The5Twenty Issue #3 Feb 2013 by The5Twenty Magazine

MUSIC - ART - PHOTOGRAPHY - CLOTHING - POETRY - 520

VII GRAND NEW SHOP ON THE BLOCK

KIDD KUTZ THE MAN BEHIND THE MIX

POST SCRIPT POETIC JUSTICE

APERTURE SHUTTER THE GIRL BEHIND THE CANON

Class is Now in Session!

Honor Roll

ISSUE #2 FEBRUARY 2013 THE5TWENTY.COM

GANG

The Validictorians of the Game

intro/welcome W

ell I am proud to say that we are officially here! With our first issue under our belt I feel that we have taken our first baby step towards that which we have set out to become, Tucson’s Premier Urban Lifestyle Magazine. I’m humbled by all the positive feedback we’ve received throughout the past month and I would personally like to thank each and every one of you that has downloaded our January issue.

he Hip Hop scene in Tucson is growing at a rapid pace and we look forward to the challenges we face by trying to cover as much ground as possible. With that being said, one of the questions I was asked the most this last month was “How do I get into The5Twenty Magazine?” And my answer is simply this, your craft must speak for itself. If you are making noise in the town, we will definitely hear you.

contents 01

On the Cover

Honor Roll Gang takes us on tour

Photo Sessions

Artist(s) Of The Month

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Aperture Shutter captures our photo spotlight

One word....GANG

5Twenty Fashion Derrick Williams comes back to the T.U.C in a Grand way

Meet the DJ Kuttin it up with DJ Kidd Kutz

he truth is we may not know every single artist in town but our goal is to change that so here’s what I would do. Contact us and let us know what you do and why you think you deserve an article. If you have an album release coming, let us know. We’d love to promote for you if it’s up to par. If you have an event coming up, let us know. We love covering local events that have a positive message and/or cause. Not to mention we sell ad space to promote you and/ or your business so if you’re interested please contact us

advertising 02 12 22 31 31 38 38 39

Corrupt Alumni

The Underestimated City

The Terrifix Honor Roll Gang AK Cycles Empire Customs Pureline Ink HiEndTight Barbershop Starstruck

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sections 36 40

The Power of Words

Kamerata’s Post Script gives us a few of his best

Chopping it UP w/ Chef Mando

A classic Mexican dish that everybody loves, especially here

Charismatic Cool w/ KLEPTOO

Skip Dear Abby, ask the man himself for advice

Big Boy Tech Toys

Stay up on the latest, coolest gear

about buying 1/4, 1/2, or full page ads. The bottom line is be professional and we promise to look into what you are doing and if it fits our criteria then we will cover you no questions asked.

’m excited to say that our staff is steadily growing. Next month we will have new writers, photographers, and designers that are dedicated in helping us grow. We know our magazine is only as good as it looks and it’s content and those are our two biggest goals. Also we are still in the works of getting actual prints done this way we can sell them all across the city and grow into a fully functional magazine on a grand scale.

nce again I thank everyone that can see and share our vision here at The5Twenty. This months features were an honor to cover and we hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed interviewing them and getting to know each featured person on a more personal level. Peace ∞

Fernando”kAZual”Aguila Jr.

Editor & Creative Director

THE5TWENTY Chief Editor Fernando Aguila Jr

Photographers

Sales Manager

Fernando Aguila Jr

Assistant Editor Christina Aguila

Bert Sinatra

Assistant Editor Chris Willhoit

Art Director

Graphic Designer

Fernando Aguila Jr

Advertising Director

Web Designer

Assistant Editor Darius J Lovehall

Fernando Aguila Jr

Assistant Editor Allan Holguin

Marketing Manager

Writer

Fernando Aguila Jr

Questions and feedback: Please feel free To contact us THE5TWENTY MAGAZINE Tucson Arizona Phone: (520)235-8201 Email: the5twentymagazine@gmail.com www.the5twenty.com

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5Twenty Photographers Deadly behind a Canon! By Fernando “kAZual” Aguila Jr

t’s Saturday night and I pull up to Delectables on 4th, about to go see Al Basics do his first show back in Tucson since he moved back to Queens. I walk in to see him and the whole Kamerata family sitting next to a young red head with braces and a camera bag. We’ve chatted through Facebook but never in person. Finally, I meet the photographer who’s been capturing all those clean pics at the local Voicebox Battles. Finally I meet the killer ginger who’s been representing females on the battle scene, the one with a name that epitomizes the camera game, the girl named Mary Macphee aka Aperture Shutter. And if you don’t know anything about aperture and shutter speed when it comes to photography, don’t you dare call yourself a photographer.

sually when I do an interview I have my questions ready in the Notes app of my iPhone and record the answers using the Voice Memos app so I don’t miss a thing, but this night was different. One, it was too damn loud as Saer Uno was mixing the hits, and two it was way too cold to take the interview outside. I had to improvise and abbreviate in my notes but the truth is I remember every answer so clearly. Why? Because her answers were just so damn genuine and heartfelt, that’s why. Impressed I was by this 19-yearold multi talented individual. (cont)

Lights, Camera..

Aperture Shutter

Mary just loungin in a self-portrait. All photos by : Aperture Shutter

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Some of Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite shots including Al Basics, Chris Leon, Black One, Johnny Redd, Marley B, and a recent wedding.

Just a few of Mary’s favorite pics Photos by: Aperture Shutter

s a young teen Mary loved to draw and paint but one day when her mother basically told her she had no artistic skills, she decided maybe taking pictures would be more up her alley. So her mom bought her a Barbie camera to play with but to Mary it was much more than a toy, it was expression in the purest form. She instantly fell in love with photography and it’s been her number one passion for the past 6 years. During all 4 years at Tucson High, Mary was the president of the photography club and currently has a minor in film and photography from Glendale Community College as she finishes up college and explores possible majors.

ut there’s just something about Mary (yeah that’s right, I went there) that speaks louder than her snapshots. It’s the fact that she is a total humanitarian and an honest soul. When Mary isn’t behind 10

her Canon, she’s volunteering at the ASDB, the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind where her brother has been attending the past 18 yrs. When I asked her if she could do a photo shoot with anyone dead or alive her answer was Martin Luther King Jr. and tells me she has done the MLK Day walk here in Tucson for 12 years straight. Dr King’s life story and teachings are the backbone of Mary’s persona and the way she chooses to live her life in general spreading peace and love everywhere she goes.

esides her volunteer work and charity work, Mary enjoys spending time with her folks. She’s very family orientated and anyone who’s a friend with @apertureshutter on Instagram can see it. Besides photography, she has recently taken up skateboarding this past year since she’s been

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around skateboarders for years photographing them. She’s also taken a recent role as a female battler with her homies from the Voice Box Battles and is taking on opponents in Phoenix and an upcoming battle in Colorado. “I like to have my hand in everything” says Mary and I totally agree. She tells that her dream camera would be a Canon Mark 5D and her dream job would be to work as a photojournalist for National Geographic and travel the world to capture life and the side to it that not everyone gets to see. She also hopes to one day run her own photography studio and teach photography.

hey say a picture is worth a thousand words and Aperture Shutter’s photos are living proof. “I love to capture the

moments that the people will cherish for a lifetime”, says Mary. As a photographer myself, I can easily spot other photographers that just have that eye for it and I truly respect Mary’s vision and passion that she brings to the table. I would strongly recommend to all my Hip Hop homies out there to get a shoot done with Aperture Shutter before her career skyrockets like I know it will. The5Twenty Magazine salutes Mary “Aperture Shutter” Macphee as our first featured photographer. Snap away girl. ∞l ∞

For more information on Aperture Shutter and to schedule a photo-shoot session, contact her at marymacphee@yahoo.com

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12 January 2013

Comi

ng S oon

Issue#1

MMXIII

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Intro by: Fernando "kazual" Aguila Jr.

ebruary marked a huge month for our featured Artists of the Month, the up and coming Honor Roll Gang. They’ve been labeled by few as a modern day Wu Tang Clan, with each member bringing his or her own unique flavor to the table for the Hip Hop public to feast upon. Among them are rappers, poets, singers, producers, photographers, videographers, marketers, illustrators, graphic designers and some sick ass beat makers as well. Not only are they dabbling in the music scene, but also they are making their motion picture debut this month in Trip Fontaine’s highly anticipated “Gold”, which is filmed by Che West and stars the whole crew and other local artists such as Cash Lansky, Marley B and E Fresh. Now normally I would do the interview and either write up a story or do a Q & A with the artists but this month I decided to do something a little different. Last month when I met Trip we talked about their article and what direction we were planning to go with when he told me about the tour they were doing and that he was planning to write a memoir about it. Who better to write a feature about your own crew than a member on the inside? I'm pleased to say that Trip's article was excellent and he plans to continue to write for The5Twenty. So without further adieu, I present to you.. Members Only: Spring 2013. ∞ (cont.)

CLASS IS NOW

Honor Roll Gang Members (from left to right) Jaca Zulu, Trip Fontaine, Johnny Redd, and 8ohEight. Photo by Bert Sinatra

IN SESSION the5twenty.com

The Honor Roll Gang posing during a photoshoot with 5Twenty photographer Bert Sinatra

Spring2013 A Short Memoir

By: Levon “Trip” Kadamyan

hen I was given the opportunity to write this article, I didn’t fully comprehend how challenging it would truly be to have to write about a movement that you’re affiliated with, without being bias. That is why the facts must tell this story. While the events and incidents maybe a far fetched figment of memory, and maybe chronologically blurred by bottles of liquor and hotel smoke sessions, I will write the events and incidents that have occurred exactly how I remember them.

“Enroll Or Get Rolled” T

his New Year started busier than any I have ever had in my life. Honor Roll Gang was on the move, the official formation had only started a few months prior, but Johnny Redd, Jaca Zulu & 8OhEight had spared no time in getting the pendulum swinging. I had left Tucson December 16th for a three week trip to Kentucky. The week I departed we had taken a break in the production of the first episode of “Gold”, a surreal visual series of money, power and betrayal (Premieres March 20th). The three weeks in Kentucky were used to film music videos for south eastern HRG acts, Kizzy McLaren & Kid Jet, who both were preparing for their projects to release early in 2013. 16

t was about an hour or so into the New Year and I had received a phone call from Honor Roll Gang illustrator Justin Winkler after he had left the show HRG was performing with Pigeon John, Marley B, and 24K Jake and J Boogie. The first words to come from his mouth were “You should have been here. Jaca & Johnny killed it tonight”. After my return back to Tucson that week, numerous friends and colleagues who were in attendance that night backed up that statement. The only people to disagree were Jaca, Johnny and 8OhEight themselves who’s opinions didn’t seem to matter, because like any artist, they always think they could have done better. The only focus they had was on the next big show.

here was no time for rest. In a matter of a few weeks Johnny Redd had booked his first regional tour for Honor Roll Gang. Us both being students I asked him: “What about school?” He replied: “What about it”? “We can still get both things knocked out”. It is reasons like this that I decided to take his offer of membership when he had founded the movement, his vision and fearlessness. And Just like he said, we did both. Every missed class was made up for, and every date was scheduled to work with our academics and the filming of “Gold”. (Cont.)

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he first stop of the Members Only Tour was for the Shade45 show in Phoenix hosted by Black One at the Monarch. That same week Johnny & Jaca performed at The Beauty Bar in the historic Fremont District of Las Vegas. I cannot give any details to the Las Vegas show, as it would be breaking the cardinal rule of Las Vegas.

The next stop was The Rock here in Tucson to perform at “Night at The Rock-Bury” hosted by Marley B, with performances by a handful of great Tucson acts such as E-Fresh, and Jake & J-Boogie. The next night Jaca was performing at Mr. Heads in here in Tucson, releasing his first solo project “W.O.R.D.” At the very same time, Johnny Redd & 8OhEight were performing at

The Terrace with Menacin Johnson & Aceyalone in Pasadena, California. Both shows went well, but the celebration was swift as the next day brought on film shoots with Menacin Johnson; a video shoot with 8OhEight for two tracks off his recent release “Valley Phever”, an HRG promotional shoot for merchandise, as well as two more shows that week in Los Angeles & Reseda, California.

OhEight and Johnny were able to return to Tucson for one night of rest. The following evening, they are back to work on the production of Gold and prepping for the release of Johnny Redd’s first single departure from State Champs “A Letter to My |X|.” During all of this, I was finishing up the video “500” for Kizzy, as well as Jaca’s video “Twelve Dollars”. Illinois HRG members Nick Arcade & Just Wise were working on their own projects as well as

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two hours until I received a call from Johnny. I thought he was calling to ask me what I though, but I was wrong. He was already calling in regards to his follow up project. I was stunned, by the time I finally mentioned his release that day he just shrugged it off and gave me his usual “I can do better, we can do better”.

Kizzy McLaren, Nick Arcade, Ra Stone, Kid Jet, Proph, Just Wise, Che West, Jay W and myself are all hard at work at musical and visual projects. Enroll or Get Rolled. Gang. ∞

the Highest Low and State Champs collaborative project “Champ Low.” We Stay busy! n Valentines Day “A Letter To My |X|” dropped. Although I had heard the songs on the project countless times, it was my first time hearing it completely finished. I must have had it on repeat for a good

ince the release of “W.O.R.D.”, “500”, & “A Letter to My |X|” Johnny, Kizzy and Jaca are back to writing and recording new solo projects as well as collaborative ones. Kid Jet is getting ready for the release of his first solo departure from Playground Prodigies “The Illness”. The end of February only brings more challenges and opportunities as Gold is being finished and polished for release at the end of March. Johnny Redd, Jaca Zulu, 8OhEight,

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VII Grand owners Derrick Williams & Mario Escalante

Local Events

Photo by: Fernando”kAZual” Aguila Jr.

The new brand on the block By Fernando “kAZual” Aguila Jr.

he street wear game just got very interesting here in the Tuc Town. Matter of fact its been elevated to a whole new level thanks to two young and talented individuals. One of them is a former University of Arizona basketball legend, now NBA superstar, and the other is a locally born and raised Air Force veteran, now business savvy entrepreneur who had a dream. It was the love of sneakers and the sneaker game that brought these two gentlemen together to achieve this dream. Of course I’m talking about Derrick Williams and Mario Escalante…. and that dream… is called VII Grand!

If you’re reading this then you are more than likely aware of what’s going down in town and the grand opening of (cont)

A 24

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Opening the5twenty.com

And as silly “ as it sounds to some people, the sneaker game is really my passion. - Mario Escalante Co-Owner of VII Grand

VII Grand was a big deal. Lately the clothing game has been booming here in Tucson but nothing that has had this type of celebrity hype behind it. Having a former Wildcat on your team is a definite plus but when that former Wildcat is D Will, lets just say your chances of blowing up are great, but then throw in hard to get in town clothing brands and your own clean looking clothing line, I’d say your chances of success are beyond certain.

II Grand opened its doors to the public on February 16th, 2013 in the heart of Tucson’s downtown district after what Mario described as a lengthily renovation process but the outcome was definitely worth the wait. Many were in attendance to get a glimpse of the city’s newest urban clothing store and the staff at VII Grand welcomed everyone to a memorable day. There 26

was free food and drinks all day long as well as the man himself, D Will who was in town taking pics and signing autographs for the folks who used to love to watch him bring the roof of the McKale Center down in a way that not many have. As a fan of all U of A basketball players it was an honor to finally meet him and I was grateful that even though they were in the middle of one of the biggest moments of their careers that they were kind enough to give me a few minutes of there time to snap a few pics for the magazine.

f course I told Mario that I didn’t want to inconvenience him and that I would come back another day to do the interview and when I did he was beyond humble and appreciative of what The5Twenty is trying to do for Tucson, just as we are appreciative of what he and Derrick are doing for the The5Twenty Magazine

city and that’s creating a place where the sneaker heads and street wear aficionados can get quality and hard to find gear, all within a short drives reach. Though Derrick wasn’t there this night for the interview, it was really awesome to be able to watch him go against OKC from his own store. How many people can actually say that? So today we are honored to give you our Q&A with VII Grand co owner Mario Escalante.

Q’s & A’s

The5Twenty sits down with VII Grand Co-Owner

T5T – How you doin today bro? Mario – Great man thanks for putting us on with y’all. T5T- No doubt man, so first question is, as far as owners go, who are the official owners of VII Grand? Mario- Basically it’s just Derrick and I as far as owners go. We came up with this thing together. I already had plans to get something like this going so when I told him about it he was like I want in, so we decided to make something happen together.

Mario Escalante to be the best, so to me the word “Grand” stands for superiority. And I mean no disrespect to anybody else that’s our mindset when it comes to this business so VII Grand is what we rolled with.

T5T – Nice, ok so next question is why Tucson? Especially with Derrick and what he can bring to the table, what made you want to do this here instead of like Minnesota where Derrick’s at or L.A? Mario – Basically being from T5T - Are you from Tucson? Tucson and seeing the struggle Mario - Yeah I’m from Tucson, as a sneakerhead and being into born and raised. the whole fashion thing and street T5T - Nice me too, me too. And are wear, you don’t have easy access to brands like Undftd, Obey, or Us you married? Single? Kids? vs. Them you know. You gotta go Mario - Single with no kids man to Phoenix or order online so I just (smiles). wanted to do something for Tucson T5T - There you go, single business cuz I know how bad we needed bachelor (ladies, you reading this?). it. You can’t just hop in your car Ok so next question, why the name and go down the street and pick something up, no you gotta wait VII Grand. I understand that #7 for it to get shipped to you. But is Derricks number but why VII if you go to L.A. shops like this Grand? Who came up with that? are everywhere you know. If we Mario - It was actually something would’ve opened in L.A people that I can up with and I presented it to Derrick cuz originally Derrick would’ve been like “okay”, but wanted to involve his number 7 but here in Tucson everyone has been I didn’t want it to just be a plain ol real supportive and they appreciate 7 or just one word. And if you think what we’re doing and that’s what its all about. about it, just like everyone else in this business, we’re trying to be the T5T – So how did you and Derrick best, shit in any business you want meet?

Mario – We met through mutual friends. I was friends with Jamelle Horne from the U of A basketball team and Derrick would hang out with Jamelle and we would all go places together and chill. And since we both loved sneakers we just kinda connected like that. I was workin at the Nike store at the time and I would tell him to come check out what we got and when and we just built a friendship through that you know, through the whole sneaker thing. Now its kinda like a big brother, little brother thing cuz you know I’m a couple of years older than but yeah its cool and we work good together. T5T - Your renovation looks awesome bro, the way the store turned out is super clean. What was your favorite part about it? Mario – I’d have to say the brick walls man. The brick walls really give it character ya know. I know a lot of people love the wood floors but honestly I think if we would of left the walls plastered it wouldn’t have the character that it has now. T5T – And what was your least favorite part about the renovation? Mario – (Laughs) I don’t know ya know, everything looks so good I can’t really hate on any (cont)

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VII Grand Snapbacks on display on Opening Day. Photo by Fernando “kAZual” Aguila Jr.

part about it. I’d have to say maybe just the time it took. That would probably have to have been my least favorite part about it, just sitting around and waiting for it to come together ya know, the whole waiting game. T5T – Yeah I can imagine how anxious you must have been. So what is your ultimate goal for the store? Mario – The ultimate goal is to just get Tucson on the map ya know. When people think of Tucson they be like “aww naw Tucson ain’t got nothing” ya know, but what we want is people to be like “yeah man we gotta stop at VII Grand when we in Tucson”. That would be our ultimate goal. T5T - What’s your favorite part about owning your own store now? Mario – (Laughs) I’d have to say just being a boss, I don’t gotta answer to nobody now. But also all the people that have been approaching me saying they appreciate what we are doing for Tucson and all that so that right there really makes all the hard work really worth it. T5T – What’s your least favorite part? Mario – Ummm, I’d have to say the paperwork and all that. Plus a lot of people want to come in and pitch their brands to me and all that, and me I’ll take the time to listen to what they got to say and it sucks to have to turn people away but this is a business and I have to be real selective you know. And I understand they’re just trying come up too but at this point in time so are we so yeah I’d have to say that’s my least favorite part. T5T - Who is your biggest influence in the street clothing game? Mario – Right now I’d just have to say Nick Tershay man, strait up, the owner of Diamond Supply. He’s been on the come up for so long workin hard you know. And he’s putting out everything from shirts to blankets, to lighters just being patient. He’s been grindin since like 98’, and a lot of people don’t know that because it’s only recently caught fire in the street wear game so yeah I’d have to say Nick Tershay man. T5T – Who’s your biggest influences in life? Mario – I’d have to say my mom. She’s such a hard worker. She came from Mexico with nothing and she just worked hard everyday to provide for her kids. And she still works hard to this day to make sure we are all good so yeah, moms is my biggest inspiration, strait up! T5T - What’s your favorite clothing line besides your own? Mario – I really don’t have a favorite man, I like to where a little bit of everything you know. I like

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Undftd cuz they use the whole sports theme, I like The Hundreds, I don’t know man I really don’t have just one favorite. T5T – As far as Hip Hop goes, who’s your favorite musical artist? Who do you jam out to? Mario – Man I’d have to say Nas is my favorite hip hop artist. “It was Written” is my favorite CD, the first CD I bought that I could just play the whole thing you know. Nas tells a story in a way that nobody else really can. I remember my cousin showing it to me and I was like yo I gotta get this. T5T – It was Written is definitely one of my favs as well bro. So next question is what do you love to do when you’re not working at the shop? Mario – Just chill and hang out with my friends and watch the U of A games and watch Derricks games cuz I’m still a fan you know, of Derrick and plus I got friends on the U of A basketball team. I’m friends with Soloman, Max, and Kevin, you know all those guys so yeah just catch up on sports and when I get a chance, get out of town and just see new places. T5T - Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Mario – In 5 years I see myself here still running the shop man, maybe even with another location somewhere hopefully. But definitely still doin the VII Grand thing man, we gonna be here, we ain’t going anywhere ya know. And now that I’ve seen that if you really put your heart into something there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have a second spot somewhere ya know so yeah definitely still doin this. T5T - Do you know any other local clothing lines? Have you bought anything from them? Mario – The Rep T.U.C guys were definitely welcoming when we moved in. They would come over and tell me a few things about the street wear game and yeah I purchased some of their stuff. The second I saw that hat with the little TUC tab on it I swooped it up. And honestly they’re probably the only ones I’ve actually bought something from so far. Cool peoples man. T5T - If you never met Derrick do you think you’d still be doing this? Mario – Oh yeah man, cuz like I said before its always been a passion of mine. When I finished school I started second guessing what I was going to school for. I was like is this really my passion and I had a hard time finding a job at the time and it just wasn’t were my heart was at. And as silly as it sounds to some people, the sneaker game, that’s really my passion. Ever since I was a kid and got my first Jordans man. And luckily since I was in the military I started to look into the Veterans Association about business loans and stuff so that helped out. And I

know I probably wouldn’t be on this scale, as far as publicity goes, but Derrick being apart of this definitely helps us a lot , but yeah even if I never would have met Derrick I’d still be doing this for sure. You can ask anybody that’s known me for a long time and they’ll tell you its been a dream of mine even way back then. Even my friends I used to work with at the Nike store tell me man remember you used to talk about owning your own store and it feels good now that’s it actually happened. T5T - Do you know anybody out here in the Hip Hop scene? Mario – I’ve heard of a few. I’ve heard of Cash Lansky. My boy Proof still out here doing his thing. My boy Jake from Phoenix is pretty nice. I know that I know more, I’m just spacing out a little bit so no disrespect to anybody I left out but yeah I’ve noticed the scene is starting to come up lately. T5T - Any shout outs you’d like to give or anything extra you’d like to add. Mario – Just shout out to EVERYONE who supports the shop man. To the city of Tucson, we do this for y’all. You know, Derrick recognized the need for something like this when he was out here playing ball. Not being able to get the clothes and shoes that you could get in L.A and places like that so yeah man just shout out to everyone that’s been showing us love. Shout out to Rep T.U.C for being so supportive; shout out to you guys for putting us in the magazine. We gonna do our best to keep this thing going! T5T – Mario thank you so much for your time and we wish you and Derrick much luck in your ventures and we look forward to watching both of you guys and your store VII Grand succeed. Mario – Thanks again for having us man. ∞

VII grand is located at 178 E. Broadway in downtown Tucson. Hour of operation – Monday Saturday from Noon to 7pm www.viigrand.com

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5Twenty Exclusive:

In The

Mix with

KIDD Kutz The Hot 98.3 DJ shows us first hand what his hands are capable of. 32

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his older brother AJ and one of his best friends started to DJ parties that he realized the impact of what a DJ was, what he represented and his ability By: to control the crowd. Kidd Kutz Fernando “kAZual” Aguila Jr. knew then that this was his here would Hipcalling.

Kidd Kutz W Hop be without the DJ? If you look

at the history of Hip-Hop its no mystery that the DJ helped give birth to the MC, who in turn gave us the lyricism and performances we love today. This became apparent to me about a month ago. There I was at a show at Club Congress when a strange feeling came over me. I started to question what I was doing there a ½ hour early by myself to cover the event for The5Twenty when the solitude started to set in. But then it happened, the reminder I needed. The DJ started to mix the hits I love and even the few others in the club with me started to move to the groove. This is why I do this. It’s HipHop, plain and simple. And whom do I have to thank for putting my mind back on track? The DJ. The DJ can turn a simple party into a celebration; he can make that nerve racking ride home in traffic much more enjoyable, and he can take you into a musical journey through time by simply using his hands. Its no wonder the DJ is the heart of any venue. I finally got to experience this magic live during one of Hot 98.3’s 5 o’clock traffic jam segments, and the magicians name was DJ Kidd Kutz.

Kidd Kutz, who’s been with Hot 98.3 since august of 2012, has been in the mix so to speak for over 15 yrs now. The 31-yearold Tucson native got his start at an early age thanks to being brought up in a family of musicians. Kutz also admits that being child of the 80’s and growing up in that genre was quite influential on his love for music. But it was when 34

He bought his first set of turntables from a gentleman he knew named Adolfo who still DJ’s to this day. It was Adolfo who then introduced Kidd Kutz to George Gonzalez, better known as DJ Hurricane. Kidd Kutz would beg his mom to let him tag along with George at all his gigs. He would carry record crates and help Hurricane set up for the night. “It was DJ Hurricane that molded me into the DJ I am today” says Kidd Kutz paying homage to his mentor who unfortunately passed away in November last year and is undoubtedly missed throughout the DJ community and throughout Tucson. For Kidd Kutz it is a constant reminder that God has indeed blessed him and he continues to live life this way. He’s rocked countless venues not only in Tucson, but also all across the states, down to Mexico and back up to Canada. Some of his more memorable gigs he’s done were during Spring break at Baja Junkie and Nikki Beach in Cabo San Lucas, up to Rock City in Alberta, Canada and one of his personal favorites at The Marquee in The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, voted one of the hottest clubs in the world, yeah “In the world Craig”. There’s no denying that this young master of the mix is well on his way. The5Twenty Magazine

To Kidd Kutz being a DJ is a full-time job and though he lives to perfect his craft, when he’s not on the one’s and two’s he loves to spend time with his family. He’s also a huge fan of live music and enjoys it whenever he gets a chance. But from what he tells me, that chance is not to often. He stays very busy with all of his responsibilities at Hot 98.3 and other local venues that he spins at such as Saturday nights at V in downtown Tucson and many more. And honestly when the man says his free time is very limited, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It shows ones dedication and his commitment to his hustle and for that The5Twenty salutes you!

Kidd Kutz doing the 5 O’clock traffic Jam at the Hot 98.3 Studios and Kidd Kutz with his mentor DJ Hurricane.

Kidd Kutz tells me he hopes to one day hold down a residency spot in L.A or Vegas but his ultimate goal would be to DJ for Power 106 in Los Angeles, California, one of the nations top Hip Hop radio stations. But Tucson will always be his home. He’s a true supporter of the local growing Hip Hop scene and promotes it every opportunity he gets. As for local favorites, Kidd Kutz says he’s been really feeling our January “Artist of the Month” Cash Lansky because his style and lyrics remind him of the way rap was during the early 90’s, an era he and I share as our favorite era in rap due to its creativity and simplicity, much different from the swag based, club vibe of today’s music. In closing Kidd Kutz says he would like to thank his family and friends for always supporting him every step of the way. For the city of Tucson always showing love every time he’s in the mix. He

would also like to send a huge shout out to all the staff at Hot 98.3, D-Wayne Chavez, DJ Apprentice, Rob from Main & Mace, and his sponsor Clocker Watches. And last but definitely not least Kidd Kutz would

like to dedicate this article in memory of

DJ Hurricane Aka George Gonzalez (1972 - 2012)

For more info or to contact DJ Kidd Kutz Visit w w w. d j k i d d k u t z . c o m Facebook.com/djkiddkutz

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The5Twenty Presents

Murmur... Your body language has been deeply encrypted, a secret sealed over the centuries. The decoder had been stowed away in stone tablets by your mothers mother who knew your true name but refused to call you by it. Scared that you to easily would divulge your name to a traveling salesman who would promise you the world if you paid him with your heart. Forgetting to mention that there would be no returns only credit towards future purchases. So she lost it purposely deep into the sands of time and wrote the coordinates on her heart monitors final flat-line. For she knew of the pain that love-lost could bring, being that she was forever paralyzed by her lost lovers mis-intentions. She never recovered from the heart break (brake?), And now her heart would jam the brakes at even the mere glance of a passerby, for she knew all to well of the well of lies in their eyes. The trauma left her heart with valves that were leaky, so when her heart attack arrived she was far from surprised. See its her heart that had been attacking her for years, and she never once came out of battle unscathed. She was war torn and bedraggled and hoped only to save you from doom, but what your mother passed onto your mother mothered only fear so now it was your heart that murmured. Murmured in a language you too could not unencrypte. You spent many cigarettelit nights attempting to decode that murmur. I admired you from afar as your body language screamed. Screamed my name without saying a word. See you were the first to kiss me with no mask on, but as soon as our lips escaped embrace you reverted back to where the clouds break. Providing only momentary bliss, spilling just enough of your sun rays onto me to keep me thirsty before retreating back behind the safety of the clouds. Now i seek you out waiting for the next time you grace me. Hoping one day i too will quench your thirst.

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The Power Of Ugly Duckling Complex... I am well articulated because of the mere fact that i appreciate words and you wanna judge me// When i barely rose from this disparity to single handedly carry the torch for the unlucky// I rose from the ashes like a phoenix and i mean this when i say i was truly an ugly duckling// But even when i emerged in a flesh suit you find suitable i never could get anyone to love me// So in my palisades of heartbreak i easily and wholeheartedly resorted to this lusting// Took me years to see clear that not only girls but the ills of life would so willingly fuck me// Now because of my history its no mystery why no one in there right mind would ever fucking trust me// Then i ran myself so deeply into the ground before i found that one profound thing that struck me// What goes around feverishly comes around perpetuates so karma is what exactly what this must be// So it took a self assassination via fire i acquired before reality budged me// Now I’m all alone with my poems and groans building another throne from nothing// All the while searching for something// All the while self destructing...

Words!

This months poetry submission came from a soulful poet and M.C by the name of Post Script. A member of the Kamerata family, Post Script has been mesmerizing crowds and readers with his spiritual and conscious words that come from deep within his mind, body and soul. Just last year he released his highly anticipated debut album titled “People” which brings the exact same philosophical word play and emotion that can be felt in his poetry. Post has also been hosting a local Hip Hop night known as Writers Block on Friday nights at Delectables on 4th Ave, showcasing a different local talent each week as well as an open mic cypher and DJ Saer Uno spinning some of the dopest Hip Hop all night. You can buy Post Script’s album at kameratarecords.com and you can check out Writers Block on Friday Nights at Delectables at 533 N 4th Ave. To submit your own poetry,please email a copy of he poem in your own handwriting and a typed version and email it to the5twenty@gmail.com and use “POETRY CORNER” as the title line.

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2926 E Broadway Tucson, AZ 85716

(520)326-8864

38 January 2013

Issue#1

the5twenty.com 39

it Up Choppin Chef Armando Duarte with

have been in the catering business for well over ten years and one of the most requested dishes that I am asked to make is Birria. Birria (pronounced bí-rri-a) is a spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with goat meat, lamb or beef. Birria is often ser ved during special events such as holidays, quinceañeras, and bir thday par ties but is good enough to eat any day of the week. Originally from Jalisco, it is a common dish in many Mexican food establishments such as Mi Nidito Mexican Restaurant located on south 4th Ave in Tucson. Any day during the week you can drive by and catch a line wrapped around the building eager to tr y their famous Birria Tacos. What I am giving you today is my own recipe that I feel is comparable to that of Mi Nidito and is one of my person favorite dishes to ser ve. I will break down the directions into four par ts, the Chile Paste, the Meat Rub, the cooking of the meat, and the ser ving of the 3-4 lbs Tamale meat with or dish. I hope you enjoy.- Chef Mando

Ingredients: without bones. 3 ancho chiles. 3 cascabel chiles. 1 teaspoon salt. 1 teaspoon pepper. ¼ teaspoon cloves. ¼ tsp ground cumin. ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. ½ teaspoon ground thyme. 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced. 1 tsp oregano. 2 bay leaves. 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped. 2 tablespoons vinegar. 1 cup of water.

1 2 3 4

Directions

C h i l e Paste : To ast th e An ch o an d C as c ab el C h i l e s on a hot p an u nti l brow n e d, but n ot burn e d. Rem ove t he s e e ds an d vei ns . T h en pl ac e i n a b ow l or p ot an d c over w it h hot w ater and l e t s o a k for 1 5 – 2 0 m i nute s . Wh en d on e s o a k i ng , pro ce ss i n a bl en d er w ith th e v i n e g ar to m a ke your ch i l i p a ste Me at Rub. Mi x th e s a lt , p e pp er, cl ove s , ore g an o, c u m i n , c i n n am on an d thy m e. Rub th e m e at wel l w ith t hi s m i xtu re. T h en c o at th e m e at w ith h a l f of th e ch i l e p aste. L e t mari n ate overn i g ht .  C o ok th e Me at: Fi l l a c ro ck -p ot ab out a ¼ w ay f u l l w it h w ater. C h op th e m e at i nto l arge pi e c e s . Ad d t he chopp e d on i on , b ay l e af, g arl i c an d th e rem ai n i ng ch i l e p a ste to t he water. Pl ac e th e m e at on a r ack th at sits ju st ab ove t he w ater. Pl a c e l i d on an d b a ke for 4 h ou rs at 3 5 0 d e g re e s .  Pre p are th e Di sh : Rem ove th e m e at an d pl ace i nto s er v i ng b ow l s . T h ere are two w ays to f i n i sh . T h e f i r st w ay ha s n o broth . Rem ove b ay l e ave s f rom l i qui d. If l i qu i d i s to o water y, re du c e by b oi l i ng i n a sm a l l p an . C o at the m e at chu n k s w ith th e re du c e d ch i l e s au c e. Us e m e at to f i l l tor t i l l a s an d top w ith on i ons an d c i l antro. T h e s e c on d w ay i s to l e t t he l i qu i d co ol sli g htl y an d rem ove th e b ay l e ave s . At th i s p oi nt s om e p e opl e bl en d th e l i qui d. Ad d en ou g h h ot w ater to m a ke at l e a st 2 c up s. L a d l e th e l i qui d over th e m e at th en sh re d th e m e at an d top w it h chopp e d on i on an d c i l antro. S er ve w ith w arm c orn tor t i l l a s.

If you would like to recommend a favorite dish, please send an email to the5twentymagazine@gmail.com 40

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the5twenty.com 41 the5twenty.com 41

Photo by Albert Rios

Photo by EmayFlicks

will start treating you like a half assed artist. Once you have some decent material under your belt then you need to learn how to promote yourself. Uploading music to the internet is not the same as promoting your music. Get a graphic designer to make promo materials for you. Go on the internet and do research on self promotion. Get a manager or research what managers do for artists so you can do it for yourself. Go to shows and network. Meet other artists and promoters. You can learn something from EVERYBODY... doesn’t matter if it’s what to do or what NOT do to. Research established artists and pay attention to how they got their start... everything you want to learn how to do to become established is on the internet... research the information you want to know and use it to the best of your ability.

5Twenty

Exclusive

Kleptooo!! What’s your favorite drink currently and

why? - Johnny Booze

My new favorite drink is “Ciroc Around The World” thanks to Margarite’s fine ass (@Margarite90 on twitter) , the rest of the “Cheetah Girls”, Nicole and the rest of Zen Rock’s sexy ass bartending staff. Come out to a friday night at Zen Rock and see why it’s my favorite drink... 1st round on me! HIIIIYYYYOOOO!!!

Dear Klep, so I’m

dating this girl right, going on a month now and everything is going great. Yes we’ve had protected sex and all that and yes it’s good, until.... I recently found out she’s been with a dude I know and despise and from what I heard they were together for a while. I feel like that guy in Office Space when he finds out his chick was with Lumberg. I know it shouldn’t bother me but it does and I don’t know how to tell her about it. Should I cut and run or work it out? - Confused LOLOLOLOL Cold Game bruh! I’m just messing with you fam. I’ve been there before sooooo I know exactly what you are going through. This is the way I feel about the situation man... What happened before you... happened before you. Everyone has a past, even you. Personally I don’t judge people by their past... I’d rather focus on the present and the future. If it was something that was going on while you were around then I could see the reasoning behind you being upset but if it’s something that happened before you then it’s petty and it doesn’t matter. If you like/love her then work it out b/c if you don’t you might miss out on something special and live with a lifetime full of regrets. 42

Dear Kleptooo, every time my man comes over

Yo Klep, I’m just getting started in this rap shit. Got

my home studio setup and a homie that makes beats. I’m working on my style and flow daily but here’s my question. What steps should I take to really get my music heard? I’ve got a Soundcloud, Reverbnation, and a Facebook, the whole nine, but I ain’t getting any plays. I haven’t done any shows cuz I don’t know who to talk to. What steps should I take to gain a following? - Lost Boy Hmmmmm... depending on what your goals are I could answer this question a lot of different ways. If you’re serious about your music and you’re just getting started DON’T RELEASE ANYTHING! The 1st thing you need to do is practice and perfect your craft until you start making music that should be released to the world. As soon as you start releasing half ass music, people

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he’s really protective of his cellphone. The other day he had it on the charger and he was gonna take a shower, he was pretty much undressed then came out and grabbed it all a sudden, and he’s lucky he did cuz I was gonna look through it. I’ve asked him to let me borrow it and he gets all “use your own phone”! I don’t trust him anymore and it’s ruining our relationship. What should I do? - Molly Hmmmm.... This is a tricky one... I’m the same way as your man... Rarely b/c I’m doing something I’m not supposed to be doing... I just don’t like people going through my stuff... I hate it when people invade my privacy... You never know what people are talking/ texting about... Just b/c he doesn’t want you going thru his phone doesn’t mean he’s doing anything wrong... He could be talking to friends/family members about something private... On the other hand I feel like trust is the foundation of a relationship so if you don’t feel like you have to go thru his phone b/c you don’t trust him then y’all shouldn’t be together anyways...

Yo Klep, how do feel about women who date rappers and is it possible to maintain a long term relationship? - Jeyy Rich Everyone has a certain type of person they are attracted to... Athletes, strippers, poets, drug dealers, doctors, lawyers, rappers, short, tall, fat, skinny, black, white, latino, etc., etc., etc... There’s nothing wrong with that... As long as the people involved in the relationship are confident and secure with each other then I believe a long term relationship is possible... The rapper (male or female) has to be ok knowing that they probably aren’t the 1st artist that the person they are dating has been with... And the person dating the artist has to be comfortable with the attention they are going to get from other people from the opposite sex...

Got a question you want to ask Klep? Send us your questions to the5twentymagazine@ gmail.com

and maybe Klep will answer yours.

the5twenty.com

03 Big Boy Tech Toys By Fernando “kAZual” Aguila Jr.

Put some good use to that Income tax check lol.

Morphie juice packs have been lifesavers for iPhone users for the past couple of years and recently for Galaxy S III users. Acting as a protective case, the Morphie Juice Pack has an internal 1500mAH battery that can extend your phones life up to 80%. The Helium is the first model to be released by Morphie for the iPhone 5. Made from ultra-thin

hipKey by hippih

How many times have you misplaced your keys only to waste about 30 minutes to find them. Now you’re late to work and your boss is on your ass like a shitty diaper (just kidding). Nonetheless it’s a situation we’ve all encountered. The hipKey by hippih (yes they spell it like that) is your solution, at least for iOS users. The hipKey is a proximity sensor that uses Bluetooth technology and you can attach to just about anything using its Find Me mode. But that’s not all; reverse the situation and you can use the hipKey to find your misplaced iPhone or iPad all within 50m respectively. But it doesn’t stop there either. Use hipKey’s Alarm mode and it’ll warn you if you accidentally forget your iPhone at the bar or if someone attempts to steal it. Child mode can let you know if your kid is wandering a bit to far, which is honestly way better than keeping them on a leash. And last but not least, attach hipKey to your gym bag or camera bag and Motion mode will let you know if somebody moves it. With all the theft going on in the world today, it’s not a bad investment. Purchase yours at apple.com. Price: $89.95 For more info go to www.hippih.com

Fitbit Flex

Wearable tech has been on the rise these past few years. First we saw the Up Band by Jawbone but it failed miserably, then came the One by Fitbit but its main setback was you had to clip it to your person like a iPod Shuffle and you could lose it just as easily. Then Nike came out with the Fuel Band, which has had much success with in-shape athletes but what about the rest of us? The Up band was on the right path because it not only tracked your activity levels but it could also be used as an alarm that would vibrate on your wrist; it tracked your sleep habits, and overall it was an item you could wear and forget about and sync all your information via USB. The Fitbit Flex is taking everything they did wrong and getting it right. Not only will it do all of the above but it will also sync via Bluetooth with iOS and Android devices, its water resistant and will come in a variety of colors that can be interchanged with other color bands to match your ensemble which was where I was SOLD!! Fitbit has yet to set a release date but their website will allow you to pre-order one. Price: $99.95 For more information go to: www.fitbit.com

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morphie juice pack helium strong plastic, the Helium is said to be 13% thinner than its older models and even lighter. I personally had one on my iPhone 4S when I went to Disneyworld last year and since I was using it to snap pics every 30 seconds it definitely came in handy by giving me enough juice to last throughout the entire day. Price: $79.95 For more information go to www.morphie.com

HTC ONE

Could this be the Android of all Androids? My vote is “Yes”. The One, HTC’s new flagship device is a 4G, 4.7”, Jelly Bean runnin, 1.7GHz processor packin powerhouse with a clean sleek design. It sports an ultra slim aluminum full metal body with HTC BoomSound dual front facing speakers that’s said to deliver a rich front facing sound experience. HTC’s new Blink Feed brings your home screen to life with live tiles that put the most important things in your world right in front of you. Though HTC doesn’t give an exact MP count on the camera, they say its has what’s called an UltraPixel Camera that captures up to 20 photos and a 3 second video at the same time and produces shots with 300% Kohler Moxie more light. 32 & 64GB models are expected to be arriving at T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint sometime in March. Price: $199 & $299 with a Speaker Showerhead 2 yr contract. For more information visit www.htc.com Who doesn’t love to sing in the shower?

I’ve come up with some of my best hooks in the shower..lol. Now, Kohler has made it easy for us to jam out to our favorite tunes or listen to just about anything we can get off our smart phones via Bluetooth. It’s unique design features a waterproof speaker smack dab in the middle of a showerhead. Pure genius if you asked me. The unit is held in place by magnets and can be removed to recharge and clean, cuz we all know what happens to a showerhead eventually. The Moxie is available at select Kohler carriers and online at Amazon. Price: $200 For more information go to www.kohler.com the5twenty.com

Big Boy Tech Toys is brought to you every month by our local gadget geek Fernando Aguila Jr. Tune in every month as we keep you updated on the newest, coolest gadgets to make life more simpler. -T5T