THE VISIONARY ISSUE by R.LEGACY

MAAD* MOISELLE

THE NO NAMES

AMADO & RHYTHM ADDICT TV

THE VISIONARY ISSUE

ANTWAUN SARGENT

THE VISIONARY ISSUE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10 MASTHEAD 13 FROM THE EDITOR 15 DEFINITION

16 36 48 52 62 68 72 76 82

26 86 96 106

FEATURES THE NO NAMES MAAD*MOISELLE YVES MATHIEU THEODOLPH MASON ANTWAUN SARGENT ANOREXIC ESCAPADES AMADO & RHYTHM ADDICT TV YOASTRUM CURTIS BRYANT EDITORIALS HIGHKEY BY BREANNA NICHELLE TRIBAL SONG BY AHMAD BARBER ATMOSPHERIC HAZE BY COLLINS NAI ROLES BY TRENDY

KEDRICK WALKER

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KEDRICK@RLEGACYMAG.COM

AHMAD BARBER MARAZ ANEESAH HANAN COLLINS NAI BREANNA NICHELLE JD BARNES RAYTELL BRIDGES KARL T. PAYTON TENELLE VEIRA IGEE OKAFOR VACHON OSBY TRENDY THEODOLPH MASON OLIVER WILLIAMS OLIVIA GONZALEZ ROBERTO JOHNSON JAMES MCCOLLUM EMILY KEOUGH LAUREN BUDZICHOWSKI DEREK STURDIVANT JOHN WOODY DARREN MARTIN CLEONS JOSHUA MCLEOD

RLEGACYMAG.COM

AKIL SHARPERSON GENERAL MANAGER AKIL@RLEGACYMAG.COM

KB ANSARI CREATIVE DIRECTOR KB@KBARCHIVE.COM

BREANNA NICHELLE PHOTO EDITOR BREANNA@RLEGACYMAG.COM

FELICIA MALONE MUSIC EDITOR FELICIA@RLEGACYMAG.COM

JUSTIN MARIANO FASHION EDITOR JUSTIN@RLEGACYMAG.COM

CLARA FAIRBANKS ART EDITOR CLARA@RLEGACYMAG.COM

ROTARRIUS COPY EDITOR

INSTAGRAM.COM/RLEGACY TWITTER.COM/RLEGACYMAG FACEBOOK.COM/RLEGACY

ON THE COVER:

SINGER, SONGWRITER & MODEL MAAD*MOISELLE, SHOT BY JD BARNES

CREATIVE DIRECTION & design SERVICES

PROVIDED IN association WITH

KBARCHIVE.COM

VI SI ONARY.

he term itself has the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;visionâ&#x20AC;? in it and I never wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve envisioned myself at this point. We all are visionaries in our own right, we think constantly about what our futures could or will be like. With the proper guidance, perseverance, and confidence we all can achieve our highest form of self expression. Our generation are the movers and shakers, the hustle and bustle individuals. These individuals that are going to reshape the world in their respected careers. To me that is what makes us all visionaries; dreamers with infinite possibilities. I want to thank my mom, family, friends, and team members. May all our dreams come true.

Kedrick Walker Editor-in-Chief

[VI-SION-AR-Y] ADJECTIVE 1. (especially of a person) thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom. 2. of, relating to, or able to see visions in a dream or trance, or as a supernatural apparition. NOUN 1. a person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like.

T H

ES Text & IMAGERY KEDRICK WALKER IGEE OKAFOR

ebruary 7, 2015 , New York, NY “Do we have enough time to stop by McDonald’s? I want to pick up a coffee before we head into this interview,” says Kenneth Kyrell, who makes up one half of the duo known as The No Names. The other being, Jovel Roysta , follows Kyrell into the McDonald’s in Lower Manhattan West Village area as we approach our interview location. You would think these two individuals have a full entourage with an army of 2 videographers, 1 photographer, 1 fashion assistant, 1 interviewer, and an assistant. However, with the power and status of their blog, The No Names, you wouldn’t be surprised if they needed this much power to run this well oiled machine. Surprisingly, it’s just the duo, high quality equipment, and creativity. Despite originating from different parts of the nation, it was during their studies at the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA where Kyrell and Roystan soon found that they had a common appreciation for all things cultural. Being cultural commentators and influencers, their social media presence and “down to earth” personality encompasses the creators they are today. Within a minute of posting an insight into their lives on Instagram, comments, likes, retweets, and questions splurge onto their feeds. Comments ranging from, “Where did you purchase this?” Or even just a simple, “Thanks for being inspiring.” (Which I’m guilty of posting myself.) As we enter the Breather room on NYU’s campus the atmosphere and conversation in the room is amazing. Interviewing the duo is blogger and tastemaker, Igee Okafor of igeeokafor.com, who cites The No Names as being one of his influencers. As the videographer sets up his equipment, everyone in the room is asking The No Names questions ranging from advice on how to advance their careers, to favorite designers. The questions are absorbed by them, and then answered with ease, professionalism and great insight from both of their perspectives. Notebooks are flipping, and pens are writing as Roystan discusses how being knowledgeable of the many facets of life and culture will give you an edge in the industry. How often do you get to sit-down with men of color who are striving to

break barriers and really developing their legacies? Signaling that the equipment is set up, and a quick rearrangement of furniture, the video interview starts. Igee fixes himself in his seat, gives the thumbs up to everyone in the room, and the film starts rolling. Igee: To begin, do you think there is a difference between style and fashion? Kenneth: Absolutely. Fashion is pretty much how the designer interprets their vision, and style is what you do with that. So I appreciate fashion but I also appreciate personal style. Seeing things on the runway but also doing my own thing to it. I’m not going to wear anything head to toe. Jovel: I think fashion is literal, and style is personal. So I say if all 3 of us wear exactly what you (Igee) have on, we would all wear it in different ways; we would add things, take things away, and that’s how you make it your own. So if we’re all wearing the same suit you may wear it like you have on a mock neck and open buttoned down. I might wear it with a tie, Kyrell (Kenneth) might wear it with a t-shirt or something. It’s all about interpretation. I: What was the creative process with the both of you to create The No Names? K: We both were blogging on different platforms; I was on Blogspot and Jovel was on Tumblr. One day, during summer break, I thought of this idea in bed while I was on my computer, and I called up Jovel. I then asked him, “Why don’t we start a blog together?” It made sense because at the time we covered the same topics, we ran around the same circles and attended the same events, so I was like, “Let’s just put it together and make something big out of it.” We developed a concept and it went from there. J: We started working on layouts, design and concepts, for about 6 months. K: It did take awhile.

J: We wanted to do it right, obviously, so we took a lot of time. We planned everything out, met with our web designer and concepted names, etc. 6 months later we shared what we had with the world.

J: We look up to people like Pelayo Diaz of katesloveme. com, he’s like our favorite menswear blogger. We just look for authenticity. That’s one thing we always strive to be is authentic. We care about what we put out.

K: It was live [laughs] that day.

K: I also like Marcus Troy (marcustroy.com) the way he is able to work with so many brands and find a way to make the brand “cool” or add his own voice to it.

J: Right! [laughs] it was a long day, but a good day. K: Everything we do we have a formula to it, so we wanted it to be just right, and not let’s just announce this blog to the world. At the time there were a bunch of bloggers, and we didn’t want to get lost in the sauce per se. J: Plus that’s another thing we tend to tell bloggers that ask us about our life stories, like we always say, “If this is something you want to do then don’t rush it take your time with it.” It’s important, it’s something that requires thought, planning, and proper execution. If you want to be a real blogger you just can’t say, “I want to start talking about fashion, and lifestyle.” Then you go over to Tumblr and think you’re like THE blogger. Not saying you can’t be a blogger on Tumblr, but it’s not an overnight thing. It’s the same way you apply yourself in business. You just don’t say I want to start selling hamburgers and open up a burger joint, it’s like, you think about it. K: Even with us when we first started off blogging at Morehouse we would take a photo of us outside on campus, yet we still would have a story behind it. Now we really try to dig deep and if it’s something that is mainstream we just don’t talk about it like the norm, we always talk about it in a personal way. How we feel connected to it, and why it attracts us. I: Who are some people that influence the influencers?

J: Madbury Club at the time for sure was amazing, another influencer of ours. K: They had some of the sickest layouts. J: Amazing quality, photos, just everything was spot on. We wanted to reach that standard. Bloggers are really here curating an aesthetic for people; you have to know what you put out there. Just like the magazine you just don’t write text, you create layouts, you design things, you really share it. That’s an experience of the magazine. K: Especially with us being male bloggers there isn’t a lot of us. Even in New York if you go to an event and you say, “Hi I’m a blogger.” People are like, “Oh really?” [laughs]. It doesn’t really mean much. So when you are a blogger and you are a male blogger, plus being two black males that blog, it’s like you really have to make sure your things are on point. So we think about it everyday and we just want to grow. I: I like that on your blog you really don’t idolize celebrities, you’re always celebrating your friends, talking about things that inspire you. I also know that you worked with Nike and Calvin Klein, could you tell us about that process and how it came about? J: Yeah we did a relaunch a few years ago and we wanted to incorporate some more bigger elements to

really take it up to another level. Kyrell had the idea of Niketown. K: I was on the train and I thought to myself I really want a pair of dope sneakers [laughs] being in NYC there so many people that you see a lot of duplicated styles believe it or not. I really wanted a pair of sneakers to call my own and I knew Nike had Nike ID where the concept is that you go online and you create your own sneakers and get the silhouette. I figured let’s make a project out of it. From start to finish. J: So we really stepped it up. Aside from designing the sneakers we went and developed a full marketing campaign. We had photos and a full video that we created ourselves, so there wasn’t much pressure to make it good. K: Then so many people think that Nike contacted us to do that, but honestly that was just the first project we decided to do on our own. However the projects that we did after like Calvin Klein, and Native Danger, those are brands that came to us because of that project. J: Especially Calvin Klein. They saw what we did for Nike and they came for us. We had full creative control, they gave us access to the whole spring assortment, they let us go off! I: It was a really amazing video, I was impressed by it. Now what would you say is The No Names brand? J: I think one thing that people really appreciate from us; and they make this clear, is that they appreciate our opinions. They really do appreciate us being black guys that don’t mind wearing capes [laughs] being more open to styles than the average guy wears. Yeah there are so many different styles in New York,

but if you look at our generation; especially black males, it’s relatively uniformed. I think it applies to most menswear bloggers in general, they show very traditional menswear; they wear the suits, and they make it look great, but it’s so monotonous. K: Look at Morehouse. Morehouse is an all male institution and it’s based on tradition. There were a lot of times where you had to dress up for so many occasions, but Jovel, my other friend Darnell, and myself, we came up to the campus with a clear mindset of who we were, and who we wanted to become. We didn’t fit into that cookie cutter, well let me say square and we always had our own viewpoint and mindset to do our own thing. I: What is the legacy that you two want to leave behind? K: For people to understand that it’s okay to be you, and I keep saying that. I don’t want to beat it into the ground but especially for our generation we’re so worried about pleasing someone else. We’re posting pictures to get all of these likes, and I wonder if this person likes this outfit? And it’s just like, at the end of the day, why? Be you. Be happy with who you are, and be happy with why you’re on this earth to do whatever is you want to do. That’s what I want to leave behind, to be authentic. J: I think in addition to that, I would really like to think that we championed the idea that you can make things happen if you want them to. I was in church a few weeks ago and my pastor was saying, “If you don’t like what’s around you, change your scenery.” That’s sort of what we did from when we started. I know personally I got into blogging randomly, there was no intent to get to this point, but eventually I realized the potential. We tried to be as smart as we

could about things. We tried to make good moves, and push out quality content. We did this, no one gave this to us. I believe that’s where people get it twisted is that they look at us and think we come from money, we are this way. K: It’s so not like that, like my parents work hard, and they still do work hard to this day. It was ingrained into me that if you want something you work for it, and that’s really a thing. That’s what the both of us are doing. Personally and with this brand. When we were first interning it was like ok I want to live in NYC, so after graduating I made a plan like, ok I’m here. J: It’s totally possible. If you say, “I want to be a fireman.” Like, why can’t you be a fireman? Stop, think about what it takes to be a fireman and take the steps to be a fireman. If you want to be a millionaire, why can’t you be a millionaire? Stop, think about what it takes to be a millionaire and make it happen. K: People have so many visions that they want to accomplish, but they don’t accomplish them because they are worried about what everyone else has to say. There are so many distractions. J: You have to filter out the voices that you listen to. Earlier we were talking about the people who inspire us, and showed us things that would help us get to where we want to be. Then you have the other people who are like, “Why you want to do that? Why is this cool to you?” etc. You don’t listen to that. K: It’s all about energy. I’m a firm believer that the people you surround yourself with are a reflection of who you are and where you’re going to go. So you have to cut some people off, and it’s not going to be easy. They aren’t going to love it, and you probably won’t either but it’s like to get to your end goal, you have to do things like that. As I get older it’s getting easier for me because it’s like, this is my vision and this is what I need to get there. Two years ago I was like, “I have to cut you off,” and it hurt me, you know? And not saying it doesn’t hurt today but it’s like you have to be selfish. Especially in your 20’s these are your selfish

years, you have to worry about you. That being said, do it [laughs]. J: That’s the legacy, just do it, and make it happen. K: Nike said it best! J: If you want to be something, be epic and just make it happen. I: Thank you guys for talking to me, and I commend you two on everything you’ve done and I’m excited to see the future. J & K: Thanks!

· · ·︎ THE-NO-NAMES.COM

HIGHKEY IMAGERY BREANNA NICHELLE WARDROBE JORDAN MORRIS MODEL KARL MERI

MAAD AND ADAMANT TEXT FELICIA MALONE IMAGERY JD BARNES CREATIVE DIRECTION KB ANSARI WARDROBE RAYTELL BRIDGES make-up TENELLE VEIRA hair KARL T. PAYTON

“The 90s was one of my favorite eras besides the 70s, it was all about the love song back then. I’d say Indigo is based off love experiences and desires. I wrote/co-wrote on every song on that project and was super hands on in the creative process.”

PAST

years singing was my secret, later they would suggest open mics and creating my own music.

··· FELICIA: So our theme for your photoshoot was the Maad Hatter, which is punny obviously. What is the meaning behind your name?

F: When did you start? M: I started the day I graduated High School.

MAAD*MOISELLE: My name was actually given to me by my mom! As a child she’d always call me Mademoiselle. And as time went on it just stuck with me and I added my own twist to it. My name is is a play on words. Kinda like a double entendre. I’m maad about music, and maad about fashion. I really live for it. It also speaks to my love for French culture.

F: And are you classically trained or self-taught? M: I’ve studied with classically trained teachers. I’d spend hours working to improve and master my talents while I was traveling with modeling. I had to teach myself though. If I was going to do this, I had to develop my craft on the go!

F: Where were you born/raised?

F: Is being a singer a recent development or a lifelong dream?

M: Born in NY. Raised in New Jersey and recently relocated to Brooklyn!

M: It’s been a lifelong dream, I’ve known I wanted to be a singer for as long as I can remember. There’s never been a time I wanted to do anything else. Anything!

F: Do you think your upbringing and family has affected where you are today? M: My parents were, and still are, extremely creative. My mother was a stylist and my father a singer; so it was always in my blood. I grew up in a household that always had music playing, like Chic, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, and my mother’s all time favorite, Nancy Wilson. As a kid I remember my mom enrolling me into the Dance Theatre of Harlem & Harlem School of the Arts. I was a super creative child! Always drawing, in a dance class, horseback riding lessons, whatever. I appreciate my parents for letting my dreams run wild from an early age.

F: I don’t normally get star-struck, but I think if I met Erykah Badu I would just cry on sight. Who is your Erykah? Who are your biggest musical inspirations? M: I would say Diana Ross, she’s so iconic. She is stylish and has such charisma on stage. I really live for entertainers.

PRESENT ··· F: I’m listening to Indigo as I write this, it’s awesome. I loved this release; it had a very 90’s love song feel, which I think is the best decade for love longs. Even your voice has a very 90’s R&B sound, I love it! So tell me about Indigo.

F: Did your family encourage you to sing? M: Absolutely! My father was the one who discovered I had a talent for singing. I don’t remember my age but I recall being in my room with the door closed singing Boyz II Men. Might’ve been the song “Water Runs Dry”. My father ran to my mom about it and let her in on what I thought was my own little secret. For

M: Thank you! The 90s was one of my favorite eras besides the 70s, it was all about the love song back then. I’d say Indigo is based off love experiences and desires. I wrote/co-wrote on every song on that 44

project and was super hands on in the creative process.

F: Do you plan on working together in the future?

F: What was your “aha!” moment when you decided you wanted to jump into this project?

M: I’m always down to work with Ferg, I really love what he brings to the table as an artist.

M: I had been wanting to release a project for the longest! But trying find producers that were willing to devote their time into a unsigned artist and that completely got my vision was difficult. It all came together when I ended up connecting with a good friend of mine that who is one of the producers of #PRODUCEDBYTHEVAMP. Working with them on Indigo was so easy, we spent the entire summer creating together.

F: You killed it at our shoot! Everyone loved working with you, it’s no surprise you are also are a successful model. Can you tell me a little about that? Are you signed with an agency?

F: Where did the name Indigo come from? M: I was riding around with my mother and a song titled “Mood Indigo” came on and something about the word Indigo stuck out to me. So I started doing some research and I really loved the meaning behind the color. F: Your album featured A$AP Ferg—how did you come to work with him? How long have you two known each other? M: Ferg and I are family! We spoke about collaborating on some music together for a bit. So when we found the time we created two dope records together, both of which came out on one another’s projects.

M: Thank you. I really loved the theme behind our shoot, I had so much fun! Well I originally got into modeling by my mother entering me into a Chanel and Seventeen magazine contest, I was one of the 8 finalist and from that I got with my first agency. And I am currently signed to an agency but would love to be with a few more globally.

FUTURE ··· F: So looking ahead, where do you see yourself in five years? M: Probably on tour somewhere! I really enjoy performing, I get such an adrenaline rush when I’m on stage, it’s a true sense of freedom. And of course creating new music, building my brand, collaborating with companies and DJing cool private events for people like Karl Lagerfeld on my downtime. F: Do you have any new projects coming up and can we expect any new releases this year?

M: I’m currently in the studio working on what I feel like could be my best work ever. I’m really excited about the team I have and the awesome opportunities that are already lining up for this project. The sound is very much the type of music I love to DJ. Super groovy, sexy and fun. I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. F: Will there be any guest artists featured? Any more Ferg? M: I do have a few guest features but it’s a surprise! F: Any new shows coming up in the New York area that your fans should know about? M: Right now I’m preparing for a show at Howard University in Spring. F: It definitely seems like you’re going places! You have so much talent. So, lastly, what would you like your legacy to be? M: I just want to inspire people and let them see that with hard work, dedication, and faith they can do whatever they want to. This industry comes with a lot of rejection, but if it’s in your heart to succeed, nothing else matters. I don’t just do this for myself, but I do it for my family, my team and anyone that has a dream. · · ·︎ MAADMOISELLE.COM

YVES MATHIEU TEXT & IMAGERY BREANNA NICHELLE

up to par, and plus I started to carry myself differently after reading a Tom Ford quote “Dressing well is a form of good manners.” I’m currently 20 years old.

BREANNA: I hope it’s okay that we start with the boring questions. What’s your name? Yves: [laughs] That’s fine, my name is Yves Mathieu.

B: Would you consider Tom Ford to be one of your style icons?

B: Yves, like the designer?

Y: Yeah his work is phenomenal, I would like to say all in all, style wise I’m inspired/intrigued by everything and everyone, whether it’s a homeless man wearing a sleeveless Levi’s denim jacket or a dark blue ceramic panel on a skyscraper, if it catches my eye then it can be turned into something.

Y: Yeah, Yves Saint Laurent, his real name is actually Yves Mathieu, that’s who I’m named after. B: So you basically have fashion in your blood. That’s pretty cool. Have you always been into fashion? Y: [laughs] That’s a beautiful way to put it, and I would definitely say yeah, personal style says a lot to me. Growing up, I had fashion yes and no’s like everyone AKA Myspace photos which I regret.

B: That’s a really unique way to look at the world. Speaking of being unique and inspiration, let’s talk a little about the elephant in the room. Do you realize, you are COVERED in tattoos? [laughs]

B: Well, you seem like you have your fashion game together these days. How old are you now?

Y: [laughs] Amazing, I was counting down in my head until this question was going to come along. I like to say I just have one tattoo.

Y: Yeah, lots of trials and errors finally brought my style 50

B: Just about how many do you have really?

my look and they would photograph me. Shortly after I started posting them online and they started to kind of make a name for me.

Y: To be completely honest I have no idea, last time I ever counted was my senior year of high school and that was like 3 years ago and I had 65 or something, but I feel if you’re still able to count how many tattoos you have then you don’t have enough, just kidding, but yeah I have no clue.

B: I can’t argue with that, you definitely have a very intriguing look. Where are you looking to go from here? Y: Awesome of you to say and I honestly just want to continue to permeate this culture with my skin and my vision as much as I can, and cover as much ground as possible when it comes to my work. If all still goes accordingly I will be moving to Europe later this year to continue to pursue my career.

B: Well even 65 is a record in my book. Do you have a favorite? If so what inspired it? Y: Hmmm, that’s such a beautiful question because to me my skin is like a timeline, or an open ended yearbook. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite because I forget about some of them sometimes and it depends on what season of life I’m in, and then one or two happen to stand out to me whenever I look at myself, right now I love the signature of my Grandfather that I got on the side of my mouth before I went to go work in New York, he hasn’t seen it yet and that’s why it’s my favorite right now, the element of surprise behind it. My Grandpa is the godliest man I know, and I can only hope to be 1/10 of the person he is before I die.

B: That sounds like the perfect plan. I wish you the best on that! One more question for the road. Ready? Y: Thank you so kindly! I’m nervous but let’s hear it. B: What would you say are your most guilty pleasures? Y: Beautiful question [laughs], I have an undeniable love for Oreos and apple juice. I also like to eat loaves of bread at time, and I’m obsessed with old romance films, I watch one almost everyday. · · ·︎

B: Thats really sweet of you to say. Definitely says a lot about who you are. From my understanding, you came to New York to model. How long have you been pursuing modeling? Y: Thank you, that really means a lot, it really does. I’ve been modeling professionally I would say for about a solid year, I modeled as an amateur for a year and a couple months before that, I did a lot of studying, attending failed casting calls just to get a feel if this is what I wanted. B: What got you into it? Y: It was kind of like when you fall in love with someone as cliché as that seems [laughs], it just happened. Friends of mine who attended school for photography or who did freelance work, were always intrigued by 51

TEXT & imageRY THEODOLPH MASON

or the past decade I’ve been deeply interested in sustainability and that made a transition into fashion and art around 2009. I am dedicated and infatuated with the notion of taking old and used things and making them new again. I also love repurposing and altering the use of common things. With the state our Earth and people have been in the last few decades we should use a whole lot of sustainable activity. With this piece of work I decided to push my sustainable approach to the nth degree and make it as literal and bewitching as I could with what was around me. I’ve recently moved so I have so many boxes and new stuff, so decided to put the remnants of some of that stuff to use. What did I do? I made art! You’ll almost always find thought provoking anatomical references in my work and what better combination to add other than wearable art that is sustainable. With the sustainable fashions I created for this current work my intent was to generate awareness, question and beautiful work that also left my green thumbprint behind at the same time. So now you have your beauty, body, fashion and ecological balance! ··· THECREATEO.COM

ANTWAUN SARGENT IMAGERY JAMES MCCOLLUM TEXT KEDRICK WALKER

ogue, Dazed and Confused, Complex, W, Vice, Interview Magazine, The Huffington Post, the list of magazines and publications kept being named like an order at lunch hour, and there I was jotting down every single one, keeping up with the man sitting in front of me. You may wonder why someone would randomly name these media outlets, and I would answer you by saying, “the man in front of me writes for all of them.” Whether you know him from his intriguing posts on Instagram as @sirsargent, or formally as, Antwaun Sargent, his meticulous and charismatic style remains unmistakable, regardless of his chosen platform or moniker.

K: When you think of the word visionary what comes to your mind? A: Um not me [laughs], no, somebody who is a trailblazer in some way, shape, or form. Someone who really pays attention to themselves, and pays attention to how they feel. They really filter out kind of the noise of society, or this particular cultured moment, and do what they want. K: How would you describe yourself in 3 words? A: Jesus, I’m more complex than that. 3 words?! I really don’t like doing that, because I feel like there are so many. I can guess the things that I aspire to be are curious, intellectual, and just comfortable with who I am.

Originally from Chicago, Antwaun is a New York based writer who writes for various media outlets and documents his cultural experiences through the use of his social media. I had the chance to sit down with Antwaun and we discussed everything from his writing process and travel experiences to his thoughts on Instagram.

K: When you travel, do you immerse yourself into the culture as much as possible? A: Yeah it depends on the travel. I was recently in New Orleans and I went with 11 of my friends from Brooklyn. That was more of a vacation from the holidays, and I also went to see Prospect.3. When I was in India it was for one of my best friend’s wedding, I was there for 11 days I think, and it was primarily for the wedding. We had rehearsals and a lot of formal events. I was in Southern India and most of the more cultured things I wanted to see weren’t there but I did try to go out and explore.

Kedrick: How did you break into the career path that you are in today? Antwaun: I was really upset with Don Lemon actually, and I was at a dinner where I started ranting about a segment that he did. There was an editor from the Huffington Post there, who was like, “You should write about this.” I wrote it out and he liked it, it went viral, and they gave me a blog spot. So, for a while I was just blogging for The Huffington Post, and it kept spiraling after that. Now over at Buzzfeed I was creating original content around viral stuff, and I covered more fashion stuff; it progressed from there.

K: Do you use more of those experiences to place that personality into your writing? A: I don’t particularly write about my travels but I think it influences my writing because it allows it to be categorized within a tech-cultural context. Recently, I just did a story on the downtown label, Gypsy Sport, through Dazed and Confused, and last fashion week during their Spring/Summer 15’ show it was in Washington Square Park. Being so obsessed with music and cities and different political histories of the world, I think I was able to root that show in a Pre-Giuliani era (former mayor of New York City) and

K: Do you feel as though it was a challenging process to start writing? A: For me I think it was one of those things that I was like, “Ok I always wanted to do this.” When I was at Georgetown University, I wrote for the campus newspaper. It was something I was very interested in and I continued writing from there. 64

kind of bring alive what that space meant to the city; both culturally and politically. A fashion label to have a fashion show, and in that particular space, what does that mean? What are they trying to convey? What do the clothes say? Were they successful? So, I think in that sense it allows me to really feed my obsession with kind of what’s happening in the culture. K: Could you give us a list of all the publications you write for? Which one would be your favorite one? A: I don’t have a favorite. I’ve written for The Chicago Tribune and The Huffington Post, which is also home to my blog. I do stuff for Vogue, W, Vice, Interview Magazine,

Complex and Dazed and Confused, Actually, the place I really want to write for is The New Yorker. I like the mixture of intellectualism and cultural criticism. I feel like The New Yorker is the best type of magazine. It really allows for these in-depth profiles, and in-depth considerations of different ideas and topics but it’s still so fresh, and in the moment. In The New Yorker you can go from reading about economic policy to these underground artists to Wu Tang. I feel like there’s a lot of variety there that really excites me and really draws on my interests. K: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

A: Probably doing more of this, on staff somewhere. I don’t know, probably still in New York. More of the same. K: How would you describe your Instagram feed? A: When someone asks me about my Instagram I’m like, “But this is the internet, I understand what it does.” Some people are really good at constructing lives around that and have very distinct ways of expressing themselves on that platform. For me it really started from my friend JiaJia who was always taking these meticulous photos of everything she saw at these museums. I was like, “Why are you taking all these photos?” I

had a Facebook, and I was on and off on Twitter, didn’t have a Tumblr, so I was remotely interested in social media in a lot of ways. This was like a year and a half ago. After taking all these pictures she goes to this thing called Instagram and I’m like, “What is this?” So I created an account due to her taking these photos, and I’m like, “I’ll take photos also.” Then from there I just started being myself on there I guess. It was weird that people really started to respond from there. On any given day, I’m really inspired or really confused by it; depending on the responses I receive. There’s this guy who bought one of my Instagram photos, and this wasn’t a random guy, this was someone who had a lot of important pull. I wasn’t shocked by it, I was just like, “I can’t believe this image has evoked this response that someone wants to purchase this image.” It was one of my signature jumping photos.. I don’t know what that says about me or them. People would randomly hit me up and it’ll be very inspiring and I’m very humbled by it, but I don’t understand it. To me it’s just my daily life, I don’t really have a filter. It’s not like, ok I’m going to show this part of my life; this is what I do everyday. Sometimes it’s frustrating because I am a writer, and I do take a lot of pride in that. I think people see the clothes and preconceive that thought of me through Instagram. From that I believe, it sorts sort of devalues some of the things that I believe in terms of myself. You’re wearing all these crazy clothes but what do you do professionally? So it becomes a block for people. I love the platform overall; the comments are hilarious, and inspiring. Sometimes when you need confidence they serve that purpose, then sometimes it’s just creepy.

it to share their work, photography, illustrations or clothes they make. Some people want to flex, they can flex. I don’t care that much, it says more about people who go out of their way to knock people down. I think that’s just my one big pet peeve of the platform. When people go beyond the platform judging people who are using the same platform. I think that’s my one critique of Instagram. They heavily police stuff. People should be able to use the platform how they want to use the platform. It creates this sense of community for people. K: What are some of your biggest influencers or something that influences you? A: I think it’s how some people are vibrant in a way. They change. It’s interesting when you’re on the train and you see these people who don’t fit in and are doing their own thing, and I’m so interested in that confidence. It’s a quiet confidence. I was obsessed with Eleanor Roosevelt as a kid I don’t know why, maybe because we have the same birthday and because I was obsessed with WW2? I also think my friends are inspirational because they are hustlers and out here getting it. It’s like if they can do that, then I can do that. K: What is the legacy that you want to leave behind? A: I don’t know, I’m not dying tomorrow [laughs]. We’ll see what happens, I’m not particularly interested in that. I think that I’m a lot more interested in just doing the work that I want to do, and making sure that my thoughts are conveyed accurately. I think that eventually leads back to the legacy, if not, that’s fine if I didn’t. I’m fine with it either way. ···

K: Do you think social media has had a positive or negative outcome on our generation? A: It depends on who you are. One of the things that I dislike is when people make it their job to kind of police the environment. You’ll get people posting things like, “What’s your modeling agency? Instagram?” With that meme or on Instagram that’s people made up lives until you meet them in person, that’s not your position. If someone is using this space for aspirational purposes then they are able to do that. Some people are using 67

ANOREXIC ESCAPADES TEXT KEDRICK WALKER IMAGERY THEODOLPH MASON

e’s promoting good health and fitness, one yoga pose at a time. Oliver Williams of Anorexic Escapades invites us into the lifestyle of the thin and fit. Emerge yourself into a healthier lifestyle as Oliver guides you into being in tune with yourself from your choice of face moisturizers, to what tie compliments your frame. Who wouldn’t want input from a virtual health coach. Now maybe you’ll reconsider that #2 with extra Mac sauce.

covering fashion, skincare, fitness or food is to thinspire. What I mean by thinspire is to motivate each reader to be a better YOU that day. There aren’t many sites where other black males are commenting on black male needs, such as, skincare, fitness, fashion and food. Its usually those same fashion, food, fitness and skincare enthusiasts men commenting on women’s needs. So my goal is to be that beacon where I can share my knowledge, experiences and gumption for life with other guys or girls in thier life to relay my message of simplifying your life to be the thinnest you possible. I believe you don’t need a lot just the right most efficient and effective equipment (knowledge, experience, and fashionable trappings) to get you on the right path to success. I’m that weirdo person that wants to see everyone succeed and if I have some knowledge to help with that then, why be a greedy hog.

KEDRICK: How did you come up with the name Anorexic Escapades for the name of your brand? OLIVER: Geesh, ‘Brand’?! That’s a bit lofty and intimidating. Not to mention, almost passe. I like to think of my site as daily thinspiration. The name actually came from a friend who was making a joke about one of my many diet & health shenanigans around the time I was brainstorming names for my new site. Basically, in each of my circle of friends I’m that “connector” person that gives advice, try, reads and have somethings to say about EVERYTHING. I’m like the almost skinny Google. I’m always on a diet, trying a new workout regimes and very conscious about what goes in and out of my body. So the name is very befitting of my life, blunt, kitschy, resourceful and forever thin.

K: Do you ever find yourself learning from people who reach out to you for health, fitness, or beauty advice? O: Ironically, all the time! During the second year of my site I was going to shelve it completely because I didn’t think people cared. Then, all-of-a-sudden I started to get a surplus of questions and thank-yous in my inbox and DMs. It not only gave me the motivation to continue but to take it more serious and be more thoughtful in what I covered and how I presented it. As well as, I learn that as tough as I feel my life was or how hard my plight to thin is, I pretty much lived in a bubble. Because of my willingness to look it up for myself, thick skin and independence I can be a bit “matter-of-fact” about many things, only because I

K: Your blog covers everything from fashion tips to skin care regimens, do you see yourself as being a lifestyle coach to your audience? O: Definitely! My goal of each post no matter if I’m 70

feel if I got through it you can too. However, when I get questions about other people’s problems I have to push myself to be objective and that in turns help me open my eyes to different ways of living and mindsets. All of which helps me learn and grow. I’ve also learned transparency, accountability and consistency.

and aggression as well as, I burn a ton of calories. Running is where I get many of my post ideas. Running tones my legs, tighten my core and keeps my skin in check. Also, I am a fan of yoga, swimming and biking. Even though I have to do my calisthenics daily I hate arms and abs.

K: What are some features on your blog that is going to differentiate you from the next health brand?

K: What are the next steps, or the evolution for the Anorexic Escapades brand?

O: My presentation; it’s less about health or being a brand. It’s about information and motivation brought to you in a kitschy straightforward format. I don’t aim to be nice or mean or promote some facade of healthy bandwagon propaganda. I’m just telling people about things that work for me, that i’ve struggle with, did the research on and if you can’t ask your friends, you can ask me. On Anorexicescapades.com I have many sections that I feel will help cultivate a guys developing taste. I cover the latest menswear runway shows every seasons from NYC, London and Paris to Milan on my “GULP” section. I give natural and over the counter product reviews, tips and grooming techniques on my “PURGE” section. There is weekly menswear editorial reviews on my “THINSPIRATION” section to get guys to the gym and mall. Also, I do itemized personal style post in my “A La CARTE” section with clothes that guys in my age bracket can afford. But the bread and butter of my site is my “BITES” section is filled with truthful sometimes brash daily lifestyle, tips and advice posts that cover everything from self realizations, friendships, relationships and finance. Oh, yeah and I’ve introduced two new amazing sections “JUNK FOOD JOURNALS” & “TASTE COACH” where I’m interviewing other fitness enthusiasts and fashionable artistic black males of all medium on their personal motivation and idea of taste.

O: I’m in the process of adding video to my site. I’ve noticed with videos I could say a lot more in a short amount of time with inflection. Not to mention people are more willing to watch than read, therefore I get to reach a wider audience. My ultimate goal for the year is to work with more skincare brands. There have been many brands willing to work with me and my readership has rose in that category. Lastly and first I’m toying with the idea of giving anorexicescapades. com a face lift and making the site title more appealing to everyone. K: Any tips and hints? O: • Moisturize everything; face, lips, hands and body. • Invest in a humidifier they are brilliant for supple and hydrated skin. • Beware of comfort food, summer is around the corner and whale isn’t in next season. • Don’t skip your workout just because it’s too cold. Summer is for showing off your body not finally getting off the couch to tone it. • Stock up on warm quality socks! They are stylish, will keep your feet moisturized and warm, and great support for your boots. ··· anorexicescapades.com

K: What are some of your favorite exercises to keep you snatched? O: Running! I love running, I’m averaging 80-100 miles a month. Running helps me zone out, burn off anxiety 71

AMADO & RHYTHM ADDICT TV TEXT KEDRICK WALKER IMAGERY AMADO

KEDRICK: For someone not familiar of you, how would you describe yourself to them?

K: Do you ever have to place yourself in a certain mindset when you’re about to preform?

AMADO: I would first tell them the meaning of my name which means “Generous” and “He who Loves God” I believe names reflect who you are and depicts what type of personality you will have along with the vibrations and energy attached to that name. I would also say that I’m noble, kind-hearted, free-spirited, funny, a bit of a mystic, a big kid at heart, deep thinker and a positive person. I have different layers to myself which I’m still discovering. Theres times when I’m quiet and introspective and tend to live in my mind. I also have a deep desire to inspire others in a higher cause and I like to share my spiritual views with people. K: When did you first start dancing?

A: The stage is like home to me. Some people would freeze up and walk off stage but I literally come alive when I’m on stage. Something just comes over me. The nervousness leaves and the music takes over. It’s a euphoric experience. On many occasions when I am singing & dancing, I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists. K: What is the definition of a visionary in your own words? A: A visionary is an individual who sees a dream or a vision from God who after seeing the vision, starts creating and works to make the vision become reality and also incorporates others to make it happen. I also believe a visionary has insight into his or her own future and the future of others. I believe we all have a visionary living inside of us its all about activating it and believing in the visions given to us by The Universe.

A: I believe I came dancing out my mothers womb. I come from a family of dancers and singers. My grandmother won many high school dance contests in her day. My father was known for dancing in the club scene and traveling with a local band. My mother was a childhood singer/dancer who was featured in neighborhood talent shows and local television shows. They never got a chance to fulfill their dream or live out the passions inside of them to its fullest potential so I feel its up to me to live it out for them and break the cycle. It all started when I was 3 years old and I would dress up like MJ and imitate his dance moves. My grandfather started filming me and when my parents noticed that it wasn’t just a phase and noticed that I actually had talent. They immediately enrolled me in acting classes and talent shows. My cousin and I would practice in my grandparents basement and put on shows for my family during the holidays. I dance, act and sang throughout middle school and high school. I was on the dance team, in the theatre company and at every one of the dances battling. Dance was my way of escape. It was my way of expressing myself when I didn’t really have a voice of my own at the time. People knew me for my talent and I like the attention I got from it.

K: You’re a singer, actor, dancer, model, host, is there anything that you don’t do!? A: I don’t pee while standing in a handstand , lol But honestly I want to clear it up that I’m not a model or nor did I ever aspire to be one. The photos that I take is part of my artistry. Its just another way for me to express myself and exercise my creativity. I style, graphic design and creatively direct all my shoots. K: What were the beginnings of Rhythm Addict TV? A: The idea came late 2010. The channel officially launched in April 2011. I work in media and was kind of bored with the content I was producing. Dance has always been a love of mine. I love watching dancers dance. I pay more attention to them than the artist when I go to concerts. Another reason why I started it was because there was no East Coast based dance channel compared to Cali. 74

There are Broadway centric channels but there were no channels dedicated to covering the urban dance competition scene and industry. There are a lot of talented dancers on the East that need to be seen. Some of the dancers we have covered were on the brink of making it in the industry. They have gone on to dance and choreograph for Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Missy Elliott, Fergie, Sam Smith, Christina Aguilera. We have covered major competitions from World of Dance to Prelude Urban Dance competitions. We have interviewed choreographers and dancers who have worked with Trey Songz, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Aaliyah, Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, etc…

K: You’re coming out with an EP soon, what should your audience expect from it? A: With my first EP people should expect “feel good music”. The goal is to make people dance and take them on a cosmic journey with my music. To remind people of the past but also bring them into the future. I’ve been influence by a variety of genres and eras in music especially the 70s and 90s so I’m incorporating that all into my project. I would call it Futuristic R&B with a ting of deep house grooves over R&B vocals. I don’t want to reveal too much just expect dance-able beats and catchy melodies. K: What do you think is going to differentiate you from the next artist?

K: What are your roles within Rhythm Addict TV?

A: I think what will set me apart from other artists is just being myself. Thats it. I try to never compare or compete with anyone but the man I see in the mirror. Being original and authentic is important to me and I believe that will be seen in my artistry. People can tell when someone is pretending or being someone that they’re not so I just want to be real, showcase my God given talents and I know my fans will connect with that. ···

A: I’m co-founder, producer & host and sometimes I play the role of a photographer at dance events/ showcases. K: Where do you see the evolution of Rhythm Addict TV? A: We hope to have more original content, in depth interviews, collaborate with choreographers for dance workshops for the youth. We are still going to cover dance events. I hope to showcase more of my directing skills. I’ve been making concept videos before they were even called “concept videos’ or youtube. Now my concept videos involve dance in the storyline.

FACEBOOK.COM/AMADOMIIO

YOASTRUM TEXT FELICIA MALONE IMAGERY BREANNA NICHELLE

I started listening to YoAstrum, 21-year old rapper/producer, a couple of months ago at the recommendation of a friend, and upon hearing him spit I was hooked. I listened to his four releases for a month straight and deciding who to feature in the magazine this month was not a difficult decision.

was a bit more experimental than his first. As he says in track number 3, Unorthodox, “is this an epiphany in a daydream? More or less” and continues to play with the concept of reality and imagination. In his third release, “Prism,” one can see a leap in his production abilities and his lyrical content takes on a deep and haunting vibe.

So I met with YoAstrum on February 7th and despite the snowy weather, a missed bus, and a lack of sleep from his show in Philly the night before, he made the pilgrimage to Manhattan from South Jersey to meet with R.LEGACY Magazine. Dreads wrapped a mile high on his head, rocking Nike kicks, an AllFMD Jacket (an independent brand, “For My Dawgs”) and wearing a quick and genuine smile: his style is as on point as his music.

His most recent project “Alchemy in Heaven” was released in April 2014 and branches out to other artists and features producers such as Faisal, Lakim, Mr. Carmack and TK Kayembe. This project is the culmination of his talent as a developing artist, and exhibits a level of originality hard to find in today’s music scene. Be on the lookout for his next EP, “Day’s of Violet” which will be released later this year. When asked about the EP YoAstrum said “can’t say too much, but it’ll include collaborations with some familiar names.” YoAstrum’s music can be heard on Soundcloud, and all of his releases can be purchased on Bandcamp.

He started producing four years ago at the age of seventeen, and rapping at the age of nineteen. Despite the fact that he is relatively new to the music scene, in just a few years he has managed to cultivate his own unique sound and fly with it. Based in South Jersey, he has lived in the New York area on and off his whole life, and considers his roots to be on the east coast. His biggest inspiration is Charles Hamilton, YoAstrum explained, because “he showed me that if you rap and produce you can make your own unique sound and create something completely new. This is the basis for my music. I believe in trying to be as original as possible.”

Definitely be on the lookout for YoAstrum: he’s up next. ···

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In the past few years he has already released four EP’s, which track his growth as an artist. Each of his EP’s are complete works and can (and should) be listened to as stand-alone projects, but when listening to sequentially one can hear the growth in his artistry. YoAstrum’s first three projects were entirely selfproduced and engineered, an impressive feat for an emerging artist. His first EP, the “Stand Alone Complex” was released in March of 2012, the same year he started rapping and contains an impressive sixteen tracks. His second release, “Zone of the Ender” was released at the end of summer 2012 and this release 81

CURTIS BRYANT TEXT AKIL SHARPERSON IMAGERY HAROLD WAIGHT

AKIL: What is a fake socialite?

and that did really well. Whitney wrote me this long paragraph on Facebook, basically telling me she felt the t-shirt thing was my thing and that I could take it places and she’s not going help me anymore.

CURTIS: You want the shady answer or the non-shady answer [laughs]? A fake socialite is someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else. With my brand I obviously don’t use the term in that negative sense, it’s a more positive context. From the negative standpoint, hanging out in SoHo and being in the scene, made me realize that a lot of the people who I looked up to, before I met them, after meeting them, I did not want to be associated with. When you see someone visual all the time, you can just imagine yourself beside him or her, but a lot of these people you meet and think you can connect with won’t make you feel comfortable when you’re around them.

It was kind of a gag, and this idea of a Fake Socialite was something I believed in. Not fake socialite as a brand, but the idea, the conversation behind it was something I cared about, so I decided to do the first t-shirt with “Fake Socialite” on the back with the 13 and people really bought it, they enjoyed it. As far as the comments people tell me about the compliments they get. They tell me they also want to be fake socialites. That’s why I call this performance art, it’s like a costume almost. You have to be really ballsy to wear something that says fake socialite on it. We wear graphic things all the time, Stussy and Supreme to name a few, but those are just words and labels, this is a term. When you hear fake socialite it becomes an identity. I think that’s what people have connected with and that’s where the conversation comes from.

The positive context that I try to use for my brand is that you see yourself to be that person people need to hangout with. A lot of people lack confidence. Actually everyone lacks confidence; some people just hide it better. A: How have your past experiences helped you to shape the fake socialite brand?

A: What’s the legacy you want to leave? C: I just want to be remembered for someone who made people feel emotions. ···

C: This whole process with developing the brand has been a Journey. When I first started, I called it a performance art piece, I never called it a brand. One I lack confidence all the time, I have so many insecurities, and I deal with doubt all the time. When I was younger going through school I was teased a lot, so I know what it feels like to not fit in. Now somehow the universe saw fit through my honesty of letting people know I harbored these feelings, people connect with me. Now when I see people in the streets they run up to me and say “Hey I like what you do!” and that’s coming from the heart.

FAKESOCIALITE.COM

A: Could you have ever imagined the warm reception the brand has received? C: Absolutely not…Absolutely not [laughs]. Well first let me tell you, I was working with a classmate that I went to school with, Whitney House, and we did this Rihanna Rain shirt, a mirror image of Rihanna as a nun 85

IMAGERY AHMAD BARBER

HAIR & MAKE-UP MARAZ

MODEL ANEESAH HANAN

DRESS: DIRTY MONROE

ATMOSPHERICHAZE IMAGERY COLLINS NAI WARDROBE OLIVIA GONZALEZ make-up EMILY KEOUGH MODEL LAUREN BUDZICHOWSKI

COAT: GUESS DRESS: DIRTY MONROE GLOVES: STYLIST’S HEELS: BCBG

COAT: EXPRESS DRESS: DIRTY MONROE STOCKS: H&M

COAT: LOFT SHIRT: H&M PANTIES: VICTORIA’S SECRET STOCKS: H&M

hat: VINTAGE SHIRT: VINTAGE PANTS: H&M BRA: H&M

ROLES IMAGERY TRENDY WARDROBE ROBERTO JOHNSON MODELS LONDON & LILI

LEFT TOP: NU NY BROACH: CHANEL TROUSERS: VINTAGE RIGHT HAT: STEPHON MENDOZA TURTLENECK: UNIQLO BLAZER: CALVIN KLEIN TROUSERS: & OTHER STORIES

HAT: STEPHON MENDOZA

LEFT HAT: STEPHON MENDOZA TOP: TOPSHOP BLAZER: KENZO PANTS: BANANA REPUBLIC RIGHT JACKET: ZARA TROUSERS: ASOS BOOTIES: SAINT LAURENT

LEFT SHIRT: CALVIN KLEIN SWEATER: NET-A-PORTER TROUSERS: ZARA RIGHT TURTLENECK: UNIQLO WOOL SWEATER: BCBGMAXAZRIA BOOTIES: SAINT LAURENT

gown: STEPHON MENDOZA BOOTIES: SAINT LAURENT SOCKS: AMERICAN APPAREL

THE MINIMALISM ISSUE COMING SPRING 2015

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