Pull-Out
23 | THE VOICE JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2012
JAMAICA TO DI WORLD
Drake endorses dancehall’s Popcaan
OLD SCHOOL
Queen Latifah: ‘90s rap reigns’
Krept & Konan
Young Kingz taking their crown
24 ! THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013
CHARITABLE CELEBS
Following news that US rapper Game donated $10,000 towards the funeral of a six-year-old girl shot dead in California, we look at other famous faces who love to give 1
2
3
4
5
50 CENT 50 Cent is on the board of directors of the G-Unity Foundation, which provides grants to non-profit organisations that work to improve the quality of life for low-income and under-served communities
ALESHA DIXON Alesha Dixon is vice president of the League Against Cruel Sports, which campaigns against cruelty to animals in sport. She also supports the African Caribbean Leukemia Trust (ACLT)
DIZZEE RASCAL The UK rapper supports Children In Need, which provides practical and lasting support to youngsters aged 18 and under who have experienced homelessnes, abuse, poverty or addictions
KANYE WEST The rapper co-founded the Dr Donda West Foundation in memory of his late mother to reduce the number of kids who drop out of school. His first initiative taught at-risk students music while improving their academic skills
LEONA LEWIS Leona Lewis donated the proceeds from her single, Footprints In The Sand, to Sport Relief. She also visited South Africa in March 2008 with the charity
6
7
8
9
10
ASHANTI
BEVERLEY KNIGHT MBE UK singer Beverley Knight is an ambassador for Christian Aid and has travelled to areas affected by disease and poverty to help raise awareness. She was made an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in February 2007 in recognition of her charitable work
DIDIER DROGBA The former Chelsea footballer created The Didier Drogba Foundation in 2007 with aims to provide financial and material support in both health and education for African people
ALICIA KEYS Keys is the ambassador for Keep A Child Alive, which provides life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world
DIGGY SIMMONS The rapper and son of Run DMC’s Rev Run supports The Get Schooled Foundation, which is focused on increasing high school and college graduation rates and promotes the importance of education
The US singer supported the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 2003. She also supports sickle cell research
11
12
DIONNE BROMFIELD The UK singer is passionate about animals, and supports PETA, which is dedicated to establishing and defending animal rights. She also supports the Amy Winehouse Foundation, set up in memory of her late godmother, which supports charitable activities
IDRIS ELBA Elba is an anti-crime ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, which offers support by training, mentoring and financial assistance to disadvantaged young people achieve their potential. More than half a million people have been helped so far
16
14
13
JAY Z The music mogul’s 2006 concert in New York City raised over $250,000 for PlayPumps International, a non-profit collaborative that enables the donation of PlayPump water systems to rural African communities and schools
LEWIS HAMILTON The Formula One ace supports Education Africa, which assists disadvantaged South Africans in their quest to obtain a quality education so they can become a competitive force in the local job market
17
Adam Tulloch
BEYONCE The singer founded the Survivor Foundation, an organisation created with fellow Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. They put on a carnival that enabled low-income households to enjoy a fun-filled day of food and entertainment
WILL SMITH With his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, he founded the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation to benefit inner-city community development, youth educational projects and under-privileged children and their families.
A GIFTED playwright, actor and director, Adam has used his considerable talents in the arts to give back to his community and to bring about social change. At the age of 19, the School of Oriental and African Studies student, received the Brit School Student of the Year Award for producing and performing in a range of educational plays, which toured local secondary schools in the Croydon area. He runs the Total Insight Theatre Company,
where he writes, directs and produces plays. Their first production Through the Wire set in Swaziland and raising awareness of AIDS, rape and human rights abuses, had sell-out previews in the Old Red Lion Theatre and will also be touring the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this year. Adam volunteers with Action Tutoring, helping students to gain at least a grade C in English.
15
JLS JLS have become patrons of BeatBullying (Aston), ChildLine (Marvin), Rays of Sunshine (JB) and National MS Society (Oritsé). Oritsé was awarded the ‘Inspiration Award’ by the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain
youngvoicesmagazine
@youngvoicesmag
SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013 THE VOICE ! 25
www.voice-online.co.uk/entertainment
UK rap duo Krept and Konan talk to YV’s Hazelann Williams about breaking into the charts, MOBOs and the Illuminati
A
S FAR as conspiracy theories go, the Illuminati must be one of the most popular. The not-so-secret society that 'controls everything' within popular culture, namely hiphop, is credited with having made the careers of the world's most powerful and famous people, such as BeyoncĂŠ and Oprah. And - according to a misguided few - is also responsible for the success of UK rap duo, Krept and Konan. The south London pair have put in an honest graft throughout their journey to the top, overcoming naysayers and personal tragedy to proudly stand at No.10 in the official UK album charts with their mixtape Young Kingz - an impressive feat achieved without a record label or mainstream support. And just a few weeks ago, the young rappers, also dubbed 'Young Kingz' received
their first Music Of Black Origin (MOBO) nomination to add to their list of accolades, which include over 10 million hits on YouTube. Laughing off the conspiracy theories, the musicians say that they don't take the rumours about the Illuminati seriously because it is part and parcel of fame. “At an early stage, someone said, 'watch out for Krept, he's Illuminati,'� laughs Konan. “When you hear stuff like that, you can't take it seriously.� Krept added: “Before we were in the music industry, we heard all that stuff. Then when we were in the music game and not even doing anything mad - people started calling us Illuminati. Everyone is Illuminati!� Reinforcing the notion that fame brings haters, Konan recalled a recent conversation he had after he found out about their MOBO nomination.
“[Our cover of Jay Z's] Otis came out on my birthday and so did news about our MOBO nomination. A few days later, I got a call from someone who was like 'you got nominated on your birthday, you're working with the devil,' and then they locked off the phone.� “When people can't see the grafting behind the scenes or can't explain something, they always say it's something negative. It can't be that God blessed you, it's 'the devil helped you’�, Konan added. Konan, who flashes his trademark gold tooth with every sentence, knows all too well about grafting in spite of negativity. In 2011, his stepfather was shot and killed by masked gunmen in the family's Croydon home. Among mourning the death of someone so close to him, the talented wordsmith was forced to deal with claims that he had
been the intended target in the attack, which also left his mother injured. “There was no one I could talk to about the situation,� he says. “No one could really understand what I was thinking or going through.� He said that the pair's sombre track, My Story, helped him come to terms with his loss and all that came with it. “It was 100 per cent therapeutic,� he says. “Putting it in a song helped me get it off my chest. [The case] was in court at the time and it was coming to an end. I felt like I had to do it so it was done and dusted.� Explaining that naysayers often don't see or understand what goes on behind the scenes before jumping to outrageous conclusions - and lifting the mood in the process Krept continued: “Someone tweeted us yesterday and said 'Only the Illuminati succeed’. I've never seen the Illuminati personally and I don't think they have either. They know what the Illuminati is about to be calling someone it. But it doesn't faze us, I couldn't care less, as long as you're talking about me.� And why should Krept and Konan waste time on the hate of a small minority when they have worked hard to become one of the UK’s most promising rap groups? With a career that is going from strength to strength, and a Jay Z cover that even sparked the attention of the main man himself, the guys remain humble and content knowing their
fans are happy with the music. “We wanted to get a top 40 [with Young Kingz]. We thought, 'we’ve got a lot of fans, so hopefully we can get a top 40.' We didn't think we'd get up to where we are now,� says Krept. Konan added: “It's a great thing knowing that people have actually gone and bought the music that we wanted to make. We weren't thinking about making a song for raving or for TV, we made music we wanted to. The fact our fans are supporting it so much is crazy.� Although the pair have been nominated for a 'best newcomer' MOBO, many music connoisseurs will know Krept and Konan are no strangers to the game. And the Devil’s Playground hitmakers don't see themselves that way either, although they admit they have a lot more to
POPCAAN:
7KH GDQFHKDOO VWDU ZRQ HQGRUVHPHQW IURP 'UDNH DIWHU WKH 86 UDSSHU DGGHG WKH -DPDLFDQ¡V œ8QUXO\ *DQJ¡ EUDQGLQJ WR KLV FORWKLQJ OLQH
achieve in the mainstream. “I don't think we're newcomers,� Konan says. “I feel like we've been in the underground for a minute, but to the mainstream or the public chart, we are still newcomers, we’re kind of in the middle.� Reflecting on their recent fortune, they say being nominated for a MOBO award was something they always wanted. “We watched the MOBOs every year and every year we would say 'next year we're gonna be on that,' and now this year, we're here,� Konan says. “It's still surreal,� Krept added. “I'm not gonna believe it until we're there. If they call our name, that's when it's gonna be show time.� Young Kingz is out now. For more information, visit www.iplaydirty.co.uk or follow @kreptplaydirty and @konanplaydirty on Twitter
THANDIE NEWTON:
7KH %ULWLVK DFWUHVV DQQRXQFHG WKDW VKH LV SUHJQDQW ZLWK KHU WKLUG FKLOG ZLWK KXEE\ 2O 3DUNHU
BUFF 25 BUSTED?
Dear Kat,
My best friend started secretly dating a guy and I’ve just come to find out that he is someone I dated in the past. My friend has a secretive way about her, so I’m not surprised that I didn’t know her man’s identity before now. We all met up at a mutual friend’s birthday party last week, but we both acted like that was the first time we had met. I dated him before I became friends with my girl and he was a dog. He cheated on me and had other girls calling my phone at all hours threatening my life if I didn’t end it. I would like to think that everyone can change, but something tells me that this man is the same. Do I tell my friend about our past? Anon
Hi Anon,
If you choose to reveal your past, one of two things can happen. You can be painted as the considerate friend who has her girl’s best interests at heart or, quite simply, you can be painted as a hater. It all boils down to your relationship with your friend. How well do you know each other? Does she trust your opinion enough to believe what you’re saying is coming from a place of love? If you’re confident in what you share, sit her down and explain the situation to her. Be sure not to inundate her with stories pertaining to your negative experience with him – that’s your experience, not hers. You can let her know that you’re worried he may do the same to her, but be open to hear that he’s nothing like that anymore. Your job, as a friend, is to give her the heads up, her job is to make her own decision.
QUEEN LATIFAH:
7KH VWDU UDLVHG D IHZ H\HEURZV ZKHQ VKH VDLG IHPDOH UDSSHUV KDG QRWKLQJ RQ 0&V IURP KHU HUD
BUFF
BUFF
BRANDY:
7KH 86 VLQJHU UHYHDOHG WKDW VKH KDV SRVWSRQHG KHU ZHGGLQJ WR KHU PXVLF H[HFXWLYH ILDQFp EHFDXVH VKH LV WRR EXV\
TWEET OF THE WEEK 8. VLQJHU -DPHOLD JDYH KHU IROORZHUV VRPH UHODWLRQVKLS DGYLFH ODVW ZHHN WHOOLQJ WKHP WR EH ´ RQ SRLQW¾ LI WKH\ ZDQWHG WR HQVXUH WKHLU SDUWQHU UHPDLQHG IDLWKIXO
RIHANNA:
Effortless!
´,I D PDQ ZRPDQ ZDQWV WR VWUD\ WKH\ ZLOO %HWWHU WR EH VHFXUH LQ \RXU VSRW PDNH VXUH X DUH EHLQJ RQ SRLQW DV D SDUWQHU¾
TINIE TEM
Swag, with a PAH: capital ‘S’. Love his style. -DPHOLD
KANO
26 ! THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013
TTLE A B R E T S PO BEYONCÉ
and ALICIA
KEYS
To access Mobil app for The Voice
SCAN ME VOTE NOW!! Email us at young.voices@gvmedia.co.uk or tweet us @Youngvoicesmag #YVPosterBattle