GUAP Issue 4 - The Anniversary Edition

- THE WORLD’S FIRST VIDEO MAGAZINE THE ANNIVERSARY EDITION

AVELINO INSPIRE.ENTERTAIN.

UK £4

#4 APR 16 - JUNE 16

OPENING CONCERT, PERFORMIN G L IVE IN A 2000 YEAR O L D R O M AN AM PHITHEATR E

DAMIAN ‘JR. GONG’ MARLEY

SLUM VILLAGE / IRATION STEPPAS / ASM

OUT LOOK FESTIVAL PER FO R M ANCES FRO M

HIATUS KAIYOTE REJJIE SNOW GOLDIE MBE JAH SHAKA RONI SIZE & KRUST PRESENT FULL CYCLE BENGA HIGH CONTRAST LONDON ELEKTRICITY ANGEL HAZE DAVID RODIGAN CONGO NATTY NOVELIST SECTION BOYZ DJ HYPE MALA DUB PHIZIX & STRATEGY CALIBRE KODE9

HAZARD S.P.Y LADY LESHURR MICK JENKINS MAD PROFESSOR TWINKLE BROTHERS ZED BIAS KABAKA PYRAMID LENZMAN ALIX PEREZ METRIK LEVELZ GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB ARTFUL DODGER ABRA THE HEATWAVE RA THE RUGGED MAN A-F-R-O AKALA MJ COLE MUNGO’S HIFI HIGH FOCUS RECORDS MILLION STYLEZ LOGISTICS NU:TONE IVY LAB

31 August - 04 September, Fort Punta Christo, Croatia

YOUNGSTA HATCHA ETHERWOOD MARCUS INTALEX CHANNEL ONE NORMAN JAY MBE ASM TROPKILLAZ HUCCI LEX LUGER KAHN & NEEK RANDALL LITTLE SIMZ SKEPTICAL HOT 8 BRASS BAND PRINCE FATTY, HORSEMAN & SHNIECE DJ Q ELIJAH & SKILLIAM RIKO DAN COMMIX DOC SCOTT BLU MAR TEN DJ SPINN AJ TRACEY TAIWAN MC

MANUDIGITAL GOTH-TRAD DOM & ROLAND POTENTIAL BADBOY OBF DLR COMMODO CAS IS DEAD DRS (LIVE) TRUTH AJ TRACEY J:KENZO HODGE SURVIVAL JACK SPARROW GANTZ KEENO KAIJU LSB HENRY WU ANT TC1 RESO EGOLESS ZERO T ONEMIND (LIVE) / DLR & MAKO + MANY MANY MORE

www.outlookfestival.com

\\ INSPIRATION// 9

Lily Mercer

DJ & Editor in Chief. Killing it.

10 Parris OH

Young prodigy doing it all for the culture.

11 Kane Chattey

Creativity has no boundaries.

12 The Refugee Crisis The Road To Freedom .

“When the OG calls, you’ll answer” Avelino Page 25.

\\ ENTERTAINMENT// 15 Yungen

24 KZ The Producer

16 Geovarn

28 Yo Gotti

Keeping it comfy.

Know the sound not the face.

The UK’s answer to The Weeknd?

17 Tiana Major9

When the Jazz hits the soul.

19 Naomi Kaji

Models. Models. Models.

20 Timbo

Mr Ey Le Le Le.

It go down in the DM’S. It go down.

\\ APPENDIX// 29 GUAP Fashion Odd One In.

GUAP is published four times a year.

Subscriptions: 1 year (4 Issues) £10/ Europe £20/ International £40 Single Issue: £4.

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21 TE dness

At the end of the period (June 2016) this magazine will be inactive. To view articles please visit GUAP TV (GUAP on Youtube.)

One time. One time.

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CONTENTS

FOUNDING PUBLISHERS Ibrahim Kamara & Jide Adetunji EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Davina Merchant SENIOR WRITERS Jide Adetunji & Davina Merchant CONTRIBUTORS Liz Lyne VIDEO SENIOR VIDEO PRODUCER Ibrahim Kamara ASSISTANT VIDEO PRODUCER Leon Carlton VIDEO EDITOR Ibrahim Kamara ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ibrahim Kamara PHOTOGRAPHERS Karis Beaumont, Nwaka Okpareke & Alicia Oyekan VIDEO EDITOR Ibrahim Kamara ONLINE EXECUTIVE EDITOR Davina Merchant MANAGING EDITOR Jide Adetunji SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Karis Beaumont FASHION PR Rachel Benson GUAP International contact@guap.co.uk

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EDITOR’S NOTE It’s that time of year where the sun is finally making an appearance, but for us at GUAP, it has been a pretty bright year. As we celebrate our first birthday, we want to start off by saying thank you to those who have worked with us and JIDE ADETUNJI featured in previous issues.

Now for the 4th edition and anniversary special, we are proud to have one of North London’s finest rappers Avelino on the cover. Known to many as Young Fire, Avelino spits straight fire on every track he makes. The rapper who teamed up with Wretch 32 and made a mixtape which should of been an album, successfully sold out their first joint show. This led him to releas a solo EP, called IBRAHIM KAMARA ‘Fuck Your Opinion,’ where he showed everyone that he can also do this on his own.

To celebrate our anniversary issue we have gathered some of the best emerging talent and industry professionals, to share with us their journey so far, current projects and why their chosen career is a perfect fit. So grab a cup of tea, kick back and enjoy.

- Davina Merchant

Executive Editor

MASTHEAD & EDITOR’S NOTE

DAVINA MERCHANT

PHOTO BY KARIS BEAUMONT

INSPIRATION

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LILY MERCER

take it global.

Hailing from North London, Lily is a multi-talented and incredibly passionate creative who has built a name for herself and an international brand from her love infused relationship with Hip-Hop. Spending most her time running Viper Magazine, her very own popular print publication and the rest of her time blessing the airwaves of Rinse FM and Apple Music Beats 1, Lily is definitely making her mark in the culture.

LILY MERCER

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for the culture.

PARRIS OH

Meet the young genius working behind the scenes at Sony Music, overseeing the promotion of all your favourite urban acts, both in the UK and overseas. Her portfolio of artists includes the likes of A$AP Ferg, Yo Gotti, Future, Yungen, Shakka and more.

In fact, at the tender age of 23, she was such a bright spark that the role was created specifically for her and she’s most definitely using her forces to change the game.

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PARRIS OH

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KANE CHATTEY

Ever looked into the eyes of a true artist? Well, here is a man whose creative pursuit helped build the foundations of multi-million pound media venture SB.TV. By the age of 22 he had worked with names such as John Legend, Snoop Dogg and Arianna Grande as creative director at SB.TV. All of this before progressing into a lifestyle of jetting around the world as a director, photographer and creative director for some of the world’s biggest names.

passion rules everything.

KANE CHATTEY

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THE REFUGEE CRISIS:

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has’ – Margaret Mead.

Have we forgotten our fellow humans?

Words by: Liz Lyne ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has’ – Margaret Mead.

When I was merely a girl people would ask me what I wanted to be when I was older, something I used to frequently spend sunny afternoons in the garden for hours pondering over. I wasn’t wholly confident when it came to career prospects but what I did know even at this tender age was that I wanted to be felt, I wanted to teach, I wanted to evoke emotion, but most of all I wanted to embody the change I wished to see in the world, and believe me, there were many.

Having come from a very intense political upbringing I’d long been interested in the mechanics of the globe and what made the world go round, I was intrigued by the Government, with their shark grins and closed handshakes, perpetually congratulating each other on being Masters of the Universe whilst the common people I identified with wilted slowly like flowers out of season, petals dropping daily.

Then it suddenly hit me. Was I endorsing the universal plight of the people by standing by and not saying or doing anything? Could it be that the likes of you and I were perpetuating the problem by turning a blind eye to the suffering that didn’t personally aggrieve us, but was happening nonetheless?

No one paints who we are except our own fingers but it would be nice for someone to pass us a brush every so often and God gifted me a whole set and an opportunity to evoke change when I met my now good friend Ra’ed Khan and the Road to Freedom team last year, something that would go on to change my world and the way I viewed it forever.

Over the last twelve months the colossal numbers of people seeking refuge in Europe fro m persecution, war and poverty has multiplied, tenfold, and we have all bared witness to their perilous, sometimes tragic journey from children drowning in the Aegean Sea to others being trafficked, or perhaps even the prison style camps in the Balkans have been enough to make you put down the latest celebrity magazine and really consider what travesties befall our fellow humans.

For Ra’ed this tumultuous, heart breaking situation hit home like a tonne of bricks and inspired him to orchestrate a heroic humanitarian effort, extending a hand of hope and help to those in desperate need of salvation which culminated in the creation of Road to Freedom, a non-profit organisation made up of volunteers who fundraise and work alongside official NGO’s and charities in different parts of the world to provide aid. The team (including myself and Ra’ed) has journeyed to Calais, Serbia, Samos, Dunkirk and the Macedonian border thus far delivering food, clothing and many other much needed items.

The aim of the organisation isn’t simply just to provide the necessary basic items but also to raise awareness internationally about the tragic effects of the continuing vulnerability of the refugees produced by war and oppression.

Sadly it goes without saying that the mainstream media conceal the full scale of the abhorrent situation overseas, it is a den of human destruction and a ploy to cast spells across the globe – spells we all fall under.

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THE REFUGEE CRISIS

We live in a world today where we, the common people, have a platform to voice our concerns more than we ever have before and the greatest privilege that comes with free speech is the opportunity to use your voice for those that don’t have one.

No one seeking a safe passage should have to risk death and prison camps just to cross a border.

Refugees have fled bombs, poverty and persecution believing that other countries would respect their human rights and offer them sanctuary. We cannot prove them wrong.

Seeking my own first hand perspective on the crisis became crucial to me, garnering as much understanding and knowledge as possible, hoping I could utilise this to not only better grasp the refugee crisis, but to be a worthy, well informed messenger in order to spread their story far and wide hoping somewhere a heart would beat for them.

On my journey with Road to Freedom I have seen doors shut, cheeks turn and eyes close, I’ve even been challenged about my desire to help. Many times I have been told that I should be helping causes that are closer to home, but since when did political significance bear any relevance to matters of humanity and suffering?

I question if that is what we as a society have become; People that go out of their way to make justifications as to why we should do nothing to alleviate the suffering of others? Would it make us sleep better at night thinking we have valid reasons to ignore innocent lives being obliterated daily?

Every act is an act of self-definition and any opportunity to give to another is one to be grateful for so I implore you to conduct forensic self analysis and look within, can we really sit by while thousands of innocent people lose their lives? I ask you, when the history books are written do you want to be remembered as the problem or the solution?

Joining Road to Freedom saved me in every way a person can be saved, it offered me a new perspective and insight, humbling me, but most importantly it taught me the intrinsic value of helping another and I can tell you it’s the most important work you will ever do. We have met so many beautiful souls on our route across Europe all of which have taken the refugee crisis as personally as we have, together we’ve achieved small, but important victories for these innocent people who have been engulfed in such desperation.

All of this leads to the point that if we cease to be divided, distracted and disinterested we stand a better chance of connecting with one another in love and understanding, out of this paradigm shift will come action that can solve so many of the challenges we as brothers, sisters and fellow humans currently face. It’s imperative we free ourselves from the over bearing narrative we are fed by the media and disregard the labels society tarnishes us with, only then will we realise that before our origin, our culture, our religion or our story, we were all just human.

This ongoing genocide transcends us, it’s bigger than us, but if we work together perhaps we can be the canvas that displays a brighter future for all mankind proving that as ugly as the world is, so much beauty still remains.

THE REFUGEE CRISIS

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PHOTO BY KARIS BEAUMONT

entertainment

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South London rapper Yungen has been an underground sensation since 2011 when he dropped a legendary freestyle for SBTV. Since then Yungen has been climbing his way to the top of the UK Rap scene. In recent years, along with his Play Dirty collective featuring Krept & Konan, he has had a wave of success finding him signed to Sony and on nearly every major festival line-up this summer. In this article we peep into the mind of the rising superstar.

PHOTO BY IBRAHIM KAMARA

YUNGEN music is comfy.

YUNGEN

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all about the melody.

After making music for 8 years, Geovarn tried his luck at singing after being encouraged by friends. Now 3 years into it, the North London singer’s passion shines through his music. With a smooth 90’s R&B vibe Geovarn has something special that will make him an international star.

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GEOVARN

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sing your heart out.

Growing up listening to the mellow vibes of Lauren Hill, Jazmine Sullivan and D’angelo and blessed with the voice of an angel there is no surprise she’s got the likes of SNE writing songs about her. With very little material out there we wanted to know why her talent has got so many people, including DJ Target and the MOBOs hailing the young star.

TIANA MAJOR9 TIANA MAJOR9

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NAOMI NAOMI KHAJI KAJI

flowerchild to supermodel.

This beautiful flower bloomed from Tottenham, North London to become one of the city’s most revered rising models. She talks us through her journey and shows us how her eccentric style and bold personality got her noticed and lead to her features on Vogue, BET and headlining in London Fashion Week at the age of 19.

NAOMI KAJI

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PHOTO BY IBRAHIM KAMARA

TIMBO

Timbo shares with us the highs and lows of his international climb to success. With hits over recent years racking up millions of hits online to nationwide tours with Afro-beat powerhouse Fuse ODG, Timbo has definitely been busy. However, with new management behind him and a new found hunger for success, Timbo says he is ready for the International stage.

music is global.

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TIMBO

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The West London rapper has been consistently making bangers for years, but it only seems like now TE is getting the recognition he deserves. After touring with Stormzy and supporting Future, he dropped the impressive EP ‘Not Much Longer, which dropped in January and that alone is evidence that he is one to watch out for.

perseverence only.

TE DNESS PHOTO BY IBRAHIM KAMARA

TE DNESS

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SCAN THIS PAGE TO VISIT STORE.

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You probably have listened to him a thousand times and don’t know it. The producer behind many of your favourite tracks, sits down with us and talks about his contribution to ‘Young Fire Old Flame,’ why he started producing and the importance of keeping the art organic.

PHOTO BY IBR

PHOTO BY IBRAHIM KAMARA

KZ THE PRODUCER making foundations.

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KZ THE PRODUCER

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PHOTOS BY IBRAHIM KAMARA

AVELINO

RAHIM KAMARA

North London native and extra-terrestrial lyricist Avelino graces the cover of our 4th Issue the “Anniversary” edition. He’s dubbed “Young Fire”, ironically so as his wordplay is as deep as the ocean, delivering waves of conscious and insightful content every time he touches the mic. 2016 is the ‘Year of the lyricist’ and Avelino is spear-heading the revolution.

AVELINO

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Since his introduction to the scene, alongside his close friend Wretch 32 he has already created some legendary rap moments. Keeping pace with the lyrical legend “The Old Flame” Wretch 32 on what’s widely regarded as the best fire in the booth and on their joint E.P. “Old Fire Young Flame”. Since then Avelino has released a solo E.P. called “FYO” where he shows us just how out of this world he is.

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AVELINO

AVELINO

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We caught up with Memphis Legend and International Superstar Yo Gotti, on his first ever trip out in London recently. It was a pleasure to get an insight into what it is like to have a top 4 album and a number record in circulation.

Not to mention, some personal advice on what it takes to be reach the top.

PHOTO BY ALICIA OYEKAN

YO YOGOTTI GOTTI

down in the dm.

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YO GOTTI

To be bold is to stand out.

Gone are the days where “Odd” Means Out. in our world “Odd” Means In.

OdD OnE In PHOTOGRAPHER: Nwaka Okpareke MODELS: Victoria Mary Oteng Kelly-Gobuiwang, John Raymond, Rehema Sekabira & Graziella Pini.

ODD ONE IN

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Jacket: Hero’s Heroin Shirt: Hero’s Heroin Model: Rehema Sekabira

Why should I hide behind the walls of stigma and crouch under the glass window of liberty.

No more am I stranger to myself.

I will know Me, The World will know Me, And I will be rewarded for being the best version of Me.

by JMxney

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ODD ONE IN

Hat: Fila Shirt: Hero’s Heroin Model: John Raymond

ODD ONE IN

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ODD ONE IN

ODD ONE IN

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