MUSIC, ART, FASHION & NEWS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FROM LOS ANGELES TO BEYOND
SPRING 2010
VEGAN-ISM FOR NON-VEGANS
willie rage Tells his story with “End of Days”
bq
join THE BAND @ PRACTICE
Sam xl
The DJ behind LA’s Pure Filth and Bassface Fi
TWITTA FROM SWIFTY
FOH!!!
THE STATE OF HIP HOP IN 2010
FASHION TIPS FOR THE SPRING SEASON
ru Samath Get to know the founder of Bird Call Productions
Jesty Beatz
Brings it from Cleveland to L.A.
VOICES
ART FROM LA’S HOMLESS YOUTH
SANDBLOOM SIT BACK & LISTEN
“Get wit it or get lost.” 1
GOING RAW WORDS BY VIOLET RAMIREZ
Messages to speak on clothes to the fashionable, the unfashionable, and to inspire the uninspired. Bringing hip hop to the flesh, to the rawness of unsung lyrics coming to life to change the face of fashion. Lost in translation to only be brought back in the raw to uncover the realness of humankind…Two men set out for us to follow in their journey to a destination to witness intelligence of creativity of Raw Water. Kaymar Haye and Efehi Ogbebor are the creators of Raw Water, the clothing line and La Raw Magazine. The two friends collaborated back in college, where they attended Cal Poly in Pomona, Ca as Engineer majors. Kaymar was the rebel of the two, breaking every rule in the book and going beyond the norm of fashion. His eclectic state of mind is unstoppable with his fashion forward wardrobe, with the finishing touches of his black framed glasses and with one of his endless collection of scarves to complete his look. His partner in crime, Efehi, the studious one, keeps it simple, with the less is more fashion attitude, but keeps it classy with the latest trends. The inspiration behind their clothing line was that they could never find anything in the stores that ap pealed to their style. All it took was that one look and nod at each other that the fashion mission laid in their hands to create their own abstract style. The word raw was thought of by Efehi because he says, “You can’t get any more real, than anything when it’s in the raw form, in other words keeping it real.” “Adding the word water, makes it more organic of that it being a natural resource.” Kaymar says. Raw Water brings an old school flavor with historical images and sayings mixed with today’s pop culture. Not only do Efehi and Kaymar want to inspire in a fashionably way to the scene of trendsetters, but now have hit the pages of their new creation, LÁ RAW Magazine. The magazine brings the Los Angeles culture to print featuring independent artists, mainstream artists, music, art, fashion, unsung heroes, real-life issues, restaurants, and the night life. With many more ventures to come for Raw Water, and on the path of becoming a household name, brilliance of creativity will be turning the wheels of the L.A lifestyle. One thing that stays in the minds of Efehi and Kaymar and keeping it raw is they say, “Get wit it or get lost.”
STAFF EDITORS
KAYMAR HAYE EFEHI OGBEBOR
ART DIRECTOR EFEHI OGBEBOR
WRITERS
ARTHUR “AC” COPELAND JASON THOMAS VIOLET RAMIREZ JACKIE OWEN DAVID PADILLA EFEHI OGBEBOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
KAYMAR HAYE (pages: Cover, 4, 6-7,18-20, 22, 24,28, & 34-37) LA TOYA TYSON (pages: 2, & 32) REGAL D (pages: 14 & 16) EULOGIA “PENNY” GOREE (pages: 21 & 40)
ENFORCER
RICHARD TAYLOR
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR MIGUELA BENOIT
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BENNY BURNETT AMANDA MESTER
RAWWATER
849 S. Oxford Ave. Suite 402 Los Angeles, CA 90005
FOR PROMOTIONAL INQUIRIES
CONTACT: THE_MAG@RAWWATER.NET
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RAW CONTENTS 5 9 10 11 13 17 21 27 28 32 33 40 44 49
Puttin’ in work: Ru Samath Willie Rage Vegan-ism Expressions of LA’s homeless youth The Dubsteper: Sam XL Jesty Beatz Kevin Sandbloom Stylin’ & Profilin’ Thrift Store J*Davey BQ Rhymeterview with Jay Twitta FOH!
PUTTIN’ IN WORK BEHIND THE SCENES YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHO RU IS NOW, IS BUT U WILL SOON ENOUGH
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Ruwanga “Ru” Samath (producer/ composer) founded The Bird Call Productions in 2003 at the tender age of 18. Since then Ru has completed production for major artists such as Beyonce, Britney Spears, Kelly Rowland, Flo Rida, Ke$ha, Norah Jones, The Virgins and more. Being originally from Sri Lanka and growing up with parents who are very involved in music, Ru’s compositions/tracks are unique and innovative. Thanks to the fact that Ru grew up in a country that is heavily influenced by the European scene as well as a huge reggae influence, Ru has naturally defined a sound that is impacted by a vast global influence that is unlike anyone who has come before. He routinely incorporates the use of live instruments and puts everything he has into every composition. The production includes different genres such as hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock and reggae/dancehall. Ru’s music has also come to be highly in demand by the television and movie world. Ru has worked on a number of feature movie soundtracks and critically acclaimed documentaries including the Eddie Griffin show on VH1, The King of Clubs on Playboy, Discovery channel’s Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs Tommy Lee, and also received an LA Music Award (2007) for his work on the SAW 4 movie soundtrack, (Collinz Room – Just Another Day). As an avid gamer, Ru was happy to also venture off in to the video game world, having placements with the highly anticipated video game, The Agency (SONY, 2009), which also got nominated for a Hollywood Music Award in (2008). He also
sat on SESAC’s “Get Your Game On” panel alongside 4 other highly esteemed people from the video game world. Ru has always been an extremely passionate person, and when he feels convicted, there is no stopping him. Along with a few Bird Call artists, Ru put together the song “Make it to the Sun” for President elect Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The song received widespread recognition and urged voters to use their vote to make a change. At the young age of 24, Ruwanga Samath has already made his mark on this industry and is widely considered one of Hollywood’s fastest riding stars. The future holds a mixture of promise and excitement. About The Bird Call: The Bird Call Productions is an independent record label and music production company. We specialize in producing songs for records, feature films, video games and other media. Our extent music catalog includes songs and tracks on the genres of hip hop, R&B, pop, dance hall and rock. Our clients include Jive Records, Columbia, Adrenaline and Sony Online. We’ve also worked with some of today’s hottest artists, including Beyonce, Britney Spears, Kelly Rowland, Flo Rida, Ke$ha, Norah Jones, Raz B, Diz Gibran, The Black Wall Street, Crooked I, etc. Our expanding roster includes artists Maxwell D, Mo Greene, Collinz Room, and Cahn and Yang.
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Los Angeles
RAWWATER
WILLIE RAGE WORDS BY VIOLET RAMIREZ
Willie Rage tells a story to only change the world of hip hop, with his lyrics to eliminate the stereotype that gangster rap only comes from the west coast. His music is a story to consume your mind with conscious rhymes, but still staying true to hip hop’s roots, like influences such as Big Daddy Kane, Run DMC, NWA and LL Cool J. His recent single CA from his newly released album “End Of Dayz”, is an introduction of Willie Rage, who tells his perspective about living the California life. Willie Rage was born in Inglewood, CA and grew up in Los Angeles and in the Inland Empire. During his high school days, he was recognized as the battle king with the freshest rhymes to put his peers to shame. From that moment, hip hop would forever live in his heart. With his unique style it became his passion to be the rapper to change the face of hip hop not only on the west coast, but the world of hip hop. In 2001 he linked up with a west coast group Above the Law, collaborated with aspiring MCs, and performed locally in California. After a few years, Willie Rage decided to venture out on his own. He put the pen to paper and the studio became his air to create hip hop greatness. “End of Dayz” is the album bringing back what hip hop used to be; a story told through music, hip hop heads coming together and lyrics that are forever remembered. Willie Rage’s contagious energy and with an in your face attitude of raw hip hop, he is sure to leave his foot print on the path of the legends before him. As Willie Rage says in one of his songs, “Everybody has a story to tell”. With his is hunger for music, Willie Rage brings a warning that a west coast MC is coming and he’s carrying a different kind of mic to hip hop. To check out more on Willie Rage~”End of Dayz”: buy his album on amazon.com, itunes.com, cdbaby.com myspace.com/willierage facebook.com/people/willie-rage twitter.com/willie_rage
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VEGAN-ISM for non-vegans: Benny Burnett
As a vegan, I find it fairly easy to create different meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner and of course the occasional dessert or tasty snack i.e. (soy milkshakes, flax seed chocolate cake etc.). I also enjoy searching for new places to eat during the week when I have some extra time on my hands. Its one thing to be vegetarian, you’re still able to consume a variety of cheeses, milk butter and other foods. Eating vegan is not totally different though, simply cutting out these dairy products and removing any sort of animal product from your diet to maintain a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle seems like a challenge but it really isn’t. People say they would be vegan if it wasn’t so costly but if you shop at the right stores and find the right recipes, you can save more money then you would if you were to shop as a meat-eating individual. A good diet to replace the protein, iron and other nutrients necessary for the human body daily is: 8-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta, about 1/2 of a cup daily 4-6 servings of veggies, about 1 cup raw 3-4 servings of fruit, or fruit juice, about 1/2 of a cup 6-8 servings of dried beans or peas, about 1/2 of a cup 3-5 servings of nuts or seeds 1/2 of a tablespoon
ON A SIDE NOTE...... I’ve noticed that most people who don’t go vegan say its because they like cheese too much, I personally never cared much for cheese but I can see why other people would. To replace cheese, my brother and I drove to Whole Foods on PCH past 2nd street but right before Seal Beach. It took a couple times testing out quite a few different kinds of cheese’s before finally sticking with the right one, or at least what we would call “the best soy cheese yet”. I think it would be better for you to do this testing of what you like on your own rather then me telling you what my taste buds prefer when it comes to a cheese replacement-- but I will say that if you ask someone who works at Whole Foods about a shredded vegan cheese that comes in a moderate sized plastic container, you might happen to find a cheese that melts well for pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas etc. and as for bacon, which seems to be another favorite of people...there are a couple tasty recipes on [vegweb.com] along with a plethora of other foods, snacks and other treats. “Society objectifies animals and makes the irrational conclusion that animals cannot feel pain, think, or even possess emotions. This misconception allows people to carelessly continue consuming meat, eggs, dairy and other products.” Just take into consideration that you can save hundreds of lives by being vegan and you should know what it is that your actually putting into your body, rather than just trusting what other people tell you.
Briana “This illustration of some sort of monster eating the world symbolizes the corruptness and deception of the political party. It also portrays how wasted and horrible the economy is. People lose their homes because of forclosure. People are losing their jobs because of the cuts. The world is slowly going downhill because off all this. That’s why I created my work of art”
ian
VOICES Expressions of Los Angeles’ homeless youth
Each year 12,000 youth are left homeless on the streets. Some leave to escape unfit households, while others are abandoned by their families. Los Angeles Youth Network works to inspire them, get them on their feet and supply them with what they need to have a chance to escape a life on the street - where they are likely to fall victim to prostitution and other crimes. This art comes directly from the youth involved at LAYN. For more information and to donate visit www.layn.org.
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Josh, 16
Amira, 17
kurt, 18
Briana
“Damn, Homie is coming with some brand new type sh*t...hype!”
THE DUB STEP -ER
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BY Amanda Mester
A deep rumbling is emanating from the streets of Los Angeles. It’s not an earthquake, but the grimey & filthy sounds of Dubstep. Across the city, thousands of bass-aficionados crowd warehouses in some of the darkest sections of LA to experience an underground music event in its rawest form. Having achieved a rise in exposure and popularity with recent events such as the Scion parties at the Roxy, this extremely bass-heavy style of music dominated by 2-step rhythms is beginning to cause crumbling ceilings. On any given week, Angelinos can visit websites like JungleScene to discover an entire community of Dubsteppers & fellow enthusiasts. I caught up with Sam XL, one of the most prevalent personalities in the local scene and the man behind LA’s Pure Filth and Bassface parties to find out what makes Los Angeles Dubstep what it is. LR: Tell us a little about how you discovered Dubstep SR: From 1998 ‘til around 2007 I used to run a record shop on Melrose Avenue in the heart of Hollywood. First, the infamous Beatnonstop, and then I opened the Temple of Boom. One day I ordered a record that had a Plasticman remix on it. When it came in, I was eager to slap it on the decks (I’ve always been a huge Richie Hawtin fan since the days of Plus8). When I heard it I was like “Damn, Homie is coming with some brand new type shit...hype!” I then came to find out that it wasn’t Richie Hawtin Plastikman, but Plasticman AKA Plastician!!!(I just thought the label had misspelled his name!). So I quickly began to investigate a bit more and started ordering all the early Burial stuff on Hyperdub, plus releases on Tempa records, Vehicle, DMZ records, Souljah, Boka, Dub Soldiers, Deep Medi and tons of white labels and quickly became hooked! LR: When did you move to LA and how has it helped you establish your current place in the underground LA music scene? SR: I got an offer in 1998 to move to LA and manage Beatnonstop. I jumped at the chance as Beatnonstop was the Mecca of Dance music on the West Coast for approximately 13 years. Before that I lived about an hour or so North in Santa Barbara where I ran my own store called Soma and threw parties, ran sound and did weeklies, generally causing mayhem on the beaches of SB. LR: What is one of your most memorable musical moments? SR: Hmmmm...that’s a good question. I have several. This may take some time as I’ve spent the majority of my adult life around underground music!!! My favorite moments so far have been working alongside, choosing music for, and doing sound or DJing with artists and heroes like Run DMC, Dillinja, Roni Size, Goldie, LTJ Bukem, Afrika Bambaataa, Perry Farell, Steve “Silk” Hurley, Hank Shocklee, Garth Trinidad, Flying Lotus, Mampi Swift, Hatcha, Skream, Mala, Benga, Kode 9, N-Type, Daddy Kev, The Bug & Warrior Queen, DJ Pierre, Daedelus, Dubtribe, Thomas of Wicked, Andrew Dice Clay, Carman Electra, as well as Josh Wink, Doc Martin, GLK, Adam F, Ed Rush & Optical, Vikter Duplaix, Ras G + boat loads more. It has been
like a dream come true for me over the years really. As a producer, it has been making records and having them played by people like King Britt, DJ Sneak, Roger Sanchez, DJ Flight, Jumpin’ Jack Frost, Bailey, Deep Dish, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, Terry Francis, Mr.C, Craig Richards, David Morales, Baby Hec Romero, Josh Wink, Raul Campos, Goldie, that has been an extremely humbling & rewarding experience. Getting to go to New York as a buyer for Beatnonstop and basically being paid to go pillage some of the largest record distributor warehouses in the world for 2 weeks every year was always the thing I looked forward to most. Going to New York for my first time and hearing all the hype about the Soundsystem at the Sound Factory, then getting there to realize we had waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better sound systems in LA at warehouse parties ‘cuz their club system was rubbish!!! Hanging with Harry the Bastard from Watts Music was fucking amazing...the knowledge he has of the music and biz... unparalleled (he used to work at Roughtrade in the U.K... Stiff Little Fingers anyone?!!!), plus we’d always get up to mischief, which in NYC is great! Doing Biz everyday with the Syntax crew from NYC, Staz, Mikey, Joeski and the boys...miss ‘em all. DJing all day in Miami at WMC (Winter Music Conference) by a massive pool on a massive sound system with Hank & Keith Shocklee, Mala, Skream, Pokes, & Plastician. LR: What’s your take on the LA dubstep scene & where do you see it headed? SR: It’s big, healthy and gonna get bigger at a rapid pace... watch! LR: What differences do you draw between the Dubstep here in LA & London? SR: Obviously the majority of the producers, labels & DJs reside there but love to visit here ‘cuz...they have rain and snow...we have sun & palm trees LOL! LR: What non-dubstep artists are you listening to on replay? SR: Flying Lotus, Grace Jones, Nosaj Thing, The Stranglers, Samiyam, Fela Kuti, Augustus Pablo, The Anti-Nowhere League, Orbital, Dillinja, The Irresistable Force, Echo Park, Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Tek 9, anything on Soul Jazz, The Orb, Leftfield, Gil Scott Heron, anything on Nu-Groove recs, Omni Trio, The Boomtown Rats, The Specials, Harry Chapin, Roger, Prince, Whodini, anything on On-u Sound, Erykah Badu, Robert Hood, Bad Company, Duran Duran, Claude Von Stroke, Richie Hawtin, Cybotron, Corrine Bailey Ray, Jill Scott, Sly & family Stone, Joyce Simms, the Fresh 4, Loose Ends, Public Enemy, James Brown, Lenny Bruce 8 tracks, Dennis Coffey, Johny Cash, Kool Keith, Madness, SL2, Altern 8, FSOL, anything on No U-Turn, Metalheads Plantinum Breaks, Jean Michel Jarre, Paul McCartney - Ram, Ram Trilogy, Boymerang, King Tubby, Gary Clail, Ziggy Stardust,
E.L.O, AC/DC, Sex Pistols, Pole, Richard Pryor, The Flying Lizards, The Kinks, Beethoven, Chaikovsky, Stiff Little Fingers, Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Ursula Rucker, Kruder & Dorfmeister, The Damned, 10cc, Damian Marley, Dead Can Dance, Sade, Tangerine Dream, Old School Hip Hop and Electro, it goes on and on and on ‘til the breakadawn... LR: You have twenty bucks and 5 minutes to buy something at a bookstore. What do you get? SR: Mumia Abu Jamal - Live from Death Row...I always lend it to folks and NEVER get it back! LR: Who’s the most overrated artist on the radio today? SR: I don’t know, I stopped listening a long time ago, most of it seems to be nothing more than mind-numbing, meat market, trashy emo theme songs. American radio in general has always been an absolute disaster...internet killed the radio star…Thank God for that!!! LR: Tell kids where they can go to find out all about Dubstep in Los Angeles. SR: Check www.purefilthLA.com and www.myspace.com/purefilthdubstep real soon to get the LOOOOOOOOW down!
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Los Angeles
RAWWATER
JESTY BEATZ BRINGING QUALITY MUSIC BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR EARS
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After spending four years rocking venues in the US, Europe,Asia and spring break venues in Mexico, Jesty Beatz is bringing his fierce sound to the West Coast. With a mix of talent, contagious energy and working with artists such as The Game, Too Short, Atmosphere, Fabolous and more, including Grammy-award winning producer Rockwilder, it’s time for all of us to get familiar. Jesty and his DJ/number one sidekick MJK, sat down with LÁ RAW to really talk about his music, what LA means to him, and why you should check him out. LR: So Jesty, first of all, being from Cleveland, what are you bringing to LA? Jesty: An influential, fresh perspective. You have to realize we come from the opposite of this place. And so, the determination and drive that we exude is one that has to succeed. It has to. We put ourselves in the position to where we have to win. We have to in order to survive - literally. The story is the same as a lot of people’s stories. The only difference is we feel like we are one of the few people that actually have the talent to back up the drive. We see a ton that have drive but aren’t talented. We’re actually hungry - literally and figuratively. LR: So why LA? I’m a naturally hard worker and I was drawn to the city based on the work ethic of the people that live here. But, also, I’m the type of person that is visually stimulated and I have to see my goals in front of me. I have to see the lambos on the street not just dream it. In order to work as hard as I need to work, I have to see someone with it. If there’s no one around you that you want to be like then you don’t need to be in that place. It’s an inspirational atmosphere. I just like the hustler atmosphere that is associated with LA. LR: I can understand that. What about LA inspires you? Jesty: The support for local music inspires me. The visual scenery. The weather. Its definitely a plus not to have to walk outside to an overcast sky. It’s literally a make it or break it place and I like my odds. LR: What was Cleveland like? Cleveland helped me prepare for all the hardships I could possibly be confronted with. Cleveland is such a hard city and I love Cleveland forever but at this particular point I have to be in a place where people are being helped and being successful and moving - mobile. MJK: It’s like feeling like your locked in a room and no one has a key to get out. Jesty: Yes, it’s hard, because we’re elected to not be a part of that, but it’s definitely a rewarding experience when you can follow your heart. Always. We’re literally on a mission to save music, hip hop and inspire others to follow their dreams too. You design your life. You just have to unplug yourself from the system - and design your life.
“I genuinely care. I care about the music. I genuinely care about the product and I care about the actual listener.”
I’m living my dream right now. I’m living in California making music right now. MJK: Exactly. What are YOU doing? LR: So MJK, how did you link up with Jesty? More or less, I’ve tried the college route, I was into sports so I went there to do school and sports . While at school I just looked at the people around me and success stories of what was considered to be “successful” and that wasn’t the life I wanted so I felt like I was following a path that was the safe route instead of what I wanted to do. So in turn, I decided, after talking with Jesty, that you only have one life to live you could play it safe or you could follow your heart. LR: So Jesty, we know your story now. What does your music bring to the table? Because I genuinely care. I care about the music. I genuinely care about the product and I care about the actual listener. My goal is to try to identify feelings that are hard to articulate - feelings that are universal and possibly dormant in every human on the planet. I want to be the articulation of the feelings that you didn’t have words for. That’s what I want to be and that’s what I will be. LR: Why should people check you out? Jesty: Check me out because you never know what to expect. Check me out to experience an escape from everyday life. Because we’re dope. All day. We are homies just going through it. We’re an extension of you. We’re literally everything we say we are and we’re good, just like I said. We understand that music fans have been disappointed for a while and I‘m ready to step up. Jesty’s mixtape, Heir Apparent, will be dropping in Spring 2010. In the meantime, you can keep up with him on JestyBeatz.com and cop his songs on iTunes. -Jackie Owen
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Los Angeles
RAWWATER
Kevin Sandbloom “Music to me is like breathing…” BY VIOLET RAMIREZ
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His soft-spoken demeanor, and a presence ever so gentle, but with a voice from a place where only the musically gifted reside, Kevin Sandbloom stays true to the acoustic sounds of his guitar and takes it back to the soulful beginnings. He sings as though you have fallen in love over and over and the thoughts and pains of love to make you feel as though, you’re not the only broken-hearted or hopeless romantic. Sandbloom brings an honest and raw feel with his vulnerability both lyrically and vocally. Sandbloom grew up in Pasadena, Ca and has been singing since he was young, his mom always wanted him to sing growing up, but at the time he was more focused on sports. It wasn’t until after high school he realized his passion for music still lived within him. He joined a band and they were together for nine years, but after having differences, Sandbloom quit the band and ventured out on his own. With influences such as Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, and Jackie Wilson. Sandbloom says, “I put off music for a little bit because I wanted to focus on songwriting and build my craft.” In 2000-2001, Sandbloom was signed to Virgin Records as a solo artist. He was ready to make his mark in the music world, and being signed to one of the major labels, he knew in his heart that he was already a veteran and now it was about being heard by millions. His dream were cut short because at that time Virgin Records was going through major changes causing Sandbloom to again, venture out on his own. Sandbloom says, “It was frustrating and discouraging, it is very difficult to have control of the process, I just wanted to put my music out there.” He started traveling and performing all over the U.S. and booking all his shows on his own. There is no denying that Sandbloom’s voice brings such richness to his newly released sixth album Under Pink and Bourbon Skies. On this album Sandbloom says, “This particular album is a personal statement, under pink and bourbon skies is a line in one of the songs meaning that it evokes memories, it’s a sugarfied album that it brings romance and sweetness.” Being that he lives, breathes, sleeps, and eats music there’s no stopping for Sandbloom. He put together his own mid-level record label, Red Llama and currently has a spoken word artist, E. Michele Paul from San Diego, Ca. He wants Red Llama to represent conscious and lyrically minded artists and acoustic artists. It doesn’t stop here for Sandbloom, he’s currently working on his seventh album, still having the acoustic sounds, love songs, and slow jams, but adding a social conscious twist mixed with spoken word, along with different collaboration of producers. His love for music will forever be him, Kevin Sandbloom says, “It’s something I do, I can’t imagine not doing music.”
LR: For those that have never heard of you, tell them about your music, what does Kevin Sandbloom bring to the table? SANDBLOOM: I am primarily a soul artist. Though I have a lot of different influences that would take me out of the mainstream soul/r&b category. I draw heavily from blues and jazz. More in the 60’s/70’s vein than anything you might hear currently on the radio. Alternative soul for lack of a better term. LR: When did u first realize that this is what you were born to do? SANDBLOOM: I don’t know if it was something I knew at any one given time. I sang a lot as a child and my mom was always telling me I had a great voice/pushing me to sing. I was more into sports at the time so I didn’t really start getting into music until later. Around high school. Ever since then I’ve been driven to play music pretty singularly, the drive has never really left; only gotten stronger. LR: Who are your main influences? Whom do you attribute your sound to? SANDBLOOM: a big one was sly stone. I had “fresh” on repeat when I was about 16. Also B.B. King was heavily in rotation. Bob Marley really influenced my lyrical style early on. I was drawn to the social consciousness of his music and that was very evident in my early writing. It still is today I would say, very much. LR: How do you feel about the current state of music? Particularly r&b, independent and mainstream. SANDBLOOM: Well, hmm. I think there is a lot of great music being made. I think with the openness of the market there are so many avenues to create and get your music heard. I mean, I probably would not be all that viable as an artist 15-20 years ago. There’s opportunity out there for anyone who wants to figure out how create and market their own music. That being said, mainstream music is pretty dull fair these days. Especially lyrically, very rare to be moved by something on the radio though it happens from time to time. Though the market has changed, I think the percentage of great music getting through the drivel is probably about the same as it ever was. LR: What are your main goals as an artist? Are you content at where you are, what destination do you want to eventually reach? SANDBLOOM: I would like to see my music in more places and more ears, of course. I’m actually trying to do more production and songwriting these days... with an eye toward licensing. I would like to grow my music label (red llama music) into something that represents other artists as well. Right now, I am working on starting a small booking agency under the Red Llama umbrella. Basically cover as many conduits for getting my music and brand out there as possible. I have been blessed to be in quite a few different artistic circles. I’ve worked with so many folks from the very famous to the amazing people who have been fixtures in the la music scene for quite awhile to poets from all over the country. It’s been a wonderful ride so far and I hope it keeps on going.
kevinsandbloom.com myspace.com/sandbloom http://www.sonicbids.com/SANDBLOOM
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Los Angeles
RAWWATER
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Lucas North
STYLIN’ & PROFILIN
with AC
GENTS
PAD YOUR POCKETS Wearing a jean jacket??? Throw a bandana in it. Suit jacket??? Throw a pocket square in it. Adding flavor to your jacket pocket is just as simple as that. Don’t have a pocket square; cut an 8X8 piece out of the back of an old t-shirt or an old flannel. It’s really that simple to ad spice to your wardrobe. Or if your going for a more laid back look glasses are a good filler. THE OLD CANADIAN TUX IS BACK! Ah you thought you left it back in the 80’s with your flattop or mullet, Oakley knockoffs, and Nike Air t-shirt. Wait but all those are back in style, so what makes you think you could leave that fly tribute to the Canadian fashionistas behind too? Give Canada its due they gave us Gretzky, Pamela Anderson, and showed us how to wear jean jackets with our jeans. Just make sure that one of your denims is a darker wash than the other. My preference is dark denim jeans with a lighter denim jacket. And don’t forget to pad that pocket! TAILOR MADE Find a tailor make him your friend. When you buy clothes off the rack, they are cut and sewn to fit your general physic. And we all know everyone buying a 34” x 32” pants is not the same size or looking for the same fit. So to make clothes your own, find a reasonablypriced tailor that will make your clothes have more of a custom look. Nothing looks better than when your clothes look like they were made especially for you. Also having properly fitting clothes will have ladies saying “you been hitting the gym?” when you haven’t. Shh it’ll be our secret. BROWN vs. BLACK I know the feeling, you need some new kicks cause you want to get your grown man on, so you go and get you some snazzy hard bottom lace-ups or loafers in black cause you figure black goes with more right..WRONG!!! Here’s something that will blow your mind, brown shoes go with just as much as a black shoe but look better. Don’t believe me, try it! Throw on the brown hard bottoms with blue, grey, white, or if your really daring all black with a brown belt. You’ll look so fresh you’ll ask me where to send the thank you card and donations to the AC stay fresh fund. GREEN MATCHES GREEN.... Good boy now drink your milk, put on your pj’s, and I’ll be in to tuck you in a few. Quit dressing like a child and trying to show the world you know how to match your colors. Just cause you bought the latest pair of red and black J’s should not indicate in your brain that the rest of your fit should be red and black. Try wearing some neutral colors or denim, let your shoes stand out and speak for themselves.
27 LADIES THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS... It’s still a timeless classic. The equivalent of the blue blazer for men. And there is emphasis on the word “little”. If you go through your closet right now and you do not have a form flattering short black dress in your closet, your closet is incomplete! And how can you sleep at night with knowing you have ¾ of a completed wardrobe. A great place to get a black dress at a reasonable price is White House Black Market. The quality of material and construction is above a Forever 21, but still wont break your pockets.
FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER 21 Can we agree that there is probably 1500+ female retail stores in Los Angeles? Good now that we are all in agreement, can anyone explain why so many women have tunnel vision towards Forever 21? Attention all readers this is not a knock on Forever 21 in anyway shape or form, however if you go through your closet, and 75% of your dresses are Forever 21 dresses… you have a problem. I understand they provide trendy styles for reasonable prices, but enough is enough. If you’re shopping on a budget, try shopping vintage. Or follow the old saying, its quality not quantity. I promise you can do more with a few nice dresses with simple and flattering cuts, than you can with 10 trendy dresses from Forever 21. Besides how retarded are you for mean muggin that other chick for wearing your dress in the club when you know everybody is shopping there?
IN MY WHITE T Do not under estimate the power of a white t-shirt. It’s a really good basic to have in our closet, and it can stretch from season to season. In the summer pair it with your jean-shorts and some sandals: side note sandals not flip-flops: or in the winter keep it warm and cozy with jeans, boots, and a wool coat. You can even dress it up for the nightlife with bold jewelry and a leather skirt. V-Neck is in style and looks sexiest, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the crew neck. Oh and while your at it pick up some other colors as well; black and grey are great basic colors to have.
SEAMLESS Similar to the advice I gave to the gents, ladies find a seamstress and make her your friend. Much like a men’s suit, when you buy a dress off the rack, its simply cut to fit a general size and shape. But lets say you have more in some places and less in others, well the seamstress will be able to cover the more and enhance the less.
WASTED SPACE You know how you have all those shirts you’ve never worn hanging in the back of your closet, or better yet the jeans you never wore and now its been 2 years so its official that you’re never going to where them. Well a way to prevent that is to shop more outfits and less randomness. There’s nothing wrong with seeing something cute in a store and picking it up while you’re out and about, however if you pick it up with nothing in mind to pair it with, it becomes that shirt in the back of your closet. So if you are grabbing a spontaneous top or skirt, take 30 seconds and mentally go through your closet. Think about what you have to go with what you’re about to buy. And if nothing comes to mind… well then I guess you have to keep shopping to find something to match. Not really a recession friendly solution, but this isn’t supposed to be budgeting and money saving tips either. Happy spending.
THRIFT $TORE? For those of you that are snobbish enough to think that fashion is all about labels and the more labels you wear at one time, the more fashionable you are... Quote me when I say you look like a jackass. Now for the rest of us who know that the person makes the clothes and not the other way around, an underused tool that will help fatten your wardrobe is thrift store shopping. Thrift stores or second hand stores are a great place to get good deals on retro looks and timeless fashions, such as Levi’s denim jackets, pea coats, and old labels that you can no longer find in stores. Personally I have a running tab of things I want from the thrift store and I mark them off as I go. However if you’re not as anal as me here’s some second hand store shopping tips. Check the lining. Any time you’re looking to purchase a coat or jacket, make sure you check the inside lining for rips and tears. Although its second hand merchandise you, you still want it to function and server its purpose. Appraise the merchandise for set in stains. If you see a permanent stain on the merchandise what’s the point of buying it? No matter how many times you dry clean it, some stains are just not coming out. Just chalk it up to “it was ALMOST a great find!” Look for labels you recognize and know. Second hand merchandise does not mean cheap clothing, it simply means it was pre-owned. Think of it as a used car. You don’t know why its there or why the previous owner chose to give it up, and what do you care? It’s still a score for you. Some stores like Wasteland, The Way We Wore, or the Buffalo Exchange specialize in caring labels that you recognize. Levis, True Religion, Nike, and even higher end wear such as Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabana, and Harajuku can all be found in second hand stores.
Even if you weren’t as anal of a shopper myself, I would still hit second hand stores with a running tab of what you’re looking for. Not to suggest that you can’t browse through the Goodwill, but if you know you want some vintage flannels or overcoats, just like a grocery store list jotting what you want down just serves as a memory tool so that you don’t forget to look for an item. Browse the accessories section. Timeless jewelry, WWI hats, and vintage belts are all lying around waiting to be found! You’d be surprised in what you might find if you just take 10 minutes browse through second hand store accessories. Personally I think it’s my favorite section. Wear a tank top and shorts if the weather permits. Remember most of these clothes where just brought in off the street buy other shoppers. You don’t know when was the last time it was washed or what they were doing the last time they wore it. So if you’re planning on trying something on shorts and a tank top can serve as a protector for your private parts if you’re a borderline line germaphobe like me. Leave badass kids at home. There is probably nothing more boring to a kid than a store with a bunch of old stuff in it. Therefore your demon children have developed their own game to keep themselves occupied while mommy’s shopping which causes them to run around the store like a maniac and fucks up my shopping experience!!! Just venting a little sorry for the F*bomb Mom! Remember ladies and gents it’s a thrift store, so customer service isn’t always going to be stellar. For the most part you’re on your own. But if you spend the same amount of time in the thrift sore as you would Nordstrom’s or Bloomingdales, I promise you’ll come out with some great finds to add to your closet. - AC
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Harrison Roberts
Los Angeles
31
RAWWATER
J*DAVEY
words by Jason Thomas
If freedom is music, J*Davey is a runaway slave. Running form redundancy. Rebelling against banality. Asking what they sound like only exposes your ignorance. Acid soul? Neo funk? Call it what you want because they don’t care. With trippy surfer tunes (Hi Sun, Lalaland), psycho-sexual love croons (Private Parts, Get Together, No More, Valley of Love), and inspirational anarchy anthems (This One!, Fight the Daylight), Miss Jack Davey (the girl) and Brook D’leau (the guy) are eluding genres as the saints of the southland. Not focused on trends, J*Davey is blazing a path of artistic independence for black bands and black music. There is no tempo they won’t attempt. No sound they won’t bleed into a futuristic groove. No beat they won’t blast as loud as a supersonic woodpecker. Their lyrics speak on power, self worth within human hate, and the varying levels of love and life. Whether jamming with a full band or with D’leau backing up Jack one man band stand style, Jack and
Brook’s live shows are adventures in absurdity. Hyper and free flowing, the duo’s chemistry on stage not only elicits crowd participation, it enforces it. They might throw a Nirvana cover in the mix, or maybe Apollonia 6. Fist pumps, stage rushing, spontaneous hippie dances, crotch grabbing, and instrument destruction are in excess. Inhibitions must be left at home. Posers need not enter. Brace for the electrified loony ness that J*Davey babies are hooked on. Provocative, charming, and upliftingly eclectic, the joyful craziness of their music is amplified when they take the stage. With a Christmas released 5 song mixtape (Boudoir Synema: The Great Mistape) already burning up the internet, and with two more tapes scheduled to drop soon, J*Davey has taken over LA. Next stop, the world. Get your free copy of Boudoir Synema: The Great Mistape @ Myspace.com/Jdavey
BQ
FOLLOW US AS WE JOIN ONE OF LA’S DOPEST BANDS AT THEIR PRACTICE IN HOLLYWOOD Never heard of them? Check them out at myspace.com/ beyondquality
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“Our music is a fusion of Hip Hop with Rock & Roll consisting of two MC’s, backed by a powerful rock band. We are BEYOND the quality of music that is out now!”
“Our main influences are Hip Hop, Rock & Roll, Blues, Soul & Metal. We attribute our sound to The Roots, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine, Led Zeppelin, Ice Cube, Tool & Eminem to name a few…far too many to list!” 35
Lucas North 37
Chris Walker
Los Angeles
RAWWATER
39
RHYME
TER
VIEW
THE PRESIDENT OF RAP SAT DOWN WITH LÁ RAW FOR A LITTLE ONE ON ONE.
LR: First and foremost, I’m a huge fan of yours and I appreciate all that you’ve done for the game as well as all of your charity work here in the states and abroad. Jay: Thank you, thank you, thank you, you’re far too kind. LR: What do you think makes you so different than the rest? Why is Jay-Z still on top, rather than say a DMX. Jay: I’m raised different, reactin’ situations, Niggas lay stiff and, rookies blame it on the age difference……(clears throat) X came through, caught lighter fluid, Still i came through it, clap for em, but I’m the blueprint, I’m like the map for em. LR: How do u feel when you are proclaimed the best ever even though your still making music? Jay: Still hustlin baby! hurry up kill me, I’m already the goat next stop is the billie LR: As we all know with great success comes a lot of criticism… I’m just gonna go thru a few; When people claim that all u do is bite Biggie verses? Jay: I say a B.I.G. verse I’m only biggin up my brother, Biggin up my borough, I’m big enough to do it, I’m that thorough, Plus I know my own flow is foolish.
LR: Can you explain to the people where this whole “Hova” thing comes from? Jay: With the weight of the world on my shoulder, that’s why they call me “Hova”, I’m far from being God, but I work goddamn hard LR: I see…. Jay: Forgive me for my brash delivery, But i remember vividly what these streets did to me, so picture me letin these clowns nit pick at me. LR: How bout those that say that you are only giving kids two options: Sell drugs or Rap? Jay: I told you sell drugs...no...Hov did that so hopefully you won’t have to go through that. I was raised in the pro-jects, roaches and rats; Smokers out back, sellin’ they mama’s sofa; Lookouts on the corner, focused on the Ave….seen hoop dreams deflate like a true fiend’s weight…… LR: So you r officially saying that selling drugs is NOT the way go? Jay: Whoever said illegal was the easy way out couldn’t understand the mechanics and the workings of the underworld. LR: What would you say that your life lesson has been?
LR: Do u truly feel like your better than B.I.G.? Jay: If I aint better than B.I.G, then I’m the closest one… LR: The hot topic on YouTube nowadays is the “devilish” under tones of your latest video for On To the Next One..
Jay: On the, rise to the top, many drop, don’t forget…In order to survive, gotta learn to live with regrets LR: Anything you want to leave the readers with? Jay: Either love me or leave me alone… I’m forever Young
Jay: Fuckas!!!!! (We both laugh)
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LaToya Tyson
Miguel de Vera 43
T_Swifty What did @JohnMayer say that was so bad???? Feb 10th Via Web
BOOOYAWW !!!!!!! I got the one Grammy that @Kanyeeze & @SlimShady didn’t!!! Jan 31st
What A YEAR!!!!!.......On second thought THANK YOU @Kanyeeze!!!! Dec 31st
I’m so hard…yeah yeah yeah!!!..lol Dec 23rd
RT @TaylorLautner: Avatar was coo.. aint got shit on New Moon though… DARN TOOTIN!!!! Dec 19th
#nowplaying Hate Nov 13th
@CarrieUnderwood & @WynonnaJudd can both eat a sack of baby dix Nov 12th
RT @TaylorLautner: Which Mike @T_Swifty….Jordan, Jackson, Tyson pick one!! Lol @ CMA Awards.......I’m like the Mike of country music Nov 11th
Thanks for having my back @BarackObama.. Ur a pretty cool Feller, I knew that I shoulda voted for u instead Sep 15th
Chris Walker 45
Lindsey Tyree
Kaymar Haye 47
Allen Chen I’ve always been fascinated by the interactions between people, especially the way people act toward the ones they are close to. Oftentimes, a tiny gesture could reveal the story and the intimacy of their relationships. Lovers, friends, and family all act differently when they are around each other. It could be the way they stroke the hair, the distance they keep, or the way the way they look at each other. In these images, I recreate these interactions based on my personal experience and observation. Allen Chen works and lives in New York city. www.allenchenstudio.com
FOH!
Some thoughts from producer extraordinaire David Padilla (myspace.com/dpdilla).
The views in this section doesn’t necessarily, for the most part, reflect those of LA RAW … Enjoy!
Hip Hop in 2010 – what is it? Does it even exist anymore? Can it even be the same thing anymore? Where are the B-Boys, the Graff Writers, the Emcees and the DJs? I think about this a lot, because we are literally in a second generation of Hip Hop, not in the sense of style and such, because really there’s a new generation of artists and whatnot every few years, but what I specifically mean is the people who were around in the early years of Hip Hop are the parents of this generation’s of Hip Hop heads. Being from the West Coast, it’s difficult to define exactly what Hip Hop is outside of New York, because it’s so fundamentally tied to that place. New York birthed it, but it quickly spread to the West Coast, the South, and even in the UK. Portions of it were already happening elsewhere at the same time really, but in New York, in the Bronx, in the 70s, Hip Hop was crystallized into essential elements (incidentally, I think labeling the “elements of Hip Hop” is stupid so I won’t do it, but understand the reference). I could tell you all day about Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa, about Seen, T-Kid and Dondi, about Crazy Legs, Doze Green and the Rocksteady Crew. I love Style Wars, Subway Art, Spraycan Art, Wild Style – hell, I even love Beat Street! The problem is, all of that is tied to late 70s-early 80s New York, and the reality is, kids these days don’t give a fuck about any of that. Kids don’t know who Marley Marl is; they don’t know Rakim from Malcolm X. The feud between Ice-T and Soulja Boy is proof positive that there is a disagreement between the generations. It’s not a clash in the vein of KRS versus MC Shan: it’s not about a specific place or style, it’s something more like the clash between a reactionary parent and an irreverant child. Well, I’m trying to bridge the gap, sort the bullshit from the real shit, and try to place blame where it really should be. To that end, I’ve co-opted a timeless statement of refute: Fuck Outta Here. You wouldn’t believe how many times a day I say it; I’m almost ashamed, but not as ashamed as these corny motherfuckers causing me to say it should be. Example: Drake. Are you guys fucking seriously jocking this clown? I’ve heard Drake get props from just about everyone. Even Phonte Coleman gave Drake props - really? I’m a musician, I know how it goes – you try to be cool with everyone, just in case they might be able to get you in the door somehow, especially if they’re the new hot shit, and you’re the struggling underground shit. But that was a co-sign I wasn’t expecting at all. Really, you need to front like this motherfucker is talented, just in case it somehow gets you on a remix on MTV? I’m not speaking specifically about Drake and Phonte with that though, because a lot of people do that shit, like all the respectable producers who are making their own Lil Wayne remixes – but I’ll get to that another day. Back to Drake, this corny motherfucker is an actor turned rapper. Remember when Jay-Z said, “This ain’t a movie, dog,”? That line applies here. How you going to take his ass seriously? Hip Hop was created by the poor, the hungry, the voiceless and unrepresented. What struggle has this motherfucker ever had? He had to be in a wheelchair on tv for a good while, aww. To compare, Case 2 lost an arm as a child and went on to become one of the best and most prolific writers of the 3rd wave of graffiti. You see the difference? On another note, I know you’ve heard that “Bedrock” bullshit. You should hit your head with something hard if you think that shit is good. This guy really says, “I love your sushi roll, hotter than wasabe...” Obviously this is supposed to be a reference to vagina, but here’s the thing: a sushi roll looks like a dick, not a pussy. That’s why they slice that shit up, because it would look like 6” of fishy black dick in your mouth if they didn’t. Think about it. Plus, when I heard that shit, he said, “I love YOUR sushi roll” not “I love her Sushi roll” - low key, he was coming on to me in song, and I don’t play that shit. Now this guy has a Sprite endorsement where he drinks the shit and gets super powers to write his bullshit? That makes me want to not drink Sprite. Maybe if it was Drake, the Degrassi kid in the wheelchair, drinking some Sprite and it gets him out of the wheelchair, maybe that might be cool... no, wait, no that would still be bullshit. Fuck outta here Sprite. Obey your thirst? I drink that shit and it only makes me thirstier... for water. Maybe the slogan should be, “Disobey your thirst” then it would be rebellious, which is edgy and marketable. Fucking sheep... I don’t think Drake considers himself Hip Hop though, and he shouldn’t. He is a Pop rapper, no disrespect intended; that’s where it is now. Rap is part of Pop, that broad spectrum of things created to be consumed
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“Drake. Are you guys f**king seriously jocking this clown?” and disposed of, to catch your attention for 15 minutes on a commute to work, and forgotten the moment the next big thing comes around. Captan EO asked me to really point a finger at what is wrong in Hip Hop right now though, and while I think there is something very wrong with having Drake and Hip Hop in the same sentence, I don’t think he’s the problem, but a symptom of a greater problem. It’s taken me a while to pinpoint where the things that are wrong in Hip Hop are stemming from, but I do know that there’s at least one person who’s at least partially responsible. On Talib Kweli’s Eardrum, there is a track comprised of snippets of people explaining when they first heard him (itself a reference to De La Soul’s Stakes is High [available on iTunes!]). One kid says (and I’m paraphrasing), “The first time I heard Kweli was on the Kanye album, I hate to say it.” He was ashamed of it. Now, if Kanye West is a gateway drug to real Hip Hop, then I’m all for it, but I’m seeing more and more that a lot of the bullshit in Hip Hop has a link to Kanye West. For one, I’m surprised he isn’t on that “Bedrock” bullshit the way he swings on Drake and Wayne’s testicles. He’s said that he’s a designer first and foremost (FUCK OUTTA HERE hahahaha), he’s said Mase was his favorite rapper (??!?), he’s said he wanted to do an MFM softcore porno... really this list could go on. Even the president has called him a jackass, THE PRESIDENT! On a side note, how funny is that? When Kanye said that shit about Bush, I’m positive Bush was like, “What’s a ‘con yay’??” Now we got a Black president, so when a rapper does some stupid shit on TV, even the President is saying FOH! Where was he when Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar? Back to Kanye... I’ll admit, he can bang some shit out when he wants to, but I think he doesn’t want to. You see 20/20 when he made that weak drumbeat on the MPC and was fronting like it was good (Uh! Yeeuh! Uh!) in front of that old white dude? Even ol’ boy was like, “What’s a dope ass beat?” because obviously THAT WASN’T ONE. Watch it on youtube, you can see the moment the journalist says “Fuck outta here” in his head, I swear. Everything wack I see in Drake comes directly from his portrayal of Kanye West: the wack “clever lyrics”, the style, the lust for commerciality, everything. Part of me wants to like that it’s detached Hip Hop from being strictly hood, strictly street tales of suffering... but then part of me is like “Nah fuck outta here with that bullshit, you get no hood love, you have no hood pass, you’re fake, stick to television.” Kanye West is the MTV generation’s perversion of the Hip Hop head. I’ll always give him respect for that “George Bush does not care about Black People” moment. Really, if Kanye wasn’t as impetuous and brash as he is, he probably wouldn’t have done that, but the truth is, I see a direct connection between the current bullshit in Hip Hop and Kanye West’s influence. Kanye, you’ll probably never read this, but we need you. You are one of the last motherfuckers on MTV rocking samples on an MPC. C’mon son, you know you’re on some bullshit right now. I miss the College Dropout; I don’t like Kon the Louis Vuitton Don. This struggle to be Pop ain’t worth it homie. You got famous doing you - do you. Unless, “you” really is that cat with the Billy Ocean hairdo on VH1 Storytellers talking about “I love singing” with all that Autotune bullshit, then fuck outta here with that. I’m not a hater, I just think a lot. Peace. Feel free to your send comments to David@RawWater.net
Los Angeles
RAWWATER RawWater.net