Black Nerd Magazine Summer Edition 2018

| SUMMER 2018|

(THIRD EDITION)

This is How To Stay Comfy in the Summertime pg. 16

In Search For Summer Tunes? pg. 5

This Writer is Changing The Sci Fi Game pg. 38

FEATURING RILEY WILSON

Credits Abdullaye Wouadjou IG:@the_blck_nrd

Writer

Autumn Wilson IG:@coconutkage

Editor

Riley Wilson IG:@rileyswilson

Guest

1

Table Of Contents Top 10 Tunes: Summer Edition

3

Keep it Short & Simple

16

Commercialism Or Buffoonery

26

The Big Writer

38

2

Top 10 Tunes

[Summer Edidtion]

Written By Abdullaye Wouadjou 3

S

ince it’s summer, we’re all getting prepared for parties, cookouts, and family reunions… And you can’t have any of those without music.

(Source: Fashion Inc. Style)

(Source: Metro)

If you’re somewhat unsure or even overwhelmed with which tunes to surround yourself with, hopefully this playlist will help.

4

This song is an obvious choice, not only because it has the season in its name, but also because it’s truly a vibrant song. The combination of Smith’s lyrics with the sample of Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness” (1974) is reminiscent of the way the shine in the summertime actually instills youthfulness within everyone, no matter their age. Overall, “Summertime” will always be a timeless classic.

1

Summertime

Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff 5

I don’t care where you are, as soon as you hear this song, automatically you think of family, food, and lawn chairs—this is basically the national anthem for cookouts. Truth be told, I didn’t even know the artist of the song until this year, but for sure Frankie Beverly’s “Before I Let Go” (1981) will always remain a staple in terms of summertime hits. The iconic “Whoa, whoa, uh”, will always live on.

2

Before I Let Go

Maze & Frankie Beverly

6

Even though September and summer are two words no one wants to hear in the same sentence, the summer doesn’t seem to feel the same without this Earth Wind & Fire classic. Probably one of the funkiest songs on this list, “September”, has managed to never escape the homes of your elders, and secretly you enjoy it too.

3

September

Earth Wind And Fire 7

As soon as I hear this song, I just want to put on a nice chain, shades, and a silk shirt. Probably one of the smoothest songs on this list, Mack Morrison’s “Return of The Mack” makes you feel like exactly what the title insists. All jokes aside, this is the perfect song for you to stunt, whether it’s on your haters or your ex.

4

Return Of The Mack Mark Morrison

8

Yeah I know this is curveball, and it’s also biased. This was my favorite song for summer ’17, and it’ll probably reclaim its title this year as well. “Magnolia” is fast paced, easy to sing along to, and sounds even better when you’re actually in New York. Plus, the song gives me an excuse to still Milly Rock, so that’s why it made it to the list.

5

Magnolia Playboi Carti

9

Michael Jackson is simply too legendary to not have a song on this list. Even though I can personally think of 30 MJ songs that are perfect for the summer time, “Rock With You� adds a certain sweetness and delicacy that matches the good vibes of summer.

6

Rock With You Michael Jackson

10

I felt the need to add recents to this list, and “Nice For What”, although it debuted months ago, will for sure be a key song for the season. Now I know that some may feel Drake has even better hits, but the way his producers sampled Lauryn Hill’s “Ex Factor” was too good to be denied access. In general, the production within the song alone had already given me a summertime feel in the spring.

7

Nice For What Drake

11

The only way this song will have an actual impact on you is if you play it after a nice summer day. “It Was A Good Day� is more of a celebration song than anything. Probably after you came from an amusement park, or a date with your crush that went well, this is the song to play as you reflect on the good moments you had.

8

It Was A Good Day Ice Cube

12

Beware! This song can either result in having a huge a ball, or getting into a huge brawl. Basically, “Knuck If You Buck” is the ultimate hype song, the song everyone gets crazy to. You’re generally supposed to dance and be as wild as you want, but remember to always to enjoy with caution.

9

Knuck If You Buck Crime Mob

13

A song everyone can enjoy and participate in. Played at weddings, baby showers, and of course cookouts, “Cupid Shuffle” is the song that brings everyone together in the summertime. To truly enjoy this song, you just need to know how to follow instructions and a hint or rhythm. I’m not even going to lie, sometimes I mess up on steps, but by the third time around you’ll get the hang of it.

10

Cupid Shuffle Cupid

14

Overall, you can listen to any song you want in the summertime, but I just recommend these particular 10, which are still just based on my opinion. Although these are the songs I will definitely listen to, I’m curious as to know what you plan to listen to, so make sure to follow and message us on Instagram @bnmag with your summer playlist, and we’ll even post our favorite submission each week on both our page and story.

Send U s Playlis ts

15

Keep It Short & Simple (Source: Twitter)

Written By Abdullaye Wouadjou 16

S

o summer is finally here, and I’m sure you want to break out those killer outfits while staying cool and comfortable. I’ve found it that people either tend to hate the summertime when it comes to fashion, because it can be rather challenging to display your true style in warm weather with less layering options to utilize. Rest , I decided to give those who lack inspiration some tips on how to turn simple pieces into a significant outfit.

(Source: Tumblr) (Source: Boohoo)

17

Cropped Or Tucked

Now we all know that whenever it gets warmers, shirts begin to get shorter and lighter, which means t-shirts, short sleeved button-ups, jerseys, etc. From the naked eye, these particular pieces can be seen as relatively basic, but with strategic styling, it can transform your outfit.

(Source: GQ)

Let’s take a look at short sleeved button-ups and tees.

Traditionally, these are rocked with no alterations. Instead of just wearing your t-shirt, try tucking it. This can help give you more of a retro look (if you’re on that wave) or change the image of your body proportioning. The same method even applies to button-ups. Simply tucking in a button-up shirt and undoing the first two buttons can give you a really smooth look. To stay cooler, I would even suggest not wearing an undershirt, as well as going up a size.

18

(Source: Tumblr)

(Source: Pinterest)

Furthermore, for a more tailored look, I recommend cropping your shirts. You’ll still achieve proportioning, but just with a cleaner aesthetic. As far as “who can wear cropped tops?”, it doesn’t matter your gender. While it has been normal to see women in cropped tops, men have also joined in on the trend; so don’t be afraid to try it out.

19

Show Them Legs

For years, I have tried my hardest to avoid wearing shorts casually.

Either my legs were too skinny or the shorts were too long, but ever since spring, I decided to give another go at it. I became tired of sticking to denim in the summertime, plus I wanted to face a challenge. This time, instead of going for shorts that meet below or at my knees, I would wear them way above my knees‌ and I love it! For one, I feel that wearing shorter shorts allows more breeze on my legs, which is always helpful.

Also, shorter shorts again help with proportioning by somehow making me look taller.

(Source: The Modest Man) (Source: Zalando)

20

A key bonus for this trend is that basically back in the 80s and 90s, men and women were wearing short shorts, so if you try this, then you get extra vintage points. Even Mitchell & Ness are starting to bring back the retro cut NBA shorts, and people seem to be digging it.

(Source: Terez Ownes)

21

(Source: XXL Magazine)

Trust me, I’m well aware that at first (especially if you’re a guy) you might get some strange looks, but always remember that confidence is everything. Only you make the outfit, not the other way around. So just take a deep breath, give yourself a pep talk, and show your legs some appreciation.

22

Just A Pop

Lastly, when it comes to summer, it’s about being efficient, yet effective. With that being said, simple accessories like fanny packs might come in handy. Fanny packs or shoulder bags are great for when you’re travelling and don’t feel like carrying along a backpack, a miniature bag will be your best friend.

(Source: Etsy)

In addition, if you would like to add an extra pop of color to your minimalistic outfits, a fanny pack is perfect because it comes in numerous colors, prints, and patterns.

23

Also, as of late 2017, fanny packs have become a popular trend because of how versatile they are.

Some people take the traditional approach and wear it around their waist, while others tend to place the bag across their chests.

(Source: ASOS)

(Source: Carousell)

Furthermore, the best part about miniature bags is that they don’t have to be expensive. If you got it like that, you can purchase one from a luxury brand like Gucci or channel your inner hypebeast with the popular Supreme waist bag from their SS’18 collection. If you choose to spend less, then you can always find tons of waist bags on Ebay for less than $20, or find one at a thrift store for even less.

24

Basically, fanny packs are not only a good bang for your buck, but an interesting way for you to add your own uniqueness to your outfit.

(Source: Popsugar)

To wrap things up, this summer try to do as much as you can, with less. Remember to stay creative while being comfortable at the same time. For more fashion tips, make sure to visit our previous editions and message us on Instagram @bnmag with any questions that you may have.

25

Written By Abdullaye Wouadjou 26

S

o if you’ve been living under a rock, Kanye West a.k.a.

Mr. Yeezy himself has been…. well… going crazy. Now don’t get me wrong, Kanye has always been “out of it” in his out special way, but as of late, mans has really lost his mind.

(Source: Newcult)

27

It originally started with him tweeting about Candace Owens – A conservative commentator who has been on record for stating, “black men getting shot by police isn’t about racism” (Stamford Advocate, 2016), as well as bashing Black families who receive government assistance–and boasting about how much he “loves the way she thinks”.

(Source: Bustle)

In addition to that, West also turned to Twitter to let the world know how fond he is of Donald Trump, and even wore the Trump campaign inspired Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat. For anyone who isn’t aware, Black people and most underrepresented communities have been against Trump for his opinions that reflect racism, misogyny, and countless forms of oppression.

(Source: This Is Insider)

28

Unfortunately, this didn’t stop here because West took things way too far when he featured in an interview with TMZ and claimed, “400 years of slavery was a choice” (TMZ, 2018).

As you would’ve guessed, tons of Black people all over were upset, disrespected, and offended by West’s remarks, and in an attempt to explain his comments, he defended himself by stating that he was just “trolling”.

(Source: Steemit)

Trolling is making a deliberately offensive or provocative online post with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from people. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good troll, because it’s nature is supposed to be held within comical purposes, but what West did was the complete opposite. He chose topics that affect the lives of people in a tremendous way.

29

As upset as I am, this article isn’t going to be a bashing of Kanye West. The reasoning behind Kanye’s trolling antics was to elicit attention around himself, and most importantly his upcoming music projects. Commercialism at it’s finest. While witnessing this unusual method, it made me think about commercialism in music, and whether it has a positive or negative impact.

(Source: Vibe)

(Source: Hip Hop DX)

30

One day I was debating with my mother whom we thought the best rappers were out of Tupac Shakur and Kendrick Lamar. As the fan that I am, I went with Kendrick, and she argued that Tupac was in fact better. Although I had a plethora of reasons including flow, lyricism, and content, I felt that Kendrick was better because he had more Grammy awards than Tupac. My mother then informed me that my point about awards only proved that Kendrick just had more commercial success. We later discussed whether the commercialism within music was either helpful or detrimental for the artform.

(Source: The Boombox)

Does Commercial Success Make You A Good Artist?

31

Despite what some may assume, there are actually a good amount of pros regarding commercialism within the music industry. There isn’t anything wrong with making money through the use of talents, and because of commercialism, musicians are given the chance to earn a living by selling their creations.

(Source: Vibe)

Another positive when it comes to the combination of commercialism and music, is of course more popularity for artists. The more fans an artist can gain increases the amount of people being impacted by their music. A musician can go from being recognized as a local artist, to being praised as an international sensation, and that’s more likely to occur when they become commercial.

32

Lastly, probably the most controversial point, is that commercialism assists musicians in gaining the praise and respect they deserve. Sure, talent or work ethic shouldn’t be based on album sales, or even awards, but it sure does feel good to see your favorite artist receive either the top spot on Billboard, or even win a Grammy. The truth is, awards and sales have always been prominent ways that artists have been remembered as greats.

(Source: Quartz)

33

To be fair, I will play devil’s advocate and start by returning to my point on how commercialism can generate praise and recognition for artists. The problem with basing success on sales, streams, and awards, is that it can replace aspects of true passion within music, and replace it with greed. Commercialism plays a part because it ultimately leads to people exploiting music to make a quick buck.

(Source: GQ)

34

The idea of people taking advantage of art just to make profit leads me to my next point—false advertisement. There are a bunch of artists who have gained popularity because of marketing, rather than actual passion or even talent. For example, while rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has had huge success with more than three hit tracks, the real reason why he’s gained so much attention is because of he has been marketed. The artist has been known to be an Internet troll, rub other artists the wrong way, and glorify gang culture. The reason why his career thus far is a form of false advertisement is because he has gained more success from commercialism than the music itself. In fact, some say that the rapper is an industry plant, which according to Genius, “is an artist who has Major/Indie Label backing their movement but presents themselves as a "home grown start up" label to create a pseudo organic following. They act as if things are miraculously happening for them based on their talent” (Genius, 2018).

Most of what makes an industry plant successful is commercialism.

(Source: Hip Hop DX)

35

(Source: Bossip)

There are people who feel like industry plants are ruining the organic culture behind music, because again it creates a space where music is based more upon marketing instead of art. Speaking of marketing, that brings me to my last con for commercialism, which is the way promotions can go terribly wrong. For this, I’ll have to revisit the antics of Kanye West.

Although Kanye West was just “trolling” as a way to promote his upcoming projects, the way he went about doing was insensitive. Making comments about slavery and Donald Trump is a huge slap in the face – especially to the Black community (a group that has continuously shown support)—because the topics he discussed have a huge impact on their daily lives. All African Americans live knowing their ancestors were slaves, and today millions of minorities are afraid of the ridiculous policies Trump may put into place that will result in a string of negative consequences.

36

To conclude, history has taught us that the whenever commercialization is involved with any organic entity, there will be a share of both benefits and misfortunate. Since music has been transformed into a business, the same rules apply. Depending on the context, commercialism will either help artists achieve their goals, or extract the true essence from the art that is music. The best thing to do in this case, is to at least be able to decipher what is what.

37

The Big Writer

An Q&A With Writer Riley Wilson Written By Abdullaye Wouadjou

38

W

e here at Black Nerd Magazine, got the chance to talk with the creator behind the next Science Fiction sensation web series Little Apple, Riley Wilson. Wilson spoke about his background pertaining to his introduction to production, as well tips for up and coming content creators.

(Source: KOLUMN Magazine)

39

Who are you?

Where are you from?

What do you do?

How did you originally get into writing?

40

How did you transition from writing to working within film?

41

What do you think separates you from other writers or filmmakers?

42

What has been the biggest obstacle within your career so far?

What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned along your journey?

43

Why is it important for more Black people to be involved within the media in general?

44

What advise do you have for younger writers coming up?

45

What’s next for you’re series and yourself?

46

Follow Him @Rileyswilson

47

Follow Us On Instagram @Bnmag:

48