247livelistings.com Issue 5

xmas special

ISSUE 5 / DEC 2013

BOBBY V

‘I LOVE THE UK’

GOODBYE MADIBA We say farewll

MOTORING

PORSCHE MACAN

TRAVEL

TOP WINTER GETAWAYS

SNEAK A PIMP KANYE VS NIIKE

BEAUTY

LOOK FAB THIS XMAS

MERRY XMAS

EDITORSNOTE Hello, It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I’m absolutely loving it! I can’t wait to sing Christmas carols and roast chestnuts on an open fire!

I’m looking forward to chilling with family and friends, eating a Jam –British Christmas dinner which will consist traditional Christmas dinner but add rice n peas, macaroni cheese!

Then settling down to watch some cuddly festive movies (Grease and Dirty Dancing are a must).

To get you all in the festive mood We take a look at the best winter getaways and pay homage to the origins of Christmas. We highlight the best gadgets to buy during this period and of course all our wonderful regular columnists are on board to help spread a little festive cheer Our front cover is the delightful Bobby V and we also remember the Icon that is Nelson Mandela and pay tribute to footballing legend Laurie Cunningham .

But most importantly we want to say thank you for the phenomenal support and love you have shown us on this new journey. So on behalf of the whole team at 24/7 Livelistings. com we would like to wish every a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Michelle x

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

gavin@247livelistings.com

Nicole Robinson Beauty

Andy Peters Sports/Fitness

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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IMAGE GALLERY: Xmas Special

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Exclusive Interview: BOBBY V

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TRAVEL: Top Xmas Winter Getaways

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24/7 REMEMBERS: Obituary: Nelson Mandela

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24/7NEWS revealed he was very excited watching pop princess Kylie Minogue take to the famous red swivelling chair as she assumes her role as a judge and mentor.

Speaking to MTV, the Breathe Again singer said of Minogue’s Role as a judge ‘She’s great man, she’s wicked – you’re gonna love her [and] I’m not just saying it, I think the audience are going to love her on the panel’.

However the star admits that he ‘is still finding his feet as a presenter’ he added, ‘It’s not easy or hard for me, it’s a different area you know. “ Obviously I’m used to getting on stage and singing but now I’m on the other side and hosting a show alongside a fantastic presenter in Emma Willis, I’m learning a lot from her and I’m loving it.’

Taye Diggs Denies ‘Dissing Black Women’ Last month The Best Man Holiday actor took to twitter to defend himself against allegations that he dissed the black women on set when filming the recently released movie.

According to the gossip website Cream Bmp Daily, the star jokingly said that he was ‘less than thrilled’ to be around his black female co stars. The site quoted him as saying ‘Let’s just say it’s not a stereotype that black women are less submissive and harder to deal with.

“Being around them black women made me really miss my wife who for the record happens to be white,” he added. “The only Black woman I ever loved is my mama.”

While the quote was seen as a fabricated attempt at humour, the actor took to the micro blogging site to clarify the allegation by saying “Regarding the preposterous quote about black women: It is false. I have not and would never say such a thing. Ever. Period.”

Rebecca Ferguson: Dating Zayn Malik of 1D almost ruined my career Former X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson has revealed that dating the 1 Direction star had a detrimental effect on her career.

The singer who dated the teenager whilst they were both contestants on the hit show felt that once their relationship was revealed her musical career took a nosedive.

Speaking to the Independent she said “I was 23, he was 18, if it was a 23-year-old guy dating an 18-year-old girl, no one would have batted an eyelid, but this way around was a big deal’.

Following the break up she revealed that things between the pair have not been great. Last year Zayn, who had always refused to speak about their romance, broke his silence to describe the brief union as ‘a mistake’.

Marvin Humes announced as new host on the next series of The Voice UK Ex JLS star Marvin Humes admits that he is excited to be hosting the next series of the hit BBC The Voice UK alongside Emma Willis. But the former boy band member

The I Hope singer admits she was shocked by what he

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said, but she refuses to retaliate and said that they ‘don’t talk anymore and are not in touch at all’.

astonishing $24,000. However the Knowles camp have issued a statement to American gossip magazine Sister2Sister denying all claims.

“There have been several media reports [this week] suggesting that Mr. Knowles has a delinquency concerning his child support obligation to Ms. Alexsandra Wright,” Mathew’s spokesman Ken Harris stated. “At this point, Mr. Knowles’ financial advisers indicate that he is current concerning that obligation.”

In keeping with this assessment, Mathew has every intention of making his next support payment that is supposedly before the end of month. Ken added, that there’s no chance that Mathew would ever have skipped one of his monthly payments.

“Mr. Knowles takes his obligation related to the support of his son very seriously,” Ken explained. “To that end, Mr. Knowles has consistently provided support during all periods for which he has been legally obligated.”

The Game Pays A Personal Tribute to Nelson Mandela by Getting Tattoo West Coast rapper The Game took to instagram to show the world his tribute to the iconic civil rights leader.

He posted the image with the message. “The finished Nelson Mandela lookin out of the prison bars by @NikkoHurtado done on my side. 7 hour sitting.... Few more hours to tie in the tats around it & we solid. #NelsonMandela #RIP #Legend #Leader #Freedom #Peace #Equality #Tattoos #SouthAfrica,” According to Nikko Hurtado, who owns the Black Anchor shop in Hesperia, Ca. The tattoo is placed near The Game’s armpit and joins previous images on the rapper’s body that include Barack Obama as well as Trayvon Martin and Nate Dogg. – However the tattoo got a mixed reaction from fans with many questioning if he knew that much about the icon and calling the very large inking tacky.

Rita Ora To Star in 50 Shades of Grey Singer Rita Ora has won a role in Fifty Shades Of Grey, the film to be based on EL James’s best-selling erotic novel. The 23-year-old Hot Right Now singer will play the sister of the male star of the story, Christian Grey.

Ora revealed the news to her fans on Twitter, saying: “It’s official! I’ve been cast in Fifty Shades Of Grey as Christian’s sister Mia.” The singer is said to be thrilled at being cast and is no stranger to acting having learned her craft at London’s Sylvia Young Theatre School. She won a part in the Fast and Furious franchise British actor Jamie Dornan is set to play Grey in the movie adaptation, which is being directed by filmmaker and artist Sam Taylor-Johnson.

He signed up to star as the billionaire - who has a passionate relationship with student Anastasia Steele, played by Dakota Johnson - after Charlie Hunnam abruptly decided to pull out of the role.

Matthew Knowles Denies Being a Deadbeat Dad Beyonce’s daddy Matthew Knowles has strenuously denied claims that he is falling behind on child support payments for his son with former mistress Alexsandra Wright.

According to claims by Ms Wright the Former Destiny’s Child Manager has skipped two monthly payments owing her an

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24/7NEWS Robin Thicke track Blurred Lines has sold 1.44 million copies, with less than a month to go before the end of year charts are compiled.

The song spent a total of five weeks at number one.

Williams is also on the second best-selling song, Get Lucky.

The Daft Punk track, which also has a guest appearance from Nile Rodgers, has sold 1.28m copies.

Avicii’s Wake Me Up, which is currently the fastest selling single of 2013, is third with sales of over 1.12m.

Other tracks in the top ten include Katy Perry’s Roar and La La La by Naughty Boy, featuring Sam Smith.

Dappy Enters CBB House?

Former N Dubz star Dappy is reportedly set to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house to help pay off a massive tax bill.

The Strong Again singer once strongly opposed to reality shows admits that entering the house could spell the end of his musical career.

Last year, the pint-sized rapper said: “No way would I go on one of them, they’re the kiss of death. You go on I’m a Celeb or Celebrity Big Brother when your career is fading away. It’s a disgrace.”

But a source told The Sun: “Dappy has been given a stark warning to pay off his tax bill but he needs cash fast. Celebrity Big Brother has come knocking and it’s been tough to say no.”

Beyonce shock fans

Dappy has been having a bad few weeks. As well as facing a petition brought by the taxman last week, he also spent some time in hospital after being kicked in the face by a horse.

Channel 5 have refused to comment on the line up for this year’s CBB.

Pop queen Beyonce, has unexpectedly released her fifth studio album on iTunes. (13/12/2013) The self-titled album is the follow up to 2011s 4, and guest features husband and daughter Blue Ivy. “Surprise!” wrote the 32-year old singer wrote in a press release in which she said how she was bored of releasing music the normal way.

She added: ‘I am able to speak directly to my fans.’

For the first time, it would a high profile celebrities album has not been leaked prior to its release.

Physical copies only started pressing on Friday morning, and are expected in shops on 21 December.

Knowles, has taken on a project which most would find a challenge, by accompanying every track withs its music video “I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.” she added.

Beyonce is currently embarking on the ‘The Mrs Carter World Tour, which will conclude in early 2014, with added UK tour dates in February and March.

Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines is 2013 Best Selling Song According to the Official Charts Company the Pharell and

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24/7BAROMETER

WHAT’S

HOT? CHERYL GETS PAYOUT

Pop star Cheryl Cole has won a payout from the producers of X Factor USA, who dropped her after filming just one episode in 2011

WHAT’S

NOT? PROFESSOR GREEN ARRESTED Professor Green, real name Stepehen Manderson has been arrested by Police on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

FATHER LOVE

Pharrell caught the last flight out of L.A. yesterday - he’s going back to VIRGINIA to have Thanksgiving with his family.

‘THE BUTLER’ A GLOBAL SUCCESS.

BROMANCE

It seems Baskteball plaer, LeBron James and Rap Artist Macklemore have sparked an unlikely friendship.- lets see how long this lasts.

NEW MATERIAL

The Lee Daniels film. The Butler becomes one of the most highest grossing film taking in $155,859,638 worldwide. The film tells the story of a butler servivng several Presidents at a time of the Civil Rights movement.

The First Lady, Michelle Obama drops by to BET 106 and Park show to discuss the importance of higher education. she dropped by to explain the role that education played in her life and the President’s.

MINAJ’S BOYFRIEND GETS TAT

WALKER DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT

The on, off boyfriend of Commerical Rap Queen, Nicki Minaj, has had a portion of his arm tattooed of Minaj’s face. Even though they have been dating for a decade its still a little silly.

HANNAH’S X-FACTOR WOES

X-Factor contestant Hannah Barrett found herself surrounded by speculation that she was voted off due to the colour of her skin it has beeen reported, and that she would never have won because of it.

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The Fast and The Furious actor, Paul Walker died in a car crash in Los Angeles who was been driven by a friend. Walker was attending a charity event at the time.

DAPPY HAS BEEF

Dappy has had hospital treatment after falling off a horse and being kicked in the face by the animal. The N-Dubz rapper, 26, was riding at his home when the horse threw him off its back.

24/7GOSSIP

through and something I wouldn’t like to go through again!”

KANYE DIGS INTO THE PRESIDENT The controversial rapper has told Obama to not speak of him, due to the comments the President made about him.

On a recent rant on American Radio station 107.9 FM, Kanye took it upon himself to say exactly how he felt about the Presidents recent address about Yeezy calling him a ‘Jackass’ The 107.9 host quizzed Kanye on what he thought of the presidents comment.

A clearly angered Yeezy responded: “I don’t care if you’re the president. I bring joy to people.”

Kanye then went on to say he wont be talking about that guy in the Whitehouse no more reffering to President Obama.

He then added: “He shouldn’t mention my baby mama’s name, cause we both from Chicago.”

It seems Kanye is taking this beef a little too seriously - Lets hope Obama ignores his remarks .

BECKHAM BARES ALL ON EARLY FOOTY DAYS Global Football Icon, David Beckham has recently revealed how he performed a sex act in his early football career.

He candidly revealed that he was the victim of a bizarre hazing ritual where as a young player he had to touch himself in front of his male teammates.

In a new documentary the star spoke of the ritual which took place in 1991, when he was just 16, he says he had to stare at a photo of a famous Welsh soccer player named Clayton Blackmore and perform the solo act..

He said: “ in the youth team everyone had to go through an initiation.

“I was embarrassed when I was saying it on camera let alone talking about it But it’s something that we all had to go

HOLLYWOOD NOT FOR YOUNG BLACKS. In a recent interview Do The Right Thing director talked of how Hollywood is not made for young black film directors or scriptwriters to succeed The director has publically stated that he is unimpressed with explosion of Black writers and films that were released this year: Speaking on BET he said “We write the same article every 10 years, one year, it’s, ‘We’ve arrived!’ But then, it’s a nine-year drought.”

Lee spoke out ahead of the release of his latest film, Oldboy, which stars his longtime friend Samuel L Jackson.

WWE WRESTLER COMES OUT AS GAY WWE Wrestler, Darren Young has recently revealed that he is gay, according to gossip website TMZ. The WWE wrestler was spotted in a LA Airport when the entertainment site caught up with the wrestler and he was asked by the TMZ reporter: “If a Gay wrestler could be successful within the WWE?” A somewhat surprised Young responded: “Absolutely, look at me i’m a WWE Superstar and to be honest with you, I’m gay and I’m happy He added: “Im happy with myself, Im hoping to make a difference (in the industry) letting people know that someones sexual preference shouldn’t matter.

Young has had support from fellow wrestling giants including John Cena and Triple H.

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BEYONCE BREAKS $100MILLION MARK Currently still on her epic world tour, the global superstar has reached a new milsetone for 2013, by braking the $100 Million mark in ticket sales alone.

The Crazy In Love singer has been on the road since mid-April 2013 and still has remaining dates which will last till the end of the year.

The tour which started in Europe saw Beyonce do several nights at Londons O2 Arena, which we were all sold out. .

JESSIE IN AWE OF MARY J Pop princess Jessie J has talked about how in awe she was when she worked with one of her singing idols Mary J Blige.

Jessie, who was recently interviewed on Capital Fm, spoke of her recent duet on talent show X-Factor: “Yeh, it was really fun just getting the opportunity to perform with someone I grew up listening to,” she gushed adding “She [Mary] really spoke to me. It’s not so much advice, it’s an atmosphere It’s really important that artists who’ve done this and had a sense of longevity create an atmosphere for artists like me to remember that.”

IMAGEGALLERY

Facts you never knew about XMAS

2. The earliest known Christmas card was produced in the early 1840s and is preserved in the British Museum.

1. The December 25 date of Christmas was fixed at the Council of Nicaea in AD325.

3. All the Christmas gift-wrap used in the UK in a year would cover an area equal to Guernsey.

4. Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean was discovered and named on Christmas Day 1643 by William Mynors of the East India Company.

NEARLY 60 million Christmas trees are grown each year in Europe.

Electric Christmas lights were first used in 1854.

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Christmas Crackers were invented around 1846

by Tom Smith who developed them for Christmas from the French habit of wrapping sugared almonds in twists of paper as gifts.

In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. Their Dutch counterparts use shoes.

In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. The Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, considered feasting and revelry on what was supposed to be a holy day to be immoral, banned the Christmas festivities. The ban was lifted only when Cromwell lost power in 1660.

Christmas has different meanings around the world; Christmas Eve in Japan is a good day to eat fried chicken and strawberry shortcake.

The average weight of a Christmas turkey is 5.5kg/12lb. Approx 10 million are eaten in UK every Christmas. In the US approx. 60 million are eaten at Thanksgiving

US scientists calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes a second to deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.

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24/7BEAUTY

Yes... its hard to actually believe that December has crept up upon us, which can only mean plenty festive fun, frolics and parties. In this months guide we will be taking a look at some products to get you in the festive mood, as well as some festive essentials for when you are out on the go looking fabulous!

By Nicole Robinson LADIES... LOOK THE LIFE AND SOUL OF ANY PARTY DURING THIS FESTIVE SEASON. Switch from your standard liner hue to sapphire or plum. “Either tone really brightens the whites of the eyes, which tend to yellow as we age Add a dash of colour, but also makes you look younger.

Try Maybelline New York Line Express Eyeliner in Blackened Sapphire (from £3.75) or NYC New York Color Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Smoky Plum (from £3)

A big (and common) holiday makeup mistake, is to top your makeup with a dusting of shimmer powder — particularly over your blush. The result can look regrettably robotic — and aging — but there’s an easy fix: Apply a faintly shimmery cream on your cheeks under your blush. Try Philosophy the Color of Grace Heavenly Light Pink Illuminator (from £8)

Leave French twists and other prom like hairdos where they belong (in the eighties) and try the super-wearable style Work a pea-size dab of a grooming cream through the small sections of hair that’s just above your ear.— we like Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Finishing Touch Cream (from £3) You know how you’ve always heard about the trick of dabbing gloss on the center of an already-lipsticked mouth to accentuate the pout?

An all-over, thin coat of gloss creates the illusion of fuller lips, and though the result may not be Angelina-esque, it’s much more natural than the pencil-drawn variety. For nonsticky shine, try MAC Lipglass in Clear (from £13)

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Flaunt perfectly polished fingers and toes with the immaculate 2true Glossywear Nail Polishes.

In 36 catwalk-inspired shades of metallic, iridescent, rich and neon finishes, there’s something for every trend, outfit, mood and occasion.

Simply apply two coats of 2True Glossywear Nail Polish Clear Sparkle 2(£1.99) for the perfect finish to this season’s hottest and most desirable looks!

CELEB STYLE (smell like a star...)

LADY GAGA ‘Fame’

The accords work together to create a fragrance of floral and fruity elements, with the star ingredient inspired by Belladonna leveling out the whole fragrance

NICKI MINAJ ‘Pink Friday’

The fragrance imparts a playful cloud of pink floral petals that whisper the sultry warmth of vanilla, skin musks and woods. Striking from all angles

JENNIFER LOPEZ ‘Live”

This fragrance is about living for the moment, about feeling truly free. A truly floral oriental fragrance, with notes of Italian orange, Redcurrant and Caramel.

RIHANNA ‘Nude’

BEYONCE ‘Heat Rush‘

It is sensual and provocative and exposes her in her most uninhibited state

Sensual and bright, the scent lights up a room just as Beyonce captivates with her presence.

MEN.... what you need during the holidays

GUCCI: GUILTY BLACK POUR HOMME 50ML, £36.00 The Guilty Black lovers bring out the most thrilling sides of each other: alone they are magnificent, together irrepressible. Fearless in their passion, they are brazen, shameless, unpredictable – ready for each and every explosive encounter. Their attraction is instinctive: they go where they sense danger and each other.

PALMER’S COCOA BUTTER FORMULA MEN BODY & FACE LOTION 400ML, £5.27 Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula MEN Body & Face Lotion is a fast-absorbing formula instantly combats rough and dry skin.

Made with pure Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E for maximum protection, skin feels moisturised without a greasy feeling.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula MEN Body & Face Lotion has a fresh masculine scent.

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NO7 MEN ENERGISING FACE SCRUB, £8.50 FROM BOOTS.COM Your everyday facewash is great at removing impurities like dirt and oil. But it won’t shift heavy-duty debris, like the dull skin cells that sit on the surface of your skin.

This invigorating scrub has been created by our skincare experts to clean that bit deeper, lifting away dead skin cells and helping clear pores.

The result - fresher, smoother skin and a closer shave.

24/7FASHION “Jingle all the way!”, it’s that time of year again to eat drink and be merry. We think it’s also the time to look your best, and to that end, we’ve chosen three pieces that’ll lead you stylishly from Christmas Day into the glamorous New Year.

LADIES

By Mazel John

For the ladies we have three very different pieces. Starting with some festive wear for the ‘big day’ itself.

The Santa hat is optional but we think it adds the right amount of fun and the jumper (also a nod to the day) we’ve paired with some easy leggings that won’t pitch after the food overdose.

For Boxing Day we’ve got a super cute and sexy outfit that’ll keep you warm whilst looking HOT. The bright skirt and the plaid coat are a season must have.

For NYE nothing but an LBD will do and we’ve chosen one from River Island.

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD WITH THESE...

Club Monaco Celebrate Hat-£30 fro Clubmonaco.com, Deluxe Plush Santa Hat-£3.06 from halloweencostumes.com, J.Crew Buffalo check peacoat-£215 from jcrew.com, Zara Pointed Flat shoe-£22 from Zara.com, Black sheer panel velvet body con dress-£35 from Riverisland.com, Mango Horse-riding leggings-£20 from Houseoffraser. co.uk, WTF Clutch bag-£34 Nastygal.com, NafNaf Pleated Skirt-£55 from Zalando.co.uk, Oasis Sonia Suede Wedge Boot-£90 from Oasis-stores.com, Shoe Cult Geneva Sandal-£42 from Nastygal.com, Otis & Maclain Sheer Stripe Crop Tee: Black-£76 from intermixonline.com, Beige and Black Reindeer Fuzzy Christmas Jumper-£35 from Debenhams.com

SHOLA COURT HEELS £58.00, TopShop Stylish, Sexy and Festive

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X

MAS MUST HAVES

COMBINED EMBROIDERED TOP Zara, £39.99

FAUX LEATHER QUILTED BAG Mango ,£49.99

JEZZEBELL PU AND MESH DRESS Price: £60.00

MENS For the boys, we also have decided to go the full hog! A very Christmassy onesie that’s fun, functional and festive.

For Boxing Day we’ve continued with the Christmas theme and gone for a lovely plum jumper with matching trousers and casual converse.

For the biggest night out of the year, nothing beats black. The shirt has a lovely pattern on it that finishes off the suit perfectly.

You’ll definitely get a kiss under the mistletoe or as Big Ben chimes in the new year in our chosen outfits.

Suede Shoe-£43 from HM.com, Converse Premium Chuck Taylor Studded All Star-£49 from djpremium.com, Black Cut and sew cross Long sleeve Smart shirt-£30 from Topman.com, Red 3D Christmas Reindeer-£7.99 from Newlook.com, Burgundy Christmas Tree Knitted Jumper-£12 from Newlook.com, Premium by Jack & Jones-£77 jackjones.com, Chinos-£6.09 from HM.com, Boohoo Novelty Christmas Pudding Onesie-£37 boohoo.com

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MAS MUST HAVES

UNDERATED ‘MASSACRE’ BOMBER JACKET*

Topman, £75.00

BLACK LEATHER-LOOK PERFORATED YOKE TSHIRT

River Island, £18 17

AR 2 Shoes (Red and Blue) Adidas, £70

24/7GADGETS

by Gavin Peters

The spirit of Christmas is definitely in the air, and we for one are looking forward to yet another great one. Here at 24/7 Live have compiled together some of this years red hots gadgets and gifts, what will you be hoping to receive...?

Furby Boom Interactive Toy, £49.99

Apple: iPad Air, from £339

A whole new generation of Furby is hatching! Combining physical and digital play, the new Furby Boom will take you on a digital adventure! Furby Boom has a mind of its own with a personality that is shaped by the way you play.

Furby Boom speaks its own Furbish language and the more you interact with it the more English it speaks too!

The new iPad Air is unbelievably thin and light. And yet it’s so much more powerful and capable. With the A7 chip, advanced wireless, and great apps for productivity and creativity — all beautifully integrated with iOS 7 — iPad Air lets you do more than you ever imagined. In more places than you ever imagined.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Samrtphone, from £277

Samsung are definitely leading the way for phone technology and this new smart watch goes beyond limits and capabilities of a watch. By working in harmony with the Galaxy Note 3, thanks to a piece of technology called Smart Relay, the Galaxy Gear allows you to get the benefits of the Note 3 without ever having to take it out of your pocket. Galaxy Gear hands on Its unique innovation makes you re-think the way you connect and generally live your day-to-day life. From making calls without using your hands via S Voice and capturing photos and video thanks to a camera built into the strap to accessing your apps right there on your wrist, it offers something never seen before.

Philips Sonicare FlexCare Plus Rechargeable Toothbrush, £99.99 Philips Sonicare Flexcare is clinically proven to remove everyday stains, helping teeth look whiter and healthier in just two weeks. Sonicare’s patented sonic technology give better plaque removal than a manual toothbrush. It comes with five brushing modes and a two minute Quadpacer interval timer to encourage thorough brushing.

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Philips 47PFL5008T 47 Inch Full HD Smart 3D LED Ambilight TV , £699.99

Zoom Pushchair Package - Black/Charcoal, £ £249.00 The Zoom 3 in 1 pushchair offers the perfect pushchair with outstanding value for money. This combination pushchair has a multifunction Seat which faces both ways - Face parent for interaction or face the world and comes complete with carrycot and rain cover and is also travel system compatible with the Aton car seat with adaptors or Primo Viaggio car seat with adaptors (sold separately).

The Zoom package also comes with complete co-ordinating carrycot perfect for occasional overnight sleeping, so you can turn Zoom into a compact pram

Enjoy an incredible and vibrant viewing experience with this Philips 5008 series Full HD Smart 3D LED TV. The unique Philips Ambilight technology makes your screen seem wider and your viewing more immersive by projecting a soft ambient glow from both sides of the TV and on to the surrounding wall.

VTech InnoTab 3S with Battery Pack - Blue, £79.99 Your child will love to learn on VTech’S InnoTab 3S tablet! The tablet has a camera and is loaded with apps and games and the rechargeable battery pack will keep the tablet going for hours of fun! The InnoTab has a kid-safe design and Wi-Fi connection which allows them to safely surf the web on pre-selected and parent approved websites.

George Foreman 14525 Family Grill and Melt with Timer, £ £59.99 This George Foreman Family Grill and Melt with timer is ideal for cooking family meals or making a quick sandwich. This health grill can cook 4 portions of food at once and has the added benefit of removable cooking plates

Peppa Pig Hide and Seek, £13.49

PS4, from £349.99

Great for keeping little ones amused or as a playtime treat with friends.

Peppa Pig Hide and Seek game provides hours of fun, simply use the teddy remote to find where Peppa Pig is hiding, keep listening to the clues until you find her!

The next generation of PlayStation® has arrived. the ultimate machine to meet the requirements of the fast paced world of gaming. inspired by developers for a fully immersive gaming experience.

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Through teddy Peppa Pig will give you clues as to how close you are to finding her including ‘You’re too cold’ and ‘You’re getting warmer’ until you find her.

24/7 MOTORING Porsche Macan

By Jazinhino Phillips

Prices range from £43,300 - £59,300.

The Porsche Macan is the latest addition to the Porsche family & will be competing with the BMW X3, Land Rover Evouqe, Audi Q5 to name a few.

Macan in Indonesian means tiger so it should be grrrr-eat!!! This SUV has the same all wheel drive system as the big brother Cayenne, which sends most of the power to the rear wheels whilst being driven normally. However the power can be transferred to the front when driving off-road or even to one axel if necessary.

The Macan looks are inspired by the iconic 911 & the chassis is based of the Audi Q5 which to some may have a slight resemblance. All models come with Porsche’s seven speed double clutch automatic gearbox, which has an option to save fuel consumption by putting it into sailing mode.

There’s a sport mode which increases the throttle response & an option for off-road mode. Another optional feature called Air Suspension. This feature will raise the car by 40mm to overcome obstacles at the touch of a button.

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A Multifunctional steering wheel from the flagship 918 Spyder & leather interior come as standard. New features include a real-time split torque display, high end Burmester music centre, & dynamic light system. Wheel sizes from 19 inches to 21 inches are available. The boot space is reasonable enough although some of its rivals offer slightly more room for transporting people who have overstepped their mark. The space in the back is a bit cramped however the headroom seems to be pretty good.

This car is available with three different specifications. the S, S diesel, & the Turbo. The power in the entry level S has 340 hp, 0-62 in 5.4 secs &

reaches a top speed 157mph. S Diesel 0-62 in 6.3 secs, 258 hp & has a top speed 157mph. Turbo 0-62 in 4.8 secs 400 hp top speed 165mph. This car is the baby brother of the Cayenne yet it sits lower by 100mm.

Subtle differences between the S & Turbo models which includes square shape exhausts on the Turbo yet on the S they remain circular. Porsche claims this car is ready for the demands of everyday life, unfortunately we will have to wait until February to find out.

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24/7FILM

FREE BIRDS (U) RELEASED: 29/11/2013 Free Birds is an animated comedy from the producer of Shrek and the director of Horton Hears a Who! Reggie (Owen Wilson) is smarter than your average turkey and is actually hand-selected by the President to become the White House official turkey. But as he’s busy living the high life, action-turkey Jake (Woody Harrelson) has the idea of using the government time machine to travel back through the centuries to nip the whole tradition of eating turkey as a holiday treat in the bud. But government forces aren’t going to let that happen without a fight. Free Birds is a cheeky, offbeat buddy movie.

Rating: 3/5

POWDER ROOM(15) RELEASE: 6/12/2013 Sheridan Smith plays Down-on-her-luck Sam, who leads us on a comedic and voyeuristic journey into the lives of a multitude of women at all stages of love and life, over the course of one crazy night out.

Amidst the shambles of a night on the town, she realises her life is an empty mess, coloured only by her dysfunctional, but devoted ensemble of close friends, Chanel (Jaime Winstone), Saskia (Sarah Hoare) and Paige (Riann Steele). She wants to grow up, but is finding it difficult. In an attempt to broaden her horizons, Sam meets up with her old college friend Michelle (Kate Nash), who she hasn’t seen for years, and Michelle has subsequently gone to Paris, has a glamorous job, earns a lot of money, has got engaged, and is living the life that Sam aspires to and enviously follows on Facebook. Michelle has brought her friend Jess (Oona Chaplin),

who is even more intimidatingly glamorous. Sam feels inadequate and inhibited in their company, so starts telling little white lies.

It all spirals out of control until she’s created an entirely fictional existence. Sam spends her whole evening trying to stop this house of cards from falling down.

Faced with some very harsh realities, can Sam remain true to herself and find a way back from rock bottom?

to find out what happened and to wreak deadly revenge on those who have vandalised his life. But those dark forces are still at work. Oldboy is a hard-core thriller with a first-rate cast will leave you in suspense.

Rating: 4/5

Rating: 3.5/5

BLACK NATIVITY (PG) RELEASED: 6/12/2013 Black Nativity is a classic Christmas play brought bang up to date with some gorgeous music from the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Nas and Mary J. Blige.

Langston (Jacob Latimore) is a streetwise kid whose mum (Jennifer Hudson) sends him to stay with his grandparents over Christmas despite the fact he doesn’t know them. Finding his grandfather (Forest Whitaker) is a reverend with strict values, he rebels before starting on a journey of self-discovery that includes some other-worldly forces and some beautiful music. Black Nativity is a totally fresh take on the classic uplifting Christmas story with some rather big names.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (12A) RELEASED: 13/12/2013 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is perhaps the most spectacular instalment in the series that takes in not only The Hobbit but Lord of the Rings. With Gandalf (Ian McKellen) missing, Baggins and the dwarves must make their own way through the dangerous forest in search of the Secret Door that will let them get their hands on the hoard of Smaug, the dragon. But with a variety of deadly creatures and Smaug himself standing in the way, it’s going to be no easy feat. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a fantastical thrill ride among monsters. As you can imagine this second instalment of the Hobbit franchise is even more epic beyond belief- the epic story and spectacular visual effects are what make this movie even bigger than it is.

Rating: 4.5/5

Rating: 3.5/5

OLDBOY (18) RELEASED: 6/12/2013 Oldboy is a dark, high-tension revenge thriller from legendary director Spike Lee based on the Korean classic. Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) is an advertising executive who is snatched and incarcerated in a bunker with only the TV for company. Twenty years later, having learned of horrors in his own family and how his absence is deemed suspicious, he is released. Now begins his mission

HOMEFRONT (15) RELEASED: 6/12/2013 Homefront is a high-tension thriller with plenty of action from the pen of one Sylvester Stallone. When Phil Broker (Jason Statham), an undercover drugs enforcement agent, moves into a small town with his daughter, he thinks it’s going to be a break from big-city life. But when his daughter gets into a fight with a local kid, the whole town starts to fall down on their heads, something that escalates when a local crystal meth sup-

pliers discovers Broker’s true identity.

Homefront is a slick, fast-paced thriller that taps into the very basic urge to protect one’s family from danger. An action packed drama, with a thrilling twist- will definitely keep you in suspense with its gripping storyline.

a great cast.

AMERICAN HUSTLE (15) RELEASED 20/12/13

FROZEN (PG) RELEASED: 6/12/2013

MOSHI MONSTERS: THE MOVIE (U) RELEASED: 20/12/2013 Moshi Monsters: The Movie is a bigscreen adventure featuring the favourite monsters from the best-selling children’s computer game. In a Moshi world threatened by the evil Dr. Strangelove (Ashley Slater), who has stolen a rare Moshling egg and is getting ready to crush it, our heroes are on a race against time to save the egg from certain destruction and collect the ransom. Will there be time for singing and dancing as they go about their very important business? You bet there will! Moshi Monsters: The Movie is an action-packed cute-fest for kids at the younger end of the scale. Colourful animated fun for the little ones!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the second instalment in the franchise that got off to an incredible start with one of the biggest box-office hits of 2012.

Also adapted from the book by Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire takes place immediately after the events of The Hunger Games, as Katniss and Peeta adjust to life as District 12’s victors.

Their comfort and happiness might be shortlived though, as President Snow has some rather nefarious plans for the Quarter Quell (the games are particular harsh every 25 years).

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson are among the castmembers returning for another bout. Of the notable additions to the cast, Philip Seymour Hoffman joins as Gamesmaker Plutarch Heavensbee, and Jena Malone will play Johanna Mason.

Frozen is the latest magical and hilarious Disney extravaganza. The fearless and adventurous Anna sets off on an epic journey – teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven – to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. If you enjoyed Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph you’ll love Frozen. Another fun filled Disney tale for all the family to enjoy, with stunning visuals and warm storyline.

Rating: 3/5

Rating: 4/5

Rating: 3/5

KILL YOUR DARLINGS (15) RELEASED: 6/12/2013

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (15) RELEASED: 20/12/2013 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues sees the mythical newsman, Ron Burgundy, back where he belongs: in a newsroom. Having taken on feminism single-handedly in the 1970s, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is now back to take everything that the 1980s can thrown at him (but not at his hair!) With the dream team moving from San Diego to New York City, but with none of them moving with the times, the scene is set for a return to glory at a newly created 24-hour news channel. What could possibly go wrong? Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues sees a line-up of great comedians at their very best. The Follow-up to Anchorman, Anchorman 2 is full of comedy throughout and will have you laughing at the most awkward moment- along with

47 RONIN 3D (12A) RELEASED: 26/12/2013 47 Ronin is a spectacular visual tour de force that combines great storytelling with mind-blowing effects. Kai (Keanu Reeves) is half-British, half-Japanese and totally outcast having been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Gathering together a band of samurai, he sets about exacting his revenge, for personal reasons and to unchain his country. But the monsters and magic the band of warriors are about to encounter means any sort of victory is going to be incredibly hard to come by. 47 Ronin is an adventure that goes to places, visually, that we’ve very rarely been before. An actioned packed thriller- with amazing special effects and fight scene throughout- leaving you speechless.

Rating: 3.5/5

Kill Your Darlings is a true-life murder story set among some of the greatest writers of the 20th century as they run around post-war New York. Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) is mixed up with a group of revolutionary writers: Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). When the attentions of a teacher, David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall of TV’s Dexter), veer dangerously into stalking territory, Carr starts to act strangely, behaviour that will culminate in disaster. Kill Your Darlings is a muchanticipated drama that includes the likes of Jennifer Jason-Leigh and Elizabeth Olsen in a mighty cast.

Rating: 3/5

courtesy of myvue.com

24/7MUSIC MUSIC- ALBUMS

24/7 Recommends...

MARY J BLIGE: A MARY CHRISTMAS (2 DEC) Its hard to believe that Soul/RnB queen Mary J blige has actually released her first Christmas album, ’A Mary Christmas’ To most Blige fans this would probably seem the most unlikely thing to do, as she comes across as some who is very mush a feisty and hard nut persona. Having been in the industry for so long it only seem the right time and thing left to do.

Its uncanny how Blige can connect to so many listeners on a level most artists would find hard. This album like previous I suspect will not leave you disappointed.

MJB approach on this album is a very soulful one, and mostly covering some of the festive favourites in only the way she could.

Stand out tracks on the album are ’Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,’ When You Wish Upon A Star’ featuring a surprising duet with legend Barbara Streisand and ’Do You Hear What I Hear’ with UK Artist Jessie J. On a whole though every track is good. The album also features the Clark Sisters and Marc Anthony.

Not usually a fan of Christmas album- but hats off to MJB, a very good listen over the holidays.

Rating: 4/5

BRITNEY SPEARS: BRITNEY JEAN (DEC 3) Britney Jean is the eigth studio album from Pop princess Britney Spears.

There has been much hype and anticipation prior to the the release in recent month as it was said to be the most personal album yet.

The album title was a nickname given to the star who is called Britney Jean, by close family and friends.

The overall sound is much more funkier that what we have heard from Miss Spears, with a notable mature sound.

Some of the stand out tracks include the hit, Work Bitch and Tik Tik Boom featuring America rapper T.I. which definitely have a pumping party vibe to them.

The album is very much an area of ear pounding electronics and Eurodance influences, with an urban edge.

There is a clear transition in sounds from her, Baby One More Time days.

Other features on the album include a duet with younger sister Jamie Lynn, Will i Am and Calvin Spencer.

Once hailing pop domination, the album is a fair attempt from Spears although I do not know if she will be albe to compete with the likes of artists like Lady GaGa and Rihanna.

Rating: 3/5

R KELLY: BLACK PANTIES (9 DEC)

Black Panties is the twelfth solo studio album by R&B singer/ songwriter R. Kelly.

The album is definitely not for the faint hearted. Lock away your wives, sisters and Aunts ‘cos I think given the chance Robert Kelly is coming after them with this beast of an album. It’s probably the most graphic and explicit album you will hear this year and into 2014.

This album has clearly reignited his libido as he we wants to ‘Marry the P***y,’ a surprising good song about his sexual endeavours and a proposal which I’m sure will go down well with his female fans- excuse the pun!

The track Genius see Kelly tone down his ways as tries to seduce on the track.

Another killer track is the duet with Destinys Child member, Kelly Rowland, adding amazing falsetto vocals.

Songs like Cookie are sure to get women excited which talks explicitly about an oreo cookie metaphorically… yes, -and I’m sure you can figure out the rest.

Features on the album include Jeezy, Future, Juicy J, Ludacris and 2Chainz.

Crazy Sex is a steamy slow jam, and a great one at that- and we are just reminded why Kelly is so great at his craft.

Despite the explicit content throughout- it can be appreciated as he is a lyrical genius and we wouldn’t expect anything less from him either.

Rating: 4/5

SINGLES

To be fair the track is not the strongest of J’s songs which she has released in recent years- however I’m sure it will fair well as she has a large amount of appeal.

Rating 3/5

LEONA LEWIS: ONE MORE SLEEP (1 DEC)

X Factor winner Leona Lewis returns with her latest offering One More Sleep.

The festive inspired track features all of the usual attributes we would associate with christmas, with slay bells echoing in the background.

The track is the latest offering from new Christmas album, Christmas, With Love.

Adding her beautiful but subtle vocals to the track, it is very much an upbeat and happy sounding christmas songs which everyone can enjoy.

One thing about the track she does not try to out sing the song- the balance is just right which makes it more appealing as well as catchy.

We all know how much of an amazing singer she is and this is evident from the track- her vocals are great I’m sure this track will do well Rating: 3.5/5

CIARA: OVERDOSE (15 DEC)

The Princess of Crunk & B, Ciara releases her new track, Overdose.

The track is a fusion of a throwback retro ’80’s vibe with a modern feel to it. It is definitely a feel good dance track with a distinguishable Ciara vibe to it. The song it self is about embodying love and feeling that energy. The overall production on the track is very good along with Ciara subtle voice and tone. What’s good about this song is that she is not scared to play with different sounds.

Overdose is a great track on a whole and worthy to be a top ten contender when its released.

Rating: 3.5/5

Rating: 4/5

JASON DERULO: TRUMPETS (30 DEC)

Trumpets is the third single off American singer Jason Derulos, third album Tattoos.

The track has a very happy summery up-beat vibe. On a whole it is a catchy song, whose obvious appeal are those trumpet explosions after each chorus. vocally Derulo is quite good on this track you can see snippets of his range. overall its decent track which I’m sure younger people would appreciate.

Rating 2.5/5

JESSIE J: THUNDER (8 DEC)

Thunder is the third release of the Price Tag singer, Jessie J’s current album, Alive The track itself features nothing short of the vocal capability of Jessie- which shows her range.

Thunder, is a quite relaxed and melodic track, but has a smooth rocky edge to it.

There are elements of the song which J over sings and can make the song a little whinney.

follow up single from the smash single Love Me Again.

Recently performing at a Capital FM Show, Newman showed why he is so credible as an artist- as he is an incredible singer and vocalist.

Losing Sleep, is an upbeat, uptempowith a gospel influenced kind of style to it.

Its hard to believe Newman is so young his voice and vocals demonstrate someone who has had experience within the music industry for years, he has a soulful raspy voice which is appealing not only on this track but all his other material likewise.

The track itself is good as it is catchy, more importantly the production on the single is good and well put together.

One good thing about Newman his vocals alway seem so effortless and still manages to produces decent music.

Sure to be a hit in the charts.

JOHN NEWMAN: LOSING SLEEP (16 DEC)

23-year old singer/songwriter John Newman releases Losing Sleep the

24/7MUSIC

JAMES ARTHUR: RECOVERY (16 DEC)

Unlike most X-factor winners, James Arthur seems to be in a league of his own.

His new release, Recovery is the third single from his self-titled debut album.

Vocally Arthur is truly incredible as we saw from the tv talent show he appeared on. .

The track despite being a urban/ pop song, shows off his range and the soulfulness to his voice.

Despite coming under fire in recent for homophobic comments he made on twitter.

Arthur still remains a credible artist and is sure to do well in the charts with this track as it was co-written with Ina Wroldsen, the writer of Shontelle’s Impossible, which went on to become the fastest and biggest-selling X Factor winner’s single to date.

Rating:3.5/5

NEXT EDITION> Jan 2014

NELLY FT TREY SONGZ: ALL AROUND THE WORLD

The latest offering from US Rapper, Nelly is All Around The World from his 7th Studio album, M.O. featuring Trey Songz.

The track itself is very radio friendly but the track does have a certain edge to it, to which Songz adds a RnB flavour to.

The track is nothing special to shout about but everyone will like it.

Rating: 3/5

CHRIS BROWN: ‘X’ Album review and much more...

24/7 GAMING THE GAMESMASTER Darren Lobban

PlayStation 3- ten of this generation’s best

What I’m about to do is try and list ten Playstation 3 (PS3) games that I have personally played to finish, and say why I believe these are the best gaming experiences on the platform. With the PlayStation 4 (PS4) almost here, the current generation is drawing to a close so let’s take a look at what, in my personal opinion, was the best there was to play. One disclaimer: there are some games that I have yet to finish playing (e.g. Journey; Grand Theft Auto 5; Heavy Rain; The Last of Us and Little Big Planet 2). All these are wonderful games, I’m sure; but they are on my ‘to play’ list.

If you find you totally disagree with my list then remember it’s an opinion and not fact. However also remember I’m right and you’re wrong and never ever question my judgement in future or there will be trouble, big trouble!

At the end of my list there will be a number one. I will also bunch some games together if they’re in a saga or trilogy and I feel you need to play them all to get the best experience.

In descending order: #10: Motorstorm Pacific Rift - this game rectified every problem from the original Motorstorm PS3 release and added in a ton of extra content, great frame rate and graphics with excellent music. This is a truly unique off road racing game and also supports split screen local

play. #9: Rayman Legends- quite simply the best 2D platform game of this generation. The art work is fantastic and it moves so smooth you’d think it was a cartoon. It’s fun for all age groups but can really test those platforming skills.

Any platform game that can make that dreaded ‘under water level’ fun, must be good. #8: Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time - Sly Cooper 3 came out this year but that couldn’t topple Ratchet & Clank simply because this game has it all; Pixar like looks, great humour and it plays like a dream. Simply put, only the 3D Mario games on the Nintendo platform are on par with this game. #7: Infamous 1&2- I had to put both together as playing one without the other is rather silly; like devouring a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts and washing them down with a diet coke! These two games are the best superhero games where the hero is not from Marvel or DC. Great stories, excellent and at times, brutal gameplay where you have to make every decision count. Also, you can be good or evil... enough said. #6: Batman Arkham Asylum- when superhero games were rushed out of the door to coincide with their movie counterparts, Rock Steady brought us a Batman game that is

arguably better than the Dark Knight trilogy movies. Just go and play it. #5: Metal Gear Solid 5 (MGS5)- when the PS3 was getting spanked around the world in the console wars by the Xbox 360, this was the first exclusive to actually make owning the PS3 worthwhile. Yes, the cut scenes are long and the story is actually crazy but the game as a form of pure entertainment is almost untouchable.

do a full page spread about how deep and involved you get in the Mass Effect universe but I don’t, so I can’t. Do yourself a favour and play this trilogy now.

#1: Uncharted trilogy- this was so close to being number two but technically it performs without a hitch on the PS3, so it takes the number one spot. These games are what console gaming was about this generation; great story telling, amazing graphics and untouchable voice acting. It also offers perfect gameplay in #4: Dead Space trilogy- the first game took the survival horsingle player, multiplayer and co-op mode, along with ror crown from Resident Evil. The second game gave us more the best set pieces seen on any game. Uncharted 2 insight into what it means to be frightened by a game when had snow storms which you played through; this was you think you’ve seen it all. The third installment, while tak- astounding. Uncharted 3 had you fighting in a sinking ing a different approach to the genre gave us co-op play and a ship or a plane falling from the skies crashing into a wonderful gun crafting mechanic. desert. You name it and one of these Uncharted games had it. The Uncharted trilogy is simply the best experi#3: God of War series (GoW)- GoW3 is probably the best ence on the PS3 that I have had...so far. looking game on the PS3, along with GoW Ascension. Both games star the anti-hero Kratos, the most brutal SOB known to video games. If Kratos was real, he would lead all the Spartans in the film 300; be best friends with the corporate version of the peoples champ The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin whilst legally marrying five of the worlds biggest porn stars in one week. Did I forget to mention Kratos kills gods?

Think about that for a second. #2: Mass Effect trilogy - let’s be clear, these games are far better than any and I mean any Star Trek or Star Wars movie.

The epic scale of this western-based action role playing game can not be understated; I have never been given so much control over the destiny of the universe as I have had in this game. Your character, (known as Bishop), can look like what you want and be male or female. The voice acting is so good, it makes you want to throw a donkey at those so called Hollywood actors. If I had more pages dedicated to me, I would

24/7MONEY

By Damien Brome Every year, the descent of the weather from autumn to winter delivers a few news items back onto the national agenda: (i) ‘Has Christmas has become too commercialized (unlike ‘the good old days’)?’ (ii) Speculation as to how merciless the weather will be across the forthcoming cold snap.

The lovechild of these two conversations is “energy”; namely, the cost of pumping gas through our homes to keep them nice and warm during the winter. You cannot open a newspaper or flick to a news channel without bumping into the debate surrounding energy prices.

As the first sleet cuts into our faces as we commute to work, it is time for the world to address the “Energy Crisis” which has hit our fair shores. This is the season which the politicians eagerly await, even more than Christmas. They rub their hands in glee as each party has an opportunity to peddle their agenda regarding what they will do to avert the horror of the Energy Crisis. As we shall discover, dear reader, their promises are focusing on the wrong things (like an old boss of mine in a memorable interview with a physically blessed young lady - which ended up with him being frogmarched from the bank an hour after she complained).

But before we try to extract the thread of political wrangling from this ball of string, let us understand the macro-economic knot we have found ourselves in.

“It’s the (political-) economy, Stupid” Between 1986 and 2004, the UK enjoyed a period of falling gas prices. In a sad reference to our country’s self-sustainability, or lack thereof, 2004 was the last year the UK produced more gas than it imported. Since

The UK’s Smelly Gas (Prices) Problem

2004, we have been gas junkies, buying natural gas from the big dealers like it was going out of fashion. As a result, there has been a steady incline in the price of gas, which in turn is influenced by global events. Gas prices on international markets have historically been tied to oil prices. Oil prices are determined by the laws of scarcity - of supply, versus demand. Conflict – military and political - around OPEC nations (including Nigeria, Iraq and Iran) has worried the international markets which determine the price of oil. There is a chance that the big oil producing nations will get upset with the West (us, America, France, etc) and choose to not share their toys. This concern has driven the price of oil through the ceiling for the last 10 years. In turn, the Arab Spring impacted the production of oil from Libya and increased fears about the future stability of oil production from that country.

Let’s take a quick break to recap. In short, gas prices are linked to oil prices which are linked to political events.

Those political events are generally happening in the Middle East. Suddenly, invading Iraq or overthrowing Syria’s President Asad holds a small dimension that we mere mortals did not see previously. I wonder what the national sentiment would have been if we, the discerning British public had the entire political-economic picture at the time of supporting say, the Libyan civil war.

I can hear the PM David Cameron trying to broker the news; “The good news is that we conquered that monster Gadaffi….the bad news is that on top of the military cost we have incurred, that event just put around two billion pounds onto our collective heating bills this November…Will we the government be paying for it via your taxes? Oh no, that’s to be paid by you directly, Mr and Mrs Taxpayer…”

the rate of inflation. Comparing the power of our money to cover energy costs is like comparing the Milky Bar Kid’s right hook to Mike Tyson’s. In the good old days when Britain was a land of yearly pay rises, bonuses and company cars, we could have scoffed at the incremental increase in energy costs. But that was then. Now we have to consider selling a kidney to keep the radiators upstairs on past 8pm.

“Politricks” This is where the politics comes in and as per usual the politicians are like spoilt children doing anything they can to get attention. The political parties all have a different angle. Labour wants to freeze energy bills for 20 months if it wins the next election. The Government has vowed to spread the cost of insulating homes and take on some of the financial burden faced by customers. The arguments are akin to walking down a souk in Morocco where market traders will scream and shout anything they think will attract you to their stall. “Hey Mr Voter, come over and a look at these low gas bill promises – In fairness, oil prices have also been pushed up by the you can’t find promises like them anywhere else!” Hyincrease in productivity by nations such as China and perbole sits at the core of the energy debate, which all India. As their industrial revolutions have taken shape, involved view as an opportunity to play to the gallery. their demand for oil has grown significantly, which has put The boys and girls in Westminster talk down the ecopressure on the price again. This we cannot begrudge as we, nomic drivers we know about and pretend that they can the “West” generally tend to take advantage of the cheap exert control over the gas suppliers or the commodity imports these nations provide. Yes – in theory, that pair markets. It is control they haven’t been able to exert since of flipflops you picked up in Primark for your gallivanting the Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. around Malaga this summer (I saw you buying them – don’t Rhetoric aside, the most useful thing our MPs could do pretend you didn’t) was an absolute steal – but in fact a porwould be understand how best to divert us away from tion of their cost is going to appear on your gas bill in a few being held hostage by the Oil Price Gods and start to months’ time. create our own energy supplies cheaply – be that nuclear Other factors which influence price. power, or by bottling methane from cow pats or whatI like football analogies; they help me to make sense of the ever. They could look into pumping more life into the world. To craft one in this context, we need to look at the economy. As it recovers so will our ability to get paid infrastructure of the English FA set up. Cast your mind more, which would enable us to afford the energy we over the FA – a crumbling institution from the “grassroots” use. Maybe they could look at the wider impact of their all the way up to the national team where the overpaid decisions around bombing and killing in Arab states, under-talented abide and disappoint us on a frequent basis. albeit from a selfish perspective.

Our gas infrastructure is generally the same sort of set up.

One final solution would be for them to talk straight into Our network of pipes which distribute the gas were last the gas piping network, which could carry the hot air patched up properly around the time we were spanking the directly from their mouths into our chilly homes. That Germans in 1966. Ofgem estimates that between now and should provide the nation with more than enough heat2020 over £30 billion needs to be invested to improve the networks which distribute the gas. Looking to the future of energy infrastructure, Britain needs to invest approximately £200 billion over that same time period to wean itself off imported gas and onto renewable, cleaner, more efficient energy sources. In short, these two initiatives will slap at least £160 onto your annual bills over the next few years.

Not enough dough The cost of gas is one side of the economic coin. We have addressed the “outgoings” in our budget. Time to look at our incomings. Luckily, we can earn enough dosh to keep our finances on an even keel, right?

Wrong. Another big issue is that energy costs have risen at eight times the rate of household earnings and three times

24/7FEATURE

The Sneaker Pimp: Kanye vs Nike

By Grant Richards

two Nike releases. The Nike Yeezy and its imaginatively titled follow up the Yeezy 2. Both dropped in a couple of colourways, both created mad hypebeast behaviour and queues round the block. These shoes retailed around £200 and are going on eBay for £2000. Some would say it’s worth the queuing for that sort of come back on your investment? The Yeezy 2 was, and probably still is, dropping in an all red colourway dubbed the Red October as they were due to drop in that month. They didn’t and no doubt it created another chip on Kanye’s shoulder.

In the relatively short time I’ve been writing for 24/7 Live Listings the article ideas have sometimes just popped into my head and other times, I’ve deliberated over them and run them past my bredrin Rich aka The Baby Face Sneaker Assassin (who incidentally hooked me up with this gig) to get his thoughts on the topics. This time round Rich dropped in the text to prompt me for my prose and I needed no time to think about it, it had to be about Kanye West.

The reason why it was so easy to write about Yeezy? (you like them bars, yeah?) Well of course he’d been mouthing off again. The main reason was due to some information that dropped across social networks like wildfire and initially I, like many others, thought it was a rumour: KANYE WEST TO LEAVE NIKE AND SIGN TO ADIDAS. Thinking about it, it’s not that much of a stretch, moving from one brand to its huge rival. It happens with athletes all the time. On top of that Adidas has a pedigree in Hip Hop, RUN DMC alone are enough to cement Adidas’s stature in the rap game, but there have been others too. Missy Elliott once had her own range and Jay Z with Roc-A-Fella also had a dalliance too.

Ye jumped on Sway Calloway’s show on SiriusXM radio and had this to say about his mega move to the brand with the three stripes “Let’s thank Adidas for giving me an opportunity. It wasn’t that Nike wouldn’t offer me a contract. It still was extremely marginalizing and a slap in my face” Now we all know that Kanye can get angry at the smallest thing, God forbid if Kim puts semi skimmed milk on his Lucky Charms in the morning, but I’m pretty sure he has some justification against Nike. They play us all like pawns in their big money making game, but many of us, me included, don’t stop to think about the bigger picture and that’s exactly how Nike want it to be. Kanye, of course, is never going to keep his mouth shut and he went on to say this about Jordan Brand and their popularity “Jordans are only popular at this point because of two people: me and Don C.” Really?

The best, or should that be the West was yet to come “I am standing up and telling you I am Warhol. I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh. Walt Disney. Nike. Google. Now, who’s going to be the Medici family and stand up and let me create more? Or do you want to marginalize me until I am out of my moment?” Really, again? That quote so incensed legendary Garage producer Wookie (real name

After a week or so of speculation it was confirmed, Kanye West has indeed left Nike and signed a new contract with Adidas. Cue Mr Angry taking to the airwaves and giving writers the world over, quotes and sound bites for days.

First things first, I should explain for those that don’t know that Yeezus has been instrumental in the design of 32

Richard Chue), that he took to his Facebook to respond “WHAT THE FUCK are you talking about”.

dabbling with a variety of other things including designing some jewelry and glasses for Louis Vuitton. So how come Pharell can do it and Kanye can’t? Both black men (and I state skin colour as a point, because Kanye often brings this up as a factor when potentially being held back), both extremely talented and creative, both successful beyond most musicians wildest dreams. So what’s the difference here? Personalities? Pharell does seem to be much more laidback about things. He’s had his own failures, including a poorly received and tacky looking Ice Cream collaboration with Reebok. (pictured below) What about using your failures as experience and bouncing back? Maybe Ye should follow his own lyrics on ‘Stronger’ “Now that don’t kill me, Can only make me stronger”

Now I’d like you to have a little think about whether Kanye West is a genius or a madman? Perhaps both? In this interview, and in so many before, he plays the ‘Poor Me’ angle but at the same time displaying delusional tendencies. He complains at having pumped thirteen million dollars of his own money in trying to create his own fashion line stating “It’s very difficult to get people in high-end fashion to work with people who are considered to be musicians,” but has anyone told him about some guy called Pharrell Williams?

He seems to have done ok for himself in fashion with his Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream fashion ranges and

Whatever happens with Kanye’s relationship with Adidas, I hope it works out for all parties. It may even culminate in a shoe that’s more readily available to the masses? That could happen as Adidas are willing to give him royalties on his shoes, a situation he did not have with Nike. Both Nike and Adidas have remained pretty much silent on the whole affair, so it does leave us sneaker freaks waiting with baited breath as to what happens next? What I will say now is that in about five years’ time, the same thing will happen with him and Adidas and there will be more toys thrown out the pram. Mark my words.

24/7INTERVIEWS... BOBBY V

By Michelle Martin It’s very rare that you start an interview with an international musician and the interviewee starts the conversation trying to mimic your accent.

“Hullo, I just love the way you talk, I want to talk like you yeah’, answers a very cheeky Bobby V, who is greeting me with a very poor attempt at my cockney accent.

Laughing I reply that it’s his (American) voice that sound so cool especially as he is from the ATL.

and to showcase his new album entitled Peach Moon ‘ I want everybody to go download it, its available on ITunes’ says the singer songwriter, ‘It kinda tells the story of how I lost the love, my love for music over the years.

‘Ok so you love my accent and I love the UK, so we should just switch places then and we’d both be happy’; he laughs ‘lets make it happen’

So I said forget that, I am going back to what I love and back to what I know, back to the Slow Down days, where I created my own sound.

Speaking exclusively to 247livelistings.com the Georgia native admits that the UK holds a special place in his heart, ‘you guys have given me one of my biggest fan bases in the whole world, I got the most love in the UK’.

This song, Back to Love and the album Peach Moon put me in a box creatively where I could just do what I love.’ Said the Words singer

‘In this industry you have to keep up with a certain sound and you have to keep up with a certain trend and I was chasing the trends and I was chasing the sound and I stopped loving it.

‘The music on the album is very soulful, I’m a singer that’s what I do, I sings songs to show my range, to show my versatility I also play piano, it gives me a chance to showcase my piano skills. Learning and playing the Piano is pretty much the new thing I am working on at the moment.’

‘But I kinda disconnected with the UK once I changed record labels. I’m trying to rebuild that momentum and reach out to the fans again because the UK are like the best fans I ever had’.

‘Doing The Show Tour was my way of saying thanks to all the fans that supported me when Slow Down was out and then the release of Tell Me and Pimping All Over the World.

Even though Bobby feels that he has been under the radar musically, his resume is one many people both young and old would give their right arm to work with, from Ludacris to R Kelly, they have produced classic tracks and 247livelistings.com has to ask what is it like to work with musical heavyweights in the world of hip hop and r&b.

I wanted to let the fans know what I had been up to and let them know that I am still making music of which I want to promote in the UK and let y’all know, I’m back and I’m here to stay’.

‘R Kelly is like the king of r&b’, states the hitmaker ‘I worked with him on the remix of Words and it was such a privilege to be able to work with him because he is a musical genius, he is very professional.

Clearly this is a man displaying a love for all things British, so to see if he really is a true anglophile I test his knowledge on the British music scene.

‘Adele and Tinie Tempeh are definitely hot, Emeli Sande, she is massive over here’ he answers with much authority ‘she is on a lot of billboards out here. I love her music. Do you know them?’ he laughingly questions, when I answer unfortunately no, he continues ‘If you meet them, please call them up on my behalf as I would love to work with them I will personally go to all of their houses, I’m gonna reach out, and we gonna record a song’

No pen no paper, he just goes in and gets with the vibe, I mean, he elevated that song to another level and Ludacris is a great guy. Even though I’m not signed to his label no more we are still friends Ima definitely try and get him on the Peach Moon project’.

As we reluctantly wrap up the interview Bobby states there is something he wants his fans to know.

‘I’m really from the UK’ He whispers laughing, ‘nah I want my fans to know that Bobby Valentino was my previous name and Bobby V Is the name that I now go by, I found out that someone from the UK already had that name so I had to change my name so it’s

Readily admitting that he fell out of love for music and the industry for a minute, Bobby saw The Show Tour as a great way to re connect with his true love, 35

ASHANTI Live in Concert @ Indigo O2 (Dec ‘13)

24/7REVIEW

Having not released a studio album since 2008, The Declaration, the Princess of R&B Ashanti, stepped out to a packed out crowd at Indigo2 at London’s O2 Arena.

Looking stunning in a gold fitted sparkling body suit and short bob hair cut, the 33 year old singer made her entrance with Rock With Me to an excited and screaming crowd. Despite a technical glitch with the lightening the singer was quickly in full view.

Singing most of her classic hits, like Always on Time Rain on Me and Foolish a nostalgic crowd were easily singing along and well within their element.

Lasting an hour Ashanti did well to work the crowd, often interacting and even having a segment within the show involving the crowd- where three guys were brought on stage and given dances by Ashanti herself and her dancers.

On a whole, her vocals were better than expected as she often sang accapella her way through a few songs which I thought was very commendable. The show was well put together along with decent choreography- I think it fair to say maybe her presence out of the music spotlight was a good thing as her voice seem much stronger and far more mature.

Previewing her current Single, I Got It with Rick Ross off of her soon to be released fifth studio album looks set to be a big hit as it as a great sound and has catchy hook to it.

6.5/10

By Gavin Peters

BraveHeart will be released in early 2014.

Special thanks to the team at ‘RAW FUSION UK’

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24/7 SPORTS

BLUE IS THE COLOUR FOR CUNNINGHAM Plaque unveiled for football pioneer

PRIDE: Batson (left), Nicky Brown and Regis

By Rodney Hinds

FAMILY, FRIENDS and fans of the late Laurie Cunningham all paid tribute to the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player at a recent blue plaque unveiling ceremony.

has learnt so much through articles too, for her it has been overwhelming.

Cunningham’s first cousin, Claudette Samuel, told the Voice of Sport: “Throughout the day people have approached me and the rest of the family to tell their stories about him and what they remembered about him.

Among them was the Mayor of Waltham Forest, Cllr Nadeem Ali, Laurie’s brother Keith, girlfriend Nicky Brown, Matthew Porter, Leyton Orient chief executive, Roisin Wood, director of Kick It Out, Bobbby Barnes, deputy head of the Professional Footballers Association and former team mates Cyrille Regis and Brendon Batson, who played with Cunningham at West Bromwich Albion.

“It was a brilliant day for lots and lots of reasons. It is a day I will always remember.

Cunningham, who began his professional football career at “The fact that he is being remembered through a plaque is Leyton Orient, was a genuine pioneer in the game, chang- a real honour. His name will always live on. ing perceptions about black players and breaking down racial barriers.

“When we are gone another generation will see this. He has been a trailblazer; there is just so much that he stands for.”

Some of the people who knew, loved ands idolised him were present just yards from Orient’s Brisbane Road The plaque unveiling, the brainchild of Jak Beula, chief ground in east London to speak about the player who deexecutive of the Nubian Jak Community Trust, attracted a lighted football fans worldwide with his dazzling skills. host of attendees.

“My daughter Collet has said that she has learnt so much about Laurie from the fans and those that knew him. She 38

Regis said: “Wherever I go throughout the world there is Cunningham was the first black player to enter the Engone word always said about Laurie Cunningham, and that is land set-up when he made his debut for the Under-21 side ‘inspirational’. in 1977, and he signed for West Brom in the same year, teaming up with Regis and Batson, where the trio became “He changed the face of British football. He changed the known as the ‘Three Degrees.’ face of black football.

He later joined Manchester United and Spanish giants “He inspired a second and third generation of players in a Madrid with the La Liga side spending almost £1m on time when you had to fight a lot of racism. securing his services.

“There were a lot of barriers. Laurie came and stood amongst them.”

MADRID MAESTRO: Cunningham in Read Madrid’s famous all-white strip

His life was cut short, when just 33, he died in a car crash in Madrid in 1989.

24/7TRAVEL TOP WINTER GETAWAYS For a winter travel special 24/7Livelistings.com has compiled list the 10 ten places to visit if you want to avoid the festive period at home.

New York, America

There is nothing more appealing than New York City in the winter. It’s the perfect shopping destination and the pound to dollar rate at the moment is ok. It’s a city that celebrates the magic of Christmas with hundreds of lights and decorations which adorn many New Yorkers home. Imagine how this iconic city looks with a blanket of snow and illuminated – its picture perfect.

To take in the real ambience of winter in the city and enjoy the magic of New York wrap up warm and head to Central Park for an evening of outdoor Ice skating in the heart of one of the most famous skylines in the word. www.nycgo.com

By Michelle Martin Lapland, Norway or Finland

It’s the ultimate Christmas experience that all the family will enjoy. Excite the children with a trip to visit Santa Claus. Enjoy the magical tours that reinforce the magic of Christmas. There’s the husky sled rides, reindeers or snowmobile.

One of the biggest draws of visiting Lapland in Norway is the chance to see the Northern Lights, which are best viewed at the darkest time of the year, which is Christmas! www.santaslapland.com

Amsterdam, Holland

The legend of Santa Claus is much alive in the Dutch capital. Come and see the beautiful 16th and 17th century houses, which are adorned with lights from early December. Join the locals as they exchange their bicycles for the festive season for long bladed ice skates and tour the city’s outdoor rinks. And if you stick around until New Years Eve join the locals for champagne and fireworks in Dam Squares. www.holland.com

Edinburgh, Scotland

It’s the Scottish town famed for its arts and culture. During the festive season this is is a must see destination. During this period there is a holiday light show which includes fireworks that illuminate the sky from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holy Roodhouse. Come and hear traditional Bagpipes playing Amazing Grace around the Sir Walter Scott Monument. Edinburgh hosts a fitting tribute to all that’s magical at Christmas. www.visitscotland.com

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Disneyland Paris, France Another family favourite. Take the kids along to France’s capital and enjoy the magic of Disney during the festive season. This year There’ll be a festive parade led by Father Christmas himself, fairy lights along Main Street USA and a stocking full of fun at Walt Disney Studios with its Lights, Camera, Magic theme. The break gives you three nights’ B&B in a three star Paris hotel plus two full days at Disneyland on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. www.disneylandparis.co.uk

St Kitts If you want to do an alternative Christmas why not head off to the idyllic island of St Kitts, unlike other Caribbean islands their national carnival celebrations kick off on Boxing Day. Join the traditional Jouvet party, which is a celebration that will take you up to New Years Day. The Kittian carnival celebrates local folklore and traditions through song, dance, great food and much more, with numerous street parties this is an Christmas with a difference and one that you are guaranteed to enjoy. www.stkittstourism.kn Sydney, Australia Still want to avoid the snow and celebrate Christmas outdoors? Then Sydney Australia is the place for you. Instead of singing Christmas carols round a tree, head down to Sydney’s famous Bondi beach where you will able to sing them in the sand along with an ice-cold beverage. The same beach hosts the annual sunburnt Christmas on Christmas day with local and international contests, pageants, parties and barbecues lined up for the days celebrations.

Even though Christmas takes place during the middle of summer the city will be lit up with the colours of Xmas with the Martin place Christmas tree and many streets and parks around Sydney will be illuminated for the whole season. www.sydney.com Thailand This destination is a firm favourite with many British tourists, Thailand offers palm-lined beaches, amazing food and guaranteed hot weather during the festive season. Get off the beaten track and visit the islands of Phuket, Koh Samul, Krabi and the popular Pattaya. Or why not spend Christmas day snorkeling Phi Phi Islands and enjoy high end pampering at some the countries most luxurious hotels. www.tourismthailand.org

The Canary Islands They are just over 3 hours away from the UK and with frequents flights from all over Britain, the Spanish islands of the Canaries, (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and Fuerteventura) are big draw for Brits as they are a great way to get some guaranteed sun without breaking the bank. And the great thing about these islands is the diversity. If you want fun in the sun, then its about Tenerife, what a real sporty outdoors type Xmas then head to Fuerteventura and if you want to relax then La Palma is the Island for you. www.turismodecanarias.com 41

24/7REVIEW

BLACK NATIVITY (PG)

By Gavin Peters

Released: 6/12/13

With a star studded cast which includes Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett, this holiday season we are given the hit movie, Black Nativity.

The story is based on the play by Langston Hughes and tells the tale of a hard-up Baltimore teen spending the Christmas holiday with his estranged grandparents in New York City In my opinion this film as is not going to win any major awards-the acting on a whole is fairy decent. But what maked this film appealing is the outstanding cast The singing throughout is amazing with musical heavyweighs Mary J Blige and Jennifer Hudson demonstrating their vocal prowess.

Newcomer Jacob Latimore (Langston), is convincing as a potential bad boy, The film’s biggest draw is the impressive musical score, which consists of many spiritual and holiday standards. with songs penned by Raphael Saadiq and Laura Karpman.

Despite the movie trying to capture the heart and soul of family and togetherness, I feel that the finishd aritcle could have been a lot better for at times, the plot seems misguided and I found myself often cringing at the message it was trying to portray.

Rating: 2.5/5 42

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24/7REMEMBERS

Good Bye Madiba

Obituary: Nelson Mandela – 18 July 1918 – December 5 2013 ‘Do not judge me by my successes judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again’ - Nelson Mandela

A h t w I u o n

“ t a

I

I w g t

M w r c

H t 1 a u

i t r

By Michelle Martin As the world mourns the death of one it’s greatest sons, 247livelistings.com remembers a man who became a cultural icon and living legend.

A man whose, dignity, courage, strength and integrity changed the attitude and mind-set of millions. A man who served 27 years imprisonment and upon release guided South Africa from apartheid to multi-racial democracy. A beacon for international peace and reconciliation we celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela.

Beginnings Born in 1918, Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela was raised in the village of Mvezo in the Transkei in the Eastern Cape. He was one of 13 children from a family with close links to the royal house of the Thembu people.

After his father’s death a young Mandela was sent from his home village to live as a ward of the Thembu royal house, it was here that he was to be groomed for a leadership role.

Sent to a Methodist school, i he was given the name Nelson, named after the British Naval hero when a teacher couldn’t pronounce his name. Described as a diligent student, by 1939 he enrolled at Fort Hare University.

At the time it was a burgeoning centre of African nationalism. It was at Fort Hare that Mandela met the future ANC leader, Oliver Tambo, with whom he would establish the first black law practice in South Africa. Both were expelled from the university in 1940 for political activism.

If I had my time over I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.” – Nelson Mandela

Mandela often recalled his boyhood with fondness; care free in the green hills of the Transkei. His father passed away when By 1944 he joined the African National Congress, (ANC) he was 9 years old but he credits him for instilling the instincts an organization that challenged the regime in South Africa enforced by white minority rule. that would help carry him to greatness.

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A p A

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B w a

F O p U o

African nationalists began to join forces to challenge apartheid. First as a lawyer, then as an activist Mandela formed the military wing of the ANC and began the journey that would change his own and his country’s fate.

In 1960 the ruling minority banned the ANC and they went underground, eluding police and the authorities on numerous occasions so much so that Mandela was given the nickname The Black Pimpernel.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela

Imprisonment

In 1962 Mandela along with 8 other members of the ANC where arrested and charged with plotting to overthrow the government with violence, they were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.

to South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. Mandela campaigned tireless across the country enthralling adoring crowds of blacks and reassuring white South Africans that Mandela was sent to South Africa’s notorious Robben Island there was a place for them in the New South Africa. During where for 18 years He worked in the lime quarry, he was this time Mandela never ever showed any bitterness or resentrefused sun glasses and the glaring sun on the white stone ment to those who robbed him of his freedom. caused permanent damage to his eyes.

‘Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill He was then moved to the main land’s Pollsmoor Prison at your enemies’. –Nelson Mandela that time South Africa was still fighting for democracy. In 1976 there was a huge uprising in the township of Soweto In May 1994, Nelson Mandela, made history by becoming the and other townships continued to erupt in violence right up first democratically elected president of a new South Africa. until the 1980’s.

For years the regime refused to acknowledge and even identify that the problems were with apartheid but, when the country looked like it was on the brink of civil war the regime realized it was time to negotiate.

And they turned to the worlds most celebrated political prisoner of modern times, a hero not just for black South Africans but also for oppressed people around the world.

Mandela was offered numerous deals to secure his freedom but he always refused, as at the time they never offered equality for the black majority in South Africa.

‘I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.” -Nelson Mandela

By the late 80’s there was growing pressure by the rest of the world for South Africa to end apartheid and for the immediate release of Nelson Mandela who was now 72 years of age.

Freedom On February 11 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison; the event was watched by millions worldwide.

Upon his release Mandela began talks between the ANC of which he was made leader and the government, leading

By 1999, Mandela decided to hand over the baton to a younger to leaders but he did not rest easy. Shifting his energies to the Aids epidemic that hit South Africa the leader tirelessly spoke out against the stigma surrounding the disease Mandela’s last major appearance on the global stage came in 2010 when he donned a fur cap in the South African winter and rode on a golf cart, waving to an exuberant crowd of 90,000 at the soccer World Cup final, one of the biggest events in the country’s post-apartheid history.

Mandela leaves a legacy that few can match, a legend that showed the world that bitterness, anger and resentment means nothing. He also showed us the true meaning of forgiveness.

Before his retirement he was asked he would like to be remembered.

He replied ‘I leave it to the public to decide how they should remember me,” “But I should like to be remembered as an ordinary South African who together with others has made his humble contribution.”

Madiba we remember all that did to make the world a better place – Thank you and sleep well

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