DUAL Magazine

Baby ice is takin ova the game 1

. Gear . Buzz Rumorz . Mude Ohimore . Breakouts Rhythm and Game

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Editorial:

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor

Design

Art Director Graphic Designer Web Development

Nakware Howard Evan Styles Tyrone Holland

Administartion:

Administartion:

Chief Operating Officer Financial Analyst Circulation Manager

Marketing:

Business Development Director Marketing & Communications Director Marketing Coordinator Marketing & PR Liason

Sales:

Sales Manager

Contributing Writers:

Contributing Photographers:

Dual Magazine 826 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago, IL 60605 www.dualmagazine.com

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Rachel Block Debrah Silverman Cynthia Guevara

Contributing Illustrators:

John Jameson Stephan Haggerty Nicholas Sadofsky

Business Development Director Christopher Lamar Tommy Agam Matthew Diaz De Yu Andrew Sanchez Roland Millien Brandon Thompson Michael Chapman Alia Midoun Chantal Hayes Christopher Free Katie Barthelow Michael O Aaron McGruder

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contents Iso

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Pulse

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The Breakdown

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Pin-Ups & Pom-Poms

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Colossal Talent

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Passion

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Silent Superstar

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Fresh, Fly, & Flashy

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Spittin Game

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Editorial

Fan Comments

Industry Breakouts

The Lovely Ladies of Cheerleading

Interview with Mudiaga Ohimor

Interview with Rumorz

The Psyche of Kevin Durant

Industry Fashions

Memorable Quotes from the week Dual 3

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Iso words from the editor

I find it troubling that in today’s society there is such an emphasis for young African Americans, specifically males, to be focused on using sports or rap as their way out of a negative situation. I take issue with this because while the opportunity is there it is a very hard goal to see come to fruition. Some of the factors that go into a rap or sports career being the solution to your situation are simple logistics. If you consider that your entire race is trying to achieve the same goal, the age window to become a rapper or professional athlete is between 18-30, and that at maximum only a few thousand new people break into any substantial standing in these industries on any given year, it is safe to come to the conclusion that the percentage of people who are able to successfully use this method to get out of there situation is very small probably well below 10 or even 5 percent. When you take this into account and consider the repercussions of what the alternatives are if you aren’t one of the successful ones, it would appear that while this is not an impossible goal

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to achieve it is a very improbable one and that as a culture we need to learn that these are not the only options. We need to learn not to put all our eggs in one basket and learn to give ourselves alternatives and other chances to advance our place in society. I’m not saying we need to remove athletic and musical dreams from African American culture all together because as long as we continue to dominate these industries it will remain a large part of our hopes, dreams, and aspirations, what I am saying is that we need to learn to emphasize the importance of other ways to advance our status in society. We need to educate young black males on the positives of these alternatives and how to develop the skills necessary to do these things while not diminishing their dreams. It is crucial that we let our young black males know the importance of a good education, I don’t necessarily know that we need to convince them that an education is cool because I don’t know if they would believe that I feel that’s something you kind of have to come to terms with on your own, but what we can do is stress how important it is and that it is necessary if that want a better life or any kind of forward mobility. Essentially what I’m hoping that anyone will take from this piece is that the dreams of being a rapper or an athlete are not wrong, I encourage dreams and aspirations, but what is wrong is letting our youth go forward in society believing that is there only way out and leaving them in an even worse situation when these dreams and aspirations aren’t reached.

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Pulse How the fans are feelin

Man Dual is my go to magazine for music and sport, You guys nailed it you give the fans what they want to hear and don’t hold any punches.

You get the scoop know one has and hit us with bomb stories before ANYONE else even knows. Honestly my knowledge of the game wouldn’t be near where it is without you guys.

Much love.

- Jason, Atlanta, GA

I don’t always agree with everything you guys have to say, but I must admitt last month’s article about Rajon Rondo was spot on. He’s def underappreciated and I don’t think we’re even close to knowing what the ceiling is on that kid.

This is why I read Dual because even when I don’t agree with your articles I have to respect what you guys have to say, and when I do it’s even better.

-Alex, Los Angeles, CA

Man I’ve been trying to get one of these letters into your mag for years now, I don’t know if this one will make it, but I’ll sure keep trying. I remember the first time I picked up a dual I was having a TERRIBLE week and all I wanted to do was get away. So I was at a jewel grabbing a drink and I saw it there on the stand and thought what better way to zone out for a while then just to throw my mind into some stuff I love. And man did I LOVE your mag, it made my day, and I’ve been an avid reader since -Daniel, Little Rock Arkansa

What were yall thinking having an article about Soulja Boy in your mag.

Man I respect yall, but come on damn, yall was trippin. I get it the article was about the state of hip-hop and who’s relevant right now, but come on dude is everything that is currently wrong with rap right now. Seriously I think he is the reason hip-hop is dead, kid’s the legit reason people still hate hip-hop.

Notice I call him kid because I don’t respect him enough to call him a man.

Pshhht just sayin yo.

-Brandon, Boston, MA

Dual Dual Dual, what to say what to say what to say. I mean yall are it period. If your looking to get the scoop on anything music or sports the buck stops here. Man you guys been getting it right from the very beginning. What can I say I’m yet to be disappointed by one of your mags, man sometimes I think you’ve done your best work and then I go and cop the next months issue. Keep up the good work peeps.

Jay, Chicago, IL

Man can you guys do me a favor and give K-Love some ink. Finally the Sports channels have caught on and are finally starting to talk about the kid, but still no mags are showing him any love (no pun) it’s ridiculous. Let’s face Minnesota is AWFUL but the snowman is a BEAST. Kid’s grabbing Dennis Rodman like boards, I swear I’ve never seen anything like it, Hey just throwing out suggestions.

-Aaron, Framingham, MA

I just have to know where you guys find these in your pin-ups and PomPom’s section. Granted I know most of em probably aren’t really cheerleaders, but thats not even what it’s about. I think you guys have to be finding the dopest women on earth, I just need to know how I can find some of these women into my life cuz DAMN. All I’m saying is keep doing what yall are doing and stop hogging all the gorgeous ladies remember what your momma taught ya, sharing is caring.

-Andrew, Dallas, TX

All I can say is it’s about time. That Kevin Martin article has been WAY past due and I’m just glad yall were the ones to cover it, dude is a stone cold killer out there yet he never get’s any pub because he’s always on weak squads. So glad he finally got some ink, I mean he just dropped 46 on Atlanta man is cold as ice. I can’t wait till he gets outta Houston. If my boy gets put in the right situation the League better watch out cuz he will be A PROBLEM. -JaySwann, Albany, NY

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The Breakdown Industry Breakouts

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Considering Kanye West’s checkered past year with MTV, it seems unfit that the opinionated hip-hop genius would top any list complied by the media outlet. But in all honesty, West’s crowning as MTV News’“Man Of The Year” is absolutely appropriate. Now before you rush to populate the comment section of this post with Kanye hate, you have to give him some credit as a newsmaker. Other MTV News “Man Of The Year” top contenders, Eminem (No. 2), Justin Bieber (No. 3), Drake (No. 4), and Lil’ Wayne (No. 5), had an impressive year, but none captured a news headline better than the rapper we love to hate.

Kanye’s artistic work made up for all the flack he received for stealing Taylor Swift’s 2009 Video Music Award moment of glory -- and subsequent rants. MTV News correspondent Tim Kash said it best when making the announcement: “Behind the massive ego is a load of talent.” MTV Shows After the VMA incident last year, Kanye went into seclusion, but he made a memorable return last May and has since dominated entertainment news. West’s song, “Power,” questioned authority.

He offered a G.O.O.D. Friday free download

for months. He created one of hip-hop’s most compelling music videos, an artistic moving picture for “Power.” And when he returned to the VMA stage this year, not only did he not apologize for his past indiscretions but he suggested that a toast be made in his obnoxious honor. Then, West stepped things up. He released another epic video, this time a 35-minute minimovie for “Runaway.” The explicit cover of his “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” was banned yet still debuted at No. 1. His “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” debuted at No. 1. And now we all wait in anticipation for his next short, a horror-themed clip for “Monster,” a collab with Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj. The preview looks as chilling as a “Saw” sequel. We can hate Mr. West all we want, but there is no denying that, in 2010, he owned music news. Let’s all raise a glass to our computer monitors and smartphones screens and make a toast to the self-described jerk. Hip hip. Kan-ye!

On the other hand, no one thought Griffin, just a rookie, would come to dominate the highlight shows and become a viral sensation. He was the top pick of the 2009 NBA draft as a sophomore out of Oklahoma but broke his kneecap in the last preseason game. Surgery cost him the entire season. Most young athletes take years to recover from these kinds of setbacks; recurring knee and foot injuries, for example, have stalled the career of Greg Oden, the top pick in the 2007 draft.

Somehow, Griffin has come back even better than he was before. “I tried to turn the injury into a positive experience,” he says. “Just sitting and watching, for me, was just good. I knew what it was going to be like, so I was a lot more comfortable coming in.” Entering the Clippers’ Jan. 29 game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Griffin is averaging a double-double: 22.6 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. At one point he notched 27 straight double-doubles. “He’s just always adding stuff to his game,” says Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, who is on a 31-game double-double streak of his own. “He’s

got the dribble moves and that shot off the glass.

He plays like every possession is his last.” Griffin is shooting 51.5% from the field, and according to a recent ESPN.com statistical analysis, by one measure of overall effectiveness, Griffin is having the third best rookie season in the past 40 years, behind only Hall of Famer David Robinson’s 198990 campaign and the 1984-85 debut of a guy named Michael Jordan. What’s the key to Griffin’s production, besides the obvious athleticism on display? “You’ve got to talk about his pop,” says one NBA team executive. “It’s unbelievable.” By pop, he’s referring to Griffin’s ability to jump quickly, and high, off the ground while standing still. Griffin doesn’t need a running start to go grab rebounds, nor a dribble or two to dunk from close range. This makes him a more efficient player. He pops like a pogo stick, which saves his energy for the highlight-reel plays.

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Though B.o.B had been signed to Atlantic Records since the mid-aughts, 2010 was actually the first year people outside underground hip-hop got to experience what he was all about. A year ago, despite being a fixture on MTV’s Mixtape Daily, Bobby Ray was stuck in major-label limbo and contemplating giving it all up.

Now, taking into account his buzz, commercial success and impact, the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust has selected B.o.B as the #9 Hottest MC in the Game, his first appearance on the list.

As we approach the midway point of the NBA season, Kevin Love is enjoying his best season as a professional. While an increase in minutes is allowing Love to show off his game, Love’s superb play on the glass is the main reason why people are finally starting to take notice of his talent.

When it comes to grabbing rebounds, Love is among the best in the NBA. At this point in time, when you think of rebounding, you instantly think of Kevin Love. Love is currently third in the NBA in rebounding percentage (TR%), grabbing 23.7 percent of all available rebounds. In addition to being

It’s been a quick rise to the top for Waka Flocka Flame.

The Queens-born, Atlanta-bred rapper began garnering attention in hip-hop circles after his mixtape Salute Me or Shoot Me Vol. 1 hit the streets of Atlanta in January 2009. It featured his breakout record “O Let’s Do It.” The rowdy club track quickly became a fan favorite, and a year later, after he peppered the streets with more mixtapes and a guest verse on “Bingo,” from Gucci Mane’s 2009 LP, The State vs. Radric Davis, “O Let’s Do It” got an official remix featuring Diddy, Rick Ross and Gucci Mane.

On top of all that, the singles “Hard in Da

This past February, when he dropped the LRGsponsored mixtape May 25th, things started to really take off. The tape featured the Bruno Mars-assisted single “Nothin’ on You,” which was instantly embraced by radio. The song hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and sold more than 2 million copies. He duplicated that success with “Airplanes,” featuring Paramore’s Hayley Williams, which spent a staggering 26 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at #2.

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third in rebounding percentage, Love is third in defensive rebounding percentage. When it comes to grabbing defensive rebounds, it is all about body position for Love, who is able to read the ball’s trajectory very well, determine which way it is going to be coming off the rim, and then get his body in position to grab the rebound Hype Meter:

Paint” and “No Hands,” from his debut LP Flockaveli (released October 5), garnered him enough buzz and attention to be voted the #8 Hottest MC in the Game, his first time making the list.

While Atlanta has been a hotbed of hip-hop talent for many years, a lot of artists who make a name for themselves off club records disappear as fast as they arrive. Right now, though, Waka isn’t just hot in the clubs; he practically owns them.

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WALE: The hip hop industry is highly competitive and artists often need to go to great lengths in order to get noticed. When it came to rapper Wale, he built his entire career on the success of the many Wale mixtapes that he released. Without them, he never would have built up his impressive fan base and most likely would not have scored his major record deal In 2008, Wale got what he had been waiting for when he signed a 1.3 million dollar contract with Interscope Records and set to work on his debut album. His first album was entitled “Attention Deficit” and included the singles “Chillin’”, “Pretty Girls, “and “World

RAYMOND FELTON: As the Knicks adapt to the new era, with Mr. Felton pushing the offense to new heights nightly, players rave about how much trust exists between them and their point guard.

In a game against the Charlotte Bobcats last month, Mr. Felton began to sprint down the court on a fast break, with rookie shooting guard Landry Fields running a few feet in front. They had never practiced alley-oops or even discussed them. But Mr. Felton and Mr. Fields made eye contact and Mr. Felton made an expression with his eyebrows that made it clear what he would do. Mr. Fields jumped while Mr. Felton delievered

JIMMER FREDETTE: should be taken in the lottery of this year’s draft, and could make a run at NBA Rookie of the Year in 2012.He led his BYU Cougars over fourth ranked San Diego State on Saturday. He did so as much with his passing as he did with his scoring.

He demonstrated that he’s not only an elite scorer, but a true point guard as well.

Despite leading his team in assists all year long, plenty of critics have questioned Jimmer’s point guard skills. He answered the questions by breaking down numerous double-teams and dishing out nine assists. And he did so against a team that most experts said possessed the kind of

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Tour.” He continues to record new music that helps keep his buzz alive.

The hip hop industry can be difficult to break into, and rappers like Wale can only make it if they know the important steps to take.

Wale mixtapes helped the rapper build a local following before getting the national attention he craved. All of his hard work has paid off with a major label album and a lucrative recording contract.

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a perfect pass to set-up a Garden-shaking alleyoop.

This is not a surprise to anyone who watched Mr. Felton in a South Carolina gym or a North Carolina practice floor. When Mr. Felton’s name came up during the free agency period, Dan and Mike D’Antoni made eye contact as other people in the room discussed it. Dan winked at his brother and had to say no more. Mr. Felton was born to run.

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athleticism that the too slow and too white Fredette couldn’t deal with.

Fredette has already played his way into the lottery for the 2011 NBA Draft. If he continues to play like this through the Mountain West tournament and into the NCAA Tournament, he could be a top-10 pick.If he does slide to the middle or end of the first round, don’t be surprised if he makes every team that passed on him very sorry

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Jennifer Ashcroft Nick Name: :Jen, Jenny Birth State :MA Hometown :Stoneham, MA High School :Stoneham High School, Stoneham, MA School :Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Major :3 Year Honors Business Degree Current Occupation : Waitress and Student Career Goal :To run the marketing department in a Fortune 500 company Performance Background :12 years of dance; 2 years of Pop Warner; 3 years of high school cheerleading, 4th year captain; 2 years of cheerleading at SNHU Hobbies :Working out, shopping, and watching movies Pets :Ace, my West Highland Terrier Favorite TV Shows :Fresh Meat, Army Wives and Cesar Millan’s Dog Whisperer Favorite Movies :The Notebook, Bring It On, and Dirty Dancing Favorite Actor / Actress :Actresses - Jennifer Aniston and Rachel McAdams Favorite Animated Character :Belle from Beauty and the Beast Favorite Band / Musician :Carrie Underwood and John Mayer Favorite Song :“Just Dream,”

by Carrie Underwood Favorite Book :The Kite Runner,

by Khaled Hosseini Favorite Quote :“Open your eyes to the beauty around you. Open your mind to the wonders of life. Open your heart to those who love you, and always be true to yourself.”

Favorite Foods :Chicken fingers and mac ‘n cheese Favorite Dessert :Cheesecake Favorite Restaurant : The Cheesecake Factory Favorite Color :Pink Favorite Guilty Pleasure :Chocolate!

What is your dream job? :To own a restaurant chain What is your most prized possession? : My family, including Ace :)

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Colossal Talent With a strong sense of self, unmatched will, and undeniable determination Mudiaga Ohimor has been a force at every level he’s ever played at.

Now with his college career coming to a close he is poised to maximize his colossal potential and use his talents to vault himself into an NFL career.

I sit down with him to discuss what his journey has been like thus far, and where it is headed.

Words by Nakware Howard

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What players do you consistently watch to and what makes them stand out to you?

Ray Lewis because of his sheer ferocity and passion for the game. Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis because they are supreme athletes. I’ll pretty much watch any team and any player. Also goes like Wes Welker and Woodhead from the Pats because they are extremely shifty.

When you got started was there any athlete specifically that you tried to emulate until you solidified your style of play?

I was trying to be like anyone who was running around tackling everybody. No one in particular though.

Now that you’ve kind of established your style of play would you say there is any player that you would compare yourself too?

I see myself somewhat similar to James Harrison, maybe a Demarcus Ware although Dwight Freeny is one of my favorite players.

I know you a very religious man, would you say there is a place for religion in sports?

Religion to me gives you the grounds for which you relate to everything in life, so absolutely. It should determine the way I approach relationships with teammates, coaches, or people outside of the team, and how I approach life in general.

How do you deal with any conflicts that may arise between athletics and your religion?

I think you can largely avoid that by staying out of the wrong crowd. Outside of that you simply have to reevaluate what’s important in your life.

What is your single most memorable moment playing football?

Winning the Patriot league Championship in 2009 When did you realize you were an above average athlete, and wanted to pursue sports as a career?

In 6th grade when I was 5’8 as a 12 year old.

What was the most disappointing thing to happen to you playing football?

Not being allowed to maximize my potential be ca use of our ove r emphasis on assignment football.

What was your upbringing like?

Grew up spending a lot of time playing, with my brothers and kids in the neighborhood. From water gun fights, to basketball, to capture the flag, we played it all. When we moved to Maryland when I was in 2nd grade basketball took prominence but we also played roller hockey and other sports.

How important was building connections and surrounding yourself with the right people to your development?

A strong support network is always paramount to the success of any individual. A lot of coaches and people put faith in me and believed in me when they may or may not have had reason to.

How did that impact your desire to get involved with football?

I naturally had the build to play football, and gained the athleticism through basketball but my parents wouldn’t allow us to play football until high school.

What is your primary inspiration to continue striving to be as dominant as you could be?

The inspiration is to be the best that I can be. And with my natural physical and intellectual gifts with hard work and dedication I believe I can have an impact in the NFL.

When you got serious about sports, did it at any point become less about passion and love for the game and more about it being a career or means to an end?

I see it as both. The fact that you can make a living off of playing football sounds absurd. But on the other hand when one takes into account the amount of work put in and the profit made off of football players, the numbers add up.

Would you say there is a connection between sports and music, and what would you say it is?

I listen to music every day of my life, especially when I’m preparing to engage in an athletic activity or To me it is a way work out.

How much work did you put in to get to the level your at?

The amount is uncountable. To me it is a way of life from the diet to waking up in the morning to jump rope to going to the gym. From working a 15 hour day and then going to the gym. It’s all about discipline and determination.

Whats your favorite thing about sport or being an athlete?

The competition is priceless. Just the fact that people

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of life. It’s all about

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I was trying to be like anyone who was running around

Tackling Everybody.

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work sometimes year round for a few opportunities to prove themselves is remarkable.

Tell me something your fans don’t know about you, that may surprise them?

I like Star wars, the Final Fantasy rpg series, Fantasy books, and Classical Music in particular Hanz Zimmer and Nobuo Uemetsu.

Why should fans care about you?

Because I’ve never been your typical anything, person, American, Christian, athlete, hip hop fan, student, etc.

What makes you better than other athletes?

Well, at this level I’m 6’2 and a half and 245 pounds and I run under a 4.9 second 40 yard dash, that is not very typical of this league or level of competition. Aside from that I work year round, sometimes I over work, but I am a winner. Every year I continue to grow in every facet of the game of football. My biggest regret is that things didn’t come a year sooner. Nevertheless I’ve developed right in time to prepare to pursue a professional football career.

For people looking to become pursue athletics as a career is there anything you would tell them before they get too invested that might make them reconsider sports as a career?

Consider whether or not you are actually capable to pursuing such a dream. There is never anything wrong with chasing a dream, in fact I highly encourage it. Chase your dreams, but when you wake up

to reality reevaluate what is going on. You have to keep it real with yourself at all times. I knew by my junior year that I wasn’t going to the NBA I stopped growing. I was a 6’2 power forward. Now I could have began to develop as a guard but at that point being 235lbs it made more sense to stick with football. Despite what physical abilities one may or may not have. If you have the will you can make it work.

That’s one reason why football is great. You can be 340 pounds-Vince Wilfork, you can be 175lbs (Desean Jackson, very fast). You can be a short slow receiver and make it as a professional football player. Now it isn’t likely, but neither is being a professional athlete in general, or becoming a millionaire.

If you had to rank the top 10 greatest football players of all time in order what who would make your list?

I can only go based off of what I have seen was old enough to somewhat know about, so…

Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Rice, Raw Lewis, Reggie White, Deion Sanders, (top 5 to me) the rest are a toss-up Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Tom Brady, Emmet Smith, Troy Aikman… The Legends have to be in there but to me I didn’t see a ton of footage on them but their stats speak for themselves Bruce Smith, Dick Butkus, Deacon Jones, Unitas, Elway, Marino, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Mike Singletary

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When did you realize you were an above average rapper, and wanted to pursue hip-hop as a career?

I didn’t realize how much music meant to me until about sophomore year in college. Before that it was a hobby I was good at and I enjoyed.

I feel like I’m constantly improving, but my latest album is the first I’ve listened to that I’ve been like damn, I deserve a shot at this thing…

-Passion.: If you don’t sound believable and sing it like you mean it, who is going to relate to what your saying?

What was your upbringing like?

My upbringing we pretty good man. No issues really. It’s cool because hip hop has evolved so much. It’s not how you were raised, but what you experienced, and even more it’s how you tell it.

-Flow; This is by far the hardest thing to learn and takes years to perfect. If you can flow good, it’s like a great singer when they say “you can sing the phonebook”. Basically you could rap anything and make it sound dope. That’s when you hear dudes like Wish Y Yandel, you don’t have to understand it to vibe with it!

How did that impact your desire to get involved with music?

I guess my dad always loved music, but I don’t know where the huge passion I have for it stemmed from. As I said, it was just a hobby until college then it clicked and I was like damn, I love this shit. It’s all I want to do. I guess once real life became closer, my mindset was like screw that, music is so much better than a 9 to 5 haha.

When you got serious about hiphop, did it at any point become less about passion and love for music and more about it being a career or means to an end?

It’s always the passion for me, but as you develop you have to look at it as a business as well. If you want to do what you love for a living, you have to find a way to make money on it. There a billions of small business owners in this world that make pennies doing what they love for a career. Many people are afraid to join the system, so they create their own “system”.

How much work did you put in to get to the level your at?

Countless hours. Like little Asian kid protégé hours haha. Nah but seriously, it’s been a lot of work, but I love it, so it doesn’t even bother me.

Some people play Call of Duty for three days straight, I write music. If those video game guys learned how to spend their time doing something they could make money off, they’d be good to go.

I think people underestimate the amount practice and/or learning that goes into being a good rapper. That being said tell me what goes into perfect the craft of being a rapper?

They do, I think you’re right. I don’t freestyle barely at all anymore, but I think freestyling is a huge part of developing your talent for rhyming.

Once you can rhyme easy, the songwriting comes easy. And that’s what its really about. I think a lot of these young dudes look at it more as a competition, when it’s not really. I can’t speak for every rapper, but I believe it should be about the songs. And to make a great song, there’s a lot of factors involved with most important being:

-Lyrics; Hip Hop depends upon lyrics more than other genres because the beat is typically the same throughout. Therefore, the lyrics must be intriguing.

Who were your past and current influences in the music industry?

Bone Thugs n Harmony. Eminem. Tech N9ne. Kid Cudi. Ludacris.

Linkin Park. The Black Keys. Jedi Mind Tricks What rappers do you consistently listen to and what makes them stand out to you?

Lupe Fiasco, Joe Budden, more recently Kid Cudi… The first two blow my mind lyrically. Lupe has an amazing delivery as well. And Kid Cudi man… If you’re a fan of Melody, this guy is reinventing melody in hip hop.

When you got started was there any rapper specifically that you tried to emulate until you solidified your style?

Not exactly. I’d say a mix between Bone Thugs and Jedi Mind Tricks. I used to rap fast and battle rap, so that sums them two up. But besides that, I sorta just did what felt right.

Now that you’ve kind of established your style would you say there is any rapper that you would compare yourself too?

Well the three artists/bands I get most compared to (excluding dumb Eminem comparisons) would be Twista, Linkin Park, and Kid Cudi.

So probably if you mixed them together, you’d find me.

How important was building connections and surrounding yourself with the right people to your development?

It’s pretty important. If you don’t have supporters near by, most likely you will quit well before you’re my age (24).

How do you deal with being a white rapper in an industry that is predominantly black?

I used to be that thugged out white kid hanging with all the black kids, and there were tons of haters. I have not changed much at all as a person, but changed my style a bit, and now it’s like “Wow, I never expected you to rap bla bla”. I can’t win really, no matter people

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record it. That is one of 5 or 6 drunken nights where I ended up rapping at some party. Those spontaneous nights are the most memorable.

What was the most disappointing thing to happen to you rapping?

There is no specific time I can think of, but often after shows I get pissed at myself because I think I could have done better regardless if people say it was good or not. I just to kill shit on stage, and sometimes you don’t.

What impact do you think music has or can have on people?

I really hope I can affect mood, and make people think. My more recent music is really about making people “feel”. If I can get you feeling something after listening to my music, I’ve done my job.

What is your primary inspiration for the music you produce?

Life. Either my experiences or the experience of someone close to me.

Would you say there is a connection between music and sports, and what would you say it is?

I guess the passion some feel for sports is similar to what many feel for music. You can’t describe it.

Whats your favorite thing about hip-hop or being a rapper?

When someone relates to your music and reaches out to you saying how much a lyric or song means to them. It’s unbelievable to effect on someone and I hope every songwriter can experience that feeling some day.

Tell me something your fans don’t know about you, that may surprise them?

Although I was raised on hip hop and love it, the majority of music I listen to now isn’t hip hop. There is so much to learn from musicians in general, and I’ve been obsessed with melody and chorus writing for the last year plus, so I’ve been listening to many genres of music to master that.

Why should fans care about you?

They shouldn’t. I hope they care about my music and enjoy it, but I’m no one important. I just want to make music people can vibe and relate to.

What makes you better than other artists?

I feel like if you try and single that out, you are not really doing your job as an “artist”. People swear this shit is a competition…. It’s not.

So many try and make hip hop this big war which is what I hate.

Personally, I just want to make great music with other people who want to make great music.

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I’m not trying to be better than someone, I’m trying to work with someone to make something better.

How do you plan on changing the hip-hop industry?

I have no plans really. Just write what inspires me and see what happens. I’m pretty spontaneous so having a plan would probably end terrible For people looking to become rappers is there anything you would tell them before they get to invested that might make them reconsider hip-hop as a career?

If you love it, work your ass off. Study your favorite artists. Practice your performances a million times. If your friends don’t care because they are too busy with their own lives (and they will be) then f em’. Do what you love, and if people pay attention, that’s great. If they don’t, whatever, you’re doing what you love that’s all that matters.

If you had to rank the top 10 greatest rappers of all time in order what who would make your list?

Haha I hate this question. I have no clue really. I can’t say order, but I’ll let you know my favorites In no particular order: Eminem Lupe Fiasco Kanye West Tech N9ne (best delivery/flow) Big Pun Tupac Joe Budden Jay Z 50 Cent (the best songwriter) Andre 3000

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SILENT SUPERSTAR AS QUIET AND HUMBLE AS EVER KEVIN DURANT IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, AND WETHER OR NOT HE’S WILLING TO ADMIT IT HE IS A SUPERSTAR AND A PLAYER THAT OPPENENTS SHOULD FEAR FOR YEARS TO COME. WE TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE DOMINANCE WORDS BY TREY KIRBY & MIKE TOKITO

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When he negotiates long-term contracts for his clients, agent Aaron Goodwin typically tries to make the final year or two player options, giving the player the flexibility to opt out of the deal early.

But when Goodwin raised the possibility of such a clause as he started working on the extension to Kevin Durant’s rookie contract with Oklahoma City, Durant told the agent not to bother.

Durant just wanted to sign with the Thunder for as long as possible and did not want option years.

“Kevin told me he was committed to the Thunder, and he wanted to show the Thunder the same commitment that showed him,” the Seattle-based Goodwin said. “And I think showed everyone the type of person that he is, and I respect for it.”

just they that him

When Durant, who turned 22 a month ago, leads the Thunder into the Rose Garden to play the Trail Blazers in a nationally-televised matchup of Northwest Division contenders Thursday, he does so as the NBA’s pre-eminent rising star who many consider a legitimate candidate for the Most Valuable Player award. Last month, in a survey of the NBA’s general managers, 66.7 percent picked Durant to win the honor.

Durant’s surge in popularity seems to go beyond his on-court achievements, which include becoming the youngest player to ever lead the league in scoring when he averaged 30.1 points last season. By most accounts, Durant has retained the low-key, humble persona that has endeared him to fans since his rookie season in Seattle in 2007-08.

When Durant signed his five-year, $87 million extension with the Thunder (with no option seasons), he didn’t buy an hour of airtime on ESPN to announce it, as LeBron James did to announce his decision to sign with Miami. Instead, Durant simply used the much more casual avenue of Twitter, writing: “Exstension for 5 more years wit the #thunder.... God Is Great, me and my family came a long way...I love yall man forreal, this a blessing!”

AP Kevin Durant and Greg Oden -- the top two picks of the 2007 NBA Draft -- battle in Oklahoma City last year.

Goodwin said Durant struggles with the constant praise he gets for being humble.

“It’s a heck of a burden for him to have, because he’s a naturally good kid, a humble kid, and it’s not an act,” Goodwin said. “With people focusing on that, I think it’s a little hard for him.”

Instead of worrying about his image, Durant constantly works to improve. When he came into the NBA in 2007 after one year at the University of Texas, he was a 6-foot-10, athletically gifted player who had an unusual body. It included a 7-foot-4¾ wingspan -- a half inch longer than that of center Greg Oden, who was drafted No. 1 by the Blazers, one spot ahead of Durant Durant won the Rookie of the Year award after averaging 20.3 points on a Seattle team that won just 20 games. As the team moved to Oklahoma City the next season, he continued to add elements to his game, going from a 28 percent three-point shooter as a rookie to 46.2 percent last season, when he was a first-team all-NBA pick.

This past summer, Durant followed his breakthrough season with a big summer on the U.S. national team that won the gold medal at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey. By all accounts, Durant was the best player on Team USA, leading the squad with a 22.8-point average and winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

“He elevated,” Team USA coach Mike Kryzewski said after Durant scored 28 points against Turkey in the championship game. “He was on a pretty high floor already but he went close to being in the penthouse.”

At the Thunder’s media day in September, Durant said he used the Team USA practices to refine elements of his game.

Indeed, many have latched onto Durant as the anti-James, a reputation

“I worked a lot on my ball-handling and posting up,” Durant said. “I think in

that was enhanced when the Thunder and Heat played an exhibition game in Kansas City last month. James used the occasion to throw a party at a local theater and invited Durant, who declined.

the FIBA games, I showed that a little bit.”

INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT HIS IMAGE DURANT CONSTANTLY WORKS TO IMPROVE “I don’t go out to parties the day before a game,” Durant told the Oklahoman newspaper. “I really don’t go out too much during the season.”

But in the same interview, Durant also distanced himself from criticism of James and his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami.

“A lot of people really don’t get to see what kind of person he is,” Durant said. “He was trying to look out for himself, his family and trying to make the right decision for his family. You can’t blame a man for that, no matter what you do.”

Durant entered this season with sky-high expectations, with not only predictions of an MVP award, but also expectations for his team. Last season, the Thunder went 50-32 and took the eventual champions, the Lakers, to six games in the first round of the playoffs. Several Lakers have said that series was the toughest Los Angeles played.

Goodwin said the MVP talk doesn’t bother Durant, but he does embrace the challenge of bettering his team, which in the general managers’ survey was picked by 63 percent to win the Northwest Division.

“He’s a team player who just happens to be very gifted,” Goodwin said. “He just goes out and does what he has to for the Thunder to win.”

-Trey Kerby Rhythm and Game 27

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HE ELEVATED T E A M C O A C H

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No matter how hard you try, you’re not going to get Kevin Durant(notes) to admit how good he is. Tell him he’s a top-3 player in the league, and he’ll say, “that’s bold,” and then shout-out several other guys he’d rank ahead of himself. Tell him he’ll be the biggest draw on this summer’s version of Team USA (of which he has been confirmed as a member) and he’ll explain how many great players there are around him and that he “won’t be the only guy getting attention.”

But if you ask Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward will gladly tell you what he thinks about being named among the NBA’s best players: “I’m not a superstar.”

Sorry, Kevin, but you’re wrong. You’re a superstar, like it or not.

What else would you call a guy who led the NBA in scoring, was named to his first All-Star team, finished second in MVP voting and was chosen as a member of the All-NBA first team? Exactly.

You’d call him a superstar, and you’d be right. Then you’d realize that he’s only 21 and that the rest of the NBA is in quite a bit of trouble.

When asked what he’d be working on this summer, Durant had just a couple of ideas: “Ball-handling, jump shots, different types of shots, pick and rolls, post-ups, getting in the weight room, everything.” Typical summer fun-time stuff, really.

And if you think that sounds too busy for summer, consider that Durant’s already done with his vacation. According to the NBA’s most likeable young star “two or three weeks after the season I really started to get back in to my schedule, working out, playing pick-up games, watching tape, watching playoff games, watching guys like Kobe Bryant(notes) that I try to emulate. It never really stops for me.” That famous work ethic we’ve heard so much about? Yeah, it’s true. And he gets it from a pretty cool place — his mother.

As Durant told a group of reporters at a Nike event in New York City (where he spoke on a number of topics), “I knew she was tired, but she never let me and my brother see it. If she can do that as a job, I can do it for two hours a day.” This guy is the best.

No other superstar would thank another player for wearing his signature shoes, but there’s Kevin Durant saying “I thank Amar’e [Stoudemire] for that” when asked about the Phoenix Suns big man’s preference for the Nike Zoom KD2. No other superstar views the Great Wall of China as “the toughest workout I ever did.” No one else in the NBA is picking Russell Westbrook(notes) as their NBA Jam partner, but Durant does with the quickness, ostensibly because he’s “the most athletic player in the league,” but probably more because Durant values him as a teammate.

It’s those little things — like being constantly in awe of the NBA, always trying to get better, nurturing teammates — that make Kevin Durant such an important player as the league enters its seventh decade.

Durant, it seems, approaches basketball the way us fans like to think we would — devoted to bettering himself, remaining humble despite clearly dominating and “not [taking] anything for granted because [playing in the NBA] is a dream come true.” Kevin Durant loves basketball more than anything besides winning (“I just want to win”), and that’s not always the case with young players.

Sure, they might be able to do a couple of those things, but it’s pretty rare to put all three together.

And while humility and appreciation for his abilities are certainly commendable, it’s that pathological commitment to getting better that is the best part of Kevin Durant. He’s already killing himself improving all those things mentioned above, and there’s a part of him that wants proof that that work is paying off. When asked if he’d rather have a gold medal or an NBA title, Durant surprisingly chose the medal. Then he explained why, “There’s only 14 or 15 guys in the whole league who can say ‘I won a gold medal,’ there’s a lot of guys that can say they won an NBA championship.”

It’s that slavish devotion to be the best in the world — not just the NBA — that’s helped Kevin Durant attain the superstar status he has today. Someday, maybe he’ll admit it.

-Mike Tokito

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Fresh

FlY Flashy Industry Fashions

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Under Armour Sleeveless $24.95 Kevin Martin has been seen rocking these

Adidas B-ball Shorts $34.95 Derrick Rose has been known t o sport these during practices

Dwade III Shoes $99.99

This is what D-Wade has been sporting on game day this year

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Spittin Game Memorable quotes from the month

Track List 1. How the hell can I make my teamates better by practice Ft. Allen Iverson 2. I used to be ballin, now I’m bill gatin Ft. Lil Wayne 3. I love me some me Ft. Terrell Owens 4. Rain rain go away that’s what all my haters say Ft. Roscoe Dash 5. I don’t write rhymes, I don’t tape ankles, I don’t cut checks it’s straight cash homie Ft. Randy Moss 6. Drake just stands for Do Right And Kill Everything Ft. Drake 7. When I step on the field I send one message, this is what it feels like Ft. Ray Lewis

Yeah that’s some real talk right thurrr

8. My presence is a present- KanYe West 9. Everyting negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise Ft. Kobe Bryant 10. Dealing with backstabbers, there was one thing I learned. They’re only powerful when you got your back turned Ft. Eminem

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