Anatomy VI by Anatomy Magazine

Anatomy

ANATOMY VI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE 10 THE IRRELEVANT GANGSTER

PAGE 15 RISE OF THE CREATORS

PAGE 28 FASHIONISING

PAGE 11 ON THE PATH TO TOTATLIT Y

PAGE 16 CERTIFIED DOPE

PAGE 31 THE WELL-DRESSED CYNIC

PAGE 12 AN ARGUMENT FOR AMERICAN DUB

PAGE 18 QUALIT Y CONTROL

PAGE 32 POST-R ACIST, PRE- CL ASSIST

PAGE 13 HIP HOP’S BRUNO MARS SYNDROME

PAGE 22 THE COSIGN

PAGE 37 THE NEW WAVE BRITISH INVASION.

PAGE 14 PAGE 24 W TF IS PSYCHOPATH THE ANATOMY R AP? GUIDE TO GR ANOL A VOODOO

Anatomy

PAGE 44 FAMILY, INSPIR ATION, hip -hop & J. COle

W TF IS Q C & D OPE!?

Anatomy

MASTHEAD

BUT FORREAL THOUGH, F*CK A TITLE. ANY WAY, THIS IS WHO MAT TERS

SINCERELY, WNDRKND

WNDRKND ÜBRMNCH W W W. ANATOMYMAG A ZINE.COM

W W W.CALVINBRET T.COM W W W.DREAMPIES.COM

M4L0N3

W W W.THEREALMALONE.TUMBLR .COM

WANNA MAT TER TO O? CONTRIBUTE TO ANATOMY * THE NEX T ISSUE: THE E.O.T.W. ISSUE (ANATOMY VII) THE NEW YEAR HAS THE ENTIRE WORLD IN A STIR , AND FOR GOOD REASON: THIS IS THE YEAR THAT THE MAYAN CALENDAR ENDS. WHILE SOME THINK THAT IT IS JUST THE END RESULT OF SOME GUY BACK IN HISTORY WHO DECIDED TO STOP COUNTING, OTHERS BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD. WHEN ASSESSING THE POSSIBILIT Y OF IMPENDING DO OM, WHAT IS IT THAT COMES TO MIND? PERHAPS A TREK ACROSS A BARREN WASTEL AND? OR , A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE THAT HAS WIPED OUT 99% OF HUMAN EXISTENCE? A FINANCIAL MARKET, ONCE ON THE BRINK OF COLL APSE, NOW COLL APSING? OR HELL , IS IT MIT T ROMNEY WINNING THE PRESIDENCY ? OK , NOW RUN WILD. *NOT SAYING THAT WE TAKE, LIKE, A A ANNYBODY FROM OFF OF THE STREET, BUT IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN GIVING ANATOMY MAG A ZINE A SHOT, AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION, LITER ARY, VISUAL OR OTHERWISE, THEN PLEASE GIVE US A SHOUT. APPLICANTS CONSIDERED WILL FORWARD AN INTRODUC TORY LET TER WITH SAMPLE WORKS AT TACHED. PLEASE, NO MORE THAN THREE. CLIF TNBRET T@ GMAIL .COM

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THE EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LETTER

have been gone and plenty wondered where I went. I got emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and the question is, I guess you could say, where did I go? This hiatus has been extended far beyond any that the magazine has experienced and I have spent the intermediary doing the following: Interviewing, collecting on life, trying to clear up old debts, mending relationships and spending a little bit of time watching from the sidelines. I found that in assessing the decency of human error, I have learned a few things: It can be counted on that people around you, including yourself, will fuck up. Sometimes these fuck ups can spin oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life out of control, and it is in this vein, that the decency of human error becomes inherently indecent. Things get hard, one pays for their mistakes, and depending on how badly you get hit, maybe you wont get back up again. Other times, these blunders

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can lead people to their true life’s passions. For myself, I don’t know where the blunder first came about, and after spending much time trying to find out, and not succeeding, I don’t really care anymore. Too much time is spent on pointing out when and where people fell of track, as opposed to why. For myself, I felt burnt out, and wanted to quit. It wasn’t so much being heartbroken that is the issue, as it was, handling a publication in a tough economy is an inherentlytough business model. I took time off, started up a design business, and began to open up shop to clients with my first being one in Canada. Working on a magazine that was not Anatomy felt weird, out of place, and moreover, the lack of emotional commitment to the content was onerous. Warts and all, however, people still maintain

has on the world begins with inception, and ends at submission. But to expand on that point, after a certain Rubicon, when is it no longer acceptable to submit to the weight of a dream? When it is no longer acceptable to give up? I remember a conversation that I had earlier on in the magazine’s development, when one of my peers asked me how someone my age could work so diligently and so devotedly on a project, much less, with no pay. I told him that I realized working on something is a lot like climbing up a mountain. When the terrain is manageable, it is still a keen option to turn back. But when the hike turns into a climb, and the climb becomes extended, one day you look down and realize that if you tried to turn back, you’d fall down and die. At the time, however, I only saw

not ring true with you. But then, past that point, should you believe in it enough to make it known, you relinquish it to the world and that is the price one must pay for their dream to exist. It can no longer be scrapped on a whim because the creator is not the only person who believed in the dream, but the people the dream has affected have begun to believe in it too. This can be looked at in a positive light, or in a negative one. The negative, is that no, the dream is no longer yours, its everybody’s. In playing to inspire people, you play for emotions, in playing for emotions, you play for investment. When that is the case, then the people you serve take just as much ownership in your dream, as you the one who brought it to inception. The positive, is that this traction provides the platform to inspire people, and the ability to do

I REALIZED WORKING ON SOMETHING IS A LOT LIKE CLIMBING UP A MOUNTAIN. WHEN THE TERR AIN IS MANAGEABLE, IT IS STILL A KEEN OPTION TO TURN BACK . BUT WHEN THE HIKE TURNS INTO A CLIMB, AND THE CLIMB BECOMES EX TENDED, ONE DAY YOU LO OK D OWN AND REALIZE THAT IF YOU TRIED TO TURN BACK , YOU’D FALL D OWN AND DIE. shitty-ass-jobs, or if not that, then a job that they hate. But the pains of not working on Anatomy came in the form of getting queries from fans, but being able to send no response, having nothing to say. Why? Because at that point, there was not a direction that I knew I wanted to go in. The greatest email of note, however, was one that I got from a soldier stationed in Afghanistan who was a reader and loved the magazine. He told me to keep on putting out issues, as it was one of the few forms of entertainment that he had while out there. The greatest takeaway from the experience was one thing: that no matter how close or how far, how big or how small, no matter the ability at which we can fathom depth, or who comes and who goes, the effect one

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half of the picture. The other half was that, like climbing, publishing requires teammates too. If I were the lead climber, turning back wouldn’t just kill myself, but everybody around me too as I dragged them down to their deaths in the abyss. Though I contemplated the jump… It never happened. Instead, what occurred was the contrary—Many moved forward, and thought I was dead. This is not a detail that I observe with disdain, because people need to move forward, and at the end of the day the show must go on. This occurs with not just the people that I work with, but also the people that the writing is for—the readers. It is at this point, when so many eyes are watching, that I realized there is a point when a dream is yours, and you can trash it if it does

that is an inspiration in and of itself. That is why I can never truly stop Anatomy Magazine. In my stagnancy as editor of this publication, however, I got a chance to reinvent it for something else. Therefore, this time I apologize for nothing. Anatomy needed to be gone. It needed to be absent. It needed to be reassessed and it needed to be reinvented. I am afraid, too, that this would have never happened if I were still running with the pack. Sometimes, people need to experience growth on their own. The magazines, thus forward, has become ever more cultivated. The first thing you will notice about the publication is the focus of content: More music, and loving it. I feel like much of the magazine’s popular focus

fell on the musical end of the content spectrum more so than the fashion. That isn’t to say, however, that the category is dropping completely. We are still experimenting with the extent to which we want to offer coverage for fashion, but expect a couple of gems in the front of the book for this issue. This means fashion stories, but we are still experimenting on whether or not we want to keep editorials. The next detail is the length. Yes, we are now half the page length of a standard Anatomy volume, but we have added two inches to the width

me REALLY honest with you all. The buck doesn’t stop there—Anatomy Magazine is getting a new look in 2012. This edition is a sampling of it, featuring our new logo. But in wanting to make the overall re-design actually worthwhile, I have incorporated a variety of content to accommodate a diverse palette of reading appetites. You will notice some classic sections coming back for a permanent place in our pages—The Cosign, for early readers of the magazine, as well as a completely revamped version of the Anatomy Guides, for early read-

I REALIZED THERE IS A POINT WHEN A DREAM IS YOURS, AND YOU CAN TR ASH IT IF IT D OES NOT RING TRUE WITH YOU.. PAST THAT POINT, SHOULD YOU BELIEVE IN IT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT KNOWN, YOU RELINQUISH IT TO THE WORLD AND THAT IS THE PRICE ONE MUST PAY FOR THEIR DREAM TO EXIST. IT CAN NO LONGER BE SCR APPED ON A WHIM BECAUSE THE CREATOR IS NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO BELIEVED IN THE DREAM, BUT THE PEOPLE THE DREAM HAS aFFEC TED HAVE BEGUN TO BELIEVE IN IT TO O. and height of the publication, fitting more content onto each page. Wah, wah, boo, boo, a 50-70 page edition doesn’t tickle your fancy? I said eff the BS too and made our delivery every one and a half months. To me, it is a priority to get fresher stuff out to you at a more “relevant” pace, and sorry bub, I just feel like quarterly isn’t relevant. After information decays, there is less incentive to publish it on time. I know it sounds bad, sorry, but New Years Resolutions have

ers of the blog. In tandem, however, you will notice newer sections as well—The Word, our music news section, Certified Dope, our new mixtape review Section, featuring free downloads of our favorite releases, and Quality Control, our new music album review section. Aside from the look, the next most noticeable aspects of this issue are the stories. Anatomy VI represents the showcasing of some of our most ambitious talents yet with Rusko, a

World-Class dubstep artist hailing from Leeds who drinks like a sailor and is kinder than a mouse, as well as North Carolina’s J. Cole, a mountainmoving lyrical powerhouse who glows as a ball of inspiration for not just North Carolina, but anyone trying to make it. Though this edition is different from the rest, it marks a move forward. And though there has been a break, there are great stories to behold. But though there are great stories to behold, I recognize, that work is far from complete. There are still sections that need to be embellished on, aspects that need to be added, and little nuggets of gold that you will only get a chance to enjoy down the road. The new anatomy is far from perfect, and will go through its own perfecting phase as we furnish it with the content we feel is worthy for the publication. This means future releases will have aspects such as cartoons, but also features like collaborations with blogs on unique sections. But in tandem with a new issue, finally, as you predicted to fall in suit, a new site for the magazine will launch in January of 2012. Though this all may seem complex, absurd, and laughably impossible to some critics, that’s going to be the best part about this whole project. If anyone is taking bets on a blunder, fill me in on the buy in. I want to cash in on the predicted loser. The next edition of Anatomy Magazine comes out in Mid-February of 2012 so expect it soon. We have made this promise, and fallen short on it before, but if the fact that I feel inclined as to are making this claim again is shocking to you, then you haven’t heard the most shocking news yet. If you’re wondering what that means, just keep your ear to the ground, you’ll see soon enough. But remember this much: If the day Anatomy Magazine publishes on time is the same day that pigs fly, It would be fitting that it is the End of the World Issue. And if it is the E.O.T.W. issue that makes it on time, then make sure your skates are packed and your cell is charged, because you’ll finally get to tweet your first cold day in hell.

ENJOY THE ISSUE

WNDRKND

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WHERE DA BROS AT?

ome music listeners who are not fans of dubstep will jokingly mislabel the genre “bro step” to describe the massive influx of frat stars and the wide swath of douchebaggery that supposedly occurs at dubstep concerts. But honestly, every insider could tell you that chicks love bass. So much, in fact, that many dubstep concerts tend to feature a bevy of beautiful babes. If this bottom line isn’t enough reason to get you out to a concert, then A: You’re a hipster, in which case, you’ll need a baseball cap and sunglasses before entering the venue. B: You like guys. We never said it wasn’t okay if you do, but pappy, you prolly like the dick. And if you are going to point out that dude wearing the grean shirt in the background as a bro, screw that guy, we’re trying to make a point.

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THE WORD.

WE THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING YOU RILED UP BEFORE ALL OF OUR JUICY ARTICLES, BUT THEN WE DECIDED TO JUST SAVE ALL OF THE RANTING, RAVING, AND HEARTFELT COMMENTARIES FOR LATER IN THE EDITION.

THE IRRELEVANT GANGSTER LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIP-HOP MUSIC SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE OBAMA ERA, HOW RIGHT WAS H.O.V.A IN SAYING THAT THE GANGSTER IS “LESS RELEVANT?” “OBAMA REPRESENTS SO MUCH HOPE FOR BLACKS AND LATINOS… THE HOPE HE REPRESENTS IS BIGGER THAN ANY OF THE HUGE PROBLEMS HE COULD POSSIBLY CORRECT… WHEN YOU HAVE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER. THE DAY OBAMA GOT ELECTED, THE GANGSTA BECAME LESS RELEVANT.”

erhaps, one of the most insightful and thought provoking quotes in hip-hop music, and it’s not even a lyric. While the day that Obama got elected had me wondering much of the same thing, there was a part of me that felt as if the quote could be interpreted as something slightly melodramatic. After all, the election of one black guy didn’t stop hustlers from selling crack, and gangsters from hitting licks. Life as we knew it was still very much the way

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that it was the night before. But something began to happen to rap music that was even more interesting than Jay-Z’s quote. The subject matter changed. Where were the raps riddled with .45 slugs and littered with cocainelaced blunt roaches? Where are the ballads of OG thugs armed to the teeth, hitting licks of epic proportions, slapping kids, and taking names? These artists, granted, were and still are accessible in hip hop, but one thing that has become increasingly eminent is that even though new emcees still come up discussing the aforementioned subject matter, it seems as if they have been experiencing tapering mainstream attention in a post-Obama world. Though it may appear somewhat off-key given hip-hop’s historical recognition of the OG, look at the newest wave of talent: Wiz Khalifa is rapping about blunts, Drake is having a great time rolling in cake, Big Sean is trying to bed your girl, and J Cole has just

made it big. But nobody has flipped a pack, fired a shot, or pimped a hoe. It may be overreaching to attribute this all to the Obama effect, but part of understanding it is also recognizing that, simultaneously, this phenomenon and its odd reign over the hip-hop zeitgeist, is so vast that in an odd sense it transcends even Barack Obama himself. Perhaps a lot of the reason is a matter of readiness. Though hip-hop has had to make itself ready for a brave new world of opportunities, this was after Obama had come to office. Ultimately, people had to make the decision to place him into office. Jay-Z’s quote was right, but I feel as if he only mentioned half of the nugget. Not so much in that his assertion about hip-hop music, and its aspirations are only half-true, but in that he was missing a piece of the equation in tandem: The other half is that while hip-hop culture now has the opportunity to expect newer and greater things beyond the original gangster, the presence of such an integral figure galvanizing this process has also marked a new age for America, and not just blacks and latinos. Music has bled into our culture, and the sheer election of Barack Obama into office does not just provide a more exalted image of a person of color in America for many to look up to, but

it also validates the assertion that Americans are ready and willing to experience a new cultural standard beyond that of the American pop basis of cultural caricatures. The gangster is one of them. Following, in suit with quotes like this, it does allow for one to get a better understanding of “billionaire rap,” a subgenre of hip-hop music that has been consdered by critics to be stratospherically unattainbable. Though it may seem that Jay-Z and a rare few emcees actually feel comfortable in this subgenre, a question to walk away with is, how much are newer rappers replicating this mold? No, nobody is saying that Drake is friends with the president, but the level of aspiration is apparent in his music, as well as the music of his contemporaries. Think Diggy Simmons. In a nutshell, though billionaire rap has surfaced in a post-Obama world, it is not so much about whether or not if you are actually flying a Gullwing G6 out to Paris for a whimsical shopping spree. Neither does it have to be about literally shaking the president’s hand. It’s about the fact that aspiration has become colorless, and whether or not you are white, black, latino or asian, there is an increasinglyequal opportunity to aspire to, something greater.

DUBSTEP X-ING

DRAKE & BIG SEAN GET THEIRS. If there couldn’t be a valid, yet simultaneously idiotic reason to start up a beef, I would say that this is it. It all started in an interview, which is usally where most beefs begin, where Drake, when asked about his “signature” rhyme scheme, proceeded to say: “Well, that flow has been killed by so many rappers. And, I never want to use that flow again in life. [Laughs]... I hate that rappers picked that flow up. I wish they had left that for people that know how to use it. [They go like] “It’s a parade! MACY’S!”” OH YEAH, LUDA SAID THAT... Big, in response, is quoted as saying: “People always ask me was you mad that people took that style from you. I’m like, ‘Nah, that went and shows me how far I can go as an artist.’ I feel like I changed hip-hop. I haven’t even dropped an album yet. So that goes to show me how powerful my mind is.’” I am admittedly a Drake fan, and for the sake of argument, fuck it, big sean gets his pass, but this one time... This ONEEE time, y’all really did fuck up. Check out Ludacris’ diss track/1 minute history lesson at ALLHIPHOP.COM

A SHORT LIST OF NON-DUBSTEP MUSICIANS WHO ARE DABBLING IN dubstep sounds, if not, crossing over completely 1. CHIDDY BANG

THE FIRST TO RELEASE A RECORDED RAP OVER FLUX PAVILLION’S “I CAN’T STOP”

ON THE PATH TO TOTALITY Korn’s path to totality was a release that when

annouced, was met with plenty of guffaw. however, this one has got us by surprise, and in a good way.

ack in late September of 2011, it was announced that American Rock band Korn would be releasing a dubstep album, which is a first for the group. Their album, “The Path to Totality,” was recorded through the months of January to September of 2011, and is slated to release on December 15. When consulted on their motive to add an experimental piece into their body of work, they said their feelings concerning music’s zeitgeist is that it is moving well on its way to becoming more dubstep oriented. The band’s album features some of the later dubstep greats such as Skrillex and Feed Me, as well as other genre veterati such as Datsik and 12th planet. The build up to Korn’s most recent studio album has been very compelling to gauge. Though the work

has been out for a while, much of the album’s initial buzz was characterized by plenty of skepticism. Granted, in all truth, it was probably justified. Especially with early quotes from the band suggesting a potential banwagoneering that made many a dubstep fan grimace. I gave Korn’s Album “The Path to Totality” a chance and I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can say that I am glad I did. The reason why is because despite Korn sending across the wrong message in the build-up, they have managed to truly deliver on a unique experience. The Path to Totality successfully Embellishes on dubstep music as it cross pollinates the genre with industrial rock music, and it does this well on a couple of fronts. The first is in their ability to successfully incorporate lyric into their music. While

it seems kind of jarring at first to the ear listening to the sing-songy voice of Jonathan Davis, this is an easy detail to acclimate to, and the usage of voice is successful in the regards of both singing and sampling. The second is, Korn’s music does not suffocate that of their dubstep collaborators, and visa versa. The balance between dub and rock is flawless. The truest gem of The Path to Totality, however is their delivery of concepts. Many have wondered to themselves what Dubstep Music and Hard Rock would sound like if they had a baby, and ladies and gentlemen, this is it. No, this album ain’t for the faint of heart. I mean, its fuckin’ Korn guys, But that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it as something new.

CHECK IT OUT ON SPOTIFY!

2. LUPE FIASCO

THE FIRST ARTIST TO EXTENSIVELY UTILIZE DUBSTEP SOUNDS FOR A HIP-HOP MIXTAPE FOCUSED ONE ARTIST.

3. SNOOP DOGG THE FIRST TO RELEASE A FULL-BLOWN DUBSTEP AND HIP-HOP MIXTAPE COMPILATION

4. JAY Z & KANYE WEST

THE FIRST TO RELEASE A RECORDED RAP OVER FLUX PAVILLION’S “I CAN’T STOP” FOR THE MAINSTREAM

5. KORN

THE FIRST TO RELEASE A DUBSTEP ALBUM THAT FULLY INCORPORATES ROCK MUSIC

6. SKRILLEX

ORIGINATING AS A GUITARIST FOR THE AMERICAN EMO BAND, FROM FIRST TO LAST, MANY CRITICS AGREE THAT SKRILLEX IS PERHAPS THE BEST AMERI CAN DUBSTEP ARTISTS OUT TO DATE. IF NOT, THE BEST DUBSTEP ARTIST OVERALL

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AN ARGUMENT FOR AMERICAN DUB the rise of dubstep in the united states has been meteoric to say the least, but genre lovers in the uk, as well as electronic purists have criticized its rise.

I FEEL AS IF IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD, BUT IN A TOTALLY GOOD WAY. Skrillex is selling Pepsi, Snoop Dogg came out with a dubstep Mixtape, and as everybody knows now, Kanye West and Jay H.O.V.A. sampled out Flux pavilion. All of this, however, has been duly noted, while in the periphery of all that is cool, or, the more substantive share of American pop culture, is a generation hurling towards an oblivion consistent of orgies where radio R&B and douche-house techno are cross bred into cellphone club tracks and Usher takes the money to buy more space suits (Sighs). That is to say in a nutshell, we are in fine musical times. Compared to other eras where there have been a wider breadth of visible talent across genres, such as in the 90’s, ours is currently

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one for the ages, but in a different way. Remarkably, while good music is good, bad music has gotten really bad. Ironically enough, for the past decade, it has almost seemed as if, sans a couple of artists, many have turned to the internet to get their fix of what many of us would simply call “dope shit” Over the last few years, however, there has been a massive shift in music that has been occurring. For many Americans, 2011 was a year when many people discovered dubstep. If you’re completely bewildered at my last comment, chill out, you were up on it early, like me, because you’re a hipster. But for many who had not come into contact with the genre because of particular musical preference, this year was an exciting year to say the least Though many believe that

dubstep is a new genre to come to the music scene, it’s really experiencing its own birth in the states. Over seas, however, the UK has been playing and creating dubstep for close to ten years, with some of its major influences being Jamaican dub, bringing about a first wave aesthetic that was highly reminiscent of ambient tunes featuring Jamaican vibes chilled ice cold. It’s growth over the last eight years, however, has prompted a new level of attention in the states, as producers such as Rusko, Caspa and Skream have made leaps and bounds into reforming much of its conventional aesthetic into a bouncy, energetic tour de force that leaves you begging to be rocked to your core once more. Thus, it has become obvious as to why American dubstep is so great, and why dubstep in America is becoming so heavily appreciated right now: It falls under the category of super-fun crunk shit, that can only be rivaled by hiphop and industrial-grade rock on its flanks in terms of energy. But now, over the course of a year, the genre has begun to turn a new corner as its predicted bleeding effect begins to take shape on popular culture. Though yes, its references and its growing usage in hip-hop music continue to be inspiring, albeit, criticized by some British sources, the true gem is that Dubstep has opened up many American minds to the world of electronic music. One could even pin the full-scale invasion of repugnant Usher-house spun at the local Top 40 hangout to the fact that more Americans are going to dubstep concerts, and by extension, venturing out into other electronic genres. Though many would not like to pin part of electronic music’s very substantive rise in popularity to the devices of dubstep, much of this remains true. The reality is that when it comes to discovering things, people tend to flock to what they know off of jumpstreet. In the case of dubstep, an argument could be made on behalf of the genre, that the rapport it creates with American listeners is due to its familiarity and odd proximity to hip-hop.

Now that this has happened, however, Dubstep is upon a new advent. We see this making an occurrence on the plane of innovation, as the rise of the “Dubstep Rapper” has been an apparent prediction since the genre’s discovery. But even more innovation and growth continues to prevail. Diplo’s track with Sunday Girl was one of the finest displays of singing on a dubstep beat. Or, just toss around the fact that an Electronic artist rarely, if ever gets played on MTV, and Rusko has had his video featured on there. But finally, we can close with the same thing that we opened with: Skrillex selling Pepsi…. And on ESPN of all places. People are picked out for endorsements every time they are considered a recognizable face that can produce rapport for a particular demographic. As much as I hate the amount of controversy that comes sometimes with talking about the British, we have to ask ourselves this one question in closing: If Skrillex were producing the same music, and focused much of his energy on the UK, would he still have gotten big? Though some may think that there is actually an answer to consider, the answer is quite plainly, no. Besides the fact that the UK is simply too small on a population scale, many purists would much prefer for the genre’s development to be occurring underground, and especially in light of some larger acts beginning to crest on the world stage. But ultimately, this growth is not something to be disdained, it is something to be appreciated and held. Nobody is saying that the United States will ever trump the UK in dubstep, even though some Skrillex enthusiasts would beg to differ, however, the place of American Dubstep could very well be something different than that of the place of UK dubstep. While the British bring in much of the classic artistic merits that make the genre good, and simultaneously, progressive, ultimately it is the U.S. that should be credited with helping make its growth rampant.

BIGGER THAN BRUNO:

bruno mars only marks a specific kind of selling out to pop music that is taking hiphop music by storm by robbing it blind of its artistic merits. here is our list of premium perps.

RAP MUSIC’S BRUNO MARS SYNDROME HIP-HOP MUSIC IS GOING THROUGH ITS OWN DARK AGE, WITH ARTISTS COLLABORATING WITH POP ARTISTS ON CRAP SONGS. BLAME A & R IF YOU WANT. STILL SUCKS!!

was surfing 2DopeBoyz a while back in August and saw a posting of the video for “Lighters” featuring Bruno mars, from Royce Da 5’9” and Eminem’s Bad Meets Evil album which is now in stores. In respectable fashion, I scrolled down to the bottom of the page to investigate what could be a litany of response comments to gladly find my eyes rest on that of theBroKing, who said: “Everything post-Recovery [Eminem has] released has had these f*ggot-ass singles. I don’t fuck with him anymore because of that: Rihanna, Pink, Skylar Grey, Bruno Mars, The list goes on…” Fair enough, and when you detach the melodrama from the comment, TheBroKing is in part, right. Eminem has put out some pretty questionable “hits” in recent years, but no, his entire post-Recovery catalogue is not taking a slice to the Achilles because of it. What is more interesting is the comparatively voracious growth that Bruno

Mars has experienced as an artist across the gamut of hip-hop. Though Eminem takes a hit for it from one guy, it is just because at the time he made for an easy target for having a track record. I digress, we can say Bruno Mars is simply annoying, but Skylar Grey? That is unequivocally reprehensible. Even so, however, Eminem isn’t the only artist to pick up a “radio” hit off of him. Lil’ Wayne featured Bruno Mars on his Carter IV album. B.O.B. was paired with him on stadium (and completely sabotaged my ability to like B.O.B. only up until recently). There was talk of him being on Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne back in April, and Wiz Khalifa & Snoop Dogg featured him on Young Wild and Free. This isn’t a shot so much at Bruno mars, as it is what he represents.: hip hop’s blatant attempt at formulaic success. When cycling through hip-hop music blogs and finding expanses of disgruntled hip-hop fans, in an odd sense, there is a certain degree to which we have to ask how

much is hip-hop willing to sell itself out to turn over units? Many would argue that for many of these rappers, albums fraught with gangster backdrops where OGs flip packs and ride spinners is becoming a less-relevant theme as many rappers onceknown for their antics are becoming more “grown” so to speak. But that doesn’t detach hip-hop from the fact that most emcees start off as grown men. It is up to them to speak about what they want to, that is, to maintain a subject matter’s relevance, to strip it away, or to simply stay relevant to one self. But even in the last of the three, ultimately the issue comes down to packaging and delivery. There is no confirmation that Bruno Mars ever actually made it on Watch The Throne come its final release. However, this much is certain: there is no need to go this far off of the reservation to turn over a hit.

SKYLAR GREY

INFRACTIONS “COMING HOME,” FEAT. DIDDY DIRTY MONEY “I NEED A DOCTOR” FEAT. DR. DRE & EMINEM “WORDS I NEVER SAID.” FEAT. LUPE FIASCO

JUSTIN BIEBER

INFRACTIONS “RUNAWAY LOVE,” FEAT. RAEKWON & THE REMIX HAS KANYE... WAIT, HUH??

RIHANNA

INFRACTIONS “LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE,” FEATURING EMINEM

Anatomy

THE ANATOMY OF FIVE PSYCHOPATH RAPPERS, AS SEEN BY PROSPECTIVE DIETS.

1. RA THE RUGGED MAN A pioneer of psychopath rap, R.A. the rugged man delivers on filthy-as-hell lyrics over an old-school backdrop. No, we can’t verify if he is still active, much less, alive, but even so, his filth still lives on. 0.0

90% FILTH

10% CONTENT 

0.2

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2. OLD DIRTY BASTARD Between ballads about bedding women to legendary drunken raps, ODB has always evoked entertainment and confusion out of the hip-hop listening population. 80% LIQUOR

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5% LYRICS  15% HOES

3. EMINEM, (CIRCA 2oo1 Eminem is perhaps the only artist on this list that is a pioneer, yet simulataneously active, if not, alive. Though his sound has largely changed to the tune of repentance, we remember the classics vividly, bumping them in private so our parents wouldn’t hear edgy lyrics of murder, sex and shitty parenting. 30% VICOTIN

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WTF IS PSYCHOPATH RAP?

PSYCHOPATH RAP IS NOTHING NEW TO HIPHOP MUSIC. BUT ITS RECENT RESURGENCE HAS PROMPTED SOME TO LOOK AT ARTISTS LIKE EMINEM AND O.D.B. IN A NEW LIGHT: AS PIONEERS.

It is a special day when we can canonize rappers like Eminem, who paved the way for other emcees before anyone ever had the chance to understand him. But in recent years, we have seen an increasing relevance for what we like to dub, “Psychopath Rap.” Hip-hop music as whole has made an interesting transformation throughout its lifespan, metamorphosing into what we see now as a genre that has existed largely in the context of a dualism. While hip-hop music in the 90’s saw a period of the gangster vs. the ladies man, we have seen in the early 2000s, a dualism between what we could call Billionaire rap vs. Gangster Rap. Meanwhile, emcees like Eminem who fit into neither category stood alone and appalled the gamut of pop culture. In all fairness, however, there is something that can be learned from artists like Eminem. Though they may not have canonized the same values as artists like Pac, Big, Jay and Dre, they highlighted

Anatomy

the authenticity of fucked-upness, while still maintaining a shocking relevance to self. It has taken almost a decade, but as myriad street prophets make it onto second and third string press-release rosters, a rising influx of psychopath rap has managed to make it onto the center stage. Rising talents such as Danny Brown and Odd Future now spit venom twenty times more potent and embody new demons, though now, they are met with cheers and praise for their authenticity. That is not to say that psychopath rap is not met with resistance, but it works as a viable and accessible alternative to the gangster. The reason why is because the gangster is the symbol of disenfranchisement. Though he makes money and glorifies his life, he also recognizes that much of his success was due to a shocking lack of opportunity and a need to subscribe to alternative devices. The psychopath, by compare, encapsulates the insanity

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4. DANNY BROWN In the vein of Detroit’s premium export of insanity, comes danny brown. Though his over-sexed lyrics are unconventional for psychopath rap, have you heard this guy spit!?!? IN-SANE. 30% M.O.E.*

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70% HOES

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5. TYLER, THE CREATOR Recently hitting the scene with hip-hop group, OddFuture, Tyler The Creator delivers on the pure darkness that tumbles in a young person’s head with disturbing, albeit thoughtful, lyrics. 10% ZANAX 30% THERAPY

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60% WHATEVER THE HELL GOBLINS EAT

of the common man, as opposed to the insanity of extraordinary situations that are experienced by a few. Psychopath rap, especially in this day an age is good for hip-hop, as it gives it a more generational face, and reaches out to people who have had suicidal thoughts, homicidal fantasies, a lack of opportunity, or just a seriously fucked up life. One of the remarkable things about music is its staying power in a digital age. When we look back on the catalogue of artists such as Eminem, we can see his artistic intentions within the lines of every song. Sure, he has mentioned an absolute disdain for celebrities such as Mariah Carey and Britney Spears, and has since linked up with pop stars in recent history, but as someone would say, it all goes back to an issue of relevance. After all, in tough times, how are artists like Spears and Carey even relevant when it comes to the bullshit that some have to go through on a day-to-day basis?

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Again, when we look at Tyler The Creator’s disdain for Bruno Mars, we can gather that it is more than just firing shots at an artist who won’t respond. But rather, a response to pop-culture’s diluting of massive issues. A broken heart is a glamorous thing to have on the radio, the death of a loved one is a triumph, and loss of any scale just means you’re on the road to redemption. Psychopath rap strips issues of the fluff that surrounds them for the sake of presentation. When the palliation of issues in music reaches such a point, it no longer helps society reach catharsis, and it is no longer the panacea of pain. In fact, it is stultifying, highlighting the naïvete, stupidity, and ignorance of the people it is catered to. In times like today, the listening public need authenticity. If psychopath rap has the power to make even one person think, then it has done its job, and its realness should be applauded, for it has not compromised its rise.

RISE OF THE CREATORS

KANYE WEST’S DW FASHION LINE GOT A MIXED BAG OF RESULTS AT THIS PAST YEAR’S PARIS FASHION WEEK. BUT EVEN DESPITE SOME CRITICISM, WEST HAS AFFIRMED THE POTENTIAL RISE OF A NEW TASTEMAKER: THE CREATOR.

ave you seen Kanye West’s new fashion line? Remarkably, many actually haven’t, and for those who have, we can just say that the reviews are comprised of a mixed bag of opinion. While some thought it was a great line to start with, others felt, if anything, that it was a star-studded failure of spectacular proportions. For me, I would personally say that it was predominantly evensplit between decent and okay. Kanye’s womens line, DW, makes a valiant reach for futurechic, however, a good proportion of looks manage to feel over-done and unflattering. No, it’s not the best review for someone’s first pass at a fashion collection, but that’s not the point. There were other key aspects of his show as well, beyond just the clothing. The DW fashion line was not just reviewed by myriad high-end fashion media outlet around the world, but also debuted to a crowd of highly respected tastemakers. Amongst attending guests was an amaz-

ing turnout of celebrities and designers inclunding Oliver Theyskins, Jeremy Scott and the Olsen Twins. But with this information taken into consideration, despite the amount of happiness I felt for West, there was a part of me that questioned this turnout. The first thought is, how many invitations were sent out to help fill some type of egotistical void in which West is truly impoverished? Why couldn’t he just make a first run, kind of like the way he interned with The Gap, pretty low under the radar, and then debut the dope shit as it is being created? Meanwhile, West’s modesty remained remarkable, commenting to Style.com backstage that, “the biggest hurdle I had to face is the celebrity designer or the hip-hop designer concept.” Though this is a legitimate battle, sometimes it is best to see where the wind goes. In the meantime however, gauging reactions to West’s line has been remarkable. My girlfriend and her best friend conceded

that they liked the shoes after a couple of shots, but thought that the pants were impressively ugly. My younger brother, an artist, saw it and could see the lens in which DW was perceived as hot. However, he thought that it still needed some work. More interesting, though, was that he respected it. Despite the oscillating levels of reaction, many felt that it was thought provoking, and in suit, respected the work as well. Assessing the turnout of West’s first show, we can even say that the reason why he debuted to the audience that he had, was because at the end of the day, people respected him. The crowd of actresses, fashion tastemakers, journalists, models and designers, could have quite simply said no to Kanye’s invite when they received it, but they didn’t. They showed up, and even though displaying a relatively lukewarm line to a crowd of celebrities individuals may seem preposterous and maybe borderline-pompous, at the same time, it really does not. The level of attention West

has received, in fact, has reached a part of me that I theorized he could never touch: He inspired me. Now it all had clicked. To pick an artist of compare, where artists like Lady Gaga make their claim on becoming the archetypal pop star, their progression comes in the form of presenting it in a new light and context. Gaga shows that, though yes, excellence is a part of it, much of fame’s management system also comes in the form of providing fans with as many deliverables possible so as to keep them satisfied and far the fuck from your personal life. For her, this comes in the form of free music, tweeting remixes, and viral videos on top of her performances and albums (that are $1). Returning to Kanye West, however, it is less so much about being famous, as it is about being able to be recognized as a creator of things. I am certain that in Kanye West’s ideal world, if he would be given free reign to make anything, regardless of time, we would be given the chance to see amazing work of myriad categories. But in tandem, as Gaga marks a new kind of Pop Star, West can potentially mark a new kind of celebrity. One that is amorphous in their own glorious right, but who has the capacity to make anything excellent. Not so much a musician, fashion designer, collaborator, or director. Just the creator. In light of the way his collection actually looks, many would ostensibly call this ideal theory. But in response, I will say this much: Anatomy Magazine rode “808s & Heartbreak” till we got dizzy, and in the worst of ways, which is to say that we hated it. But at the same time, many of those fundamentals poured themselves into “Twisted Fantasy” which was admittedly brilliant. No, it doesn’t make 808s any more listenable for us, but it is to say that for certain, his will get better. West the creator, needs a few more go arounds in the fashion world before he is able make his claim. But do I doubt that he will become excellent at it? Fuck no.

Anatomy

DOPE CERTIFIED

THE ANATOMY MIXTAPE REVIEW DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MUSIC RANKED BELOW 3/5? WE’VE GOT YOU. CERTIFIED DOPE IS A SECTION DEVOTED TO ONE THING: GOOD MUSIC. AFTER ALL, WHAT IS THE POINT IN WRITING A BAD REVIEW IF ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS LISTEN TO GOOD MUSIC?

THROW YOUR DUBBS UP!

espite heavy some heavy criticisms of Snoops first pass at Dubstep, “Throw Your Dubbs Up! Vol. 2” was a release that was highly anticipated to say the least. Hip-hop’s flirtation with dubstep music has been a curious one at best, which has prompted its own wave of praise as well as criticism. While proponents assert that hip-hop’s cross-pollination with Dubstep allows for both genres to explore new aesthetics, and this is true, purists have hoped for a seperation between the genres, feel-

Anatomy

ing that the recent incursion of hip-hop lyricism onto dubstep soundcapes is invasive, uninventive, and thus, gimmicky. That is not to say that these assertions aren’t true either. In fact, there are plenty of rappers who have made passes at applying the sound into their work and quite simply, failed, making dubstep hip hop, or what we call, hipstep’s, widespread appreciation increasingly more difficult. With these things being said, however, Snoop Dogg’s Throw Your Dubbs Up still manages to weather this storm, and deliver wholly as a

good mixtape experience. Snoop Dogg’s success formula is basic, however, refreshing and hardly formulaic. Where he excels is in not only featuring his own lyrical prowess on his release, but also putting on other rappers (even Snoop is unfeatured), and also paying homage to the brilliant DJs and producers who created his soundscapes. Taking that into consideration, however, it also is understandable why some purists may not necessarily be inclined to wholly appreciating what Throw Your Dubbs Up’s intentions are. The reason why is because though the mixtape does feature excellent tracks, many of the selected beats are pre-produced tracks that hardcore fans very well have heard. A good example is Snoop Dogg Millionaire’s usage of Eastern Jam by Chase & Status, left largely uncut, as opposed to re-looping for hip-hop usage and it features only snoop rapping. Though my personal opinions towards the track are positive, its artistic intent could also be misconstrued as simply being uninventive. In response, however, the camp behind Throw Your Dubbs Up! Vol. 2 should be commended for their selection of tracks. It is clear that the artists behind this project exercised a discerning eye during this process, as a common error with hip-hop’s present usage of dubstep is the assumption that all dope dubstep tracks are optimal for rapping (and clearly, that shit is not true).

Despite the fact that Throw Your Dubbs Up Vol. 2 doesn’t host a unique selection of dubstep tracks, even so, this is completely okay. Snoop’s intention was met, and he came out with a mixtape that is unique and progressive in its own right. Dub music is still a very new platform, not just for music creation, but as a music listening experience. For the new listeners, it galvanizes a new fanbase by still providing listeners with music that they have not heard. For veterans, picking songs that could quite viably be considered appreciable and recognizable is not a bad thing as it can build rapport. But if purists are afraid that after dubstep get’s big, the pioneers behind it won’t get their play, I can understand the fears, and they could very well be valid. But remember this much: I know for sure that there are a few idiots out there who think Christopher Columbus is a founding father of the United States of America, I can note that there are people out there who think the war on Terror was Started by Iraq, and I can speculate that some dickhead kid in the sticks of West Virginia thinks Eminem started rap music. But who cares? People will always be right, and others will simply be wrong. But in the meantime, enjoy the music.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD!

5/5 DOPE!

CERTIFIED

PREMIER POLITICS

SIR MICHAEL ROCKS

XXX

DANNY BROWN

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD!

SCION A/V & ADULT SWIM PRESENT: UNCLASSIFIED V/A

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD!

remember a friend using a term with me a while back to describe a certain type of rap music: Day Time hip-hop. The term could be interpreted in a pejorative light by some, however, this is hardly the case for Sir Michael Rocks. He delivers on an aesthetic that is worthy of the daytime. One that you could play with pride during your morning commutes, without having to necessarily subject your girlfriend to the early morning horrors of cocaine rap. Mikey Rocks still guarantees the deliverables that makes him a strong rapper alongside Chuck Inglish with The Cool kids: Alone he shows a mastery of Endearingly nonchalant lyrics, and a natural rapport with the listener, which almost makes one feel as if he is a good friend having a conversation with him or her. He uses his time to chronicle tales of ambition, life on the road and trying to make it big. Combine this with a set of smooth, ear-washing beats (in the vein of the neptunes, dare I say?), and Sir Micheal Rocks delivers on an excellent listening experience.

egarding music that you don’t want to listen to with your girlfriend, Danny Brown’s XXX is music that you don’t want to listen to with your girlfriend, sister, mother or even friend that is a girl. Maybe listen to this one with your boys, if they’re hard enough, but XXX is an album that you listen to by yourself. Think about it. Would you look at hardcore porn with your mother, or even girlfriend, regardless of if she knew that you looked at it? Now with that being said, Brown’s album, albeit crass as fuck, has a darkly indulgent nature to it. His album is a nice length, his beats bang, and his lyrics are raw to the bone. For reference, consult his track “Blunt After Blunt.” My only beef with it, however, is that he sticks too handily to his subject matter, which consist largely of ballads concerning kicking in a gradient of shit, + boning a gradient of women. No, this isn’t a problem considering that, well, all rappers cover these subjects now and again. However, at times, this makes the release of Danny Brown’s XXX one that is more mood specific, and hence, at times, limited in scope of subject matter and playable context.

5/5 DOPE! 3/5 CERTIFIED

CHECK IT OUT

f there is any one component of this alum that is the easiest to fall in love with, it is the following: The fact that for dubstep albums, Adult Swim manages to curate the finest display of diversity within the dubstep genre. Though recognized earlier for its heavy womp womp aesthetic, and today for its oversexed, ultra-core, beats, Adult Swim presents a very nice display of dubstep music that fits in all of the nooks and crannies. After all, how many times, can the neighbors call the cops on your house before it gets annoying? On how many occasions can your nuts fall through the floor on a bass drop before it starts to hurt? And finally, how many girls have to blow up while you’re having sex with them, before it starts getting too messy? Adult Swim’s compilation of artists, by contrast, strives moreso for diversity as opposed to absolute one-upsmanship, which helps make [unclassified] a unique listening experience. Though not conventional for your run-of-the mill pre-game, workout session, or shootout on Xbox live, [unclassified], is dubstep for all other occasions. It is reserved for

smooth nights in smoke filled rooms, dimly-illuminated with red light. It is there for you when you are shaking off last evening on the cold morning commute. It sets the ambiance for intimate dinner gatherings, and is the soundtrack for a late night, after the clubs have let out, everybody has gone to bed, and you are still driving home, lonely on the road.

Depression set in, and apparently the artist at one point even considered suicide. But that shit is over now, and your favorite conscious rapper’s favorite conscious rapper is back in the game at full swing, starting with his most recent free concept album, “Friend of the People: I Fight Evil,” or “Jesus” for you blasphemers out there. Having released on Thanksgiving, Lupe Fiasco takes an interesting creative turn with “Friend of the People,” but also remains FRIEND recognizable in his own OF THE right. The artist revisits PEOPLE:I his former lyrical aesthetFIGHT EVIL ic of powerful landscapes, thought-provoking talkLUPE FIASCO CLICK TO DOWNLOAD! ing points, and a gamut of subject matter. But the most powerful element of his latest release is perhaps the energy put into this album, that gives it a twang feeling almost borderline-vengeful. Perhaps Lupe Fiasco assessed the need to bring the heat after taking a belly-flop 011 has been a year on his last album. Perthat has put many haps it is a reflection of in a phalanx, but his discontent with the none more than Lupe zeitgeist. Though it is Fiasco. The hyper-talent- most likely the latter than ed, socially-conscious, the former, either way, it free-as-a-bird, Chi-Town is welcome. emcee, first and foremost The most interesthad to deal with the sum- ing component of Jesus, mation of long-winded however, is in its blatantdrama with his label yet-simultaneously disafter trying to mark his cerning usage of dubstep retirement. But with the on certain parts of the release of “Lazers,” an album: For the few tracks album that was already that he does use dubstep put on extension a few on, it is largely to intimes, many concurred sinuate chaos, and when that it was perhaps one paired with his wispy of Lupe’s Worst creations lyricism, he continuously to date. delivers time and again. Lupe then went into hiding for a short period CERTIFIED of time, apparently reaching one of his all-time lows after having let down scores of fans that were hoping for one of the best albums of 2011.

4/5 GOOD SH!T!!!

5/5 DOPE!

Anatomy

QUALITY CONTROL.

THE ANATOMY MUSIC REVIEW

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT A GRADIENT OF MUSIC COVERAGE, FROM DOWNRIGHT WORHSIP, TO THE SELDOM-WRITTEN HONEST FLAYING, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN QUALITY CONTROL. BUT IF YOU SEE A BAD REVIEW IN OUR COLUMN, DON’T GET MAD AT US IF YOU DECIDE TO BUY THE ALBUM AND IT AIN’T WHAT YOU ‘SPECT.

BEING A FRESHMAN RAPPER AIN’T THAT GREAT NOMO.

“THEY’RE GONNA LOVE ME FOR MY AMBITION” ALBUM REVIEW OF WALE’S “AMBITION”

he artist known has Wale has had an interesting creative run since his rise back in the years 2008-2009. Though Wale received praise for being an up-and coming emcee talent throughout this process, fame brought about an intolerable ego which clouded people’s judgments of him. While some were in love with the talent, others wished to like him, citing that his flow scheme was weak, with moments of him sounding something similar to what freestylers sound like when they running out of steam, and that is not a good thing. After what seemed like Wale’s waning period of hype had surmised, he disappeared after his first studio release, as his contemporaries such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole began to take stage and surpass him in the arenas of talent and clout in tandem. Ambition, however, chronicles Wale’s career after this point, where many con-

Anatomy

templated whether or not he was doomed to underground blog-hop stardom after a noted failure to launch on a first release. With the anticipation surrounding this album, the response has been relatively even split. Some loved it, and others hated it. Wale’s flow and rhyme scheme, though notably better when compared to earlier installments in his body of work, as opposed to exclusively sucking, now oscillates consistently between good and tolerable. Where his flow does manage to take stumbles, it can be asserted that this is with good purpose as many of these songs are more centralized on the message than on the sound of the delivery. With that being said, however, hip-hop listeners are a crowd that waits to be dazzled, and this at times can make the conventional hip-hop listener fickle. Thus, we have to ask how much the aforementioned statement really matters. Regardless, The true gems of Ambition,

however, are the features. Wale enlists the help of lyrical contortionists such as Meek Mill, powerhouses like Rick Ross, innovators like Kid Cudi, and newcomers like Big Sean, to spit along side him… And remarkably, he keeps up with ease and flair. Though no, this does not create the album experience wholly, it does make substantive contributions, if anything, a few good tracks to ride out to, compounded with thoughtful, and heartfelt tracks to viably account for the in-betweens. CLICK FOR ITUNES!

3/5

SOLID LISTN

he development of hip-hop music has had some interesting twists and turns along the way, however, what has been the most visible and interesting has been the rise of the “freshman rapper.” At one point, non-existent by conventional standards, the freshman rapper, and his increased canonization has shed light on many young talents that are poised to take the stage in coming years. But what is the truest validity of this term? It seems as if over the course of the last five years, we have witnessed a major failure to launch across the board for many emcee talents that were predicted to take the helm, well, now. While yes, we still have our Drakes every now and again, what about everybody else who gets dropped on am XXL spread? Whatever happened to the likes of The Cool Kids? How about Asher Roth? And hell, Wale is clawing to get his way back up to the top. Removing the hype from being a new and burgeoning rapper will never happen, but when it comes to the hip-hop industry’s revolving door of freshman class candidates, much of the time, clearly the hype can be too much to live up to.

hen taking into consideration some of the other reviews of Drakes most recent studio album release, take care, it is clear that he doesn’t get a fair shake. Despite mediocre critiism, it is apparent that drake has not only switched up his flow, but also has become a markedly better vocalist. It is important to assess Take Care as a predominantly R&B album over a rap album to understand it. Through this lens, we see excellent production, thoughtful lyricism, remarkable word play, and much-improved singing.

in subject matter, uncompromised in delivery, and thought-provoking in its own right. Though some felt that Cole made a departure from his original persona on the Mixtape circuit, this is credited to what is relevant in his life. He is successful, and is now rapping about whipping Biimers and wearing Rolexes. Does that make us mad? Hell no. We’re happy for the guy. For the longest time, everyone was stuck on him being broke. But in all seriousness, Cole World delivers classicgrade quality for an across-the-board excellent listening experience. Featuring an array of sounds from soul to even a little bit of dubstep, J. Cole (and surprisingly, we might add) manages to seemingly touch on all notes of music, compiling an album that produces a vivid image of Cole himself, as well as the musical zeitgeist that he has grown to affect.

GOOD SH!T!!!

5/5 DOPE!

TAKE CARE DRAKE

CLICK FOR ITUNES!

The Anatomy Magazine Music Playlist Sometimes you just need to hear something else, or maybe you want the new hotness. here are our picks

RIDING N’ CRUISIN’

AMBITION by Wale feat. Rick Ross & Meek Mill THE MOTTO (REMIX) by Drake feat. Lil’ Wayne & Tyga RIDIN’ ROUND TOWN by Casey Veggies CHANGING OF THE GUARDS by Pusha T feat. Diddy THE SPITEFUL CHANT by Kendrick Lamar LUPE BACK by Lupe Fiasco

DIRRRTY DUBSTEP

LEVELS (SKRILLEX REMIX) by AVICII HELLO by xKore MEZELLUF by Don Diablo I WANNA GO (MUTRIX REMIX) by Britney Spears BLUE JEANS (PATRICK REZA REMIX) by Lana Del Rey SEXY BACK (CRY WOLF REMIX) by Justin Timberlake

SMOKIN AND CHILLIN’

GANGSTA’S LIFE by Snoop Dogg feat. Nipsey Hussle SOMETHING IN YOUR EYES (MISTAJAM VIP REMIX) by Stinkahbell I FOLLOW RIVERS (THE OOS & AAHS REMIX) by Lykke Li BORN IN THE TRAP by The Game 25th HOUR by Reks feat. DJ Premier NOBODY’S PERFECT by J. Cole

ODDS AND ENDS

DEVIL’S WORK by Miike Snow SNDCLSH in Vegas by Lupe Fiasco MR BRIGHTSIDE (CRY WOLF REMIX) by The Killers KOOL ON by The Roots feat. Truck North & Greg Porn

4/5

COLE WORLD: SIDELINE STORY

J. COLE

CERTIFIED

GOOD

3.5/5 SH!T!!! THE HOOD INTERNET THE HOOD INTERNET

DOWNLOAD VIA MISHKA

FEAR OF GOD II: LET US PRAY

PUSHA T

CLICK FOR ITUNES!

I M

ention of PushaT’s album, Fear he much-anticipated of God II: Let J. Cole has proven to Us Pray, has brought the hip-hop world about myriad excitement that he is a remarkable amongst myriad hip-hop rapper. He has struck purists. Though Pusha a name for himself by delivering on work that is T’s traction has become holy-shit-sized in the targeted in topic, diverse

year surmising after Kanye West dropped his album and G.O.O.D. Friday Tracks, Fear of God II does not take any of this for granted. Pusha T delivers on vivid cocaine ballads and tales of the street, featuring tracks with Tyler the Creator, Rick Ross, and 50 Cent (who actually, kind of delivers a what-the-fuck worthy verse… In that, he doesn’t do half bad). But where he excels, is also where he falters. It is noticeable that Pusha T’s imagery has become more vivid, however, his subject matter hasn’t largely changed, showing at many moments narrow glimpses of growth, and in some veins, providing an almost predicted form of excellence to his end work.

have mad love for The Hood Intenet. But even as a fan, and friend, of both Aaron Brink’s and Steve Reidell’s my first thought of the album, before listening, was slight apprehension. No, under no pretenses could The Hood Internet’s first release be ostensibly bad. However, in recent years, it has felt as if mash-up has lost some of its steam in the novelty department, as many listeners have de-

veloped a preference for a remix-heavy listening experience compared to a compounding of multiple tracks over one another. Factoring in that much of my listening experience with The Hood Internet has largely extended to mash-ups, at first it seemed like a reach for the group to release a full-blown album, and I was concerned. How clean would their delivery be? Would it be mashups? Would it be studioproduced deep-cuts? Remixes? Shit, would listeners still “Get it?” Getting it extends to recognizing that the entire album’s remix-heavy foundation is entirely intentional. The Hood Internet has made a name for themselves producing excellent remixes and mash-ups, and with this being a part of their persona, it is well-owned on their debut. Each track is catered to the heightened senses: Bouncy and punchy tunes have excellent placement next to ambient soundscapes, and better yet, brilliant interpretations of crowd favorites. The Hood Internet does music some serious justice as well in their discerning and intelligent references to myriad genres: hip-hop, dance, ambient, and shit, even dubstep. Their most remarkable accomplishment, however, is found in the fact that each remix is more than just a remix—it is a completely overhauled rendition of what it is that you are used to listening to and contributes to an unequivocally unique and comprehensive listening experience.

4/5 GOOD SH!T!!!

Anatomy

L.A. OR BUST

stevan Oriol’s L.A. Woman ‘12 calendar has surely been the toast of the town. Especially amongst men, and more notably, Los Angelinos. That, however, is neither here nor there in Oriol’s testament to one of his cities most sought-after entities: The Women who reside, work, and play in the city of angels. Now, if only his calendar came with some phone numbers. Hell, it’d even be cool to blur out three of the seven digits. Im sure there’s at least one guy who would be willing to go through all of the trouble.

20 Anatomy

Anatomy

THE COSIGN DESCRIPTION

WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE LOUDER, BRIGHTER, AND MORE OBNOXIOUS IS THE NORM FOR GETTING ATTENTION, BUT WITH MASS AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION THROWN IN YOUR FACE EVERYDAY, THE LINES THAT SEPERATE GOOD, BAD, AND BULLSHIT BECOMES LOST IN THE SAUCE. PLEASE, SIT BACK, RELAX, AND LET US HELP WEED OUT THE CRAP.

CULO BY MAZZUCCO

It would be fitting that a coffee table book serving as one of mankind’s few monuments to female asses would be curated by none other than Sean, “P Diddy” combs. Was that a complaint? Nope!

2012 LA WOMAN CALENDAR BY ESTEVAN ORIOL

XBOX 360

OKAY, WE’LL BEGIN WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU “NEED” TO KNOW, SO LETS START OFF WITH RESOLUTIONS ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS OVER AND YOUR ASS STILL HAS TO JOG OFF THE THANKSGIVING WEIGHT, New Years resolutions give a pleasant reset to your life. The only trick is staying with them. While we don’t necessarily condone some stereotypical shit that you won’t follow through with, like running, quitting smoking, or

god forbid, cussing less, (since nobody ever really meets those), if you’ve got the brass, set a resolution that is contingent upon yourself and observable by others. Challenge your ideals and strive to do better. Meet a legitimate goal, and one that is not tentative or convertable, and Risk pissing yourself off if you don’t meet it. That is what resolutions are for. If you disagree, just do what everybody else does and lie to themselves about getting in shape for the new year.

22 Anatomy

Now that we have gotten that giving stuff out of the way, on a nerdier note, Xbox Live has just gotten better, in a way that people other than stench-ridden nerds can appreciate. Aside from the fact that Microsoft has implemented that cool “Minority Report-style” technology that lets you navigate windows with just the simple stroke of a finger, newer and sexier features have been put in place to enhance your overall Xbox experience. For people like your girlfriend, this means that she can enjoy cable TV without actually having to buy cable… And for you, it means you can actually justify moving the Xbox into the main room of the house.

Lets be honest here: Errrbody likes beautiful women, and Estevan Oriol is no different. Well, except for the fact that he can hold a camera in front of their firm, scantily clad bodies, and well, NOT look like a creep. These talents have been put to good use as Oriol has recently put together a finely curated collection of images for a 2012 calendar called L.A. Woman. The work, priced at $35, is a testament to one of Los Angeles’ finest resources, featuring faces such as Justene Jaro, Jeri Lee, and Meghan Daniels, as well as ingénues such as Erica Ocampo and Rosa Acosta.

PARDON THE MOMENT OF FANBOYDOM, BUT THIS IS THE APPLE COSIGN ERR.. APPLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD AND IT SHOWS.

Even with all of this counter-terrorism shit, some people would still go on a 20-man holiday-season killing spree if it meant a paradise of iPads, MacBooks, and 72 iPhones fresh out of the box. But ever since the passing of the company’s late president, Steve Jobs, Apple has also become super-duper relevant in the media. Have they come out with anything uber-new and earth shattering as of late? Not really, just the iPhone 4s and that uppity hoe Siri that thinks working on an iPhone4 is beneath her. So, we just felt the need to mention Steve Jobs’ stuff, and well, Steve Jobs… Because, you know, he’s a YouTube-tribute class of revolutionary, and he just died and all. Payin’ respects, see? Steve Jobs, Steve Jobs. Ah, can’t get mad at us, this magazine was made on a Mac!

THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

Syke, just seeing if you guys were paying attention!

MODERN WARFARE 3 VS. BATTLEFIELD 3 IT WOULD ALMOST BE WRONG TO NOT MENTION THESE TWO, BUT FOR REAL, HAVE YOU PLAYED CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3, OR BATTLEFIELD 3?

Lady gaga x terry richarson

dmittedly, it took a skinny minute for the folks at Anatomy to understand that Lady Gaga was anything but the attention-seeking uber-mediawhore that we originally painted her out to be. In fact, she comes chock full of good things like legitimate showmanship and uplifting messages for bullied gay kids which is why it should be no surprise that Gaga has experience a blow up epic proportions making her the world-renowned superstar that she is today. Okay, totally oversimplified, but one could say the same about a picture.

To me, however, a picture is worth a thousand words. To a little monster, a picture book, however, could be worth well over a million. Fashion photographer, Terry Richardson, has recently put out a Lady Gaga photo book called Lady Gaga x Terry Richarson, featuring over 350 images captured over the course of almost one year of the singers life, with the books start at Lollapallooza and its end at the Monster Ball. It is said that Richarson took over 100,000 images of the singer during this process, capturing Gaga in a light unseen by many fans.

If you have, then you know each time online is like another hit of some exotic crack that Ashy Larry or Tyrone Biggums must have forgotten about, which is to say, each respective playing experience is beyond good. Therefore, there is really no need to cosign these products. Really, the true question is, which one are you going to get? Online combat experiences account for a rich percentage of the average maleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s videogame intake, and this is typically indiscriminate of a respective playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing preference genre wise. Despite the fact that both releases were considerably successful, the release of these two titles in close proximity to one another produced an effect that was unprecedented in the shooter world: People actually felt as if they had a legitimate choice. In a world where

modern combat shooters were once dominated by the Modern Warfare franchise of games, the incorporation of the most recent Battlefield title has produced contention in this subset, prompting fans to choose between the title that they love, or going in another direction with their playing experience. With no clear winner in sight, the biggest difference between the games, hence, has been the playing preference of the user. After seeing both games in action, we can say this much: Modern Warfare 3 delivers on strong story-based play, potent multiplayer customizability options, and faster-paced, arcadestyle multiplayer modes that are bolstered by a dedicated and loyal player following across the globe. Even killstreak rewards have also been re-vamped to provide some flexibility for a diverse array of player skill sets, and playing types. Though Battlefield certainly boasts numbers in sales, these pale in comparison to the figures of the Modern Warfare 3 franchise. Stating this, however, Battlefield 3 delivers on a community that is com-

parable in size, and numbering large enough to allow for players to easily join games at a moments notice. Though Modern Warfare 3 strives and succeeds at producing a game that is exciting and action-packed, at times it can seem claustrophobic for more diverse playing styles, andat times feel contrived in nature when comparing the gravitas of the playing field to the battlefield which it is supposed to in part portray. Where it differs from Call of Duty is in the type of experience: it makes leaps and bounds towards producing the most authentic combat simulation possible. Bullets whiz by your head, bombs blow up in your face, structures collapse, tanks roll down the street, jet-fighters light up the sky and shit, when you get knifed, your body tilts back towards your assailants face, and you watch the blade go into your heart. Thus, if you are looking for a quality, albeit, more shootingoriented experience, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the way to go. However, if you are looking for something more paced, more tactical and more realistic, then Battlefield 3 may be your number one choice.

Anatomy 23

ANATOMY GUIDES

HELPING YOU LIVE A BETTER LIFE IF YOU NEVER BOTHERED CREDITING THE VALUE OF GOOD ADVICE, THINK ABOUT THE LAST TIME YOU EVALUATED THE VALUE OF BAD ADVICE. ITS OKAY, THE COMMENTARY MAY BE BITING, BUT NOBODY IS LOOKING. READ ON.

THE ANATOMY GUIDE TO GRANOLA VOODOO

make fun of my girlfriend. No, not in the asshole kind of way where some tactless bastard hurls contrived personal attacks at a “loved one.” Instead, more so in the sense that I have nicknames for her, and every once in a while, I like to gently poke fun at her. She’s an artist, pianist, and food activist who works some of her time at a food co-op, where I am a video game playing, expletive writing, McDonalds eating warm-blooded American who likes his cows with a side of lettuce tomato, and onion. Okay, I lied. I hate tomatoes. But over the course of our almost year-and-ahalf-long relationship, I

have realized that both her and I represent two increasingly divided sects of bourgeoisie western fuckery. Being a young citizens of the United States, growing up here, and taking time to establish myself, I can honestto-god say that I eat a lot of shit. In fact, so much that if I had to describe my diet, if left to my own devices, it would start with a stick of butter, and then advance to plus a varied and diverse concoction of national American heart stoppers such as McDonalds, Taco Bell, Bojangles and Dominos Pizza compounded with hometown favorites that you probably won’t recognize, but will kill you even faster.

24 Anatomy

Kathryn first began inviting me to come out and write during the day at her job, a food co-op rife with running children, a patio, chairs, and an expansive lawn where occasionally folk music would be played and awkward white guys in cargo pants would make brazen attempts at dancing away a gradient of midlife crises. Expectedly, it is a beautiful place, and one that some granolas would dream about. At first, my visits were short as the experience was jarring. Walking in meant challenging my ideals: Kentucky Fried Chicken vs. completely free range, Jay H.O.V.A. vs. John Lennon, Carolina Jordans vs. Chacos, high

fashion vs. hiking? Later, however, when things calmed down, my visits lengthened. I grew to expect certain things out of each trip, and realized that contrary to my hypothesis, organic-food havens subscribe to remarkably fewer stereotypes that I had built up in my head. In fact, so much, that I actually don’t mind going to them anymore. People are nice, affable, pleasing, and easy to spark up a conversation with. Now, with this being said, that doesn’t mean I haven’t taken note of other details that before, were completely unfathomed. So here’s the skinny on granola hangouts.

RULE #1: A GRANOLA, IS...

anybody who grovels over high nutrition, organic food that rarely makes its way into poor neighborhoods, for the sake of its positive health effects, and sustainable effect that its consumption has on the environment.

RULE #2: NOT EVERYBODY AT A GRANOLA HANGOUT IS A GRANOLA.

Sure, there are some who actually do drive Priuses, are yoga faithfuls, and donate money to the rainforest and shit. But then there are other people who just came from Wendys and wanna get a couple of unique items that they can’t get anywhere else/ people who really don’t give too much of a damn about a carbon footprint, but like scening around because the coffee is good, the internet is free and the people are nice. These people are called Fauxnolas. I am a fauxnola.

RULE #3: YOUR AVERAGE GRANOLA HANGOUT DOESN’T JUST FEATURE OVER-PRIVILEGED, SNOOTY, YUPPIE BASTARDS, THERE ARE “NORMAL” PEOPLE TOO.

You’ll soon find that aside from the food, this is perhaps one of the most refreshing rules. No, coming in as an outsider will not get you ostracized. People won’t hurl black paint at your car if you’re whipping a gas guzzler. Generally, folks are peaceful, friendly, and at times outgoing in nature.

Rule #4: Contrary to common belief, there are options at every price level. AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS WAS THE FACT THAT, CONTRARY TO MY EARLIER BELIEF SYSTEM, THERE ARE A GRADIENT OF GRANOLA HANGOUTS. There was the expansive food co-op in my local neighborhood, there was Whole Foods down the road, and Trader Joes even further. I had heard of all years before actually venturing inside due to preconceived notions that all of these places were breeding grounds for latte-drinking prius driving, bleeding heart liberals… (I’m a liberal, so I can say that). Don’t get me wrong, there definitely are latte-drinking, prius driving bleeding heart liberals at all of these locations, and you’ll spot them within ten seconds of walking in. But the most remarkable discovery was that there was an option for everybody, no matter the price point. And remarkably, each option was good. It

wasn’t the type of situation where the Co-Op was like Dagastino’s and Trader Joes by compare, was musky-ass C-Town. Though each place was divided by price point, there was something for everybody at every location. The food CoOp excels in fresh meat and produce, in tandem with an exotic selection of breads and cheeses. Whole Foods had an advantage at the breadth of locations and swath of selections, despite their at times, controversial means of getting their food, and Trader Joes is a great place to get nick knacks at a good price: cereal, organic meat, and tasty frozen dinners that somehow magically surpass anything you’ve tossed in your oven or microwave. Forget about a delivery, and a DiGiorno, can someone solve the mystery to the pure deliciousness of the Trader Joes oven pizza? I’ve heard the secret is crack (ok, BIG LIE, love you Trader Joes).

RULE #5: BEWARE THE WIDE SWATH OF GRANOLA VOODOO.

Note: Granola Voodoo is a nice way of describing, the tchotchkis and arbitrary shit that employees of various establishments may try and convince your ignorant ass to buy. No, this isn’t a grocery store. It isn’t filled with things that you need, like cigarettes, condoms, or soap that has a sporty scent. It is filled with A. Anything organic. B. Tasty snacks with ironically no nutritional value. C, Anything that can get you swept up in a granola-filled organic storm. These things include but are not limited to ear candles on the nonsensical end of the spectrum, and organic dishsoap on the everyday end. And it still gets bought despite its reputation of being light on grease.

FLAVORS RULE #7: NO OF CELEB. MATTER WHAT YOU MAY THINK, GRANOLA SOME DO WELL, OTHERS MEAN NONE OF THE WELL. DO YOU AFOREMENTIONED ALIGMN WITH ANY OF THESE CELEBDESTINATIONS RITY GRANOLAS? CLASSIFY AS “SUPERMARKETS” In fact, all parties would agree. The supermarket, to the conventional granola is an onslaught of consumerism where labels and jump in your face and headlines from tacky tabloids explode in your ears like grenades at the checkout line. To me, a supermarket is a place where you can buy A: Food, B: Tacky Magazines C: Cigarettes, and to some Californians, Liquor could be added to the list. Don’t expect at least three of these at your local organic market.

RULE #8: IF YOU’RE SINGLE, RULE #6: IF ITS PERHAPS THE YOU BECOME A BEST KEPT SECRET REGULAR, YOU FOR MEETING NEW MAY HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE. This is an unexpected, A “NEW WEIRD but true and also common occurrence DIET” THAT A at granola hangouts, on some days PEER OF YOURS and can trump even the in terms of stock. MAY WANT YOU club However, ladies, check the pits, and TO TRY... fellas, I am serious In the event that this should happen, remember the famous American saying: Fuck. That. Diet.

when I say, check the legs.

AL GORE Thinks globally, and acts globally. The granola-in-asuit.. He cares about the environment and can reach across the table

ANGELINA JOLIE Beauty and brains. Looks into the world for need, and believes that helping even one person helps make the world a better place.

HAYDEN PANETTIERE Means well, but overinvolved. Will slap name onto any piece of shit cause just to “increase awareness.”

Anatomy 25

NAME DROPPINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

BEN TROVATO BLOG

f you make a search for Fashion, there is a lot that would pop up in this day and age. Everything from photographs and clothing to magazines, interviews and ads. But what happens, however, when interests become more particular. For example, what if you liked fashion, but wanted to follow photography? Better yet, the photography of up-and coming photographers before they have even gotten big yet? Meet Ben Trovato Blog: a website run by curator, Marius Troy, who scours the internet for the finest in up-and-coming fashion talent from all over the world: from photographers and models to stylists and make-up artists. The website, initially gallery of fine fashion photography, has metamorphosed into a crossroads for more than 1500 connections across the gamut of the industry that feature their work on the website. If you want a look at some of the best in up and coming fashion photography talents, or hell, simply want to sit in awe and click through some galleries, pay Marius a visit, and leave a comment.

BENTROVATOBLOG.COM

26 Anatomy

Anatomy 27

FASHIONISING

FASHION, BY ANATOMY

SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD COMPLETELY LOSE OUR FASHION SENSE WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO MUSIC. WE SAID, “SAVE IT, THIS IS PART OF OUR HERITAGE.” WELCOME, TO THE ANATOMY MAGAZINE FASHION SECTION AND THIS TIME, ITS ABOUT KEEPING THE “SAME SHIT, DIFFERENT DAY” ATTITUDE OUT OF FASHION COVERAGE.

fORGET WEATHER, ITS SUNNY YEAR ROUND.

SUPER X P.A.M. IF YOU CAN GET THESE, YOU’RE A SARTORIAL GOD.

SUPER X COOL CATS “W” SUNGLASSES

ITS NOT THAT SUPER SUNGLASSES AREN’T ALREADY WORSHIP WORTHY, ITS JUST THAT THE COLLABORATIONS ARE TO DIE FOR.

OLIVER PEOPLES X BECK THROW IN A HEAD PORTER CASE, AND THATS A WIN.

CUTLER & GROSS “1032” FRAME CARL ZEISS LENSES AND ITALIAN ACETATE TO ACHIEVE THAT ACCEPTABLY DIABOLICAL ENGLISH LOOK THAT AMERICANS LOVE.

egardless of the, season warm or cold, finding the optimal pair of sunglasses is a prolonged and daunting experience. Once one finds their ideal frame type to attractively fit their face, then comes the challenge of finding something that everybody doesn’t have and it is at this point, where people make the choice between something unique, and well, wayfarers… Not saying that there is anything wrong with them of course. But what if the very thing that your heart desires is that which is borderline-unattainable where you are, for the fact that you live in a black void of mainstream consumerism? Luckily for you, not having to look far means going on the internet, and lets face it, you wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t on the internet right now. And luckily, where conformity persists in your everyday environment, it doesn’t persist here. Which is why the next product of

28 Anatomy

note is a collaboration between Italian sunglasses manufacturer Retro Super Future, and Parisian streetwear house, Cool Cats. Their sunglasses, the “W” sunglasses are immaculate. Though the frame’s design elements have already been used in the past on a collaboration between Super x WeSC, the frame makes a marked return as Cool Cats add perhaps one of the dopest embellishments to unisex sunglasses: two-tone lenses. Sure, any fashion purist would tell you that two-tone lenses aren’t anything new, especially after Chanel released two-tone black and clear elliptical frames structured in heavy plastic some two-to-three years earlier. Indiscriminate of what predecessors may lie in the past, however, Super and Cool Cats’ delivery of their “W” sunglasses is inventive to say the least. While the first impression of this pair certainly was “done before,” looking closer reveals how much

one detail can change the entire interpretation of the product. Contrary to twotone frames that tend to visit the aforementioned aesthetic by providing two tones horizontally, Cool Cats takes a justified risk in visiting the aesthetic vertically. This move, though simple, is tactical in the same swoop. Where the brilliance of the collaboration comes into play, is in maintaining a recognizable look, while simultaneously highlighting Cool Cats by using the two-tone look to mimic a cat eye. Now this is what we call, certified dope.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MENS ANKLE BOOTS?

You would find some hard pressed to liking a conventional mens ankle boot, however, within application, anything can look good. A good suggestion for an ankle boot is something in the vein of the Maison Martin Margiela 22 Waxed Men’s Suede Boot. Aside from an elegant silhouette that is straight “tits,” there is the boot’s two-tone application of suede and leather, delivering on a unique and refined feel that can be applied in a rugged casual look, or a clean aesthetic. With a tough economy, multiple styles are key.

STUSSY X VANISHING ELEPHANT S/S ‘11 CAPSULE COLLECTION

IN A TRULY EYECATCHING COLLABORATION, STUSSY HAS TEAMED UP WITH AUSTRALIAN BRAND VANISHING ELEPHANT TO PUT TOGETHER A STYLISH S/S CAPSULE collection for the folks down under, consisting of everything from shorts and tee shirts, to attractive shoes and pants. Though it is largely cold as hell in the United States at this time of the year, summer is taking shape down in Austra-

lia… And though you may be thinking about this line’s relevance, it only takes a skinny minute for summer to be back around the corner. Plus, if you’re rich, this ain’t a summer line, it’s a cruise line. Remember that. While much of Stussy’s heritage includes cut and sew items, more of it is consistent of tee shirts. But even so, favorites this time around are the button down shirts that are quirky, as well as the line’s derbys that are nothing short of remarkable.

THE NIXON SUPERTIDE: A SURFER’S DREAM

THE FUTURE IS UNKNWN

IT ISN’T EVERY DAY THAT A BASKETBALL PLAYER COMES OUT WITH A CONCEPT STORE.

But it is everyday that when an athlete tries to release something beyond his field of expertise, it typically goes down in a flame of failure and glory. Regardless, however, we remain optimistic about LeBron James’ store, UNKWN, which opened its doors on December 16. Contrary to our conventional expectations of clothing stores championed by champions (well, not LeBron, sorry!), James’ UNKWN shows promise as it boasts a stocklist that caters to almost

ORIGINALLY, WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A COLLABORATION, ALBEIT ONE THAT IS BORDERLINEUNATTAINABLE, BUT THEN WE SAW THIS WATCH AND IMMEDIATELY SAID “FUCK THAT.”

any tastemaker’s delight. Featuring a gamut of brands from Kidrobot and 10.Deep to Original Fake and A.P.C., seems to ostensibly have gotten it right: the average kid in America has to go to the mall, but the average kid in America isn’t finding dope shit there. Though UNKNWN’s location currently numbers to one on Aventura BLVD, in Miami, its stocklist increases the availability of traditionally unavailable garb, and for that reason, is welcomed with open arms. It will be interesting to see what happens with the store come its release, but we do not expect anything less than the best.

Which is to say, that the Nixon Supertide’s dopeness comes not only in its design, but in its unique functionality. With the conventional ability to tell time compounded with the unconventional ability to predict surfing conditions up to a whopping 48 hours in advance, the Supertide is a surfer’s $180 dreamboat for predicting surf conditions at more than 200 beaches around the world. Hell, it may be winter right about now in the states, but this watch has us wanting to paddle out.. and we don’t even surf! No, its not for a black-tie occasion, but we’re not complaining. Now if only they can make one for snowboarders then we would be in business.

Anatomy 29

MUST COP:

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

LIGHT SUEDE TASSEL LOAFERS

DIAMOND SUPPLY CO. HOLIDAY ‘11 SHIRTS

It is a rarity when one finds a clothing piece that makes a prospective wearer utterly hearken to its appearance. It has been funny because in observing fashion and fashion-heads, this feeling can arrive frequently, or have occurrences that are few and far between. Alexander McQueen’s suede brown tassel loafers do exactly just that. First noticeable by their elegant aesthetic, McQueen’s loafer delivers on a beautifully-tapered base feel that invites wearers to experiment with the shoe’s diverse array of applications—both casual and formal in tandem. But the real treat is in finding that McQueen’s loafers represent more than just a pretty face, but also a testament to fine quality. In a weak economy, discerning buyers can be bamboozled by large-scale fashion houses that sell expensive merchandise, without the qualitative backup on their products. Alexander McQueen delivers on a shoe with a 100% leather suede upper, both leather soles and midsoles, as well as a dust bag to keep your kicks clean. Standard if you know where to look, ballin’ for everybody else. It seems as if today, the legend lives on.

30 Anatomy

nlike the government, the American streetwear world goes through anything but a “lame duck session” come the holiday period. Between announcing new ranges of products for the beginning of the following year, to coming out with new collaborations, to holiday collections, there is always plenty of activity going on in the streetwear-osphere (whaaa?). With that being said, however, there can usually be a spectrum of product, from mediocre to excellent, there is one thing for certain: Diamond Supply Co. always delivers.

Sure, it could be asserted that the label has done everything from switch gears, to making dope product, to getting hype and then kind of falling off a little bit. But even so, its successes and failures have always been in proportion to the greater streetwear world, and they have usually been proportionately at the top. Their holiday collection for 2011 is no different. Despite featuring some graphics from other seasons, bringing back old classics can deliver a nice flare to a brand, and in Diamand Supply Co’s case, it helped round out a solid collection for the holiday season. Favorites of the collec-

tion include their “Cannot Duplicate” tee as well as their Diamond High prints, but overall, the collection’s usage of color and basic graphic imagery serve as a positive reminder of the formerly-innocent world of streetwear fashion: Where brands were being started by guys who just wanted to put out shirts, and collaborations didn’t suck yet. Despite somewhat heavy-handed criticism of the line because of some duplicated graphic applications, this doesn’t detract from the line. Especially when the nostalgia that is evoked feels so authentic by compare, and not tryhard.

1. ANY THOUGHTS 2. WERE THERE THE ON THE CLOTHING ANY THAT YOU WELL- COLLABORATIONS LIKED? DRESSED THAT ARE COMCYNIC ING OUT BETWEEN this section is BRANDS AND dedicated to you, the well- BLOGS?

dressed cynic: the fashionminded blog reader that takes zero shit from tastemakers. you walk to the beat of your own drum, and aren’t afraid to call it like it is. Your brazen nature hasn’t gone unnoticed, and we salute you with this PAGE.

Just because your favorite blog makes it, doesn’t protect it from being uglier than ass when they post it online.

Freshness Magazine’s. They were smart and stuck to beanies. Only an idiot jacks up a beanie.

3. HAVE YOU SEEN THE PIRELLI 2012 CALENDAR?

6. THOUGHTS ON THE DW LINE BY KANYE WEST?

What was up with the models wearing dresses with hipster backpacks and hood bling? I’m too confused.

7. I HEARD AMERICAN APPAREL IS STARTING TO MAKE MONEY AGAIN?

Hell, Dov Charney could have a swimming pool full of hundreds and invite all of his customers over for nude bbq featuring all of his favorite AA models, and then force all of his customers to take a dip. Doesn’t mean I’ll buy me one of them overpriced white tees.

8.PATAGONIA’S “DON’T BUY THIS JACKET” CAMPAIGN WAS PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL HUH? No it wasn’t. The way I see it, Patagonia did me a favor. That jacket was ugly as fuck anyway.

ith the F/W season at its peak, fashion has had an opportunity to witness some great releases. Now that the holiday season is effectively in tow, it is time to highlight some of the greater moments of the season, and weigh in two cents--or a dollar, depending on how you Doesn’t matter if it wasn’t Mario Sorrenti’s see it. After all, if there is intention for the calendar to be “sexy at all”. going to be something to It is muh’fucka. say, now is the time to say it. Otherwise, we have to wait till next year before he can talk his shit again. Betweem Mario Sorrenti, Lady Gaga, and the rise of Kanye West’s new fashion line, there is plenty to behold for the Well-Dressed Cynic. Unfortunately, however, he ran out of space when it came to the points of dis- “My girlfriend can’t seem to get enough of cussion. this.”

DUH!?

9.SO I HEARD THE BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB IS MAKING A WOMEN’S LINE CALLED BILLIONAIRE GIRLS CLUB...

4. THOUGHTS?

5. FIRST IMPRESSION OF LADY GAGA’S“MARRY THE NIGHT” VIDEO?

Despite the fact that history has proven to ruthlessly flay women’s streetwear until it has become a bloody pulp of core brands, I am surprised and it has been for good cause: most women don’t wear teeshirts. they wear tops, dawg. In terms of where they actually “do” wear tee shirts, try to bed. By incorporating more cut and sew, BBC is trying to angle the market. Even it it ends up expensive, shit, at least it ain’t gaudy like everything else.

Anatomy

Post Racist, Pre Classist. PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ELECTION IN 2008 SPARKED A HUGE RACIAL DEBATE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE UNITED STATES HAS ADVANCED TO BECOMING A POST-RACIAL SOCIETY. NOW, FOUR YEARS DOWN THE LINE, THOUGH PLENTY STILL PRESENT THE DISCUSSION AT DINNER TABLES AND IN THE MEDIA, THE TRUE QUESTION LIES IN WHETHER OR NOT THIS INFORMATION EVEN MATTERS ANYMORE. WITH ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AT ONE OF ITS WORST POINTS IN HISTORY, THE GAP OF OPPORTUNITY BECOMES INCREASINGLY WIDENED AS NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT CLASS RUN THE RISK OF FINDING THEMSELVES PAIRED WITH DANGEROUS STEREOTYPES ABOUT RACE.

win Towers, War on Terror, Iraq, Afghanistan, Patriot Act, financial crises with a dumb president, followed by a black one. This past decade, has been fucking interesting. But on what premise, exactly, could we denote that? Certainly, the U.S. was attacked on its own soil and yeah, if you haven’t read the news, the piece of paper that says we have rights recently got overruled by an even bigger piece of paper that says we don’t. But moreover, somehow in the midst of chaos, what could have been quite easily considered one of the most racist countries on god’s green earth recently enlisted the help of a black man to serve as the panacea for its most fundamental problems. Irony. Beyond the scope of alignment, policy, or position, however, the addition of a black president amid Washington’s diverse halls of giants has presented a fundamental question: Has the United States effectively breached the sphere of becoming an ostensibly post-racial nation? Idealists would readily present the positioning of “yes.” After all, why not? The highest office in the land is a symbol

32 Anatomy

of supreme power. To delegate that power to a black man is to entrust that he ostensibly can make just as sound of a decision as a white man. To skeptics, however, this doesn’t seem to completely apply. There is readily verifiable data that suggested a fairly wide amount of Americans wouldn’t have voted for Obama regardless of his position. But even so, he won right? Regardless of the pre-existing backlash that already stands against President Obama, the political field has changed drastically in a new direction. While theorists and experts pontificate about the presence of a post-racial United States, the reality is that it is neither here nor there. Staring one of worst economic crises in history dead in the mouth, the fate of American society lies not in the question of black or white, but rather, in disparities that lie between rich and poor. This thesis, is not a simple one pertaining exclusively to guns and butter and how much either one side may, or may not, have. But rather, the fact that people who cannot live exclusively on their own means cannot exist in an environment where they can have a role in changing that disparity. That is to say, in short, that in the breaking down of politi-

Anatomy 33

“As an ability of the brain, thin-slicing comes into play as a mechanism to allow for us to make quick decisions and associations without getting bogged down in analytical thought. More importantly, however, it operates behind the locked door of our subconscious. The first idea that [Gladwell] presents is that this mechanism can at times provide us with a comparable amount of information UP to sometimes months or even years of knowledge. “ cal concepts between ideal theory (where all conditions are optimum) and comparative theory (where a theory is compared to others to see which is best), cultural concepts and cornerstones, such as the American Dream, as it stands, are ideal, transcendent, theory that these days, is considered largely impossible. Is this lack of opportunity evident in a lack of effort? Or is the lack of opportunity founded in the idea that we should put forth too much? That we should place ourselves on foundations that only we can build, that the American, frontier spirit, surrounding success is something of a personal journey for each person to cultivate, and thus, we have no reason to seek out additional help? Possibly, or maybe it is something more. President Obama has had a unique battle to face in the last two years, as his opposition has dug its nails in the roots of economic discontent. Unfortunately, however, this has also manifest itself in the form of weakened statewide healthcare programs for needy patients, the potential privatization of Social Security, and moreover, an extension of the Bush tax cuts which have become increasingly unsustainable in the wake of this economic crisis. President Obama, when he addressed the United States during his The State of The Union address said, that “there would be some sacred cows” potentially up on the chopping block to try and balance out the economic turmoil. The problem, however, is that the sacred cows are the ones that take care of the most people.

Anatomy

For the sake of argument, lets make a character named Lamar. Lamar is a minority, poor, and generally uneducated. He likes baggy jeans, tall tees and drinking forties on sunny days at 3:00 in the afternoon. People talk to him on the street a lot of the time, and as it turns out, he is a nice guy who actually holds a job as a bartender during the week at a local spot in town. Lamar, however, will experience resistance in moving past the work of being a bartender. Sure, part of it could be that he drinks at 3:00pm, but beyond that, Lamar lives in a part of town that is poor. He didn’t get the best educational attention growing up and when he would return home, he returned to an environment of people trying to get by on weak paychecks, illegal business, and cutting corners. His community consists of blue-collar workers, many of whom have no connections and thus, he has no connections. Lamar’s lack of connections and educational experience prevent him from getting higher up jobs that would assist him in providing for his family. Moreover, Lamar’s inability to acquire business attire prevents him from even getting so far as to sit down in the interview. Thus, Lamar transitions to an environment where he can supplement his income with illegal activities. In conducting these activities with some associates in his neighborhood, who are like him in circumstance, he finds himself in a criminal environment where he and his friends drink forties during the day and get by at night. Though Lamar is a good guy, his lack of access is due to an environment that has ultimately reinforced negative stereotypes about him. Therefore, he is the black guy on the street drinking forties in the mid-afternoon and it wouldn’t be difficult to make the jump from labeling him as a good for nothing bum to a common criminal. Perhaps it was that in juxtaposing some people’s sense of “shady people on the street” to my own personal judgment, I realized that many of these same people tend to just be poor. Why was it, however, that many have experienced racism in this day and age, when for some upper-class minorities, overt experiences of racisim may come in instances that are few and far between? Sure, there is the way that some dress, at times with fitted clothing and also the manner in which they communicate as well as subject matter. However, these things cannot completely dictate who and what they are. Or can they? In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Blink, he presents the concept of thin-slicing, or, being able to break down a person, place, or thing into tiny parts to come up with snap decisions. As an ability of the brain, thin-slicing comes into play as a mechanism to allow for us to make quick decisions and associations without getting bogged down in ana-

lytical thought. More importantly, however, it operates behind the locked door of our subconscious. The first idea that he presents is that this mechanism can at times provide us with a comparable amount of information UP to sometimes months or even years of knowledge. A good example would be to juxtapose Lamar to another hypothetical character, Mason. On the premise that Lamar does not look like he has money due to how well-dressed he is, the quality of his teeth, and moreover, the way he speaks, people can come up with a short-cut, albeit erroneous, conclusion about who he is, what he does, and what he stands for. His image, being intimidating, may prevent him from being sought out for counsel, trust, and at times, employment. For someone like Mason—well spoken, well-dressed and well kept—one may assume that he comes from a more prominent family and has gotten a better education. The decision to approach Mason versus Lamar, much of the time, is made on this premise. Because of the way that it works, almost as a short-cut mechanism, thin-slicing is a very powerful tool because of its astounding accuracy, but simultaneously, its inaccuracies. Gladwell conceptualizes something called the Warren Harding error—named after what has been considered to be one of the worst presidents in the history of the United States. In short, the Warren Harding error is when thin-slicing goes wrong, and snap judgments provide erroneous information, and by extension, erroneous results. A good example would be that after having thinsliced Lamar into his many minute details, a venture capitalist may not think that he is qualified to have his own start-up company. Unbeknownst to the business owner, however, Lamar just likes wearing baggy clothing, it also turns out that on that day, he forgot to brush his teeth trying to make it on time to the interview, and that yeah, he likes drinking Schlitz on “the regs,” but it turns out that he likes Scotch every now and again and despite all of these seemingly viable indicators, it just so happens to turn out that Lamar has a fucking genius idea. Mason, despite his indicators, by contrast, could very well bring little to the table beyond appearance. This could be true or untrue under many circumstances, but in context to the story, who has won and who has lost? In examining the intricacies of classism, we have to understand that classism is dangerous for the same reasons that racism is: in its ability to sustain. if not broaden. the effect of cultural stagnancy. As it stands, there are ways to get around some of the effects of classism: dress nicer, explore new topics of conversation, read books and take into examination worthwhile talents. But even so,

this does not always prove to completely fix the harms of the system. I don’t know if this is something that I am personally mad at, but it is something that I realize now. Turning on the TV, I see a country drowning in turmoil. With the state of things turning to peril, we can only take into account the moves that are being made as well as the ones that simply are not. A post-racial United States need not matter anymore. In fact, one year after the Obama election, it really should not have been a question whatsoever. The reason why is because given the way things stand, a post-racial United States is not possible when mechanisms are in play to perpetuate negative stereotypes and associations with minorities, whose poor suffer largely because of menial circumstance. That is to say, without decent wages, people cannot afford better education in their communities. That is to say, without better education and democracy of opportunity, people cannot advance to better lives. That is to say a poor family trying to advance themselves cannot get job interviews and placed in opportunities that offer competitive wages. That is to say that the poor may have to subscribe to alternative means of survival. That is to say that the system in place will always perpetuate the problem of reinforcing negative racial streotypes if money is thrown at the wrong solutions such as privatized systems that broaden gaps between the haves nad have-nots. Finally, that is to say a black man and a latino man coming from the inner city to look for gainful employment will always consist primarily of a darkie and a wet-back in the eyes of a handful of men who offer opportunities. This is a problem for obvious reasons, one, for instance, is that much of the time it is a far cry away from fairness. But these conundrums become even more so amplified once we stretch into the social component surrounding it. The reality is that poor people get the short end of the stick in almost all affairs. In advancing to the legislative front, however, this is where classism bears its sharpest teeth. We could cite a piece of informational minutiae when in winter of 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer cut $9 million in state funding to needy open heart surgery patients who simply would die if they did not get a heart transplant. Another example is found in the lessons that history has taught us when we examine the effects of state-imposed high baroque culture in 19th century Paris. Using Paris as a model, we see that in the midst of its re-development phase to becoming what many travelers recognize today as Paris, the local government incorporated the widening of roads, large-scale beautification projects, monuments, museums, opera

houses and theaters. The pervading conclusion with this model was that it would help increase the reputation of France, and moreover, bring greater business to the area, as this model banked on wealthy clientele to help support the local economy. Though we can see that this model works, the superseding philosophy behind the incorporation of high Baroque culture requires that the urban poor be pushed away from the city center. Upon visiting Paris some years ago, it is visible that this has largely been done. Beyond the spectrum of museums, opera houses, fancy hotels and today, bars and clubs, also lies sky high real-estate valuations. In other words, though there is a ghetto in Paris, much of it isn’t even readily accessible, assuming you were given a tourist’s map of the city. The most important thing, however, is that when night fell, immigrants from Algeria, the Congo and many other places throughout Africa and the middle east would come out and try to enjoy the town with what they had… Only to go back to the ghetto later that night. Taking the Parisian model into account, we can say that yes, it is great for tourists, the wealthy and even the middle class who help perpetuate the overarching classism that permeates many aspects of society today. Through the scope of opportunity, though, we must ask ourselves a different question: is the opportunity being extended to everyone? Or are the barriers to entry becoming increasingly higher? What we see with the Parisian model is that Paris, the city, maintains pretty unrealistic barriers to entry. Beyond the racism exhibited towards African immigrants, there is also the aspect to which after a while, the proximity to opportunity is no longer opportunistic, the commute is no longer worth the wage and taking these things laying down is no longer an option. Some months prior to my arrival in Paris, I became nervous after having read news about racial tensions between the native French and African immigrants. Later these tensions devolved into rioting. Much of the rioting happened on the fringes of the city. I wonder why. Though Paris has dealt with the twists and turns concerning their embrace of high Baroque culture in the 19th century, this is readily applied to modern day as well, just under a cleaner term used by cities that need to “revamp” their downtown areas: gentrification. The United States is still too young of a country to see some of the direct effects of trying to incorporate the Parisian model into every other city and town between New York and Los Angeles, but despite its age, that doesn’t mean that our society is unsusceptible to them. The reality is that when development is taken into consideration, human decency must be a factor in the equation, otherwise, as opportunities shift, the layout of the urban

A brief collec tion of some great economy memes. Yeah, I won’t lie... Things are pretty dire, but this will lighten the mood.

Anatomy 35

poor will shift in the opposite direction… And the American dream will effectively, no longer exist. That isn’t to say, however, that there are bleak opportunities on the horizon for change. It just means that people have to attack the correct linchpins. The first comes in the form of understanding the makeup of a good neighborhood. Despite the fact that the U.S. is a post-integration state, there are still persistent racial associations with economic status. After all, if that were not the case, then gentrification would not wield such a powerful sword in our culture—that being, an inner city neighborhood will continue to be considered bad by society until the techies, artists, gays and schoolteachers move in, followed by blonde-haired soccer moms in yoga pants and dads who ignore them whilst fucking around on blackberries… Then it’ll be on the up and up. Further, it is important to understand the damaging perception of affiliating reclaiming effects on neighborhoods in shambles with pumping in an overwhelming presence of wealthy, predominantly-white population that can raise prices for poor people within the market. If this remains the case, the reality is that all of a sudden, there is no possibility of producing a successful and affluent environment that can benefit a certain group of people. Every time things get better for people in poverty, they quickly get worse in the wake of displacement. Can the economic affiliations with race be solved by taking formerly-minority neighborhoods and metamorphosing them with predominantly-white establishments? No. That would subscribe wholly to the idea that white is ostensibly right in our culture. Building great neighborhoods—even for folks who are now poor—requires for individuals to recognize the places to invest in poor people. This is not done by putting up a condo on the fringes of a poor part of town just as much as it is not done by pushing the railroad tracks even farther away from opportunity. This is done by investments in infrastructure. With people who are poor, the strongest infrastructure that exists amongst the poor are the individuals within the community. Therefore investment in education, and in the worst of neighborhoods, is a social imperative. This comes not only in the form of providing resources to qualified teachers, but also providing resources to students. This translates to removing the digital divide in classrooms as well as providing more advanced placement and international baccalaureate classes. The reason why these things are important is for the fact that people, especially the poor, need to have access to the internet. In a world that is now moving away from the “old internet” and now moving towards “the cloud,” even people who

36 Anatomy

have money are still getting left behind in the dust. The internet represents exposure and as the digital world continues to develop, the divide that stands between the rich and poor, if left unchecked, will serve to be the new frontier for the classism conundrum. However, providing the resources available for the students to comfortably seek the counsel of their teachers is also the other part of the puzzle. The other component is already being done on the avenue of popular culture. In order for the affiliations between blackness and poverty and whiteness and wealth to be purged, the spectrum of conditioning that is available to society has to change. Popular culture has shown itself to be one of the most effective entities in doing this. Though history has presented shows that patronize minorities in some respect like Different Strokes, in a postCosby world, we can say that popular culture is changing in the favor of racial democracy, albeit at a slow pace. After Cosby there was Fresh Prince followed by Family Matters and now we have worked our culture up to the point where we can have a billionaire who is black, on Gossip Girl, a show about NYC high society, who, at one point used to have romantic relations with the perfectly quaffed matriarch on the show, Lilly Van Der Woodsen. Impressive. But the final component of the equation, however, is to look inside of ourselves. Classism, unlike racism, is something so deeply engrained inside of us that much of the time we do not even see ourselves subscribing to it in fleeting instances. Much of our thought process surrounding this topic has largely been contingent upon our development. Whether or not we grew up rich or poor, black or white, privately or publically educated, it all counts. I’m not going to say that classism is something that can be completely avoided. The reality is that it can’t. Even the most down to earth people slip up on some stupid shit. But if you say anything odd and a switch goes on in your head, it’s okay, don’t try to compensate in that moment. Just pay attention to the fact that a switch went on. In closing, I was writing this piece at my girlfriend’s house and I heard a knock on the door. I looked through the window and saw a black man with a slightly grown mustache and beard trying to see if anybody was home. He was skinny and wore a red shirt with a blue baseball cap and jeans. I got a little bit nervous, but since I was bigger than he, I figured that if anything went wrong, I could readily correct the situation. My palm twitched as it covered the brass door handle. I twisted, and cracked the door, standing in the opening. “Can I help you?” I said. “Hey man, I’m so sorry to bother you, I have a job and I actually live in the neighborhood

around the corner. I’m coming on some hard times and I was just walking around the area to see if there was any extra help that I could do or something. Y’see, it’s the last day for me to pay my Duke Energy bill, its like, 68 dollars and I’ve been working all day to get this money together, because I just can’t have the lights turned out on my wife and babies. I have 13 dollars to go on this bill. Do you think I could maybe wash your car or something for a little cash? I know its an odd request, but my daddy always taught me to work for your money, and I just can’t go up to Franklin Street.” I looked down at his feet and saw a red bucket with a blue washrag in it. I looked up at him as he slightly craned his neck and tilted his head in wonder at what it was I was going to say next. “Sorry man, I don’t have any money that I can give you.” The funny thing was that, as he walked away from the door, I actually did feel sorry. The sincerity of his voice was synonymous with the pain that I could see in his eyes—the fact that he was a man with pride who has recently been forced to beg for the generosity of others to help his family out. Moreover, he was willing to work for it. As I watched him walk away from me, red bucket in hand, headed back down the street, part of me wondered how many doors he had knocked on that day. Part of me had wondered how much help he had actually gotten from the goodness of people’s hearts. The other part wondered how many times he had gotten rejected. Either way, knocking on those doors lead his path to mine, where we met briefly. When I look back on the situation, part of me wished deeply that I had the money to give him, simply so that he could stop walking around in the street looking for odd labor. But maybe that was because I too had no money, and could empathize with him, maybe because in that moment, I wasn’t too far off away from him. I wonder, however, what I would have done in the event that I had a pocket full of twenties. As one who regularly gives to the poor, I prefer entertaining the idea that I would have emptied out my wallet in that moment, for that man, just so that he could go home to his family and tell them with a smile on his face, that everything would be alright. Maybe that’s me playing on fantasies of being some kind of a white knight who helps people at the very last possible minute, but then again, if I had money in my pocket, and that man had knocked on my door again, I don’t know what I would have done. Maybe as opposed to being a hard-working man with a very sad story, he would have metamorphosed into a crack-head with a full-proof lie. Maybe it is this gradient of perspective that money provides, which is the saddest thing about it.

W E L C O M E KIDS, TO THE N E W

W A V E

B R I T I S H F * C K I N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I N V A S I O N . IN the age of dubstepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Meteoric rise, rusko walks as one of the gods amongst men. but despite his enormous stature in american dubstep for helping bring the genre over from his native britain, the artist has managed to stay more grounded than ever.

WRIT TEN BY WNDRKND

Anatomy 37

“

It’s kind of strange now, because it’s sort of like a big rock show really. We have, like, lighting engineers and electrical engineers. We also have a whole truck that follows the tour bus for all of the set. We couldn’t find a trailer big enough. We have a whole separate truck!

“

38 Anatomy

t is a true rarity when one finds themselves pleasantly underwhelmed. Typically, this due to the conventional connotations of this particular emotion: usually following a lack of enthusiasm, or a shadow of disappoint. Much of the time this happens while you are meeting a spectrum of nonchalant celebrities, and after a couple of rough encounters, it becomes protocol to not get your hopes up. But to first give you a clearer picture, we have to juxtapose this feeling with being unpleasantly underwhelmed. The first time I encountered this feeling was during an interview with Diplo while he was still touring as one half of Major Lazer, I found that despite all attempts at trying to break through to him and develop a rapport because of my appreciation for his music, it just wouldn’t happen. I also found that sometimes, people can just be plain douche bags. Diplo DEFINITELY falls into this category. He is, however, a talented one. While that is neither here nor there, aside from an interview I was high-tailing to get out of, I walked into the venue to experience something of even more value: dubstep music. For anyone who knows me, I listen to lots of dubstep. From roaring greats like Skrillex, to bass-gods such as Nero, to ambient floaters from The Sonixx, dubstep has invaded my iTunes library, monopolized my iPhone, and flooded the ears of any one friend—or stranger—within listening distance. But even with the official chronology and history of dubstep, nodding to greats such as , Skream & Caspa, I must say that upon entering Cats Cradle, unbeknownst to me, two worlds collided, and with Rusko standing atop the stage, forcing his crowd into sway, I recognized that it all—the future of music, electronic’s greater acceptance, and the rise of “something ‘new’”—started here, and in one fell swoop. Though I am sure he would be flattered, it would be foolish to say that dubstep was started by Rusko, because it really wasn’t. But now that we have gotten this fact out of the way, it would be arguable to pin its rise within the United States to him. No, I am not insinuating that the genre didn’t exist before him, but rather, choose to state the opposite—that he is a product of this genre wholly. Attending music school in Leeds, Rusko has the heart of a musician, as it has been his chosen craft since a young age. But it is not his academic pedigree, however, that sets him apart from the pack. It is in his compassion, willingness to learn, innovation, drive, and honest-to-god-talent that has made him the talent that he is today. These things come out in the gravitas of classics

such as “The Girl from Codeine City” but also in the spunk of newer titles such as “Got Da Groove” featuring Gucci Mane. But unlike his music, which could be described at times as brilliantly-powerful, layered, and dark, Rusko is respectful, soft-spoken and, well, just fucking nice. Being given the chance to sit down with Rusko, I was able to learn these things about him. However, I would have learned them either way. After walking around to the back of Asheville’s Orange Peel to investigate the list before showing up in the evening, I ran into the artist earlier in the day sipping on a bottle of vodka while surrounded by a small circle of fans who were sitting down and enjoying the afternoon socializing with the artist. I walked right up, introduced myself, and in response garnered a polite “Hello, its nice to meet you, my name is Chris,” from the artist. After spending some ten minutes hanging out with Chris, I told him who I was, and that I was going to be interviewing him later in the day, before his show started. Excited, we shook hands and parted ways, however, it would not so much be Chris that I would see in the evening. Chris is a given name, for any average man, and this particular Chris was anything but average. I let out a sigh of relief, but knew that it wasn’t all completely fine. It wasn’t so much that I was interviewing Chris. Rather, I am interviewing a hypercreative, augmented version of him; I would be interviewing Chris with a cape. I would be interviewing a rising Hyperion. I would be interviewing Rusko. This interview, while simultaneously with an artist that I hugely respect and admire, was also a breeze and pleasure to conduct, in such a way that I had hoped it would never end. Now you understand my position, of being pleasantly underwhelmed. A: The last time I saw one of your shows, you were playing in Carrboro, NC and you were opening up for Major Lazer. This time around, you are the headlining act. What’s different? R: Its crazy, I mean, since then I came back with Crystal Castles, here in Asheville as well. I enjoy the support, but this is the first time we’ve really done it big. It feels amazing, it’s crazy. We’re playing a lot of the same venues that we did on those [older] tours. One with me and Major Lazer and the other tour was with Crystal Castles and Sinden. To play the same venues as that, and bigger, and sell them out? It’s amazing. But I think that’s due to dubstep’s rise and popularity as much as my rise and popularity. It’s just dubstep, its just so hardcore.

CAPTIONS FROM TOP TO BOT TOM, COUNTER CLOCKWISE 1. Rusko plays a commanding set to a packed venue in Asheville, NC. 2. Blowing up has its perks, a serious light show is one of them. 3. Dubsteppers from all around made it to the concert, and were completely amped for the sweatfest that was the show.

Anatomy 39

A: Did you ever see yourself in this position when you were a music student? R: Oh no, not at all. I mean, it’s kind of strange now, because its sort of like a big rock show really. We have, like, lighting engineers and electrical engineers. We also have a whole truck that follows the tour bus for all of the set. We couldn’t find a trailer big enough. WE have a whole separate truck! A: Is that what that U-Haul— R: Yeah, the big yellow thing outside? Yeah, it’s just for the staging and the lighting. There is a floating DJ booth, so yeah, it’s kind of all about the big stage show. Also, the letters [That spell “Rusko”] move up and down hydraulically and set in sequences, choreographed to certain tracks and set. All the way through, I’m communicating with the lighting engineer and its weird, normally a DJ kind of turns up, plays a few tunes, has a few drinks and then goes back to the hotel. And that’s how a DJ does a tour, but this time we are arriving at lunch time, setting up the big stage set up and I’m on the mic, and its all lights, and its kind of rock and roll y’know? That’s the idea you know? To make it as rock and roll as it can be. (Rusko points to a wine bottle, inside of which is a long, pink, straw.) A: It’s just interesting because I remember when I had a chance to interview Diplo, it seems as if he almost preps a little bit differently in terms of his sets. Is it kind of like, the more the merrier in terms of just, like getting fucked up and having a good time on tour? R: Uhh… A lot of the time, but recently I have been working on a bunch of new stuff! I have had a bunch of new tracks to work on and I’ve been spending the last couple of nights with tracks that I am working on, just kind of huffing out a set, trying to put stuff on a USB so I can get it on my laptop on the stage to try it out. So, the last couple of nights, it has really been the opposite. I have had my head in my headphones trying to get some brand new tracks. Every single night so far, I have had something completely just brand spanking new to play. At least if its, like, a new version, or a new, “something” y’know? Every day, recently I’ve been working and changing it up, except today. You know, it was Sunday, and it’s a nice day, and there’s a very cool market in the middle of town. So today, everybody is in a real good mood today. We’ve all been hanging out, chillin’,

40 Anatomy

eating and having Sunday afternoon drinks, so its loosy goosy tonight. The shit’s gonna’ be tight. A: I’m looking forward to it. So, I briefly want to transition into your time in Leeds. Did you know that you always wanted to do this kind of work and be a DJ? R: Well, no, not really. I always played in bands, I played saxophone and I played piano. I played the bass as well. So I grew up and really played in bands and then I played in a Reggae band, I used to make dub music. I think I did three vinyls? I had three vinyl singles out before I ever did my first DJ gig? So the reason I started DJing was because I had a bunch of tracks out there as Rusko and I was just getting a ton of emails saying “We want you to come and play” and I had to turn them down. I turned them down every time because I was just a producer. So I was literally turning down like, two or three gigs a week. Then I was like, “hold on, I could make a living out of this,” and that’s how I learned to DJ. I just kind of spent some time, figured it out, and now I can’t live without it. I love touring like this, every single night, because you get to perfect it. I know that I get to perfect it more and more every single night. I think now, this is show number 16 or 17 of the tour? Every day is a progression, its almost as if you are still learning. I like adding little scratches and cutting in between tracks and doing some of the old hip-hop DJ scratch tricks and stuff. Its nice, so far, you can go with DJing tunes that even on tour, every single night, you can still try stuff. So that’s really cool. A: So in the art of live DJing, you’re very humble. R: I would say that I am very good at what I do, but I am still learning. I want to learn how to do the crazy stuff. A: But you already do the crazy stuff! R: Haha, I do already do the crazy stuff, I know, its true… I am also doing all the mic stuff. I wish I could sprout another arm. If I had three arms, I would be killin’ it up there man. I wish I had another one for the microphone. But yeah, that’s what its all about, especially with the show. Communicating with the crowd, sort of, really making it a proper show as opposed to someone getting up there and just playing records. A: I wanted to move into the space of how your earlier music compares to your work present day. I definitely believe that there

are two very distinct flavors of Rusko: there is your Fabriclive work, that’s really cool and ambient, and then there is the O.M.G. work which is forward thinking and crunk as fuck in tandem. How did you know that you wanted to make this transition? R: You know, it becomes more and more that I am affected by my surroundings. I think that, coming up for almost two years now, I have been living in California. I think that it has affected the way I think. You know, when I looked out my studio window in London, I used to see blocks of flats, grayness, gray clouds, and now when I look out my studio window, I see palm trees and blue skies. I think that has had an affect on my music in some way. But really it’s just the transition for me as a musician, being a studio bass producer, to being a touring DJ. Much of O.M.G. was made in hotels and tour buses. The whole record was made on the road. As I mentioned earlier, I have been making new songs on the road, and I have been trying out new songs on the road because that is the best way to test them. Literally trying different variations of each track in front of Dubstep heads provides a good way to find out. I think that the music has kind of changed more to fit the environment, the more dance floor, clubby environment. I think my style has changed more to fit that, but that’s because that’s the kind of world I’m living in. I’ve never really thought about it before, but moving from one side of the world to the other, I guess you are kind of affected by your surroundings more than you think. A: So, with this being said, this new sound has really pushed dubstep to new heights in terms of popularity. You touched on it a little bit earlier, but what are your thoughts on having such a heavy hand in terms of being able to influence? R: Its weird, its strange. I have places where people can send me music on my Facebook, and some of the times, when I open some of the tracks I get sent, I am like, WOW. They are using the same vocal samples and its crazy that people can send me exact replicas of my own tracks, and I’m like “wow, that’s crazy.” Its super flattering, but I try not to think about it really. Like I said, I try to make the tracks while on the road, and I sometimes end up in that bubble. I can kind of be in a super focused sort of world. Whenever I start to think about that, it does freak me out. It’s true. It used to not, but it does. Because it does have an influence on how things change and for me, I can never make another Woo Boost. I get a million mes-

Anatomy

sages a day on Facebook and twitter and stuff saying “make another track like woo boost!” or “you should make another track like cockney thug!” But I can’t make a track that just has a wobble and drums anymore. That is done, that period is done and I can never make a track that is super R&B with a loaded talk box. I did that. When you are in a position like myself, Skream, Caspa, or people like that are in, where we sort of started

yourself that you have fans that want you to make another woo boost. What is it about this sound that is so popular? Because I’ll be real with you, I have walked by frat houses with guys in polo shirts, khakis and boat shoes bumping dubstep. A year ago they weren’t trying to touch any kind of electronic music, and its brilliant. But it is a phenomenon that I cannot explain.

A: With that being said, you have the rise of American dubstep producers, I’m assuming that you listen to them? R: Yeah! Of course! A: Which ones are your favorites? R: Uhhh, let me think, I kind of missed Mattie G. He used to be my favorite, he put out a lot

“

I can’t make a track that just has a wobble and drums anymore. That is done, that per make a track that is super R&B with a loaded talk box. I did that. When you are in a po Caspa, or people like that are in, where we sort of started off and a lot of people kind o in dubstep and, it definitely makes it more challenging because you have to always, alwa the box. The funny thing is quite often when I play new tracks, and I’ve noticed this for doesn’t go down as well with the crowd as the stuff that they are used to. But in a yea everybody else sounds like—it’s weird. It’s evolution, really. Often the new stuff is a little I drop it in the set, it doesn’t go down as well as some of the other banging tunes. But have to be super forward thinking.

off and a lot of people kind of look to us for what’s next in dubstep and, it definitely makes it more challenging because you have to always, always, always think outside of the box. The funny thing is quite often when I play new tracks, and I’ve noticed this for Skream as well, the track doesn’t go down as well with the crowd as the stuff that they are used to. But in a year’s time, everybody else sounds like—it’s weird. It’s evolution, really. Often the new stuff is a little bit too out there for when I drop it in the set, it doesn’t go down as well as some of the other banging tunes. But it’s just time and we always have to be super forward thinking. But yeah, it’s something that is definitely on my mind a lot. It was weird that you should ask that. That was a good question. A: What I wanted to touch on was, with regards to this sound and you did bring it up

42 Anatomy

R: I think what it is, is that when I am actually making the tracks, the tracks that work the best tend to be the simplest tracks. Dubstep, essentially, is quite stripped down. The last things I do when I am finishing a track, is take stuff out. Usually I will put crazy chords in and it’s too much. The most effective stuff in a dance floor and in a club environment is the simple effective ideas. I think that dubstep’s raw, stripped down simplicity is what draws people to it and what people like about it. It is definitely what I like about it. It’s not super complicated. You just have to get it right. It is a simple idea that is right. All the most popular tunes are the simplest. Woo boost is simple, it’s just some bass with a couple of drums. It maybe took five or six hours, an afternoon job. Everybody loves it. But it is all about keeping it simple.

of tunes back in the day, but he hasn’t made a lot of stuff for a while. He’s from Santa Cruz. Obviously my boy 12th Planet, I absolutely love his stuff but, really, right now? Zeds Dead. But they’re from Canada, so you’ve got to give the Canadians their props. But right now, Zeds Dead, Datsik, they’re pretty much killing it for north America right now, but they are pretty much from Canada, so, someone needs to come and rival those guys… But with that being said, you’ve got Skrillex. He’s totally cool. I’m surprised he does so many shows, because every time I am in L.A., he’s everywhere. Every party and event in L.A., he always seems to be around. But yeah, he’s a really cool guy. But yeah, Skrillex is currently holding it down for the U.S., but Canada has quite a few good dubstep artists. A: It’s building though.

R: Yeah, It’s building; I see it in how many crazy MFs are out there in these shows. There’s some excitement right now for it: for the sound, and for dubstep. A: Now I want to change tones a little bit and discuss some criticisms of the genre. Now you mentioned earlier that there are guys who are coming in that can completely

riod is done and I can never osition like myself, Skream, of look to us for what’s next ays, always think outside of r Skream as well, the track ar's time, e bit too out there for when t it’s just time and we always

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replicate your song to a tune. Now, some folks use this as fodder to label many dubstep producers as Rusko imitators. Do you perceive it as such? Or would you say that it exists, or that it even matters? R: Just the fact that the phrase even exists is very flattering. But no, I mean, it’s good. There are a few tracks in my set [that are from different artists]. There is a track from one guy called Vaski, who sounds really like one of my old tunes, called Period. But it fits perfectly with my set. So the fact that there are people who make tracks that sound like me, the really good ones fit in my set, so I want to keep making them. Vaski is super cool; I will give him his props. I really want to see some more stuff from him. Haven’t heard from him in a little while. A: I want to continue on the note of criticism,

but more so in regards to yourself. How do you handle the criticisms of dubstep, when you are such a visible figure in the genre? R: Its kind of weird, I do see it. I do kind of follow the trends and stuff, but, as I mentioned earlier, I feel the need to do something that has never been done before. So, I kind of have to zone out a little bit in order to do what I do. But I don’t get too personal about it. It’s interesting to see the different waves of people that are into dubstep as well as the different styles that come and go. Right now though, a lot of producers are producing a lot of 2001 style two-step beats. I don’t know if it is an anniversary or something, but a lot of the UK guys are making a lot of two step songs right now, and that is the huge sound over there. To a dubstep crowd, it never really works so well over here. Sometimes, you play to a dubstep crowd and you play some two-step and it’ll work, but not always. A: Why do you think American audiences are so apprehensive when it comes to exploring new genres? R: I think there’s a lot more (genre) segregation in the U.S. I think there is a lot more “genre-fication” of music here [in that there is a need for] more categories of music. In the UK, most of the raves are totally mixed. Most of the club nights in the UK consist of a drum and bass DJ, a dubstep DJ and a house DJ. In the US, it can be a dubstep night, a drum and bass night, or a house night. There is a lot more genre segregation in the U.S., and I would say that is probably why. A: In an interview I did with Diplo, I remember the way that he talked about you. When I asked him about being a star he said “Me, a star? No… Now Rusko? We’re gonna make him a star.” Now, the reality is that I’ve seen you on MTV. I know that you have produced pieces for many different artists including Britney Spears. Do you feel like you are a star yet? R: Uhhh… No, not really. I don’t think so. My manager has been trying to persuade me to try and get a separate studio in this nice building with sound proof rooms and stuff, but I can never, ever, make beats anywhere other than my bedroom. I always have to have speakers in the bedroom and a home set up. From the big demos that I have made for Britney to the little flippant beats at four in the morning when I am half asleep, it has always been in my bedroom. I can never have it anywhere else. I will sometimes book sessions with big people, and I find myself

very uncomfortable. A lot of people eat out on it: All of this fancy equipment. But I find them really uncomfortable sometimes. I prefer myself to be totally an in the bedroom producer. I will always be a bedroom producer… Even if I’m flipping Timbaland status making every record in the top ten, it will still be in my bedroom. Helps me stay on the ground. A: Hell yeah man. I have heard about a few new singles and in this interview, you have talked about making new music. Is there an album in the works? R: Absolutely, yeah. The everyday single that came out a few weeks ago is off of the new album. It is scheduled for the end of this year at the end of fall. That is what I am working on now. Before I left L.A., I made a five-track EP with Cypress Hill. We will also be doing some shows in the summer at the end of the summer. Once I get off of tour, it is album time. Currently I have 10-12 tracks, but they are currently about 1-2 minutes long. Gradually I scrap tracks, and finish tracks. By the time it gets to the end of the summer, hopefully, I will be getting ready to release the new work. A: Aside from touring, do you have any plans after things calm down? R: Absolutely, after this, I am going to take some time off, and hopefully, write a sitcom pilot about a DJ. A: Where would it air? R: I don’t know, one of my friends back in L.A. is in that show “Outsourced” on ABC. My buddy Guru back in L.A. is on that show, he has been to, like. the improv in L.A. and seen stuff there. Comedy is my second passion, and I want to go with that too. But I also have a ton of stories. A TON of stories. From my DJ life, and from other people who DJ who have told me stories. So a DJ sitcom has not happened, and I am the man to write it. Not just what has happened to me, I’m MARRIED now, so I will just drink a glass of wine and chill with my wife. But it would be about other DJ stories as well as what has happened to me you know? I’m a creative guy, so I have to do something creative, and I want to write something. I mean, this isn’t something that you will see for a while. It will take ages, like a few years, but keep a look out!

Anatomy 43

Anatomy

J. Cole INSPIRATION, FAMILY, HIP HOP &

J COLE IS A RAPPING TALENT LIKE NONE OTHER. HIS PERSONALITY IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF HUMILITY COMPOUNDED WITH ENDEARING AMOUNTS OF CONFIDENCE. BUT MOST NOTABLY, HOWEVER, HE IS A SYMBOL OF INSPIR ATION TO NOT JUST THE PEOPLE OF HIS HOMETOWN FAYET TEVILLE, BUT ALSO ANYONE WITH A DREAM. HIS MESSAGE, WHILE CLEAR, LEAVES SOME ASKING QUESTION ABOUT THE INSPIR ATION HE DR AWS FROM HIS PERSONAL LIFE AS AMERICA GETS TO KNOW HIM. COLE, HOWEVER, HAS THIS MUCH TO SAY: KEEP IT ABOUT THE MUSIC.

WRIT TEN BY WNDRKND

Anatomy 45

FROM BOUNCING AROUND BETWEEN DIFFERENT VENUES, I NOTICED THAT MUCH OF THE TIME, OPENING ACTS GET LITTLE LOVE. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, WAS DIFFERENT. COLE’S DJ RAN AN INSTRUMENTAL AND THE REST WAS HISTORY. J. COLE, FRONT AND CENTER, EMBRACED HIS ELEMENT, EVEN IN THE POURING RAIN. ... UP UNTIL TODAY, THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE OTHER ARTIST WHO HAS DONE THE SAME THING… AND THAT WAS RUSKO, WHEN HE OPENED FOR MAJOR LAZER. 46 Anatomy

“S

o, are you gonna get his album?” Calvin, my younger brother said as we were driving through the winding streets of Chapel Hill, NC. It was September, still warm outside, but showing residents of the hill glimpses of cold in the night. “I mean, yeah, why not?” I said. After all, it was J. Cole. Hip-hop music’s latest lyrical wunderkind. By some, predicted to flop, by most, predicted to stay, Cole’s presence in North Carolina, compared to other emcees has been intoxicating to say the least. North Carolinians blast his music with pride, like parents proudly watching one of their few sons that made it. Carolina Girls hearken to his voice, and the hearts of Fayettevillians, residents of his hometown, swell with hope. This story, however, begins two years ago at the cusp of my junior year in college. Word came out that Wale was having a free concert at Duke, and for me, it was an excuse to make it out to our rival campus… Especially since I had not been there before. We stood outside in the gloom, with rain falling on our heads, as we waited in anticipation for the show to start. Me and some friends fought our way to a point in decent proximity to front and center, where moments later, we watched a man in baggy black jeans, a tall tee, and Jordan V’s step out on stage. “Yo! What’s up Duke?!” He said as the crowd clapped, but didn’t roar. “This is J. Cole, I’m from Fayetteville, NC and I’m doing a few songs for you before my man Wale takes the stage.” From bouncing around between different venues, I noticed that much of the time, opening acts get little love. This time, however, was different. Cole’s DJ ran an instrumental and the rest was history. J. Cole, front and center, embraced his element, even in the pouring rain. He spread his stance, and chopped up beats with his wispy, quick, and technically perfect lyricism. In other words, he was a pleasure to listen to, and so much in fact that even after he left the stage, many kids in the audience wanted him to keep on going in lieu of the Wale concert that they had yet to have a chance to enjoy. Up until today, there has only been one other artist who has done the same thing… And that was Rusko, when he opened for Major Lazer. But to continue, from that point, Cole’s work had a lasting impression with me, and the wait for an album commenced. In the intermediary, however, I picked up mixtapes, heard singles, and internalized his messages: Take care of your children, support independent music and certainly keep watch over your finances. Cole’s persona has remained authentic and real because

of his ability to pair good rap to a message strictly departed from cocaine ballads and gun anthems. Simultaneously, though he touts excellence in his own way, seeming comparatively light on braggadocio when placed next to his contemporaries such as Big Sean or even Drake. Even so, sans these elements, his music is still good, and in a better way than any brand of rap could be… No matter the message, each song manages to pull on your heartstrings, with each verse individually pulling a different one. “So are you gonna get his album?” Calvin’s question reverberated through my head as we were driving through the winding streets of Chapel Hill. Part of me, during this conversation however, felt very reluctant to give an answer. Oddly enough, given the fact that I was a fan of J. Cole, answering yes to the question of copping an album by him should have come like a knee-jerk reaction. But it didn’t. “I mean, yeah, why not?” I could feel something inside of me twist, but I didn’t completely know what it was. After all, it was J. Cole: Perhaps the one rapper who I have single-handedly waited for the very most to come out with an album, with what I heard of the album sounding excellent. But now, I contemplated something else, something far more shocking: these days, how much do I like him? Do I even like him at all? I have spent many times contemplating J. Cole’s music. Between warm walks on the street and evening drives to friends’ houses to pregame sessions, as well as visits to the local club, there have been, and still are, opportunities to listen to his music in depth. The long ride to New York City was no different. With his entire discography on repeat, questions filled my head as far as what to ask him as I rode through the night, more excited than a child on Christmas. The hours leading up to the interview were tense as they mounted towards the hour at hand—I was nervous. J. Cole not only represented one of the largest rappers to date that I would interview, but also was a symbol for the level of respect that I hold for him, and no other emcee in his caliber. An hour and a half early, I left, taking the train from Nostrand Avenue to Madison Avenue, where I re-emerged into a world of energy on the Upper East Side. Down the street, and around the corner was Sony Records, a large skyscraper with broad and attractive arches at the entrance, albeit, an intimidating and monolithic stare. This was my destination, the same place where RocNation is based, and where I would interview J. Cole. However, the intermediary period between the door and the interview was remarkable: I traversed a seemingly sempeternal span of

Anatomy 47

security guards, I.D. checks, lobbies, and elevators. I ascended to the RocNation offices which, featured a workspace chock full of remarkably attractive assistants, noteworthy records on spin, and a surprisingly well quaffed publicist that shuffled her feet ahead of me on our way to the interview. Upon leaving her office, she lead me around a corner, past the elevators, down the hall and beyond two twin doors that opened up to a quiet and collected J. Cole. Minus a solid-gold Rolex Presidential on his left arm, he struck me as remarkably “unfresh” on a dayto-day. After all, it’s not everyday that you spot a respected emcee in cargo shorts. Shaking his hand felt seemingly-surreal and as I looked up into his face, I was surprised at his tall stature, but almost in a certain sense, felt as if I didn’t recognize him. Fame and notoriety aside, there was a component to him that felt accessible at a face value. He didn’t have crazy chains and he wasn’t dipped in LV everything. He didn’t have a crew of guys sitting at his flanks, and he didn’t maintain any weird airs. J. Cole was just a guy, and if you didn’t know any better, you could very well pass him on the street without even knowing it. There were many questions to ask, and within a 30-minute span of time, I wasn’t sure how many we would get to. However, after turning the recorder on, we hit the ground running. “One of the things that I wanted to ask you from the getgo, was about your experience at St. Johns University.” I began. “The reason why is because it is a rarity to find rappers that have graduated from college, much less, with an impressive academic record. You graduated Magna Cum Laude correct.” “Yeah, that is right.” Cole responded. “Given your college experience, in tandem with rapping, were there any other career opportunities?” “One of the things that most people don’t understand about me is that I’ve been doing this

48 Anatomy

“

W H AT H A P PENED WAS, I WAS COMING BY HIS OFFICE AND WAITING OUTSIDE FOR, LIKE, TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT, HOPING TO C AT C H H I M COMING OUT. FINALLY, ONE DAY WHEN I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE, I CAUGHT HIM ON HIS WAY OUT. I WALKED UP, AND HANDED HIM A MIXED CD OF SOME OF MY WORK AND I TRIED TO TALK TO HIM, BUT HE B L E W M E OFF ON HIS WAY OUT THE DOOR

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for, like, over ten years. It took me ten years to get big. I started back when I was twelve years old, just hearing music and wanting to rap. But by the time I was, like, between the ages of 15 and 17, I began thinking about it more seriously—” “So it caught you right before you left for college?” I interjected. “Yeah. After that point, I knew that I was going to rap. There was nothing else out there that I wanted to do, I knew that I was going to become a rapper. Just the same as some people know that they want to be a lawyer, a doctor, or an actor. This has always felt like something that I would do. I did go to Saint Johns University, and got a degree in communications. But was I going to be a publicist or something? Hell no. I think I wanted the background in communications partly to help build on different aspects of the business, such as handling the press.” “What do you think prompted you to go the college route as opposed to just “taking a stab at it?” “For me, it has always come down to the fact that I enjoyed school, and always had the intentions of going to college.” “The borderline-notion of destiny is compelling. However, I would like to take a moment to transition to something that I heard in one of your songs, but is still relevant. Now, Jay-Z said you were whack the first time around?” “No. Where did you hear that? Which song?” I tried looking up the track, thinking that it was a freestyle that he did on The Blow up, but was unable to locate it. I shrugged as he gave me an odd glance that matched the inflection of his voice. Kind of a “what the fuck are you talking about” tonality as opposed to politely allowing for someone to be wrong. But even so, I thought I noted the line, as it made me want to do more research on the circumstance surrounding it. Even if its potential realness was enough to prompt a question, his response did not necessar-

ily have to be so pointed, when addressing an accidentally-contrived assertion. “Let me tell you a story.” Cole said. His voice postured itself in such a way, to where it almost felt as if I could see the colon following that statement appearing out of thin air. I sat pensively as he begun. “It wasn’t that he said I was whack. What happened was, I was coming by his office and waiting outside for, like, two weeks straight, hoping to catch him coming out. Finally, one day when I was standing outside, I caught him on his way out. I walked up, and handed him a mixed cd of some of my work and I tried to talk to him, but he blew me off on his way out the door.” “But you at least got your work to him.” “Right.” He confirmed. “What were your feelings surrounding that moment, after it didn’t really pan out the way that you had hoped?” “Man, I remember that feeling… I remember walking down the street right after and being like… Damn.” He sighed. “It was almost like it knocked the wind out of me for a moment. “How long did it last for?” I asked. “I mean, not particularly long. Maybe about 20 minutes, and then I moved on. I had to get over it and keep on moving forward to being a rapper. At first I didn’t know what to make of it, but down the line about a year later, Jay hit me back after he had given it a listen.” “I want to take a moment and shift over to Jay-Z. After the election of Barack Obama, he is quoted as saying that the gangster is less relevant. We see through songs released by rappers such as yourself and your contemporaries, that cocaine and gangster ballads are getting a lot less coverage, but moreover, that the content which has replaced it is viable. How do you feel about the Obama effect and do you think that it at all has contributed to your success, as well as other rappers who are also on the rise similar to you?”

“You’ve brought up something interesting, but I don’t know if I see it that way completely. I think that it is less so Barack Obama being in office, as it is just the time. I know that I would exist, regardless of whether or not he was president. Would I be successful? Who knows. But I think that it is not so much the fact that he is in office, as it is more so the forces that have put him in office are saying that its time for him to be there. I think it is the same for my music, and I think we benefit from the same forces.” “Which are?” I prodded soon after. “Being ready for it, and being ready to accept it.” He said. “Lets discuss Fayetteville.” I noted. “Many a Fayettevillian would agree that when you came back to your home town in NC to shoot the music video for ‘Who Dat,’ it was one of the first times that someone had really put on Fayetteville in a big way. However, many natives wondered amongst themselves why you featured the marching band from E.E. Smith High School as opposed to your alma matter at Terry Sanford?” “E.E. Smith had the better marching band.” “Further, many are inspired by your lyrics. However, many in your home town who are familiar with the area recognize Terry Sanford as the wealthiest school in town. However, with lyrics that paint images of poverty, some are left confused about what your life was like growing up. How would you tell fans about the link between your music, and your life, when something like academic pedigree can be misleading for some people?” Cole paused, glanced away, and addressed the question, whilst slowly picking his words. “I… I… I think that question just got me a little mad. Like, I feel almost offended that you would ask that.” “If you don’t mind me asking, why is that?” “Because, for a second it felt as if you wanted me to account for myself.” Common egoists can interpret query for accountability, and maybe perhaps this was the case. Aside from the fact that Cole is a new rapper, he also presented a new kind of rapper: the accessible one. It wasn’t a question of whether or not I wanted J. Cole to account for himself, as it was that I wanted for him to complete a chain of events that many simply did not know. To a guy in a small town trying to make it, perhaps knowing these things actually matters, and to a group of kids that are inspired by him, the knowledge of this gives him credibility, albeit one that comes with a bad taste in his mouth. That is to say, no rapper likes talking about whether or not his shit is “real.” We are all expected to believe that it is, but when the

“

MAN, I REMEMBER THAT FEELING… I REMEMBER WALKING DOWN THE STREET RIGHT AFTER AND BEING LIKE… ‘DAMN....’ IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT KNOCKED THE WIND OUT OF ME FOR A MOMENT.[THE FEELING LASTED] MAYBE ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AND THEN I MOVED ON. I HAD TO GET OVER IT AND KEEP ON MOVING.. subject matter becomes real in and of its own accord, then it is a completely different beast. If that means covering the talking points of the 99%, then when the common man hears about it, the real-ness element compounded with the artist’s success can sometimes be inspiration enough. If there is haziness, however, if there is question and if there is doubt in the figure’s authenticity, then all of a sudden, the entire image, despite it all, begins to come crashing down. Though J. Cole liked to entertain the idea that this particular question had nothing to do with his music, the truth suggested that, in fact, it had everything to do with his music, because it had to do with who he was. “I’m going to tell you another story.” J. Cole began, this time, leaning forward and putting his palms flat together, while looking me in the face. “When I was a kid, my mother worked very hard, but at the same time, we were poor. Growing up, we didn’t have a whole lot, and we did live in a poorer part of town, where I would have gone to a school like E.E. Smith or Jack Brick and my older brother did end up at Smith. But when my mom saw what the results were, that the environment he was in put him in the wrong crowd, encouraged him to do the wrong things and make the wrong decisions, she didn’t want the same for me. So when I was young, right before high school, I was given a rare opportunity to take a test which allowed for me to go to a school like Terry Sanford, which was out of my district. But, that question is kind of upsetting. I mean, you haven’t even been to Fayetteville, how can you ask something like that?” There was a part of me that tried not to be insulted, and largely because I hail from North Carolina, but the other part was, I have actually been to Fayetteville and have a lot of respect for J. Cole. To say the least,

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the town is a very difficult place to grow up. Fayetteville, compared to other North Carolina cities and towns, is a place beyond compare. Drug usage is rampant, prostitution is commonplace, guns are everywhere, and somehow it is all held together by the seemingly-endless Bragg Boulevard: A fault line of sorts that runs through the heart of town. Flanked by strip clubs as well as liquor stores, it is where cops and crooks collide with one another on a daily basis. In short, Fayetteville sucks. That isn’t just my assertion, but the common consensus far and wide amongst North Carolinians, and even many Fayettevillians. With that being said, I have spoken to plenty of people who have come from the town, but may not necessarily know J. Cole personally and they say this: They are, above anything else, proud that he got out. They are proud that, if anything else, he will put Fayetteville on the map. But above all else, they are proud that he was able to get big, without glamorizing any of the bullshit that happens in the small city about an hour and a half away from South Carolina, he told it like it is. Regardless, the question I asked came directly from a native Fayettevillian, and Cole’s response took me back. “How could you ask something like that?” I have never understood the point of the successful and famous resenting some of the scrutiny of fandom. The only premise that is needed, is that when people see him, they feel inspired, when people see him, they see hope and finally, when people see him, they see more for themselves. After all, to a person in Fayetteville, if J. Cole can make it coming out of a place like that, then that person’s rationale is “I can make it too.” “Five minutes.” The publicist’s assistant said as she quickly poked her head in the door. “So I wanted to ask you one more ques-

Anatomy 49

tion.” I said. “Alright.” Cole said, and nodded. He seemed as if he was cooling off at an exponential rate, and that the interview’s end would be successfully salvaged in the wake of his unexpected response. “One of the things that has been really cool about your rise has been observing the state of North Carolina as well as certain segments of the community of Fayetteville. While NC definitely is representing J. Cole, there is something different going on in the community of Fayetteville: a budding rap scene is trying to build itself. What are your thoughts on this, and do you take ownership for helping galvanize this surge in drive and creativity within your community?” Cole took a minute to pause. “It is always great to hear that I am being an influence. Maybe I had something to do with it, but ultimately, people should not take my message and what I am talking about the wrong way. If people hear it, and feel inspired to become a rapper, that is great, however, I don’t want to just inspire people to rap. It is more meaningful to me if I can inspire people to do what it is that they want to do in life. If it is rap, that is great, but I also want for people to feel inspired to do other things as well: whether it is be a doctor, a lawyer, or a scientist. I think that is the thing that I want people to walk away with when they hear my music.” The assistant publicist walked in followed by J. Coles publicist. The interview was over. I had not enough time to ask him everything that I wanted, but sometimes, that is how the game is played. His publicist asked if I wanted to stick around and hang out at the offices, and I did for some 30 minutes, chewing the fat on current events that travelled across the TV screen. I took in her corner office view of the upper east side, and then I made my goodbyes. The experience was over. It was time to go home. In the elevator down, I overheard a woman talking with a man about the recent holiday, and coming into the office in her gym clothes only to accidentally run into the boss providing a tour of the offices with his family. Mind you, the boss is Jay-Z. The odd proximity of myself in relation to it all made me think. I really was much closer to my idol than I had ever anticipated. After making it down to the ground lobby of the Sony music building, I walked down Madison avenue, towards downtown. I could have gone and taken the train, but in that moment, it didn’t feel right. Sometimes thoughts need to settle… Sometimes you need to go on a walk. As I travelled through the streets of New York City, I listened to music and tried to make sense of what had just hap-

50 Anatomy

pened—the trip up, the conversations, and the interview J. Cole. Mainly the last of the three. After whimsically walking some forty blocks through the cultured and vibrant streets of New York City, I still knew not what happened. Two days later, I was on a bus back to the south, sitting completely submerged in confusion. Plenty of time has passed between the interview and now, with much of it characterized by thought. Many of the thoughts, concerned what my feelings were towards the emcee. September rolled around, and Cole’s album was close to

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ULTIMATELY, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TAKE MY MESSAGE AND WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT THE WRONG WAY. IF PEOPLE HEAR IT, AND FEEL INSPIRED TO BECOME A RAPPER, THAT IS GREAT... BUT I ALSO WANT FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL INSPIRED TO DO OTHER THINGS AS WELL: WHETHER IT IS BE A DOCTOR, A LAWYER, OR A SCIENTIST. I THINK THAT IS THE THING THAT I WANT PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY WITH WHEN THEY HEAR MY MUSIC.

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release at the end of the month. The buzz in North Carolina was intoxicating with girls foaming at the mouth and talking about how attractive he is while many guys concurred that it would be him who would bring back “real hip-hop.” My younger brother was one of these people. “So are you gonna get his album?” Calvin, my younger brother said as I drove through the streets of chapel hill. “Yeah, why not?” I said. “You don’t sound super excited.” Calvin noted. I looked at the road, and tried to reach for the next thing to say. “No, its not that.” I sighed. “Its just the fact that sometimes, when you meet the people that you highly respect, they don’t always turn out the way that you expect for them to be. I guess I was expecting for a more personal dialogue from J. Cole given how his music is, but I felt as if at times I was denied

that.” “What do you mean?” “One of the questions I asked got him kind of upset.” “What was it?” “It was about his life and his education, and where they link up because he went to a good school y’know, and for some, a good school can be misleading information in light of lyricism that has largely encapsulated ‘making it.’” “I could see why that would make him mad.” Calvin said. “Why?” “Because, he’s a rapper. It’s a credibility thing.” “Yeah, absolutely, I understand that. But the truth doesn’t make him any less talented, especially if it is continuous with his music.” “Well maybe that’s what you need to look at.” Calvin suggested. “In what light?” “Well, there are always going to be artists like J. Cole. Regardless of what your professional experience may be, there will always be a couple of people that don’t want to talk about personal things. I would say not to take it so hard, Chip.” In that moment of our drive through town, something clicked inside of me. The reason why artists like J. Cole exist is for the same reason why artists like Lady Gaga exist. That is not to say that you will ever find Cole wearing a sparkling lamais leotard, but rather, that is to say that certain artists like to maintain a strong dualism between their work and their personal life. It is the work that is supposed to reference aspects of ones personal life, and as listeners, it is irrational to expect that every single answer to every single question we have, will be found in the confines of an interview. That is to say musicians like J. Cole prefer that you read between the lines. Because these are the things that the artist feels you should know. Everything else is hearsay, irrelevant, or simply bullshit. “I hear where you are coming from, and I think you make a good point,” I said. Part of what threw me for a loop had much to do with the fact that after the interview, I felt as if I did not completely know J. Cole, at least, in the similar fashion to other artists I have interviewed such as Brother Ali, Termanology, or shit, Rusko. But with that being said, the best way to learn about J. Cole is to hear his music. I can assure you that end to end, including his most recent studio album, Cole World: Sideline Story, is excellent. But the best way to know who he is begins with you. Don’t just hear his music, but rather, hearken. There is a message to be found somewhere.

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