

Both had been crowned WKA Unified World Champion in Muaythai and K1 in their respective weights.

“It was a great experience and we were pleased with what we have achieved,” Gavin said. “But it wasn’t until we got home and saw the reaction of our family and friends that we realised just how much it meant.”

Cyrus nodded in agreement and was full of praise for the support given to him at their gym especially by coach, Sam Nankanie.training “He inspires us. We have been taught to train hard and fight easy,” Cyrus said. “Our coach constantly supports us and during a fight he takes away any fear you might have about going into the ring and gives us strategies to win. We know that when you practice and work hard you can achieve.”

The boys are the first world champions to come out of the gym since it opened in 2009, building on its unprecedented national success in the ancient combat sport known as ‘the art of eight weapons’. This year alone the gym has produced eight champions with 14 belts to their name.

The achievement delights Nankanie who believes it vindicates the methods and ethos deployed at the gym: “It feels good. When you face others and beat them with your system you know you are going in the right direction.”

The proud coach added: “The future looks bright. Gavin and Cyrus are good because they listen, stay focused and follow through. They work hard work and they realise that when they do it pays off and the sky’s the limit.”

Nankanie is hopeful of producing even more world champions in the future as success is a major lift for all fighters in the gym as well as a sign that his hard work is paying off. “Our other fighters can use this as a stepping stone,” Nankanie explained.

“I know I am doing a good thing and all those sleepless nights analysing fights and developing strategies are paying off. It is so rewarding to be able to pass this onto others.”

24/7TRAVEL

This month 24/7Livelistings.com highlights the top must do destinations for 2014 Dominican Republic

This is a reasonable priced destination for those who want to get a different flavour of the Caribbean. It’s a Spanish-speaking island that is a firm favourite with American tourists. Bora Chica is the best spot to hit if you are looking for local culture, if Eco tourism is your thing then head to Samana but if your looking for that all-inclusive Latin Caribbean experience get down to the hotspots of Punta Cana and Playa Dorada. For more information on the island visit www.godominicanrepublic.com

Puerto Rico

A territory of United States, this a country not only rich in history but it is noted for having a burgeoning party scene, one of the best in the Caribbean, from Salsa bars to Roof Top Lounges it’s a must for those that like to party hard. Visiting the country’s capital San Juan is a must and the as the US Dollar is currency the rate is especially generous.

For more information www.seepuertorico.com

Cape Town, South Africa

Now has never been a better time to visit South Africa. There are great restaurants, independent boutiques and galleries. Cape Town has been ranked as one of the top ten destinations to visit by Lonely Planet readers and it also an opportunity to pay tribute to the late Nelson Mandela with a visit to Robben Island when the iconic leader spent 18 of his 27 years in Prison. www.capetowntravel.com

Rio de Janeiro Brazil

It the host of this year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympic games. Again a country steeped in history with influences from Africa, Portugal and the America’s, Take in the salsa and arguably the worlds biggest and best carnival must see attractions include, Christ the Redeemer and Sugar loaf Mountain. www.visitbrazil.com 52

Miami Florida

A beautiful city with a famed party scene, sun kissed beaches and revitalized core neighbourhoods with distinct personalities. Miami has a rich and diverse culture and a host of innovative hotels and restaurants. It’s a must who like to have fun in the sun. www.miamilandandbeaches.com

Helsinki, Finland

If European culture is your thing then a trip to Finland’s capital is a must.

Steeped in history this city boasts a public sauna on the city’s waterfront.

Finland is still pretty unspoilt like its neighbours Denmark and Sweden here you can take in the beautiful city in some of the most opulent surroundings in Europe.

www.visithelsinki.fi

Philadelphia USA

Rocky Balboa and The Fresh Prince put this city on the map. But this is a US town steeped in history. Its an affordable destination and boasts some of the best museums in America. Including Pennsylvania Academy, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. It is also home to the now famous Philly Cheese Steak www.visitphilly.com

New Orleans

The colourful city of New Orleans is a must do destination for 2014. Again steeped in rich cultural history, it a town that has bounced back from immeasurable hardships.

The colourful Charles Avenue Street Car takes you down one of America’s most beautiful boulevard. Mardi Gras is a must in this crescent shaped city and to help support revitalization efforts post Katrina take the Ninth Ward Rebirth Bike Tour, which connects visitors with residents, restaurants and businesses.

Wwwneworleansonline.com

Riga Latvia

It’s a historic town that wouldn’t look out of place in a fairy-tale. Although it’s an old town in terms of architecture Riga is a relatively new city, which boasts an array of art nouveau buildings. There are street markets, souvenir shops which make original artist designed jewellery and numerous coffee houses to keep you entertained. A must is a visit to the Laima Chocolate factory. The European Union designated Riga as a 2014 Capital of Culture. www.latviatravel.com

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24/7FEATURE

Once part of the infamous UK Garage group So Solid Crew, known as Sniper. The writer/ producer has worked and collaborated with many musical stars of today including 50cent, Ghetts and Wiley to name a few. Now residing in his mother country of Cyprus he has become an entrepreneur in both leisure and entertainment throughout the Mediterranean. Having achieve alot in his career, he aims to conquer the music world alone.

Heres what AM Sniper had to say when 24/7 Live Mag caught up with him.

By Gavin Peters For those who don’t know tell us a little about yourself?

I pretty much do the same stuff that all you humans do… I am not famous, I eat, drink, (although unfortunately in some parts of the world that is a luxury) sleep (Sometimes), watch football, play football, play football on FIFA, makes sense why i make music right? Haha… I pretty much like to grind away towards my targets and goals. I write, produce and perform, when I perform I Rap I Rock I Reggae as these are the 3 fundamental roots of music that inspire me and makes who i am. Don’t get it twisted I am not a reggae act and I am not claiming to be a rock act or a rapper… Confused yet? I’m a complex simplicity and hopefully i will get my point across in 100 years… for the usual basic industry crap you can always read my bio on www.snipermusic. com although I doubt anyone reads that nowadays… I mean really who reads artists bios? Does anyone care what we have to say???

You was once a member of the solid solid crew, what was that like?

I made sure I gave everyone a very very hard time…

It was great! :) I had no clue what was going on, not sure if i still do… But what i gained from being a DJ/ Producer and eventually MC was like going to the unofficial Oxford or Cambridge University of music… and I aced it!

Was it ever hard for you to form an individual identity in the group as there were so many members within the crew?

Well it’s like being in a rock band, the identity is the name of the band, the brand, after that you are Anthony, unfortunately some people didn’t get that…

Now that you have establish yourself as an artist, what can we expect from A.M. Sniper?

Well a few million views and record sales is not establishment, there’s a lot of hard work, a lot of hard work to try and make it less hard work for the listener to get me, and at the same time having to compromise with “softer” stuff in order to be “accepted” and gain ground to create more mass awareness…

Look at that I sound like a manual…

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kettle industry would be HUGE! hahaha… I think the support it got together with the fact that i perform like a rock band and not a rapper made the song. People got to share the moment with me when they say “PUT THE KETTLE ON” the whole place just starts bouncing like crazy!

Musically who and what influences to make you do music?

It could be anything, although lately I am greatly becoming uninspired, so i decided to lock myself in a basement… What did the Fox say?

You currently reside in Cyprus, why have you chosen to live there and not the UK- and do you miss London?

How would you describe your sound?

At the moment my sound is slowly finding it’s own identity, growing up you come across so called “experts” and even up to this I really really really miss London… But this is the most exclusive island on this planet… beyond that i have a mission and part of it day you get dragged into projects and stuff that you wouldn’t is being away from it all to keep my head clear and keep the music really do… Creative freedom is something I strive for and my coming… regrets made me who i am, I got tracks with an American Twang, Mediterranean Slang and I am really a Sniper and you don’t get to see me, meet me like “here’s me in your face” i just want the music to be my face to then theres the plain simple “This is ME” voice that is really working for me at the moment, so there is the A.M. SNiPER that begin with… even though the face is award winning… However I is me and in my band i have, the American Sniper, The Mediter- like the sun, and i like to work where and on what i like Tradition and culture is a big part of me, I have managed to ranean Sniper , The British Sniper, they have all been phases create a very operational environment because i have operations and stepping stones to lead to this point where I feel I got my almost EVERYWHERE… identity right from this point onwards…

I hustle hard in order to enjoy the freedom i like to have. It’s a balAs well as being an artist, your a producer too, which do you ance… and I am blessed that I get to do what i chose to do, and i will continue to do so. prefer and why?

Beyond that there is this global peer pressure that you need to be NY, MIAMI, VEGAS, to break? really? let’s see, these are just illusions marketed to the masses to force to spend everything they saved on a dream Dreaming is good. But i would rather people realize they need to put their dreams to bed and get out of it and work from wherever they are and whatever they do… Ayia Napa is a dream to many, however at least this an authentic one…

I just play the game and score goals, (here’s that football comment again) , to me music is my craft, some people see the two things separate, I see it as a header, a right foot shot, a left foot shot etc… It’s part of my attributes, some played some score with headers, others defend using body weight and very few are Messi or Ronaldo.

How did you feel when you was discovered by the likes of Charlie Sloth and Sarah Cox?

What can we expect from you in 2014 and the near future?

Discovered? Charlie is my boy! and he stole my track from my studio without even asking me!!! Every other weekend we jet out somewhere and link. Next thing i know, he’s on air with Sarah Cox. When he played the song, the whole reaction was insane…

In all fairness Charlie and I go way back and he is the type of person that will not support something out of friendship he needs to feel the song… Payola is out of the window as we both can pretty much get whatever we want so there’s no buying us…

But if you want to pay me i have no objection…

Depends what you want? We got everything… Just ask… Music is normal around here so that’s always in the making… Think Eastenders… But from the South… Hahaha… Thanks for letting me share Bless

Last summer you released your single, It’s Big (Kettle on my wrist), what inspired you to do the track?

Tea because i HATE Coffee! I’m joking, not about hating Coffee about what inspired me… Well if you listen to my 11 EP with the main single being Distorted you will see that the meaning in both It’s Big and Distorted iare the same… Just tried of the same same same same stuff being re-released, Basically i think IKEA decided to infiltrate the music scene and look what happened!

So therefore with It’s Big i decided to be super sarcastic… I also liked the idea of using something from our end of the world and I really enjoyed it when people out in NY where like: What’s a kettle? Funny enough you will be surprised how many in the UK have no clue what the slang for kettle is…

Why do you think it was such a big summer hit?

It wasn’t, it was a good club banger… Daft Punk with Pharell was a BIG summer hit… If the UK had more support for their own and actually allowed the potential of the sound to grow our 55

24/7BUBBLING UNDER

Here is an introduction to the top 5 artists that we predict are going to be big in 2014 Name: Chance the Rapper Info: Chicago native who has currently been making waves on the hip-hop scene having featured on mixtapes with Childish Gambino, Joey Badass and James Blake. www.chanceraps.com

Name: FKA Twigs Info: Born in Gloucestershire, real name Tahilah Bennett is trained dancer having worked with Jessie J, her sound is described as deep bass and trance look out for her second EP EP2

Name: Joel Compass Info: recently signed to Polydor records, the 20 year old has gained a massive following with his breakout offer Run he is another one to watch on the r&b circuit who will fit in nicely alongside Miguel, The Weekend and Frank Ocean www.soundcloud.com/joel-compass

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Name: Mnek Info: this 19 year old London born producer turned singer is making a name for himself on the music scene having worked with The Saturdays, Misha B and Rudimental. his 80’s soul inspired offering Detention Love will a be stand out track for 2014 www.soundcloud.com/mnek-1

Name: Ella EyRe Info: Signed to Virgin Record’s this London teenager, has worked with Rudimental, Naughty Boy and Bastille, 2014 sees her branch out on her own with her debut offering Deeper. She has been described as a younger grittier version of Emeli Sande www.ellaeyre.tumblr.com

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24/7REMEMBERS

24/7livelistings remembers those we said goodbye to in 2013...

Nelson Mandela, 95 South Africa’s first black president, anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician who changed the face of his country for ever.

In 1962 he was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state and was jailed for 27 years before an international campaign helped to secure his release. He received more than 250 honours, including the Nobel peace prize.

In South Africa he was known as the father of the nation and was laid to rest in his home village after his death on December 5.

Paul Walker, 40 The Fast and the Furious star died after he lost control of his Porsche which crashed into a telegraph pole and burst into flames.

He starred in all but one of The Fast and the Furious films and his latest movie Hours was released just before his death on November 30.

Cory Monteith, 31 The Glee star died alone in a Canadian hotel room on July 13 after a booze and heroin binge. He had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, but had been clean in the months before his death.

Ken Norton, 70 The world heavyweight boxing champion famously broke the jaw of Muhammed Ali in the first of their three fights but lost the next two - though many believed he should have been awarded the decision in all three.

The former US marine went on to become an actor, starring in Mandingo and Drum before his death on September 18.

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Christian Benitez, 27 The former Birmingham City striker died from heart failure on July 29 shortly after making his debut for Qatari club El Jaish, following his admission to hospital with severe stomach pains.

He was capped 58 times for his country and after his death the Ecuadorian team retired his number 11 jersey.

James Gandolfini, 51 The actor was best known for his role as mobster Tony Soprano for which he won three Emmy awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe.

He died of a heart attack while on holiday in Rome on June 19.

Chris Kelly, 34 90’s child rapper one half Kriss Kross and famed for the hit song Jump died of a drugs overdose in Atlanta Georgia on May 1.

James Avery 68 American actor best known as uncle Phil in the 90’s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel Air died from complications from open heart surgery on December 31. His character was ranked 34 in TV Guides ’50 Greatest Dads of all Time’

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