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Harvey Scott Pirie
4 — A Letter From The Editor 6 — Soundtrack 8—SOHO 10—Where Are You From? 17—The Itch 18—Photography Series: Fabio Rovai 24—Betwixt and Between 26—Much Ado About Wandy
TENTS
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CON28—Lifestyle 30—Photography Series: Poppy Peters 32—KARMACOMA 40—Surveillance 41—Photography Series: Julia Evans
42—Urbaneness 43—Photography Series: Harvey Scott Pirie 46—He 48—Art: Rafe Askem 50—Photography Series: Meg Harrison
56—Art: Miles Jezuita 57—Music Review: Tom Outen 58—Art: Maya Courtney-Bedi 66—Photography Series: James Greenhalgh 69—THANK YOU
FRONT COVER BY JAMES GREENHALGH 3 JIGGY
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? “Of all languages spoken in the world, I only believe that one is truly universal emotion. Emotions can start wars, create tears or form smiles on every inch of the planet. They can be transmitted and conveyed through stories, film, photographs or even through doodles on a desk. As a young person living in one of the world's best cities, I am constantly surrounded by art, media, and culture, and this has certainly shaped who I am, the way I think, who I aspire to become.” That was the opening paragraph of my personal statement for UCAS. I’ve spent the past few months getting my application to be as good as it could be for the five universities I was applying to, three of them located here, in London (and so far I’ve gotten an offer from Kingston University and Bath, it’s great to know that I’ll actually be going to uni this year).
too fun). But as there a disadvantages of living in the capital, there are also so many positives and advantages, these are the things that make me so attached to this city, and so reluctant to leave too soon. London is this beautiful bubble of diversity, multiculturalism, integration and acceptance where beauty is to be found on every street corner, on the side of buildings, in the dirty tube stations, and of course, the infamous commons of South London. In Central London you’ve got all the beautiful attractions and the famous landmarks; there are the best gig venues in East for those who love live music; up North you’ve got hills with the best views of the city, and of course Camden where you’ll find the best street food stalls (shout out to my dudes at Bang Bang Chicken).
But of course, London isn’t the only major city where you get all these beautiful things (along with the bad). The theme of this issue is Urban Life, a chance for people to express their feelings about living in a major city, and Staying in London has it’s cons; show us all the good, the bad, and the ridiculously expensive accommodation, ugly bits, featuring interviews, roadmen on every corner asking you if photography, articles, and more, and you smoke weed (which, of course, the also a playlist to set an moody, rainy answer is no), and the anxiety of going South-East London scene if you want to on a night out with some friends, already listen to something as you read. fucked, on the floor, and my younger sister and brother see me from the bus stop across the road... (the phone call Dani Orefo from my mum the next day wouldn’t be
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 4 JIGGY
Photo by Harvey Scott Pirie
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1. DRIVE (L LOLA
2. INTRO (T ONLY
3. EAS KING
4. SU EARL SW
5.SOCI COSM
6. 36 KING
7. AIN’T NOTH LOYLE
8. MONOSODI MF D
Illustration by Miles Jezuita
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INSPIRED BY THE SONG 363N63 BY KING KRULE, HERE’S MY OWN CRYSTAL PALACE TWIST THE PLAYLIST IS AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY
LOS ANGELES) AWOLF
9. SORROW LIFE WITHOUT BUILDINGS
17. NOBOY LOVES YOU LIKE I DO SPLASHH
TWIST IT UP) Y REAL
10. SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 GLASS ANIMALS
18. SWELL ARCHY MARSHALL
SY EASY G KRULE
11. BLEAK BAKE KING KRULE
19. WHEN IT RAINS DAG SAVAGE
UNDAY WEATSHIRT
12. 17 YOUTH LAGOON
20. SOUVENIR MILO
13. REDBONE CHILDISH GAMBINO
21. WOODCREST MANOR II RAURY
14. THE ROAD THE BIG MOON
22. BURGUNDY EARL SWEATSHIRT
HING CHANGED CARNER
15. HATE ME WILDHOOD
23. ARROW ROOT MF DOOM
IUM GLUTAMATE DOOM
16. I’M SORRY SWELL
24. 4OO LUX LORDE
IAL SITES MO PYKE
63N63 G KRULE
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SOHO LONDON—KIT SKYE
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“Where Are You From?” - part of my experience as a person of colour living in multicultural Britain
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Illustration by Dani Orefo
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where are you from? - multicultural Britain wants to know where I'm visiting from When people ask me where I'm from, my because they're curious. first thought is often "wait are you asking about my ethnic heritage, or where I was born, or what my postcode is?" Everyone gets asked this once in a while, but the rate will probably be 10x higher if you're a person of colour, especially when it comes to dating.
Now I'm not in any way saying that I'm not proud to identify with, or talk about my African heritage, or that I'm only happy to claim my British nationality. I'm not saying that at all; and I'm usually happy to answer these kinds of questions because I know that they're not always mal-intentioned, it's just awkward for it to be the first thing Here I am, having a conversation with someone asks you, or to have it dropped in someone about my love for cats or something, and they interrupt to ask "oh by the middle of a conversation that it's of no relevance to. I'm just tired of people trying the way, where are you from?" I let out a long, exhausted sigh in my head because I to put me in a box that can be restricting, confusing and, ultimately, alienating, just so know that they're asking about my they can stick me with a label that's easy ethnicity, but aren't brave enough to be straight up; I answer anyway, "South-East for them to define me with. London." On nearly every single form/application you And then they'll go, "no, but where are you fill out, there's the nationality section with all these boxes and all these labels that really form?" may seem easy for some people, but not "Oh right, originally South-West! I used to all, definitely not for me. Every time I get to live in Brixton." This is a fun game. this bit, my head starts to hurt with all the Finally, they'll ask the more specific wheels in my brain turning, trying to figure question, "what is your ethnicity," which out which is the most appropriate box to basically translates to, "your skin isn't tick, asking myself a shit ton of questions white, so you can't really be English." Other like, "should I tick Black-British, or Blackvariations of this question are "but where African? What's the difference? Oh there's are your parents from," "what generation a box for Nigerian? Shall I just tick other?" immigrant are you," or just straight up Only 18, figuring out who I am is already "what are you?", as if I'm an alien creature difficult enough without more and more from a different dimension visiting this layers of identity constantly being thrown country (where the weather isn't even at me like jackets in winter. consistent) and this person in front of me My eyes trail over to the boxes for the 12 JIGGY
white ethnic group and the only boxes there are British/Scottish/Welsh/Irish, pretty clear and simple options to distinguish between, right? But hey-ho, that's how microaggressions go. So I tick the "Black-British" box and hand in the form. But oh no, here comes this wave of guilt‌ Have I just betrayed my African ancestors? Sometimes, just for fun, I'll tick all the boxes and brand myself a "global citizen." See how they try and put me in a category then. Not to speak for all, but, many people of colour will experience this attempt at categorisation right across all aspects of their lives, not just in dating and filling out
forms. At a press conference back in October 2015, a Harvard University student asked President Trump (yikes it still pains me to call him that) about policies, and Trump rudely interrupted to ask the student if he was from South Korea, a question that was totally inappropriate and totally irrelevant, and I ask myself, how can attitudes like these that affect a majority of people of colour, daily, change if our world leaders themselves are perpetuating them? How are people of colour going to stop being seen as "the other" if we're constantly being poked and prodded at with words and labels?
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We celebrate Britain for its diversity and multiculturalism, because a mix of culture is, in my opinion, what makes British culture so interesting and attractive. Without diversity we wouldn't have Curry, spices, colour, we wouldn't have most genres of music, or international cinema. We wouldn't have seasoned food, and that would just be tragic. (I say we, but if I'm being honest, I straight up just mean white people. There's always a flight for me to Nigeria, where the food is spicy, the weather is always hot, and colour is to be found on every beautiful, sandy street).
the apartheid and WWII days where the oppressed were given blatant identification tags that screamed, "hey! Look at me! I'm different!" Isn't it time we move on, as a society, from this form of division? Don't ask me where I'm from if it's irrelevant to our conversation, don't ask me where I'm from because, in your eyes, I don't look British, don't ask me where I'm from because you want to designate me to a tiny little, meaningless category in your head. Just don't ask me where I'm from because, quite frankly, it's none of your damn business.
We can still be Britain without attaching all these different stamps. Think back to
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Miles Jezuita
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"The Itch, and the One Who Scratched it"
By Harvey Walton
It shouldn't be complicated These roles we have designated And what we have instigated Could it slip away? Our bodies lie devastated Our innocence confiscated All coyness decimated Why didn't you say? Your red mouth open, mortified My self-imposed wrongs, rectified Our unspoken laws, ratified When, if not today?
Our stars seem to have realigned Borders of our skin, redefined Names in italic, underlined Traumas on replay.
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Photography Series:
Fabio Rovai 19 JIGGY
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Betwixt and between a touch and a blanc dream. If I am dead, is my body still me? Is it the silk web of electrical impulse in my cranium that buzzes itself into a calligraphic M-E? An overhead shot looking down into the pale heartless bathroom of my fiancée. There are no windows but the sting of the moon pricks the spine of the proxy: a hulk of flesh draped onto the gaping mouth of the toilet bowl. Puckered lips against porcelain. Two thick walls of mucus against the pervading smell of puke coming from the toilet bowl. The slip of a hand from the edge of its cold white cliff. The small splash as fingertips pierce tainted water. The shock of the cold and wet is not enough to evoke life in the body. The fiancée pads into the bathroom and gives a soft, sad, sigh. It is enough to bring the ears of the corpse back into the attentive state. The fiancée prods at the fleshy thing, eager, but with the tenderness of a curious kitten. A blurry close-up of the fiancée’s face and I remember that I am loved. Bare, my toes twitch against the icy floor tiles as my OWINY LUBANGAKENE
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soul reclaims my body - grounded. I wonder how many times this poor love of mine will have to walk into this bathroom and find me like this. How many times must I watch the overhead shot of my drunken body contorted and spewing, a humiliating affair for all parties involved. I am a blemish in a room of polished white ceramics. Extreme close-up of the fiancée’s eyes. Her pupils dilate at my waking and I start to let go of love. I catch the reflection of a face (mine?) on the watch on the wrist of the fiancée. An internal chuckle as I reject Time and its hold on me. I give my last smile to her and the corners of my mouth become arrowheads that will one day come to pierce her heart. She smiles back, a knowingly naïve smile. Is she aware she is soon-to-be-widowed? Time ticks on. I sever my soul from the body once more and disown the 80kg vessel completely. I give my last kiss to Azrael - I don't even believe in God - and declare myself dead. Zoom-out from the body. Pull focus. Fade to black. Betwixt and between. Time ticks on. 25 JIGGY
Much Ado About Wandy - a poem by Hisham Parchment
and betrayal. Who goes there? That girl two years below, angled up at the trees, with an expression of ecstasy
You’re sixteen and tunnel-vision drunk, tucking your parents away in your
in her eyes. Pills twice taken conclude in freazy and soapy water.
faded denim jeans. Tall grass now, empty bottles and sex scriptsdark woods, a boy, a deleted
A tall male, spinning itself around In a frantic circle, front legs scrambling. A 10-second laughter, fuelled by a balloon
scene. You don’t see the risk till they turn their heads- a jungle full of eyeballs, a pool of vodka and regret. Who goes there?
Not On Sight- of course.
The body count nears 20. You’ve won but you watch for a while. It tires, lies still.
That girl he likes crosses the road and climbs into the ring. He cranks the
Somehow, you steer the wagon out of the ditch, and head home.
wheel. Glitter and broken glass in your lap. A trail of bright
Night rushing in through your broken window. Your head
pink lipstick collecting on faces like dust. Your best friend just-
throbs, something stabs you in your side. The night breathing behind you,
fucked your crush- in the woods. Your face and shirt are soaked-
shallow and fast. Its long head appears like a ghost
one eye half-obscured by the Sainsbury’s basic wine
in the rear-view mirror and bites you. Who goes there, you say? The end of summer: the trail of ruin you leave behind. 26 JIGGY
Illustration by Miles Jezuita 27 JIGGY
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Jordi Carter
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Photography Series:
Poppy Peters
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K A R M AC O M A Earlier in January, JIGGY caught up with London boys of Karmacoma, Bleu, Tavish, Louis, and Jesse, before their gig at The George Tavern to ask them some questions about their music, hobbies, and what they’ve been getting up to recently. Described as “swirling layers of distorted guitars”, their music can be found on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/karmacoma-music) and Bandcamp (karmacomamusic.bandcamp.com).
Interview conducted by Miles Jezuita, James Greenhalgh, and Dani Orefo 33 JIGGY by James Greenhalgh Photography
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Dani: “How did the band start?” Bleu: “The community side of Brit helped. Not Jesse: “Me and Bleu were in a band called “The with the actual learning bit… But that's just Palace”, originally called “Trap Door Gallery”. school really.” And then Bleu knew Louis from going Brit (Brit School) and then everybody else knew Tavish Tavish: “Well mainly it meant that we all met.” from going Brit so we just, became from that.” Dani: “So what would you guys be doing if you Tavish: “I joined like, a year after the band didn't meet or go to Brit; would you still be started.” playing in another band or doing music stuff?” Jesse: “Oh yeah we had Sophia didn’t we!”
[She’s touring with Declan McKenna now]
Tavish: “I don't know. We would probably still make a band because I knew Louis from a long time ago.”
Tavish: “I joined just for one gig and I asked as a joke if I could play the tambourine but I ended up playing bass instead.” Louis: “And then he did, and it was all kinda unexpected but Tavish brought a lot to the band in terms of musical genius.” Tavish: “Don’t put that in!” Miles: “We will.” Dani: “Talking about Brit School: How big of an impact has it had?” Tavish: “None” Dani & Miles: “None?” Tavish: “I think in terms of like, creativity, yeah, none. We had to just play for the singers and play the music they wanted us to play.” Bleu: “That being said though; It [Brit School] really does push you to do everything yourself so if it wasn’t for Brit…”
Bleu: “So if we didn't meet, Karmacoma would still have come about eventually anyway.” Jesse: “I think we would still be in our old schools doing music, but not really doing it, just doing it at school.” Tavish: “I'd be playing water polo and being really sad.” Miles: “Why water polo?” Tavish: “It’s just the type of school I was at.”
Jesse: “Also we wouldn't have met!”
Bleu: “Yeah. Also we put on gigs ourselves.”
Dani: “Do you aim to have a cultural impact with your music or is it purely for self-expression?”
Miles: “You were lucky to have so many creative Louis: “Umm, I have no clue.” people around you, I guess.”
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Hear little bits of what we want to Jesse: play as a band. And then it started “Our clicking.” first gig Bleu: “It definitely built our was chemistry as a band for sure, just just a being able to jam.” jazz fusion Tavish: “Wait; doesn't that defeat jam the purpose if you’re a selffor proclaimed egotistical maniac?” half an Louis: “What?” hour, it was Tavish: “You just said that you had sick.” a big ego.” Miles: “I guess we’re saying: what's the inspiration behind your music?” Louis: “It basically just started as us playing whatever came into our heads first, and it slowly became an actual song. And then it became, kind of, “I’m writing what I wanted to listen to,” which was really nice.” Jesse: “We all ended up chipping in a bit of what we individually liked. So it’s not like there’s one inspiration, basically.”
Tavish: “And Louis would just make up the lyrics on the spot.” Louis: “Yeah-- But it’s not a good plan, don’t do that.”
Louis: “I do.” [All rambling and arguing about egos for a bit] Tavish: “Just cut this bit out.”
Jesse: “We were surrounded by lots of people who were like, aspiring musicians” Louis: “Yeah don’t do that because… just learn from our mistakes.”
Dani: “You guys have played / hung out with a lot of different bands, who are your favourites?” Louis: “Happy Meal Limited.” Jesse: “Monk.”
Miles: “Plan shit.” Tavish: “Monk for sure!”
Tavish: “It's like all of our musical tastes, and whatever Louis is listening to.”
Louis: “It makes you feel insecure on stage, which is not… You want to be confident.”
Bleu: “Monk is a really sick band. And like, we go skate with Herbie”
Louis: “Whatever I obsess over.”
Tavish: “And Louis has a lot of confidence.”
Tavish: “Fish as well, and The Dead Pretties…”
Miles: “So you say it’s more a personal kind of exploit.”
Louis: “I have a massive ego.”
Jesse: “Lice.”
Bleu: “Yeah. But when we started we would do a gig and just jam.”
Jesse: “But it helps because when Miles: “What about The Big we were playing, we would like... Moon?”
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Karma: “Oh yeah The Big Moon were sick.”
skating with Herbie; how has your interest in skating and that kind of culture impacted the band, if at all?”
Jesse: “Tavish went home during the support act because he felt so Jesse: “Basically--” ill.” Bleu: “Jesse and I have been Louis: “Through a series of skating for years.” accidents I did lights for them on a UK tour, and it was the weirdest Jesse: “Basically yeah; Bleu and I experience of my life. And if two just go out and skate quite months earlier if you said I’d be regularly. And then by meeting doing that I’d be like “ooh fuck--” Monk, it’s influenced us in a way Though I don’t think The Big Moon where we can also know what play much part in the music that they’re doing, like in light we make.” conversation. So, in a way, we’ve
Louis: “...If it wasn’t for Karmacoma I wouldn’t have a light career.” Miles: “It’s all fate.” Jesse: “Everything that’s ever happened to us has been fate.” Miles: “So you talked about
been influenced by, like, learning from their mistakes.”
Bleu: “Yeah because every now and then we’ll be going down the road and Jesse will do something funny, like skate something sick, and then I’ll be like “oh I’m gonna film that.” And then we just film, and I make little edits on my insta.” Jesse: “There is one edit from ages ago where the soundtrack is all of our demos.” Tavish: “Remember when we went to Saint Paul’s and I filmed all of those clips.”
Bleu: “‘Cos Jesse went to Boston, and I went to LA. And Jesse was like, “let’s make a film.”
Bleu: “But then also, going back to your question: if we weren’t in Tavish: “Remember the game of Karmacoma, we would just be SKATE me and you had at House skating, and making edits, and of Vans?” just chilling with people.” [Bleu laughs] Miles: “Like skate music videos.” Tavish: “I still have that video.” 37 JIGGY
Tavish: “Yeah and I mean skating hasn’t had-Miles: “So has it influenced your music at all-- it’s had an impact on some of the band but not so much the people you meet but skating it’s not really…it’s not really had much of an itself?” influence on the music overall.” Bleu: “It’s just a hobby.” Jesse: “And a form of transport as well.” Miles: “Here’s a fun question: who’s the most serious in the band, personality-wise?” Tavish: “Louis.” Louis: “I get mocked all the time because I’m just… really serious. Like, I’m the one that’s always going “ok guys we have to do this and this and this now...” Jesse: “A little bit; because I got into surf culture because of skating, and I really got into how the riffs work. So it’s all like on one string and going up and down a couple notes. So I feel like I wouldn’t have gotten into that whole music genre if it wasn’t for skating.”
Dani: “Last question: if you guys could talk to any musician, dead or alive, who would it be?” Tavish: “Mark E. Smith from The Fall, and I would just let him talk because it would be quite interesting to have a conversation with him about anything, pretty much. He’s quite outspoken, yeah.”
Louis: “The two kind of go hand-in-hand, skating and music. ‘Cos I feel like I listen to Jesse: “I have two; Phife from A Tribe Called the same music as a lot of people in that kind Quest.” of scene.” Everyone: “Rest in peace.” Tavish: “And you’re the best skater in the world.” Jesse: “He’s just a G, a genius. And also J Louis: “I’m so bad. Don’t even--” Dilla, because he was also a genius, and it’s a bit peak what happened to him but… you still Jesse: “He did a kick flip for the first time!” find music that you’ve never heard from him ‘cos he just made so many beats.” Tavish: “I can do a Hello Kitty flip.” Louis: “Michael Rother from Neu!, he was in Bleu: “Nah but like, skating has come so far, Kraftwerk at one point, when they were a and it’s so different to how it used to be.” krautrock band. He influenced the music that I’m influenced by, and it’s kinda interesting to Jesse: “Yeah and you can look up skate edits think about how-- ” and find the best music!” Bleu: “Hey Louis are you sure you wouldn’t 38 JIGGY
wanna talk to the guy from The Cure?”
I’d also ask him about how he out Area Skates, that’s our picked up guitar, but other than skate channel.” that, I’d just listen to his voice.” Louis: “Ha ha, yes, I’m very sure Jesse: “You’ll be wildly I would not, I would definitely James: “So does Karmacoma disappointed.” not. I got told that today, that I have an Instagram? How do sing like the guy from The Cure, people find you?” Louis: “Shout out to my sister.” I’m not sure.” Bleu: “Karmacoma_band is our Jesse: “Oh and Indigo Husk, Miles: “Was it a compliment?” Instagram.” they’ve helped us so much.” Louis: “Maybe. But back to it, I would love to talk to Kevin Parker from Tame Impala, he’s a genius and I’d want to ask him “how do you create such amazing music consistently, throughout your whole life?” It just blows me away.” Bleu: “I’d say J Mascis ‘cos I like his voice. I’d start a really casual conversation with him, then just sit back and listen to him ‘cos he’s got such an interesting way of speaking. And
Louis: “New song out on Soundcloud, called “I Can’t Believe”, check it out.” Jesse: “Our Soundcloud is Karmacoma-music, it’s the one with the guy playing golf.” Miles: “Cool, anyone to shout out?” (Everyone shouts out their mums) Bleu: “Shout out Monk, shout 39 JIGGY
-Milo Beuzeval-
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“Spotting the differences from place to place in London is almost unavoidable, as after seeing a string of brickwork houses there will usually be some foliage or vines sprawling alongside. Amalgamating all of my previous photographs and one sketch I did while waiting for my pen-pal at South Bank, I've realised an urban city can be shown to have two faces and two personalities. London is the epitome of this balance between natural and manmade.�
Julia Evans
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It’s no secret that the meaning of the word ‘urban’ has drastically changed over the past few years. Whilst it once meant city, town, non-rural and having your bus come every three minutes instead of every three years, its connotations now relate to ethnic minorities, or more specifically black people.
allows people to misuse and ultimately exploit it (see Hillary Clinton’s interview on the Ellen show and her entire presidential campaign). Albeit, a white girl wearing dreadlocks is usually done with no ill intentions, it just so happens that people don’t realise when they are appropriating a culture. However, it is precisely this naivety that is so aggravating. Black people are continuously Music genres that tend to pertain to blacks, such antagonised and are accused of being angry, as R&B, hip-hop, rap, grime and drill are grouped whiny or victimising ourselves when addressing under the same umbrella of ‘urban’ music, but the these acts of cultural appropriation. This is only roots and origins of this music is frequently because people do not want (or refuse) to forgotten. TV shows and feature length films like understand the hugely detrimental effects Chewing Gum, Top Boy (which needs to return for appropriating a culture can have. a third series) and Noel Clarke’s Hood trilogy are revered for depicting the raw struggles of working One of these is the gentrification of our spaces, class, sorry, ‘urban’ life but criticised for their areas and communities, in an attempt to renovate sexual scenes, violence and use of profanity. and improve them. As I’m sure many of you are Undeniably, this has been done to ease many aware, this results in house prices exponentially people, particularly white people, into the realities skyrocketing in Brixton, London or Harlem, New of Black Britons and African Americans alike. York and sites of cultural significance being removed due to their supposedly unappealing By labelling these as urban they suddenly become aesthetic. What was once acceptable for white acceptable to the white middle class woman who people (some, not all since many will be seething watches the Brit Awards waiting for her favourite with anger after reading this) is no longer ‘urban’ act Tinie Tempah to serenade her with his acceptable now it is right at their doorstep, latest single. When a Kardashian or Jenner sister although, this is what attracted you to the area, wears an ‘urban’ hairstyle it's deemed fashionable right? and chic. Slang like ‘bae’ and ‘fleek’ are used by media outlets such as MTV and are marketing Gentrification derives from the word gentry; a ploys by companies such as Pretty Little Thing and group of historically esteemed and upper class Missguided. However, urbaneness is only people. Gentry derives from the Anglo-Norman accepted in this context. It immediately becomes a French word gentil, which translates to nice, kind, problem when the boys down the road dare to rap friendly, amiable… you get the point. By gentrifying their lyrics in your vicinity. It becomes an issue an area, places that appear to be the antithesis of when black girls wear multi coloured braids. gentil middle and upper class living are Urbaneness becomes distasteful when Travis eradicated, leaving the area’s original inhabitants Scott implements his adlibs ‘it’s lit!’ and ‘straight displaced and discouraged about their culture. up’ into the majority of his songs. Black culture is only accepted in small doses. After it has been mislabelled as urban and once it has Black culture has been popularised and acutely fulfilled its role, making people feel more substituted for urban culture and consequently, popular and trendy, it is brutally discarded and has been appropriated. Although many will replaced. disagree with me, it is this constant reference of black culture as ‘urban’ that has allowed this to -Rafiat Adeniji happen. Erasing the label ‘black’ from our culture 42 JIGGY
“These are some images I took on the way to my work experience a while back. I thought they would fit the theme of urban life because one of the things about living in London is moving a lot, like literally everyone is constantly moving all the damn time, which I think is what some of these pictures show.�
-Harvey Scott Pirie-
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“When writing the poem, it was originally supposed to be about loving someone who doesn't understand how addictive they are, but it ended up as a metaphorical poem about the things different people want in life. "He" can represent anything. "He" is basically a metaphor for the thing that may not be good for us but we ignore the danger.� -Ismat Alhassan
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He He comes on a wave of light and temptation A kindred spirit, imperfect creation Whose eyes say everything and nothing at all
Confusing and moving but best of all He smiles a smile of crude intentions Leaving impressions in forceful retention He looks, but does he see who you are? So vibrant, so blinding he's seen from afar
But he's not real, how could he be A fragment of my imagination
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RAFE ASKEM
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“I’m Rafe, always done art, always will, and I love a good, fine line.” 49 JIGGY
Series:
Meg Harrison
“For this series I wanted to explore the impact physical change may have on personal identity. Shaving the hair from the head can be seen as a metaphor for both freedom from the past, and the ability to grow again from the roots.�
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Miles Jezuita 56 JIGGY
I Love You, Honeybear Album Review
acknowledgement of a haphazard lifestyle, but also a labyrinth of dysfunctional desires, all written in relation to Tillman’s affection for his wife. This is by no means the effort of a generic singer-songwriter.
his wife out of acrimony rather than sexual lust, Josh also secretes profound statements concerning the existence Written by Tom Outen of love (“maybe love is just an institution based “MASCARA, BLOOD, ASH upon human frailty”) and AND CUM ON THE a rejection of a deeply RORSCHACH SHEETS WHERE WE MAKE LOVE” religious heritage Misty supplements his (ironically calling “save decadent melodies with me, white Jesus”). Don’t be mistaken by the lyrics so undoubtedly Throughout this album, seductive title or the cynical it’s repulsive. the lyrics never fail to delicate construction of Upon first listening to this provoke or stimulate. Josh Tillman’s latest work; album it is bewildering to this album is entirely at decide whether Father Subversively underlying I odds with being warmJohn is a charismatic Love You, Honeybear is a hearted and righteous. songwriter or an brutal sincerity. We are Under the pseudonym of unnerving and sadistic offered an uncensored Father John Misty, the sociopath, who reveals to account of Tillman’s former Fleet Foxes us an obnoxious and ugly emotional insecurities, drummer amasses a nature through his honest narcotic dependency and barrage of spellbinding confessions (“telling self-loathing nature, shadowed by euphoric music. However, there is always a comic aspect and tangible irony to Father John Misty’s dystopian descriptions; some have described it as a satire about white male privilege in the USA today. This humorous narrative is sung throughout this album, and it is sung expertly to a shamelessly surreal and divine soundtrack. Look out for Josh Tillman’s next album Pure Comedy, tones to create a people jokes to shut them which is expected to be battlefield of somnolent up / resenting people that released through Sub Pop musical layers, I love”). This bittersweet on April 7th. complimented by a blitz of concoction induces a sophisticated and bleak persona which is both themes. I Love You, hypnotic and alluring. Honeybear is not only an Amongst admitting to intriguing atrocities such as choking 57 JIGGY
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Art series:
Maya Courtney-Bedi
“My art and photography is inspired by music and the butterfly effect of it. Music has helped to shape the culture of the city we live in and has the power to move, inform, educate and advocate people. It is something that has always fascinated me and how different people interpret it. My images are interpretations of songs by bands and artists from London and what they create musically and culturally.�
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George Thornton by James Greenhalgh
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Miles Jezuita 67 JIGGY
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FIN So, that’s another issue completed. A big thanks to everyone who’s been reading so far, JIGGY has gotten over 2000 reads on issu now and it’s honestly mind-blowing, we didn’t think it would be blowing up the way it is. Thank you to everyone who bought physical copies and t-shirts, this issue will also be going to print and will be available on our big cartel site, along with NEW t-shirt designs, and maybe other little bits of merch, who knows? Thanks and love to this issue’s contributors; Harvey Scott Pirie, Miles Jezuita, Kit Skye, Harvey Walton, Fabio Rovai, Owiny Lubangakene, Hisham Pryce-Parchmet, Jordi Carter, Poppy Peters, Milo Beuzeval, Julia Evans, Rafiat Adeniji, Ismat Alhassan, Rafe Askem, Meg Harrison, Tom Outen, Maya Courtney-Bedi, James Greenhalgh (especially for the cover), and a massive thank you to the boys of Karmacoma, Bleu, Tavish, Louis, and Jesse. A change! Rather than releasing issues on the 1st of every month, we will now start doing this on the last day of the month, it just makes more sense to us. So issue 5 will be out on February 28th. The theme for it has already been decided, it’s Future, Fears and Fantasies, so we’re already taking submissions! More details on what you can submit is on our social media. www.facebook.com/JIGGYMAG
www.instagram.com/JIGGYMAG
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