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Cover Story
A Yoga Summer
On the
INSIDE
With more than 21,000 Instagram followers, a fan base of loyal supporters and an online community of yogis and people looking for daily inspiration, Bahayogi is social media royalty.
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The Bahamas takes NYC Bahamian musicians, singers and culinary artists were front and center in New York City recently at the Caribbean Rocks NYC event as part of Caribbean Week! No one parties quite like Bahamians and that was more than evident at the celebration set to honor Caribbean heritage in The Big Apple.
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A Day at
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Treasure Sands Sure you have to hop a plane and drive for about 20 minutes to get there, but it’s totally worth the trip!
Sunnie Days ////page 22
The sun is absolutely blazing this summer! And while we go to great lengths to protect our skin and hair, we must remember to protect our eyes.
S.B. Dread takes us to the TRAP page 20
Sometimes you just want some good ole hip-hop and rap music, especially in the summer time. You want music that’s reminiscent of a hot summer drive around town; windows down, breeze blowing and the bumping beats and flow bringing it all together.
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editor’s note \\\\\\\\\\ Summer, summer, summertime! Welcome to the hottest summer in recorded history in The Bahamas. Although it’s still July, here in the islands we are already experiencing temperatures in the high nineties. Bahamians everywhere are flocking to the beach more than ever in recent times, and maybe this is a good thing. Maybe higher temperatures will bring Bahamians together in a way only heat can, similar to when an iron smith heats metal to merge it. Things like going to the beach and just having a whoo-sah moment can be the likely key to preserving some of the peace we still have here in the country. Over the past few weeks we have seen the murder count in the country climb with no apparent letting up, just like we have seen the temperatures rise at astronomical rates. Is it that Bahamians are frustrated with the state of the country, the lack of jobs and economic opportunity? Is it that the temperament of Bahamians has finally changed and evolved from calm, loving and peaceful to that of an angry people. Is it that Bahamians
need to “go the beach” in their mind? I have always been of the opinion that exposure and opportunity are the keys to relieving the frustrations of life, and sadly that’s what a lot of our repeat offenders lack. Due to economics they have not had the opportunities to travel nor participate in certain activities, things the average Bahamian takes for granted. We scream “why would they steal from me?” and the answer is simply because they do not have the means to get it for themselves. Multiplied by the fact that society is blasting them with images of people who have nice lives, the crime situation in our country is far deeper than we think. In a country that has been labelled as the richest country in the Caribbean, the one thing successive governments have failed us on is providing the opportunity for every Bahamian to “go the beach” in their mind and have a peace of the pie. Yes, we the people have a role to play as we control our own actions, but at the least we can ask the government to turn down the “temperature” and allow us to “go to the beach”!
Farreno Ferguson | Editor eLIFE 242 Magazine
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Donald Knowles Contributing Writer: Tia Clarke CONTENT DEVELOPER: Ianthia Smith Contributing Writer: Naye Smith CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lamon Bethel Contributing Writer: Jasper Haeward DESIGN CONSULTANT: Dahar Butler FOR SALES/ ADVERTISING CALL (242) 454 0264 www.elife242.com TWITTER & IG: @elife242
|||| IF YOU MISSED IT!
Bahamians
“VOTE NO”
In gender equality referendum ... The voice of the Bahamian people has been heard loud and clear ever since about 1966 when Majority Rule was achieved. Yes we have picked governments and changed them quite frequently since about 1992 with the first big turn to the FNM government from the 25 year ruling PLP party, but 2016 was a little bit different. In 2016 the ruling government of The Bahamas decided to bring to the people the vote of a few citizenship issues and one gender equality issue in the form of a constitutional referendum that most thought would open the door to ‘gay marriage.’ Now although the government spent a lot of money trying to educate the Bahamian people on what these changes to the constitution would mean (The YES campaign), the super underfunded ‘No campaign’ prevailed with what can only be described as a landslide. The Bahamian people voted 4 to 1 (an estimation) in favor of the “No” vote, which
many said was a direct reflection of how they felt about the current government. Was it truly that the Bahamian populace did not want to give women the right to pass their Bahamian citizenship on to their children or give their spouses certain privileges, or was it the confusion between what sex and gender meant in the constitution? Or were Bahamians just telling the government to get the hell out of office? We may never know because in true government form the full results of the referendum still aren’t known. Why you may ask? Simply after the results started to come in and the government realized that the NO VOTE prevailed, they literally suspended announcing the rest of the results. For all we know the YES VOTE might have won. The process of the 2016 referendum, if not a reflection of the current government it definitely is a reflection of The Bahamas itself at the moment, we will leave you to fill in that blank.
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|||| SPORTS
BUDDY HIELD
Buddy Buckets
gets set to ball with the Pelicans! WORDS: Timothy Bain | @timmaaay_ | IMAGES: @mybtc
Leading up to the 2016 NBA Draft, the majority of Bahamians only had one team in mind that they wanted to see Chavano “Buddy” Hield go to; the Los Angeles Lakers, who had the second overall pick. The Lakers are the default team for a lot of sports fans in The Bahamas, and it’s also where former number 1 pick Mychal Thompson played and won two championships in the late 80’s. Rick Fox, who has Bahamian roots, played for the Lakers in the early 2000’s and won three championships. Buddy knows of the Bahamian history with Los Angeles, but repeatedly said that no matter where he was drafted, he would make the best of this dream come true. Fast forward to draft night, and Buddy found himself in the perfect situation – a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. The 2016 NBA Draft will be remembered as the draft where a record 26 international players were drafted, headlined by Australian Ben Simmons and Bahamian Buddy Hield. It’s fitting because Bahamians will remember it as the first time in 38 years a Bahamian born player was drafted in the top ten. Reporters were clamoring to talk to Buddy, because he is one of the rare players who enjoys talking to the media. It helps that his unmistakable accent endears him not only to the 242, but also to sports fans everywhere. Buddy showed up to the
draft site in a white suit and red tie but before he sat down to wait for his name to be called, he told us he had a surprise for his Bahamian fans. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Ben Simmons as expected with the number 1 overall pick and from then on we were on “Buddy Watch.” The Los Angeles Lakers drafted 18-year-old Brandon Ingram second and I saw the collective let down of Bahamians on social media. The Boston Celtics, who had the third overall pick in the draft, were a rumored destination for Buddy. They drafted Rick Fox in 1991, and also worked out Buddy Hield twice before the draft. There was growing belief that this would be Buddy’s home, because the Celtics biggest weakness last season was shooting. Buddy’s strength is not just his ability to make shots, but his unwavering confidence to take those shots. When he did not get drafted third overall, we started to have hope that he would drop number six to the Pelicans, which would be the perfect spot for him as a rookie. The Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves picked fourth and fifth respectively, and after neither drafted Buddy, he started to look a bit nervous. When it was the New Orleans Pelican’s pick at six, Commissioner Adam Silver called his name, and then we found out that there were more Bahamians in New York than we thought. He kissed his mother, walked up and opened up his
J C Penney made suit, where his college nickname “Buddy Buckets” were emblazoned with the Bahamian flag. Before shaking the commissioner’s hand, he pointed to his family, who were proudly waving their Bahamian flags. After living in The Bahamas, Buddy should have no problem adapting to the climate in New Orleans. The team is such a good fit for him for many reasons. Their franchise player Anthony “The Brow” Davis is one of the best players in the NBA when healthy and even though he has been in the league from 2012, is only 23 years old – just a year older than Buddy. The Pelicans lost their two best shooters this offseason; Eric Gordon who shares Bahamian roots and Ryan Anderson. Of the teams that could have drafted him, New Orleans presented the best chance for him to be in the starting lineup from day one. With defenses focused on defending The Brow, Buddy will have ample opportunities to score and make shots. The pressure will not be on him to win right away, and he might not get the chance to win Rookie of the Year like his counterpart Ben Simmons, but New Orleans provides him with a team and culture that he can grow and develop in. Most importantly, it’s closer and cheaper than Los Angeles for Bahamians to fly to! eLIFE 242 Magazine www.elife242.com 5
|||| LOCAL SCENE
Treasure Sands Club
i s S u m m e r ’ s B est L o c at i o n !
The beautiful pool deck at the Treasure Sands Club.
WORDS: eLIFE242 Staff Writer | IMAGES: @f.dot242
Sure you have to hop a plane and drive for about 20 minutes to get there, but it’s totally worth the trip! The owners say it’s built with the South of France in mind, but it’s definitely not that far away. While in Treasure Cay, Abaco for our cover story feature, the eLIFE242 team got some downtime and decided to spend it at the beautiful Treasure Sands Club. It’s literally just a pool house with several cabanas, a bar, a restaurant that sits right on the beach but gives you the absolute best injection of summer! It’s really all you need for that summer chill. A pool to the one side, a gorgeous blue beach to the other, tropical drinks, great food, umbrellas and lounge chairs and an awesome mix of R&B, pop, hip-hop and rap music says summer to us! And they give you beach towels! Even kids can get in on the action at this amazing summer spot. But perhaps one of the most important (and tasty) aspects of this place is the insanely delicious food items they offer. With a menu that goes on and on, there’s no shortage of appetizing appetizers, marvelous main courses and lively libations!
Our team feasted on double cheeseburgers, topped with cracked lobster, bacon and guacamole (for some of us). And while this might sound like a slam bam version of our favorite foods, it certainly is not. This is gourmet! And the burgers came with the best ever garlic parmesan fries! If we’re not greedy enough, we also dished on the crunchiest calamari with the perfect dipping sauce and tuna tartare cooked at the perfect temperature. Remember those drinks we told you about? Well we went HAM and opted to try a mango daiquiri (non-virgin) and the house special Treasure Blue. Aside from being absolutely beautiful and looking like it was dished straight out of the deep blue sea, this drink had the perfect amounts of juice, rum, and fruit garnishing. When you go, try their other house special the Treasure Sunset and tell us how you liked it! Ahhhh, if we had it our way, we’d certainly spend the rest of the summer at Treasure Sands Club! The staff there made the stay even more enjoyable and makes us want to book tickets to return soon!
YO U R # 1 O N L I N E S O U R C E FOR EVERYTHING BAHAMIAN! @ELIFE242 WWW.ELIFE242.COM i n f o @ e l i f e 2 4 2 . c o m | 2 4 2 .45 4 . 0 2 6 4
The “Treasure Blue” Cocktail.
Tuna Tatare’ appetizer.
Arrive by boat or car at the Treasure Sands Club.
ON INSTAGRAM FOLLOW @TREASURESANDSCLUB
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Peace
on the
Beach THE BAHAYOGI GETS IN FORMATION!
WORDS: Ianthia Smith | @iamianthia IMAGES: Farreno Ferguson | @thefdotlife
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Hers is the fit body you see flexing and stretching on the beach. With the boyish blues of Bahamian waters as her background, and powder white sand under her feet, she moves her body until her mind leaves this world. Wearing nothing but a bikini and a buzz cut, Bahayogi poses and contorts her physique into shapes, positions and forms that would break the rest of us. But when something is your passion, you do it flawlessly.
With more than 21,000 Instagram followers, a fan base of loyal supporters and an online community of yogis and people looking for daily inspiration, Bahayogi is social media royalty. The strong but flexible 24-year-old caught eLIFE242’s eye and we knew we had to catch up with her. So we hopped a plane to Marsh Harbour, Abaco to learn more about Alexandra Fox, the Bahayogi. She arrived in Marsh Harbour from Guana Cay via a water taxi. As soon as the boat docked, the fresh faced, silver haired beauty happily hopped off and pranced towards us. “Good morning,” she exclaimed as she stuffed her backpack, yoga mat and bikinis into the back seat of our rental. The lengthy drive from Marsh Harbour to Treasure Cay provided the perfect environment to get to know “Alex” better. But we saved the interview for later and chatted about everything from music to politics.
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|||| COVER STORY Alex was our tour guide for the day. After the 30-minute ride, she led us on a walk to a secret beach in Treasure Cay. It’s one of the spots she says she goes to when she wants to be alone, practice yoga and shut out the world for a few hours. It’s also the place that plays co-star to many of her viral Instagram photos. For about seven minutes we followed an unmarked path in the bushes. I could see slivers of the crystal blue waters through the thin leaves as we approached the first sights of sand. She moved the final branch back to unveil the most beautiful, serene blue waters. It was untouched, unspoiled; it’s Alex’s own slice of heaven. “I know if anyone ever finds out about this place, it’s because of you guys and I won’t like that,” she said laughing. We watched as the yogi performed. Clearly oblivious to the cameras and reflectors we flashed her way. She moved as if though she was in her element and we weren’t there; free, flowing and at one with nature. After a hot (literally and figuratively) but beautiful photo shoot on the beach, that should officially be named “Yoga Beach,” we headed for lunch, daiquiris and an interview. We ordered the heartiest meals on the menu to replenish the energy the sun had drained from our bodies; burgers and seasoned fries with mango daiquiris to wash it all down. During our talk, I was stunned to learn that the yoga enthusiast actually hated yoga when she first tried it. “I took my first yoga class and didn’t really like it that much,” she says, seemingly shocked at her own revelation. “I grew up in Nassau but moved to Canada where I got into yoga. I went to The University of Toronto and took my first yoga class in 2010, because I was just trying to find something to do. I went to boarding school over there as well, and I was an avid rugby player, but after that I had a lot of injuries, so there wasn’t really so much I could get myself into. So I took my first yoga class, it was a little slow paced and not my style of yoga, now that I look back at it. But I kind of fell off the grid with it, kind of did it every so often and really didn’t care for it.” 10 www.elife242.com eLIFE 242 Magazine
Alex says it wasn’t until she got pregnant with her daughter, Finn, that she decided to give it another go. “I needed something to make sure I didn’t gain too much weight while I was pregnant,” she says laughing. “At the time I was working at a chiropractic center and the chiropractor was like, ‘You should just try yoga, give it a shot, it would be great for meditation purposes and of course you get a lot of physical benefits like losing weight at a healthy standard.’ So I picked up yoga again, but this time it was different and I fell in love with it.” Little did Alex know she was carrying and about to birth to two babies; her daughter and her passion.
and comments on every single post she makes. “That in itself was just crazy how it took off,” she says beaming and visibly appreciative of the love. “I was surprised. In the beginning my pictures weren’t as awesome as they are now. When I started I wasn’t flexible so that’s when I decided to track my progress on Instagram. If you scroll all the way to the bottom you’ll see that. “But the community itself on Instagram, aside from them loving the sexy beach shots, the community of people there is so uplifting and just positive. You have some negative people out there but you realize that you can see other people’s journeys as well and then you realize that
It took me forever to get to the place where I am now. I had so many insecurities, a serious lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem, but now I feel comfortable.
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“After I had my daughter I still needed something to keep the weight at bay so I continued doing yoga and it was at that point I realized that this is my passion,” she adds. “This is something I love to do, this is something that makes me feel very grounded each time I do it. There’s nothing I’d rather do and I can do yoga all day long. It was at that point that I knew I wanted to make more out of it and start to watch my progress and grow in the practice.” That’s when Alex says she turned to social media to hold her accountable. She decided to set up an Instagram account to use as her digital album to track her growth and get help, advice and encouragement from the online community. Today, the owner of one of the most popular Instagram accounts boasts of 21.9 thousand followers (at last count), hundreds of re-shares and thousands of likes
you’re helping them.” Alex says to some people, she’s just a girl wanting to show off her body, wear a bikini for no reason and do a split in the sand. And while she says it may come across that way to the untrained eye, she actually sees herself as a source of inspiration for a lot of women and men around the world. She knows this, because they’ve told her. “People have come to me and said they didn’t even know thicker women could do yoga,” she adds. “Yoga has been so marginalized as a skinny white girl thing where people were like, ‘I’m not skinny I’m not white, I can’t do yoga, there’s no place for me to do yoga. I’m too big, I’m too curvy, I’m too bottom heavy.’ And I think that’s one of the things that definitely kept me going because so many people have said, ‘You definitely make me realise that I can love my own body and do whatever the hell I want to do.’
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Yoga has so many benefits, not just physically but mentally as well. It just creates a more stress free environment
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And that’s what I want to put forth with my Instagram posts and my practice of yoga; to focus on self-love, that’s one of the most important things.” To flaunt her curves and moves while the sand covers her body more than her bikini does, is something Alex says she couldn’t muster up the energy to do years ago. Because even though now it’s become a part of her brand and image, confidence and self-esteem are characteristics she didn’t always have. “This is my body,” she says proudly. “It took me forever to get to the place where I am now. I had so many insecurities, a serious lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem, but now I feel comfortable. “I feel like being a woman I should be able to embrace whatever comes with that. If that comes with me being naked on a beach doing yoga, if that’s what I want to do then, why the hell not? “A lot of people give me flack for thinking it’s just for the booty shots and I’m like, ‘No!’ I feel like yoga, or anything you do, you have to go full throttle with whatever it is. You have to make it whatever you want it to be, make it you and that’s why I do yoga on the beach. It’s just me and nature out there. I’m just me, I’m free, I can flow, the air is blowing and it’s gorgeous. I live in a gorgeous place so why not show it for what it is. I love my country and I love being in it.” When she’s not working on herself, Alex finds herself helping people work on themselves. She teaches yoga at the Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club, a private resort community on Guana Cay where the certified yoga instructor teaches some of the world’s biggest celebrities. “I went to Coral Gables, Florida, my company sent me to get certification last July. So I’ve been teaching for a little over a year. The joy that comes from teaching someone something is amazing. “Yoga has so many benefits, not just physically but mentally as well. It just creates a more stress-free environment and helps with self-love and engages your confidence and being at home with yourself. It helps to lower the blood pressure, it moisturizes the joints when it comes to increasing flexibility, but yoga is all over the place when it comes to helping you be a healthier person in all aspects.” I tried to get Alex’s list of yoga who’s who, but she’s bound to secrecy by a confidentiality agreement that she’s staunchly sticking to. But she does have a wish list. “I would love to teach yoga to Johnny Depp,” she said giggling. “He seems like such a quirky character. But really I would teach anyone willing to learn.” Perhaps her favorite student, though is this two-and-a-half-yearold yoga novice who might some day give Alex a run for her money. eLIFE 242 Magazine www.elife242.com 13
|||| COVER STORY “My daughter is constantly in downward facing dog,” she says smiling. “She always screams out to me, ‘Mommy, mommy, I’m doing yoga! Look, look!’ My husband is a huge yogi himself and he’s big into it and all over Instagram with his poses and moves. My entire family loves it now; my mom, my sister, they all do yoga now. It’s wonderful to see!” Alex says becoming insta-famous is just the tip of the iceberg for her, and adds that she now wants to turn her passion into a full-fledged brand. “I’m just excited to see where this all goes,” she says, clearly plotting her next move. “Looking back from where I came and to see the growth it reminds me that my potential is limitless, it’s invigorating to see or even think about what’s to come. “I definitely want to get a website going. I want to get some online classes going because a lot of people have been ask-
ing me about that and maybe get into more YouTube videos or maybe even get into some workout gear and market myself more. I want to start travelling and doing more retreats and bringing them to The Bahamas. Yoga retreats are big around the world and so many people travel to places like Costa Rica and Nicaragua for them. I know some of them happen in Eleuthera but I want to create a real yoga community in The Bahamas, that would be so beneficial to tourism.” And if you haven’t guessed already, yoga isn’t just something Alex does as a business, it’s her passion and her love. Yoga is something that she’s used over the years to find herself, find her center and love herself in a way that no one else could. “I think once you find your passion, once you find whatever ignites that fire in you, keep going with it,” Alex adds. “Do whatever it is you have to do to be
6 Fast Facts about the Bahayogi !!!
Music + Yoga? YES! It depends on my mood and the style of practice.
What are the styles and the songs? When I’m practicing power I like more upbeat music like Stromae, Drake or Rihanna. But, when I’m into a more healing and soothing practice I like to listen to Jack Johnson, Sade or Nao.
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the best you, the most authentic you possible. If it’s yoga, if it’s dance, if it’s writing a book, just go full throttle. Find your passion and be the best you.” Safe to say that yoga is here to “nama-stay” for the Bahayogi.
@BAHAYOGI on Instagram
Summer music playlist? On my summer playlist - old school tunes, Lauryn Hill and the Fugees, Erykah Badu and Biggie and some new tunes, Views by Drake and Kanye’s new album...oh and can’t forget Popcaan!
Fave summer food? Fresh fruit, mangos, soursop, watermelon YUMMY!
Fave summer memory? Last summer June, moving my family to Abaco - this was a huge step for us and the beginning of a beautiful journey. :)
Fave summer drink? Iced green tea with lemon and honey or a whiskey sour :P
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|||| PHOTO FEED
Around
TOWN
The eLIFE 242 photographers were out and about for the last few weeks, capturing some of Nassau’s hottest events. From food to fashion, this edition of Around Town is a tantilizing sample of a socialite’s dream!
K.O. ‘s Summer Sun Sation
#Summer16 kicked off with an insane beach fete’ put on by the party generals themselves, K.O. Productions.The Summer Sun-Sation took over the beach at Breezes Bahamas on Sunday July 3rd for the ultimate cooler fete’. Thousands of party goers showed up with their personal bar in tow for a Sunday Funday like none other. K.O. productions proves once again that they have the secret formula to a good time.
Great Food Under the Caribbean Moon Once again the team from Events by Alexandra presented the grown folks summer party “Under the Caribbean Moon”, a sexy food and music event on secluded Adeilaide Beach. This year the event saw a bigger attendance and featured Visage band. The night was filled with an awesome food selection and the vibes of good people from all over the island.
New Queens set to take on the world ! The scorching heat was no competition for the queens! On the Independence Day holiday, Bahamians got a real treat as the 10 ladies vying for the title and crown of Miss World Bahamas put on a show for the crowd at one of the pageant’s preliminary rounds. The Sands Beer Swimsuit Competition was held at the Estavida Terrace at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort.
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“
|||| TRAVEL
“The Bahamas” Rocks NYC
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WORDS: eLIFE 242 Writer | IMAGES: Ministry of Tourism
They really put Bahamian music & creativity on display at the closing concert & award ceremony.
YC. LIVE in N rforming e p c a D-M
at Caribbean Week
Bahamian musicians, singers and culinary artists were front and center in New York City recently at the Caribbean Rocks NYC event as part of Caribbean Week! No one parties quite like Bahamians and that was more than evident at the celebration set to honor Caribbean heritage in The Big Apple. The Bahamas got the party started with a good ole party in the backyard, that saw the likes of D-Mac, Stilleet, Lady E, Puzzle and the 2016 Music Masters winner Fanshawn hit the stage at an all-Bahamian celebration. But they really put Bahamian music & creativity on display at the closing concert and award ceremony that also celebrated the TEMPO Net-
Stile et pe rform ing L IVE in NYC
work’s 10th anniversary. We don’t know if the New Yorkers were quite ready for Stileet’s high kicks and jumps, DMac’s slow island wines and Fanshawn’s heart thumping stomps and beats.
eLIFE242 was in the building at the legendary B.B. Kings Blues Club and Grill for an all-star Bahamian showcase that was nothing short of amazing. It was pure energy, excitement and 242 pride in the building as the Bahamian set injected New York with the infectious Bahamian sounds of rake and scrape and the ultimate end to Caribbean Week, a good ole junkanoo rush out!
Jibrulu and Band Director Genral Joy
Gue sts enjo ying Bah ami an F ood !
COLORS Junkanoo group performing LIVE on a roof top in NYC.
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eLIFE 242 p r e s e n t s
Sound Check w/ S.B. DREAD
Sometimes you just want some good ole hip-hop and rap music, especially in the summer time. You want music that’s reminiscent of a hot summer drive around town; windows down, breeze blowing and the bumping beats and flow bringing it all together. eLIFE242 got a whiff of the My Life Transition, an EP by Bahamian rapper S.B. Dread and it is this summer’s soundtrack. And while the 8-track album is absolutely fire, the story behind it is even more astounding. Like Kanye West bounced back from his accident and got a second chance at life, music and success, S.B. Dread’s story and rise in the rap game is similar. eLIFE242 caught up with the “trap mogul” for a sound check.
I THINK WHAT SETS MY STYLE AND SOUND A PART FROM OTHER LOCAL RAPPERS IS THAT I’M NOT TRYING TO BE TRENDY OR SOUND LIKE ANY OF THE POPULAR RAPPERS FROM THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA.
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WORDS: eLIFE 242 | @eLIFE242 IMAGES: Blair J. Meadows
“Surviving a car accident back in summer 2014 is what inspired me to do the EP,” he says. “It wasn’t until I survived that accident that I realized that I could’ve died and not do any of the things I said I would. “When I got back on my feet I reached out to my engineer King Meco from the HD Boyz, and we started working on the project. We probably recorded three albums worth of music before I cut the songs down to eight for the EP. We worked with some dope local up and coming artists for this project. People like Adria, FindawayChase, Skully, Cohen Fox and J.me all have features on the EP. Nassau has a lot of talented artists that deserve attention. Hopefully, people actually take notice sooner than later.” eLIFE242: Tell us a little about your journey as an artist and how you got into the business. S.B. Dread: You can say my journey started in high school back when I was in a group called All-Starz. I rapped prior to that, but that’s when I actually learned how to write songs and how to record. After high school the group disbanded, but I ended up in another group (B.A.S.S), while I was at the College Of The Bahamas, with other members from the old group and some other friends that did music. We came together and put out a group project in the summer of 2010. That tape got a lot of attention locally, and it was around that time that I started to meet a lot more people in the local music scene. I made a lot of connections during that time that still benefit me today, so I guess that project is what helped me to get my foot in the door of the local music industry. eLIFE242: What sets your sound and style a part from other local rappers? S.B. Dread: I think what sets my style and sound a part from other local rappers is that I’m not trying to be trendy or sound like any of the popular rappers from The United States or Canada. A lot of local rappers here try their hardest to sound like people like Drake or Future instead of trying to find their own lane or sound. With me, I try my hardest to stay away from using someone else’s style or flow. Originality is important in music, especially in a genre like hip-hop. If you sound just like everyone else, how are you supposed to stand out? I’ve been told that I have a lyrical style, and that I have a sound that’s kind of gloomy for
a person that’s coming from a place that’s known for sun, sand and sea. But if I were to be completely honest, I don’t want to say I have a definitive sound or style just yet. This is just my first solo project, I might end up going a completely different direction with my music by the time the second one rolls around. eLIFE242: What are your favorite tracks on the EP and why? S.B. Dread: My favorite tracks from the EP; I would have to say Permanent Muse and The Call (Before Transition). Both of those records are special to me for different reasons. Permanent Muse is a song that was inspired by an off and on relationship that I had with a girl. Dealing with her had a heavy
& 2 Chainz That Part – Schoolboy Q ft. Kanye West Sex With Me - Rihanna Needed Me - Rihanna No Flockin’ - Kodak Black Why Don’t We Fall In Love - Amerie How’s It Going’ Down - DMX Summertime - Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff Give Me A Try – Sizzla Inna My League - Mavado Salty Tic Toc
Now S.B. Dread says he’s multi-talented and not only is he focusing on his music career, he’s the HNIC of a booming urban street wear brand called Trap Mogul. eLIFE242: Tell us about your street wear brand and the idea and inspiration behind that and where can we find it? S.B. Dread: My brand is called Trap Mogul. I came up with it back in 2013, but I didn’t officially launch it until March of 2015. The brand is hip-hop inspired in the sense that rap is known for people coming from negative situations that they turn into something positive and very lucrative. The people that aren’t up right now, but are finding a way to come up, that’s who this brand represents. At the moment, you can only order the gear from the official Trap Mogul website (www.trapmogul.com), but I plan to have a pop-up shop somewhere in Nassau for the release of the new collection. That way people can actually come in and get their stuff that same day instead of waiting for days to get the package delivered.
influence on the music I made, hence the song title. The Call is a song I had for a while but started to mean more to me after I got in the accident. The song touches on if I’m ready to go and if I’d be able to accept getting that call home even with all the things I wanted to do in life unfinished. Obviously, after a near death experience a song like that would hit you a lot harder, especially if you’re the person that wrote it. eLIFE242: What songs are on your summer playlist? S.B. Dread: These are the songs on my summer playlist:
One Dance - Drake Controlla - Drake ft. Popcaan For Free - DJ Khaled ft. Drake Lockjaw - French Montana ft. Kodak Black By Chance - Rae Sremmurd No Problem - Chance The Rapper ft. Lil Wayne
eLIFE242: What’s next for your music and clothing brand? S.B. Dread: The next step is pushing both the brand and music abroad. I love Nassau, but there’s only so much that you can accomplish here as far as music and fashion are concerned. If I really want to get my music and Trap Mogul where I really want them to be, I’ll have to take them somewhere that actually has a real music and fashion scene. S.B. Dread says by early next year, he’s looking to take his talents to some of the world’s most popular and poppin’ cities with hopes of getting the connect in Miami, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, or Toronto to network and push his brands.
eLIFE 242 Magazine www.elife242.com 21
|||| STYLE GUIDE
SUNNIE DAYS
The sun is absolutely blazing this summer! And while we go to great lengths to protect our skin and hair, we must remember to protect our eyes. That’s why eLIFE242 caught up with Lashanta McKenzie to break down the hottest trends in sunglasses this season. You know her; she’s the owner of the hottest local online sunglasses store, Made In The Shade. “Trendy statement makers and fashion eyewear risk-takers is Made In The Shade, an online
sunglasses store to frame your personality,” she says. “Our aim is to provide an array of affordable street-style, current trends and one of a kind pieces. In short, our goal is to maintain customer service, style and quality. “So it’s summer time and sunglasses is our favorite accessory! Our top three choices for summer’s must have peepers for the gals are Purple Reign, Not So Basic and Blurred Lines.”
CURATED BY @_MADEINTHESHADE_
Purple Reign:
An elegant; yet modern pair of sunnies that adds a pop of color to any piece.
Not So Basic:
A perfect choice for an everyday look with a hint of flare.
SHOP ONLINE
@_madeintheshade_
ON INSTAGRAM
And for the boys, here are
our picks for your summer sunnie styles. This summer ‘16 our choices for men are sleek, trendy and modern. The traditional Ray Ban shape is a classic for men all year round, but with a little hip design he’ll be starring.
Blurred Lines:
Is a luxury summer style aviator that is sleek and trendy.
Ray-Ban:
These classic shaped sunnies are for the man’s man.
Tortoise Affair:
Not just for the ladies anymore, this funky print adds a touch of glamour to his face.
Dipped in gold: The sliver of gold on the rim of these shades adds the perfect touch. 22 www.elife242.com eLIFE 242 Magazine
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