Issue Eight: Creative Convergence

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ISSUE EIGHT

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A B O U T O U R F E AT U R E D C O V E R A R T I S T S ––

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W I N T E R FA R E AU X H I AT U S

MAHDI GRANSBERRY

M I LWAU K E E N AT I V E

M I LWAU K E E N AT I V E

ARTIST

C R E AT I V E , P H OTO G R A P H E R & V I D E O G R A P H E R

LOV E R O F G R A D I E N T S

LOV E R O F F I L M S

F O L LOW H I M @ FA R E AU X _

F O L LOW H I M @ F R E A S K I S H N E R D

R E A D M O R E A B O U T H I M O N PAG E 1 9

S E E H I S WO R K O N C O P Y W R I T E M AG . C O M

CONTENTS

06

what up from our editor

08

issue eight: creative convergence

10

f r o m m ke t o s x s w

16

the futuristic lens to the black women

22

lemme get a.... with winter fareaux hiatus

30

the redefinition of culture w/ jay anderson

37

on the street fashion

48

film review: the blood is at the doorstep

CONTRIBUTORS

E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F / L E X I S . B R U N S O N C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R / C A R S Y N TAY LO R FA S H I O N E D I TO R / VATO V E R G A R A S H O OT E R / M A H D I G R A N S B E R R Y

S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO / K E LV I N “ DAY N AG E ” C R O S S

2035 STUDIOS

A R I E L JA M E S

THE STYLE HUB

J OJ I I N A N E T T E

I N S TA N T K A R M A A P PA R E L

L AU R E N “ H O N E Y ” G R A N I E L A

O N T H E S T R E E T FA S H I O N PA R T I C I PA N T S

W I N T E R FA R E AU X H I AT U S

JAY A N D E R S O N

THE QUEEN COLLECTION

VO O D O O H O N E Y

HYPHEN-LABS

ERIK LJUNG

KO K A B Z O H O O R I - D O S S A

T H E B LO O D I S AT T H E D O O R S T E P C R E W

JA Z A L E ’ S A R T S T U D I O

SXSW

F R E E S PAC E

T H E C I T Y O F AU S T I N

CopyWrite Magazine Media & Design, LLC currently runs as a Milwaukee-based organization. All images are not licensed or owned by CopyWrite. For any questions regarding photos, future advertisements, future employment or any information about any featured artists, producers or creators, please contact us at copywrite.mke@gmail.com.

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@thrudirtyeyes

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I S S U E

E I G H T

WHAT UP FROM OUR EDITOR. There is a time and a place for everything.

We can pause, we can hesitate, we can ignore the signs, but even without action, right now is that time.

Like we have prophesied too many times, there is a shift in the culture. A shift in the paths that separate actuality from possibility.

Now these two paths are running in a direction that soon will allow them to merge, shake up the system, and create a force that will bring us out of the mental and physical slums that we as a unit exist in. A convergence between all creative minds: the musician, the filmmaker, the photographer, the designer, the writer.

The artist.

Even though I have personally noticed the disconnect between words of change and actions of change, now I see others steaming over their own self enlightenment. This trigger effect is bringing those who “can” to the round-table in hopes of solving the equation. “What is our city lacking, and how do we fill that void? What do we have to give, and how do we use that to our advantage?”

forthcoming solution embedded into them. We are not the first city to be divided and underdeveloped, internally sabotaged, and stepped on as a creative hub. On the Urban end, they ignore us because to listen and actually aid in some kind of cultivation would mean that the system that degrades our existence would have to sit at the table as an equal, and admit its failures and wrongdoings.

Where political factions have tried to institutionalize this change, it fails because the political structure is not cultivated or reprimanded by the people in which it governs (but that’s the start of a rant and I really am trying to avoid rants in Issue Eight). The creative body, as frankensteined as it may be, is starting to piece together its individual abilities and resources, to create a united front that is standing for freedom of expression and equality.

This is no easy task, but it is no longer one that looks impossible.

Local businesses and organizations in MKE like Voodoo Honey, FreeSpace, 2035 Studios, Jazale’s Art Studio, and of course CopyWrite Magazine, are already invested in that communal growth that is stimulated by the work of the creative. As I travel to do my own research on the subject, I have noticed that the places that allow creativity to stimulate the community, also stimulate its physical development, its economy, and its survival. So the more of us in the act, the more positive change. Again, it’s the #SociallyResponsible way to mend our city.

“They say anything is possible And life’s just another obstacle Well show me the manual And the man responsible.”

The Urban world has spoken. It is the now, it is the how, and it is the future; but without the creative to entertain you, to produce your favorite technology, to design the structure you live in, to make the clothes you wear, to be the reflection of humanity, then what will you have left?

(Travie McCoy quotes are always fitting.)

To invest in the Creative is to invest in Self.

Even though it seems to be reported that way, our “situation” is not as unique as it appears. There are “manuals” or more-like histories to research and current operating manifestations of culture to analyze (like Austin’s SXSW) that have components of our

(& there is more where that came from...) /Dirty

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We live at the tipping point of a cultural movement spearheaded by creativity. At the spark of creativity comes the development of new thought, which is the catalyst for technology, innovation, and Urbanization.

Please note: we mean “Urbanization” at its most connotative meaning with a splash of its textbook definition: More People, More CULTURE, More Social Impact… did we already say More CULTURE? Where creative mediums (art, design, film, music, etc.) evolve under similar environmental and social conditions, they become the stimuli for human interaction and understanding, which nurtures cultural growth and professional development.

Here in Issue Eight, we examine “urban development” by analysing the mentality of the “young creative,” the “enlightened vet,” “new world developers,” and the function of urbanized success through our trip to SXSW. We hope by combining these pieces of reality, we unveil the communal bond made by creative minds that will steer our “local scene” to its greatest potential.

THIS IS CREATIVE CONVERGENCE.

EMBRACE YOUR INNER QUEEN #Queenin | etsy.com/QueenandCoDesign

FROM MKE TO SXSW A CW PERSPECTIVE

SXSW PERSPECTIVE VIA DIRTY

“Editor-in-Chief/Head Journalist (that would be me), is assigned to spearhead an in-depth article on the SXSW experience.

Documenting, first hand, its linkage to the growth of Urban culture, modern music culture, and its impact on the creative industry, and social climate, through interactions with performers and attendees.”

Yup! That’s how I got to SXSW. With a strategically worded Letter of Assignment, a few digital references of CW’s dope content, and the confidence that what we do just “might” be worthy.

My press credentials came through, giving me a complimentary pass to the Music portion of the SXSW Conference (which was definitely out of CopyWrite’s budget) and free entry into all the showcases going on around town. With that solidified, and some coercion for the rest of the team (They were not trying to budge!), we made our way to Downtown Austin to experience what it’s like to be at the center of the conversation between all expressive mediums (Music, Art, Fashion, Film), Technology, and Culture.

There is nothing like walking down the streets of an Urbanized place, knowing that everyone around you is there to feed off its energy and opportunity. Austin fits the bill! With its modern structures and layout, it’s prime real estate for a photo shoot! *Wink Wink* A photo shoot, an impromptu cypher, a dance off, a swerving of the “Thirsties” (Please reference our SXSW Vlog lol), a networking opportunity, or a moment to just be in the mix.

Those street convos and random interactions are the real components that made it lit. As introvertive of a “media person” I am (and the rest of the team for that matter), it’s meeting the people on the streets who are there on their own accord that gave me life. These people are out here pushing their talents, showing off their personas, and passing out these DAMN MIXTAPES in the hopes that maybe someone will connect, and in that connection create growth which elevates societal interaction.

This is the place where running into celebs is not odd, and well damn near everyone is equal. *Listen here Linda, I was snapping selfies with Saba, getting snapshots taken with Benzino and

Kap G, chauffeuring members of Hustle Gang (we gon’ just let that story sit in the vault), I mean there was no boundary line.

Off the street the convos did not end, it just manifested itself into something more structured and publicized. The SXSW convention center is the incubator that houses the cultural movement at the industry level. Here, like-minded individuals (or curious ones) hold planned talks about the social factors that make up the street culture that fuels the industry(s). They dictate where technology should go and gives entertainment an audience. It is the main stage, but not the most viewed act. Like me getting to sit in on T.I. doing a Q&A with Sway and witnessing the premiere of his new short film US or Else is not an experience I can duplicate. These are people I admire for their contributions to the culture and I’m in the same room with them while that culture is being analyzed.

Peep that influence yo’!

I got to see both sides to the spectrum at SX. A spectrum that for far too long I was told was not permeable. I laugh at that… how did a grassroots MKE media outlet get a seat at the table? Hard Work & talent... applied. (We should be your favorite #Press) We come from a place of potential. SXSW (Austin) applies theirs, it’s time we take notice to what really works. Here is the template: - Use trending industries that support the Urban way of life to put on big events together.

- Bring in the experts… the ones that love the exposure.

This creates interest and brings an audience.

- Make it exclusive with an inclusive buy in. (This is how you support your local economy and local creatives).

- And most importantly, let it spill out into the community, don’t just shut the door on those who are not ready to contribute. These are the people who set the social standard. They make “US” relevant.

Nothing goes without flaw, but I think it’s safe to say this, SXSW is theeeeee sh**. ...and kimchi fries are bomb, that jaguar made of crystals at POP Austin should be sitting in my living room, Black Girl Magic, and OMG did I really just see CyHi the Prynce and Talib Kweli? and and and and… I will definitely be going back! /Lexi aka Dirty

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SXSW VIA SYN

Dear SX (South By), Let me start this off with my reality; I DID NOT WANT TO GO TO SXSW. Yes, you read that right. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t see the point when you’re not a performer and at that point not “real Press.”

This soon-to-be expensive excursion seemed to be pointless but after saving some dollars and realizing “Why the hell not?” I jumped on the plane with Mahdi and Lexi to see what SXSW was really about.

Like most new experiences you want to compare it to the things you’ve known. However, South By was different than most festivals I’ve been to. It was a true mixture of conference meets festival with the day being filled with conference goers/ art enthusiasts and the night being filled with party goers.

The commonality with the days we went: MUSIC (of course). Music was the thing that brought most of the attendees during our time in Austin.

It was intertwined in all aspects of the day/night because at any point, there was a rapper/singer/performer/iPhone/homeless man/YOU NAME IT, trying to get someone to listen to what they had to say. See someone fashionable? They probably have a song for you. See a man with eight girls in matching t-shirts? They probably have a mixtape for you but really…

THEY ALL HAD MIXTAPES FOR YOU. LBVS. (Ask Dirty.)

CW did our best to “KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, MAN!” but Austin was a hub of dope sh**. From natural hair love all over the place, to exhibits, to live music anywhere and everywhere; we saw it all.

We interviewed a group of female boss ladies (interview on pg. 13), got really amazing food, peeped some celebrities, went to see a Milwaukee-based documentary, saw AMAZING performers and witnessed a bunch of (what we call) FUGAZI, both good and bad. Then, (since we’re creatives), we had to do a photoshoot transforming our Austin hotel to a Miami cabana (at least for a couple of hours).

This continually intertwined with music, more music, and then more fugazi. J Rena (from Atlanta) was dope. OSHUN and the Live Life Loud Band was amazing. AJ Tracey (from London) was smooth.

Kodie Shane was fiya. Saba killed it and we’re basically friends now.

And then this man; Jazz Cartier....dope beats, decent bars but for his performance.... Well I can say you will probably never see Jazz perform at another official SXSW showcase again. **PRO-TIP... Stay on the stage and the ground and don’t kick the staff and don’t beat up security and well you get the point.**

All in all, SXSW without a badge was still as fun and entertaining as any festival would be. You will pay some money for shows ($5-$20 depending the size of the show) if they’re not free with an RSVP. You will meet some dope people that genuinely want to connect (even if some are fake). You’ll see/meet some celebrities, if that’s your thing. And you’ll burn off all the calories!

My tips for newcomers next year: • Get a sponsor if you can lol • RSVP RSVP RSVP • Download the SXSW Go App • Bring SQUAD • Wear comfy shoes • Spend the extra money for the hotel Downtown (It’s worth it.)

• If you don’t have a badge and really want to see a certain artist, go REALLY early to wait in line • Bring a portable phone charger • Get kimchi fries from Chi’lantro (the food truck) You’re welcome.

See you next year SX. You won me over. /Carsyn aka Syn

PROVIDED BY VEVO

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SXSW VIA FREAKISHNERD

I had a nice amount of time between experiencing SX (South By) and writing this piece. Surely I would have fully processed my thoughts and feelings, but every time I think I have it figured out, something new springs up and throws my whole opinion out of whack.

I almost didn’t make it to SXSW. Like for real. I almost didn’t make it. We were only approved for one badge (that wasn’t even a press badge nor sharable) which rightfully threw me for a loop. I don’t think I would have pushed forward with the trip if not for heavy convincing from my friends.

I had a few freelance gigs lined up that would have given me hotel money, food money, and extra money, but almost every single job fell through and I literally went broke trying to get to SX. This trip HAD to be worth it. I had to keep telling myself as I struggled up the hotel money, “This has to be worth it.”

My SX goal wasn’t to “see celebrities” or “get into shows free,” my goal was to survive and earn my keep. I was there to cover SX and do it well enough that CW gets invited back next year.

You know… simple sh**.

On the whole ride into Austin I’m studying past SX coverage.

Looking for an angle that hasn’t been used to death. I was doing a lot of searching for getting into SX events without a badge because THEY. NOT. KEEPING. ME. BACK. DAMN IT! In my head it was really becoming like a rumble. ‘FreakishNerd vs. SXSW’ in a fight for the championship title. Pay-Per-View event style. All this thought and energy I put into these three days and I did something completely unexpected… I had fun.

Pure, legit, grass-fed fun. USDA approved.

When I tell you “Austin is a beautiful town,” Austin is a beautiful town.

Looking at Austin you see all the things Milwaukee wants to be.

Thoughtful, modern architecture with a classic southern town feel.

Austin is pretty clean, with things to do downtown. There are lots of SX goers exploring the city. I’ve never seen Summerfest goers just chilling downtown outside of finding parking. Even through the driest of dry heats, I can see what brings people here. The knick-knacks are weird and the people are weirder. I saw a LOT more black people than I was expecting. Like a lot. We could have gone off in a corner of the city and started building Wakanda.

Creative energy was flowing down there. Just oozing. If I wasn’t already an artist, I would have come back with a beret, enrolling in art school while trying to start a band. SX was just refreshing. The art in the city is just wow. So many little random pop-up galleries and street paintings on walls. I wish I could have gone to some of the panels (you needed a badge for that stuff) because a lot of the topics they were covering were things I wanted to sit in on.

There’s quite a lot to do without a badge though! Most of the shows had general admission lines where you could pay between $5-10 or wait 10 minutes and get in for FREE. Some of the venues were bugging about me actually shooting (SXSW please bless me with press credentials and make my life easier), but quite a few of the events actually encouraged it. That’s a brand new concept to me.

This is the point where I could discuss seeing industry acts and compare the variety in the roster to Summerfest, but I actually saw a number of smaller acts that I know Summerfest wouldn’t consider, but really should. Walked into this Russian themed bar with a wall of “Bertie Botts Every Flavor Vodka (from Peach and Mango to Mixed Nuts and Horseradish)” and saw this dope group called OSHUN. They’re like a Neo-soul/rapping/singing/ Black Excellence duo… I need them to come to Milwaukee.

The culture around SX is interesting. It feels like a festival caught between two sides. It wants to stay true to its local roots by having a lot of local Austin acts play sets (cough Summerfest WTF cough) and giving out wristbands to Austin residents, but at the same time, the sponsors and the investment from labels, networks, and studios got it to where it is today. There were a lot of people, yes. You can see that in our vlogs (search CopyWrite Magazine on YouTube), but I wonder how many of those people were attending the conference portion. I didn’t see a lot of badges and there were a number of times where the conference seemed more interesting than the music on the street.

After spending three days at SX, I don’t think anything can stop me from coming back next year. There’s so much more that I want to cover and explore that going once was probably never going to appease me.

“Milwaukee is a festival town,” they say. “Summerfest is the world’s largest music festival,” they say. I REALLY want to strip both of those titles because South by Southwest changed my view on what a festival is. SX has gained another life-long fan. /Mahdi aka FreakishNerd

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©2017 KOKAB ZOHOORI-DOSSA

N S A F N E U R O S P E C U L AT I V E A F R O F E M I N I S M :

THE “FUTURISTIC” LENS TO THE BLACK WOMEN ILLUSTRATOR KOKAB ZOHOORI-DOSSA

AF·RO·FU·TUR·ISM: a movement in literature, music, art, etc., featuring futuristic or science fiction (or truth) themes which incorporate elements of black history and culture.

We have stumbled into a Neuron-Cosmetology lab. A place where our minds are enhanced, the same way our outer appearance would be in any other beauty salon.

As we sit in our salon chairs, we are informed about our enhancement options. This visit, we will be receiving custom “Octavia Locks,” which will increase our focus, our understanding, and our sense of self. Looking into the mirror, we can see ourselves as Black women with large hair, large earrings, and a large world awaiting us ahead.

As we are “deep conditioned” we explore a world of open space, twisting and turning to see what comes before us and what we have left behind. This place looks familiar but different all in the same breathe. Smart phones lay under rubble, symbolic sneakers levitate behind some sort of bubble or film, it is outerspace-like, but there is no emptiness. On the horizon there are people awaiting us, faces similar to our own.

As we approach they greet us, and it is at this moment we know we have arrived.

“How do you feel?,” Carmen and Ece asked after helping us take off our Virtual Reality (VR) goggles.

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©2017 KOKAB ZOHOORI-DOSSA

ARTS & TECHNOLOGY

The unexpected calmness and wonder took over our psyche. We were definitely not expecting to visit another realm during our trip to SXSW, but yet again our random curiosity lead us to the JW Marriott in Downtown Austin where we would encounter all the Black Girl Magic from a perspective we would have never fathomed, until now.

Later that day, we sat down with Ashley Baccus-Clark to discuss our experience, its conception, and its impact on the world we live in through a ‘NeuroSpeculative AfroFeminism’ [NSAF] lens.

CW: “How would you describe the interactive portion for someone who hasn’t experienced it?”

ABC: “We created a story based on one of the [speculative] products we created. This tool we call Octavia Electrode (which are prototyped as electro-active wire cords, intertwined into hair twist), is something that exists in the world today called transcranial stimulation…”

(Yup, here is where the science comes in).

CW: “What brought you to SXSW?” ABC: “We did an art installation for the art program.

This is the first time they are running this [event], so it was really interesting to see how it played out.”

Then we stopped to think.

- Transcranial stimulation is a non-invasive procedure that uses electromagnetic coils placed against the scalp to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. This science is currently being used to stimulate regions of the brain that involve mood control and is said to counteract symptoms of depression. (information overview from the Mayo Clinic at www.mayoclinic.org )

What would you do if you bought a sunblock and it immediately discolored your skin? Would you ponder on what type of products you could recreate that highlighted themes of protection, inclusivity, and womanhood which reflect security and visibility (do you see all of us)? Would you go beyond that and create a virtual reality that supports that cause?

Far fetched? Not at all for Carmen Aguilar-Wedge, Ashley Baccus-Clark, Ece Tankal, and Nitzan Bartov. This concept formed into an experience; the same experience you engaged at the beginning of this interview through our eyes.

A place that being a women of color is not a hindrance, but a natural thing. This is the manifestation of true creativity.

Hmmm… well isn’t that mind blowing!?!

“We are Hyphen-Labs.”

ABC: “What it does is it helps you focus more. It helps you retain information better and gets you into ‘flow states,’ which is a narrowing of your focus and that allows you to do things very well.

People are playing with this technology, but as black women we have a lot of hair and different texture hair. We can’t use it in a optimal way, so we wanted to figure out not only how to optimize the technology for us, but the economics of beauty. We spend a lot of money on our hair and beauty products yet people don’t really think about us at the center of the narrative when they are creating those products. So it’s starting to change in things like health care and [recently] beauty, but in technology there is still a long way to go.”

ABC: “We are an interactive and installation art studio. We also research, and typically work in digital and new media. Carmen and Ece, started the company in 2014. They did several big commercial projects and I joined the team this past August after Carmen and I were living together in New York. We came up with the framework of the project, then we got Ece and Nitzan as co-collaborators.”

Hyphen-Labs’ project is a commentary on the subject, pushing the narrative from a global perspective. Ashley suggests that NSAF is just one manifestation of what is occurring to women around the world, using the Black women of the United States as the isolated party in the conversation of advancement in society by way of technology.

CW: “So the installation we saw today, what was the concept behind it, and how did it start?”

ABC: “We debuted the project at Sundance in January.

We did a [different] installation for them, so when we got accepted to SXSW they wanted us to build something custom … it’s usually like something big.”

The women of Hyphen-Labs consists of a motley crew of ethnicities and cultures…

Carmen (Latina) Nitzan (Israeli) Ece (Turkish) Ashley (of African descent) *there are more Hyphen-Labs women, these just happen to be the ones working on NSAF.* … which makes their perspectives even more relevant in the conversation.

(Their Sundance installation was three sections partitioned out of rubber tubing connected with angular lines from the ceiling to the floor. With their SXSW project being housed in a hotel, their build out was limited, but the aura was executed with a few draping black curtains, products centered on 360 view pedestals, purple lights, and beauty salon chairs.)

ABC: “When we started working on this project, we wanted it to be kind of a curriculum on Black Women… but for the last few months we have really immersed ourselves into literature, art, and music that is all told by Black women, for Black women.”

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ARTS & TECHNOLOGY

*A controversial pop culture subject that Beyonce’s Lemonade was created to narrate. The point of view of the Black Woman’s “struggle.”* CW: “With that research what was one of the most interesting things you found out as a Black women that would not have been common to you?”

ABC: “Well in a lot of ways the [information] was new to me. When I was in college I was studying Molecular Biology, so I was just trying to graduate. I didn’t have time to really explore other classes, so I feel like most of my Black education was from a very male perspective, because I was like reading the books my Dad had around... a very male-centered view of Blackness that is taught.

We know all of the books that came out the Harlem Renaissance or books that highlight Richard Wright or Ralph Ellison. Those are more mainstream names than Lorraine Hansberry, (African American playwright - best known for A Raisin in the Sun), and names like that. I felt like it was also an education for me.”

As just previously stated, Ashley’s background is in Molecular Biology which explains the understanding of transcranial stimulation, where her counterparts’ expertise varies between civil engineering, interactive design, and architecture. (All elements that allow them to create a 360 VR interactive world with Afrofuturistic, mind stimulating content.)

ABC: “We’ve been wanting to work in VR for a little bit, but we never found a story that fit the median. So telling this story worked in VR because we wanted people that went through the experience to have a sense of embodiment, and what it means to be a young Black woman.”

Being at SXSW, Hyphen-Labs has had a variety of people experience NSAF. The feedback on the VR experience was well perceived and the internal realization weighs on an uncommon normality to see Black women as CGI projections in VR. Where the technology exists, the quality in depicting women of color (who are not over sexualized) is nearly non-existent… well, until now.

CW: “Going forward what do you ‘guys’ want to do with this?”

ABC: “We want to make episodic content. So we see this as being chapter one, but we made this for younger people who might not see themselves in fields like this. We encourage them to think about becoming developers or going into the hard sciences, or thinking about art and design as a career because all too often that’s not something we see ourselves in. So with the festivals we go to, we really ask the organizers to bring in the community or we go and give a workshop in the community.”

(Which they did at San Francisco State, bringing in students from the Film and Biological Science Departments together in a workshop discussing alternative careers).

These ladies will be using summer ‘17 to add a new character to the NSAF experience, build out chapter two, and figure out how to put the products into production getting them out in the world for all to interact with. The most challenging work at hand for the Lab is still trying to figure out a way to fund VR since it is still in its infancy.

ABC: “It goes beyond AfroFuturism, I think what we are really trying to do is create a new mythology of what it means to be a Black woman.”

Interested yet?

For more information and updates visit NSAF.space or www.hyphen-labs.com.

Also if you just so happen to be in the NY area, they will be showing at Tribeca, April 19th-30th.

CW: “Is there anything else you want people to know?”

ABC: “First I would like to encourage people, especially Black women to become architects, (if you know our Editor-inChief, Dirty, you know how excited that made her), because of how they shape class lines. (This is an important part of development in the URBAN world). The second thing I want to encourage is young people of the Latinx and Black communities to think about careers in the art & design fields, VR, and also Neurosciences because we need varying perspectives of things, especially sciences, if we are ever going to figure out what human existence is or how the world around us works.”

Hyphen-Labs is forming a more #SociallyResponsible virtual reality in the hopes that it may trigger a change in our own world.

“ There is an echo chamber in academia were they only are talking to people who have the same ideas as them and that’s not how innovation works.”

So now how do you feel? Hopefully empowered and ready to take on any reality, with new understanding. /CW

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR Kokab Zohoori-Dossa is an illustrator from Kingston, Jamaica.

She studied at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, graduating with a Bachelors in Fine Arts.

She likes stories of all kinds, from anime to fantasy book and movies, and her work depicts these influences, fusing with a strong representation of black women. She is currently living and working as a freelancer in Auckland, New Zealand.

Follow her @kokabzd Buy prints from this issue at www.kokabzdart.bigcartel.com/

©2017 KOKAB ZOHOORI-DOSSA

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“ LEMME GET A...”

OFF THE MENU

WITH WINTER FAREAUX HIATUS

CW: “Why are you late?”

WFH: “There were three dwarfs holding up Buffum (street). Larry, Curly, and Moe… yeah, but they got up out the way soon enough. They were on the wrong side of town.”

He was only five minutes late, but his messages on Facebook earlier in the day:

This suggests he should have been there awaiting our grand entrance… but nah!

CW: “Dwarfs though? Ok Winter, we see what kind of interview this is going to be.”

WINTER FAREAUX HIATUS (GOVERNMENT NAME AS JULIAN MILLER) IS A 23-YEAR-OLD CHARACTER “FILLED WITH RANDOMNESS AND A CONTRASTING AURA OF THOUGHT (OR LACK THEREOF) AND EXECUTION.” WHERE HIS PERSONA CAN BE A LITTLE SKEPTICAL, HIS ART AND CREATIVITY PULLS MUCH INTEREST. COPYWRITE SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH WINTER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN WINTER’S “PARAVICE”. *Note: For most of Winter’s interview, he responded to our questions like he was in the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant ordering the most extraneous combo meal of his life, with the phrase “Lemme get a (fill in the blank).”

One more *Note: Let’s break this name down before you get all bent out of shape with confusion of his randomness.

Winter: February, birth month. “Winter Time” Fareaux: Pharaoh, Egyptian king. “I am a king.”

Hiatus: A pause. “Because I usually go on episodes of being by myself. I usually fade.”

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FEATURED ARTIST

CW: “But anyways… Art, aye?”

WFH: “Yeah, I do Art. I create.”

fact that people he admires are inspired by his work. It shows a pride and sense of self that he had never before discovered.

CW: “Why do you call it that?”

WFH: “Because, everything I do is pretty self-explanatory.

What I do is create.”

CW: “We keep talking about you as the artist, but obviously the art reflects who you are, so tell us about you. Who are you?”

WFH: “I’m explosive. I vary a lot. Sh** changes often… I like to think I’m a loner because I’m by myself a lot.”

Create indeed. Winter’s work is edgy, detailed, and “odd”; making it hard to go unnoticed. His sketchy lines and content are the markings of an interesting mind awaiting to tell one hell of a story.

WFH: “It all came after I graduated high school. I was bored and I just wanted to try something. I never tried to draw before in my life. I got into it. I was drawing Gorillaz (the band) and I put it on Facebook… It got a couple rave reviews and I was feeling myself, so I was like ‘ight bet.’ I liked how that felt, so I just kept going. That just snow balled into more intuitive ideas and more creative ideas. With that, I eventually found myself, now we are where we are today.”

He calls his art impulsive. He draws whatever he thinks of without a filter or plan to determine what it might be, eventually making a disorganized chaos.

CW: “When you started coming on the artistic scene, how was that perceived?”

WFH: “I was the weird kid who was drawing weird things. But it was that cool weird sh**. It was crazy because different generations of people perceived my art differently, so it varies. Older people think it’s weird, but people closer to my age think it’s dope.”

CW: “So from what you’re saying, you have only been doing art for about five years now. How have you seen yourself grow throughout this time?”

WFH: “My motive is different. I have a different drive and I know what I want to do now. I have managed to make an objective and now I know the direction of where I want my art to go. I learned a lot about myself and I know what I want to do with my art. I want to inspire people.”

Winter knows what he is good at and that’s being unorthodox to most, but very true to himself.

WFH: “In the beginning I was trying to do everything. I was trying to be a realistic artist, [working on] hyperrealism, cartoon, comic, inking, graffiti, collage work, all that sh**. But I was stressing myself out doing that sh**… I was trying to be a Renaissance man of art and I just can’t do that, but I know what I can do. I can ink and come up with creative sh**. So I figured I just put all my eggs in that basket, push that and follow suit when it comes. I like the little traits I have inherited along the way.”

Even with growth & coming into self, Winter still BLUSHES off the

“ I’M AN INTROVERT WITH A DASH OF EXTROVERTEDNESS JUST FREE THROWED IN MY LIFE.” *Swish* Winter continued to tell us about how he used to skateboard with a modified scooter with the handle broken off (creative). He claims though he was an active child, he was also half sheltered with his subtle hints of unspoken memories on his face. He ended his spill with a modest, but thoughtful statement followed by pure fugazi.

WFH: “I smile way more than I frown… but then I’m moody at the same time. Then, I’m a gentleman & then I’m an a**hole… then I’m like uhhh.”

Somebody please come get this dude!

CW: “You have a lot of contrasting elements going on.”

WFH: “That’s why I like gradients so much.”

His wishy washy duality of a persona does work in his favor, playing up on cultural oddity not only in his art but in his self-expression.

WFH: “I just do the get out the shower and “flop” with the wrinkles.

I would say grunge, but ahhh - it’s not. It’s people who purposefully try to dress like this. They all go to YouTube and Tumblr and just scroll down like, ‘Oh flannels. Oh Rock N’ Roll shirt.’ I managed to go back to 2006 me and just conjured up everything that I like and sh**. I just emulate that now. I’m the cool person I wanted to be when I was like in the 6th grade listening to Linkin Park and sh**… man, I was the kid listening to Linkin Park on a CD player on a field trip. That sh** was live…. I like Korean Military sh**…”

Yeah, Winter is “that guy”.

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FEATURED ARTIST

“ I need my creative freedom. To execute a great project. The more vague an idea you introduce to me, the better.”

CW: “How were you exposed to all this different stuff?”

WFH: “HBO, Late Night, ShowTime, Uncut (Watch your kids yo!

They be out here seeing all the good good). My Pops he put me on a lot of sh**. He stayed with Alice & Chain playing, Led Zeppelin, so I get a lot of that through him. As life went on I just kept further and further researching. Now I found my own [music] taste.”

So where did the Winter Fareaux Hiatus come from? Even though he seems to have just plopped out of the sky, Winter is definitely a Milwaukee Native straight off 14th & Burleigh. His introverted nature and scheming ways to approach the scene with proper timing (game applied from studying Prince) has built a curiosity that is tangible, or metaphorically, hard to ignore. This is the same reason why when you see a WFH piece you know it’s his.

CW: “We are big fans of your color choices in your compositions. It’s always those same colors and very similar. How did you come up with that palette?”

WFH: “I like sunsets… because they’re comfortable. It’s appealing to look at. It’s not too harsh, it’s not too much, it’s not too little.

It’s subtle and it’s a tight a** transition. It’s like a soothing effect which is way different from my earlier work, which was really harsh… I’m not even going to lie, that sh** was terrible. As I smooth myself out, my art smoothed itself out literally.”

CW: “If you could sell one of your pieces to anybody dead or alive who would that be?”

WFH: “Should I say the typical ASAP Rocky?”

(Since when did ASAP become typical?)

“Let me pick somebody else. Let me get a Kid Cudi or I’d f**k with Prince having some of my art ‘cus Prince don’t like nothing or he seemed like he didn’t like nothing. That would melt my heart to see Prince own something of mine. But can I get an era of Prince? (Yeah) Let me get the ‘Strange But True’ era (circa ‘99) when he had the barrettes and cornrows, when he didn’t do no interviews… yeah, I like dat one. Let me get this abrasive person who has a soft spot for art. Yup, that would be tight.”

Winter thoroughly answered that question. Thanks for the details. (Once again RIP to Prince… seems like he’s mentioned in every interview we’ve done this passing year.)

CW: “So if you had unlimited boundaries, unlimited funds, unlimited everything, what would you make and where would you put it?”

WFH: “I wouldn’t even make art. I would make films… no, no, no. You know what, I would make a cache of all the information I would ever want to know and all the things I never thought I would even want to know. [A room of knowledge].

Yeah, let me get that. That sh** would ease my anxiety.”

CW: “Are there any artists that inspire you?”

WFH: “YES YES! Let me get Boneface and James Jirat Patradoon. Let me get a Manny Vibez. Let me get a Mikal, throw in some Vedale (Hill) in there too. Let me throw a CopyWrite in there. Let me get a Carsyn & Lexi.”

Awww we inspire! S/O to us for being dope.

CW: “What are you doing when you’re not doing art?”

WFH: “I’m learning, researching, trying to find other opportunities, networking… it’s the business side of art when you’re not doing art.”

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Winter is not your typical CopyWrite interview recruit. Inexperienced, uncultivated, and unpredictable… a change in the culture, we are not quite sure what to call it or what it will form into.

CW: “Where do you see yourself in the mix five years from now?

WFH: “Let me get a simple life, y’all gon’ laugh… let me get like Cali weather, let me get a dirt bike, let me get like a mobile home and I’ll be straight… and a woman too.”

(Last thing on the list… HA! Somebody has his priorities straight.)

WFH: “And we would just make art and sh**.”

He also added a Great Dane to the mix, but that was after the fact.

Mr. Hiatus’ randomness has also lead him to writing a few short screenplays. His two-year project, “Colors” is available to be read and he hopes that these small projects will be the jumping ground for more major moves.

If you like his art, be on the lookout for his anticipated art show for this summer, Paravice. (Which he mentioned might be his last show in Milwaukee.)

WFH: “I want to go somewhere else so I lose my safety net.”

Winter has not yet reached his peak. His development will be determined by self-motivation and his critique will be as unorthodox as the person he embodies and projects.

WFH: “I need my creative freedom. To execute a great project.

The more vague an idea you introduce to me, the better.”

Hmmmmm is that right?

CW: “When your sun sets, how do you want to be remembered?”

WFH: “With my objectives. I want you to know that you can only be the best artist you can be and take that. I took my own man-made, self-sufficient skill set & mastered it… and then I managed to become something… oh, and they can come with me to ‘Paravice.’

We will be watching out for Winter’s ‘season.’ We are sure it will be nothing less than entertaining. /CW

THE REDEFINITION OF

C U L– TURE

W / JAY A N D E R S ON

shooter: Kevin Hagen shooter: Mahdi Gransberry

Eccentric, Afrocentric, musically inclined, “shade-throwing,” sax Gawd, Jay Anderson, fills our heads with his recent adventure to New Orleans, and his cultural epiphany that might just give our city the push it needs.

We know Jay, the artist. We see him in his “Milwaukee Famous” spotlight, but here is a piece of the puzzle nobody else wants to explore.

Here is Jay, the socially ruthless with a plan.

CW: “You just came back from Mardi Gras and all those things, how was it?”

JAY: “It was lit and really eye-opening, life-changing… and perspective changing.”

Jay’s trip to NOLA was for more than just a gluttonous, raunchy, super-sized festival. He went down for some musical work, a few epic opportunities to meet people (SOME REALLY AMAZING PEOPLE), play with a few bands, and of course, network.

Priestess Miriam Chamani with Jay

JAY: “Yeah, I was playing with bands and playing on the streets. You know, meeting local musicians.”

CW: “How is the local vibe down there vs. in MKE?” JAY: “The local vibe is a lot different, but I don’t know if I saw the whole scene. When I went down there I was meeting up with some Saint Heron Musicians, (Saint Heron is the compilation album put out by Solange Knowles’ record label, Saint Records), so it was the bougiest way to meet locals… you know they would look at you and be like “Hmm,” But then I met more local musicians through this woman, Arséne Delay, (who is the youngest descendant of the Boutté family, one of the oldest lines of musicians in all of New Orleans), and I guess her introductions were way more important.”

Jay considers Arséne to be like his doppelgänger in the French Quarter. She has played with everyone and knows everyone.

Who knew that their introduction while she studied in MKE would lead to his acceptance and adventure in Louisiana?

But back to the Local:

JAY: “I think most musicians in Milwaukee would change their viewpoint about performing here if there were fifteen of you at all times, in the same neighborhood. In New Orleans, it makes you be polite and humble as hell because there are literally twenty dudes at any time who are as good or better than you.

You better have a unique sound, and be nice. You don’t have to kiss nobody’s behind… but you can’t be extra if you’re not super unique, and even if you have that; still don’t be extra. Because if you think MKE is all about who you know and not what you know, New Orleans is like that plus they have all these [music] families running around that are like thirteen generations old.”

(Straight running Sh**.)

The other thing he learned by being in NOLA, even though Jay has been a professional musician for years now, is that music is magical.

JAY: “There are way more local musicians in New Orleans then in MKE. The first thing I learned about local musicians in Milwaukee, like all of them, and the only exceptions from this rule are the ones already touring nationally… is that y’all are super UNgrateful. ALL OF Y’ALL!”

JAY: “If you are blessed enough to be a musician, recognize what you have and stop being weird, shifty, snobby, or whatever. That’s the two biggest difference I noticed.”

He laughed, while tossing his hair a little bit. Here goes the “Clap Back,” Jay is infamous for.

• •

Ok so let’s recap: New Orleans musicians are very humble.

New Orleans musicians are excited to play and are really good at it.

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shooter: Mahdi Gransberry

MUSIC

He countered those two points, expressing how he thinks MKE talent could hold their own in NOLA, but it’s the attitudes that might manifest into failure.

CW: “So all in all you had fun?”

JAY: “Yeah, that was the best part…”

(Jay had a lot more to say about his trip but we really don’t have time to go into the specifics about his rendezvous, gallivanting down the street with a group of Black French girls, and rants about “those people” Lol) CW: “Ok we see you’re out here exploring musically, but what are you doing here in MKE? WTF is Voodoo Honey?”

JAY: “Hahahaha, that was the transition? That’s actually good because before I went I thought I knew what I was doing with it, but all that has changed.”

Voodoo Honey’s roster includes quite a few impressive names, when it comes to the MKE music scene: - B~Free - Klassik - Sista Strings - Lorde Fredd33 And The Truth, which is a collaborative group between Jay himself, Chris G., Bo Triplex and Curtis Crump Jr. His artistic directors are also very impressive being the likes of Reginald Baylor, David Ravel, and Tarik Moody.

He also informed us that there will be a few other artists unveiling their signing to the label very soon. With that we can be expecting a jazz album from B~Free, a project from Sista Strings, Klassik’s new album, work from Lorde Fredd33, and of course a Foreign Goods album between now and 2018.

The original plan for Voodoo Honey was to give artist services they didn’t have access to, like access, access, ACCESS!!!!

For example, there are artists who have great projects, but have no idea how to circulate them. “How do you get it on iTunes? Spotify?

How do you get it in the papers?” These were conversations being had and Jay realized that it’s not the talent that is being held into question, but the tools and services available to create that success.

JAY: “There are certain other record labels that are cool in Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Madison, where they will take the music and just do the thing for you and not really tell you anything about it. I’m not really about that. I’m more like, ‘Look here’s what I’m doing, here is how I’m doing all of it, here is you being blind copied on all the emails and conversations because one day I want you to be able to do it yourself’.”

Right now he assures us he is not in it for the money and rather use it as resource building instead. ---> A sustainable investment.

But that’s only phase one of the Voodoo Honey game plan.

JAY: “Once we have a real reputation, the next goal is to go out and mine new talent. We are going to do the Empire Sh**.

(Ok, Lucious). Like find people who have never ever performed before, but are talented and be like ‘Ok, We’re going to dress you this way and take pictures of you this way and get you this producer, put you on a stage, and we are going to sell tickets’.”

CW: “Like craft the brand…

JAY: “Yeah, so once Voodoo Honey has a name based on the snatching up of all the best* artists who are already here.” *Let him live y’all! We are not going to get into this “best” debacle in a CW interview… the bait is so so sooo sooo tempting, but we shall decline. *Sips Tea*

First Day in NOLA

JAY: “Once all that’s done and we are generating a reputation for good music, then I will start finding people…

I don’t really want to have artists that are already fully developed because I’m looking for a specific end product... [and at this point] there is nothing I can do for them.”

But like he said… THAT HAS CHANGED! Now that Jay is back from New Orleans, he has a different perspective & purpose for the Voodoo Honey name.

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“ ...just because I celebrate my Blackness doesn’t mean that I’m dissing your Whiteness.”

shooter: Rob Randolph

JAY: “Actually now that I’m back, I am super disappointed in…”

(He paused for a moment, digging for the right word - That’s when we knew it was about to get #REAL) “Okay, we are going to say this in a really nice way, in the non-Anglo Saxon expression.”

The disconnect is clear. Everyone keeps bringing up this topic in their CW interviews and we have clearly been vocal about it too. So is y’all done acting blind?

Is y’all finished forcing assimilation and segregation?

CW: “Hmm’ that is a nice way to put it.”

JAY: “I don’t really feel like people of color get to step out and express themselves.”

JAY: “On the North side, when you let all of it out, you’re not Black enough. On the East side, when you let everything out, you’re too Black.”

He gave us a few anecdotes from his trip to NOLA, referencing a normalcy that totally contrasts the normalcy of MKE, like loitering while playing music through the night, or police conduct being used as a form of protection and not a power struggle of regulation.

He believes that it should be okay to be expressive in the way you act, dress, and create. Nobody who has any sense about themselves should have anything to say to you about it. He suggest that the East side of the city is/and will be more progressive in that sense, but there is still some ways to go and he plans on striking it with an abrupt blow.

JAY: “Between that [the community and the police interaction], the art, and the culture, I came back and noticed everyone [in Milwaukee] is so afraid to really express themselves… at least in that city it’s ok to be Black and be proud that you are Black. When you are Black [in New Orleans] you don’t always have to keep having to explain to white people that…” “ ...just because I celebrate my Blackness doesn’t mean that I’m dissing your Whiteness.” #BAM (We’re just going to leave that right there.)

JAY: “So the way I use this looking forward with Voodoo Honey is actually I’m going to use Voodoo Honey as my vehicle turning it from a record label into a Culture Label. I’m going to use it to blossom Black and Brown arts and culture in Milwaukee.”

JAY: “I would like non-people of color to try to educate themselves as much as they can so that they understand. Or be quiet and stop telling people of color how they should feel.”

The idea is for people to come out of their shells by way of art and music. Voodoo Honey currently is under reconstruction when they re-launch, the culture label will be in full effect.

JAY: “This might be a lot, and somebody else’s quote, but there is nothing in American culture of value that didn’t come from the African diaspora, but yeah that’s what Voodoo Honey is doing right now plus we have some really big events coming up…”

Woooow, way to lay it on thick Jay! (Just the way we like it.)

Voodoo Honey’s 2017 is filled with some pretty cool sets we think you should all check out, including an Amy Winehouse tribute on July 21st-22nd, and Sarah & Kenny on May 19th.

shooter: Mahdi Gransberry

MUSIC

JAY: “Um, was that it?”

CW: “Of course not… let’s talk about you.”

He looked at us with wide, worried eyes as he took a big sip of his glass of wine, with his pinky up.

CW: “So how ‘ya doing?”

JAY: “I’m fire. I feel reinvigorated after going down there.”

This is the part when he told us he attended Solange’s ‘The Wiz’ themed party (green chandeliers, abandoned buildings, and neon green signs). The rumor is he might just have a slight crush on the talented songstress and actually crossed paths with her three times while in town. Inspired by her cool demeanor, personable genuine aura, and her dope party, you might just see a Voodoo Honey shindig styled in her honor. Turn Up! JAY: “Meeting her taught me it’s really not about being the coolest ni**a in the room. It’s really about just putting in that work.

People will see what you want them to see but at the end of it all, it’s what you are actually doing. So I’ve been great because of that. All the things in my life right now really relate to that trip, because you guys know how I was doing before that trip.”

“ My self-value and my self-worth as a man of color, as a Black man is just so much more now.”

So here’s the thing, Jay admits to being personally upset with MKE because he hadn’t had this enlightened viewpoint until he left. Where he saw himself as untouchable because of his position in the city, he now wants others to feel that way too.

JAY: “Let’s really get comfortable. If I can’t change how the culture is treated here then I’m going to move, because that would be bad for my health. I won’t take more of this.”

We agree with that. His “thick and shady” rant (palm trees), is exactly the type of inner reflection and social responsibility we have been documenting. It even fits the dynamic culture push that the CopyWrite Team analyzed while at SXSW in Austin.

So how can we define Jay’s new mission with his position of influence in the movement stemming from his own personal form of expression?

JAY: “I feel like a musical Black Panther!”

Power to the people. *Fist Up* /CW shooter: Mahdi Gransberry

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FASHION

SHOOTER MAHDI GRANSBERRY | SQUAD

ON THE STREET

“THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF FASHION IS: ALWAYS WEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO WEAR...”

Expressing your personal style is always on trend.

That’s why this spring season, your On the Street Style is our biggest inspiration.

Take a look at our favorites from Milwaukee’s trendsetters to Austin’s original aesthetics; we know you’ll find something to take your look to the next level.

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Madame Gandhi | @madamegandhi

@ms.monstah

WOMEN FASHION

Chanel A. | @itschanelxoxo

@queenof_freckles

@thehighnessmovement

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Dayzhane Angel | @dayzhane.angel

photo: Mahdi Gransberry

Deonna Rice | @tallnfierce

Sam Lao | @thesamlao

Ashley Jordan | @ashshanelle

@notyouitsmae

WOMEN FASHION

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Drew Westphal | @everydaydrew

MEN FASHION

@ayezuemusic

@ayezuemusic Anthony Giacomino

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@_larryg_

@bmbgbisco

@reggiexbonds | photo: Justin Yoshi

@vintage_steeez

@andrewhypes

Phillip Jordan

@bmbgbuss

Jachin Moore | @jachin_moore

MEN FASHION

@dalivoodoo

@andrewhypes

SQUAD FASHION

@reggiexbonds | @afterdarkgallery | photo: Justin Yoshi

@dalivoodoo | @bmbgbisco | @bmbgjam | @bmbgbuss

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T H E B LOOD I S AT T H E DOOR S T E P O NO N WE WDENDENSEDSADYA Y

N ANTAET E H AHM A IM LT I LOTNO’ N S’ S

A PARPI R LIL 3 03, 02, 021041 4

B RBORTOHTEHRE, RD, ODNOTNRTER E

WA WSA S HSOHTO T 1 41 T 4 IT MI EMSE S A NADN D K IK L ILLELDE D

B YB Y A A M IM LW I LA WUAKUEKEE E

H IH SI S F AFM A IM LY I LY

P OPLOI L C IEC E O FOFFI F C IECRE R

F OFUOGUHGTH T B ABCAKC K

A DAO C DU OM CU EN MTA E NRTA Y R FY ILF MI L M

BY B EY R IEKRLI K J ULNJG U N&G &

M I CMHIA CEHLA E T.L VT. O LVLOML A LN MN ANN

FILM REVIEW

THE BLOOD IS AT THE DOORSTEP

BY FREAKISHNERD

When CW Management approached me to write movie reviews I was ecstatic. I’ve always wanted to give movie reviewing a shot and there are people that like to hear what I have to say on movies (even if they don’t always agree). Who would have known that the first review I’d write would be for a documentary focused on a family in my hometown going through the aftermath of a police shooting and their fight for justice. A film I can really be objective about (sarcasm).

Even living and reading about these events as they happened, the documentary brings information that I didn’t know. At one of the marches there was an attempt to disrupt a Milwaukee Bucks game, much to the dismay of Dontre’s mother, Maria Hamilton. Also, I wasn’t aware that the cop who killed Dontre tried to sue for his job back and received a settlement, nor was I aware of the backlash Flynn received by the police unions over the firing of said cop.

The Blood is at the Doorstep follows the family of Dontre Hamilton after a 2014 police-involved shooting in Milwaukee’s Downtown. Director Erik Ljung, manages to take this polarizing, heavily politicized topic and give it an air of nuance with its presentation of facts and emotions. The documentary strays from bias and presents both sides leaving the viewer to make their own sense of the situation.

This documentary is extremely well made. All the footage Ljung captured, I wonder if he just kept the camera rolling. Some of the best moments in the film are the reaction shots. The family’s reactions during city council meetings, press conferences, and discovering the verdicts in other high profile police brutality cases accent the story Ljung is telling beautifully.

Underestimating SXSW traffic, I got to the screening several minutes late, but I only missed the footage of the shooting. Watching this film in a different city with a crowd that isn’t in the community the events happened was a weird experience. I can feel myself personally rooted in the story and I can feel the people around me watching a film. When I’m seeing footage of Milwaukee Police Chief Flynn on his phone during a town hall meeting, actively remembering when it happened, and hearing gasps in the crowd, it’s almost an out of body experience.

Police brutality is a subject that quickly falls into a “us vs. them” debate, but The Blood is at the Doorstep manages to strip the conversation down to the people.

The people who love Dontre, the people acting in their own interests, and the people just trying to make sense of a world they inhabit. This movie isn’t truly about the case or the subject matter, it’s about a family recovering and seeking closure. I recommend this film to anyone that wants to see an unbiased approach to the topic in a landscape that seems to be increasingly taking up sides. The film fits perfectly in the grey and offers very engaging conversation after viewing.

4.5/5

POSTER DESIGN // NOBODY STUDIOS // NYC

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COPYWRITE MAGAZINE MEDIA & DESIGN LLC. / MILWAUKEE, WISC. / COPYWRITEMAG.COM