BOX MEDIA EMPIRE
DJ KTONE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO KTONE IS!
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JAI HARRIS
BOX MEDIA EMPIRE
DJ KTONE
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JAI HARRIS
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO KTONE IS!
Editors : Leonard “Graffiti” Johnson Ru Johnson Founders: Leonard “Graffiti” Johnson Michael “Bigg Mike Smooth” Vaughn Design & Layout: Leonard “Graffiti” Johnson Marketing: Michael “Bigg Mike Smooth” Vaughn Leonard “Graffiti” Johnson Writers: Ru Johnson David Reed Alexandria Lofton Jai Harris Ryan Hood ©BME Magazine C.O. 2012 All Rights Reserved BoxMediaEmpire.com
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Written By: Alexandria Lofton
One of the most innovative designers of our time, Jean Paul Gaultier, has done it again. His spring 2012 collection is beyond remarkable, but the bloggers and fashionistas are not too excited with this season’s fashion. Jean Paul is one of my favorite designers because not only he is very eclectic, but also because he changed runways and modeling for fashion and has introduced trends that we have overlooked in the past. Jean Paul is the designer that created the cone bra look that made Madonna’s style famous. Jean Paul also has non-traditional models in his runway shows and practices the shock factor with bizarre creations. I believe that Jean Paul Gaultier is his own individualistic entity. The spring 2012 prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) collection for women and men may be repetitious. The reappearances are the over-the-topness and the all-in-ones outfits throughout the both collections. Within the men’s collection, Jean Paul brought back Hawaiian and plaid prints. Both collections have much nautical-esque apparel as well. Though there are some styles that are repeats, the differences that I see within this collection are simply amazing. The colors, patterns, and tailoring of each item has its own distinguished look. There is a beautiful splash of color in the women’s collection. Separate features have its own spontaneous declaration. Each pant, blouse and jacket flows and helps create “your own wind machine,” as you walk. Jean Paul brings more than just fashion to runways and articles of clothing to buyers. He is bringing a passion for style, a breath of fresh air to attire and a newer, more informal way to dress. Photo from www.TomandLorenzo.com from Jean Paul Gaultier Spring Collection 2012
WITH THE PURCHASE OF 1/8TH
LAUREN ANTHONY RAW TALENT B Y: R YA N H O O D
The city of Denver has no shortage of talent. From music, theater, art and beyond, Denver has become a hot bed for a range of talent that rivals any city in America. With the amount of talent growing around Denver, its becoming increasingly challenging to showcase the specific artists and talent that dwell in our fair city. However, there is one local showcase that is successfully bringing to light the talent that Denver has
to offer. RAW: Natural Born Artists have been brining the brilliantly talented and mostly undiscovered artists to the masses since February of 2011. Their widely successful showcases happen every month, where onlookers, fellow artists, musicians and journalists can rub shoulders with the budding stars of the art community. RAW is becoming one of the most successful art showcases in Denver and BME MAgazine had an opportunity to attend one such showcase in February. The talent on display did not disappoint. We were treated to everything from jewelry makers to traditional painters and even some great live music. The showcase really gave BME the opportunity to talk to each young talented artist. One such talent is young upstart painter, Lauren Anthony. Anthony,
a Denver native, is a creative twentyone year old with an abstract style that leaves the viewer to ultimately decide what they are seeing. “My favorite thing about my pieces is usually everyone sees something different in them, so its really makes my art infinite” Lauren explains. Lauren’s style can be best described as initial chaos organized into beautiful abstract pieces that ignite the imagination. Lauren describes the process of creating a painting, “Its all very improv. Some paintings I’ll have an idea where I want it to go but usually, I just spill some ink on a canvas and see where it takes me”. Lauren began her journey as a painter in high school and this, barely legal to drink, artist is not short of confidence in her ability to create a great work of art. She tells BME Magazine that she has always had
the drive to be a professional artist and she feeds off of the support from her friends and family. Like most artists, Lauren draws from a well of emotions when creating her masterpieces. These emotions are inspired by unimaginable tragedy, indescribable happiness and sometimes, just good wine and good friends. Following the dream of becoming a professional artist is no easy task however, just getting supplies for one of her pieces can easily send her into the wrong end of over two-hundred dollars. And with financial pressures combined with the pressure to stay in college, it would be easy for anyone to give up their money and time draining hobby... well easy for anyone but Lauren Anthony. Lauren has stuck to her dreams and her determination has certainly paid off. Despite being in and out of a traditional college, Lauren has been given opportunities based on her talent and not on her degree, and the opportunities presented to her have been just as good if not better than a college student would receive. Lauren is a
big supporter of RAW: Natural Born Artists saying that, through RAW she has been able to get out there and do more with her art. Lauren has become a RAW superstar in the past year winning the prestigious RAW artist of the year award. Through the RAW showcases she has been able to sell her paintings and even open her repertoire up to a new style of painting called ‘live painting’ where the artists sit at a showcase and demonstrates their craft live for the audience. This new venture into live paintings has allowed Lauren to accept bookings all over Denver where she can display her talents to an even wider audience. She explains, “RAW is such a great opportunity for artists to get out of the basement and really make it possible for me to be a real artist.”
Thanks to the monthly showcases of RAW and the great talent they display like Lauren Anthony, Denver’s talent will always be on display and will continue to thrive in our fair city, and beyond.
While RAW continues to grow the possibilities for their artists also expand. RAW is a national showcase so, Lauren and other artists have the opportunity to showcase their art in Los Angeles, New York and beyond.
http://www.rawartists.org/view-artists/ userprofile/lea4214 or Lauren’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/LEAnT4
You can catch the next RAW showcase on March 1, 2012 at Casselmans Bar and Venue (2620 Walnut St, Denver, CO 80205). You can come meet Lauren at the RAW showcase in both April and May! Check the RAW website for more details. Thanks for reading. More details at: RAW website: www.rawartists.org Also, please check out Lauren’s RAW profile page at:
WRIT TEN BY: RU JOHNSON
D
espite his infamous “you don’t even know who K-tona is,” tag line that accompanies his mixtape drops, don’t be fooled, everybody knows DJ Ktone. Whether watching him rock parties at your favorite night clubs, or maneuvering through the scene with hella merchandise and a calm demeanor, we’ve all been in the presence of the Turf DJ. This year, we celebrate his birthday with the fifth annual DJ Ktone Birthday Bash weekend.
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he celebration is about to effectively shut down the city starting February 29th and going through March 4th. Five clubs, five different events, powered by Box Media Empire and BME Magazine, Hot 107.1, Upset Records, and a slew of other entities, there’s something for everybody in the line-up.
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artist who was chosen to perform and adies should expect to feel doubly special as there is an entire says this is the best time for new artists to show and prove. “Denver Got Next,” evening dedicated to appreciating the woman on Thursday at Rockwill feature the likes of the hottest, star Lounge. On Friday night, all and the best Denver has to offer. the Pisces will be celebrated with hile DJ Ktone is the man of the Black Friday “Core DJs in the the hour and has absolutely Hood,” get down hosted by Jake and Papa R&B group, Brutha at had his hand in every decision Club Dream. Saturday night will made about the party, he says it’s feature Mike 5000 Watts at Club a team effort. “There’s a crew of Glo in Aurora and Sunday there’s a people who are working on this with me, I couldn’t do it by myself. bowling extravaganza that’s geared toward the family. Vee Wallace with BBD Promo-
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tions, Niko Delarosa with Mean Girl Styling, and Tinelle Louis who designed the website have been really doing a lot. There’s a lot of people who make sure everything is working.”
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ound like a lot? Well it is, and DJ Ktone says that’s the point. The celebration culminates with a family event so that the week is all inclusive. As for Ktone, where will he be through the shenanigans? “I just like to make sure my people are n a super dope and innovative having a good time. That’s the most promotional campaign, each flyer important thing to me is watching has taken a theme from an iconic ive years strong, this year’s everybody have a good time.” Black film like Supa Fly, Spike Lee’s festivities promise to be the biggest and the best. Ktone says it’s Do the Right Thing, Boyz N’ the ou shouldn’t expect a formal Hood and others. Ktone says this is a very humbling experience being deejay set from Ktone although about more than a party, it’s about able to execute a weeklong birthday he jokingly says he might get into bringing together all the people celebration for five years straight. super party mode and decide to from Denver who want to party “It’s humbling knowing people are hop on the tables. Surrounded by coming out every year and it’s just under the same purpose. tons of friends and family, and the getting bigger and better. This is city’s best deejays and performI want this to be like a legacy. really about the town and giving ers, the Greatest Show on Turf will Years from now, no matter a platform for us to show off and likely be just that. Organized, epic, what happens, I want people to show how it really goes down on creative and diverse, this is one for start thinking about this party in the turf,” Ktone says. the books. December or January. The same ncluded is a concert designed for the way you do a family reunion. You appy birthday to DJ Ktone on know it’s going to happen every up and coming in Denver to showbehalf of everyone from the case their skills at Sutra Nightclub year so you plan to be there. It’s turf. See you Thursday, Februaty for the opening night of the birth- nice to be able to give back too.” 29th at Sutra for the opening night. day bash. Ktone hand-picked each It’s going to be a movie!
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TAKING SHOTS GE T TO KNOW JAI HARRIS
Written By: Jai Harris
J
ai Harris is a versatile artist equipped with an influential voice and an ingenious vision. This poet and filmmaker has worked with significant icons such as, Spike Lee, Danny Glover, Dr. Vincent Harding, Hill Harper, Ed Dwight, Rev Run, B.o.B., Wiz Khalifah, The Game, Kid Ink, and many others. She has performed at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY and was ranked 4th in the Nation with SlamNuba at the National Poetry Slam. She has shared the stage with Dead Prez and has been featured on The Carey Sister’s Show, KS 107.5 On The Map, Mania TV, Free Speech TV, “Good Grief ” (PBS series), and other publications. She is the Co-Host and featured poet on “Women of Power” with Danny Glover. She has made both film and poetry contributions to projects by Grammy Awarding winning
“I want to be portrayed as someone who is destine to succeed despite all of the odds that have been placed against me. I wasn’t given the world but I Am Mastering the Tools I will use to Take It!” Born in a time when everyone in her surroundings was becoming products of their environment, Jai Harris is determined to break the cycle. Her grandmother and older brother provided her with the necessary
foundation to achieve any goals she set out to accomplish. Unfortunately, tragedy would become an underlying theme in this protagonist’s quest for success. On two separate occasions, gun violence has left Jai with one brother in a wheelchair and another dead. An absent father and her mother’s drug addiction could have been a recipe for disaster, but Jai was determined to turn her tragedy into triumph. She utilizes her gifts to be the voice for the voiceless. Gifted with the art of storytelling, this poet, producer, director, writer, editor, and actress is determined to expose the truths that people so often attempt to avoid.
“I’d find more gratification in having my work shown in classrooms, because the goal is to make history, not temporary recognition. I want to shape the thoughts of the next generation the way Spike Lee and Tupac influenced me.” For booking and production services visit www.JaiHarris.com
listening-to-Too $hort-in-the-car-with-your-blackfriends type of awkwardness. There’s no need to brush up on your African American trivia knowledge now, but just in case—Did you know Alfred Cralle invented the first ice-cream scoop!? Move over, spatula. There were a lot of Black achievements this year, the highest Temple Run scores, thick White girls with the rotund buttocks, and the creation of Jeremy Lin through “Negrosmosis.” (Attaining negro abilities through osmosis)
Bad Ideals “No Redo” Written By: David Reed Although March is (let me check my BME calendar to be sure) lackluster in holidays and festivities, I’m thankful for it. February tends to be a month that guilt us into unwanted participation. Love? Gifts? Black History? The feeling is similar to the obligation of picking up your dog’s sh*t on your neighbor’s front lawn while being watched from behind the blinds. There’s St. Patrick’s Day; which is respectively excessive in libations as well as emerald fashion. Unfortunately, I don’t drink and 95% of my clothing is black, white and all shades in between. Pinch me, I’ll make sure the police won’t find you… (serious face) Haha, Relax. (serious face again) I’m against segregation, but I’m also against so few black people getting drunk around so many white people. That’s not safe! Who’s going to give “the nod” to flee the establishment when drunken debauchery gets out of hand? If you were black—during February, your sense of entitlement raged like the tides during a full moon, tsunami-ing with grumbles about Black History Month being too short accompanied by “ What chu’ mean I can’t get a discount? It’s Black History month!” If you’re white, there was probably that
Our achievements put together weren’t enough to outweigh our losses; white Girl Wednesday (the overappreciation of voluptuous white women) , Jeremy Lin (excelling above every African American basketball player at the moment), the passing of Etta James, Don Cornelius, and the recent Whitney Houston. That had to have been the worst Black History month ever. Whitney’s death hurt countless people, yet other’s found an opportunity to ascend to a higher state of “asshole.” I saw pictures floating around Facebook with a sideby-side of Whitney House and starving African children with the caption. “1 Celebrity death = millions cry / 1 Million deaths = no one cries.” I was shocked. “We live in a generation that compare’s the validity of the dead instead of reverencing it. Let’s keep it real. I don’t know the name of a single starving kid in Somalia, and neither do you, but we both are familiar with who Whitney Houston is. I don’t use the term “d*ck head” often, but a penis would literally have to be protruding from your neck and shoulders to post something like that. There are those who disagree with the majority, lacking true opinion, and passionate without a cause for the simple accomplishment of being the outcast; a contrarian.” I joke a lot, almost too much, but I want those to remember that life is a privilege we’re not entitled to, appreciate it. So this month let’s redo Black History month, throw on a green dashiki and don’t stop drinking until you have a room full of Halle Berrys to choose from. Drive safely. Rest In Peace Whitney.
NEXT UP THIS MONTHS FEATURED ARTIST ON THE RISE
Rich Regardless 1. Name of group and individual artists? Rich Regardless- Artists include Rambo, Slim, Rontae, Racked up Quez, BrollyDino 2. Where were you born? Atlanta, GA/ Laurinburg, NC 3. Who are your musical influences? Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Outkast, TI 4. Who do you compare yourself to in the music industry? Nobody we have our own style 5. How long have you been rapping/singing? 5 years 6. If you could collab with any artist, who would it be and why? Future, because we rhyme to similar beats, it would be real easy for us to collab 7. Do you produce any of your own music? We produce all of our Music 8. Do you write your own music? Yea, that’s the only way to do it 9. What separates you from other artists in your state? I think our grind, we always at shows, we always promoting pushing our music 10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? Hopefully signed to a deal and pushing our music 11. Who does your music appeal to? Any one that knows a struggle, any one that has had to face adversity 12. If you could sign to any mainstream label, which label and why? We really couldn’t say, different labels offer different things so that’s something we would have to debate on when it comes 13. As an artist, what is your motivation? The fans, without them we would be nothing 14. Do you have a fovorite song or album by a mainstream artist? We don’t have one, we are influenced by so many different artist it would be very hard for us to pick. 15. Do you have any rituals before recording a song, or before getting on stage in front of a live crowd? We Pray.