Fresh Face Magazine by Jordan Richings

RICKY HARRIOTT-KIT NEALE-MARTIN VAN DER HORST CAKES DA KILLA-CHARLOTTE BRUTON

FRESH FACE MAGAZINE WAS DESIGNED AND CREATED BY JORDAN RICHINGS-AMY HARRIS-LIISA KUSNIR AND MISHA BERRY

CONTENTS 4 QUEER-HOP 6 CAKES DA KILLA URBAN 8 UNDERGROUND 12 RICKY HARRIOTT 18KIT NEALE MARTIN VAN DER HORST20 SHOP22REPORT CHARLOTTE 26 BRUTON 28STREET STYLE

QUEER HOP THERE'S A NEW KIND OF HIP HOP IN TOWN... 4

From left to right Mykki Blanco Photography Sandy Kim Le1F Photography Jake Moore Cakes Da Killa Photography Alana Yolande Zebra Katz Photography David X

Currently in New York there is an array of homosexual rappers emerging and completely changing the face of Hip-Hop. ‘Queer-Hop’ (also known as ‘Homo-Hop’ or just queer rap) has sprung up a new scene and brought on the ‘homie-sexual’ image. Gay lovers of Hip-Hop are mixing the masculine style aesthetics of Hip-Hop and adding feminine touches, one prominent example is the artist Mykki Blanco who juxtaposes his androgynous drag look with a masculine Hip-Hop vibe. You can expect glitter, loud colours, crazy prints, wigs, lace, frills, anything overtly feminine and in your face you name it, all mixed together with a 90’s Hip-Hop throwback look. The manifesto of this scene is hard to pin point, there had always been club nights in gay bars for the gay Hip-Hop lover, I recently discovered the club night ‘Homie-sexual’ that used to happen in Manchester back in 2003. The scene emerging from New York can also be linked into the days of the Vogue-er, with gay rappers such as Zebra Katz referencing the subculture’s terminology in his music (I’ma Read ft. Njena Red

Foxx). But it is not until now that ‘Queer-Hop’ has been more prominent, the internet is such a powerful tool in this day and age to help promote and raise something new. Along with the overwhelming power of the internet and social media, it’s a completely different day and age. Although the matter of being gay is still a massive taboo in many cultures, it has never been more accepted. Hip-Hop is such a hyper masculine topic and scene, it is very well known for being very homophobic. But this is changing, with rappers such as Kanye West and A$AP Rocky pushing the boundaries in their fashion choices, not being scared to allow femininity into their outfits and outwardly standing up against homophobia, it is helping to change the violent and volatile face of Hip-Hop. Although there are still many in the Hip-Hop scene that will be homophobic, the artist’s that are emerging on the scene do not care. With their in your face, shock factor looks and lyrics, there’s no escaping them or their message, they are here and they are queer. Article by Jordan Richings

URB UNDERG 8

BAN GROUND 9

EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE LAND OF BRUM, THE VILLAGE INN CLUB RUNS URBAN UNDERGROUND, ONE OF THE BEST GAY HIP-HOP NIGHT'S IN THE UK.... Being gay myself, the majority of the time when I hit the town it will be to a gay bar. I head out knowing what it’s going to be like. There will be cheesy pop music, Joey Essex clones, at least 5 people wearing the same top/chinos/ shirt from Topman/River Island and enough spray tan and foundation to pamper a gypsy bride on the day of her wedding. Although this is sometimes one of the things I love the most about a good, cheesy gay night out, it can become tiresome and frankly annoying. There’s no diversity, nothing new. But in the contrary, upon attending the Urban Underground club night at The Village Inn club in Birmingham, it was a breath of fresh (to death) air. I’m quite a big fan of Hip-Hop and it is always soul defeating when you head out on a night out, wanting to get down to the latest A$AP song but instead you are left only to get down to the likes of Cheryl Cole and Kylie Minogue. But at Urban Underground, you definitely get your ghetto, booty-shakin’ fix. As the name suggests it is an Urban music night so you can expect many genre’s such as Hip-Hop, R’n’B, Reggae, Dancehall and Grime, all played from the regular DJ, named DJ Primani (yes, I am being serious). Apart from the change of music played, what the crowd was wearing was also a nice change. Although

not a huge alternative to the regular gay night out, there was a notable difference in the style. There was crazy, 90’s throw back prints, bright colours, oversized tops paired with super tight, super short shorts, big gold chains and snap back’s galore. Although the crowd was not as daring as some of the style emerging from the whole Queer-Hop scene in NY, it’s a nice start and in my eyes is only going to get more and more daring over here in England. The one thing I was disappointed about however was people’s lack of wanting to have their photo taken. However I did manage to get some decent shots to give an insight to the fashion of the night out. All in all, I enjoyed the night and it was a well needed change of scene. If you’re ever up in Birmingham and are heading out on a Saturday night, make sure it’s to Urban Underground, you will not be disappointed. There are also some club nights in London, HCL (hard cock life) and Bootylicious are just two of them. So if the Brummy accent isn’t your cup of tea, give those a try, I can bet they’ll be just as good.

Photography and article By Jordan Richings

RICKY HARRIOTT

FRESH FACE CHILLS WITH STYLED TO ROCK CONTESTANT RICKY HARRIOTT AND FINDS OUT WHY HIP-HOP INSPIRES HIS WORK AND HIS THOUGHTS ON THE RISE OF QUEER RAP... FF: Tell us what you think of the emerging gay Hip-Hop artists and who was the first you heard of? Ricky: Well the first artist that caught my attention was Nicky Da B when he featured on Diplo’s track Express Yourself. When I heard the song I checked out the video and was quite shocked! Diplo is quite a masculine artist and when you watch the video you have this gay guy rapping and twerking! (For those unfamiliar with twerking, it is a dance that heavily involves the buttocks. Youtube it.) The collaboration was interesting to say the least and was good to see such a thing in a more main stream kind of way. Also I think that all of the gay artists emerging is great. Like I’ve always loved hip-hop, I don’t think being gay and liking hip-hop necessarily means you’re in a scene or defines you. But I think the whole kind of message of it does, if you live by it, like some gay guy’s would dance completely different to a Hip-Hop track in a straight club compared to a gay club. There’s so much stigma over gays in Hip-Hop and it’s like now with these artists coming out, being more mainstream, you don’t have to worry about what people think, it’s all about being yourself and not going with these imaginary rules everybody thinks there is within the whole Hip-Hop

scene. FF: Which Hip-Hop artist’s inspire or have inspired you? Also, any Hip-Hop style icons? Ricky: I grew up listening to Snoop Dog and Tupac, they were always being played within my household. Also Phar rell (Williams) has always been a hero to me. I’d say him and Tupac are definitely two of my style icons. With Tupac it’s the whole raw, urban, effortless vibe he had, his style will always live on, people are channeling it all of the time. With Pharrell it’s because he doesn’t just go with the same influences a lot of other Hip-Hop artist’s do. He’s not scared to really show what inspires him in his style, like he’s a massive fan of comics, video games and that whole kind of geeky school boy vibe which I love also. One of the artist’s on the whole queer rap vibe that is inspiring me lately is definitely Azealia Banks, especially from her latest video for Atlantis! She’s so fierce and again isn’t scared to be different in her style and step away from the whole stereotypical Hip-Hop look. Hip-Hop is definitely my comfort zone though if I’m designing, you come at me with an urban artist to design for and I’m good.

"YOU COME AT ME WITH AN URBAN ARTIST AND I’M GOOD”

FF: So, after your current stint on

Styled To Rock, what have you got planned next? What are you aspiring to do? Ricky: Well at the moment I’m just finding my feet after the show and am doing a few designs for a few people, I’ve recently just made a couple of pieces for Nicola Roberts and Vince Kidd. But in the long run I’d love to be the creative director of my own brand or of another successful brand. FF: And finally, elaborate on your outfit! I want your cap! Ricky: The Camo jacket is from Topman and I embellished it with my Vivienne Westwood pin. I got this blue jumper from a charity shop, I can’t remember where about though! The shorts are Moncler x Comme Des

Garçons, I’m so in love with these shorts I find it hard to take them off, Comme Des Garçons is one of my favourite brands. The hat is from Kenzo and it’s a collaboration with New Era. My trainers are Nike which I have had for ages.

Photography and article by Jordan Richings

CAP-KENZO X NEW ERA

TRAINERS-NIKE MACH FORCE JACKET-TOPMAN

SHORTS- MONCLER X COM DES GARCONS

BROACH-VIVIENNE WESTWOOD 17

FROM HAPPY TO URBAN THE LONDON SHOPPING SCENE HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY

WHO'S IN AND WHO'S OUT? EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER IS GETTING COLDER, AFTER CAREFUL OBSERVATION I CAN SAY THAT FASHIONABLE YOUNGSTERS ARE NOT SHYING AWAY

FRESH FACE