Bleu Magazine Issue 32- by Bleu Magazine

men's fashion + entertainment + fitness + culture

BLUE IS THE NEW BLACK PG. 76

tHE

Regina hall lance Reddick adi shankaR ismael cRuz coRdova amin joseph shaRon caRpenteR

“I wouldn’t call myself an actor If I wasn’t gettIng paId” ISSUE 32

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AnNUal

A Celebration of Spirit & Dance

FREE ADMISSION

JULY 25 - 27 th

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fashion health culture entertainment interviews

Contents

FEATURES

40 ARtFUL LIVInG: IndIA & CAVIeR CoLemAn Tag TEam

54 CoVeR stoRy nICk weChsLeR ThE good grInch

66 sPotLIGht: AmIn josePh & IsmAeL CRUz dESTInEd for ThE STarS

68 FeAtURe: RUsseLL tAyLoR SoUl nomad

70 BomBsheLL shARon CARPenteR Talk of ThE Town

74 FeAtURe: LAnCe ReddICk ThE goldEn boy

84 sCoRe: wALteR thURmond ToUchdown To nEw york

88 on the RIse AdI shAnkAR ahEad of hIS TImE

Contents

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

12 It’s me, It’s yoU… SESac awardS & 22 jUmp STrEET

14 the 20 Tv TImE

16 GAGdets bEam mE Up ScoTTy

18 RIde hoT whEElS

24 Body body bUIldIng

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26 GRoomInG pockET proTEcTor

28 FUeL dInE UndEr ThE STarS

34 tRAVeL ISland gETaway: no paSSporT nEEdEd

44 tRend AVe. faShIon forEcaST

48 FAshIon: ShadE SafarI

60 FAshIon: wEEkEnd warrIor

76 FAshIon: blEU'S blUE

38 oP-ed ThE flEETIng voIcE of ThE faShIon crITIc

92 ICon: jAmes deAn ThE og of cool

Ó CUESTION TEQUILA CUESTIÓN. EVERYTHING.

ASK YOURSELF THIS

Ó CUESTION WHEN WILL I TRY IT? AGED IN JACK DANIEL’S AMERICAN OAK BARRELS MORE GOLD MEDALS THAN PATRÓN

CUESTIÓN TEQUILA IS MADE OF THE FINEST BLUE WEBER AGAVE AND IMPORTED THROUGH NASHVILLE, TN. CUESTIÓN EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT TEQUILA. LEARN MORE AT CUESTIONSPIRITS.COM bleumagazine.com 7

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TEAM BLEU

editorial director manaGinG editor dePuty editor lifestyle editor diGital media manaGer Production manaGer art director

Davis Whitely Adrian Jackson Erica Vain Carlton Jerome Nia Blackmon Andrew Horton

fashion marKet editor

Chris Sandford

fashion editors-at-larGe On the cover Nick Wechsler

vest & pants ANThONY FrANcO shirt hUGO BOss shoes TO BOOT NeW YOrk BY ADAM Derrick

Reginald Larkin

coPy editor

contributinG fashion editor

photography elTON ANDersON fashion APUJe kAlU hair cATAANDA JAMes make-up & grooming AJ criMsON

DĂŠVon Christopher Johnson

GroominG editor sPorts editor diGital media Producer bleu tV director assistant to the Publisher

RonĂ§ois Alisha Crutchfield Apuje Kalu Cataanda J Angel Quiles Brian Camacho Eliot Jones Gary Dickson

contributinG editors

Ebony Aalayah, Owen Duckett, Darryl Glover, Treye Green, Dorielle Jackson, Yisreal Richardson, Edric Robinson

contributinG writers

Jasmine Aspinall, Larryse Brown, Nicole Blonder, Adrian Jones-Jackson, Tionah Lee, Kirsten Lewis, Kent Olden, Gary Thomas, Shawn Thomas

contributinG PhotoGraPhers

interns

Elton Anderson, Seth London, Ricardo Nelson, Patrick Neree, Jason Setiawan, Sinem Yazici Yvette Brown, Donte Lewis, Akeem Martin

Bleulife Media & Entertainment Inc. | 262 West 38th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018 | E-Mail: info@bleulife.com | Online: bleulife.com Printed in the USA. Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists, feature writers or other contributors are not necessarily the opinions of Bleu Magazine or its staff. All advertisements, photographs, text or illustrations are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to have secured proper consent for the use thereof. Bleu Magazine shall not be held responsible for any errors, loss, expense or liabilities on advertisements accepted after the deadline. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or advertisement in Bleu Magazine is not to be constructed as an indication of sexual orientation of such persons, advertiser or organization. Partial or complete reproduction of an advertisement, news article, feature or photograph from Bleu Magazine is strictly prohibited as Bleu Magazine is a registered trademark. A $25 or 1.5% (whichever is greater) fee will be charged for all NSF checks. All rights reserved.

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ContRIBUtoRs

kIRsten LewIs writer Kirsten lewis, howard university John h. Johnson school of communications alumni with a sassy and personable writing style with witty flare. through out her post collegiate career lewis has interviewed Katt williams, mcKinley freeman, and amin Jospeh.

LARRyse BRown writer larryse is a new york bred and new jersey groomed wordsmith with a passion for cultural affairs, art, fashion and exploring the issues that impact our world. She attributes the greats, including, maya angelou and many of the legendary writers for her love of the art of language. after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in media Studies/journalism brown is now pursuing her master’s at columbia University in English Education. She has worked for multiple publications showcasing her talent and will continue exploring the world we live in via the power of the pen.

Aj CRImson maKeuP artist Entrepreneur and beauty & lifestyle Expert, aj crimson is one of the most trusted names in the industry and a leading authority in his field. Equally noted for his savvy business sense and charisma, aj is the cEo of blackboardgroUp management, overseeing the careers of some of today’s hottest talent within entertainment and the worlds of health & beauty (wardrobe stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists etc.). aj is also the creator of two successful makeup ranges: kissable couture lip gloss and aj crimson cosmetics.

eLton AndeRson PhotoGraPher elton anderson is a la based photographer but loves to travel for the perfect picture! he enjoys classic style, with a youthful twist. anderson is a self-proclaimed nikon user, an apple lover and nike fanatic! there is beauty in everyone and everything... my goal is to capture it. anderson shoots and captures nick's comedian within.

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THE BLEULiFE GROUP chairman, ceo & President

DĂŠVon Christopher Johnson

account manaGers

Todd Evans, Rivendell Media 908.232.2021 Loren Bates 347.564.8042 advertise@bleulife.com Ray Thomas 212.564.9570 advertise@bleulife.com

inteGrated brand PartnershiPs

Kim J. Ford, Brand Whisperer 973.580.4476 kford@brand-whisperer.com

Press & media relations

R. Couri Hay Creative Public Relations 212.580.0835

sPonsorshiPs & eVents

Enovia Bedford

brand marKetinG manaGer brand coordinator social media manaGer reGional rePresentatiVes

Cheryl Singleton Carlotta Harrington Terrell Johnson Rannon Harris (Chicago - Midwest) Christopher Thompson Walls (Atlanta - Southeast)

leGal & business affairs

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PUBLIsheR's LetteR

"La Vida Loca" by Ricky martin Woke up in New York City in a funky cheap hotel // She took my heart and she took my money // She must've slipped me a sleeping pill // She never drinks the water and makes you order French Champagne // Once you've

Time stands still for no man. The seasons change and the clock clicks on. I just celebrated a birthday and I must admit for the first time I felt older. not physically old. and no worries, there aren’t any appointments for botox in my near feature. but, I have felt the passage of time. There are moments that feel like yesterday- that are actually many years behind. my first car, acceptance letters to colleges, my first job, are all now notches on my belt. They have made me who I am and helped shaped my good and bad qualities. but they are fleeting memories as each day goes by. now, I appreciate them. Sometimes I wish I had not rushed through many of the milestones of life. my mother would say, “Stop trying to be grown. you’re going to wish for these days when you get to my age!” She was right.

had a taste of her you'll never be the same // Yeah, she'll make you go insane. // Upside, inside out she's livin la vida loca // She'll push and pull you down, livin la vida loca // Her lips are devil red and her skin's the color mocha // She will wear you out livin la vida loca Come On! // Livin la vida loca, Come on!

now mistakes have consequences. a bad investment here, an unpaid parking ticket there, carry outcomes that make me personally responsible. can’t just swipe my parent’s credit card to make it better. we live in an era where we are quick to share our experiences on social media, sometimes to complete strangers. however, we forget to cherish those moments for ourselves and their significance to our own lives, and focus on how many “likes” we receive. Stop and smell the roses!

// She's livin la vida loca. déVon Christopher johnson @devonisbleu

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Its me, Its yoU, Its BLeU

SESAC's Pat Collins, Nikhil Seetharam, Charli XCX, Richard Gottehrer

2014 sesAC Pop Awards @ The new york public library

SESAC's Trevor Gayle and Charli XCX

New York, NY may 5th, 2014

photography by Shawn Ehlers & johnny nunez

Hezekiah Walker

James Adam Shelley, Rico Love and Zac Barnett

(L to R) Jamie Dominguez (SESAC); Linda Lorence-Critelli (SESAC); Pat Collins (SESAC); Sony ATV Sounds' Danny Strick, Walter Jones, Michelle Fantus, Diana Schumacher, Rich Christina, Jacob Fain, Mark Abramowitz; Trevor Gale (SESAC)

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seCtIon ARtICLe tItLe

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum

22 Jump street @ the Screen cinema at Trinity college Dublin, Ireland may 23, 2014

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum with Glenda Gilson

photography courtesy of Sony pictures publicity

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill receive Bram Stoker medals from The Phil Society

Channing Tatum and fan

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the 20

Saturday Morning CartoonS

“It’s morphin time!” Everyone knows when they heard this phrase it was about to go down. no matter what age you were, everyone enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons. This summer has us nostalgic for the days of kickball and captain planet. This list below is comprised of some of our favorite Saturday morning cartoons from past to present. So grab your cereal bowls and stay tuned.

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GAdGets

multifunctional watches yo remember when the power rangers had those kick ass watches that could communicate and teleport? of course you do. If you have a pulse you know that communication giants have developed a series of watches that make our childhoods real. These watches do everything your phones do and more. The future is now, so ride the wave.

Cst-01 centralstndardtiming.com / $199 The thinnest watch in the world displays the time for a month in literally just a â&#x20AC;&#x153;snap.â&#x20AC;? It takes 20 minutes to charge and the mEc will keep your watch going for 15 years.

kReyos meteoR kreyos.com / $339 without having the need to reach for your phone you can read emails, send messages, call your friends as well as listening to your favorite music. kreyos allows you to customize the way you wear your watch, change your wrist bands, make it a lanyard or simply attaching this device to your hip.

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GARmIn tACtIx rei.com / $450 great for the outdoorsy person, the functions of this gadget range from alarms to compass and measures your speed and distance along the way.

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RIde

2014 dUCAtI PAnIGALe 899 price- $14,995 Tank- most powerful â&#x20AC;&#x153;twin-cylinderâ&#x20AC;? engine on the planet Speed- 195 mph

the wild one

2014 hARLey dAVIdson price- $8,399 Tank- 13.3 gallons Engine- Evolution Type

This summer rev your engines. whether young or old the motorcycle world has appealed to every generation. Take a road trip solo or with a pack to explore the freedom of the open road with the motorcycle that speaks to you. calling all from the adrenaline rush junkies to the collectors, the bold, the slick and the daring. whatever your character, these motorcycles promise brando cool. remember, the type of hardware you own always matters.

2014 RAIdeR yAmAhA 2014 hondA CB500FA price- $6,299 Tank- parallel Twin- cylinder Engine brake- abS (anti- lock braking System), frontTwin piston caliper with single 320mm wave disc rear- Single piston caliper 240mm wave disc

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price- $14,990 Tan- ohv with 4 valves per cylinder Engine- 5 speed multiply wet clutch Speed- 135 mph

seCtIon ARtICLe tItLe

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What is STRIBILD? STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. It combines 4 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. STRIBILD is a complete singletablet regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking STRIBILD. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD?

• For a list of brand names for these medicines, please see the Brief Summary on the following pages.

• If you take hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc).

• Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, or the medicine adefovir (Hepsera®).

• If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD.

What are the other possible side effects of STRIBILD?

• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD.

• Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do regular blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with STRIBILD. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD.

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• All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection.

• Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, cisapride, lovastatin, simvastatin, pimozide, sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), triazolam, oral midazolam, rifampin or the herb St. John’s wort.

Do not take STRIBILD if you:

Serious side effects of STRIBILD may also include:

• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD?

• All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider.

Who should not take STRIBILD?

STRIBILD can cause serious side effects:

• Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain.

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking STRIBILD, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. STRIBILD is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

• Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking STRIBILD. The most common side effects of STRIBILD include nausea and diarrhea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

• If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in STRIBILD can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.

STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used as a complete single-tablet regimen to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

I started my personal revolution Talk to your healthcare provider about starting treatment. STRIBILD is a complete HIV-1 treatment in 1 pill, once a day. Ask if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for you.

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Patient Information STRIBILD® (STRY-bild) (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.

• Do not stop taking STRIBILD without first talking to your healthcare provider • If you stop taking STRIBILD, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking STRIBILD

What is STRIBILD?

Who should not take STRIBILD?

• STRIBILD is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. STRIBILD is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. • STRIBILD does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.

Do not take STRIBILD if you also take a medicine that contains: • adefovir (Hepsera®) • alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®) • cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®) • ergot-containing medicines, including: dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), and methylergonovine maleate (Ergotrate®, Methergine®) • lovastatin (Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®) • oral midazolam • pimozide (Orap®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®) • sildenafil (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems • simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®) • triazolam (Halcion®) • the herb St. John’s wort Do not take STRIBILD if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (Atripla®, Complera®, Viread®, Truvada®) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine, lamivudine, or ritonavir (Atripla®, Combivir®, Complera®, Emtriva®, Epivir® or Epivir-HBV®, Epzicom®, Kaletra®, Norvir®, Trizivir®, Truvada®) STRIBILD is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old.

What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD? STRIBILD can cause serious side effects, including: 1. Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take STRIBILD or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: • feel very weak or tired • have unusual (not normal) muscle pain • have trouble breathing • have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting • feel cold, especially in your arms and legs • feel dizzy or lightheaded • have a fast or irregular heartbeat 2. Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take STRIBILD. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: • your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) • dark “tea-colored” urine • light-colored bowel movements (stools) • loss of appetite for several days or longer • nausea • stomach pain You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking STRIBILD for a long time. 3. Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take STRIBILD, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking STRIBILD. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. • Do not run out of STRIBILD. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your STRIBILD is all gone

What are the possible side effects of STRIBILD? STRIBILD may cause the following serious side effects: • See “What is the most important information I should know about STRIBILD?” • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking STRIBILD. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking STRIBILD if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take STRIBILD. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.

The most common side effects of STRIBILD include: • Nausea • Diarrhea Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of STRIBILD. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking STRIBILD? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B infection • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STRIBILD can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking STRIBILD. - There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take STRIBILD. - You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. - Two of the medicines in STRIBILD can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in STRIBILD can pass into your breast milk. - Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • STRIBILD may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how STRIBILD works. • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: - Hormone-based birth control (pills, patches, rings, shots, etc) - Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take STRIBILD - Medicines to treat depression, organ transplant rejection, or high blood pressure - amiodarone (Cordarone®, Pacerone®) - atorvastatin (Lipitor®, Caduet®) - bepridil hydrochloride (Vascor®, Bepadin®) - bosentan (Tracleer®) - buspirone - carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®) - clarithromycin (Biaxin®, Prevpac®) - clonazepam (Klonopin®) - clorazepate (Gen-xene®, Tranxene®) - colchicine (Colcrys®) - medicines that contain dexamethasone - diazepam (Valium®)

- digoxin (Lanoxin®) - disopyramide (Norpace®) - estazolam - ethosuximide (Zarontin®) - flecainide (Tambocor®) - flurazepam - fluticasone (Flovent®, Flonase®, Flovent® Diskus®, Flovent® HFA, Veramyst®) - itraconazole (Sporanox®) - ketoconazole (Nizoral®) - lidocaine (Xylocaine®) - mexiletine - oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®) - perphenazine - phenobarbital (Luminal®) - phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®) - propafenone (Rythmol®) - quinidine (Neudexta®) - rifabutin (Mycobutin®) - rifapentine (Priftin®) - risperidone (Risperdal®, Risperdal Consta®) - salmeterol (Serevent®) or salmeterol when taken in combination with fluticasone (Advair Diskus®, Advair HFA®) - sildenafil (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis®) or vardenafil (Levitra®, Staxyn®), for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). If you get dizzy or faint (low blood pressure), have vision changes or have an erection that last longer than 4 hours, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away. - tadalafil (Adcirca®), for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension - telithromycin (Ketek®) - thioridazine - voriconazole (Vfend®) - warfarin (Coumadin®, Jantoven®) - zolpidem (Ambien®, Edlular®, Intermezzo®, Zolpimist®) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking STRIBILD without first talking with your healthcare provider. Keep STRIBILD and all medicines out of reach of children. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about STRIBILD. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about STRIBILD that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.STRIBILD.com. Issued: October 2013

COMPLERA, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, the STRIBILD Logo, TRUVADA, and VIREAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. STBC0075 02/14

Body

PatCHwork FitnESS words by Tanyka renee

It is getting hotter outside and this means you're going to need less clothing. we built the perfect summer body and included a couple tips to help you achieve it. It's never too late in the year to start your workout. So get up off that couch, get trim, fit and healthy!

dwigHt Howard â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SHouLdErS dwight howard gets it in when it comes to fitness. his muscular shoulders have allowed him to be a great center. Every man desires a great pair of shoulders! It is even said that it's the shoulders that make a man. well, dwight's shoulders surely has made him, they even have a website www.dwighthowardsshoulders.com. To achieve shoulders like dwight's you want to do workouts that target the inner, outer and rear deltoid muscles as well as the Trapezius. Some exercises to try are shoulder presses, later raises, rear deltoid raises, straight-arm front deltoid raises, or even weighted shoulder shrugs.

LL CooL J â&#x20AC;&#x201C; abS all the ladies love cool j for his perfect abs. To obtain abs like mr. ll of course you need to work the core by doing crunches, leg-raises, bicycles and planks. keep in mind, abs are mainly made in the kitchen and not in the gym. Eat a clean diet that is well balanced and packed with protein. you want your body fat low and this means consuming less fat.

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Mark wHaLbErg – arMS marky mark has always been known for his arms. what's his secret? It's pretty simple he just works his triceps and biceps in every angle possible. make sure to also hit your chest and back by doing pull-ups, pushups and dips.

VErnon daViS – LEgS

FLoyd MaywEatHEr – CHESt floyd "pretty boy" mayweather is cocky, vein and he’s still undefeated. mr. money Team works hard and his body shows it. a boxer like floyd uses pushups to get a nice firm chest. you can also try inclined dumbbell bench presses or barbell bench presses.

being a tight end for the San franciso 49ers, vernon davis has to maintain strong legs that help him to block. known for his crazy workouts, he does everything from power lifting to resistance band training. you can obtain his legs by making sure to incorporate squats and deadlifts into your workout. your legs have some of the biggest muscle groups and to build these muscles you need to feed them. your protein intake is key when you want to tone up

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GRoomInG

Perfecting the Pocket Square It’s no secret that accessories can make or break any outfit. Sometimes it is the simplest accessories that can propel a look. one such item is the pocket square. legions of men have revived an interest in the pocket square. The small sports jacket accessory can instantly elevate your look. any style maverick would agree that it’s definitely a conversation piece. pocket squares are taking center stage in a similar way to the bow tie. with so many styles, prints, fabrics and variations it almost seems impossible to not make a statement. but first you need to know how to fold ‘em.

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lay the pocket square out flat like a diamond.

fold the entire left side towards the center.

fold so the lower corner ends up just to the left of the top corner.

fold the entire right side towards the center. Then flip over and position in the pocket, adjusting as necessary.

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FUeL

LInGUIne wIth CALms And FenneL

InGRedIents

PRePeRAtIon:

kosher salt

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente. drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

1 lb. of linguine 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling ½ small fennel bulb, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fennel fronds and more for garnish 6 garlic cloves, chopped ¾ cup dry white wine 3 lbs. of small clams (such as manila) or cockles, scrubbed freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. (or more) fennel pollen or 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and finely ground in a spice mill

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meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp. oil in another large heavy pot over medium heat. add chopped fennel and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 2-3 minutes. add wine, then clams. Increase heat to high. cover and cook until clams open, 4-7 minutes, depending on size of clams. as clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a large bowl (discard any that do not open). add ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to clam juices in pot; bring to a boil. add pasta to pot. cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. add clams with any juices from bowl and 2 tbsp. fennel fronds; toss to combine, adding more pasta liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. divide among bowls. drizzle with oil; garnish with fennel fronds and fennel pollen.

InGRedIents Mango Salsa 2 large ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and chopped PRePARAtIon:

¼ cup minced red bell pepper

preheat oven to 425°f.

1 tbsp. lime juice

Stir together mango, bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, onions and jalapeno in a medium bowl; set aside. place cod on 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Stir together dry seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle over cod.

1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

bring edges of parchment paper together and fold twice. fold ends under to enclose fish. place packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. open packets carefully to let steam escape. place equal amounts of cod in each tortilla and top with cabbage, cheese and mango salsa.

2 green onions, sliced (green tops only) 1 small jalapeño pepper (stem, seeds and membranes removed) Tacos 1 lb. cod fillets, rinsed and patted dry 1 tsp. chili powder

BAjA FIsh tACos wIth mAnGo sALsA

½ tsp. each: ground cumin, mexican oregano and garlic salt 8 corn tortillas, warmed 2 cups shredded green or red cabbage ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (may substitute shredded monterey jack)

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seCtIon ARtICLe tItLe

COMPLERA is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in 1 pill a day. It is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood. COMPLERA can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Just the

one

for me

COMPLERA is a complete HIV-1 treatment in only 1 pill a day. Ask your healthcare provider if COMPLERA may be the one for you.

Pill shown is not actual size.

What is COMPLERA?

COMPLERA (emtricitabine 200 mg, rilpivirine 25 mg, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in one pill a day. COMPLERA is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood (this is called ‘viral load’). COMPLERA can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. COMPLERA combines 3 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. COMPLERA is a complete single tablet regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. It is not known if COMPLERA is safe and effective in children under the age of 18 years. COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?

COMPLERA can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions. • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking COMPLERA, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV.

Who should not take COMPLERA?

Do not take COMPLERA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital (Luminal), phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin), rifapentine (Priftin), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate, or the herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, or the medicine adefovir (Hepsera).

starting treatment with COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems, or take other medicines that may cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may also check your kidneys during treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless, feeling anxious or restless, have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself. • Changes in liver enzymes: People who have had hepatitis B or C, or who have had changes in their liver function tests in the past may have an increased risk for liver problems while taking COMPLERA. Some people without prior liver disease may also be at risk. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking COMPLERA. The most common side effects of COMPLERA include trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, and depression. Other common side effects include vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), and pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA?

All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. • If you take stomach acid blockers. Take acid blockers at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if your acid blocker is okay to take, as some acid blockers should never be taken with COMPLERA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking COMPLERA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in COMPLERA can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby.

•

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

What are the other possible side effects of COMPLERA?

Serious side effects of COMPLERA may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your kidneys before

Learn more at www.COMPLERA.com

Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information COMPLERA® (kom-PLEH-rah) (emtricitabine 200 mg, rilpivirine 25 mg, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information. What is COMPLERA? • COMPLERA is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in one pill a day. COMPLERA is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood (this is called ‘viral load’). Complera can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. • COMPLERA is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. When used properly, COMPLERA may reduce the amount of HIV-1 virus in your blood and increase the amount of CD4 T-cells, which may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak. • COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA? COMPLERA can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take COMPLERA or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – having stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take COMPLERA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite for several days or longer – nausea – stomach pain

• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. • Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take COMPLERA, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking COMPLERA. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you must discuss your HBV with your healthcare provider. – Do not run out of COMPLERA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your COMPLERA is all gone. – Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider. – If you stop taking COMPLERA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking COMPLERA. Who should not take COMPLERA? Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any of the following medicines: • Medicines used for seizures: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol); oxcarbazepine (Trileptal); phenobarbital (Luminal); phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek) • Medicines used for tuberculosis: rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin); rifapentine (Priftin) • Certain medicines used to block stomach acid called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): dexlansoprazole (Dexilant); esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo); lansoprazole (Prevacid); omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid); pantoprazole sodium (Protonix); rabeprazole (Aciphex) • Certain steroid medicines: More than 1 dose of dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate • Certain herbal supplements: St. John’s wort • Certain hepatitis medicines: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (ATRIPLA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine or lamivudine (ATRIPLA, Combivir, EMTRIVA, Epivir, Epzicom, STRIBILD, Trizivir, TRUVADA) • rilpivirine (Edurant) COMPLERA is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old. What are the possible side effects of COMPLERA? COMPLERA may cause the following serious side effects: • See “What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?” • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems in the past or need to take another medicine that can cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may need to do blood tests to check your kidneys during your treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: – feeling sad or hopeless – feeling anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C

virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with COMPLERA. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with COMPLERA in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take COMPLERA. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the main part of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The cause and long term health effect of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine. The most common side effects of COMPLERA include: • Trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, depression Additional common side effects include: • Vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), pain Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of COMPLERA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn child. – There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take COMPLERA. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. – Two of the medicines in COMPLERA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if this could harm your baby. – Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. • If you take certain medicines with COMPLERA, the amount of COMPLERA in your body may be too low and it may not work to help

control your HIV-1 infection. The HIV-1 virus in your body may become resistant to COMPLERA or other HIV-1 medicines that are like it. • Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: – Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. – Certain medicines to block the acid in your stomach, including cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac). Take the acid blocker at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Some acid blocking medicines should never be taken with COMPLERA (see “Who should not take COMPLERA?” for a list of these medicines). – Medicines that can affect how your kidneys work, including acyclovir (Zovirax), cidofovir (Vistide), ganciclovir (Cytovene IV, Vitrasert), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and valganciclovir (Valcyte). – clarithromycin (Biaxin) – erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone) – fluconazole (Diflucan) – itraconazole (Sporanox) – ketoconazole (Nizoral) – methadone (Dolophine) – posaconazole (Noxafil) – telithromycin (Ketek) – voriconazole (Vfend) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. How should I take COMPLERA? • Stay under the care of your healthcare provider during treatment with COMPLERA. • Take COMPLERA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. • Always take COMPLERA with food. Taking COMPLERA with food is important to help get the right amount of medicine in your body. A protein drink is not a substitute for food. If your healthcare provider decides to stop COMPLERA and you are switched to new medicines to treat HIV-1 that includes rilpivirine tablets, the rilpivirine tablets should be taken only with a meal. Keep COMPLERA and all medicines out of reach of children. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about COMPLERA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about COMPLERA that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.COMPLERA.com. Issued: December 2013

COMPLERA, the COMPLERA Logo, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD, and VISTIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. CPAC0097 02/14

tRAVeL

PuErto riCo Isle of Enchantment

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It's the island of enchantment or 'la Isla de Encatamiento' as locals describe the caribbean gem we know as puerto rico. The sun-washed backyard of the US is rich with culture, heritage, amazing food and all the boricuas one could ask for. ricky martin, jennifer lopez, and benicio del Toro are just a few of the well known celebs the island has produced. no passport necessary, the lure of relaxation and sandy beaches is right around the corner. like it's mouth watering arroz con pollo, puerto rico is a destination staple we all love and can't resist. Words by Jasmine Aspinall

PUeRto RICo

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tRAVeL

Old San Juan

The need for a breath of fresh air and clear peace of mind from lifes’ daily annoyances is what initially inspires the urge for a vacation. whether a quick bus trip to visit old college friends or a personal weekend getaway; regardless of the occasion distancing yourself from reality feels good once in a while. It reminds you you’re alive. nature seems to be the only calling as the cold wintery polar vortex and incessant snowstorms have you tuned out and ready to push the refresh button. That button happens to be the allure of puerto rico. a home away from home this northeastern island in the caribbean is a viable choice. a U.S. territory the flight is all of 4 hours, options for stay is grand but affordable and is a quick but fulfilling getaway.

El Yunque National Rainforest

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The island is a mountain full of plush rainforests ensuing a breath of fresh air. a perfect interlude from the stuffy qualms of new york and stepping off the plane you transform into another world. one that is warm and peaceful like the warmth of a comforter fresh out of the laundry. The feeling of the sun is immediately rejuvenating. you’ve decided to ditch the normal places to visit and go the more adulterated route. The turn up is over and the time for mental relaxation has taken heed. Set your spirits on high and your phone on silent you’re ready to embark on an adventure.

PUeRto RICo

your ride to your hotel in the capital city San juan reveal a miami vibe. one of decrepit buildings and forgotten party ads but the energy is far from that. The ride over reveal sandy and white beaches fit for a screensaver. The ride out to your destination has you feeling as though you haven’t left the country, which in retrospect you haven’t. The United States acquired the island after the end of the Spanish american war in 1898 as a prize win from Spain. The acquisition came at a time when the abolition of slavery was a mere 30 years old. The El morro fort is a remnant of that time. Seated comfortably in old San juan the over 400-year-old fort served as a defense from other countries attempting to seize some of Spain’s riches. The allure and greatness of a man made structure while the cool breeze of the bar channel is incredible. If you want to see this site it’s best to rent a car or taxi cab. founded by christopher columbus for Spain. The walkway itself is spectacular. a long grand entrance as though your bride or groom to be had be waiting for you at the end. The deep-seated lights give the fort an ominous glow that almost transcends you to another era. during the day the spot is ideal for flying kites and basking in the refreshing breeze. walk down towards the loading docks and see the story that you’ll hear from the locals. The huge enclosures are where pirates would dock their slaves who then took part in building the site it is today. The influences of them though are still walking around, living and breathing. In the faces of everyday people the color changes from person to person. It wasn’t a feeling of coming to a completely obscure island. It’s where blackness is seen in varying forms, shades and faces. one is immediately driven to feel as though they aren’t in unfamiliar company. Everywhere you turn there’s a smiling face and someone willing to assist you when in need. a carefree country where the drinking age is 18-years-old and the love for one another is unabashedly genuine. another incredible place to visit is the El yunque rainforest in the town of carolina. If you’d rather book a tour guide to take you on the journey through the falls the process is easy and convenient . although some travellers prefer to rent a car as the roads are fairly easy to maneuver with a map and a little know how. The star of the falls

El Morro

Puerto Rican Delicacies

was the drive and arrival at the rio de la mina falls. at the base of a powerful and demanding fall lies a natural pool with the ability to swim even for some of the more beginning swimmers. The gravity and force of the falls while attempting to maneuver between the current was not only breathtaking but also invigorating. a natural and spiritual cleanse that the doctor ordered. visit puerto rico for the culture, the food and its irreverent beauty. Eat dinner near the ocean, go snorkeling off in the keys and discover a new you while doing so. ★

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oP-ed

odE to tHE FaSHion CritiC Somewhere between Fashion Bloggers, Joan Rivers and the Human Psyche. woRds By LARRyse BRown

t started with, “karl lagerfeld is overrated.” This was the opening sentence of fashion journalist and critic robin givhan’s newsweek article following lagerfeld’s “ready to wear” 2008 collection. as givhan is the only fashion writer and critic to win a pulitzer prize, the newsweek employee followed up with what could be described as a well versed breakdown into lagerfeld’s contributions (or lack thereof) to chanel since it was passed to him by the alpha, gabrielle “coco” herself.

It was a fated day in 1983 when karl lagerfeld descended out of the sky upon the house of chanel as chief designer. Indeed lagerfeld floated with arms outstretched, body incased in brilliant light to restore righteousness upon the old ways of the pagan and dying french line. Some critics watched, enraptured at the second coming. other’s like givhan knighted lagerfeld as “fashion’s most elaborate invention: a myth that has swallowed up the man.” and while the fashion critic’s work may have been well researched and her stance well supported, but givhan’s “mudslinging” left her in the nose bleed seats of chanel’s next show, mockingly far removed from the coveted front row seat she held previously. It is speculated that if givhan had been any other less decorated and respected writer, she would have found herself unemployed after what may have been a large loss of capital in advertisement. The tense relationship between fashion critic and designers can be best illustrated as an akward family dinner. The relationship remains even more stagnant as we include a whole new grop of critics armed with smartphones . Enter the blogger . Eva domijan, a freelance

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london based fashion journalist and blogger remarks that what was once a culture with a shocking theme of individuality has taken a left turn towards a shocking theme of mediocrity. domijan reasons, “fashion blogging today salutes reducing self-expression to a handful of common denominators: the ubiquitous kenzo tiger jumper, Isabel marant wedge trainers, ombré hair, céline handbags and sheer maxi skirts. Individual fashion voices of the past have merged into one monotonous voice. fashion bloggers look like each other's clones. fashion blogging today is about fitting in with the cool crowd. how ironic to think it originally emerged with the outcasts – people who loved fashion but couldn't or didn't want to be part of the cool crowd (the industry).” domijan dishes on another problem: “another recent blogging gem is posting outfits consisting solely of pieces the blogger has received from brands. Is this really your style? would you wear it if you didn't get it for free? all of it?” In overwhelming numbers, save for the few brave souls who fear not the punishment of the nose bleed seats to chanel’s collections) the review of bloggers now make for a kind of deflective criticism of fashion. These fashion “criticisms” are spotted by way they’re littered with patched up code phrases. an unsuspecting reader might find themselves held captive in a fashion “critic” where repetitive guises as coveted vintage, boring shifts to secretively subtle and downright strange morphs into creatively eclectic.

when critics of the givhan caliber get condemned for doing their job, one has to wonder if the western fashion culture is just a tight click banned together in which case the fashion critic is an unnecessary and bothersome voice.

on a different angle of the fashion critic is joan rivers and her E! Entertainment show, The fashion police. The show is meant for comedic purposes yet it is built off of the foundation of fashion, more specifically, fashion worn by celebrities. featured on her show alongside joan as “joan rangers” and “fashion judges” are stylist, george kotsiopoulos (who perhaps is there to add legitimacy and background experience with fashion), E! news correspondent turned T.v personality, giuliana rancic and musician kelly osborne. what joan river’s does is add the element of humor to the show while criticizing fashion. her critiques, though occasionally pleasant, present themselves mainly in the form of harsh, heavy handed punch lines at the expense of the celebrities and the fashion designers responsible these unfortunate

moments. what The fashion police does, like the intention of the blogger is give the audience their own power to be critical of fashion but not a fashion critic per say. what joan and the joan rangers does that is unlike fashion blogs is blur the line between bully and critic in the style reminiscent of high school adolescents. In 1944, author Eleanor Estes wrote "The hundred dresses," a book about a polish girl who goes to school in an american town and is made fun of for wearing the same shabby dress to school each day. The implications that the book could impress upon american fashion critics are endless. much like the book, The fashion police rides on the idea of hierarchal fashion by first featuring, then critiquing/ making fun of celebrities and their garb. featured segments include “Starlet or Streetwalker”, where the panel has to guess whether an obscure figure is an actual prostitute or celebrity based on their attire. Towards the end joan, the most popular, and oldest girl in school has to be convinced by her joan rangers (kelly, giuliana, and george) which look of the week was the “worst” or the “best” which she and only she has the power to bestow.

he show is funny in its offensiveness and comedic history hints that americans love offensive humor. yet, what does this show really suggest about the role that fashion criticism plays in america? joan is certainly no robin givhan as the 80-year-old possesses neither clout nor solidity in her statements. yet as a result of her fashion bullying The fashion police continues to be one of E!’s highest rated shows. on the other hand, as a result of the fashion bullying in high schools an increasing number of school and community programs are addressing peer pressure

and the sizable role clothing plays in identity. Teen and adolescents have long used fashion as a social weapon. Shows like the E! Entertainment sensation might suggest that our weapon of choice hasn’t left us in our adulthood. now that we are adults, we continue to judge and critique fashion, as an extension of identity. It is lagerfeld who’s worshipped once more for the celebrated quote “fashion fades, style remains.” yet the fickle style of the clothes we wear comes rapidly into vogue then evaporates as quickly as they came. however, fashion and its critics have always been intrinsically connected to deeper elements of the american experience and psyche. from the economy and labor system to religion and class, these elements of culture can be found in the brazen sexuality of Tom ford x gucci in the early 90’s and Tisci x givenchy in 2014 and beyond. what we wear has, for centuries, spoken volumes about who we are, what we do, and what we want. whether americans have dressed to make a political statement, to assert their class status, or simply to be irreverent, every style has carried a certain social meaning. our culture has long held great significance to individuals' public image. The idea of visual imaging and the role of the fashion critic is stitched into what psychologists jacques lacan’s calls “the gaze”. Throughout the world and its fashion capitals like new york, milan, paris and Tokyo, fashion critics watch women and men. It is the job of fashion critics to scrutinize people on runways, on streets, on trains, on blogs and televisions and they get paid to report their verdict. what began as the easily objectionable or agreeable statement that is “karl lagerfeld is overrated” speaks to the power that is the fashion critic’s voice yet it barely touches the surface of their complex role in the fashion culture. as to the prediction of how critics might evolve? It’s as tangled as the human psyche itself. ★

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ARtFUL LIVInG

oubLE EXtErity

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Words by larryse Brown

The longtime friends and not-so-starving new york city artist India Irvin (23) and cavier coleman (25) bask in the glory of new fame. Still riding on the high of showing their work at the homes of celebrities, fashion week and gallery bar these on the rise curators of the art world sit down with bleu. They discuss the meaning behind their work, discuss inspirations and eclectic ways of getting the zone. See how they get inspired.

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IndIA IRVIn WHAT iS ART TO YOU? art to me is an expression of oneself and what’s around them. anything can be art. cliché enough, beauty actually really is in the eye of the beholder. I can look at a crack on the sidewalk and think it’s beautiful. Someone else will just pass right over it. HOW LONG HAVE YOU CONSiDERED YOURSELF TO BE AN ARTiST? I officially emerged this year in 2014 with my first collection at a new year’s party. Since then, I’ve been all out. BEiNG AN ARTiST iS NO EASY FEAT iN NEW YORK CiTY. WHAT DO YOU THiNK iS YOUR STRENGTH? WHAT ALLOWS YOU TO STAND OUT? I feel like a large part of being an artist is who you are, how you look and how you perceive yourself to other people. I’m also a model so I have that understanding of appearance or the mystique of physical form. because I understand that, I understand what people like to see. UNLiKE COLEMAN, THERE’S NO CONSTANT SiGNATURE LOOK THAT RUNS THROUGH ALL YOUR ART PiECES. THEY’RE VERY DiVERSE THAT WAY. DO YOU TRY TO PURPOSEFULLY STAY AWAY FROM THEME iN YOUR BODiES OF WORK? Through my art I’m finding myself through finding different pieces. That fact that I have no signature theme is me trying to find who and what I am. once I know, everyone will know. WHAT iS THE PROCESS BEFORE YOU BEGiN TO PAiNT OR CREATE? most of the time before I paint, I already kind of have an idea of what I’m going for. To set the atmosphere I have to have the music playing or leave my door open to hear my roommates. red wine and/or weed must be involved. WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR BiGGEST iNFLUENCERS? basquiat influenced me because he was a drug addict, he was homeless and he was out of his mind. he was flawed by his humanity. he was cool. frieda established a unisex in her art and dominance in her work. The work looked real. benski is a street artist that I love. he does graffiti which is illegal but he takes that chance for the people. It’ll be there for about 10 minutes before it gets painted over or something but everybody saw it. he didn’t do it for the money.

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IndIA & CAVIeR CoLemAn

CAVIeR CoLemAn ONE OF YOUR FiRST PiECES ExUDES A ViBE OF AFRO-CENTRiCiTY. iT FEELS ANCiENT (SAVE FOR THE GRAFFiTi-ESQUE “YOU SUCK” AND CLOUD DRAWiNG). WHAT’S YOUR iNTENTiON WiTH THiS PiECE? This painting is entitled "cavier in 1988.” This is actually a self-portrait. This is a reflection of how I looked at one time. I'm a believer of reincarnation. I felt like I was born before my birth year. I envisioned myself in 1988 at the age of 25 so I decided paint what I would be like in that time frame. WHERE DO THE THEMES BEHiND YOUR WORK SURFACE FROM? my work has a lot of hidden meaning whether it’s personal, about american society, spiritual, or social issues. WHERE DO YOU DRAW iNSPiRATiON FROM? I draw inspiration from life. I take in so many things from walking around the city and picking up the energy of people, animals, sounds etc. I’m inspired by everything that can possibly effect my senses. I have an open heart and mind. WHAT ARE YOUR ARTiSTiC iNFLUENCES? I tend to take most of my inspiration from pablo picasso and jean michele basquiat. I was actually born the same day as picasso and born the same year basquiat died. I feel like painting is a gift from god!

WHAT iS ART TO YOU? art to me is life. It can't be categorized. I so believe you must feel, breathe and love art. HOW DO YOU MAiNTAiN iNDiViDUALiTY AND iNTEGRiTY AS AN ARTiST LiViNG iN MANHATTAN? first I feel like you must understand your vision and make sure that's the main priority. I believe one must stay hungry, always be producing and continuing to learn. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPCOMiNG PROJECTS? India and I are having our second solo show together here in nyc. In the meantime I'm also a fashion photographer. I'm currently shooting various editorials for a few magazines plus a project I'm working on entitled "Traffic". DOES YOUR ART ALWAYS HAVE A STORY TO TELL? There is always a story in my art. whether it's the human emotion, the human condition, or the social climate. I will always have a story to tell. ★

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Summer's signature accessory will always be a pair of sunglasses. whether you're strolling through the concrete jungle or roaming on tropical sands, shades can add the perfect dose of personality to your look.

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is the best Words by Reginald Larkin

nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been chilling on the side lines waiting for his turn to punch out the competition. he take names later. ok, so maybe he isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hitting anyone, but you have to admit the visual is awesome sauce. pictures aside nick sits with bleu to give us the low down on how he maintains a low key lifestyle, the crazy shit in his head and the one person he avoids at all cost.

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"If a vampire fucked a hipster and had a baby, that baby would be me,” admits nick wechsler as he describes his personal style and obsession with all Saints. wechsler’s ability to generate utterances rich with outlandish adjectives are concealed by his mild-manner appearance. his inclination to champion the underdog makes him a comedic weapon of hilarity. It is possible that nick weschler is the funny man we’ve all been waiting for? playing the role of jack porter on abc’s Revenge, the underdog is someone nick knows very well. on the show porter is the childhood love interest of Emily vancamp’s lead duplicate character Emily/amanda. while Revenge is chuck full of sex, scandal and action-packed scenes, wechsler admits, “The show isn’t about jack; you can’t always do something useful. he is important to the world of Revenge, but he doesn’t always work.” nick’s self-awareness of his character skill-set has not spared him the curiosity of exploring the roles of his cast mates. nick describes the character aiden (played by actor barry Sloan) as the go-to man when problems need to be handled. In a gravelly tone nick states, “I think I have actor envy; I’m like, [barry] makes that seem cool. when he misses table reads, I’ve wanted to do it, [but] I’ve never been able to pull off the accent.”

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Executing foreign feats is one of the many perks in the life of an actor. Even though nick does not consider himself a vocalist, he has received soundtrack credit for his time on Roswell. while filming a scene where his character was trapped underground, nick recounts, that the song ’american pie’ was played on the set. “That was the song my character had to sing while they were trapped in a cave. They were trying to kill time.” while recalling recording the song “cherry pie”, nick interrupts by saying, “I don’t have the personality for karaoke. I don’t want to sit through tons of people.”

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If nick was singing “watch the Throne”, would he consider himself a kanye type or jay-Z? after a few seconds nick responds, “I’m not either in particular, but I will say this: kanye counts himself out. If the choice is between kanye and anyone else, I’m picking the other guy. just his personality.” he chuckles before he adds, “It’s hard not to want bad things for him.”

Kanye counts himself out. If the choice is between Kanye and anyone else, I’m picking the other guy.

humbly accomplishing goals and pursuing endeavors is nick wechsler’s genius. “I went to play in high school and thought this is hard. These kids had what I read as smugness.” nick’s reaction was to show them that he could play their acting game better than they could. There is laughter in his voice as he proceeds--“I just thought, ‘fuck you, I can do it better than you and I’m not an actor.’” after a moment of brief silence nick utters “I’m a spiteful piece of shit.” “I wouldn’t call myself an actor if I wasn’t getting paid,” admits the prime time star. wechsler’s “ eventually discovered a talent within himself that guides him through role to role. on screen many have seen him flex his muscles as a dramatic actor. however, comedy’s siren is difficult for nick to ignore. “I’m looking toward [improvised] com-

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edy. I want to say all the weird shit that pops into my head. my favorite characters of all time are in comedies like david brent and Steve carroll in The Office.”

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diving into the realm of laughter is quite a departure from the series of dramatic roles that landed the actor on the prime time juggernaut; but what is life without a pinch of risk? “Expecting the Unexpected” appears to be the recurring theme for a man who finds batman to be the most interesting member of the justice league. “batman is the fucking coolest. having super powers seems to make you more of a target. I would rather right wrongs and fly under the radar.” wechsler may have more in common with the caped crusader than what meets the eye. he is presently training for the 38th annual celebrity race sponsored by Toyota grand prix. The Toyota grand prix is a fundraising organization that selects 20 participants from film, television, music and sports to compete in a 1.97 mile race in downtown long beach, california. other participants in the grand prix include brian mcknight, corbin bleu, Sam witwer and adrian brody. judging from the roster, nick may want to pull some ”revenge” tactics to ensure victory. concocting methods to win a race for the charity of your choice seems like quite the mannerisms of gotham’s caped crusader…and even if it isn’t, laxatives are far more interesting than mere training. “I was dragging my feet about it, but then its five grand for charity. I get five grand for the charity of my choice no matter how I fair. I hope they appreciate it because I am giving up my dignity.” The thespian mischievously considers his chances of winning--“I have to kill everyone or put laxatives in everyone’s oatmeal.” celebrity grand prix aside, nick is a regular guy who spends time pondering the meaning behind the Spike jones directed Her. “I thought it was going to be a comment on society for being so on their phones and separate. we are more connected virtually, but in real life we are totally disconnected. It turned out very different than what I expected.” In the midst of our conversation the actor describes the one item he would lift at the Revenge set: victoria’s chair. “It was spoiled in a wine splashing and I wanted to grab it for a find,” the actor recounts. on a set full of countless pieces, it’ss a wonder he could select just one thing.

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what would nick wechsler do if he were not pursuing Tinsel Town’s enchanted dream? “I would go back to school and get a degree to become a therapist.” nick wechsler is a man who gravitates toward the things that make him happy. The words, “I’m a spiteful shit,” do not encapsulate a man who merely wants to do a job well. he leaves the glitz and glam up to the other guy.… and if you catch him on the right day, this hippie/ vampire hybrid might just make you laugh. ★

I’m looking toward comedy, but improvised. I want to say all the weird shit that pops into my head.

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AmIn josePh living the dream words by kirsten Lewis

most would imagine that any young person growing up and volunteering at one of the world’s most prestigious venues for undiscovered talent and promise would aspire to become an entertainer. channeling that inspiration and developing a budding career both on and off screen, now that takes a special type of person. amin joseph began his acting career in the humble streets of harlem, ny as a teenager volunteering his summers at the famous apollo Theatre and has since spiced up the television scene and starred alongside some of hollywood’s most notorious action heroes in the blockbuster movie The Expendables. In addition to working at the apollo, which he affectionately calls his “home theatre,” a small push from an unlikely source played a major role in sparking his interest in acting. “my high school basketball coach helped me get a commercial agent and I started doing commercials here and there,” he said. The combination between the growing significance acting began to play in his life and a passion to make his family proud by continuing his education, amin enrolled at howard University in the School of fine arts. after graduating joseph returned to new york to continue his training and dive headfirst into the acting world. “I started auditioning and acting in off broadway and off, off broadway shows just to make up for the gap of on-set knowledge and experience that I still hadn’t really acquired, just paying my dues,” said amin. although amin began receiving the experience he felt he needed to perfect his craft the comfort of being home sweet home began to limit his drive. close friends and family who believed in amin’s potential convinced him that relocating to los angeles would be just what he needed to catapult his success; and they were right. “new york was a great market but because I felt comfortable, I wasn’t working it to its fullest potential,” amin says as he confesses about his complacent attitude during his time back in new york. “when I moved to los angeles I was very strategic, I had a plan and I executed it and I’m still executing it.” Eight years

ago, amin moved to the west coast and hasn’t looked back since. Upon moving to los angeles amin’s breakthrough television role came by way of fellow howard alumni and a staple name in his childhood, the queen of erotic literature, Zane. “growing up in new york I would always see older women on the train reading their Zane books or the girls I dated in school would read them, so I’ve always been familiar with Zane and the credit her name held,” said amin. auditioning for the Zane series was a no brainer for amin even though his management wasn’t as optimistic about the opportunity. “Truthfully they didn’t want me to do it because they didn’t understand the power that her name held, the brand that she was,” said amin. amin was casted and appeared in Zane’s first series The Sex Chronicles as Tarriq and continued his working relationship with Zane as the lead, dmitri, in her second series The Jump Off that debuted in 2013. “I know that the idea of the Zane series and even the show itself have mixed reviews, but it is always something I have been proud to be a part of,” amin continues. “There aren’t many times you get to see a black man kissing and embracing sexuality and sensuality with a black woman on television, so why not be the example of what that looks like through my craft.” This upcoming year we can all brace ourselves for a true breakout year for amin that will showcase his charisma and talent. amin starts off the year by introducing the world to Sweet pea pete, the cantankerous running back for the la rebels in the hilarious amazon original series, The Rebels executively produced by Ice cube, michael Straham and matt alvarez. he is also currently filming a remake of the 1974 film The Gambler staring mark walberg. with his acting credits continuing to increase amin is most looking forward to the release of a project that is extremely near and dear to his heart., Call Me King, his first full-length feature film, where he is both the executive producer and lead actor. “Call Me King is the first film I’ve worked on from script to screen, but it is a true international action thriller, we speak over 10 different languages in the film and it is definitely kick ass,” he said. ★ If you are looking for a small dose of what to expect from amin this year, visit amazon.com to watch the hilarious pilot episode of The Rebels.

IsmAeL CRUz CoRdoVA a charming star on the rise words by tionah Lee

from the moment he picks up the phone, the charm from his voice echoes through to the other line. Ismael cruz cordova is a star on the rise. Starting on broadway and making his way to the big screen, he understands the value that comes with the hustle of living your dream. hailing from the beautiful island of puerto rico, Ismael explained that life for him wasn’t always easy, and there wasn’t always a platform for him to be heard. “I come from a poor family; there is a lot of illiteracy, and social-economic phenomena. you grow up with the message that you don’t have a voice." It was Ismael’s goal to make it out of his situation; his first love was competitive swimming. “I had to switch a lot of gears, I was a competitive swimmer, and I was on a track to go to med school, for the longest time that was my one track mind, until I found theatre… that’s when it all changed.” his first role was when he was 15 years old or “just a baby” as he explains (with a hint of laughter) in a Spanish-Speaking film that earned critical acclaims from various american and latin film festivals. Soon he realized with acting comes a voice. “you grow up with the message that you don’t have a voice, and that going to college was for a special kind of person.” Ismael soon learned that he was that “special kind of person” as he moved from puerto rico to new york city to attend nyU’s Tisch School of the arts, where he not only learned how to perfect his craft, but the value that comes with working in the theatre. “going into the theatre was like…I matter” says Ismael as the passion of the topic resonates to the other line. “So

I can actually say something, and people will actually listen.” listen they did. just last year Ismael landed the role of mando on Sesame Street after attending an open call for the 44th season. Ismael has also appeared in The Good Wife and a host of other productions and films, but it is his newest film in the Blood that is going to have many people talking. in the Blood is a thriller that required Ismael to step outside of his comfort zone, not only as a actor mentally but physically. while Ismael did a lot of his own stunts, the biggest for him was getting over his fear of heights and zip lining. a stunt Ismael is proud to say he nailed on the first take.” when asked about his character manny in the film, Ismael describes with a sly laugh as a “charming islander, who is at the same time, very mysterious.” while those are all the details that he could release without a major spoiler alert, Ismael was elated to mention his costars danny Trejo, gina carano, and luis guzman in his list of stars he admires. from the moment he speaks about all of the actors and actresses he admires, the excitement in his voice becomes more apparent. Speaking of his admiration for Zoe Saldana and the way she is breaking barriers, and producers and creators such as Shonda rhimes, who is the mind behind your (and one of his) favorite show Scandal. Ismael wants to use his talents for more than just acting; but to bring certain diversity in roles for minorities in the industry like some of those before him. he feels that it is important not to be limited to one particular character. “as performers of color sometimes you get roles that aren’t that deep, or with as much dept,” says Ismael. “I don’t want my career to be one role, one big moment, I want to see diversity in the characters, and I want them to be deep, meaningful, and complex.” becoming one of the brightest stars should be no problem. with the respect for hustle, the drive for success, the admiration for change and the education to back all of that up, Ismael cruz cordova should have no problem reaching his highest potential. ★

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Photo by owen duckett

rUSSEll Taylor The One Artist You Oughta Know words by shawn thomas

russell Taylor is one of the artists that vh1 thinks “you oughta know” and it’s not that difficult to see why after listening to Taylor’s soul-wrenching, layered, and complex sound. here is an artist who goes beyond what’s necessary to create music that speaks for itself. born in philadelphia, pa before moving to d.c., Taylor hasn’t nailed one place down as home. “I’m a nomad of sorts. I mean, I was born and raised in philly, but my parents moved us to d.c. when I was in high school, so I guess I’m from both places,” he says. while living and travelling in multiple places seems like it would be the biggest impact on his career, Taylor actually says something else has impacted his music. “I’m a student non-stop. That’s one of the great lessons of life I’ve learned,” he says about living and learning before connecting this to his musical style, “growing up, my parents played everything from gospel to marvin gaye. as a result, my ears were kind of open to different sounds; not just r&b, not just soul. I’m a constant student until I die.” of course hearing this isn’t a huge surprise after listening to Taylor’s recent single “war of hearts”, a self-proclaimed “turning point,” according to vh1. The song, a commanding ballad chronicling the difficulty in loving and letting go, showcases the soulful and spirited voice of Taylor; one that reminiscent of soul’s more classic artists. but while Taylor seems to share the same musical stylings as donny hathaway or roberta flack, he belongs to another family that has proven to deliver star quality talent with emotionally powerful music. vh1’s “you oughta know” series has given rise to beloved artists such as adele, bruno mars, alanis morrisette, and lorde among others, and now Taylor can say he belongs to this coveted

family as well. when asked to describe how it feels to belong to such a dynamic, award-winning group of artists, russell Taylor finds it to be a monumental step in his career. “It’s awesome! I couldn’t ask for anything greater. I hold all of those artists in high esteem. It’s awesome! I love it!” he exclaims. belonging to the same family as adele could prove to be quite the bonus for Taylor as he reveals that she’s at the top of his list of dream collaborations. “I have a list. There are four women, and strangely enough they’re all british. adele, laura mvula, lianne la havas, and Emeli Sandé. for the guys, robert glasser, dave matthews, coldplay and james blake would be cool.” Its obvious that the man was born for music in general; not just one genre. however, Taylor’s story shows us that sometimes we have to fight for our birthright. Taylor’s music career wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter, and as an independent artist, he understands the highs and lows that come along with being his own boss. on the biggest challenge of being an independent artist, Taylor says, “well, there’s flexibility and you call the shots, but there’s also a great burden that comes along with that because you’re responsible for everything.” It’s apparent to Taylor that sometimes the road less travelled is harder than it seems, offering its own unique form of hardships. at times Taylor has even told himself, “It’s just me,” explaining that things are different when you don’t have a major label backing you. despite this, Taylor has become an illustration of what happens when an artist keeps his eyes, ears, and heart open to everything the world has to offer. It could be this very mantra that has made him as successful as he is, and his goals

have changed over the years and shifted along with this success. “They change. my goals three years ago are coming to fruition now. I guess I would like to have a platform to speak to people about the many things I believe in. To have that platform, you have to reach a certain level in terms of fame. for me, I would want to use that to change the world. I want to make the world different,” he explains Taylor’s expression of himself (both in and out of his music) delivers a message that can be used as inspiration for everyone. Through his genuine nature, Taylor achieved musical integrity both on and off the stage, making him an artist just a little bit different from anyone else you’ve heard…and that is a good thing. before ending his conversation, Taylor explained a key moment in his career; one that has stuck out for him in his many years as a singer-songwriter. “my very first show in paris. I was very nervous. I was concerned that people wouldn’t connect with me because I didn’t speak in their language,” he says, “I felt compelled to stop and explain myself the best that I could in English that I was nervous and that I was putting my heart out and the audience loved it. when I was done performing, my manager came backstage and got me because the crowd was chanting my name to come back out.” with a story like this in mind, there is a lesson to be learned: some artists are made, while others are just born with their hearts aligned to the pulse of music. russell Taylor is one of those artists and remains a beacon of genuine hard work, showing us all what it means to live, love, and (most importantly) learn. ★

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Sharon carpEnTEr Entertainment’s 'it Girl' - Minus The Bad Attitude words by Patrice floy

It seems like in order to be a household name these days, it requires lackluster talent and more fuss on building a career based on being a “personality.” luckily, Sharon is one of the very few that can avoid the fluff and actually be praised for real merits. after being in the game for some years now, Sharon still remains as one to watch. revolt Tv’s broadcast journalist, host and producer has been on a steady pursuit to make her rounds in the business. Sharon’s hustle is indeed a rarity, a persistence that doesn’t go unwarranted. on a sunny Saturday in brooklyn at about 11:00 a.m. Sharon arrives casually cool, dressed in a black long sleeve fitted hoodie, jeans and glowingly make-up free. She walks in smiling and cheerful, greeting everyone with her british accent. as the shoot’s creative director roni francois walks around the studio with Sharon to meet the production team and give her a rundown of the day, Sharon’s charisma seems to win over everyone instantly. before her arrival, roni shared, “I love working with people who see the bigger picture. She’s out here really working hard and I love that!” roni, who sought out Sharon after being intrigued by her work ethic, takes pride in shooting individuals who truly grasps what it takes to lead. on-air hosts can often come across overly animated and a little self-absorbed but whether Sharon is reporting news, interviewing or being the interviewee, she exudes a unique style and grace in her poise and delivery. before working for revolt, Sharon formerly worked as a contributing reporter for bbc world news, cbS, pIx 11 news, bET, america global grind, cnn and a long resume of others.

as if Sharon isn’t already busy, last year she let us in on her other skill. Sharon co-created vh1’s “The gossip game” along with her business partner Tone boots. “The gossip game” was a reality show that revealed the highs and lows of being a female journalist. Some viewers felt that outside of “The gossip game,” Sharon was the low-key journalist out of the cast. for many, it was a bit of a surprise to see her on reality Tv. “I actually just wanted to be more behind the scenes and then after a bit of persuading I decided to be on the show,” Sharon reflects. when asked if she was ever worried that the drama on the show would jeopardize her journalistic credibility, Sharon shares, “no, not at all, it showed another side of me and that was okay.” To her defense, based on the antics of some of the other cast members, why should she? her reputation remained pretty much intact. The only aspect of the show that Sharon regrets was letting the cameras get a peek into her relationship with her now ex-boyfriend. “There were probably conversations we shouldn’t have talked about,” she chuckles. what Sharon does share is how she has fun when she’s not working. Sharon who says she’s not dating right now because she’s busy with revolt and other projects finds relief in her downtime. She loves soca, barbados and spending time with her friends, especially if music is involved. “I love dancehall parties, dancing and getting loose once in a while, sometimes to the most ratchet music and just being out with my friends,” she giggles. Sharon who was born and raised in the Uk has been living in america for eleven years. She loves living here but admits, “I do miss being around people who understand my childhood and I miss the food.” Sharon’s transition into journalism was a natural leap even coming from a background in major-

ing in business management and working in the music industry. “It was hard work but after a while it started to become natural to me,” she opens up as she sits in the makeup chair. as the makeup artist and hairstylist work together to get her ready for her first look, Sharon answers interview questions unmoved by the cohesive tag-team efforts of the beauty team curling her hair and applying eyeliner. Throughout our conversation, Sharon’s take on making progress in this tough business spells out why being successful encompasses having a certain mindset. “I don’t focus on competition. I focus on the best product I can produce because when you focus on other people it brings you down.” In terms of competition between other women, Sharon says she doesn’t worry about that either. “It’s a competitive industry, yes. but it’s a competitive industry between men and women, women and women and men and men. There’s so many ways to create more content than focusing on competing. It will truly take away from what you have to do.” She couldn’t have been more precise. after a break in conversation, she waves for me to come back to her at the makeup station to add, “you know I want to add this, another thing, if you really want to be successful, don’t take shortcuts if you want longevity in this business.” once her look is complete, Sharon stands tall in front of the camera, svelte and snatched playful posing and chatting with the photographer as she dances to drake. Several times she requests “let’s hear that new drake” and of course the motivational favorite, “we made It,” more than once. That song seemed to resonate with Sharon and set the tone for her sharing, “I went on a lot of auditions and got turned down, sometimes because of my accent.” The road to where she is now didn’t come easy. Sharon also remembers

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one blunder that still makes her cringe a bit. “one time during live Tv, I was doing 106th and park and I had a wardrobe malfunction. during a very serious story, my midriff was showing as I lifted the microphone and I didn’t know until later” she gasps and laughs at the same time. Sharon who looks to oprah as being her role model reflects on experiences where she also interviewed people who wouldn’t open up and made things a bit awkward and difficult. Sharon believes that no matter what her job as a reporter is, despite the tough days, “making people comfortable, and letting them tell their story, or the story.” as Sharon shoots and changes make up and looks, her reporter hat never comes off. She’s inquisitive, asks questions, makes conversation and is very present. when the shoot is about the celeb you can almost forget about them being so opened to a room of people working on their behalf but not Sharon. She communicated with the style team very openly on the pieces layed out for her. not once was there a tense feeling that something was wrong, her presence was welcoming. To budding journalists Sharon, discusses the importance of “creating your own content. we’re living in a time where networks are cutting back on cost, so the more skills you have, the more diverse your skills are with regards to producing and creating Tv, the more appealing you’re going to be to these networks. There are some networks and stations where they’ll have people shoot themselves on camera. like they have to set-up their own camera, then jump and be in front of the camera and then come back and edit their own stuff. The more abilities you have at the end of the day will be a plus for you getting yourself out there.” basically Sharon is adamant about learning to be a self-starter no matter the obstacle.

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Towards the end of the shoot Sharon giggles with the team, and belts out for the staff to take behind-the-scenes shots, “I need my Instagram pictures!” she jokingly shouts. Sharon is no stranger to giving credit when it’s due. She personally thanks everyone and says, “This is the most efficient shoot I’ve been on.” There are not a lot of role models for young women that set the standard as high as she does. when it comes to Sharon there are no gimmicks, just a strong woman invested in reporting and producing good content. Sharon seems confident in her approach and where the future of journalism can and will go. her willingness to embark on that journey is what we’ll be looking out for. ★

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lancE rEddIck Baltimore Actor Gives Off A Global Glow words by Kent olden

desmond mobay. john basil. cedric daniels. papa legba. Uniquely different in every way imaginable, you would find it hard to believe that all of these characters were portrayed by the same man...but it’s true. running the gamut from a caribbean convict to an undercover officer who’s gotten in too deep, to a castaway lost an island to a bartering soul stealer from the voodoo underworld of new orleans, the repertoire of lance reddick is one to be coveted by any actor in the industry. fully immersing himself in any role he takes on, reddick maintains one thing in mind when it comes to lights, camera, action: to give a good show! now, with the recent wrap of American Horror Story: Coven, where he guest starred alongside living legends jessica lange, angela bassett, and kathy bates, lance reddick sits down with bleu magazine to discuss the ins and outs of how he has come to be. “The very first scene I shot was with jessica lange,” reddick reminisces of his guest appearance as ‘papa legba’ in the third installment of fx’s acclaimed American Horror Story series. “whenever you’re working with an icon [like that], you kinda never know what to expect... but working with her was like a dream!” caught off guard by ms. lange’s naturally shy and reserved nature, reddick is extremely appreciative of the calm she brought to the set while they were shooting. “kathy and angela were very different; they’re very outgoing” says reddick, which also took him by surprise. nonetheless, the American Horror Story experience was “like being back in school” for reddick. acting alongside the likes of lange, bassett, and bates, lance remains in awe that each of these actresses gave him so

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much to work with, and work on, as he continues to master his craft while taking full advantage of being able to learn from the greats. “Each one is different. It seems like for some reason I had more time to prepare for roles back in the 90s and early 2000s.” comparing the then and now when it comes to his prep for the roles he takes on, lance reddick takes on a case-bycase approach to becoming these characters for the screen. “when I was on The Corner and The Wire, I just tried to stay true to the words,” says reddick; his baltimore roots having much to do with the accuracy of acting out those roles. being a native son of where those stories were set, reddick dove head-first into the roles of cedric daniels and marvin, as he knows what life is in west baltimore. with the chronological taping of The Wire, reddick took full advantage of the two weeks he had off in between episodes, as he grew his hair and facial hair out to stay true to the roughness that marvin had to display. “papa legba happened pretty suddenly,” says reddick, “and I had never done a hatian accent before, and I didn’t have it on tape either.” Using that minor hurdle as motivation to further perfect his portrayal of the legendary loa, reddick performed his own in-depth research on the story of papa legba and his significance to hatian culture. The same went for his character in hbo’s Oz. “I had been working on accents for months, and jamaican was one of them.” when he got the call for the role, the deciding factor was his ability to execute a flawless jamaican accent. reddick’s commitment to the craft essentially personifies the phrase ‘practice makes perfect.’ for each character, however, reddick simply just tries to

find some way to hook into the role, whether it be going on ride alongs with narcotic officers, drilling an accent into the ground, or simply taking advantage of the perks of his own hometown. reddick makes it real. always striving to be the best at each and role he takes on, lance reddick gets a little speechless when it comes to choosing his favorite. “over the course of my career, there have been just so many different things that I’ve done,” says reddick. “but it was fantastic experience for me to do an episode of Law & Order called ‘Solider of fortune.’” In the episode, reddick plays an army captain from Sierra leone on a covert mission to retrieve stolen diamonds, but murder meets him along the way. “It really gave me an opportunity to transform. They wanted an actual african to play the role but they came back for me, so I was determined to be the best at it.” rounding out his personal top three favorite roles of his career, reddick thoroughly enjoyed his time as cedric daniels on The Wire, “and papa legba is up there too.” “nothing drives me crazier than working with actors who aren’t really actors.” lance reddick is an actor completely committed to maintaining the integrity of the craft. as can be seen from the wide array of roles he takes on and flawlessly executes, reddick is all about the real. Send any part his way, and he stops at nothing to make it his. from a drug-addicted undercover cop to a legendary gatekeeper to the spirit realm on the island of haiti, these are the many faces of lance reddick, and there are many more to come... ★

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bLEu'SbLuES The color blue is simply genetic - enthralled in our very dna. Its been a man's staple color since birth, so why on earth would we leave it now?! This summer our fashion spread focuses on the hue that never goes out of style and can be translated from casual to formal attire. only one question remains: how bleu are your blues?

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walTEr ThUrmond III Send My Regards, Walter words by adrian Jones-Jackson

walter Thurmond III was a member of the Seattle Seahawks “legion of boom”, a top notch defensive secondary that knocked the air out of opposing nfl teams passing game, with their big hits and suffocating brand of defense during the 2013-2014 nfl season. while not everyone on that Super bowl champ secondary is recognizable a star, such isn’t the case for Thurmond, who wears a razor sharp kid ‘n play, 90’s inspired haircut. but there’s much more to the former oregon duck standout cornerback besides tackles and interceptions. Spend just a short while talking to him and you’ll soon understand his character is his most valuable asset. YOU HAD YOUR SHARE OF SUiTORS THiS OFF-SEASON. WHAT WAS iT THAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO SiGN WiTH THE NEW YORK GiANTS? There were a lot of things to consider when I was making my decision this offseason. one main reason for choosing the giants was because the coaching staff and the franchise storied history. They’ve won 4 championships and are very competitive every year. plus, the opportunities outside of football had a big impact on my decision as well. when considering my goals off the field, I felt like there was no better situation for me than new york city. HOW HAS NEW YORK CiTY BEEN TREATiNG YOU SO FAR? no complaints at all. It’s been a great experience so far. new york is one of my favorite cities in the country. There’s a lot of opportunity off the field here. It’s a great place to live and even better city for sports. WHAT’S BEEN THE BiGGEST PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT FOR YOU THUS FAR? well, I’m originally from la so I’m used to the big city life and atmosphere in those regards, getting to know my teammates and coaches and getting used to the system here has probably been the big adjustment. but we have such a great group of guys in our locker room and they have helped make my transition easy.

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YOU MENTiONED MORE OFF THE FiELD OPPORTUNiTiES iN NEW YORK. iN YOUR OPiNiON, HOW iMPORTANT iS iT THAT ATHLETES BUiLD THEiR BRAND OUTSiDE OF THEiR SPORT? I think it’s very important because the lifespan of a professional athlete is very short. Especially in the nfl, I believe the average player’s career is only three years. So, if you have the luxury of playing beyond that time frame it’s a great things but I do think that it’s key to maximize your full potential both on and off the field and understand your key worth as a business. YOU HAVE BEEN QUiTE THE ENTREPRENEUR. CAN YOU SHARE SOME BUSiNESSES YOU’VE GOTTEN iNVOLVED iN OUTSiDE OF THE FiELD? one thing I’ve done is launch my own film company called, Get More Films, back in 2011. growing up I watched more movies then sports. my creative passion for films has always been there. with me encountering a couple of significant injuries through my years, like tearing my knee in college and breaking my legs two years later. Those injuries actually allowed me to help begin focusing on my second career while playing football instead of waiting to figure everything out when I was finished. WHAT WORK HAVE YOU DONE WiTH GeT More FilMS COMPANY? So far we’ve made two documentaries through the company. one is based upon the history of football and another is about spoken word poetry. I’m really big into history and I love history behind things. The two films we’ve produced are really a combination of two of my biggest passions in life. The film on football really allowed me to do the research into the game produce a good film, and go further in depth for a better understanding about the sport I love to play, so what was cool. I don’t do poetry {laughing} but I enjoy the artistry of spoken word, and I really appreciate the aspect of the power words have and how impactful they can be to somebody life.

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SO FAR, WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF YOUR MEMORABLE MOMENTS WiTH YOUR FiLM ENDEAVOR? recently, I got the chance to participate in the Tribeca Film Festival which was a great experience. It’s a great platform. The festival allows independent film makers and those involved in the industry to showcase their ability. It has a rich tradition of generating breakthrough directors, actors, and producers. getting the opportunity to witness first-hand how things work and being involved in something of those significances was very inspiring. YOU ARE BiG iNTO FASHiON, WHiCH HAS BECOME A BiG DEAL AMONGST MOST MODERN DAY ATHLETES. iN THE PAST, YOU’VE RECEiVED ATTENTiON FOR YOUR STYLE. GiVE US A LiTTLE iNSiGHT iNTO YOUR SENSE OF FASHiON?

In terms of my style, I’m a big vintage person, and some of my style thrives from that. for me, I think fashion is all about you’re a reflection of your personality. It’s about having confidence and being creative. you have to be comfortable in your own, to feel confident with yourself and what you’re wearing. WHAT ARE SOME GOALS FOR YOU ON AND OFF THE FiELD FOR THE REMAiNDER OF 2014? on the field I have some big goals. I want to be defensive player of the year. That’s something that’s going to take hard work and being able to be consistent to make plays. off the field (my goals), are to to film a few of these pilots that I’m in pre-production for, and I hope to start filming for this Tv show/ doc series I have in development right now. ★

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on the RIse

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AdI shAnkAR

“Every generation has a formula for hollywood,” he says. “my generation was the first to grow up with the internet, so we’re rooted it. and because of the internet, I knew who all the screen writers were; I knew who all the directors were, producers, studios, etc,” Shankar added.

adi SHankar The Outlier Words by Edric Robinson

In four years, producer and actor adi Shankar says he has blown through his 10 year life plan. born in calcutta, India, he is one of a handful of Southern asians working in hollywood today. Shankar makes what he describes as unapologetic r-rated, ferociously violent, action and crime movies. This knack for creating creative material was spawned, perhaps subconsciously, at an early age. “as a kid, when I watched a movie I would always wonder how changing creative elements would rearrange the texture of the movie. Its just something I did, while most kids that age simply watched the movie,” Shankar said. as the only child of parents who traveled quite often for work, Shankar lived in six countries which created a less than perfect social environment, but this never inhibited his ability to “be the loudest one in the room,” and always speak his mind.

This void in sibling rivalry or invested friendships somehow served as the perfect petri dish to cultivate his creativity. after independently moving to rhode Island to finish high school, he attended northwestern University in chicago, and later moved to los angeles, ca, where he would put these salient characteristics to the test.

It was a genius move. gathering information that others eight years prior would have to work many years to build. This rolodex of information got him through the doors of major production studios. “I would walk into these rooms pitching my wacky ideas, which I thought was normal, but realized early on that I looked at the world a bit differently,” Shankar’s mind seems to work like a kaleidoscope of images spewing out creative content at different vantage points. To date his work includes: Machines Gun Preacher, starring gerald butler, The Grey starring liam nesson, Dredd, Killing Them Softly starring brad pitt, Broken City starring mark wahlberg and russell crowe, and Lone Survivor also starring wahlberg. If you consider yourself a movie buff, especially those of the comic con variety, then you are also familiar with his bootleg works on youTube. with these successes under his belt at the age of 29, Shankar is back at the drawing board deciding what his new career goals should look like. The burgeoning muti-hyphenated is building a steady fan base and is not looking back. “I took a risk doing this. art is not respected in my family, so I faced being ostracized if I had failed,” admitted Shankar. one of his upcoming projects he is most excited about features a world with humans interacting with some really bad puppets. “I love what I do. I love to put out creative content. I get to be myself and I’m thankful for the privilege of entertaining.” ★

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James dean “Dream as if you’ll live forever, Live as if you’ll die today”

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The iconic hollywood ‘tough guy’ james dean, is still a memorable idol today. only existing in hollywood for a short amount of time, five years had given him the power to make crucial marks in the industry, winning many awards in roles he had played. after graduating college, he returned back to california where he then attended Ucla and Santa monica junior college, which then he began acting with james whitmore’s acting workshop and appeared on several television commercials. later, he moved to new york to pursue his acting career that he took very seriously, which lead him to appear on several television shows and on broadway in “See The jaguar”. Soon after, james made great strides and was accepted in the actors Studio, which is one of the greatest schools of the theater. as for this remarkable moment, he then continued his studies at the actors Studio while starring with julie harris in “East of Eden” and mildred dunnock in “padlocks” and a 1954 episode of the cbS television program “danger. he also played in short television dramas before returning to broadway in “The Immoralist”. In more then a year, he was in three films and became an exceptionally admired screen personality and an idol for the reckless american youth of the mid-50s. he was personified with the title “rebel without a cause”, due to his young, wild and self-centered personality. Teenagers to young adults of the 50”s idolized him. at 24 years old the budding star met his demise in a fatal car crash. ★

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