// ISSUE 10 DECEMBER 2007
ST E G G BI E ISSU YET
STEVE ALBA CALI SKATE LEGEND
EENN R G E DOZ OMENO
JOELl ORTIZ
HEN
BAL P A GLO
humble magnificent
LLED I V Y M JERMEAND ABROA IN DE RDC
PEGLEG nyc nu-wave fashion
cale nuske maple ballin’
+ summer FASHION, TOYS, SNEAKERS, FILM, MUSIC, VIDEO GAMES, TATTOOS AND MORE
OU
MELB
G N I FICK
F A R AN T
M U H OF
T S O C E H T P I R Z - T ED
L AVEL R T S ES
ATH L P J D THE
Australia $7.95 (INC GST) New Zealand $8.95 (INC GST)
RS OFI A E Y 20 AFFIT R G E RN
L
HILD C E V O THE L
E R OBI M I T A HIN HE B
G
OR B M A OF
ÓN T N VE LE
ND T
A RON T A G ME
Š 2007 Electronic Arts Inc. Electronic Arts, EA and the EA logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved.
ea.com/prostreet
NFSPSACCLM1
IN STORES NOVEMBER
CONTENTS
26 32 34 36 46 48 54 56 60 62 68 70 74 76 78 80 96
lights camera action FILM
Rakontur & cocaine cowboys
Fly gurl EYE Y CAND
gabriela cevallos brings the latin heat
pegleg nyc ION FASH
a fashion style all of their own
sky high dippin’ ION FASH
our fashion shoot strips down for summer
corey ‘homicide’ williams T SPOR
king of the streetball court
steve alba T SPOR
Skateboarding pioneer and legend
cale nuske T SPOR
maple ballin
joell ortiz MUSIC
new york’s next big thing
z-trip MUSIC
the king of mash-up is heading to oz
lives for sale L SOCIA
the price of human trafficking
easy rider AUTO
the history of chopper bikes
lamborghini reventÓn AUTO
the embodiment of chuck norris in a car
rock da city L VISUAS ART
20 years at the top of australian graffiti
doze green L VISUAS ART
a global phenomenon
jeremyville L VISUAS ART
Aus artist making big waves
jesse smith O TATTO
a truly unique tattoo style
THE RECIPE TYLE LIFES
fakin’ and egg pie by josh rio
T H E
S O U L
O F
R & B
w w w . a l i z e . c o m
EDITORIAL
WEAK ARM OF THE LAW
I’ve never been the type to hate on police. I’ve heard horror stories of police brutality before but always viewed the stories with a certain level of scepticism. My perception of police has totally changed however after myself and several friends were set upon recently by a team of redneck cops with a vendetta against patrons of a Melbourne hip-hop night. It’s a long story and is being investigated currently so I can’t go into too much detail other than to say that four people, myself included, were pepper-sprayed in the face by police without any arrests being made. Nobody involved ever threatened the police or anybody else for that matter, in fact most of us were sprayed with that God-awful shit when we dared to complain about the police behaviour. Since our incident the police have applied pressure to the venue and forced the closure of the hip-hop night. Around the same time period our friends at Sense Assault were running the GAS Project in Sydney featuring Doze Green. The event was an immense success with a capacity turnout but unfortunately for the promoters they made the mistake of running an event during APEC. Just as the night was getting into full swing the police showed up and ordered the party to be shut down. No explanation was given as to why, but with the new powers extended to police during APEC, no explanation had to be given. Apparently an art show poses some kind of threat to visiting politicians in the eyes of the law. The early closure of the event made it impossible for Sense Assault to sell enough artworks to cover the cost of the exhibition.
It worries me to see the far right mentality gaining momentum here. People have stopped questioning the fear mongering that is being spewed out by politicians and media and the average person accepts the strong-armed behaviour of our police, the diluting of our civil liberties and the changes to the law that are occurring more and more often. People have even accepted the government’s ban on immigration by an entire continent because they’ve been bombarded by media stories of gang violence involving Sudanese youths in Melbourne and have been convinced that there’s an epidemic gang violence problem on the streets of Melbourne. When the biggest threat to my safety comes from the very people that my taxes pay to protect me I’ve got a problem. When the police can shut down the events that I enjoy and nobody gets upset. I’ve got a problem. When I hear people dismissing this behaviour as necessary it really pisses me off. Oh yeah, this issue is really dope and jam packed with awesome interviews and exclusive content. Check it out and please forgive my rant. Peace.
Andrew Montell Editor In Chief
THE TEAM
// Melbourne office 9 Dundas Lane Albert Park, VIC 3206 Australia Ph: +61 3 9695 7815 Fax: +61 3 9682 4323 // PUBLISHER / editor in chief Andrew Montell
andrew@acclaimmag.com
// company directors Andrew Montell Matt Gudinski // editorial sub editor Frank Blanck
// Sydney office 135 Forbes Street Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 Australia Ph: +61 2 8356 1289
// ART Original design template Mega mega@acclaimmag.com
Art director David Able
dave@clearintent.com.au
design assistant Matt Thompson
news@acclaimmag.com
FASHION SHOOT COORDINATOR Edward Woodley Auto editor Vincent Tang
vincent@acclaimmag.com
VISUAL ARTs EDITOR Chris Delaney
// Advertising sYDNEY ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Ingrid Blankevoort
ingrid@acclaimmag.com
MELBOURNE ADVERTISING sales manager Tom Connellan tom@acclaimmag.com
sales assistant Jason Larke jason@acclaimmag.com
Marketing/ Promotions Jason Larke
jason@acclaimmag.com
emperor of the interns Callum Vass
assistant@acclaimmag.com
chrisd@acclaimmag.com
// Text Ankia, Franck Blanck, Thomas Baker, Kane Banner, Tim Bartold, Swish Cheese, Chipper, Maxine Cohen, Tom Connellan, Nick D, Chris Delaney, Angela Dewan, Shane Edwards, Rhiannon Elston, Robbie Ettelson, Anthony Gilbert, Barry Hartono, Vivian Huynh, Jerry Jerri, Ben Johnston, Jason Larke, Josh Malin, Lance McSuave, Mega, Memphis, Andrew Montell, Necro, Kyri Papapetrou, Nick Quirke, Bboy Red, T-Rock, Saeed Saeed, Sheep, Dan Steiner, Jeremy Swann, Vincent Tang, Tate, Callum Vass // Photography James Demitri, Ingrid Blankevoort, Conon (Whitehouse Productions), Marcus Enno, Kai Godeck, Thomas Rigney, Karen Robinson, Mike Sheil, Rome Torti, Max von Treu // DJS Jesse I, Peter Gunz, Mafia, Cut La Roc, Kay Z // COVER MODEL: Gabriela Cevallos // PHOTO BY: Marcus Enno // MAKE-UP: Chloe Jean STYLIST: Claire Hansen // SUBMISSIONS All images must be in tiff format in 300 dpi. ACCLAIM is pleased to receive information but is under no obligation to review or return unsolicited products or material. // ONLINE Visit us at www.acclaimmag.com Add us at www.myspace.com/acclaimmagazine // PRODUCTION ACCLAIM is printed on Neo Gloss 300GSM and 115GSM paper. We use eco friendly soybased inks because you gotta respect the Earth, nahmean? AUS DISTRIBUTOR - Gordon & Gotch NZ DISTRIBUTOR - Imd INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR - Pansing IMM // ACCLAIM Magazine GOT SOME EXTRA LOVE FROM:
AND SPECIAL GUESTS
THURS 29TH NOV
HOBART UNIVERSITY BAR, HOBART
SAT 1ST DEC
METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY
THURS 6TH DEC
THE ARENA COMPLEX, BRISBANE
FRI 7TH DEC
ROSEMOUNT HOTEL (FUNK CLUB), PERTH
SAT 8TH DEC
THE FORUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE ACCLAIM Magazine is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication, unless initially specified otherwise. All letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labeled “Not For Publication”. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of ACCLAIM Magazine or the publisher. No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited material.
WWW.ELEMENTS-TOUR.COM
Faces
Words by Andrew Montell
MAMIX ST E
R
dj peter gunz REPREZENTING NZ
DJ Peter Gunz is making moves on his own with his NZ hip-hop mix album ‘Reprezent’. He gives ACCLAIM a quick rundown on this release and his life as a leading club DJ. This album is mostly featuring NZ hip-hop artists… I’ve always wanted to release a mixtape of all New Zealand hiphop, and this was the perfect opportunity to put it all together. The timing has played a vital role in the success of New Zealand urban music making its way across the Tasman, if a mixtape like Reprezent or a compilation of NZ music had been released a year or two ago it would not have been viable for most labels. How did the Reprezent album come about? Sam Dutch from Central Station Records has been a good mate of mine for a long time, he approached me with the idea to release the album. We sat down and planned it all out over tea and biscuits one day. I’ve worked closely with most of the artists and labels featured on the album, and I’m a very marketable Kiwi DJ, so it was obvious Central Station would receive their first platinum plaque for this release. Are you still signed to Dawn Raid? At the moment - no, but we will be discussing future projects with Dawn Raid, they are currently in negotiations with a few labels here, so once they have established their home in Australia we will be able to move from there.
12 - 13
Faces
You’re one of a handful of DJs dominating the urban club scene in Sydney and you gig regularly in QLD and across NZ but we hardly ever see you down South. Why is that? I guess it has a bit to do with the whole Melbourne / Sydney rivalry, maybe people out there aren’t feeling me, maybe my clothes aren’t tight enough! I do recall a certain shifty R&B club promoter that booked me twice and flew me out there and didn’t pay up and when I confronted him about the money he owed me, he returned to the safety of the venue and I was then met outside by some Asian gangsters. I had to deal with them on my own, lucky for me I didn’t end up on the news that night thanks to the very few Islander DJ Peter Gunz fans that were queing up at the KFC a couple of meters away in the casino, good ol’ fobs and their KFC, aye! Peter Gunz on his Tattoos I notice people find them very intimidating, as if being a Coconut isn’t intimidating enough. And I love it, people leave me alone, nobody bothers me, my girl gets turned on by them, my kids think they’re cool and in some cases I can almost blend in comfortably with drug dealers and bikies in the dark corners of some of your favourite night clubs, that is until they realise I’m really just a FOB guy with tatts! But having tatts really sucks when you go through customs at the airport, that’s why I rock a hoody no matter how hot it is, but yeah, tatts are good for you, I plan on getting my back, chest, and legs done soon.
Z.Y. OFFICIAL: KEVIN TAYLOR
LOGGED: 0135 HOURS // 56째 // LUDLOW ST. & HOUSTON ST., NYC ZOO YORK, NEW YORK // UNBREAKABLE
EVENT GALLERY
SN SH AP OT S
ROCK THE BELLS San Francisco (18th August) RATM, Wu-Tang, Cypress Hill, EPMD, Public Enemy, The Roots, Pharaoh Monch, Jedi Mind Tricks, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Immortal Technique.
14 - 15 event gallery
Rock the Bells DVD (pic. left) featuring RTB 2004 is a must-see.
CAN GOODS
feat. The Sew’d Up Fashion Show San Francisco (16th September) The Can Goods hotel pool party features the fashion industry’s hottest independent streetwear brands. This year had 40 brands, 1700 party people, 17 DJs and a performance by Bun B of U.G.K. There are plans to bring the event to LA in Spring of 2008. www.can-goods.com
versus
Compiled by Andrew Montell
DA
bboy VS ballroom
NC
VS
Anastasios // Tass Repousis Winner of Shadow Wars 2007 Performer name: Bboy Taz Hometown: Sydney Age: 16 Crew: Hybrid Formz
With the country going totally bananas about dancing at the moment we thought it appropriate to // jump on the band wagon and paired up two of Australia’s
top dancers from totally different styles for a lil’ comparison. Check it…
16 - 17 versus
What’s the most common misconception about your style of dancing? Taz: We ain’t a circus act, we are dancers! Luda: That just because it’s a partner dance, it is old fashioned. WRONG! You don’t see people doing jazz or contemporary in night clubs, but there are heaps of salsa clubs all over the world. What is the craziest thing to happen to you on the dance floor? Taz: Umm, the night before Shadow Wars, in the circle the atmosphere was just heavy. Also my experience battling Alien Ness in February 2006 was intense. Luda: In Puerto Rico, at the World Salsa Open in 2005, I fell in the semi-finals and my top came undone in the finals… Not a good year, but my partner and I still came third and won the competition the following year. When you’re not competing what do you wear on the weekends? Taz: I wear the same brands really: Dikies, Nike, Industrie, Zoo York, Ben Shermen etc. I’m actually a brand fanatic and a SHOE FREAK! A bboy has got to dress fresh whatever he’s doing. Luda: I dress up just like everyone else: Jeans, boots, thongs, tshirt. But I do tend to wear more eye liner then everyone else…must be the dancer in me.
Luda Kroitor
4 time World Salsa Champion and featured on Dancing With The Stars Performer name: Luda Kroitor Hometown: Sydney Age: 25 Dance company: Latin Motion Dance Academy What’s the ultimate jam to dance to? Taz: Tony Toni Tone - Boys and Girls Luda: Just anything with a good Latin beat. I love a live band, especially outdoors. Coke or Pepsi? Taz: Coke ‘cause they brought out vanilla Luda: Coke…what a question! Is it true that girls who can dance are better lovers?
Taz: Ha ha, you know I can’t answer that, my girl don’t dance and
she sees this... but I will say I love girls who dance and show they have funk… Luda: It is true that girls that can dance are more comfortable and are more in touch with their bodies. Maybe that helps. Is there a movie that pumps you up to dance?
Taz: Beat Street! Old school movie, shows what bboying really is. Luda: All the dance movies pump me up to dance. As long as they are inspirational and show that it’s not just fun and games, that it’s actually hard work…
What makes you the best at what you do? Taz: My crew, all the bboys out there who support my style and my motivation towards the dance. Luda: My ambition, my goals, willpower and of course my dance partner [Oliver Pineda], without him I wouldn’t be able to dance.
E
Stockist details ph: (03) 9427 9422 • www.eckounltd.com
hot & fresh NAS AUS // nz TOUR
After 14 painful years, we are finally blessed with the presence of God’s Son. My face is going to explode when he drops Made You Look. Melbourne - 24/11 (Palais) Adelaide - 26/11 (Thebarton) Wellington – 28/11 (TSB Bank Arena) Auckland – 29/11 (Logan Campbell Centre) Sydney - 30/11 ( Luna Park) Brisbane - 01/12 (The Arena)
Ecko Watches
We had an early peek at the latest Ecko Watches range. The following get our vote for choice picks but there are plenty more tight pieces in the range which includes some highly shined out pieces complete with diamonti decoration through to the more subtly crafted watches. The colourways are especially on point with careful placement of dark blues, greens and blacks accompanied by gold and/or silver. Stockists: (+612) 8543 4669
SKUFF.TV - ACTION SPORT & MUSIC LOVERS IN FOR A HOMEGROWN TREAT
Evil Monito X Kangol
This collaboration between Rickey Kim of Evil Monito fame and Kangol is an expression of the Korean American story and pays tribute to Kim’s father and family history along with his personal creative journey. Each hat contains a satin lining featuring a montage of photos from Rickey Kim’s family album. The collab contains two styles: a classic cabby model that pays homage to Kangol’s British roots by utilising British Millerain Wax Cotton, a traditional royal hunting fabric; and a classic fedora style hat that is a first for Kangol. The centre of each hat contains a crest devised of the ‘Kim’ name written in traditional Korean calligraphy.
Fans of action sport and new music now have a new destination in entertainment with the launch of Skuff.TV. Sourcing footage from such authorities as surfing’s Stab Magazine, wakeboarding’s Boarder, and BMX’s 2020 Mag, in addition to a solid network of locally renowned filmers, including West Oz surf punks Beerfridge, SA mountainbike guru Zoli Borbasi, the The Cole Brothers in FMX, the Stoopid Base crew, Idiots Inc in Kiteboarding, and brands like Afends Clothing and Electric Visual, just for starters – Skuff.TV has got all the action sport bases covered. Combine that line-up with the artists and labels on the music side of the site Skuff.TV’s ready to please even the most avid of music-buffs. The Skuff.TV website breaks new ground in online usability giving users a constant viewing experience which means they don’t have to wait for a clip to finish to move onto the next one. They can happily browse the site, adding and arranging items in their playlist as they go, with videos still running www.skuff.tv
“another example of Hip Hop culture bringing murder and mayhem into the rest of our society.”
Alife X New Era
We really don’t need to say too much about this latest Alife/New Era collab. As you can see, these caps are totally nuts. Retailing at over $50USD, fingers crossed for some of these to drop in the Southern Hemisphere.
18 - 19 lifestyle
Fox News reporter John Gibson wins our vote for idiotic comment of the year after asserting that hip-hop was responsible for the latest high school shooting which took place at a predominantly black school in Ohio, USA. After his initial comment it quickly surfaced that the killer was a white teenager into Goth Metal.
Royal Elastics have always had mixed reviews from sneaker pimps. For many, the style of the shoe had too much appeal within the first wave of the metro scene for your Nike and Adidas hip-hop kids to take them seriously. On the other hand, the Australian created Royal Elastic was the first sneaker to utilise a non-lace system and has to go down in sneaker history for originality. The Royal Renmar takes inspiration from the 80’s phenomenon the Rubik’s Cube and features a new-school body decorated with a mixture of bright colours. A few years ago this might have only appealed to Rave kids but with the trend for bright, all over print hoodies and tees, the Renmar
MESS X New Era
This past October, Beijing streetwear brand MESS became the first Chinese label to collaborate with New Era. The front of the hat is emblazoned with an ancient Chinese symbol that represents prosperity, fortune and luck. The hat also features a side symbol that represents ‘money’ and a silk under-brim that acknowledges the importance of silk to the history of China. Retailing for 320 RMB ($47 AUD) with a matching t-shirt for 290 RMB ($43 AUD) the black version depicted might be a little easier to track down than the 30 units available in white. www.messbeijing.com
ZILLION LACES
East and West collide in the designs of Frenchman David Guarino, now based in Tokyo. The patterns decorating the Zillion laces range come from prints collected from traditional Japanese fabrics and updated with modern style. Only available at high retailers in Japan, such as ISETAN and UNITED ARROWS and now at OVERKILL in Germany.
Futura X Heavy Industries
Peep these gems from the latest collaboration between Heavy Industries and legendary artist Futura who constantly manages to successfully translate his unique artistic stylings to a fashion medium.
GRAFFITI CHOCOLATE
Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar (NYC) has released a Graffiti Chocolate set featuring customised wrappers courtesy of ten NY graffiti legends: Blade, Crash, Crachee, Crime 79, Dondi, Dr. Revolt, Iz the Wiz, Lady Pink, Spar One and Stay High 149 have all been included. The tough question is: to eat or not to eat? The set of ten comes packaged in Gold hot stamped chocolate brown box featuring all 10 artists’ names.
Fila hi-tops
Vans Classics High Summer 2007
Leaders Chicago x New Era
This latest collab between the awesome Chi Town store Leaders 1354 Chicago and New Era caps speaks for itself. Simple and striking, these hats are available via their online store. Checkout www.leaders1354.com
The Vans Classics range are basic sneakers that make for easy matchups to shorts, tees and shirts in basic colourways in our part of the world for summer. There are a few nice new colours added to the range and the price point ranges between $70 and $80AUD. You can’t beat a classic.
I always wondered what happened to Fila. For a minute hitop Filas were up there with all the big gun sneaker brands but for the past decade and a bit they’ve been noticeably relegated to bargain bins and discount sporting outlets. Well, somebody in the Fila design lab finally got their shit together and released a line of kicks that throw back to the vintage range that actually kicked ass. Fusing chunky Italian design with both throwback and new school highlights we’re all good with this range. Now I just need someone to bring back British Knights!
BIG UNDIE
Big Undie have finally announced their second range. The depicted hoodie is called Larger than Life. This gear will hit stores in Aus and NZ next winter, make sure to keep your eyes peeled! Check out bigundie.com for more info.
Planet Patrol/SheOne Giveaway!
Erotic Constitution Colouring Book
Californian Artist Donny Miller has devised what we here at ACCLAIM consider to be the ultimate Christmas gift with a controversial take on the American ‘rule book’.
Planet Patrol is a series of events like no other, providing the club partying public with a string of very unique events which are focused purely around live art, music & visuals.They invite various artists to come down to each event and create an original piece on the night, this is of course witnessed by everyone who attends the events. The finished results are then taken and made into very limited, signed, numbered & embossed screen prints. Planet Patrol are currently in talks with the following artists with a view to appearing at the sessions in 2008: Futura, Miss Van, Doze Green, Dalek and Kid Acne, plus many, many more. All prints are currently available from www.planetpatrol.co.uk One lucky ACCLAIM reader will win one of these limited SheOne prints entitled “Nostalgia Is Overrated”. All you gotta do is visit www.planetpatrol.co.uk and email comp@acclaimmag.com with the name of one of the artists who has already created prints for Planet Patrol. Please remember to include a mailing address.
hot & fresh PUMA Mongolian BBQ
GET YOUR DRINK On WITH LIL’ JON For our first celebrity cocktail instruction it seemed appropriate to have one of the most well known drinks in hip-hop demonstrated by the man who made it famous.
LIL’ JON: Crunk Juice is an energy drink we got back in the states. I made that with the same guys who do Jagermeister and Grey Goose and you shake it up with Vodka. Add some ice and you got yourself some serious Crunk Juice. If you set me up a bar, I’ll make some for you; but we’re out of Crunk Juice so we’ll use something else… 1. Get dad’s shaker out. 2. Add one part Red Bull or V. 3. Add the other half with vodka. 4. Shaken, not stirred. 5. Pour over ice.
For the third year, PUMA are offering customers the ability to design their own kicks and this year customers will be able to choose between two shoe styles, the much-loved Basket or the classic RS100. Once the style is chosen, chefs begin designing their own, unique shoe from an assortment of pre-cut fabrics, leathers and other innovative materials. With the Basket silhouette, the chef can choose from three different soles: gum, white or black. The shoe’s upper has a total of 11 material components from which the customer can build a one-of-a-kind shoe. New varieties of fabrics and components were introduced this October including a new, expanded selection of faux fur, wood effect leather, weaved herringbone and alligator embossed leather. The color palette has also been expanded to include fluorescents; seasonal fall colors other exciting new hues. New tongue labels feature the Mongolian BBQ logo graphic and, for the first time, every shoe comes with two shoe laces, regular and fat. Mongolian BBQ is currently on-line at puma.com and at selected PUMA Concept stores globally.
Supreme X Tet / Supreme X R. Crumb
Philosophy Zine Editor In Chief Tetsu Nishiyama has created a range of tees for Supreme. Tet’s designs are strikingly unique and will fit nicely with the designs of underground comic artist Robert Crumb as both ranges will release simultaneously through Supreme stores.
free stuff Vanguard
We got nuff free shit for ya this issue thanks to our friends. All you have to do to win yourself one of the below is email us one short sentence telling us your favourite article or section in ACCLAIM. Send all emails to comp@acclaimmag.com and there’s a good chance of winning one of the following (Please include your mailing address and prize preference):
From a nation more known for high end fashion than streetwear comes a very awesome Italian brand known as Vanguard. Here are a couple of our favourites from their forthcoming range all made from 100% Italian cotton. Expect to see more from Vanguard in ACCLAIM soon.
Nixon X Barneys NY
20 - 21
lifestyle
Vans X Hayashi
Pictured here is a sample of the latest Vans artist inspired colabo, this time working with Japanese born, Californian skater Taka Hayashi.
We can’t get enough of Nixon watches at the moment and this collaboration with Barneys has taken our watch envy to the next level. Add to that the fact that proceeds from the sale of this range go to ocean conservation group Project Blue, we’re all about these time pieces. Dunno the chance of seeing any out our way but fingers crossed!
ROGUE STATUS X ESTATE LA
This is a glimpse of an awesome cap due to be released stateside soon from the style wizards at Rogue Status made in collaboration with Estate LA. Available in black denim with a Rogue Status emblem on the front and DTA 3D embroidery on the back.
1. Roll Top Hex boots and Short Sleeve Ringer tees thanks to Timberland. F.R.E.S.H! 2. Copies of Need for Speed: Pro Street on both 360 and PS3. This shit is fire! 3. A bunch of classic Everlast tees. Can’t go wrong with these (unless you’ve got no torso). 4. Puma/YO! MTV Raps packs including a DJ Cash Money CD and a limited edition YO! MTV Raps belt buckle. 5. A ton of Even Break- The Sunny Coastin’ Mixtapes
in our ongoing quest to embrace the landscape of skateboarding, element has formed a group of individuals called element advocates. through this process we have highlighted the passions of our current team riders beyond skateboarding and united them with other creative individuals who embody element and have been an intricate part of our family over the years. there are no set rules for who is an element advocate other than creativity, passion and awareness - and ultimately leading positive and successful lives. these individuals are cut from the same clothe as element. our goal with the element advocate program is to inspire and present what is a broader and more current definition of what it means to be a part of the skateboard community. something that’s more inclusive than exclusive and something that individuals can relate to, with substance and depth. this approach will not only present an open minded, and balanced view of what skateboarding represents today but most importantly, it will inspire younger generations and open doors to their dreams and aspirations.
ELEMENTSKATEBOARDS.COM/ADVOCATES
TOYS ‘R’ OURS
Selection by Callum Vass
Scary Girl City Folk
Designer: Nathan Jurevicius Manufacturer: Strange Co www.scarygirl.com
Jason Jacenko Munny
Designer: Jason Jacenko Colour Of Munny
123Klan Green Stereotype
www.villainstore.com
Designer: 123Klan Manufacturer: KidRobot
Bertie the Pipebot
www.myplasticheart.com
Designer: Ashley Wood Manufacturer: Bigshot Toyworks www.bigshottoyworks.com
Phibs Munny
Designer: Phibs Colour Of Munny
www.villainstore.com
DIY Di Di
Designer: House Of liu Manufacturer: Crazy Label www.wookieweb.com
Da Minci Darth Joker
Designer: Tim Tsui Manufacturer: DaTeamBronx HK www.magic-pony.com
Firefly Treeson
Lizard Scarecrow Designer: Mark Bode
www.wookieweb.com
www.markbode.com
Kaws Be@rbrick
Designer: Kaws Manufacturer: Kubrick
www.medicomtoystore.com
Teddy Troop
Designer: Flying Fortress Manufacturer: KidRobot
Lacoste x eBoy
Designer: LaCruzz Manufacturer: eBoy www.kidrobot.com
Bape Camo Be@rbrick Designer: Bape Manufacturer: Kubrick www.bape.com
Gloomybear Camo Designer: Mori Chack www.magic-pony.com
Designer: Mark Bode
22 - 23 TOYS ‘R’ OURS
Kaori The Nurse
Designer: Junko Mizuno Manufacturer: Kidrobot
Cheech Wizard
www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~mjdotcom/
www.markbode.com
Tofu SDCC
Drewster Munny Designer: Drewster www.villainstore.com
Designer: Devilrobots Manufacturer: Kidrobot
KANYE WEST CYPRESS HILL
(MEL, SYD & PER*)
CALVIN HARRIS THE RAPTURE THIEVERY CORPORATION (LIVE 20 PIECE) JAMES ZABIELA PHAROAHE MONCH A-TRAK & KID SISTER SINDEN KATALYST(LIVE 6 PIECE) K-OS HIGH CONTRAST FEAT. MC WREC PIGEON JOHN SURKIN 16 BIT LOLITAS BAG RAIDERS LOADS N W O D RADIOCLIT Visit m.au BEAT VANDALS stival.co ag fe s n io t ra l E-M goodvib ad the Festiva s, THE STAFFORD BROTHERS lo t. track down
FREE
*By prior arrangement, on Sun 10 Feb (Gold Coast), Kanye West will be at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
to
asts fea mixes & Podc ws and intervie ‘08 line up! e h from t
Tickets on sale Friday 9 November. Ticket price Mel, Syd, Per $120 + BF. Ticket price Gold Coast $99+BF. Tickets available from www.goodvibrationfestival.com.au, www.moshtix.com.au plus Moshtix outlets, www.ticketmaster.com.au plus Ticketmaster outlets (Melbourne only)
www.goodvibrationsfestival.com.au � www.myspace.com/goodvibrationsfestival * Doug Jennings Park - The Spit, Main Beach. * Heirisson Island – Swan River, between the CBD & Victoria Park.
TOYS ‘R’ OURS
Selection by Callum Vass
TOY NEWS
Junior Munny
Designer: Junior Colour Of Munny
www.villainstore.com
Peecol is the first collaboration between the Berlin designers eBoy and toy giant Kidrobot. The first series were released on October 25, with a November release and then more to come soon after. Also announced is a Lacoste x Peecol collab to be released with Kidrobot/Lacoste sneakers series released later this month.
Heinz Dunny Designer: Sket One
Hellboy Qee
www.sket-one.com
Designer: Dark Horse Comics
Peecol
www.darkhorse.com
Capman Kanser Designer: Keith Poon Manufacturer: KidRobot
Vegemite Dunny Designer: Sket One
Qwezshun
www.sket-one.com
Designer: Attaboy www.yumfactory.com
Dio Munny
Vinyl Frontier
Designer: Claudio Mantuano Colour Of Munny
The Vinyl Frontier is a documentary currently under production by director Daniel Zana, giving an insight to the obsessive market that has become vinyl/designer toys. Though its not going to released until 2008, the trailer is up on Youtube and has already recieved over 55,000 views. Check it out for yourself: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHYHYQyT5jw
www.villainstore.com
Junior Mushroom Designer: Princess Tina
Adios
Designer: Tokidoki www.magic-pony.com
www.magic-pony.com
Futura Bathing Ape Figure Designer:James Lavelle www.toytokyo.com
24 - 25 TOYS ‘R’ OURS
Trexi do it yourself!
The latest blank trexi’s are out October/ November including new styles such as a square head, devil horns and cat head among others. So, pump your fresh Poscas and get customising. Or leave it blank, whatever you’re into really…
Bumblebee
Manufacturer: Hasbro www.hasbro.com
Strange Fruit Designer: Motorbot www.motorbot.net
Atrix Nubbed Creature Designer: Attaboy www.yumfactory.com
'/-# ½)(½." ½')0
-)(3½ ,# --)(½1 @
$/-.½ ½FE½.<CJKI8½*I< *8@;
BSP]P dZ`] BLWVXLYÂ&#x201C; XZMTWP RZP^ dZ`] X`^TN RZP^ _ZZ
>RO 7, WOWY\c MK\N S] SXMV_NON ]Y ^RO\O¿] \YYW PY\ ZVOX^c
YP ^\KMU] :V_] cY_ MKX KV]Y QO^ VYKN] YP Ob^\K ^KVU ^Ob^ aS^R
>OV]^\K :\O :KSN 0\SOXN] 7YLSVO K`KSVKLVO SX LVKMU Y\ aRS^O
JGI<8;K?<>FF;JKL== :FD 8L
A4>4? L ?PW^_]L >SZ[ Z] [L]_TNT[L_TYR ?PW^_]L /PLWP]
?STYR^ dZ` YPPO _Z VYZb% 2OKN]O^ ]RYaX S] XY^ SXMV_NON 8O^aY\U _XVYMUSXQ POO KZZVSO] 6SWS^ ZO\ M_]^YWO\ ObMOZ^ =+ XY ^\KNO ]KVO] +`KSVKLSVS^c YP
MYVY_\] WKc `K\c ARSVO ]^YMU] VK]^ >RO A+657+8Â&#x2019; VYQY KXN ]cWLYV K\O \OQS]^O\ON ^\KNOWK\U] YP =YXc -Y\ZY\K^SYX Â&#x201D; >\KNO WK\U YP >OV]^\K -Y\ZY\K^SYX
6SWS^ON +,8 !!
lights, camera, action!
Words by Vincent Tang
Cocaine Cowboys the master rakontur, billy corben
Rakontur Productions, founded by childhood friends Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman, are the culprits // responsible for producing, filming and releasing Cocaine
Cowboys, a documentary that explores the gritty and glitzy cocaine epidemic that gripped Miami in the ‘70s and ‘80S. The director Billy Corben takes time between French film festivals and planning future projects to sit down and talk to ACCLAIM. CC documents the rise and fall of the cocaine trade in Miami, from how it was transformed overnight into the flamboyant and glitzy cocaine haven, to the daily gang wars on the streets of Miami, and finally to the aftermath of the epidemic. Including candid interviews with the most successful drug smugglers and the most dangerous hit-man during the period when Florida was run by drug money, the film focuses largely on the cartel run by the Godmother, one of the most ruthless and successful drug lords ever to hit Miami. The audience are left in awe as the interviewees openly and casually talk about weekly million dollar turnovers and brutal killings. Billy explains that the reason they speak so freely is that “these are guys which the statute of limitations have long since past.”
26 - 27 lifestyle
Even before its release, the film had already reached cult status in their hometown of Miami where bootlegged CC DVDs were a must-have. “Months before the movie was released, at the Cal City Flea Market, there was this booth selling bootleg Cocaine Cowboys DVDs literally by the thousands.” Alfred Spellman and Billy Corben met in television production class when they were only thirteen years old. A couple of years later they started their first company called Spellman and Corben Productions. “My grandmother would drop us off at meetings, and we’d arrive and the receptionist would think we were delivery boys or something and we’d have to be like ‘no we’re actually here to meet with your boss’ (laughs).” After their first documentary was released in 2001, Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent, they chose to change the name of the company. “We decided to stop using our surnames as a company name, it sounded like a fucking law firm or something.” “It was always about the story and telling it very, very well. I always say my job as a director of a documentary was to find a great story and then not fuck it up.”
Cocaine Cowboys 2 is due to be released worldwide soon, and Billy Corben says this time they further explore one of the more fascinating figures of the first movie, the Godmother. It follows the story of Charles Cosby, a small time crack dealer in Oakland not too far from where the Godmother was locked up, who was “a fan of her work”. He decided to write a letter to her, and ultimately forges not just a business partnership with her, but also a love affair. “Within a week of Charles first meeting the Godmother, she had 50 kilos of cocaine delivered to his front door. So all of a sudden Charles becomes the supplier of cocaine to the whole Oakland area.” “Whereas CC1 was this east coast Miami Vice story, CC2 is a west-coast ‘90s Boyz N Da Hood story. It’s the obvious next step, which is the crack cocaine epidemic.”
‘‘my job as a director…was to find a great story and then not fuck it up’’ With Cocaine Cowboys blowing up all over the world, Billy still stays humble. “I took a moment (while in France) and realised that I’d complain, but who would listen? Life is really good right now, I’m very proud of the movie and that’s the most important thing. Everybody would say that these projects are like your children. So you want to see your children go out in the world and do well and make you proud, and so far so good.”
Billy Corben on being famous “I was in France for this Deauville American Film Festival with George Clooney and Matt Damon. In France they treat directors like rockstars there, it’s ridiculous. This woman came up to me on the street with a glossy colour photo of myself looking for an autograph. And she didn’t understand English cos ‘I asked her “where the hell did you get this?” but she didn’t understand. So I just signed it with her little Sharpie but I have no fucking clue where she got a glossy photo of myself!”
DO
CO
sneakers
Selection by Ankia
INDUSTRY PRO
Dave White- Guest Editor
Dave White is a UK based artist, world renowned and publicly lauded, HE is highly regarded in street culture and sneaker circles across // the globe. Dave is a permanent draw card to the Sneaker Pimps exhibition, has collaborated with the likes of Nike, Kidrobot and EPMD (among many others) and has appeared on MTV and Bobbito Garcia’s ESPN series ‘It’s The Shoes!’ This issue we’re privileged to have Dave take us through his love of kicks via his top 6 picks of all time. For more info hit up www.davewhite. me.uk
My sneaker story started from a young age. Football has always been in my life and way back in the ‘80s looking sharp on the football terraces was the order of the day. The freshest rarest imported sneakers got the heads turning and gained you much respect. Not much has changed in those 25 years. I was always into sneakers, I just loved the colours, the Nike Vintage runners with their bright colourways grabbed me way back. I saved up and only ever bought things I really loved. It was 2002 I was staring at the 95 in my studio and made a quick sketch on canvas, the sketch turned into a painting, before I knew it I had 10 renditions of my favourite kicks. That’s how it all started. It was just pure inspiration. The rest is history. I made those paintings then for the same reason I make them now, I just love sneakers. Dave White www.davewhite.me.uk
DAVE WHITE’S SNEAKER PICKS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
28 - 29 lifestyle
My attitude towards kicks has totally changed, I am currently wearing Original Jordan 1s from 1985.I love how they have aged, the midsole is a perfect shade of Naples Yellow the leather has seasoned and aged and the swoosh has gone an awesome shade of magenta. I am the first to admit that perfect kicks look great, but these things should be played and worn in to death. And for me they have so much more character with the battle scars.
I had the honour of meeting Tinker Hatfield last year at Nike HQ. The nicest and most down to earth guy you could meet. I had a ton of questions for him and he answered them all with enthusiasm and vigor. I finally got answers to things that kept me awake at night such as “where did the cement print come from?” However the story of the Jordan III is incredible and I guess those that know about it, can really appreciate it in a different light.
Nike Dunk
Three of the greatest things ever designed are the Ferrari F50, the F14 Tomcat and the Air Max 95. This is the shoe that got me into collecting, this is the shoe that inspired me to paint sneakers as a subject matter, this is the shoe that put me on the map. Sneaker Culture started for me with this. 12 years on it is still breathtaking.
There is just something about the Dunk, be it High, Mid or Low - it just works, the symmetry the flowing lines, the form, it really is perfect. That’s before any colour or texture has been applied. For me the Supreme Dunk Low is the best. The fact that Jordan Brand actually allowed a colourway and the holy grail of materials to be used on a project with SB is incredible. What I love is seeing this shoe totally fucked up with grip tape scuffs and battle scars on peoples feet. It looks amazing mint or wrecked!
The Air Force 1.
Jordan V
Air Max 95
Jordan 1
Jordan III
Probably the most iconic shoe ever created with a billion stories. It means so much to so many people. And it just keeps getting better, Nike at their best, updating reinventing pushing the technology for the sake of performance. Like taking a classic car and fitting ceramic brakes and power steering. The 25th campaign became a bit too much in the end but now the dust has settled some really beautiful models have appeared.
Hands down my favourite sneaker of all time, the Jordan V. I will never forget the first time I saw this. A kid was walking toward me in art college with this light glowing from his feet. As I passed I saw the Jumpman surrounded by this incredible light, of course it was the 3m on the tongue but back then I had no idea what it was. I went on about them forever! The more I have researched the shoe the more it means to me. The influence of the P51 Mustang just nailed it!
sneakers
NEW RELEASES
Nike x Kool Bob Love Hi Packs
Bobbito Garcia aka Kool Bob Love drops his second Nike collab for the year. This pack consists of four sneakers and has two themes. The red and blue butters pay tribute to Puerto Rico, whilst the wheat “Mac and Cheese” joints give a nod to the winters of New York City. Each shoe features premium leather uppers and the same Kool Bob Love logo that appeared on the first Nike collab earlier this year. The Puerto Rico Pack drops in late November and the Winters Pack will be released in December.
New Balance Fall 07 Tweed Pack
New Balance have just dropped the Tweed Pack as part of their Fall 07 collection, the Tweed Pack consists of two M574s and a M576. The M574 are released in a black/gold colorway mixed with blue tweed and in a beige colorway with brown accents and red/brown tweed. Whilst the M576 is released in a forest green/brown colourway with tweed lining.
Lacoste Stealth Revans release
As part of their Stealth collection, Lacoste have released a set of Revan 3s containing the Revan 3 Sheepskins, Revan 3 Hi Sheepskin and the Revan 3 Croc and Revan 3 Hi Croc.The Revan 3 Sheepskin comes in both brown and white colours and features the original blanket stitch detail of its predecessor the Revan along with a closed derby toe-box, with a mixture of soft textured leather uppers and a sheepskin lining finished with a discreet embossed crocodile on the heel. The Revan 3 Croc features a nubuck upper with a subtle, laser etched repeat crocodile pattern, patent leather and croc skin accents, the Revan 3 Croc is released in mids and los in a colour combination of white/brown and pirate black/grass green.
KNOW YOUR CLASSICS Reebok Pumps
The ‘80s were arguably Reebok’s decade of success, within those 10 years Reebok had hits with the groundbreaking all aerobic-focused ‘Freestyle’ sneaker, and most notably the revolutionary Reebok Pumps marketed with the memorable “Pump It Up” and “Pump Up, Air Out” slogans. Reebok applied this Pump technology on everything from basketball (remember Dee Brown?) to tennis (Michael Chang!), running and cross-training. Released in 1989, the original Reebok Pump was released with a basketball focus to take on market leader Nike and their ‘Nike Air’ line, hence the “Pump Up, Air Out” slogan, the Pumps were the first ever shoe to have an internal inflation mechanism that regulated a unique fitting cushion in the upper. The Pumps were produced in collaboration with design firm Design Continuum. The technology they developed featured an air bladder which could be inflated by a small pump that was located on the tongue of the shoe. The pump was in the shape of a basketball, and when pushed it would inflate the bladder so that the shoe would conform tightly around the ankle, offering maximum support and comfort. The Pumps debuted with a sticker price of US$170, nearly double the price of other basketball shoes, but despite the huge price difference, Reebok had a hit. Over a four year period they sold over 20 million pairs worldwide. The sneaker’s initial success and enormous sales numbers is said to have been aided by star rookie, Boston Celtics’ Dee Brown and his performance in the 1991 All-Star weekend Slam Dunk contest. For the comp Brown stepped on court sporting the black/white/orange Reebok Pumps and before taking off for his final dunk, leaned down pumped up his Reeboks, then proceeded to throw down a clinching dunk (covering his eyes with his arm) taking out the comp, as the crowd went bananas he bent down to deflate his pumps - this showcase earned the Pump instant fame and notoriety. But just as quickly as the Pumps’ popularity had risen, it fell. By 1993 Reebok had oversaturated the market applying the pump technology to everything; football, tennis, track and even ice hockey, leading to a massive decline in its reputable “cool” status. Reebok’s sales dropped throughout the late ‘90s and the company lost around 7 million dollars during this time period. In 2005 Reebok re-launched its Pump line with the release of the Reebok Pump 2.0. The 2.0 is reported to be the most technically advanced shoe in its line-up, with over 4 years spent on research and development, the 2.0 was designed by a team comprising of a former NASA engineer, an MIT engineer, a product designer and the inventor of the original Pump, the 2.0 features an impressive technological resume that provides superior comfort and performance.
sneakers
Selection by Ankia
Foot Patrol x Adidas Campus
London’s respected Foot Patrol has collaborated with Adidas to produce a collection of the classic Campus sneakers. The designs are clean and simple keeping true to the original Campus. A set of 3 sneakers have been designed for this collection in burgundy, yellow and grey, each featuring white on the outer 3 stripes and snakeskin on the inner stripes.
SBTG & Methamphibian Present “Ready to Die”: Skulls Of Saigon
Two of the most highly praised customized sneaker artists and designers, Singapore’s SBTG and Los Angeles’ Methamphibian have joined forces to release an ongoing project entitled ‘Skulls Of Saigon’ (SOS). ‘Skulls of Saigon’ sees the 2 artists approach their designs in a more “tongue-in-cheek fashion”, however still prominent are the dark elements of Methamphibian and SBTG’s trademark pattern work. SOS is an ongoing project for the 2 artists with their first focus on sneakers, the Psychoholic Slag Dunk Highs (named after a White Zombie song) and the Pestilence Dunk Lows (inspired by the Metallica song “The Four Horsemen”) are the first to be released from this collab.
custom artist Sekure D
Nike AF1 x Head Porter x Serato White Pack
Nike has teamed up with Head Porter and Serato to release a super special pack called the White DJ Pack. The White DJ Pack comes with a special edition all white/grey Air Force One that boasts a simple clean design and features a nylon and suede upper, topped with an embroidered Serato Scratch Live logo on the back heel. The pack also contains a Serato Scratch Live pack and a white Head Ported DJ bag. Sekure D is a Melbourne based customisation artist, painting for close to 2 years, his calculated colour combinations and distinct designs are turning heads, turning up on blogs, in magazines and on feet all across the globe. Read further as he chats about his work and being involved in an ambitious project connecting customised sneaker artists for charity. For those who dont know, tell us about Sekure D:
30 - 31 lifestyle
How, when and why did you get started? Well I do and always have lived in Melbourne. I started painting sneakers for myself almost two years ago, after which I did a couple for my mates and then it just all sprawled from there into what it is now. What projects are you working on now? What have you got coming up? I am working on [a project] with nine other customisers from around the world. It’s called “Linked” and aims to bring together ten of the best customisers to produce one shoe which will then be auctioned for charity. The shoe is currently being sent to all corners of the globe until it gets completed. A lot more info about this will turn up on the customiser’s websites towards the end of the shoe’s journey. It’s definitely something to keep an eye out for. I’m still doing my thing with my sneakers and they will in the foreseeable future remain the main focus for Sekure D. I will be collaborating on a new label called “Diamond Fondue” which looks like it will come out towards the end of the year (possibly the beginning of next year) so more information about that will come in due time. For more info on Sekure D’s work check out www.sekured.com
justin eldrid ge Theo ry Mid
Choc olate Colla b ava ilable now
Special thanks to Aaron Lee for submitting this hubba to the Take ĂŠS to your spots! contest. Justin goes tall on a Switch 5-0 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Photo: Atiba esfootwear.com Quattro Sports P.O. Box 203 Collaroy NSW 2097 www.quattrosports.com.au
fly gurl
Photos & Retouching by Marcus Enno @ Studio Commercial Assistant: Ben Ong Words By: Frank Blanck
Make-up Artist: Chloe Jean Stylist: Claire Hansen
GABRIELA CEVALLOS LATIN HEAT
All shoes and jewellery are stylist’s own.
Insight Fantasy Kingdom one-piece $89.95AUD
32 - 33
lifestyle
Moving into the warmer months we thought it only fitting to work with a model who is representative of an exotic climate. We were lucky enough to stumble across Gabriela Cevallos, a 23 year old Mexican beauty who loves to Salsa and hits the beach at any opportunity. Gabriela currently works for Unseen TV in a hosting role that sees her interviewing celebrities and attending industry parties (it’s a tough life for some!). With musical tastes centred around R&B, hip-hop and Latin and regular appearances at the Auto Salon Car Show series, Gabriela embodies a lot of what ACCLAIM Magazine is all about. With a couple of years modelling experience under her belt, Gabriela comes across as very down to earth and thankfully hasn’t been bitten by the Sydney Model Bitch bug. She describes herself as the “Best thing since sliced bread, haha. Where should I start? My name is Gabriela and I’m addicted to shoes, I’m ambitious, a bit shy if I don’t know you but once I get going I don’t shut up... so watch out. I love to laugh myself silly and eat Zappos until I feel sick.” www.myspace.com/gabyspad
Insight Storm Runner dress $79.95AUD Insight Mayan Quilt bikini top (just seen) $79.95AUD for set
Insight Twilight Kingdom bikini $69.95AUD Scanlan & Theodore top (worn as coat) $280AUD
Insight menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singlet (worn as dress) - Gen. Pants only $49.95AUD Insight Twilight Kingdom bikini (just seen) $69.95AUD for set
E CA YE ND Y
streetwear
Words by Andrew Montell
PEGLEG NYC Standing Alone
This issue we’re profiling a brand that is perhaps less easily tagged with the street wear label than // in previous issues. Defined by bright colours and cuts
34 - 35
streetwear
that don’t adhere to the oversized fits that we generally associate with NY street wear, PEGLEG is certainly eclectic. Brand co-founder Bobby Waltzer gives Acclaim the DL on PEGLEG NYC.
PEGLEG was created by and still run by three friends from New York; Harry McNally, Nicholas Poe and Bobby Waltzer who grew up in the downtown Manhattan postcode of 10012. Today the three founders are supported by a group of close friends in the hustle to consistently release quality ranges that challenge the notions of popular fashion. “We never intended to be a part of the “street wear game”. Our brand appeals to a wide array of people without being pigeonholed into the “street wear” category. We share shelf space with street wear brands at some stores and totally different brands at other stores, but PEGLEG is unique and of a different caliber.” The PEGLEG team work without consciously paying attention to trends in street wear and stylistically they stick to themselves. “Our influences stem from a wide array of sources. We are particularly influenced by each other, as we collaborate together on a daily basis. Most of our work is developed as we play off each other’s personal ideas.” Nor does their brand reflect a particular musical genre or sub culture “Like our designs, our taste in music is very eclectic. We listen to a wide range of music from electronic nu-rave to hip-hop to classical, who is to say whether or not it influences our designs – maybe?” “There are several interesting sub-cultures that feel our gear, but again, not one in particular.” With new cross brand collaborations being announced in the fashion world on a daily basis, PEGLEG maintain their self sufficient philosophy. “There are certainly a lot of collaborations
going on these days. With that said we are very particular about what we like. We tend to stay away from collaborating with other brands unless we are genuinely interested in the project.” The unique stylings of PEGLEG can be attributed, at least in
‘‘We tend to stay away from collaborating with other brands.’’ part to the artistic backgrounds of the brand’s founders. “We are all working artists. Clothing is not the only media that we work in. We are proficient in film, sculpture, video, painting, and different types of mixed-media.” PEGLEG is unlikely to fall into line with modern street wear trends any time soon. They’re clearly brave in their approach to fashion with style that might be too ‘out there’ for your average hip-hop kids, but at the same time there are definitely products in their range that will appeal to that market. When asked what they think is wrong with street wear today, Bobby says “A lot. Too much to describe within a small paragraph. Also, if you don’t have anything nice to say, it’s better to not say anything at all, right?” Where can you find PEGLEG outside of the US? PEGLEG is available in a number of major cities throughout Europe & Asia. One of our favorites is a store in Stockholm called Monkey Biz.
H LA OT BE L
Photographer: James Demitri Stylist / Art Direction: Edward Woodley Hair & Make-up: Brendan Robertson @ DLM using Kevin Murphy products Models: Allisandre Martines (Chadwick), Anna Lucinda(Chadwicks), and Ethan Robertson (Priscillas) Headline font: Spaghettini by Maniackers Design
(Left to Right) ALLISANDRE: Poko Pano black bikini, red Cult skirt, red Tristan Blair shoes, E-stilo belt worn as necklace in gold, green hat (stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own), AlizĂŠ ETHAN: black Calvin Klein underwear, Lee Denim shorts, K-Swiss shoes, red white and black LRG hoodie ANNA LUCINDA: Insight one piece swimsuit, Zoo York shorts, Calvin Klein white top, E-stilo belt in silver, Lacoste shoes
ETHAN: red Casio watch, New Era NY black and white cap, David & Goliath Cargos, Calvin Klein button up business shirt, Poynter shoes lace top, Against The Grain black perforated bag, Supra silver shoes ALLISANDRE: white Royal Elastic shorts, Poko Pano one piece swimsuit in white, red Dragon sunglasses, St端ssy top, Nixon watch
ANNA LUCINDA: Paola Robba white bikini, blue Nixon watch, Ellery lycra body suite, E-stilo Nikki Shoe white sandals, white Dragon Sunnies
ETHAN: New Era NY hat, red Lacoste shoes, black Lonsdale singlet, Sabre sunglasses, St端ssy boardies, Krew Polka dot white hoodie
ALLISANDRE: Paul Smith sunglasses, E-stilo white milled cow hide bag, purple Nixon watch, pink Insight bikini, Golf Punk shirt, Cybelle shoes
ETHAN: Perspective Hooded Lumberjack sleeveless, Oroton black underwear, Volcom Sunglasses ANNA LUCINDA: Paola Robba green bikini, Wrangler overalls, Havaianas slim metallic thongs in white, Casio G-shock green face watch, DITA sunglasses
ALLISANDRE: Nixon watch, green and pink stripe Lacoste bikini ANNA LUCINDA: Casio G-shock watch, Insight purple and pink stripe bikini
SHOPPING
Words by Memphis Photo by Memphis
SHOPPING GUIDE MELBOURNE
Each issue ACCLAIM will be providing y’all with our guide to discovering a different city’s shopping gems. // What better place to begin with than our home town… Provider 11 Manchester Lane MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9654 4055 114 Greville St PRAHRAN, 3181 (03) 9529 2629 provider.com.au Provider is THE store to visit in Melbourne. Now boasting two locations, there’s no reason to miss it when in town. Apart from their own in-house label, they stock local labels such as AER, PAM, BBot, For The Homies and Schwipe. Overseas clothing labels include Rogue Status, Crooks & Castles, Alife, Undefeated, The Hundreds, Trainerspotter, 10 Deep, Edwin Jeans, Mishka and Tonite. Accessories come from New Era, Bearbrick, Amos Toys, Casio, Hayley Mei and exclusive in-house product. Sneaker brands include New Balance (with whom they have there own collaboration coming soon) Nike, Vans, Alife and Reebok. Kickz101 63 Elizabeth St MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9620 1101 kickz101.com Ballers and sneaker heads come together at Kickz 101. Head downstairs and get hooked up with all your basketball related needs. They stock everything you would expect from brands like Jordan, Nike, Adidas, LRG, Mike23, AND1, Converse, K1X, Puma and Reebok as well as some US college gear. Accessories are from all over the place. If its basketball related it’s here, from toys to sweatbands, mags to DVDs and everything in between.
44 - 45
SHOPPING
The Heist 33 Little LaTrobe St MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9650 3933 heiststore.com The new store on the block. The guys behind The Heist have been around for a long time and have finally opened their own spot this month. Set out over two storeys, The Heist stocks LRG, Crooks & Castles, Know1edge, Orisue, Reason, Coup De Grace, Crash One, Heights NYC, Duplicate, Rip Off and Still Life. For your girl they have Married To The Mob and Hellz Bellz and Japanese Levis for your lower section. Aside form that there is a consignment section where you might find something you stupidly slept on or have never seen before. Evolve 214 Chapel St PRAHRAN, 3181 (03) 9529 5466 evolve214.com Since before you knew what a Dunk SB was, Evolve was stocked. They’ve been here the whole time. Stocking skate shoes from Nike, Adidas and more, any SB head will be happy here. Clothing comes from Recon, Fuct, Burn Crew, Analog, Thrasher, Real, Girl, Element, Obey, Diamond, Nikita and more. They also have a small amount of legit Bape towards the counter.
Someday Level 3 Curtin House 252 Swanston St MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9654 6458 someday-store.com Now we get a little higher end. Someday has all those brands you want but think you cant or won’t find in Melbourne. They have clothing and accessories from Supreme, Billionaire Boys Club, Neighbourhood, PAM, Original Fake (Kaws’ brand), aNYthing, Clot, The Changes, Married To The Mob, Undercover, Bernhard Wilhelm, Mended Veil a great range of books and magazines and toys from Medicom and PAM. Honourable mentions: Prime Sole Trader Adidas Dakota 501 Sports Lords Camy Shanghai Dumpling & Noodle Restaurant 23 Tattersalls Lane MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9663 8555 Basically an institution to anyone who’s stepped foot into Melbourne’s CBD. This place appeals to everybody; the price is backpacker budget friendly, the experience is always different and the food is always on point. The biggest decision is whether or not you do strictly dumplings or venture into main course territory. Either is satisfying. Pork dumplings ($3.90 8 pieces/$5.80 15 pieces/add $1 for fried) are great steamed or fried, as are the dumplings in chilli oil ($ 6 15pieces). Main meal highlights include hot chicken on rice ($8.90) and Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce ($9.90). Over-order with the crew and walk away full and satisfied. Mag Nation 88 Elizabeth St MELBOURNE, 3000 (03) 9663 6091 A bookshop with coffee and quiet reading space isn’t a new idea, however Mag Nation has taken this idea and flipped it to magazines. Sit out front on busy Elizabeth Street whilst the world passes you by or head upstairs to the couches. There’s also desk space if you want to pull out your laptop in this comfy atmosphere. Speaking of, the vibe is great. I wrote this whole article hanging in there whilst Hieroglyphics played through the store. The layout is as unique and refreshing as the concept of the store. With all genres covered feel free to take your time in here and remember, “everything in the store can be touched, felt and browsed except the staff”.
sport
Words by Christian Trojan Photos by Max Von Treu
Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams //
Lives NY Streetball like no other.
Corey Williams is probably the most dangerous oneon-one ballplayer in New York City. The ability to destroy and embarrass opponents like only a superhero can, earned him the nickname “Homicide”. Also known as the “most dangerous player in the EBC”, Homicide has proven he is worthy of notorious AKAs by winning coveted streetball awards like the MVP at Dyckman and at Rucker Park’s EBC. Homicide, you lost your first game at Hoops in the Sun in the middle of June. Yeah, that was a weird game. I was basically playing with Corey “The Undertaker” Underwood and some 16 year olds. And we were playing the defending champion. We made it close and only lost by five. They put triple teams on me but I still managed to get 27. “The Undertaker” was great, too. He had 35 and 12. Just wait until we get the real crew going.
46 - 47
sport
Tell me a little bit about the Last Man Standing tournament of 2005 that you won. The Last Man Standing was a great thing... I was fresh from being waived from the Toronto Raptors training camp. Man, it wasn’t easy. It was the finals, you know? And the guys there were really playing last man standing. So it was just about me overcoming a lot of things. So the fact that you were cut by the Raptors served as an extra motivation for you? Yeah, I mean you just get cut from an NBA camp. Then I wasn’t going to go to a one on one tournament and lose. That’s just how I looked at it. Obviously that plan worked out. Let me know what it feels like to be literally the last man standing out of 600 participants at a tournament.
Obviously it’s a great feeling. It’s a lot of competition out there. I mean I’m not out there in Hawaii being the last man standing. This is New York. There is a lot of talented players in this city.
Let’s just talk about New York streetball in general. What are the most important things that it takes to succeed in a place like NYC? I think you gotta have balls, man. You gotta be tough. You gotta be very competitive. You gotta want it. You gotta be willing to challenge players just as good as you and better than you. How does it feel when your opponent brings out the reigning Defensive Player of the Year from the NBA to guard you at Rucker? That’s definitely a compliment and brings respect because you don’t do that to a player who is not good. If you think that you can’t stop him with a streetball player then you bring out an NBA player. But they didn’t just bring out an NBA player. They brought the Defensive Player of the Year from the NBA. And me doing it out there to him definitely meant a lot to me. If I could do it on him, and it wasn’t easy, I could do it on anybody. How great is it for you to be free on a streetball court if you compare it to games at the NBA or the D-League? It feels so much better. I’m really playing how I play in the streets. Nobody is dictating to me how I play. I can go out and take as many shots as I want and I can pretty much do what I want to do out there…there’s no politics in streetball. If someone wants to play you he’s gonna play you. Everybody gets a fair chance. That doesn’t happen in the NBA or in Europe.
There are strong rumours suggesting that Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams will be joining and Australian NBL team this season. He is currently playing professionally in the European league.
CO UR KIN T G
sport
Words by Kane Banner
STEVE ALBA
THE LEGEND CONTINUES
His name is synonymous with skateboarding since the mid seventies both as a // professional and as a rebel-rouser, born out of
the punk movement and still going hard today. The notoriously media shy Alba blessed ACCLAIM Magazine with an insight into his life on four wheels. Steve, how do you think skating as a culture differs from the ‘80s era? Is it a different vibe? How do you think the scene has changed? In the ‘80s there were less people doing it... as far as my scene it was better for backyards ‘cause the economy in the ‘80s was not like now. [It was] more gnarly, plus crack hit hard so there were more shitty areas to choose from... but on the other hand ‘cause skating is more in the media eye, kids and general people accept skating more. So, more spots plus the ‘80s did not have parks like they do now! Places such as Del Mar and Raging Waters must have been great places to skate but you like to find spots to skate that are off the beaten track, where are you favorite places to skate? Backyard pools for sure, pipes are always fun to cruise in and the adventure to find them rules. I just like when you’ve gotta beat somebody to skate... meaning Johnny Law and irate neighbors, it makes it a game! The mid to late ‘80s saw an abundance of skateboarders that reached rock star status, what were those days like and did they have a down side? Gator anyone? It was good but then again I have never been on rock star status. That was for Christian, Gator, Cab and those guys. We did get to skate and go a lot of places though…all paid for.
‘‘The OG surfers really hated the skaters and punkers, fights would go down everywhere’’ Growing up in California, what sorts of groups were around? Did the punk culture clash with the surf culture or did everybody get along? Was there a strong sense of community, or were there turf wars? Definitely turf wars for sure, especially in the old days. The OG surfers really hated the skaters and punkers, fights would go down everywhere. Nowadays everybody is a pussy, like ‘let’s be friends’. The punks have no idea what we went through as skaters/punkers [back] in the day. We paid heavy duty dues for a long time.
48 - 49 skate
What’s the craziest thing you ever saw at a show or on tour? There must have been a few. Too many to name! I have been in many riots. HB OP Pro in ‘86 was crazy, the punk riots of the day were cool. Giving Greed Lick a man goo smoothie was the best though, at Warp ‘99 he drank Ciz’ and D.P.’s man goo! A lot of independent companies really popped up after the might of Powell, Peralta and Santa Cruz, what was this a reaction to? Big 3 going down is what it was. Why should they control the market!? All the skaters got smart. Screaming Lord Salba’s Musical Inspirations Punk first opened my eyes and ears to so many things. My pops and mom loved Motown stuff and ‘60s bands like The Doors, Stones, etc., then I got into rockabilly heavy duty; Sun Records, Chuck Berry, Bo Didley and all the Chess stuff. I then got into ‘60s garage punk like Standell, Chocolate, Watchband. In the last couple years I’ve been really into instrumental stuff like ‘60s surf, hot rod genre, movie soundtracks like the Hells Angels and teen exploitation films. Music makes the world go round.
As a skater that has been killing it for three decades, what’s your secret? Stretch you lil’ shitheads, take care of your body, do not drink in excess, drink lots of water and run. I have been running since January 1st 2007, I’ve gone 10 miles this week already!
SK A ICO TE N
EVENT REVIEW
Words by B-Boy Redoneskee 7$ Worldwide Photos by Conon (Whitehouse Productions)
SHADOW WARS 2
BBOY BATTLE SEPTEMBER ‘07
The Australian Bboying Scene has been consistently gaining momentum and gathering an interest from // newcomers in the last 5-6 years. Consequently, to feed
this growth there needs to be healthy competition (aka battles) and events to support the culture and its drive forward. The Australian bboying calender is now enjoying regular events, however sponsors are few and far between. With street culture giving most so-called Hip-Hop brands credibility it’s disappointing to see most overseas events getting great sponsorship and the Australian Bboying scene neglected.
50 - 51
Enter Shadow Wars 2. With the backing of Red Bull, this event had everyone in elation both prior to the competition and afterwards. With a line up of international judges, (Milky & Kid David form the USA along with Ducky and Beast of Korea, all of incredible skill and stature) it was sure to pull a strong contingent of Australia’s finest bboys along with fans, supporters and those who are in awe of the amazing ability of the dance. There were 3 main events on the roster for the day’s activity, the first was the Crew vs Crew battles and secondly, the One on One battles. The third installment was the preview of the soon to be released Seven Shadows 3 DVD. The crew battles were called and some old rivalries were tested in the first rounds which always gives some hype to a jam, with the highlight being SKB vs QLD Power in the first round. The day progressed with Melbourne’s Fresh Sox (and friends) against RAW (a contingent of bboys from most Australian states) meeting in the Final, with RAW taking their first major win. In the One-on-One category, 16 of Australia and New Zealand’s finest went head to head, with Cole of Hybrid Formz (Syd) coming out strong against all opponents to meet fellow crew member Taz in the final.
Taz was the victor and a flight to South Africa to see Red Bull’s Annual BC was the major prize.
On the night, with much anticipation, the Seven Shadows 3 DVD (limited preview version) was screened. It was surprisingly controversial with the opening segment showing the very personal opinions of many of the bboys featured in the movie. Mason Rose is well known for his editing skills in both surfing movies of recent and in this case bboying. Mason brings a refreshing stylised presentation of the bboy movement by trying to not only incorporate the battles and jams that take place (in Australia and worldwide), but by getting the bboys and bgirls to do their thing in sometimes exotic and interesting locations. With a final version soon to be released, I’m sure most viewers will gain an insightful perspective into the bboy world through his work. The day ended with a free for all with the Australian and New Zealand line-up against the international judges. With the internationals showing no mercy and pushing the locals to the limit of their abilities, I’m sure some of this footage will make the final cut of Seven Shadows 3. Look out for the next Shadow Wars event hitting your town soon.
BR
EA
K’N
SPORT
Words by PH Camy aka Snake Photo by Charles Levy
Simon O’Brien
A FLATLAND WAY OF LIFE You already know BMX for its hardcore street riders, its dirt trail virtuosos and its vertical ramp killers. // But inside this scene hides an original and less recognized
52 - 53 lifestyle
genre named Flatland. With aesthetic and technical tricks mostly pulled on the ground, this discipline is not far from breakdance (rider’s moves are often similar to those exhibited by bboys, and the contests occur in a battle style…). The world of bmx counts Australian rider Simon O’Brien (28) amongst its top 5 ambassadors. Recently nominated at Las Vegas’ BMX Nora Cup (a kind of BMX Oscars), Simon tells us about his strong relationship with BMX and how his bike opened him up to the rest of the world. “From a young age I loved seeing people cruising around and doing tricks on BMX bikes, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Then proceeded many years of messing around, jumping off gutters, little dirt jumps and generally just having a great time riding my bike, by the age of 14 I knew BMX flatland was my calling. BMX is awesome in general but flatland really captivated me. I love the way flatland is so hard and how you really have to work on both the originality and physicality (balance) of it all. When you work so hard for something, it feels so rewarding when you finally master that trick you’ve created. Some of my favourite memories in life have been pulling or filming a new combo for the first time. Such a relief and accomplishment. flatland has been the source of inspiration for growing and developing my life over the past 13 years. Travelling the world, being educated from many experiences, meeting loads of amazing people, performing at the Sydney Opera House, inspiring and supporting other and younger riders, doing my best to help progress the art/sport, are just some of the things that flatland has inspired me to do in my life so far. One of my most enjoyable times in life was the year 2003. I had just flown back to Los Angeles from Australia. I spent 1-2 weeks in Long Beach, California, then flew over to Greenville, North Carolina, where I spent 3-4 weeks with my Australian mate Colin Mackay. I didn’t ride much while in Greenville but had a great time hanging out, watching my friends ride and partying. Being on the other side of the world with my mates was fun enough. I then headed back Long Beach to stay with Chad* and Amy Johnston, always good times. After one week, X-Games 9 took place in Los Angeles, which I was fortunate enough to win. I was
so happy! And I felt so relieved that I had accomplished such a great achievement. I then spent one more week in Long Beach with Nathan Penonzek** and a Long Beach local, Andrew. This was such a good week, the feelings I had about riding, travelling and being in Long Beach, it was just an amazing feeling to be in that situation.
“it feels so rewarding when you finally master that trick you’ve created” This to me is what BMX flatland is all about; riding, travelling, hanging with your mates and enjoying the great feelings and memories you get from flatland!“ Simon O’Brien *Chad Johnston is a well know flatland activist in LBC. **Nathan Penonzek is famous as a top rider and as a BMX globe-trotter that rode almost everywhere on Earth.
DOWN WITH THE KINGS The words from Simon O’Brien you have just read are taken from the Flat Kings book; a bible for each flatland maniac published by French BMX reference magazine Cream. The book contains tons of amazing pictures of the top riders from all countries (Hungary, Japan, Brazil, Singapore, USA, UK…) and their testimonies on the little bike that changed their life. Never has such a book been published in the BMX world and non BMXers who like beautiful pics and real human stories will like it as well as flatland addicts. Flat Kings is available online at www.flatalandfuel.com and at www.creamofbmx.com
RID ON E
sport
Words by Tom Connellan Photos by Andrew Mapstone
CALE NUSKE MAPLE BALLIN’
Hailing from Adelaide, Australia, skater Cale Nuske has built a worldwide rep for himself as one of the // country’s heavy hitters. He is a member of some of the
sports lack what he seems to love most about skating - the ability to “go off and do your own shit”. Ironically, he helps pass the time when his leg is fucked by shooting hoops. At the moment, he is only just getting back into the swing of things after being out of action for a nine month stint after his second knee reconstruction.
At the age of 23, Cale has already experienced more than the average man will in his entire life. He has travelled to the States close to ten times, from where he has just returned after completing a tour based on the new éS video, éSpecial. He’s also back and forth to Europe where he is a part of French based Cliché team, where he’ll be off again within the upcoming months for the release of their new video. I doubt that it’s any coincidence that his two favourite destinations are LA and Lyon, the headquarters of éS and Cliché respectively. His isolation from dope street spots in suburban Adelaide led him to hone his skills in skateparks, which is still where he heads to get him warmed up for street spots where he spends the majority of his time on film. Most of his time in home city nowadays comes thanks to some ongoing injury issues which keep him from jumping down shitloads of stairs for months at a time. It were these injuries that helped him make the executive decision to give up amateur basketball years back after he was told that he couldn’t keep missing games due to damages acquired through skating. For Cale, the restrictions of being in an organised team environment were kinda gnarly, and team
When he’s skating, Cale gets himself pumped by listening to hiphop, and at the moment he’s thrashing Lil Wayne. The influence can be seen in Cale’s own clothing label, Thurston, which is just starting to make some noise on the local streetwear scene. Watch this space.
54 - 55
skate
biggest teams on the globe, has a bunch of videos under his belt and a good head on his shoulders to boot.
I was sure that the combination of two lady killing attributes in his Australian accent and profile as a pro skater would have to make him a popular boy on tour, but apparently he still sometimes gets looked at like he is some kind of freak that has got shit on his face when he opens his mouth in the States. I suppose I overestimated the effects of globalisation.
Cale’s Top 5 albums at the moment Lil Wayne & Mick Boogie – The Color of Money // Biggie – Life after Death // Kanye – Graduation // Young Jeezy – The Inspiration // Nas – Illmatic
focus
Words by Robbie Ettelson Photos by Max Von Treu
Joell Ortiz
Humble Magnificent Joell is a humble dude with an arrogant work ethic. He’s been putting out records since the start of // the decade, but the last six months have seen him really
coming into his own as a recording artist, as he’s just released his first album on KOCH, and is already working on his next project with Dr. Dre. Did you roll to the VMAs with Dre for his appearance? Nah, I don’t really do too many of those kinda things. Until the time is right, I don’t wanna be a spectator. I wanna be up there trying to hold something up myself. I don’t feel that’s my place yet – my place is the studio, so that’s where I pretty much live
56 - 57 focus
Your manager told me that you’ve “got the Puerto Rican community in a fuckin’ headlock”. How important is that to you? [Laughing] Yeah man, I’ve got ‘em goin’ crazy! Since [Big] Pun, outside of Fat Joe, there’s really been no Latin icon in the hiphop community. They’re just embracing me with open arms right now, coz I’m running around just having a ball, and letting people know that Spanish dudes do hip-hop too. Don’t say “Yo, he’s nice for a Spanish rapper” – just be like “He’s nice!” . 125 Grams Part 5 is killing it right now. How many parts are there going to be? Aw man, I did eight of those! I put a few of them on the album, a few of them are gonna leak – I’m just gonna be sending them out to raise the standards and let people know that sixteen bars just isn’t gonna cut it anymore [chuckles]. What is it about Brooklyn that makes you guys stand out? You know what it is, man? Our competitive nature. Not just music, you understand? I could just be standing in a store and be like “Oh, dude tries to crush his outfit? Man, he can’t dress better than me. What is this guy? Crazy?” We’re competitive down to the littlest things. “Oh, that’s the potato chips that dudes is eating now? Them shits is corny, man” [laughs] We’re just competitive about the littlest shit, so with music we overcritique ourselves. I guess that’s why sometimes the product sounds the way it sounds, coz we’re so hard on ourselves out here in Brooklyn. Air Max or Force Ones? It depends on the situation, man. Yesterday I had Hush Puppies on! I mix it up real crazy, I ain’t one sneakered out.
What do people need to know about Joell? Joell Ortiz is a real person, he’s not made-up or fabricated, that’s why he doesn’t have a stage name. When the lights go on and when the lights go off he’s the same person.
“sixteen bars just isn’t gonna cut it anymore” One of the first things I did when I got money was buy computers for my projects, so little kids can log-on and see that there’s a world outside of the world they live in. For so many years I’ve been in a ten, fifteen block radius, thought I was somewhere when really I wasn’t. There’s a world outside of those projects and those gutters, man. If I can help people see it, I’ma tell them every time.
Ortiz Gets Biz: We Run NY – Tony Touch feat. Tru Life, Lumidee & Joell Ortiz Toca enlists some young upstarts for this Rotten Apple declaration. Exactly – Domingo feat. Joell Ortiz J-O gets spellbound like K-Solo. Stomp Thru – Smif ‘N Wessun feat. Joell Ortiz & Rock This should’ve been the line-up for Crooklyn Dodgers 3. Got Nothing On Me – Ma Baker feat. Joell Ortiz G Rap’s wifey gets a much-needed assist. Spartens – Emperor Chi feat. Saigon & Joell Ortiz Whoever Chi is, he’s well out of his depth here.
HI HO P P
down under
Words by Xavier Millis Photos by Patrick Ho
JUMPOFF WORLD RAP CHAMPIONSHIPs
melbourne division Executive Class Eff chris martin
by Robbie Ettelson from unkut.com EPMD once cited Phil Collins as their favorite artist, much to the astonishment of British journalists who consider the one-time Genesis drummer to be a boring old fart. The World Famous Brucie B swears that In The Air Tonight was killing it in the roller skating rinks in the 80s, and I vaguely recall some shitty Murder Inc. song that actually had the bald bastard re-doing his hook. Fast forward to the 2000-era, and another boring Brit seems to have captured the hearts of the Rotten Apple. Yup, you guesed it…Coldplay front-man Chris Martin - who shares the same government as DJ Premier but none of the aural innovation – has recently been recruited for records with both Jay-Z and Kanye “Liberache” West.
58 - 59 down under
Sure, it could be argued that S. Carter and ‘Ye Tudda are chasing that “grown folk” dollar, but this wet-blanket brings about as much excitement as Weet Bix and water. Surely there are millions of other moody Englishman that were available to make boring rap songs, but given that Coldplay have been the token “cool rock band” for the last few years, who else are they gonna call? Hip-hop has a long history of loving shitty rock dudes. The Steve Miller Band have provided samples for everyone from Biz Markie to the Geto Boys, but have you ever tried listening to one of dude’s albums from start to finish? The otherwise faultless Kool G Rap once remade that god-awful Cars song by electronic weirdo Gary Newman, and don’t get me started on all the rappers who confess to being Duran Duran fans. The all-time low point was when P.M. Dawn decided to loopup some Spandau Ballet shit for a worldwide smash that can still induce nausea to this day (and I believe to be the real reason that BDP shut ‘em down). It doesn’t stop there though – not by a long shot. Sting – another Boring British Bastard – also has many fans in the rap world, most notably when Puffy transformed his creepy song about stalking broads into a creepy song about a dead fat rapper. Didn’t Ja Rule sample Toto? Boring-ass hip-hoppers and bland rock fucks are a match made in musical hell. Look out for a Santana-style duets album from Coldplay, featuring Common, Nas, Talib Kweli and GURU in time for next Mother’s Day!
The Melbourne Division of the Jumpoff.tv World Rap Championships was filmed last month at a secret location, and saw six teams of two face off for a spot in the WRC Play Offs in Las Vegas. The tag-team format has proven a winner with both fans and competitors, drawing huge traffic to the Jumpoff website and drawing a quality of emcees unparalleled. Oh yeah, there’s also the $50,000 in prize money for the winning duo. That might be helping things along. The teams who qualified to take part in the Melbourne division were: Prime/Purpose (adel) Syntax/Keynote (cairns) Nikoteen/Dragonfly (mel/bris) K21/Iliak (adel) Chase/Decoy (adel) Anecdote/360 (syd/mel) *Wildcard Entry The great thing about the tag-team format is it allows ‘time out’ in a sense for emcees to piece together punch lines in a way that 1 on 1 battles don’t. This means the quality and consistency of the battles tend to be a lot higher throughout the event. It didn’t take long for the competition favorites to carve up their opponents, creating a lot of anticipation for their first of two battles against each other. The Adelaide team of Prime & Purpose and the Melbourne/Sydney pairing of Anecdote & 360 both showed a skill level and a consistency easily worthy of a spot in the play offs. Other highlights included the 15 year old Iliak who more than held his own with the older chaps, proving he’s a force to keep an eye on. The team of Chase and Decoy provided some funny moments as did the comical swagger of the always animated Dragonfly.
Prime & Purpose Vs Anecdote & 360
When the big guns of the battle squared off for the first time, this is what went down: Purpose: Yo I’m a veteran like Bun B, you’ll never be above me I wont ever let a junkie represent my country Don’t even try to pretend that you’re real You got a feminine build, lay off the estrogen pills Prime: When I saw this guy, I was mortified cos his jaw’s so wide he could fit 45 more inside I’m talking to him, of course we ‘gon’ win Yo don’t carry a knife, you eat with your fork and your chin Purpose: Yes, you got a lot of friends but you aren’t loyal When dude smile he look like a hard boiled gargoyle 360: Every upcoming emcee in the place should probably watch these dudes they just showed us a great example of what not to do it’s time to give it up I think that rap is not for you if you are what you eat? It’s obvious that he’s a lot of food Anecdote: Ey yo, and we got prime spittin’ with purpose but when we’re kickin’ our verses you’ll need so many stitches inserted you’ll need a million nurses equipped with a surgeon But Fuck it, I guess it’s fittin’ cos you’re both from the City of Churches So now when you go home you’ll get delivered in hearses 360: Ey yo, this dude’s gums cause his stinky breath He looks like Mr. Ed after eating pickled eggs and ginger bread And no girl wants to give him sex Cos when he licks his flesh is the only time he gets his fingers wet For the rest of the battle, the results as they come, and all the other WRC content from Melbourne & around the globe, visit www.jumpoff.tv
music
Words by Sheep
Z-TRIP
Still trippin’
The barrista of blends, Z-Trip pauses for breath and talks about touring, his new album, aussie hip-hop, // myspace and the need for people to wake up. Venturing
down under shortly, Z-Trip keeps international on his way down the DJ path less travelled. What’s up Z-Trip? Busy, busy, busy. I’ve been touring all over the states. Sounds fun. Yeah. I have been launching my new album with a tour stacked with talent: Gift of Gab, Aceyalone and my drummer who I have spent a lot of time jamming with lately. Your latest album All Pro is a soundtrack to an NFL video game [All Pro Football 2K8]. How did that come about? Yeah, something different for sure. I was asked to produce the soundtrack for the game and it was a lot of fun to do. Is it still in the style of Z-Trip? Yeah. I mean I am always trying new things but the creators liked my mash ups, perhaps they fitted the theme of the game. Speaking of new music, where are you heading these days? I am really into experimenting with live drums at the moment. I came from a drumming background so I relate to the instrument. I am working on something new.
60 - 61 music
Will your drummer be touching down in Oz with you shortly? I don’t know yet man. We haven’t really finalised the line-up even though the tour is not too far away! How many times have you been out here now? I would like to say four times, maybe five? I forget. I am getting my head around Oz a bit more these days. The problem with touring is that it is always so quick. Just as I get relaxed, its time to go again. Hip-hop goes from strength to strength down here. Have you had a chance to listen or jam with any down under talent?
Yeah, sure I have heard some cool stuff. I dig Delta, Koolism, some of what the Hilltop Hoods do is groovy. I am given so much to listen to it just gets hard to process. You must get that everywhere you go? Yeah, just like with Australian hip-hop, I hear a lot of stuff. A lot of it is really average but a lot is really good. I just wish I had more time to hear more.
‘‘I see the anger when I travel around. It has got to change’’ Bush was just down here in Sydney. He pulled a big crowd…big shoes to fill? Oh man, that guy. You know it just shits me where my country is at. It is run by crooks, and the world is watching. I see the anger when I travel around. It has got to change. Summer’s on its way, and so are our elections. Feel free to make some noise. Wow, I didn’t know that was on. Cool man. Thanks for the heads up. Yeah I heard your leader is down with Bush. Maybe I will pull out some of my material for that. We need to stop these fools. You are a busy man. How do you keep on top of everything? I used to wake up and read email. Now I wake up read email and then get on myspace. Another password in my life, another hour wasted…but that’s the way to keep in touch these days isn’t it? Yeah, maybe.
PA RO RTY CK ER
IN DEPTH
Words by Saeed Saeed Lithuanian photos by Karen Robinson
African photos by Michael Sheil Photo commentary by Karen Robinson & Michael Sheil
The Price of Human Trafficking LIVES FOR SALE
Human trafficking is a silent business. It is the most discreet and potent form of crime as victims can // be visible in the public eye, they can talk to you, serve
62 - 63
society
you, and in some cases work for you. But the terror they constantly experience is kept hidden for the truth, if revealed, could lead to a death sentence. The Background Human trafficking is not the same as people smuggling. As in the latter the person requesting to be illegally transported makes an agreement with the smuggler and upon arrival the person is set free. Human trafficking on the other hand recognises none of the human rights of the individual. Instead they are enslaved or are forcibly worked until their bond, which is highly exploitative, is paid off. The victims of human trafficking are often tricked and lured into a new country by false promises of money and education. Once they arrive they are immediately controlled and manipulated through a series of physical and psychological abuses that include isolation, beatings, sexual abuse and the force feeding of narcotics. Trafficked people come from the poorest regions of the world where there are limited opportunities. They are the most marginalised within those societies as they are mostly runaways, refugees and exiles. They are often captured by traffickers at border entries who masquerade themselves as smugglers or in rare cases, they are the victims of “slave raiding” committed by modern day slave pirates. Men are trafficked and predominantly used for unskilled work and hard labour such as work in sweatshops, and in some cases, mines. When it comes to the trafficking of children, the parents’ extreme poverty is exploited and they sell their children to traffickers in order to pay off basic debts and receive a continual income. However, many parents are deceived by the traffickers who promise the children a better life where their basic needs
are met. While in Western Africa, children are trafficked continuously to guerrilla groups to become child soldiers. Women and minors are at high risk to become caught up in sex trafficking as this illegal industry is well organised. In most cases women are initially offered ‘legitimate’ work in the hospitality and catering industry upon their meeting with the trafficker. They are also promised that they will receive the chance to study and the money they earn would help alleviate the financial pressures of their families back home. Instead, this becomes pure deception and in the majority of reported cases they are forced into prostitution.
‘‘The victims of human trafficking are often tricked and lured into a new country by false promises of money and education’’ The human trafficking industry is supported through a solid network of agents and brokers, who arrange the travel, job
LITHUANIA // Kaunas Jovita (30) was trafficked to Germany to work in the sex industry. Jovita’s best friend from childhood sold her to a Turkish trafficker who took her to Germany when she was 21 under the pretence of working as a maid. She was resold several times and was taken from Germany to Montenegro. She eventually escaped and made her way back to Lithuania at the beginning of 2006.
placement and escorting of the women to their employers. Women and children can also be trafficked through other dubious means such as through false employment advertisements and kidnapping. It is estimated that 600,000 to 820,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders every year. 80 percent are women and up to 50 percent are minors. The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) claims that thousands of children from Asia, Africa and South America are sold in the global sex trade every year, in some cases by their own families. A Global Business Human trafficking is supported globally through a complex array of networks and contacts. The industry’s hotspots are global finance and tourism centres, as well as developing countries. America is viewed as a central transit point for the trafficking industry. The US Department of Justice estimates that between 14,500 and 17,500 people, primarily women and children, were trafficked to the US annually between 2001 and 2005. In Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that 600 to 800 people are trafficked into Canada annually and that an additional 1,500 to 2,200 people are trafficked into the country from the United States. Russia is a major source of women being trafficked illegally for prostitution. Thousands of Russian women annually end up working as prostitutes in far away places such as China, Japan and South Korea. Russia is also a major transit point for trafficked women from neighbouring regions as it offers a gateway to Europe, Asia, North America and the Gulf States. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) claims that 20 percent of Russia’s illegal immigrants are also trafficked for forced labour. The ILO alleges that the local police play a major role in running this industry as they are often involved in kidnapping the illegal stayers and selling them to prospective buyers. In the United Kingdom, human trafficking is starting to become a major problem. Law enforcement authorities claim that 4,000 women have already been trafficked into the country and forced to work as prostitutes. In 2006, the UK police launched a high profile crackdown on human trafficking called Operation Pentameter. They discovered that human traffickers have been sending people to work in Vietnamese
SO C ISS IAL UE
cannabis factories throughout the country. The operation also cracked down on a series of illegal nail salons where smuggled Vietnamese children worked. While in the developing and war ravaged nations of Cambodia, Bosnia and Kosovo, there has been a marked increase in prostitution where trafficked women have been involved, what makes this situation more alarming is that this sharp rise occurred after the NATO peace keeping forces moved in to secure the area after years of conflict. In 2004, Amnesty International released a damning report condemning NATO soldiers for helping feed the illegal sex trade in the Balkans. The report stated that as a result of the NATO soldiers entering Kosovo, it became “a major destination country for women trafficked into forced prostitution. A small-scale local market for prostitution was transformed into a large-scale industry based on trafficking, predominantly run by criminal networks Trafficking in Australia Australia is a major destination for people trafficked from South East Asia, particularly from China, Korea and Thailand. There are also growing reports that migrants from these countries voluntarily come to Australia but are then forced into hard labour and sexual exploitation. Despite government probes into this topic, there are still no official estimates on the number of victims trafficked into Australia. However, Project Respect, a respected Australian Non for Profit Organisation puts the figure at 1,000 victims who are currently working to pay off their debt bondage. On their website, Project Respect states that trafficked women are in demand in Australia due to the: 1) Lack of women in Australia prepared to do prostitution. 2) ‘Customer’ demand for women seen as compliant. 3) ‘Customer’ demand for women who they can be violent towards. 4) Racially stereotypical notions that Asian women have certain qualities, for example that they are more compliant and will accept higher levels of violence. The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault released a research paper in 2005 that shockingly detailed how women are trafficked into Australia for sexual exploitation since the early nineties. The paper’s author, Lara Fergus stated that:At least 1,000 women are forcibly held as prostitutes, where they are raped, beaten and starved.
64 - 65
society
The victims are usually from Thailand and Burma who are brought to Australia to work as prostitutes in legal brothels for free until they pay off their ‘debts’ which can run up to $50,000. They are usually locked in the brothel or a house with other trafficked women where they are subjected to repeated sexual violence to ‘break their resistance’. The aim of this suffering is to teach them that their role is to merely satisfy customers sexual urges and that they cannot refuse any type of sexual acts, including unsafe sex. Rape, physical violence, starvation and constant threats of harm to the victim’s family are used to instil fear and punishment in those who attempt to escape. The Fight Against Human Trafficking Governments’ responses to human trafficking have been varied. Some have introduced legislations directly dealing with this issue while other governments felt that raising community awareness about the crime is the best method for prevention. The United States has taken a tough stance against human trafficking by making it a federal offence. It has passed new laws that increased the maximum sentences for traffickers and gave trafficking victims the right to remain in the United States by applying for a permanent residency. The US also releases an annual report on countries and their progress in their fight against human trafficking. Japan, a major hub for the sexual trafficking of women and minors has been criticised for not making a more proactive approach when investigating trafficking. In 2006, the Japanese government arrested 78 suspected traffickers which resulted in 15 convictions. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to seven years. Some even received suspended sentences. Russia, which is repeatedly lambasted for its lack of will in the fight against trafficking, has recently taken an assertive step by working with neighbouring countries to block out trafficking routes. While in Israel, the government is cracking down on human traffickers. It has passed laws awarding compensation to victims of forced labour, slavery, sexual exploitation and hands out stiffer prison sentences to the perpetrators. In Australia, prison sentences for human trafficking vary depending on the motives behind the trafficking. The penalty for sex trafficking (“sexual servitude) is a prison sentence of up to 15 years. While a 25 years maximum prison sentence is given for Slavery. If a trafficker uses deception as a means to recruit victims then they face a sentence of up to 7 years imprisonment.
Since 2004, the Australian Federal Police have charged 22 people for human trafficking. Since October 2006, there has been four convictions for sex trafficking and four convictions for sex tourism.
‘‘Thousands of children from Asia, Africa and South America are sold in the global sex trade every year, in some cases by their own families’’ What can we do? HumanTrafficking.org, a website dedicated to fighting all forms of human trafficking has the motto “Empowerment Through Knowledge”. Since the industry is overwhelmingly sophisticated and intricate, the only way to tackle the industry as a community is through awareness about its potential victims, particularly in countries where human traffickers are active. There are a series of organisations around the world where one can receive important information about human trafficking, in addition to local non for profit organisations where one can visit and receive pamphlets and presentations about the issue. It is time to be more aware about this highly illegal and clandestine industry. Human trafficking is the most dehumanising of crimes. It strikes against the heart of our most basic freedoms and its silent victims are our most disadvantaged and vulnerable.
LITHUANIA // Vilnius Danielle (18) was trafficked to the UK to work in the sex industry. “My life was normal before I was trafficked at the age of 15. My friend was offered a summer job in London and I decided to go too. At the airport we were met by some men who handed £3,500 to the guy who’d travelled with me. To my horror I realised I’d been sold. I was taken to Birmingham by the man who bought me. He raped me then took me to a brothel and said I had to have sex with customers. I worked in the brothel for several months before I escaped. I’m trying to rebuild my life. But what they did has changed me forever.”
MADJRE Arcos Lucon Appolinaire, (20) First trafficked to Cote d’Ivoire where she worked for food and clothes in a restaurant. Trafficked from Togo by a woman who told her they would work in a market in Mono region selling maize. They arrived at night and stayed in a house where the woman left and did not come back. She has since become the wife of the brother-inlaw of the woman who owns the house and who had been paid money by the trafficker. Has been there for 6 yrs and she is the 2nd wife. Man of the house said the trafficker was paid 12000CFA.
LITHUANIA Kaunas Egle, (23) “In the last four years I’ve been trafficked five times twice to Germany and once each to the UK, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. I worked in different cities but I never knew the names of them. I had a lucky escape in the UK. My traffickers took me to a clinic for a pregnancy test but weren’t allowed to come in to see the doctor. I told her I had been trafficked and she called the police. I’m sheltering in a convent at the moment but will soon be going back to my home town. I don’t see how I will ever be safe again. I’ve got a three-year-old daughter. How will I ever be able to raise her safely when the traffickers are all around?”
TOGO // Kpewa Moumira Brahima, (15). Smuggled from Sokode to Nigeria and sold to a woman where she worked 5am-10pm every day. She’s about 7/8 months pregnant and HIV+. Victim of multiple rape by smugglers in Nigeria. She does not know she is HIV positive and indications are that her health is not good and that she will not be able to nurse her child which may have to be fostered. She can’t return home because of the shame of being an unmarried mother.
check out Mike Sheil’s work at: www.sheilphoto.co.uk Karen Robinson’s work at: www.karenrobinson.co.uk
Selection by Vincent Tang
SHIFT GEAR
Limited Edition Veyron New Nissan GTR
Most Anticipated Car The legendary Nissan GTR has been synonymous with speed and racing for decades, so when Nissan announced that an all new GTR was to be released, every car enthusiast in the world went crazy with excitement. The new “Godzilla” will run on the VR38DETT, a twin turbo 3.8 litre V6 based on the engine that was in the R390 LeMans racer. The Skyline and GTR are now two completely different cars, with the new Skyline (V36) just released to the Japanese market, with no dramatic changes and with 3 extra horses and Nissan’s new pop-up engine hood technology.
Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang Edition The special edition Veyron is a two tone of raw aluminum and carbon fibre. Bugatti has said only five will ever be made. Nuff said.
K.I.T.T. Returns
New Knight Rider In The Works After the success of Transformers, NBC thought it would be a great idea to cash in on another ‘80s icon car, K.I.T.T. A new Knight Rider TV series is already in the works, although to many fans and teenage girls’ dismay, David Hasselhoff is most likely not going to revive his old character.
NEED FOR SPEED: PROSTREET
Lancer Evolution X
Evo hits double digits The all-new Evo has been unleashed by Mitsubishi in Japan, sporting a mean facelift and a new engine. The prices for these rally-bred machines start at just under 3 million yen for the RS stripped out model, and 3.5 million for the GSR model. The Evo’s engine will be lighter than its predecessor, with an impressive 295 ponies and more torque to give the new owners more bang for their buck.
Double R Coupe
Your social life is over The crowned rulers of street racing games are back with what promises to be the meanest installment to date. This time around, you can compete on some of the world’s most iconic racing locations in places like Tokyo’s Shuto Expressway, the Autobahn and the Nevada Expressway. Of course, there’s now some pretty serious online capabilities with this bad boy so you can actually race strangers if you’re too shook to do it in real life. This shit is gonna be fire.
Phantom loses two doors Rolls Royce has announced that the Phantom Coupe will be in production mid 2008. No prices have been confirmed yet, but when you are looking to buy one of these, price wouldn’t be an issue anyways. Let’s see how quickly these become defaced in hip-hop videos, shall we?
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
A Very Expensive Demo Gran Turismo 5 is no doubt one of the most highly anticipated games for PS3. The series has been one of the realest driving simulators, becoming a staple in every rev-head’s game collection. Scheduled to be released in Japan on December 13, the game sample [GT5 Prologue] will be sold on blu-ray for a hefty price at around $AUD50, and can be downloaded from the PlayStation online store for a little less. Gone are the days of game demos stuck to the front of magazines, guess nothing in life is free these days.
auto
PHOTO CREDIT: Luke-Matthew Ray TEXT CREDIT: Vincent Tang
Easy Rider
ACCLAIM Looks into the history of Chopper Bikes
The Chopper is the poster-boy for complete freedom. Its culture has been romanticised so much // by the corporations that every kid these days sports
a West Coast Choppers tee and Dickies 874s. ACCLAIM is here to shine light on the history of the most romantic automotive culture in the world, and if you’re one of the previously mentioned kids, take out your pen and pad and get ready to be schooled.
68 - 69
auto
These rides demand attention from everyone around them, their exaggerated stances, their amazing sea of chrome and paint and the unmistakable dose of bad-ass each one has running through its veins. But these incredible machines came from very humble beginnings from a time when the world was recovering from one of the most tragic times in human history. At the end of WWII, US servicemen returned to civilian life after years of war. While stationed in Europe, the bikes they rode were faster and lighter compared to the heavy, big American built ones they returned to. Many of the ex-soldiers were trained to work on bikes and cars, and while hanging out with other vets they used their acquired skills to tinker with cars and bikes to pass the time as a civilian. This is the time when early rods and choppers were born. The vets bought up the surplus of military bikes and began modifying them, removing unnecessary items like windshields, big headlights and saddlebags to un-clutter the look of the motorcycles and minimize the weight. The fenders of these bikes would be “bobbed”, or shortened, as much as possible, hence this early style bikes were called “bobbers”. From there, the newly nicknamed “bikers” would continue to style their bikes, evolving throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, the rides would sit lower to the ground and become more radical and far out. Along the way, “choppers” would be the name used for these bikes, referring to parts of the car that had been “chopped” off. Some of the mods would include fronts that were “raked” for the ride to sit lower, bigger and fatter wheels were fitted. High handlebars, called “ape hangers”, were fitted and the
large spring saddles were removed in order to sit lower on the motorcycle’s frame. Immaculate chrome paint was added to further accentuate the stylings of the bikes, making them appear as extreme as possible.
‘‘Harley Davidson were churning out soft, conservativelooking bikes’’ From there, these rides became a form of rebellion, while the factories like Harley Davidson were churning out soft, conservative-looking bikes and the American car industry was rolling out giant cars, Choppers were stripped of all the un-needed accessories, a sort of nude and pure form of what everyone was used to. The scene was pretty much underground, until 1969 when Easy Rider was released, exposing a mainstream audience to the romanticism of the bikes. From there the once humble Chopper grew in popularity and the culture would slowly evolve to become the widely known and seen lifestyle that it is today. python choppers The bikes you see in the pictures are from the Python Choppers workshop situated in South Melbourne, Australia. Part of GV Automotive & Python Vehicles Australia, these guys are internationally acclaimed for their beautifully crafted bikes & cars. Keep an eye out for these gearheads in future issues, as their workshop is just as cool as the automotive porn sitting on the other page. Until then, you can check them out at www.pythonchoppers.com.
CL A BIKSSIC E
auto
Words by Vincent Tang
Lamborghini Reventón
The Embodiment of Chuck Norris In A Car
Since Audi took over the reigns of Lamborghini, everything born under the sign of the bull is // nothing less than perfect. Aside from its usual sex-on-
wheels line-up, they still manage to make some uberexpensive and ultra limited edition cars for the rich to enjoy and for everyone else to blog, write and talk about for months on end. First they had the Versace Edition LP640 (see issue 06), and now the Lamborghini Reventón, the most bad-ass production car to ever grace the Earth.
70 - 71
auto
The Reventón was based on the LP640 and inspired by aeronautical stylings, and as a result looks like the lovechild of Megatron and the Batmobile. The front is shaped much like a jet-fighter, with an arrow-like nose and two huge gaping vents delegated to the job of keeping the 640 ponies cool. Giant vents also sit on either side, gulping air into the six-piston caliper brakes. The engine sits under angled vented glass that looks like reptile scales from above, proudly displaying the V12 that sits oh-so perfectly behind the driver. And did I mention this baby’s got back, too? With a giant spoiler at the bottom, huge centered exhaust a la the Batmobile and cues from the Millennium Falcon, it’s a surprise that the car doesn’t come with a Decepticon logo. The paint is called Grey Barra, an opaque grey with metallic particles that gives the body depth when hit by the sunlight. Through the signature suicide doors, no expense is spared in the interior either, which is a combination of alcantara, carbon, aluminum and leather. The dash consists of three TFT liquid crystal screens like in modern airplanes, which can change from three different modes at the touch of a button, and milled from a single aluminum block, the structure that houses the dash is wrapped in a carbon fiber casing. The screens can change from a classic circular dash reading to something that would look more at home at the controls of the Starship Enterprise.
Pushing only 20 horses more than the standard Murciélago, the engine is taken from the standard LP640. The car takes only 3.4 seconds to reach 100 km/ph from standstill, and doesn’t stop ‘til it hits it’s maximum speed of 340 km. If you don’t understand any of that jargon, let’s just say that the car is very fucking fast.
‘‘looks like the lovechild of Megatron and the Batmobile’’ Basically, this widowmaker is unfuckwitable. Everything about this car is perfect, from the wheels with carbon fiber inserts to every line of the car. Unfortunately Lamborghini has announced that only twenty models of the Reventón will ever roll out of its factory, and with all of them already snapped up by the day of its unveiling regardless of the 1 million Euro price tag, it’s very unlikely that anyone of us will ever see this car with our own eyes. As Lamborghini brags in its own press release, “With the Lamborghini Reventón, Lamborghini has done it again; it has created an unequalled super car”. And who’s going to disagree with them? This car is by far the fucking coolest car to ever be released. The Infamous Reventón This Lamborghini continues to stay true to the tradition of being named after famous fighting bulls. Reventón, owned by the Don Rodriguez family, is one of the most infamous bulls in history, best known for killing famed bullfighter Felix Guzman back in 1943.
WHHOT EE LS
all eyes on
Selection by Chris Delaney
Molotow Vs Ironlak
A wave of sponsorship is rolling across the country as paint brands Ironlak and Molotow battle it out in the promotional stakes. Molotow have picked six different crews across Australia to do full scale productions, with Melbourne’s AFP going first, and will then be opening up the jam to anybody who wants to apply. Submissions will be considered and if you’re good enough, Molotow will supply paint, caps, food and t-shirts, as well as displaying the production on their website. Ironlak, on the other hand, is putting on a relaxing day of beers, BBQs and burners with their aptly named BBQ Burners series. Organising a different day in each state, they’ve invited a handful of local respected writers to rock out on giant walls and showcase their wide colour range. Thanks to both of these companies for showcasing some of the best talent the country has to offer. molotowmasters.com ironlak.com
Over Collectibles Cope 2 // Kings Destroy Abstract Video
72 - 73 all eyes on
piece of the month
renob // Melbourne
Uncommissioned Art
Author: Christine Dew Publisher: The Miegunyah Press RRP: $39.95 Callum Vass Uncommissioned Art is another title aiming to cater for the public’s recent interest in Australia’s street art, neatly packaged in a hard cover it will no doubt land it a place on coffee tables across the country. Like Street Art Uncut, Uncommissioned Art is written from an outsider’s perspective (yet another reason to look for the Everfresh Blackbook) and this is reflected in the written contents, in particular the foreword by a Melbourne Uni lecturer. Though uselessly laid out in an A-Z format and the captions aren’t always dead on, it’s a really great compilation of pictures and some good interviews with the likes of Merda, Tash, Kab101, Puzle and Lister among others. Whether you’re into graff or not this is an important pictorial history of Australian art, though hopefully next time a book like this comes along, it’s clearer in written content.
© C. Dew
Last issue we reviewed a classic book, so this time we’ll profile a classic DVD, “Cope 2 - Kings Destroy”. Released in 1999, it tells the story of Cope 2, his crew and their rise to fame in the New York graffiti scene and then around the world. Mostly featuring extensive one on one interviews with Cope 2, it goes right into his life, following him around as he racks paint, scopes out yards and hangs out with his kids. We also get to see many legendary writers like Seen, PJ, T-Kid and others in front of the camera, as well as introducing us to a number of newer stars on the graff scene. The amount of footage we get of old-timers telling their stories, as well as hip-hop identities like Fat Joe, almost makes it worth it alone. Delivering an in-depth look into NY graffiti, post Style Wars, and with extensive bombing, piecing and great train painting footage, this is a movie that’s worth watching to get the blood pumping.
Graffiti has taken another step into the mainstream, with collectible cards featuring writers from around the world now on sale. Yes, just like the footy cards you used to buy as a kid, but presumably without the stick of gum inside. Hats off to Aussies Pilfer, Hooker, Sirum and Mase, who made it onto the list of 21 writers chosen to be included in the series. Each card has a glossy picture on the front and some personal information on the back about the writer and their history. Retailing at $6US for a pack of 6 random cards and $50US for the whole series, they’re available online. www.overcollectibles.com
NEW ANTI GRAFFITI LAWS FOR THE STATE OF VICTORIA, AUSt.
Tough new graffiti laws were introduced in the Victorian Parliament in September this year. Treating graffiti as a specific offence, the laws allow for up to two years jail time or a maximum fine of $26,428. Under the new laws, spray paint is not available to minors unless for work purposes and possessing graffiti implements on or around public transport property carries a fine of up to $2,753. This particular detail has many civil rights campaigners up in arms, as it goes against the legal principle of innocent until proven guilty. As well as these changes, the Government will also be providing Victoria Police with covert cameras and infrared trip wire technology to stake out graffiti hot spots.
MEKS - VANS - ASKEW - PHAT1 - Ironlak welcomes ‘Meks’ to the family.
THE IRONLAK EXTENDED FAMILY
Four new colours available soon - Ozone, Storm, Meow and Ironlak colour comp winner (name tba). Ironlak cans now come equipped with donuts. See instore for details. * Main image above taken from “Krush City’s” wall by Bore, Meks and Reals. See the entire wall at Ironlak.com.
Ironlak - Australia’s First Aerosol Art Paint. learn more at the ironlak blog; ironlak.com/learnmore
skill check
Words by Robbie Ettelson
Rock Da City Stand Strong
Twenty years deep and still standing strong, Melbourne’s Rock Da City crew have made their mark // across the globe through painting, producing, rhyming and publishing. Prowla and Jase have both made names for themselves in the hip-hop world, while Dom runs Melbourne’s iconic “This Is It” store. It’s just begun…
74 - 75 skill check
For those who don’t know, who started the crew? Shem: First was the duo of DECI and PROWLA, coz they went to school together. This is in the blue train era. PROWLA spotted me doing what writers do on a train– scoping new pieces and tags. Because he lived in Richmond, everyone would just meet there and go bombing. RDC’s loop spot was pretty much Alamain train line. We would fill a giant 5 litre metal container full of ink then dip the whole Tempra or flow pen into this huge tin, wipe it down and go bombing all day. PROWLA’s place was like the refill station. PROWLA’s older sister DUCE was hanging out with MERDA, DSKIZ, KRISY and P-NUT, that was a big influence. So as a result we had mad connections to videos, graff and sketches from all the kings. In those days it was still a secret society. Shem: It was a big deal to have graffiti pen-friends back when there was no internet. Writers walked the line and took photos, then sent flicks and sketches around the world. To get a package was like getting a glimpse of the future. We’re talking pre-Subway Art, so to have Style Wars on a tenth-generation dub for the first time was amazing. JASPER’s cousin was this guy called DISZ 1 - he actually was from Europe, but even back in the early 80’s he was painting trains with KASE 2 and WEST. We got some copies of his slides of NY panels that have never been printed. In Year 11 I met Jors, and we automatically clicked and I brought him into RDC. When you got down with the crew, was that a different phase for RDC? Jors: Times changed. You had the summer of ‘89 where you could sit on Richmond station and watch panels come in, day-in, dayout. Come ‘91, ‘92 – people stopped. It went from your sister and your cousin having a tag to everyone just stopped doing it. It was like a break-dancing phase. There were still people that were doing it, but it went into a different era. The train yards got fences and all that sorta stuff.
I’m guessing the RDC album and magazine was a highlight? Jors: No one had gone to that extent in Australia. It was telling people that this is something that came together from other interests other than just graffiti. It showed that we had depth. Half the sales went to Europe, too. It was beyond backyard style, it was ‘Let’s show ‘em something is going on down here!’
‘‘some of the writers we paint with today weren’t even born when RDC started painting.’’ You guys recently did a big 20th Anniversary production? Jors: Yeah, that was the start of it. We’re trying to make an effort to round everyone up again and get some walls done. It’s pretty amazing after 20 years that we’re still out and about, starting to pull out some good productions and getting up again. The younger generation are coming through, and they’re all hungry and they’re pushing us to paint on the regular and keep our styles progressing. To have lived that era is one thing, but to have gotten through it is another. Its weird to think that some of the writers we paint with today weren’t even born when RDC started painting. Graffiti for life!
Role Call: Current Crew: PROWLA, SHEM, JORS, CALVIN (SKUFLE), MESK, SHOUT, JEDS, RENCS Early Members: JASPER, DECI, KORE, AOK (LINK), WHAT, RAVE (NRH), SKELPER Shouts to: F1C, MR, SIRUM, HOOKS, MENACE, ESCAPE, TREM, VANS, Nuff Said, This Is It, Beathedz
Brooklyn Scrapyard NYC
L LE OCA GE L ND S
skillcheck
Words by Chris Delaney Photos by Ingrid Blankevoort and Bonsai
DOZE GREEN
A global phenomenon
It’s the morning after the night before and Doze Green is extremely hungover. Sitting in the // sun outside a bar in St Kilda, Doze requests to do the
76 - 77 skillcheck
interview lying down on the bench seat, his request for a Bloody Mary turned down by bar staff, as it’s not on their cocktail list. Putting the pain aside, we get down to an Australian exclusive. We start with the GAS project, the reason that Doze is in town. The GAS project is in its second year and is designed to “feature celebrated industry creatives alongside exceptionally talented newcomers in a mash-up of mediums and approaches”, a cause that Doze wholeheartedly supports: “Wherever I go, I try to meet emerging artists in the cities that I visit. It’s good to be a part of creating communities and supporting communities.” As well as supporting the up and coming, Doze is also on the tail end of an international tour. “The name of the show is The Left Hand Path, based upon dream states, shadows, what you’d call inter-dimensional travel and just subconscious stuff. That’s what I do.” According to the man, there’s no need to be thrown by some of the more powerful terms used to describe his work. Utilising symbols that are available to anyone, he creates personal pieces that are about his life story as well as borrowing from global culture; fusing elements of his bboy past with a metaphysical future. “Conspiracy theories, history, I merge all of that together.” Whilst being a celebrated gallery artist, Doze finds live painting an important aspect. At both Australian shows, he created large freestyle paintings that reflected his crowded surroundings. When asked about his graffiti roots and how much of that he tries to hold onto, he told me that its all still the same thing.
“It’s a hybrid of what a basic wildstyle letter would be. I’ve just deconstructed it and realigned it.” Just as the roots are the same, the motivation comes from the same place too. Back in the days of lower income living and life changing documentaries like Style Wars, it was about much simpler goals; “Getting into trouble, fucking shit up. That was my inspiration. I think it’s always been having freedom to express myself in a less conventional manner.” These days, inspiration comes from different places. “’I’m really into sculpture now and kinetic things, things that move”, but it’s still freedom of movement that keeps him going, “I just do what I want. I guess I’m a spoilt brat.”
‘‘I just do what I want. I guess I’m a spoilt brat’’ The long term future for Doze holds more kinetic work. A project with David Ellis at the Upper Playground in San Francisco will involve clandestine rooftop installations that Doze is very excited about, as well as being involved in building a multilevel barn in Maui, to create a space to showcase up and coming talent, but after the night he’s just had, the immediate future looks like a lot of sleep and a long flight home.
WO WI RLD FA DE ME
SKILL CHECK
Interview by Mega
Jeremyville
Life is a fairy tale Before becoming one of the most recognised Australian artists, the man behind Jeremyville spent a wonderful // childhood growing up in Wonderland Avenue, near Bondi
in Sydney. The beach boy used to spend a lot of time playing with Lego, Smurfs, sea monkeys, toy soldiers, and reading heaps of Tin Tin, Richard Scary, and Mr. Men books. This led him naturally to think that making a career out of drawing stuff would be a pretty fun option. So, a couple of sketchbooks later, he studied architecture at Sydney Uni, began drawing at the Sydney Morning Herald, and simply became one of today’s freshest illustrators. Well, who said life wasn’t easy?
78 - 79
VISUAL ARTS
What is the concept behind Jeremyville? Jeremyville is a project-based concept; it’s a place where projects and collaborations happen. Like Vinyl Will Kill, the first book in the world on designer toys, that I wrote, or a sketchel bag for Beck, or a collab’ comic with Geoff McFetridge, or a shoe design for Converse. It can be anything interesting and exciting to me, I don’t limit myself to just one medium, like just apparel. I feel comfortable doing lots of things, sometimes at once! I also like trying new things, new mediums, this keeps me excited. For example right now I’m doing some animation with a company in Argentina, a snowboard design for Rossignol in Utah, a toy with Super Rad toys in LA, preparing for a solo art show in Paris, an animation for a UK company, a group art show in Rome, t-shirt designs for Graniph in Japan, a comic book for a French publishing company. I like mixing it up. What about this work you had as a cartoonist for the Sydney Morning Herald? It was a great learning experience, as I had to come up with ideas for the paper on a daily basis, and quickly. You have no time to wait for the angel of inspiration to come down and gently whisper into your ear. You have to grab the angel by the neck and squeeze an idea out. I like working fast, and thinking fast. I don’t like to over-think a project, usually my first instinct for a solution is the best. You develop your work on various mediums from fine art, to publishing, to apparel, etc. What is the philosophy behind your approach to a new project? Each medium is different, and requires a new set of principles to work with. But I keep a general aesthetic running through my work, this makes
everything I do very recognisable as Jeremyville, from a t-shirt, to a book, to an animation. Whatever you do, you need to do it very well, as if that is all you do. Because there are people out there who only do one thing, so I never just dabble in something, I try and become expert at it, to do it the best I can, and add something to the medium.
“usually my first instinct for a solution is the best ” How did you manage to blend your artistic integrity with commercial success? I’m a very harsh critic of my work, so only when I feel something is really good, does it leave my studio. Also, for commercial work I generally choose images I have already drawn for personal reasons in my sketchbook, so there is an authenticity to my commercial work also, I’m not like a gun for hire. Clients come to me for what I do, and I generally choose something appropriate for them. Like for Rossignol snowboards, they just asked me to draw whatever I thought would work, and to just write Rossignol on there somewhere, it was a very open brief. Clients seem to trust me, and let me do my own thing. Do you reckon that the recognition overseas of people like you or Nathan Jurevicius is opening some doors for a next generation of Aussies artists? I hope it is helping open some doors for Aussies, I don’t generally push the obvious Australian angle in my work, simply because I’m influenced by lots of things globally, and I’m probably mentally more at my studio in New York than my Sydney studio. Also, my work is more from a place called Jeremyville than any other city on earth. The colours of Australia I’m sure have influenced my work, and I grew up in a beach side suburb in Sydney, and that has to have had an influence, but I can’t isolate it, or put it into words, it’s just a part of me.
DE IN MA ND
TATTOO
Interview by Mega
Jesse Smith
FROM WALLS TO SKIN
I always had a problem dealing with tattoo art. From tribal designs to Japanese goldfishes, to old school // skulls, I always thought that most of the people involved
in the business suffered a serious lack of inspiration, and a really poor sense of creativity. Most of them are simply unable to show the beginning of a personal style, which led me to always maintain a certain distance from their so called “art“. Then you have people like Jesse Smith coming up to kick the shit out of the clichés, and to blow up all my stupid stereotyped ideas. Damn! This guy’s art is so rad it makes me feel like I want to take the next plane to the U.S., and get my skin painted from head to hands. Hey Jesse, how does your schedule look for next week?
80 - 81 lifestyle
Where are you from and what was life like growing up? I was born in Tacoma Park, Maryland and raised everywhere else. My father was in the Military so we traveled all over the world. I lived all up and down the east coast of the U.S. and spent about 8 years in Europe (Germany, Italy and England). Being that we moved around so much I had a lot of time to myself towards the beginning of every new place. So I spent a lot of that time drawing and hanging out with my brothers. I graduated High school in Heidelberg, Germany and that is where I feel I really started to lean towards a style. The graff scene in Germany is overwhelming. You really can’t go anywhere without seeing an awesome production laced wall. I spent a great deal of my time in Germany doing graffiti up until I graduated high school. So, how did you turn from walls to skin? My family didn’t really have enough money to send me to college so I ended up joining the army, which landed me in Ft. Eustis, Virginia. That is where I met this fella named Carlos who was tattooing out of his house. He taught me how to make a ghetto gun and I started lighting up some of my buddies. I initially only planned on doing a couple of tattoos, but the demand kept me rolling, and I eventually built up a pretty decent portfolio. When I got out of the Army I ventured up to Richmond, Virginia and started my freshman year at Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue a degree in Fine Arts. I rolled around to all the local tattoo shops with my portfolio and eventually landed a job in a
production shop outside of a military base (Ft. Lee) where I had tons of G.I.s to practice on. Did you have a background in art beforehand? Not much. I had taken a ton of art classes while in High school, but most of what I had to offer at that time came from drawing in my room. It wasn’t until a couple years of college that stuff really began to click. Your style is really personal, how would you describe it? Man, I really don’t know. All my stuff looks pretty normal to me. I try and bend it as much as possible and pay as much respect to light source as possible. A lot of people describe my work as New School, but I think it leans more towards Low Brow.
“people describe my work as New School, but I think it leans more towards Low Brow” What do you think about the success of tattoo artists in fine art galleries? I think it’s awesome. It’s definitely a direction that I’ve been trying to give more attention to lately. Although I love to tattoo, painting grants a lot more freedom. You’re not limited by your canvas or your client. Any projects going on? Got a bunch of stuff in the works. I’ve been working adamantly on a couple of body suits and a couple large paintings. Really can’t wait to finish those up!
IN IN K C.
FILM BUFF
Words by Necro
NECRO’S TOP 5
At ACCLAIM we’re into movies in a big way but we thought rather than your standard fluffy film // reviews, this issue we’d get the thuggish opinion of shock
82 - 83 FILM BUFF
Rapper Necro. Strap yourself in as Necro guides us through his top 5 flicks of all time. Scarface (1983) I love Scarface because the screenplay is so fucking insane, every scene is candy, you just enjoy everything Tony Montana says and his facial expressions are crack, plus anything street gets me open and this is the street gangster film of the century. Oliver Stone wrote this and it’s his best work in my opinion, I also feel Al Pacino is at his finest here. The characters are also great, from Hector to Chi Chi to Minolo, everyone in this film is a goon. I personally practiced the lines to this movie years ago when I was trying to be an actor and I can do a lot of the scenes in this movie. I’d love to interview Pacino one day and make the whole interview revolve around this piece of work and what have the reactions been over the years from people. I didn’t like the fact that he shot Minolo though, and I didn’t like the fact that he dies at the end, I wish he would have stayed alive, and made tons more movies, that same character. The scene where he is sitting with Sosa and Omar, and he is just straight abusing Omar, awesome. I feel like I have a lot in common with this film because although it did well in the box office, it got shitted on by all critics of that time. While I have fans all over the world and I can’t stop your little sisters from devouring my sperm in hotels, critics still try to downplay my genius. Blood Sucking Freaks (1976) This is the most classic gore flick ever. I used to not
want people to know about it because it’s so sick. Since a kid this flick has been the sickest, just for the screenplay, the white slavery theme, all the ways they torture bitches and the cast! There has never been a sicker midget than Ralphus. My crew is the only rap crew that has exploited this movie over and over in our rhymes. Ralphus is a Puerto Rican midget with an afro that loves killing and he is mad flavour, he actually died of AIDs supposedly. He was involved in the underground porn world and he once fucked Vanessa Del Rio in a porn flick. Very unique cat, his real name was Louis de Jesus. The other star of the movie was Seamus Obrian, he got murdered in his house a year after this movie came out by a burglar, how sick is that? He might have been a huge star, at least in horror, too bad, rest in pain Seamus! Good Fellas (1990) What a movie! This movie has Joe Pesci at his finest. Shooting spider in the foot was classic, he was so foul, he didn’t give a fuck, abusing everyone, he told him, “take him to Ben Casey!” That’s the doctor down the street that I guess everyone went to, no respect. Then you see Michael ImperioIi in the Sopranos, playing gangsta, fuck that shit, he was always Spider to me. I was asking Hyde one day, “you think these dudes are gangsta in real life?” And he said “hells no”, supposedly James Gandolfini hated when people would see him like that, while guys like me, every show I do I gotta punch people in their fucking face. Speaking of shows, 3 out
of 7 NZ/Australia shows we did, we had to crack someone in the face. The fact is we are the Goodfellas motherfucker: me, Hyde, Klee, Ill Bill, Benny, Ming, Erez, Carbone. Casino (1995) First thing that comes to mind is Pesci and his brother getting beaten to death with bats, that scene is golden, you hear his brother moaning like a little bitch, kinda like how the dude Pesci stabbed in the neck is moaning at the start of the flick, like karma came to get him. Very brutal, and that dude’s face with the bat, with the white hair, he had some serious acne problems, that guy was heroin. You didn’t wanna fuck with that dude, that guy just kills for the fun of it. The whole movie is candy, from destroyed Sharon Stone to James Woods, to motherfucking Don Rickles. Pesci hit him in the head with a phone, that was dust. It was good acting to see Deniro getting put under pressure by Pesci when in Raging Bull it was the other way around. I think the chemistry between those two is legendary and I’d watch 20 more movies with them playing hardcore neighbourhood guys, very dope shit. Scorsese always comes with the hot story telling narration intros and walking camera shots, even Gangs of New York grew on me and is a banger. I wish Scorsese would drop another banger like Casino and cast Pacino, Pesci, Frank Vincent, all of them. I haven’t seen a good gangster flick in a long time,
looking forward to American Gangster with Denzel, that should be rugged. Maniac (1980) Frank Zito stars in this flick, real name Joe Spinell, whatever happened to him? I think he died, his face was shit, this is his best role. He was such a sick fuck in this movie, talking to dolls and talking to his dead mother, he would have been huge had he not croaked. This movie is very sad too. 1980 it dropped if I’m correct. You feel really bad for Frank, ‘cause he is so fucking warped, when he is in the cemetery chasing that girl, screaming, “Rita knew, Rita knew”, that was dusted. Joe Spinell was also in Godfather, what’s crack is to see Maniac and then watch him in Godfather, his little cameo will make you laugh. I’ll say it again, his face was a pile of smelly shit. I made a track called Frank Zito and I also have a track called Joe Spinell, I just have that much love for this flick and him as an actor in this flick, a tour de force. If you haven’t seen it, go buy a mannequin, lock ya self in a room, don’t shave for 5 months, start talking to ya self, load up a shotgun and run around ya local city imitating the Son of Sam. This flick has to be influenced by Berkowitz, come to think of it actually who isn’t influenced by Berkowitz? The president must, just look at president. com I have to go now, my Mommy wants me, don’t listen to a word I say!
Death Rap Necro’s latest gore filled album Death Rap Psycho+Logical/Shogun.
is out now through
mixtapes Quick – name one good solo release by a D-Block member. Realistically, we’ve all come to the conclusion that all three constituents make some pretty horrid albums. As for this mixtape – perhaps not horrid, but definitely mediocre as fuck. I get the vibe from listening to Styles’ shit that I do from listening to Mobb Deep’s heyday releases except that he is probably a better rapper (no hate-o), and has been clowned way less times in public. Oh, and OP the Mobb Deep albums were actually good. I would like to say that Styles P HIP-H is all style and no substance (which he is), but I don’t really find myself being blown away by his Guru-esque delivery either (yeah, I went there). As for the substance – guns, razors, faggots, crack, rappers – all of which are good in my book if you actually say something of interest. Even if he said some absurd ridiculous shit (ie: Souljah Boy, Shop Boyz) then it would be worthy of a laugh, but this dude is a legitimate artist who should be making stuff that I like. On that note, I’m not stuck in the Hatrix wanting to smear shit all over Styles P, because I would like nothing more than to hear this dude release something that is actually good. Maybe somebody should trick him into thinking that he is just making 60 guest appearances and then create an album behind his back so that he doesn’t create this yawn-inducing shit. I suppose at least he hasn’t been punched in the face by Saigon.
Big mike & styles p The Phantom Menace
T-Rock
art of war Cop It In Ya Grill Vol.2
jehst The Menghi Bus Mixtape YNR Productions // Grindin
dj rush Spader Mixtape
IE
AUSS
I think it’s safe to say that there has been a pretty big metamorphosis performed by these guys in the few years since their debut album. What I think could safely be labeled as pretty “traditional” Australian hip-hop has now developed into an entirely different entity. I dare say that these guys have copped a lot of hate from the “keep-it-real patrol” by branching out into shit that sounds semi-commercial and contemporary, and I’d say that there is a pretty good bet that they have also been labeled as sell-outs. Well, I can’t remember hearing JR Writer getting thumped on Triple J unlike traditional Australian hip-hop (Hoods, Bliss N Eso, The Herd), so those guys can suck my proverbial wang. These guys are definitely moving in the right direction as far as creativity goes but I can’t help but feel that the actual substance and style of the raps hasn’t quite melded with the heavy synth production just yet. The actual taste of the three members has no doubt changed over the past five years but there isn’t too much evidence as far as rap delivery goes. A better concept than result, but I’ll still take it over raps about bombing the lines and lyrical whatever.
OP HIP H
UK P O HIP H
Jehst is back in full swing with some seriously heavy hitting rhymes and punchlines. I haven’t been this excited about a forthcoming UK hip-hop release since Verb T and Harry Love’s Bring it Back to Basics LP. The Mengi Bus Mixtape is absolutely bursting with good hip-hop. One great thing about this mixtape is that Jehst is most definitely the best emcee on it, and while there are many guest appearances, he really steals the show. Jehst is an absolutely amazing lyricist, who definitely hasn’t lost anything since the days of the High Plains Drifter and Falling Down. If anything, he is back with more talent, and definitely more hunger for success. I’m only giving this 4/5 because a score of 5/5 would put too much pressure on the forthcoming album. Jeremy Swann
This guy knows how to get his hustle on. How the fuck this guy came from Canberra (no offence, but seriously…) to being on the backcover of his mixtape posing with dudes like The Game, John Legend and DJ Skee within the space of a couple of years is fucking beyond me (maybe he just has crazy Photoshop skills?). To be totally honest, this guy is a relative phantom amongst the traditional Australian hip-hop “scene”, but there’s no doubt that he’s making more moves than your average Joe on an international level. The actual mixtape doesn’t feature much in the way of brand name guests – in fact, I’m not really familiar with any of the American artists on here. That said, they are mostly on point and clearly not some random shit from obscure local rappers that he got his hands on while in the States. This is mostly a synthy, new school, relatively jiggy affair with a few more soulful tracks thrown in for good (token?) measure. While not anything to write home about, definitely impressive to see someone making moves overseas. I suppose it’s only natural for someone from Canberra to want to get out as quickly as possible. Lance McSuave
Swish Cheese
Rane Serato Scratch Live
84 - 85
Live Digital Vinyl Mixing System Supports: USB Interface, Mac & PC compatible. MP3, AIFF, WAV, OGG, CD & direct input. Imports iTunes playlists and library. Built in help and multi language. Includes 2 Serato vinyl 12”
www.cowonglobal.com
DJ PROFILE TITTSWORTH tittsworth.com
Welcome Tittsworth, whats up? Where are you at the moment? Home, just outside Washington DC. I just got back from New Orleans and am gearing up for some shows in Baltimore, Roanoke and of course Australia! When I think Baltimore Club, I think Diplo, Spank Rock, The Rub, Hollertronix and a Titts and Ayres mix. How would you describe Baltimore Club? I’d describe it as breaks with heavy kicks, claps and bass with an open format that can include samples… anything from kids TV shows to gritty rap records. In my opinion it’s the most open genre because it can include so many different sub genres and its format is so DJ friendly. There are club records that sample rock, some that sample oldies, some that same crunk records. There’s a type of club record for every type of crowd or emotion! Your Baltimore records are constantly selling out. What makes a proper party record? Balance. I take my inspiration from Baltimore club music and balance it with what I feel it needs in order for it to become somewhat accessible and well received. I try to blend the cheeky and the catchy with the clever and the soulful. You want to do justice to the genre, but by the same token I am focused on what the world thinks of a record or song, not just one particular city. Lots of the Baltimore records work because they sample a little from everywhere. Will sample clearance prevent a Major label getting involved? I think Baltimore club will always have a beautiful underground presence as a result of it being gray market art. However my album will be an attempt to see if I can pull off club music without those samples… It’s an experiment of sorts. Aaron Kovalik
Killa KEla onTourvandaMagE
METhod Man livE aT sunsET sTrip
Elf TranzporTEr EThErEal loTus flEET
Kafani MonEyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s My MoTivaTion
acEyalonE hT lig ning sTriKEs
Mac lEThal 11:11
OUT NOW ON SHOCK www.shock.com.au
www.myspace.com/methodaustralia
cds You know those fancy bedside alarm clocks that will let you play some specific music as the actual alarm itself? I think you can even get that shit rocking on iPods nowadays. Either way, this album would be the shittest choice of all time. While Talib is certainly intelligent, creative, soulful, an incredible rapper and all Ear Drum other things sugary and sweet - he also picks some fucking boring beats. If I called the 1994 version of (Blacksmith // myself and played this album down the phone, he would probably think that the production on the album is absolutely revolutionary and his head would probably explode when I tell him that he gets to see Wu-Tang Warner Brothers) live in 13 years time. I would love to hear a mash-up of the vocals on this album coupled with some shit that P doesn’t make me want to go to sleep, because I genuinely would like to pay attention to what Talib is saying HIP HO rather than...I don’t know...drifting into a coma. I’ve gotta stop sipping on Haterade - there are definitely some good songs on the album, and the fact that the production is pretty much ALL shit boring means that it actually creates a completely solid direction for the album. The beat choice is definitely complimentary for the kind of subject matter that is covered on the album (social issues, education, hating on new school hiphop), but it also compliments my ADHD’s choice to put on some other shit that actually keeps my attention for longer than two minutes. Now, a guy that Jigga claims he’d like to sound like is obviously going to have some pretty serious talent, and Talib comes harder on Eardrum than I’ve heard on any of his previous efforts. That said, I can’t remember almost falling asleep during Blueprint. Although, as much as I pump my Lil Waynes and Hell Rells, I think it’s important that dudes like Talib are continuing to push social commentary through their music. This is definitely some shit that I’ll listen to when I’m a geriatric and reminiscing about good hiphop, but at the moment I’m gonna keep rocking shit that I can ghostride to. Swish Cheese
talib kweli
50 Cent Curtis (Shady // Aftermath // Interscope) Pop Rap
The problem for 50 is the same dilemma that faced Michael Jackson after Thriller - he’s never going to match the numbers he did on Get Rich. At the same time - he’s rich, bitch, so why should he care? Ferrari could afford to take some creative risks at this point, but it’s no surprise that he plays it safe. All the ingredients for a hit record are here, with contributions from Akon, Eminem and Dr. Dre, but it’s difficult to shake the feeling that everyone’s just going through the motions. As usual, it’s equal parts gun talk and ladies jams, but the only real winners are the knocking I Get Money - an arrogant celebration of his ever-increasing millions - and Ayo Technology, which is without a doubt the greatest strip club anthem ever. Even the most diehard G-Unit Stans will struggle with uninspired lines like “I’m in the cut like germs, I do dirt like worms”, but Curtis is still slick enough to keep the legions amused for a couple of weeks. Robbie Ettelson
dj boneZ Roll Call (Obese Records)
86 - 87 cds
aus
“Times are changing and so must I,” exclaims DJ Bonez on the credits to his new album Roll Call. And times are changing indeed in
Aussie hip-hop. The continual rise of the culture in Australia is in part due to figures like DJ Bonez who have been pushing it for sometime now. This evolution is reflected in this new, well produced release on Melbourne’s original Obese Records. Utilising mainly local talent, Roll Call is a break away from the last album of DJ Bonez that I was listening to, Classic. Highlighting some of Australia’s freshest MCs, Roll Call captures the sound and vibe of the Obese crew. A strong album with nice cuts scattered throughout, DJ Bonez continues to push Australian hiphop in the chosen direction. Have a listen and see what you think. Sheep
the tongue Shock and Awe (Elefant Tracks // Inertia) Aus
Once again those Elefants come stomping through your headphones. Recent signing The Tongue kick started his journey by winning several MC battles, but really caught people’s attention with his Bad Education EP - one of the best releases of 2006. One thing that stood out then - which continues to do so now - is the diversity. Tongue can find the groove of whatever beat he uses and sits solid in it til the next thing comes along. On Shock & Awe, he’s selected beats that incorporate reggae (Forever), big band funk (Real Thing), and even folk (Inheritance), along with more traditional hip-hop bangers. This is all aside from his attention to detail, in terms of actual songwriting, intricate flows, and a uniquely witty sense of humour and
perspective. The latter traits make for some interesting Slick Rick style storytelling (I Know a DJ), and some subversive, almost sinister insights (Somebody’s Trying to Kill Me). A really solid debut. Nick D
Mac lethal 11:11 (Rhymesayers // Shock) under ground hip hop
Mac Lethal is an extremely creative chap. Throughout his self-released Love Potion collections, this is evident – but on 11:11, we see a slightly more stripped down version of Mac. This Mac is apparently only interested in bringing us a straight up, boom bap, rap album… albeit 2007 style. For instance, there’s no songs about cyborg chicks, but there are some killer beats, incredible flows, funny punchlines, and a couple of tracks here that could potentially upset “the masses.” Jihad!, for one - a track about disillusionment with the Church, giving props to Bill Hicks and George Carlin. The highlight humour-wise, is Pound that Beer – a song that takes a way played out concept, and flips it so far out to leftfield it’s bordering on genius. The tracklist is virtually highlight after highlight, with no guests, skits, intro or outro. It will probably get slept on round these parts, but with 11:11 we have a contender for album of the year. Nick D
keith murray Rap-Murr-Phobia / Fear of Real Hip Hop (Koch Records) Boom bap
Mr Murray is back with his 5th studio album aptly titled The Fear of Real Hip Hop. It doesn’t get any realer than Keith Murray’s history in hip-hop, from his legendary crew Def Squad to his synonymous rap flow, Murray displays his rawness on this album of home truths. Collaborations with the likes of label mate Erick Sermon, Redman, Method Man and Tyrese to name a few, this album showcases an even blend of grimy hip hop beats, thanks to the production prowess of Mike City , Omen & Erick Sermon to the smoother chilled out joints like debut single Nobody Do It Better, featuring Tyrese and produced by Sermon. From doing time in prison, to surviving the tragic deaths of both his parents and sister to both drugs and aids combined, Keith Murray is a formidable survivor and never afraid to step to the mic and deliver the truth. This album is an honest account of Murray’s evolving journey in hip hop and gives his fans a dose of reality as only Murray can deliver. Mr Murray is real! Maxine Cohen
LE: ALSO AVAILAB
DJX149CD
JUNK SCIENCE Tonic e Grandad’s Nerv DJX150CD
ROB SONIC SABOTAGE GIGANTE
Fantastic new album from self Features guest appearances NGAR 18 AESOP MC ROCK RETURNS HISAESOP THIRDROCK and With guest vocals from ROB HASONIC, produced ROB SONIC onWITHfrom Leg p TheJOHN Sweeand AND MOST EXPLOSIVE ALBUM TO DATE. CAGE, EL-P, BREEZE BREWIN the mighty Definitive Jux label. BUSDRIVER (EPITAPH). DJX152CD
from THE MOUNTAIN GOATS! comes supa-fly A styles A Production stalwart for the label,in Rob killer,from progressiveDARNIELLE Hip Hop VEJUX.NET WWW.DEFINITI BLOCKHEAD, ROB SONIC, EL-P andthat AESOP Featuring the hit single ‘None Shall Pass’ /ROBSONIC1 has toured and collaborated album is rooted in MYSPACE.COM EEN /HANGAREIGHT with the likes of AESOP ROCK, classic Bronx boomas bap!! MYSPACE.COM P ROCK himself. heard on triple j! NKSCIENCERA /JU OM E.C AC MYSP EL-P, FUNKSTORUNG and many more trailblazers!!
www.inertia-music.com
available now at all stores
WELL DEEP
TEN YEARS OF BIG DADA RECORDINGS DOUBLE CD ALBUM AND SEPARATE DVD BIG DADA WAS STARTED TO RUN ALONGSIDE THE ALREADY INNOVATIVE NINJA TUNE AND ALWAYS SOUGHT TO STAY TRUE TO A FOUNDING PRINICIPLE OF HIP HOP: TO KEEP MOVING, TO CONSTANTLY BE TRYING SOMETHING NEW, TO BE FRESHER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. AND BY BRINGING US ACTS SUCH AS ROOTS MANUVA, DIPLO, SPANK ROCK, TTC, LOTEK, TY, BUSDRIVER, KING GEEDORAH (AKA MF DOOM), CLOUDDEAD, WILEY THEY’VE DONE JUST THAT. WELL DEEP IS A 2CD ALBUM FEATURING TRACKS FROM ALL THE ARTISTS THAT HAVE RECORDED ON BIG DADA. THE WELL DEEP DVD CONTAINS ALL THEIR VIDEOS (INCLUDING SOME NEVER SEEN BEFORE) AND FEATURES EXTRAS GALORE INCLUDING A VIDEO MIX BY SYSTEM D-128 (DIPLO’S VIDEO COLLABORATOR) AND A BRAND NEW 30 MIN LABEL DOCUMENTARY WITH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH ROOTS MANUVA, DIPLO, SPANK ROCK, MIKE LADD, WILEY AND MORE. “THE VERY BEST UNDERGROUND HIP HOP LABEL” OBSERVER MUSIC MONTHLY “THE MOST PROGRESSIVE BRITISH HIP HOP LABEL EVER” THE FADER
www.bigdada.com www.inertia-music.com WELL DEEP DVD
AVAILABLE NOW AT ALL STORES
cds chamillionaire
Ultimate Victory (Motown // Universal)
southern P HIP HO
oh no Dr No’s Oxperiment (Stones Throw // Creative Vibes) Instru mental hip hop
This is an oxperiment that definitely worked. Oh No has a great ear for music, like the rest of his family and it shows. Like his brother Madlib, Oh No is truly a master of the sample, and has a similar messy, funky, slightly rough around the edges style. This album is essentially a mix of psychedelic guitar riffs from unverified backgrounds, funky chopped up breaks, with a lot of interesting Middle Eastern samples thrown in. This is really great music, and I like the way Oh No, like Madlib is not afraid to experiment with some slightly less traditional sounding hip-hop beats. This is definitely a must have for any fan of the Stones Throw sound, and it should also really appeal to anyone with an interest in eclectic samples. Oh No is definitely a producer’s producer. Highly recommended. Jeremy Swann
ill bill Black Metal (Uncle Howie // Traffic)
88 - 89 cds
lyn crook rap
Non Phixion were basically Public Enemy for white guys, in that they inspired a fiercely loyal fan-base and delivered cutting-edge music. Unlike Chuck and them, they didn’t last the distance. But just like his brother Necro, Bill is a workaholic who takes his respect from those foolish enough to front on his gritty
In a genre flooded with gimmicks and jingles, there might not be much competition in Southern hiphop as far as lyricism is concerned. But still, it gives me great pleasure to proclaim Chamillionaire as one of the best Southern rappers out at the moment. Not only does he not conform to the mainstream Southern market on Ultimate Victory, you’ll even hear a few dis tracks in reference to snap and crunk music throughout the album. With his rampant flow, Cham sticks to his guns with socially conscious lyrics and harmonies. In the spirit of Ridin Dirty the playful street anthem Hip Hop Police is proving to be just as popular in the clubs at the moment. The appearance of Slick Rick on this joint will astound you if you’re a true old school fan. As his alias suggests, money is a frequent topic in Chamillionaire’s music. More so on this album is the topic of people owing him money. With killer lyrics and an even deadlier chorus he reunites with Krayzie Bone on the haunting single Bill Collecta. Industry Groupie is an amusing joint in the style of The Game’s Wouldn’t Get Far. Normally we don’t really care for skits, but Spanky Hayes is a funny bastard and it’s hard not to laugh at his cameos. The guitar drenched Rock Star comes across as a little bit played out and as much as we love Lil Weezy, he’s just making too many guest appearances these days and his contribution didn’t do this joint any justice. Cham’s disdain for corruption is reinforced on Evening News, an entertaining effort at hip-hop theatre with a political undertone. Although this track is only a skit, Stuck in the Ghetto previews Chamillitary’s new signee Tony Henry as an absolute gem of a soul singer. There are a number of aspects that make Ultimate Victory really good listening. But most interesting is the fact that although the album has the usual ‘strong’ themes, you will notice a transition in Chamillionaire’s style whereby he no longer uses the “N” word, the “B” word or (believe it or not) even the “F” word in any of his rhymes. Jason “Baby Jay” Larke
brand of BK rap and get slapped. He’s got a new crew of crazy-ass crackas too, consisting of most of House of Pain and some of Cypress Hills old pals, so this new street album delivers an equal mixture of Brooknam hip-hop, thrash-rock rap and hilarious Charlie Manson snippets. Not every song hits the mark, but the good shit is really good – all the cuts featuring Q-Unique or Jeru The Damaja in particular. If he can lay-off all the unnecessary axe work on the official album, Bill will be running shit. Robbie Ettelson
creative vibes Funky Vibes (Creative Vibes) funk
Aaah… the morning. Getting amongst the masses moving every which way as they head to work is always fun. I listened to this latest release from Creative Vibes on a packed train in Sydney rush hour. As people get on and off the train, the dense carriage vibe changes like global warming weather patterns. But whilst this new album, Funky Vibes, is by no means a climate changing release, it does pack enough feel good funk, and a little bit of hip hop, to keep the morning vibe creative. Featuring a wide variety of artists, the inclusion of Osaka Monorail from Japan keeps the album in line with the people moving vibe. As we drift towards the long summer, perhaps now is a good time to get on the train and boost your funk collection for the parties ahead. Sheep
All pro sound track All Pro Sound Track (Shock) hip hop
2K has enlisted Hip Hop veteran Z-Trip to look after all the tracks for their brand new grid-iron offering, AllPro Football 2K8. Z-Trip appeals to a broad range of listeners, as he always keeps himself on his toes, doing funk/soul remixes as well as rock/rap mash-ups. Being a grid iron soundtrack, the album is very fast-paced and shows much more of Z-Trip’s rock influenced music, matching it with his signature “Golden Era” sounding cuts and underground MC selection. The usual suspects like Chali 2Na are of course featured, as well as other boom bap MCs like Dead Prez and Slug thrown in for good measure. Being a fan of Uneasy Listening, I prefer more of Z’s more funky and boom bappy sound, but this album will please all of his fans and also taking another step forward in the rock/hip-hop front. Solid album, not that we would expect anything less from the infamous party rocker. Vincent Tang
kosheen Damage (Moksha Recordings)
electronic
I guess it’s often really hard for an artist or group to live up to the standards of a previous album that has been a huge success. In
this case, Kosheen are trying to achieve an album with the same prominence as their 2001 debut, Resist. Unfortunately it’s not quite there, I think it lacks the diversity, and there are no tracks that really stand out and shout to me. Hopefully this album will introduce new fans to this great group, and in turn introduce them to Kosheen’s best release, Resist, which is truly an absolute classic. That said, Sian Evans remains one of my favourite female vocalists, I find her voice enchanting, and her lyrics are definitely not shallow fodder for the lowest common denominator. This album is much more rock based, with a singer–songwriter style, but with a lot of electronics thrown in. The group have definitely veered away from the drum & bass and breaks of past efforts. Jeremy Swann
sharon jones & the dap kings 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone) classic soul
Imagine if Amy Winehouse wasn’t effed-up on booze and goofballs and actually lived past 50. Actually, she still wouldn’t sound anything like Sharon Jones, who has reigned supreme as the baddest broad on the soul block ever since she kicked in the door five years ago with the incredible Dip Dappin LP. Two albums later, Jones and increasingly busy Dap Kings are still in fine form, although this platter seems content to wander through on a lazy Sunday afternoon without the need to kick you in the pants with anything as addictive
as her version of Janet Jackson’s What Have You Done For Me Lately. Plus she insists on making a couple of songs about how awesome Sweet Jesus is and junk, which ain’t really so sweet in my book. Nevertheless, you can’t deny the strength of the vocals and the faultless performance of the band, and you really need to go and cop the whole catalogue if you consider yourself even a casual music fan. Robbie Ettelson
scribe Rhyme Book (Dirty Records // Mushroom) NZ Hip hop
Scribe has always skated on the thin ice between mainstream hip-hop and underground hip-hop. With Rhyme Book the ice has most certainly shattered and plunged this New Zealander, born Malo Luafutu , into the depths of mainstream music. Scribe delivers a storm of emotions and arrogance track after track swinging from lyrically calm to a musical hurricane. Self proclaiming himself as The Champion, Scribe relays his troubles before and after selling the 200, 000 copies of his first album to his escape from the public eye in recent years. Look out for hip-hop legend Talib Kweli on Be Alright, Scribe’s father on the heartfelt A.W.O.L and Don’t Look Back. Rhyme book has some epic moments that will make anyone rock their head back and forth and on production alone it’s worth the purchase. Not many people flow like him that’s for sure but I can think of a few that he flows like and at times the Jay-Z comparison becomes too hard to ignore not to mention the “Pac and Biggie” drops. You’re either going to love him or hate him but I don’t recommend you miss checking out this album. RhymeSchematiks
boys Noize Oi Oi Oi (Boys Noize Record)
dance electro
German producer and DJ Alexander Ridha a.k.a. Boys Noize made his mark with his banging remix of Bloc Party’s Banquet at the height of
the current Ed Banger/Kitsune electro craze. Now he attempts to do the crossover with his debut album of original material. Oi Oi Oi opens with an innocuous ‘hello’ before slamming into a relentless electro grind and an aloof female command to ‘dance dance dance’ with Track & Down. This turns out to be one of the more interesting songs on the album, with most of the others following the face-grinding electro formula. The bass-laden beats wind and pummel with precision, never stopping for air, save for Shine Shine. This song, with its slinky synths, shimmers with a seductive warmth that is absent anywhere else on the album. However, even that warmth comes at arms length. The cold detachment means that, while solid, Oi Oi Oi never has any real distinguishing songs, the way Waters of Nazareth works for Justice, or Ross Ross Ross for Sebastian. Put it on for when you’re driving, but don’t expect it to drive the dancefloor. Vivian Huynh
mf grimm The Hunt For The Gingerbread Man (Class A Records // Shogun) under ground Hip hop
Hot on the heels of the Thirstin Howl project, the Class A crew hit us with a concept album featuring one of Monsta Island’s finest. Everything about this LP impresses from the drop – slick artwork, hard beats and dope lyrics – which signals a welcome return to form for Grimm after this over-ambitious triple American Hunger CD. The superb title track and both mixes of Head In The Clouds are immediate stand-outs, but most of the songs work well, as suitably eerie loops and crisp snares push the tales of baked goods run wild along at a steady pace. Since this is a theme album, a couple of tracks such as My House and The Fox take the whole gingerbread thing to almost ridiculous extremes and might have been better left in the oven (insert your own bakery gag here), but the rest of the time Grimm manages to cleverly incorporate the idea of “cakingup” without sounding like a fruitcake. Cold getting’ dumb on you crumbs, indeed. Robbie Ettelson
games
Words by Thomas Baker Photos by Thom Rigney
HALO 3
Phrase Vs Vargas Melbourne rapper Phrase had Melbourne Victory player Roddy Vargas around for a few matches of // Halo 3. Technical issues aside, the boys shot things in the
90 - 91 lifestyle
face and made shit explode. But was it fun?
Phrase did a track with Karnivool’s lead singer Ian Kenny for Halo 3 called Face It. The track wasn’t polished in time for the release of the game, but the clip – which had Phrase lying in pools of water in an underground car park at 10pm – is being used for promo. Besides a sweet licensing fee for his track, Phrase scored a free Xbox 360 from the guys at Microsoft. They only sent one controller, but Phrase’s mate came through with another one. Anyway, long story short – the afternoon kicked off with the worst thing that could possibly happen if you want multiplayer action, besides your opponent having a heart attack en route to your house: fucked controller. Soldiering on, Phrase and Roddy took turns battling through the single player campaign. Halo 3 starts with Master Chief in a coma in the jungle. He soon wakes up in a suitably cinematic way, and before you know it he’s off shooting Covenant weirdos. The setting was striking, and both of the fellas liked it. “I played the first one – it was all dark and indoors”, said Roddy, and Phrase chipped in, “This is a little more chilled, you don’t feel as claustrophobic. How’s the serenity?” Roddy hasn’t played much Xbox lately, with an intense training schedule eating up all his time. “It’s all I do – sleep, train, sleep”, he said. That didn’t stop him from chucking grenades and wielding dual plasma pistols in style. Partway through he had to participate in a tribunal hearing over the phone – someone was slinging racial slurs his way during a match, so they’re up for punishment.
Phrase liked the pacing. “It’s not too quick – the gameplay is a good speed. There’s not too much shit going on, but there’s enough to keep it interesting.” Keeping things even more interesting is Phrase’s upcoming release, Burn It Down, scheduled for Feb. Halo 3 broke launch day sales records, selling more than 50,000 copies in the first 24 hours. Based on that, Phrase and Roddy’s ratings won’t help or hinder its success, but here they are anyway:
Phrase Graphics: 5 Sound: 3 Gameplay: 4 Overall: 5 Roddy Graphics: 4 Sound: 4 Gameplay: 5 Overall: 4
bioshock XBox 360 (2K Games) shooter
Drawn to life Nintendo DS (THQ)
adventure
At the end of the day, what keeps Wikipedia and all the other ‘user generated content’ mediums from being websites of integrity are the users themselves. If people would just stop ruining other peoples shit, then maybe we could collectively appreciate the fruits of our labour. The above can be said about Drawn to Life. The game lets you create your own protagonist, and certain objects in the games world using the DS’s stylus and touch screen. This is good, except that the game’s developers have gone all out making one of the most gorgeous 2d platformers for the DS, and then told us to go and draw crap all over it. Bleak opinion aside, there are stacks of (very long) levels, and going back and finding all the unlockable features will keep you busy for ages. The story may be a bit cutesy for some, as it’s based around you helping the citizens of a town restore it back to how it was by collecting pages of an old book from across the world, but this game is a showcase of everything the DS was made for. It will be brilliant to see the unique worlds that some gamers will create, even if all you end up doing is drawing phallic objects all over the screen. Not that I’d do that. Kyri P
The highly anticipated BioShock by Australian company 2K is finally out on Xbox 360 and PC. This first person shooter is like nothing that has come before it; the game is set in an eerie immense underwater metropolis called Rapture, which is falling apart due to a genetic war which has taken place. The game starts off with your character’s plane crashing into the ocean and your character having to take refuge in the underwater city to survive. You have a deadly range of arsenal at your finger tips ranging from pistols to rocket launchers. Also during the game you will pick up things called Plasmids, which gives your player super human powers such as throwing objects at enemies with telekinesis, or watching your enemies burn with fire that shoots out of your hands. The player will have to fight many various versions of enemies called splicers, genetically altered humans which are the standard enemies in the game. However, the main excitement in the game is when the player has to come to blows with lumbering guardians called Big Daddies. These huge monsters, dressed in old fashioned scuba gear, will do anything to protect ‘little sisters’; characters which the player needs to free or harvest depending on which path the player takes in the storyline. The smooth and sharp graphics along with beautiful audio makes the underwater city seem very creepy, so as you make your way through ghostly halls of Rapture you will be wondering what could be lurking around the next dark corner ready to get you. A minor fault in BioShock is its battles can be a little too confusing. At points you’ll be getting lost in the action of flying bullets, leaving you confused, frustrated and wondering who is shooting at you. Having no multiplayer option (coop or even Live support) is a let down in that it could have added more shelf life to the game, but those small things shouldn’t stop you from experiencing a one of the 360’s first must-have titles. Shane Edwards
warriors: orchi XBox 360 // PS2 (Koei // THQ)
RPG
Warriors brings together Koei’s Samurai and Dynasty Warriors franchises in one game. The picturesque opening cut-scene explains the story of an evil force descending upon the earth. The entity is looking for a decent fight with some of the earth’s best, which is where you come in. Sounds epic, no? Fans of the ever-present buttonbash bonanza have something to call home about. This game’s edge over others is that it has a tactical element to the battles. The battlefield is littered with checkpoints you must take control of, by killing somewhere between 10 and 100 spear wielding enemies. Sometimes things get pretty hectic, but press enough buttons and they’ll all be dead soon enough. With endless variations on each path of attack, it does stay fresh if you are keen on replaying levels. The music chosen for Warriors is unfortunately not flattering to the fight. It’s a mix of Oriental, Eurotrash, techno club throwbacks, and bad taste in musical decision altogether. Besides that, if you love the kind of stratagem where nothing goes, and all is gained, you will love the group beatings. Tate
alien syndrome Wii // PSP (Sega // THQ)
iPod - Gen 6 Apple releases another iPod series.
Action adventure
Alien Syndrome is the next classic game that Sega have remade for a modern audience. You play as a female protagonist who must travel through various spacethemed levels with an arsenal of weaponry. Essentially, due to the fact this is a remake of a classic arcade game, there isn’t really any story to begin with, but you won’t mind. Cut scenes are literally just still images, with voice acting moving the story along. The core gameplay remains untouched - it’s been 21 years and we’re still shooting millions of the exact same aliens. However, there are two key features which attempt to reinvent the game; RPG elements and the motion controls. Your character gains experience and this contributes to bumping up your characters stats. You can collect new weapons and armour along the way which will you will need to pay attention to if you want to survive in some areas. Aiming is done by pointing the Wiimote at the screen, and actually works quite satisfyingly. The game’s best feature in my eyes is the 4 player co-op mode, which could either be awesome fun, or have you wanting to beat the living crap out of your friends. Chipper
When I first found out about the new gen iPods coming out two weeks after I bought an 80 gig model, I was pretty pissed. Think Carrie after they spilled pig’s blood on her pissed. But then I investigated what kind of features I’d be missing out on with the new firmware, and I have since calmed somewhat. Apart from the aesthetic overhaul, the new iPods feature some cool new firmware updates. The first is the cover browser, which looks seriously good if you’re big on attaching the album covers to your music. Second is video support for the Nanos, which could be either the most useless feature ever, or the best damn TV you could ever buy for your ant farm. The iTouch, a completely new model with a touch screen and web browsing capabilities, it is severely hindered with small disk space. Whether or not these features are worth you shelling out your cash is up to you, but as for me, I’m a little low on cash right now. Kyri P.
PLAYLISTS cut la roc (Rocstar)
kbrea beat
(Chant Down Sound)
Reggae
dj kay z
hip-hop
dj mafia
hip-hop and other
Alborosie - Holy Mount Zion (Maximum Sound) Lutan Fyah - St Jago de La Vega (Mac D) Jah Mason - Trick Us (Mac D) Morgan Heritage - Headline News (Yellow Moon) I Wayne - More Herbs (Yellow Moon) Richie Spice - Babylon Going Down (Black Chiney) Alborosie - Sound Killa (Forward) Alborosie - Police Polizia (Forward) Capleton - Safe Travel (John John) Mavado - Me And My Dogs (Ghetto Youths) As one of the “fresher” DJs in the urban scene in Australia, Kay Z brings a unique style that differs from many other DJs locally. He’s one of the few Melbourne DJs to incorporate dancehall/ragga into his sets and has been responsible for tours including Cut Killer, Mobb Deep and Slum Village as well as running one of the dopest weekly club nights in Melbourne (Infamous- Amber Lounge, Lonsdale St). 50 Cent - I Get Money RMX Ft. P.Diddy & Jay-Z (G-unit/Aftermath) Kanye West - Good Life Ft. T-Pain (Roc-A-Fella/IDJMG) T.I - You Know What It Is Ft. Wyclef (Grand Hustle/Atlantic) Cassidy - My Drink N’ My Two Step Ft. Swizz Beatz (Full Surface/ J Records) Fabolous - Brooklyn Ft. Jay-Z & Uncle Murda (Def Jam) Hurricane Chris - A Bay Bay (J Records) Soulja Boy - Crank That (Collipark/Interscope) Keyshia Cole - Let It Go Ft. Missy & Lil Kim (Interscope) Jay-Z - Blue Magic Ft. Pharell Williams (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Talib Kweli - Hot Thing (Blacksmith/ Warner Bros) Yeah so Mafia’s apparently the “go to” DJ to get ya party started! A renowned sneaker freak and hip-hop junkie, spinnin’ for over 10 years...and after hitting the big 3-0, Mafia’s coolness factor went down the shit gurgla, and now her sets are filled with mashes of Dolly, Snoop, Marky Mark, Vanilla Ice, any 90’s hip-hop mixed in with some dope ass B’more Crunk Hyphy shit to get ya feets a movin’ and ya hearts a racin’! Beat Transition Kanye West vs. DJ Mike B- Good Life (PYT Mix) Jay Z- Dirt Off Your Shoulder DJ Dynamixx- Smack Her With A Dick (Lil Jon vs Chris Rock refix) T.I- What You Know (Cstyles Hard for Pimp rmx) Missy Elliott vs Snoop Dogg- Keep It Snoopin Keak Da Sneak- In Front Of Ya Mama’s House Eve feat. Mashonda- Dance Floor M.I.A- Boyz (Rock Steady Drew Fight remix) R Kelly- I’m a Flirt (Klever remix) Soulja Boy vs Van Halen- Jump Dat Crunk Dat (Polarsoul rmx) DJ Peter Gunz has conquered everything there is to achieve in the Australian market, while also making his mark on the international scene. More than any other DJ in Australia, Gunz is known for his ability to break the newest hip-hop, R&B, crunk and dancehall tracks while keeping the dancefloor packed. Gunz holds a spot as a mixmaster for Sydney’s 96.1 Edge FM and has just dropped his second DJ album Reprezent.
dj peter gunz
lifestyle
DJ Fresh Vs Deekline and Wizard- Steam Simon Saunders- Bubblegum Acid (Tear The Roof off mix) Cut La Roc- Nemesis (Schmidt Remix) Bart B More- So It Goes Larry Tee Featuring Princess Superstar- Work It Out(Herve Goes Low Remix) Electric Soulside- Destiny Sam Hell- Bone Snow Digitalism- Idealistic (Hystereo Rebrand mix) Left And Right- Rocksteady Waveshape- Anti Science Me Jesse I presents the weekly reggae show Chant Down Babylon on Melbourne’s PBS FM and runs Higher Level Records, importing the freshest reggae & dancehall direct from Jamaica. As part of Chant Down Sound with Ras Crucial, he throws Australia’s longest running monthly reggae night More Fire on the 2nd Saturday of every month at Brown Alley in Melbourne. www.chantdown.com
Jesse I
92 - 93
Cut La Roc (aka Lee Potter) is a champion DJ, world record holder and one of the founding artists of Skint Records. After non-stop touring, starting his own record label, Rocstar Recordings, Cut La Roc brings you Nemesis, his new album.
Hip-hop
T.I- Big things poppin Scribe- My Shit Cassidy- My drink n my 2 step 50 cent,Biggie,2pac- Get money remix Paul Wall- Pop my Trunk Alicia Keys- No one Talib Kweli- Say Something Scribe- F.R.E.S.H Busta Rhymes/Swiss Beats- Watch ya Mouth Soulja Boy- Crank dat (meow remix)
Talib Kweli - Eardrum (Blacksmith // Warner) // Hell Rell - For the Hell of it (Koch // Shock) // Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage (Roadrunner) // 50 Cent - Curtis (Shady // Universal) // Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory (Chamillitary // Universal) // Scribe - Rhymebook (Dirty // Warner) // AZ - A.W.O.L. (Quiet Money // Shock) // 40 Cal. - Broken Safety (Koch // Shock) // Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (Sony BMG) // Sean Kingston - Sean Kingston (Sony BMG) In the office stereo:
KNOW YOUR CLASSICS George Duke
I Love The Blues
Common
Finding Forever The resurgence of reissued sampled funk and soul records has sparked an interest in sometimes forgotten artists, which in turn has reignited careers, pissed off crate digging veterans and expanded the minds and musical tastes of hip-hop heads worldwide. The sample choice from COMMON’S latest LP FINDING FOREVER shines the spotlight on a major talent. The KAYNE WEST produced beat on BREAK MY HEART from FINDING FOREVER samples a GEORGE DUKE song called SOMEDAY. The song originally appeared on his 1975 LP, I LOVE THE BLUES, SHE HEARD ME CRY but also appeared on his 1982 LP DREAM ON. DUKE is a Keyboard/pianist who has a had a prolific career as a musician working with the likes of JEAN-LUC PONTY, JOE HENDERSON, CANNONBALL ADDERLEY, AIRTO and FRANK ZAPPA. ZAPPA became a major influence on DUKE after touring with him in 1971 and appeared on many of his recordings throughout the 70’s and was the driving force behind DUKE’S vocal development. SOMEDAY became DUKE’S first radio hit largely because of his vocal performance, which was used as the chorus on COMMON’S BREAK MY HEART. ZAPPA was also responsible for DUKE’S introduction to synthesizers. DUKE Combined his love for Jazz/Fusion and experimentation with various synthesizer textures to forge a sound that was original but still attracted mainstream attention, initially evident from SOMEDAY but his 1977 track REACH FOR IT from the album of the same name became his biggest hit. DUKE’S sound has been sampled by the likes of DOOM, MADLIB and DAFT PUNK and tends to attract left of centre producers due to his experimentation and spaced out, eclectic sounding records. If you dig BREAK MY HEART be sure to check out I LOVE THE BLUES, SHE HEARD ME CRY, FACES IN REFLECTION and MASTER OF THE GAME. AUX-ONE Check out Aux-One at Wax Museum Records at 2 Campbell Arcade, Degraves St, Flinders St Station Subway, Melbourne. Or check them online www. waxmuseumrecords.com.au for all your hip-hop, funk, soul and jazz needs.
Photos by J. Larke, A. Montell & Kai Godeck, I. Blankevoort, D. Able
party like a rockstar
ACCLAIM ISSUE 9 LAUNCHES MELBOURNE & SYDNEY,
LACED STORE 1ST BIRTHDAY -
brisbane Our Issue 9 Launch parties were a packet of fun, largely due to our alcohol sponsorship from Jameson Whiskey which flowed throughout the night
and had all in attendance in high spirits. Thanks to Melb DJs A-Style, Simon Sez and Mafia and Sydney DJs Nacho Pop, IZM and Zeph. The 1st Birthday for Brisbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primo sneaker spot Laced was a killer party indeed. Thanks for having us! To join our party mailing list shoot an email with your details to info@acclaimmag.com
ACCLAIM would like to thank our partners:
dvds words from the city Madman Entertainment docu
This is a great introduction into the world of Australian hip-hop. Filmmakers Gadd and Graham have captured a pivotal moment in history as this culture exploded onto our musical landscape. Spend time hanging out with Koolism, Hilltop Hoods, Downsyde, Bliss N Eso, TZU, Layla, Wire MC, Foreign Heights and a host of other important players in the studio, on stage and even in their own backyard. Find out why these artists started doing what they do, what it means to them and the philosophies behind their art. Hear an alternative, yet equally patriotic voice to the red neck slur of mainstream Australia with emcees spitting rhymes that represent the culturally diverse underdog and minorities that make up our great land. This film just been nominated for a 2007 AFI Award for ‘Best Documentary’ and is an insightful collage into some of the country’s finest wordsmiths. But do not press play expecting to dive head first into all the fine elements or thinking that you are about to learn a great deal about the roots of Oz hip-hop, or do…but you won’t. Michael Joy
family guy 20th Century Fox
this is england IFC Films // Madman cartoon
drama
tupac assasination Bond-Age Films // Liberator // Illusive
94 - 95
docu
By now you should be well and truly familiar with the genius of Family Guy, if you’re not you should go kill yourself because you’re not really living anyway. Family Guy humour isn’t for everyone, it’s for awesome people like me who laugh wholeheartedly at the flaws of others and toilet humour. Family Guy is more random than any other show in history and it takes a bit of getting used to at first but then again you shouldn’t be starting with Season 6. If you are a Family Guy fan (if you’re not just shut up) you’ve more than likely seen most, if not all of Season 6 on TV although I’d dare say the DVD version includes a few rawer moments that might not have made it to free to air. As with each new season, Family Guy series 6 pushes the boundaries of political incorrectness even further and has the balls to poke fun where nobody else does. Having said that, by season six the jokes come as less of a shock. The only criticism I have is that some of the recurring character traits of the Griffin family such as Peter’s sheer stupidity get a bit repetitive from episode to episode so it’s not the best idea to watch the whole season in one sitting. I still laugh when I watch episodes from the preceding seasons and I’m sure the same will be said for season 6. Worth adding to the collection for sure. Jerry Jerri
Shaved heads, inch wide braces and Doc Martins weren’t always associated with race riots and neo-nazi culture. Shane Meadows attempts to set the record straight in his semibiographical This Is England is set in Thatcher’s Britain, a period remembered for its unemployment and influx of immigrants, where confused teenagers wanted nothing more than to get into their Ben Sherman shirts and knock back some beer. It is this scene where a lonely 12 year old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) is befriended by the local skins, in particular Woody (Joseph Gilgun) who takes him under his wing. Just as he’s finding his feet in an adult world and becoming part of the gang, ex-con Combo (Stephan Graham) enters the scene, fresh out of prison with his own agenda. Slowly racism begins to enter the skinhead culture, in particular via the emerging National Front (Britain’s far right nationalist party). The film is brilliantly directed and produced including a relevant soundtrack of early reggae and ska. The film realistically depicts Shaun’s rites of passage, which transcends sub-cultures and realities of living under a conservative government. Callum Vass
Tupac Assasination is yet another documentary in the proud tradition of docos about Tupac and getting whacked. I know what you’re thinking, you’ve heard it all before, all the rumours and conspiracy theories, and you’re sick of them. Me too. Where this movie is different though, is through interviews with important people in Tupac’s life at the time of his death that were never spoken to by police previously. The film focuses on recreating his death with several senior homicide detectives and a judge that have no relation to the case and their opinions on what went down, in-depth interviews with the security team surrounding Tupac and what they saw and heard in the week leading up to the shooting, as well as a new piece of information that was never given to the police which, if true, is incredibly damning. Although occasionally longwinded and heavy on unnecessary CSI type graphics, overall the film does a good job of presenting the facts and tying them in to a totally plausible theory. Chris Delaney
KNOW YOUR CLASSICS La Haine (Hate) Mathieu Kassovitz [1995]
I stumbled onto this movie by accident back in the day when it was screening at independent cinemas in Melbourne and it quickly became one of my favourites of all time. Like me, La Haine swept critics around the world off their feet and went on to success at Cannes. It also launched the careers of the actors Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde and Said Taghmaoui (all of whom play characters who share their real names) along with director Mathieu Kassovitz, a genius in my opinion. Filmed on a shoestring budget and presented in black and white, this movie is gritty, real and is dripping with hip-hop attitude. La Haine was the first glimpse into the sprawling housing estates of Paris’ suburbs for most viewers, an extreme contrast to the romantic city of love we’re more familiar with. Set the day after a riot in response to the bashing of a youth ‘Abdel’ from the housing estate during a police interrogation, the story unfolds over 24 hours in the lives of three friends, Vincent, Said and Hubert. The three friends struggle to deal with the hate that surrounds them while their friend Abdel remains in hospital, his life in the balance. Throw a missing police revolver into the mix and you have the intense plot that is La Haine. While this movie packs a punch and is at times confrontational, the stark realities depicted are contrasted by moments of warmth and humour. While this film is about three kids from the projects it successfully demonstrates the human qualities of its central characters that are common to all young people. This humanity creates an instant bond between the viewer and the characters who are all played by gifted actors that went to the extent of moving into the projects during filming in order to gain a thorough understanding of their subjects. La Haine sits proudly alongside classic ‘Hood’ dramas such as Do The Right Thing and Boyz N The Hood. Released in Australia under the translated title ‘Hate’, this movie is a must. I highly recommend getting your hands on the 2 Disc Special Edition released in 2006 which includes a great documentary on the film. -Montell
books shaolin temple of zen Justin Guargilia (Thames & Hudson // Aperture) Anyone looking to get a better insight into the secretive world of Shaolin should look no further. With Justin Guariglia given the blessing of the main abbot of the Shaolin Monastery, he was able to gain the trust and collaboration needed to show their true selves. This is evident throughout the book as the monks are not posing as such but more so doing what is everyday life for them. We see shots throughout the book of different fighting styles but the more intriguing ones are those that show the monk in action and out of focus. These photos get across the control, concentration and speed that the monks use so well in their different techniques of Shaolin Kung Fu. The book itself isn’t one of many words more so a tale through photos that lets you see into the souls and beliefs of a Shaolin Monk. RRP $65 AUD Malins © Justin Guariglia
Anyone with a background in graffiti or art in general knows the thrill of the sketchbook. A collection of your finest ideas, your potential burners, your blood, sweat and tears. You may also know the excitement of leafing through the sketchbook of an idol, passed around from person to person. This book has taken the hard work out of getting an insight into how the great minds work. Collecting images from some of the worlds most innovative and creative street artists, Street Sketchbook is an exploration of the creative process, demonstrating that while the approach and the process changes, the spirit is the same. Broken up into sections demonstrating how the sketchbook works and how the ideas translate, it’s full of visual pleasures that make me yearn for the ability to draw well. Sometimes offering a voyeuristic feel, as we see the private thoughts and images of artists, Street Sketchbook on the whole is a fantastic book. Well presented, detailed and not too wanky. Recommended to anyone looking for a different approach to creation or those just looking for amazing art.
Street Sketchbook Tristan Manco (Thames & Hudson)
RRP $59.95 AUD Chris Delaney
Beginning at the farcical international crisis caused by a couple of Danish cartoons, Australian academic Waleed Aly attempts to bridge the enormous chasm between Islam and Christianity. The publication of satirical images of the prophet Mohammad sparked international fury leading to mob rioting, embassies left abandoned in fear and even a furious attempt to boycott Danish butter worldwide. Proving to be just one link in an ancient and seemingly endless battle, this modern day event is drawn back throughout history. Squabbles between the two religions have existed since the 9th Century, when the fight began in earnest, and although no one really knows who started it, the early Christian declaration that Mohammad was the Antichrist didn’t seem to help relations. In this reasoned and factual analysis, Aly wades through centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding on both sides, looking precisely at who said what and what went wrong. He takes on the role of school principal, mediating two opposing teams that refuse to understand or accept one another. Ultimately, the question must be asked, how long will this battle go on?
people like us Waleed Aly (Pan Macmillan)
RRP $32.95 AUD Rhiannon Elston
the recipe
As told to Andrew Montell Photos by Rome Torti
FA HOM VO URE ITE
FAKIN’ AND EGG PIE
//
BY JOSH RIO
Josh Rio is a pro skater for Element who’s career on four wheels has been steadily on the rise. In the next few weeks he’s embarking on an East Coast tour with Bam Magera followed by a Melbourne tour for Element before heading to the US for the first of several American sessions. he’s a vegetarian and actually somewhat handy in the kitchen and this issue he happily invited us into his home to witness his culinary creation the ‘Fakin’ and Egg Pie’ which he cooks at least once a fortnight.
Step 1: Layer the cooking dish with pastry, then peel two potatoes and slice into thin pieces then lay and layer in the dish. Peel the sweet potato and do the same as the potato. Step 2: Crack six eggs in a bowl and whisk. Pour the egg over the layers of potato, making sure it covers everywhere. Take the soy rashers (or bacon) and dice, then lay it over the other ingredients. Dice 6 slices of tomato then lay them on the top of the rashers.
96 - 97 lifestyle
Step 3: Take the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the dish. Pinch the sides of the pastry and fold down the sides. Poke holes in the top and put it in the oven on 180 for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour. Step 4: Presentation Garnish with a salad and whatever is left in the fridge.
Ingredients:
4 sheets of pastry, 2 potatoes, 1 sweet potato, 6 eggs, 1 tomato, 1 pack of soy rashers (use bacon otherwise).
Soundtrack: My suggestions for music if you have a female guest is some Al green, and Curtis Mayfield and whatever ‘mood’ setting music you have lying around. This pie is a true aphrodisiac!
directory Alizé:
(02) 9922-2816 www.southtradeint.com.au
Ecko Shoes:
+64 9 373 1460 www.accentgr.co.nz
Electronic Arts: (02) 8569 1200 www.eaplay.com.au
És:
(02) 9972 1641 www.esfootwear.com
Hype:
1800 131 959 www.hype.com/australia
KR3W:
(02) 9907 4054 www.kr3wapparel.com
Inertia:
(02) 9698 0111 www.inertia-music.com
Ironlak:
1300 789 876 www.ironlak.com
Lonsdale:
FREE DVD WITH EVERY SUBSCRIPTION! As if you don’t wanna subscribe to this piece of literary genius. it’s a simple premise for locals: you send us AU$30 for aussies or
NZ$30 for kiwis and we will send you one mag every two months for the next year, plus a free fucking dvd. this
deal is so good that the sun is going to explode if I think about it for too long. for the first time ever, we’re going to rock international subscriptions too, so hit us up via email (info@acclaimmag.com) for a quote.
(02) 9319-3600 www.lonsdalelondon.com.au
LRG:
(02) 9698 4886 www.espionagebrands.com
MOMO:
(03) 9330-4443 www.autotek.com.au
2: This is my Element
4: The Meth Epidemic
New Era:
(03) 8480 4700 www.neweracap.com
Shock:
(03) 9014 0200 www.shock.com.au
Shogun Distribution: (07) 3630 2210 www.shogundist.com
Timberland:
1: Peep Show: Series One
YES, I want to suscribe to First Name:
Surname:
Address:
(03) 9877 6284 www.authaust.com.au
Suburb:
Zoo York:
Email:
(03) 8525-9999 www.lushproductions.com
3: Essential Mike Leigh (Box Set)
State:
Postcode:
Phone:
My choice of DVD: Mail this coupon to: Acclaim Magazine Level 1/9 Dundas Lane Albert Park, Vic, 3206
Peep Show This is my Element Essential Mike Leigh The Meth Epidemic
(Please include money order or cheque made out to acclaim magazine)
Alternatively, you can get this crackin’ online over at: www.acclaimmag.com
THE END Contributor spotlights Robbie Ettelson Robbie hustled together some awesome articles for us this issue in addition to his regular excellent Executive Class column. To be honest we’re blessed to have him writing for ACCLAIM. As a result of a twenty-year addiction to rap, Robbie still insists that most hip-hop made outside of the Bronx, Queensbridge and BK sucks. Since starting unkut.com in 2004, the site has built-up a strong worldwide following and has been featured in Vibe and XXL Mag, and currently enjoys over 30, 000 unique visitors every month. Rob’s contributed print work to Hip Hop Connection (UK), Vapors (LA), Superfly (Italy), Modern Fix (San Diego), Underrated and Peak Street (Melbourne), and was a guest columnist at xxlmag.com. More importantly, he also helped popularize the term “weed carrier”, which was recently used on a Saturday Night Live sketch, through his Salute To Weed Carriers blog (unkut.com/weed)
fat people by the Hater
Vincent Tang The main man behind everything Auto related, Vinnie T finally managed to get all of his content in on time this issue! Not only that, but he even managed to get most of next issue finished early. So we figured it was about time we gave the kid his moment of fame. Vinnie also contributes several reviews and non-auto articles to the pages of ACCLAIM and is an active member of the local hip-hop community and aspiring DJ.
THE WALL This is a piece of the wall in our office. People just cruise by and stick things up and we shoot it
98 - 99
the end
when we finish the new issue. If you wanna be featured on this beautiful and messy canvas, you can also send us stuff by mail.
INGREDIENTS This issue was compiled with the help of 6 cases of Jameson Whiskey, 1 pair of free K-Swiss sneakers,
2 overworked interns, 4 faces full of pepper spray, 1 Thai Massage, a couple of late night booty calls, 1 mental breakdown, 1 date from hell, 2 new employees, 1 breakup, 3 conversations with a crackhead named Freeze, 25 cans of Redbull, 15 burgers from Andrew’s Burgers, 12 chicken focaccias, 4 plates of fried pork dumplings, a bunch of wanky launch parties, club sessions and gallery exhibitions and a bunch of other crap that is all just a blur now.
I got stuck next to a fat dude on a flight recently who’s smelly round arm took over half of my seat space and I swear at one point his arm started trying to eat my shoulder. Now I know that there are a few legit fatties out there who have medical conditions or what not but most of the time these people just can’t put down the burger and coke! And I have to spend an uncomfortable flight soaking in another man’s sweat and body odour! Now this is gonna sound a tad radical but couldn’t the really fat people go down in the cargo hold section of the plane with the pets? And the chicks who try to act like they’re not ridiculously overweight and squeeze into whatever skimpy fashion their friends are wearing need to stop immediately and accept a lifetime of tracksuits. Any sales assistant who sells a crop top to a fat broad should be fined on the spot. And while we’re on it, fat chicks need to stop with the dodgy profile pics on myspace and facebook. When we meet you in person and you’re five times bigger than the photo do you honestly expect a reaction anything short of “What the FUCK happened to you?” I no longer trust any photo taken from an above angle that crops out the lower portion of the body. Furthermore ladies, when you’re the oversized load in an entourage of slim chicks, don’t be a jealous hater and cockblock your friends from hooking up in the club. That aint fair. Why should your friend’s go home alone just coz you have to? Deal with the fact that you’re only there as security or hit the treadmill baby! The only time fat people are cool is in rap or the mafia. And fat rappers and oversized mafia goons can usually afford a first class seat or two seats to themselves in economy class so they’re cool with me. But rappers have got a lot to answer for by popularising the idea of ‘thick chicks’. I’m cool with a curvaceous body that’s big in all the right places but now you have all these supersized broads using the term ‘Thick’ as a ‘get out of jail free pass’. Curvy and Fat are two different things people and I’m steady hating on the latter.