EXEDR A ex
e
dra
-noun a building, room, portico, or apse containing a continuous public bench, used in ancient Greece and Rome for holding discussions. Today, EXEDRA becomes the public discussion of hip-hop and fashion.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bianca Carreiro ASSOCIATE EDITOR Yazmin Butcher COPY EDITOR Marian Pitel CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bianca Carreiro CONTRIBUTORS Hansel Alonzo Yazmin Butcher Julia Ferrante Kahlil Hernandez Pablo Oh Angelika Sambegova Eric Slyfield David Tran
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6
Editor’s Note Contributors The Rise of Hip-hop
8
Opposites Attract
4 5
by Bianca Carreiro
photography by Kahlil Hernandez
18 Street Reign
photography by David Tran
26 Hip-hop Made Me Do It
photography by Kahlil Hernandez
34 Men of the Year
by Yazmin Butcher
40 The 6th Letter
by Bianca Carreiro
42 G-Eazy: These Things Happen photography by Eric Slyfield
44 Common Thread
by Bianca Carreiro
46 Hip-hop x Fashion by Bianca Carreiro
I
am proud to announce the launch of EXEDRA magazine! Hard work, dedication and collaboration with other Toronto-based talents have made this magazine a one-of-a-kind, tactile work of art.
So what makes EXEDRA so unique? Well, let’s see. It’s a fashion magazine that is heavily influenced by hip-hop, as a genre and as a culture. It encapsulates street style with the sophisticated taste of high fashion. It’s Fresh Prince meets Fashion Week, it’s Kanye in Paris and it’s bad gal RiRi featured in Vogue. The goal of EXEDRA is to break down the social stigma, stereotypes, and marginalization set on subcultures. We are in the midst of a new era and the voice of hip-hop is louder than ever, expressing itself through music and clothing. Hip-hop has and continues to set fashion trends on a global level and it’s time for recognition. EXEDRA, a magazine of hip-hop and fashion, shall serve as a platform for this realization. Enjoy!
Bianca Carreiro Editor-in-Chief
We asked our contributors:
Who is your favourite hiphop fashion icon?
Julia Ferrante, fashionista
David Tran, photographer
“Iggy Azalea because she keeps her heels on high, ride or die.”
“Verbal because he bridges mainstream hip-hop with Asian culture.”
Kahlil Hernandez, photographer
Yazmin Butcher, fashionista
“Kanye West, he always pushes the boundaries with clothes and doesn’t care what people think.”
“Rihanna, because she’s a bad gyal and its not even her birthday.”
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by Bianca Carreiro
Hip-hop has come a long way and it’s safe to say that it started from the bottom‌
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T
he South Bronx, New York was the birthplace of such a glorious genre that emerged circa the 1970s. Hip-hop originated from the streets by marginalized communities that wanted a source of relief for their pain and struggle. The outcome of this oppressed subculture was a new style of living comprised of four main elementsrapping, DJing, graffiti and break dancingthat led to a new revolution and since then, well, nothing was the same. By the 80s, hip-hop had become a widespread culture and began to capture the attention of the suburbia with hip-hop groups like Run DMC merging their sounds with rock. The Beastie Boys were mixing things up and proving that you didn’t have to be black in order to rap. Groups like Public Enemy were sending political messages nation wide while NWA was uncovering the truth about street life and police brutality. Hip-hop was on its worst behavior, making a wave on a global level, and youth culture could not ignore it. Now there’s no doubt that hip-hop has always been fashionable with its eyecatching prints, flashy gold chains, and shelltoe Adidas but the 90s really set the tone for “ghetto fab”. Hip-hop was gaining a lot of economic power and artists began to own the music industry and sell a movement. All these 90s fantasies became reality and it resulted in a flamboyant and indulgent time in hip-hop. Artists who were emerging from this subculture wanted to celebrate and drink to their accomplishments.
the lavish music videos with fancy cars and expensive liquor. However, at this point, highend brands did not want to be associated with the hip-hop culture due to the stereotypes of it being ghetto, too street and too urban. This led to the creation of streetwear brands like Sean John, Roc-a-Wear and FUBU, which literally stood for “For Us By Us”. What the fashion industry could not deny was how much hip-hop was helping to increase their sales and how much influence it had on the market. Which brings us to present day, where it is now socially acceptable to dress like A$AP Rocky or Rihanna and still be considered fashionable. But wait…they used to never wanna hear us, rememba? Now with the rise of hip-hop within the mainstream audience and the obsession with street style, fashion has realized that hip-hop is a part of pop culture and it’s a medium for setting trends. The fashion world has learned that it needs hip-hop to be successful because at the end of the day business is business, it’s strictly financial. Hip-hop is the voice of youth culture, it’s expressive, it’s ambitious and it sells. As a culture it has proven to be progressive in the way that it has positively reshaped how we view subcultures, race, and stereotypes. Hip-hop will continue to evolve and provide people with great music and fashionable lifestyles. We thank you hip-hop. Now let’s take shots to the kidney because…we made it!
Of course, this was done with extreme style and from then up until the early 2000s, fashion was officially playing a predominant role in hip-hop. This was being done through the label dropping in their songs, Versace, Versace, Versace…and all
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photography by Kahlil Hernandez
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Model left: jersey T;Topman Model right: cap; Cheap Monday, top; Topshop, pants; Zara
Page right: Model left: top; Calvin Klein, necklace; Guess, pants and shoes; Zara Model right:sweater courtesy of Proper Reserve , pants; H&M, shoes;Aldo
Page left: Model left: sweater; H&M, pants courtesy of Proper Reserve, shoes; Nike Model right: leather jacket, bandeau and skirt; H&M, shoes;Aldo
Model left: sweater, H&M, pants; Cheap Monday Model right: shirt; Topman, shorts and leggings; H&M, hat; Boy London
Model right: cap; Cheap Monday, top; Topshop, pants; Zara Model left: jersey T;Topman. Female model: Oliva Brown Male model: Rakwedgi Ramphore Stylist: Bianca Carreiro
photography by David Tran
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top; Zara, skirt; Club Monaco, hat; stylist’s own
Model left: top; Zara, skirt; Club Monaco, hat; stylist’s own, shoes; Aldo Model right: top & pants; Topman, shoes; Timberland
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Model left: top; Common Thread, pants; Zara, shoes; Nike Model right hat; stylist’s own, shoes; Aldo, outfit; Topshop
Page left: sweater; Urban Outfiters, hat; Rosin, pants; Levi’s, shoes; Nike Page right: top & pants; Zara, jacket; H&M, shoes; Aldo Male model: Sergiy Dybskiy Female model: Jenny Barron Stylist: Bianca Carreiro
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photography by Kahlil Hernandez
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MADE ME DO IT
chain; Untitled & Co., scarf; H&M, shoes, pants; model’s own
Model left: bra; stylist’s own, shades; Untitled & Co., clutch; Vlieger & Vandam Model right: top, Common Thread
Model left: necklace; Aldo, top; Untitled & Co. Model right: chain, sweater; Untitled & Co.
top, chain; Untitled & Co. pants, watch; model’s own Models in oder of appearance: Albert Osei, Julia Ferrante, Jasmine Marshall Stylist: Bianca Carreiro
OF THE YEAR by Yazmin Butcher
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WHETHER IT BE WITH FASHION OR WITH HIT SINGLES, THESE FOUR MEN HAVE PROVEN TO BE THE MEN OF THE YEAR IN THE HIP-HOP COMMUNITY.
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‘NEVER MET A MOTHERF*&^@$ FRESH LIKE ME’ - A$AP ROCKY
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‘LET ME REMIND YOU, YOU GOT A GREAT FUTURE BEHIND YOU’ - KANYE WEST
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‘HAD HIT RECORDS ON MY DEMO, DID Y’ALL BOYS NOT GET THE MEMO?’ - DRAKE
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‘SHAKE IT FOR THE MAN OF THE YEAR’ - SCHOOLBOY Q
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Making his name in the rap game is Toronto’s own The 6th Letter. This fly, young dude has gone from freestyling over Drake beats to recording his own mixtapes. He’s performed in the Smoker’s Club tour and has opened for artists like A$AP Rocky and Method Man. Not to mention he’s been making moves with The Baker’s Club and with the upcoming release of his third album, NorthernPlayalisticGetHighMuzik, there is no telling where we’ll see him next.
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E: What is your music about and how does it reflect your personality? 6th: My music is about just everyday life. Just some fly shit mixed in with the influence of hip-hop. E: From your beats to your lyrics, what inspires your music? 6th: When it comes to inspiration it can really be from anything to be honest. It can be from people I bump into on the street or a song I might overhear from a store that I’m passing by. Also, a lot of the music I listen to on the daily, like classic hip-hop from the 90s era and onward, a lot of the ill stuff. As well as images too, and movies. E: What do you think it means to be a Toronto based rapper trying to make it in the industry? 6th: It means you got a lot of work to put it because you’re not the only one out here trying to do what you do. You got to make your stuff ill enough to be the stand out and get to where you want to go. Keep a level head and keep it one hundred. E: Describe your personal style. Who do you look up to for fashion inspiration? 6th: My style is a little laid back, I’d say. When it comes to fashion I tend to mismatch because I think its kind of tacky to be so colour coordinated and stuff so sometimes I just mismatch on purpose. I throw on what ever and not really care about it. And it still ends up looking fly at the end of the day because that’s my style, its just me being me, you know what I’m saying? When it comes to fashion inspiration I think Pharrel is one of my biggest ones. Other than that its just me being me. E: Does your fashion style connect to your rapping style? 6th: Yea, in a sense because with a lot of my music I like to just drop a little one-two on what I’m rocking and shit. And its just that laid back style once again. E: Your music has a strong presence in North America. What are your future plans to expand your fan base? 6th: Right now I’m just focusing on completing this album. You know, getting that out there and reaching the fans overseas. The projects that I’ve put out in the past like, WTF? and Go Green, already gardened some fans from the UK and stuff like that. I’ve even had someone who came fresh out from Japan say they were a fan of The Baker’s Club and the whole movement. My focus is just to put out these albums for them and having them grasp it and have it spread the word because word of mouth promo is the best promo. You know, have them hear that music and feel the need to share it because they love it that much.
photography & interview by Bianca Carreiro
photography by Eric Slyfield
With his slicked back hair, black shades and a leather jacket-thriller, G-Eazy is killing the rap game and doing it in style. So if you don’t know by now, you should probably get familiar‌
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G
-Eazy graced the city of Toronto with his presence this March at the Virgin Mobile Mod Club. Performing tracks from his latest album, These Things Happen, the Oakland native hyped up the packed venue with his contagious energy. Stepping the stage in his signature style, which includes black Ray-Bans and a leather jacket; G-Eazy definitely knows how to embrace the spotlight. Pulling inspiration from the 50s and early 60s era, all the way to artists like Mac Dre, G-Eazy is bringing a unique flow to hip-hop music. Hip-hop culture relies on artists like these to keep the genre fresh and ever evolving. This one-of-a-kind fusing of sounds with the addition of clever and catchy lyrics sets a new tone to the rap game. The diversity found in G-Eazy’s music is reflective of his fans. The crowd consisted of everything from skaters to sneakerheads, who most likely loved the fresh pair of Jordan’s he was rocking that night. When he wasn’t taking a break to pull out his comb and fix his hair, he was arm pumping, jumping, and showing his fans lots of love. G-Eazy seems so be a genuine and charismatic dude. Anyone can easily catch this vibe from seeing the way he connects to the audience first hand. Not only did he show how grateful he was for his fans but he also made sure to shout out all his friends and supporters that included Marty Grimes and Rockie Fresh, who was his opening act. So new to the industry and already so influential to hip-hop and fashion, G-Eazy is sure to be around for a long time and there is no telling how far his stardom will reach. With the future looking real bright for G-Eazy, you’ll need to grab your Ray-Bans!
Toronto design duo Alicia Brown and Stephanie Diaz of Common Thread have become the city’s go to streetwear brand. Their success story began two years ago when they started making shamballa bracelets for friends and family. When they designed their first t-shirt it was an instant hit and they knew that clothing was the direction the brand needed to head towards. Now you can find their contrasting, high-end street designs at Launch x Toronto. However, the sky’s the limit for these powerful entrepreneurs. Read an exclusive interview here!
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E: When did you know that designing clothes was what you wanted to do and what made you go forth with the idea? CT: For us, it started when we wanted to wear things that we couldn’t find in stores so we started making the pieces we wanted to wear. E: How would you describe your brand and how does it personally relate to you? CT: Our brand is high-end streetwear. It personally relates to us because we’ve been tomboys our whole lives, never enjoyed shopping in the women’s section. We prefer the way men’s clothes fit in general and wanted to recreate that in a way that women would feel comfortable wearing it too. The beauty about t-shirts is that you can personalize it to fit who you are without compromising the design. Some days I wear a small and others an extra large depending on my style for the day. E: What influences or inspires your designs and how do you split the creative process between the two of you? CT: At the moment we are heavily influenced by sportswear. Normally we just say to each other, “Hey I have a sick idea, let’s make it!” and the other is always down for the design. 99% of the time this is how we work. E: What makes Common Thread unique compared to other street wear brands? CT: We are unique because of our individual style and the innovative materials we use. Everything in the collection is hand made and printed by us using shirt vinyl. We do not screen print. Every little piece of the garment has been carefully cut out and pressed on by us personally. We use really interesting vinyl like the reflective and glow in the dark because we like a challenge and seeing what we can do with our designs. E: What are some future goals for the brand and what can we look forward to? CT: The future for Common Thread is bright. You will find us in more stores around Toronto and some excusive new gear for those stores. We are currently working on a cut and sew collection for Fall 2014. E: If you could pick a song or a lyric to describe Common Thread what would it be and why? CT: I actually don’t know what song I would use to describe us but a couple albums that have been on repeat through out our journey are Frank Ocean Nostalgia Ultra, Drake Take Care and any TXL mixtape we can get our hands on. Haha!
interview by Bianca Carreiro
by Bianca Carreiro
The Fall 2014 fashion shows saw two main standout collections that hold an undeniable hip-hop influence...
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“I
don’t pop molly, I rock Tom Ford,” have become classic lines but who thought it would inspire classic style? While on tour, Jay-Z has been seen wearing a knockoff football jersey with Tom Ford’s name across the back to promote the song off his Magna Carta...Holy Grail album. Hip-hop artists often talk about the designer clothes they wear in their music and are often inspired by luxury brands but it’s interesting to see when a hip-hop artist inspires a fashion designer. The result this time around was Tom Ford’s football jersey dresses, dripping in gorgeous sequins. These dresses took the fashion world by storm thanks to Jay-Z’s catchy lyrics and style. It’s no surprise that Beyoncé has already been seen rocking this Tom Ford number on stage at her latest concert performances. Next up is Givenchy’s Fall 2014 menswear collection, which has a more subtle hip-hop connection but is undoubtedly street inspired. Perhaps Ricardo Tisci brainstormed his design ideas after shooting some hoops with his bestie Kanye. Either way the basketball inspiration is Marcus Tondo / Indigitalimages.com clear with the pops of orange, symmetrical lines and circles resembling the court, and the revival of baggy trousers. This collection also featured oversized hoodies, leather bomber jackets, and classic layering. Tisci did an excellent job in refining men’s streetwear with a high fashion aesthetic. With sportswear looking this good we just got to ask, b-ball anyone?
Marcus Tondo / Indigitalimages.com
Marcus Tondo / Indigitalimages.com
COMMON THREAD PROPER RESERVE SAUVAGE UNTITLED & CO. WADETECH ZANE