RWD Issue 151: Autumn 2015 - Big Sean

#151 big sean

way up

q3/15

editor’s letter / 4

Heat isn’t reserved for the United States though and while it might take a few extra weeks to hit the peaks we’re feeling at the moment, the likes of our About To Blow star Jammz, the voice of the capital Meridian Dan and grime’s next one Novelist do more than enough to keep our pages warm from a UK perspective.

Editor’s Letter Only Skepta has had a better summer than us so far and let’s be honest, the only reason we didn’t jump on stage at Wireless with Drizzy is because we were offended by the way the Toronto MC called Finbury Park, ‘Finsbury’. Is Finsbury a place?

Landing slap-bang in the middle of the season like the FA Cup 3rd Round, we thought we’d make the most of the sun’s rays by going way, way up with Big Sean who’s been waking up celebrating every day since IDFWU confirmed the Detroit MC was ready to release the biggest album of his career thus far.

The Premier League season will have just started by the time you pick this magazine up, so you’ll already know that Diego Costa, Samir Nasri and Danny Welbeck are on fire, but just pretend we told you early, because the three title challenging internationals sounded focused when we sat down with them for 151.

Following what’s been an epic summer for films, we’ve previewed what’s still to come in 2015, a year that is likely to go down in blockbuster history, we caught-up with England cricket star Stuart Broad to learn about his process and talked a lot about trainers. Not enough? Head to rwdmag.com for your fix.

RWD Team Editor Feature Writer Staff Writer Online Music Editor Contributing Editor Contributors

Designer Fashion Editor Illustrators

Photographers

@tegosigel @benkeablefaw @joewalker @grantbrydon @chantellefiddy Poet, Craig Mitch, David Vujanic, Carly Wilford, Oliver Hayes, Hattie Collins, Julius Pepperwood Oliver Green Kyran Low Art Jaz, Funny Tummy, Rachel Goslin, Matt Glasby, Sam Taylor Jon Attenborough, Andres Reynega, JPH, Pharaoh, Response London, Adrian Nettleship, Kevin Joseph, Sam Bond, Liam Ricketts, Verena StefanieGrotto

Video

Greg Bond, Felix Kemp, Darren Rahaman, Andres Albert

Publisher Operations Thanks

Nigel Wells Martin Ferguson Bob Austin

@tegosigel

Contributors

Contact RWD RWD 4th Floor 60-62 Commercial Street Greater London E1 6LT Tel: 020 3176 4299 staff@RWDmag.com @RWDmag

Poet

Craig Mitch

David Vujanic

In a word, I’m...

Belibier You’ll normally find me... at your nan’s house This issue… I have with my father has stunted my growth I’m all about... North London Love I’m so over... hipsters not nowing 2008 Skepta bars Get at me... @PoetsCornerUK

In a word, I’m...

Hov You’ll normally find me... Eating a chicken Pattie This issue… Is a game changer I’m all about... Money, wait that’s cliché, A LOT of money I’m so over... TFL, all about Uber Get at me... @CraigxMitch

In a word, I’m... out ere fam You’ll normally find me... lankily gliding through the streets without many woes This issue… was a pure unadulterated madness I’m all about... travelling I’m so over... people mispronouncing my surname Get at me... @TheVujanic (voo-yahnich)

RWD Magazine is published monthly by Rewind Creative Media Ltd. All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the publishers.

RWD Magazine: 25p where sold Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which RWD holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of RWD Magazine or it’s staff and we disclaims liability for those impressions.

Distributed nationally.

CONTENTS / 6

CONTENTS issue # 1 5 1 Regulars 8-19 Check-In, Check Out 20-21 One To Watch: Wolfie, J Hus, A2 22-23 About To Blow: Jammz

RWD Football 24-27 28-29 30-33 34-35 36-37 38-41 42-43

Dat Guy Welbz: Danny WelbeckLeague Ace Vs X Costa Doing Business: Diego Costa #FilthyFellasRMXD A New Era: New Balance Understanding Nasri: Samir Nasri Two Sides

Style 49-55 56-57 58-59 60-63 64-65

Style Photography Style News Ibiza Rocked: Supply & Demand Hey Presto: Nike Presto Converse: Chuck Taylor II

Features 44-47 66-69 70-73 74-77 78-81 82-83

The Pursuit of Happiness: Big Sean Lewisham’s Grime Misfit: Novelist The Evolution of Hudson: Hudson Mohawke In The Street: Meridian Dan Screen Time: Autumn Film Preview Why We Play: Stuart Broad

Check-in check out / 8

C heck - in check out Check The History Footsie and Butterz nod to RWD in music video Check out… the video for the Newham Generals and Wiley track Scars, taken from Footsie’s recent EP released on Butterz. Broken Antenna & Luke Carlisle’s visuals feature a backdrop of classic grime memorabilia, including four RWD covers, as the MCs’ lyrics appear on old Nokia mobiles.

Watch at butterz.co.uk

Paint The Town

It’s Coming Up

Master the Ceremony

Nintendo means fun

Thursday night partying with Sian Anderson and Star.One

Grime and garage in full force in Haringey

Check in… to Notting Hill Arts Club for its monthly hi -hop and rnb party The Come Up. The August edition includes sets from BBC 1Xtra’s Sian Anderson, production duo Star.One and resident DJ B. Follow @TheComeUpHQ on Twitter

Check in… at Ceremony Festival, at London’s Finsbury Park on 12 September. Billed as a “360° celebration of dance music”, JME and Logan Sama’s Tropical stage returns for a successive year with special guests.

Tickets and more info are at ceremonyfestival.com

Check Out… Nintendo’s latest lesson in fun, Splatoon. Created with euphoria in mind, each element of this game is designed to make you smile and in this age of war, pain and violence obscuring our video gaming, something fun and addictive is just what the doctor ordered.

Splatoon is out now on Wii U

RWD Check-Ins

Stop Walking, Start Gliding Ride in style with these ‘swegway’ boards Check out… the MonoRover R2 self balancing electric scooter.

Somewhere between a Segway and a skateboard, you might have seen JME selling a few himseof on Twitter.

Search for the MonoRover R2 on amazon.co.uk

Cast Your Mind Poet and Chuckie’s podcast is a strong addition Check out… #HalfCast, the new weekly podcast in which Poet and DJ Chuckie discuss all things pop culture in the UK. Debates regularly get passionate and tempers fray, which makes for an entertaining listen.

Subscribe to the #HalfCast podcast on iTunes

Born & Bred Festival Haggerston Park in East London hosted the inaugural Born & Bred festival with grime, jungle and plenty more UK underground music to enjoy.

Headline act Wiley was so late that curfew stopped his performance after just 15 minutes, but it was still great!

Wild Life Festival Taking place on the same weekend as Born & Bred, we made the trip to Sussex for the Sunday of Wild Life festival. Boy Better Know, Wu-Tang Clan and Annie Mac shut down the main stage before Disclosure closed the weekend with a bang.

Smokey Bars

Wireless 10th Party

Two rap stars are touring together

A week before the main weekend, Wireless held a special night to mark 10 years of the London festival.

Finsbury Park hosted the likes of Boy Better Know, Chance The Rapper and Katy B before Drake performed the first of his two Wireless sets.

Check out…A$AP Rocky and Wiz Khalifa’s co-headline tour of the UK. The American pair will be performing in Nottingham, Liverpool, Birmingham, London and Manchester in October, but you’ll need to book tickets now before they sell out.

Get yours now from livenation.co.uk

Team RWD Ready To #BeTheDifference RWD are headed to Pop Brixton to win it all Check-in… to Pop Brixton on 6 August for the ultimate 2v2 tournament in which an RWD team, mentored by Chelsea’s Dom Solanke, will be taking on some of the biggest YouTube stars and freestyle tricksters in the UK. With Ace and X boots on hand for players to prove they can cause chaos or keep control, we’ll be putting our tekkers to the test with the help of two young ballers and all the swag that comes with representing the letters R, W and D. Stay tuned to @RWDFootball on Twitter and Instagram for more #BeTheDifference

jdsports.co.uk

Check-in check out / 12

Bass For Your Face Win an amazing new speaker courtesy of Sony Check out‌ Sony’s new MHC-7VD High Powered Audio System, which features party lights, app connectivity via Bluetooth and mic inputs for karaoke/spraying. We are excited to be giving away a MHC-7HD to one lucky RWD reader, so make sure to enter for the chance to win this ultimate house party set up.

Visit rwdmag.com/sonyspeaker for entry details

A Storm Is Coming Nike’s thunderous new range Check out‌ the Nike Lightning Storm pack, introducing new luminous colours to their existing football boots for the 2015/16 campaign incuding a hyper pink Mercurial, turquoise Magista, green strike Tiempo and two brand new Hypervenom II colourways.

Get yours at jdfootball.co.uk

Check-in check out / 18

Now We Run The Jewels, Too… Need more RTJ? Here’s more RTJ

Favourite Subject P.E, Pablo Escobar!

Netflix gets down and gritty Check out… new Netflix show Narcos based on the life of the infamous Pablo Escobar. Directed by the great Jose Padilha, this tale of the Colombian who ran a worldwide drug ring in the 70s, 80s and early 90s is sure to be gritty and gripping.

Catch Narcos on Netflix from 28 August

Check out… El-P and Killer Mike’s new Beats1 show. The Run The Jewels duo are known for being outspoken and with many calling for Mike to make his voice heard on a political level this show is sure to cause a stir across the board, whether it be music, politics or the discussion of El-P wanting a unicorn or Killer Mike wanting a dragon.

Catch Mike and El-P chopping it up Every Friday on Beats1

Holographic Lenses

Live Smart

Test your Knowledge

Microsoft HoloLens offers incredible holograms

Panasonic unveil their smart home

Are you as big a hip hop head as you think?

Check out…Microsoft’s latest piece of tech whenever Bill Gates decides to the release it, the Microsoft HoloLens. The goggles work with a platform called Windows Holographic to project holographic overlays into the user’s field of vision.

Search HoloLens for more

Check-in…to your very own Smart Home with Panasonic.

Connecting all smart devices, which can be accessed remotely.

The futuristic smart home guarantees that personal servant experience all over your house.

The Smart Home is available from the Panasonic eShop

Check out… Rapology, a free trivia app that proves whether you’re truly an expert on hip hop culture. There are questions about stories across decades of the genre, with exclusive content awarded for high scores and ultimate knowledge.

Get it on iPhone and Android

Angel Wings

The Ultimate Player

A Grimy Good Cause

The PlayStation 4 has evolved

Coyote Records host fundraising rave for War Child

Check out…the brand new 1TB PlayStation 4 designed as the ultimate player. With unrivalled graphics performance and a truck load of built-in storage, the console is also intended to be your entertainment centre, so sync your Netflix and Apple Music and never turn it off.

The PlayStation 4 Ultimate Player 1TB Edition is out now

Check in… to The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington on 21 August to see Coyote Records & Friends in aid of the charity War Child. Sets on the night include Last Japan b2b Blackwax, with Discarda and special guests.

Tickets start from just £5, so what’s not to like?

Tickets are available through RA

It’s been a minute since Angel’s single Wonderful tore the charts to pieces, but the singer/songwriter looks primed to re-introduce himself to the mainstream with his new single Leyla featuring regular collaborator Fuse ODG and we wanted to know what’s different this time around?

After a period of radio silence, what can we expect from Angel from here on?

Well basically, nothing too far from my last EP Possession With Intent.

That is the Angel sound. I’ve got my underground stuff and when I say underground I just mean something that can connect more with the streets, but I’m also trying to create a balance here. Songs you can play at birthday parties or weddings, but also songs you can go and jam down a back street and vibe to.

What is it about the timing right now that just feels right for you?

Well basically, Wonderful came out and it was like this song that more than anything was meaningful as well as sonically being amazing.

That was cool, but that was just a period and it rode off in the studio and was just right. Off of that I was doing TV and all that, but then I stopped because really I wanted to just be in the studio all day and now I feel like I can show the fans all I have to offer because I feel like they’ve grown with me.

Minirig, Big sound We’re giving away one of the best portable speakers on the market Check Out… British speaker design company Minirigs’ most advanced portable speaker to date. The speaker, designed and hand-built in the UK, features an extra large driver, powerful amp and the latest Bluetooth technology. Win yours at rwdmag.com/minirigs.

For more info on the Minirig Speaker check out minirigs.com

What can we expect from you before 2015 is done?

By 31 December I would love to have two amazing singles out there in the public and I would like Angel to be more of a household name and not just because I’ve had my two minutes of fame, but because they understand who I am and what I add to this UK scene.

Follow Angel at @AngelOfficial

ONE TO WATCH / 20

one to watch

wolf i e There aren’t too many obvious reasons to visit Otford. A quick Google informs us that the Kent village has a traffic island with its own duck pond once voted the best roundabout in the UK, but beyond that it seems a quiet place that keeps itself out of the news. Otford’s small population however includes Wolfie, an exciting singer who looks set to put her home among the headlines. She spoke to Joe Walker about her story so far.

As a child, Laura Wolfe was raised on her parents’ punk and reggae music at home, while older cousins got her up on MCs like Skibadee and Ms Dynamite. “I’d come home to a bit of Bob Marley then go out to some garage,” she says. “I’ve always had that sort of difference and I think that’s what inspires me.” Wolfie also owes to her Romani heritage, attributing, “the whole essence of how music is such a massive part of their life” as a big factor in her own love for the art form.

“I’ve always got to be connected to [music made through collaborations] somehow, otherwise I don’t think it would really work for me.”

Wolfie’s debut release was 7DS, a concept EP last year inspired by darker rnb and hip hop that saw her take on each deadly sin with some intensely personal songwriting. “There was a lot of stuff I wanted to get off my chest with that project,” she says. “7DS was a way in which I could really put my stamp on what I wanted to do as an artist.” Singers and producers were soon getting in touch with Wolfie, one or two of which she has written for. “It’s a bit like acting really,” she says. “I’ve always got to be connected to it somehow, otherwise I don’t think it would really work for me.”

The 22 year-old waited until she graduated this year from her University in London, where she studied music production, performance and theory, before bringing out more of her own music, and what we’ve heard so far has been worth the wait. I Be Ghost was played on BBC Radio 1 and a Best of British choice on 1Xtra, while the steamy Come Over is not what you’d normally expect to hear from a Show N Prove production. “Show is just incredible,” Wolfie exclaimed. “I’m very lucky to be that one person that’s a little bit different to his previous work.”

As for what’s next, or where those tracks will end up, the artist is keeping things open ended for now as she continues to experiment with people in the studio. “Right now we’re just purely working off feeling,” Wolfie says. “Writing a few songs, really putting that effort in and releasing stuff because it feels right for now.” We can’t wait to hear what more there is to come.

Follow @ItsWolfieMusic

J Hus He may hail from the grime hotbed of Newham, but young J Hus is making a real name for himself with a blend of rap and afrobeats sounds. The 20 year-old burst onto the scene late last year with some memorable freestyles, which along with his sporadically released tracks have built a considerable buzz. Dem Boy Paigon, No Lie and Lean & Bop have generated millions of plays between them, and the roaring reception for Hus when Krept & Konan brought him out at Wireless proved the hype is very real. @JHusMusic

A2 He raps, sings and produces. With four EPs in the last 18 months or so, he’s a prolific musician. Our last issue’s One To Watch, Bonkaz, declared him as one of his favourites.

Do you need any more reasons to check out A2? Another figure from the flourishing talent pool of Croydon, loosely affiliated with the New Gen movement, he released his EP More Sleep at the start of July and continues to improve with each new project. Make sure to get on board. @A2Artist

About To BLOW / 22

About To Blow: Jammz Radio is etched into the history of grime music, with pirate stations once the best place to make your name as a spitter, or experience the sound as a fan. Today the format is flourishing again, with a wealth of hungry MCs shelling live sets every week. Chief among them is Jammz, a 24 year-old from East London who “is radio,” and Joe Walker spoke to him about mastering the microphone.

Photography by Vicky Grout “I don’t think there’s any way you can go straight from being a studio MC to shutting down in a rave,” he says. “Radio’s not exactly the same format, but it prepares you for that environment.” Jammz spent his school years spitting with friends as if they were live on air, so when he made his radio debut in 2010 on Urban FM, it was a long-time ambition realised.

“I genuinely think I’m addicted to radio” The one or two other MCs that Jammz accompanied to radio grew into a “community, a sub-culture almost” of scores more - many of whom you can hear on his #PirateSessions SoundCloud sets. When Logan Sama invited a few to Boiler Room in January it was as the crowd sang along that it dawned on him that they were building a following. Not that any extra motivation was needed – this is a guy who could often be heard spraying in London when he was supposed to be in Leicester studying for his degree. “I genuinely think I’m addicted to radio.”

While the thirst has undoubtedly helped his rise, Jammz is learning to pick and choose his moments.

“I’ve got to be aware of not overkilling it and making people get bored of my voice,” he admits. “I’ve got to be a bit more tactical” You can still find him at a station most nights, but he won’t always be spraying bars. “I’m learning to mix now, so sometimes I go radio and you don’t even know I’m there, going back to back with the DJ.” As well as his MC and increasing DJ skills, Jammz is also an adept producer – be sure to check out his Keeping It Simple instrumental - although he’s not as tempted to vocal all of his own beats as you might think. “On my laptop I’ve probably got about 1000 tunes, and I’ve maybe vocalled 20.”

Jammz dropped his Hit Then Run EP in March to wide acclaim, and has followed that with two great tracks in Final Warning and Plastician collab London Living.

Both have been well supported on Beats1, completing a rather fitting journey from local to global radio.

What next then? “If I wake up and my life is still the same tomorrow, I haven’t really done much,” he says.

“I want to build a solid base.” An ambition that at this rate seems just a matter of time. @Jammz releases his I Am Grime EP in October

DANNY WELBECK / 24

D at G uy Welbz Joining the ever-expanding union of young British players under Arsene Wenger’s watch as a very late transfer from his native Manchester last summer, Danny Welbeck was welcomed by Arsenal fans with open arms, as his pace, power and trickery proved exactly the attributes that The Emirates Stadium had been designed to inspire. Less than a year on from the move and Dat Guy Welbz has a Champions League hat-trick, an FA Cup winner away at his former club and an incredible six goals in England’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and speaking at the launch of his new Nike Hypervenom II boots, the 24 year-old attacker talked music, box-sets, fans and more.

The move from Manchester to London must have been a huge one for you, how have you taken to it?

It’s been a new experience for me. London is a much bigger city [than Manchester], but for me, I’m always at home and going to training, so I’m so much more used to London now than when I first came to the club.

The fans at Arsenal seem to have taken to you, has that helped you to settle?

The fans have been brilliant from day one and since I made the move to Arsenal they’ve been very supportive and it’s not just the fans, it’s everyone in and around the club. They made it easy for me to settle in and the support of the fans is massive.

You will have known a few of the boys from the England set-up, how did that help?

I knew quite a few of them before I joined Arsenal obviously from England and that makes it easier for you, seeing familiar faces around the camp. It’s not just the English boys, everybody has made me feel welcome, everyone has been class and they’re all top lads at Arsenal.

You have the rare honour of having played for both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson, how do they compare?

It’s an honour to play under both of those managers and they are different in their own ways. They have different ways of going about things, you just have to sit back and learn what you can off these types of people and try and improve yourself as a person or a player. >>

“Bugzy Malone is doing very well for Manchester, he’s putting Manny on the map as he says in his lyrics ‘0161’ ”

DANNY WELBECK / 26

<< There seems to be a growing confidence at Arsenal, are you feeling that desire to win games and more importantly trophies?

Our mentality to winning games has grown over the year and at the start of the season we weren’t really getting the points we needed, but as the season has progressed you can see we’ve clicked onto getting into the routine of winning games consistently.

That winning goal at Old Trafford is a great example of the team’s hunger to win. How did it feel to score such an important goal against your former club?

It was great feeling obviously to get your team to Wembley and the FA Cup semi-final, and that’s something we set out to do at the start of the game.

Obviously we achieved it and it was great to help my team to get to Wembley. I think there might have been a few boo’s when I scored but that’s football and everybody is entitled to their own opinions and obviously you’ve just scored the goal to knock out your old team, so it’s a weird feeling.

Arsene Wenger is famous for nurturing young players, are there any that you’ve been particularly impressed with since arriving?

I’m most impressed with Dan Crowley. When the ball is in and around him, short stuff, it’s hard to get the ball off of him and he knows what he’s going to do next with the ball, but there are so many players in the youth ranks that are going to push for a place in the first team.

There’s been a lot of talk about who the fastest player in the squad is with Theo Walcott and Hector Bellerin both claiming the title, but you’re no slouch yourself, who do you think is the most rapid at Arsenal?

I don’t know. It’s difficult because in training you don’t get the opportunity [to race]. You don’t just start up and line-up in a race and be like, ‘I’m gonna beat you in a race!’ Obviously the coaches don’t want you to race just in case people pull hamstrings or whatever, but there’s a lot of speed in the team and when someone is there to be blown, they’re getting blown.

There’s a lot of good music coming out of Manchester at the moment, have you been listening to the likes of Bugzy Malone?

Yeah! Bugzy Malone is doing very well for Manchester, he’s putting Manny on the map as he says in his lyrics - ‘0161’ [laughs] What else are you doing off the pitch to pass time?

You must have a lot of down time…

A lot of the boys watch box sets and all that stuff.

I’ve just recently gotten into Game Of Thrones.

I’m a bit late on that. I haven’t done much else than watch Game Of Thrones recently. I wasn’t too keen when people were telling me to watch it at the start, because I’m not too much into swords and dragons and that but [pauses] the dragons are real!

The Nike Hypervenom II is available now at JD Stores and jdfootball.co.uk

“I think there might have been a few boo’s when I scored but that’s football and everybody is entitled to their own opinions.”

DIEGO COSTA / 28

co s t a doing business Rarely has a player arrived in the Premier League and hit the ground running the way that Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spanish international striker Diego Costa did last summer. Not simply adjusting, but thriving on the increased physical attention and ramped up speed of the English game, the Atletico Madrid man scored goals, caused chaos and left a couple of defenders on their backsides in the process. Speaking from New York City where he was helping adidas launch the brand new Chelsea home kit, we wanted to know how the title-winning striker thought his first year in England went and what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expecting from the year ahead.

“I love the game and always want to be playing football, whatever that is and whenever that is. From training, to playing around with the ball doing tricks and even Futsal”

You had an incredible debut season in the Premier League, do you think that comes down to you finding the transition relatively easy or just how hungry you were to succeed?

I have really enjoyed the move to London with Chelsea and playing in the Premier League. It is the best league in the world, physically challenging and it is a huge privilege to play with some of the best players every week. I definitely wanted to prove I could compete at this level and I feel I have shown that.

It must have been great to play and train with Didier Drogba, even if it was only for a season, what will you remember most from working alongside the Chelsea legend?

Didier is a legend at Chelsea and one of the best strikers to have ever played in the Premier League and Champions League, so he has so much experience to share and even though it was a short time playing together, I learned a lot. He was also a great guy to have in the changing room, a natural leader.

You seemed to enjoy the physicality and hustle of the Premier League. Did any of the division’s speed and aggression surprise you?

I knew that the Premier League would be a challenge in every respect, physically and mentally, but I think from the start I found my feet quickly and adapted to the pace of the league well. I’ve scored goals and maintained my form, so I feel I am off to a pretty good start.

You’re on a hell of a winning run as a player, picking up three trophies in the last two years including two league titles, how motivated are you to continue that run next season?

That’s why we play the game, to play in the best teams and to win trophies and titles. At Chelsea we have just won the league and next season we will of course be aiming to repeat this and to also land the Champions League as well. That’s what motivates great teams every day.

How are you finding life in the capital city?

I love London; the people are really friendly and the fans so passionate about football and the club, that the atmosphere is always positive. London is a great city, so much to see and do, I still feel like a tourist who is excited to see everything. I have spent some time exploring the city, shopping, seeing the sights, eating at restaurants with my family and friends, but given how busy our playing schedule is with games and training, I definitely enjoy chilling out at home too.

How long did it take you to adjust to London’s weather?

I don’t mind the weather, everywhere has hot and cold conditions, Spain and Brazil is the same in certain places. I won’t lie, the snow was a shock earlier this year but that’s part of playing in Europe!

The title race looks like being a tight one next season, how do you view your rivals?

I think Chelsea will remain strong and the manager is already working on his new plan of attack. Our squad is one of the strongest in the league. The other teams around us are investing and will all challenge us, but we have proven that we are up for that challenge. As always the Premier League will be exciting every week, in England there are no easy games.

Have you set yourself any personal targets for the upcoming season?

My job is to help the team by scoring goals and creating assists; that will remain my focus for every season. I would always look to score and assist more than last season. >>

DIEGO COSTA / 30 << Which elements of your game are you still looking to improve?

I think every player is always trying to improve and tweak parts of their game, those little adjustments that can make a big difference in your performance. For me it is maintaining my fitness and my power, as well as ensuring my finishing stays sharp.

How motivated are you to make a big impact in the Champions League next season?

All of the best teams and players want to win the Champions League and to compete in it every season. Alongside winning the Premier League, we also want to challenge for the Champions League.

Two born winners, what differences do you notice between Diego Simeone and Jose Mourinho?

Both are great managers who share a passion for the game and a focus on building strong teams with a great strategy and vision for the game. They have different approaches, but those goals remain the same between them.

The adidas X is for players that cause chaos. Do you think that’s fair assessment of your playing style?

Anyone who knows me knows I like to cause some chaos - in a good way. For me chaos is about being unpredictable to defenders who are trying to stop you scoring and make it impossible for them to mark you. That’s the challenge I enjoy and the new X boots help me to do that.

“London is a great city, so much to see and do, I still feel like a tourist who is excited to see everything” You’ll have been training in the new X boots for a few weeks now, what can you tell us about how it fits and feels?

The boots fit really well, I am very particular about the comfort and fit of the boots, given the movements and runs I am making during the game, so these are great for this. The upper of the boot has a great sweet spot for when you strike the ball which helps my finishing and the weight is really light, so I feel I can maintain my speed when the ball is at my feet.

There’s of you giving it your all in a Futsal tournament in Kuwait. Is it actually possible for you to take your foot off the gas?

[Laughs] I love the game and always want to be playing football, whatever that is and whenever that is. From training, to playing around with the ball doing tricks and even Futsal- it’s the way I grew up playing the game and that fun is always what I want to keep in my mind when I play.

Chelsea’s new home kit is available now at jdfootball.co.uk #BeTheDifference

Ace Vs X / 32

a c e vs x Retiring a whole generation of boots, each iconic in their own way, the move by adidas to force their boots to the absolute forefront of tech and development was a bold and admirable one. When the Predator was released in 1994 adidas weren’t worrying about the past, they were focused squarely on the future and fast forward 21 years it’s the Predator in the rear-view along with the 11 Pro, F50 and Nitrocharge, while the Ace and X are well and truly in the fast line.

“It took just four minutes [of the Champions League final] for Ivan Rakitic to register in his Ace15s before both Alvaro Morata and Luis Suarez would do the same in the X15.”

Switching the tools of the trade of some of the game’s greats is not done lightly, so as many people as might think the changes are purely prosthetic need only consider Luis Suarez or Gareth Bale’s price tags as evidence that these changes are a far more serious business than the cynics would have you believe. James Rodriguez was the 2014 World Cup’s best player in his trusty F50s, so what does the Ace15 have to offer?

Designed for the player who brings control to the game, the Ace15 allows the Mesut Ozils of the world to have ultimate ball control. Engineered from the 3D material on the upper, the grippy EVA and the awesome and intricate new stud configuration to give perfect touch in any scenario. Turning, controlling, passing and striking are all accounted for in the boot best suited for the playmakers of the game. So why was it necessary for Thomas Muller to ditch his old adizero F50 boots for the X15?

Purpose built as the ultimate weapon for the game’s most dangerous players, the X15 has been created to cause chaos. The kinds of players who change the game without a moment’s notice need very unique tools with which to work, which

is where the X15’s Techfit collar comes into play, offering a compression fit around the ankle for superior support and fit, while the striking new X-Claw base has been developed to give complete traction with a lightweight feel. With players getting faster, strong and more technical, the modern boot needs to match their needs, so the X15 features an X-Cage, which has been built for the most agile players round the world, while a fragmented and lightweight design offers ultimate support during the most agile moments.

The sheer audacity of adidas to retire such a legendary range all at the same time should have done enough to raise a few eyebrows, but what really mattered was what would follow and in the Ace and the X, football from the elite to the Saturday leagues should be excited. Making their on-pitch debuts in the Champions League final earlier this summer, it took just four minutes for Ivan Rakitic to register in his Ace15s before both Alvaro Morata and Luis Suarez would do the same in the X15. Rarely is such a massive risk rewarded as handsomely as adidas already have been with these new boots.

Ace and X are available through jdfootball.co.uk

#FILTHYFELLAS / 34

# F i lthy F e ll a s R M X D Following an epic 39 episode season, covering every weekend of Premier League football - and the Community Shield - the #FilthyFellas ended their first year of tears, cheers and plenty of shouting by taking their banter onto the pitch in a purposebuilt 2 Vs 2 cage in NikeTown London. Surrounded by fans as well as guests from across the season, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and a special Spencer FC team put together by Spencer Owen, the Fellas got RMXD. Taking over the middle floor of Nike’s flagship London store, the merciless cage awaited winners and losers alike as the five sides laced up in the latest Nike Football X boots, so there would be no excuses come night’s end.

With teams made-up of #FilthyFellas regulars and previous guests on the show, Poet’s Arsenal seemed to have a built-in advantage in the form of former Chelsea and Swansea City striker Leon Knight, which put the pressure on the rest of the teams to make sure their squads were nicely padded with the requisite talent to compete.

With DJ Snips used to owning the decks at his own Livin’ Proof nights and parties around the world, it was only right that the Liverpool supporting FilthyFella jump on the decks and soundtrack the tournament. So with the lights

dimned and the pleasantries dispersed with, the adrenaline took over and #FilthyFellasRMXD was underway. The intensity of the games grew at a rapid pace, in a blur of Swooshes, barges and hurt feelings, it was Arsenal who took an early lead in the winner stays on format, before Spurs clawed their way back only for Liverpool to level proceedings before going head to head in the final.

Dominant displays from Liverpool fans Yungen, Buck and J2K saw them carried to the final, while Vuj’s hardwork, enthusiasm and inspirational leadership kept them on the right path, so it was only right that the winning goal come from the Serbian superstar who gave the #FilthyFellas official season losers, the win when it mattered most.

Watch the best moments from #FilthyFellasRMXD on youtube.com/FilthyFellas now

“Taking over the middle floor of Nike’s flagship London store, the merciless cage awaited winners and losers alike as the five sides laced up in the latest Nike Football X smallsided boots”

The Teams

Arsenal Captained by the enigmatic Poet, Arsenal’s representatives were the legendary Leon Knight, Specs Gonzales and Skits.

Liverpool With Snips on the decks, it fell to the Slav Squat king Vujanic to pull together a star-studded unit including J2K, Yungen and Buck.

Spurs Craig Mitch knew he couldn’t afford a weak showing in the cage, so with Ross Berry in tow, the Spurs boys grabbed Scorcher and Barnaby Slater.

Manchester United Lead by B.O.A.T and Skribz, United’s squad was nothing to sniff at as they called in Adam McKola and Margs to represent the red devils.

Spencer FC YouTube hero Spencer Owen pulled together a strong squad with Nile Ranger joined by FIFAManny and friend of the show Bell.

aaron ramsey / 36

A N ew Er a With the big brands doing such a good job of grabbing the most talented players and creating the best performance product, introducing a new voice to the football market was always going to be a big job, but with the winding down of Warrior Sports in 2014 has come the introduction (or re-introduction) of New Balance Football, the exciting new project set for a huge 2015/16 season.

Teasing their launch products in the second half of last season, New Balance Football saw their boots worn by the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Samir Nasri and Marouane Fellaini before being officially unveiled as the Visaro (for players who make chances) and the Furon (for players who take chances). The Visaro has experienced an FA Cup final on the feet of its key star Ramsey, who credits a close involvement with its development, calling them being the most comfortable boots he has ever played in, with key features including a low pressure zone instep for instant control, a vari-zone ariapprene upper which improves ball manipulation and a medial pivot zone on the sole for making quick turns.

The Furon on the other hand is worn by the players who use their speed and lethal finishing to change the game and has been favoured by the likes of Adnan Januzaj, Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas who rely on the boot’s burrito tongue which allows for a larger sweet spot, giving a cleaner striker of the ball, while the combination of stiffened soleplate, ultra directional studs and a high energy return upper enable high-level acceleration, increased straightline speed and release velocity.

There’s a long road ahead for New Balance Football, but they’ve given themselves a great shot with two high quality boots, while their replica kit partnerships with Liverpool, Celtic, Stoke City, Porto and Sevilla mean they’ll be firmly ingrained within the game over the coming years. The task of taking on the big three is one not entered into lightly and the job of convincing those standing in line at JD that their product is the one needed for the new season will take guts, passion and a genuine focus on quality, but however it unfolds, we’re excited by this new era.

Get more on the New Balance Football Furon and Visaro and buy the boots at newbalance.co.uk/football

[Aaron Ramsey] credits a close involvement with [the Visaro’s] development, calling them being the most comfortable boots he’s ever played in.”

SAMIR NASRI / 38

U nderstanding

NAS R I Samir Nasri has been a staple in Premier League football since the move from his native Marseille to Arsenal back in 2008. Now a Manchester City player with an impressive honours list including two Premier League trophies and one League Cup, Samir is a key part of City’s plan for a long awaited assault on Europe and we caught-up with the French international at the launch of the New Balance Football’a new Furon and Visaro boots, to discuss his ambitions for the upcoming season, watching his former club win trophies, Manchester United’s return to prominence and more.

“I think it’s a good thing, you need Manchester United in the Champions League and not having them there would be weird.”

Considering Manchester City’s end to the season and their very unusual lack of silverware, what is the current mood like amongst the players and staff at the club?

We were pretty disappointed because last year we won the double and we are a team full of ambition, so when you end up with no silverware, the mood drops. But we did manage in the last couple of days to turn it around, at least finishing second and on a good note to be ready for next season.

How do you see next season’s title race? Do you think it will perhaps be even more open?

Yeah, I think it will be more open. At points this season it was very open, but you know Chelsea deserved it because they were the most consistent team. I do think that next year, considering the new TV rights and other things, it will be a lot more open and even more competitive. It’s going to be a race between the top six teams because Manchester United are going to be there and Arsenal and Chelsea, City, Liverpool and even Tottenham.

Speaking on that resurgence from Manchester Untied specifically, how does it feel as a City player to see your local rivals come back so strongly and manage to get themselves back in the top four?

I think it’s a good thing, you need Manchester United in the Champions League and not having them there would be weird. You just want the best teams to be at the top, so they challenge you and push you to your limit, so it’s a good thing and at least now the rivalry is back.

Speaking of rivalry and the title race, what have you felt about Arsenal finally snatching some silverware over the last two seasons?

I’m just happy for the club. I had great years at Arsenal. I don’t have any hard feelings towards them, I have friends who play there and I have huge respect for the manager. He has been through a lot of criticism, so I am happy for him. Now that he has the money to invest, because before he had to pay off the stadium, now he can invest in players and you can see that Arsenal are back as one of the competitive teams. So it’s good for the club, good for the players and good for the fans.

How does life in Manchester differ from London?

I’m now used to Manchester. In the beginning it was quite tough because it’s a big change. It’s like living in the city and then going to a village, but at the end of the day, I found my perfect house and I am really happy to be at a club that respects me. I’ve signed a new deal, I don’t have any complaints and >>

SAMIR NASRI / 40

<< I’m so happy to be here doing my job.

Is there anybody specific within the team that you have built an especially strong relationship with?

Yeah, I have a strong relationship with Yaya Toure. For years I used to play against him in France when he was at Monaco, I was of course friends with Kolo as well. There is of course Bacary Sagna who was my friend from Arsenal and made the move to City and there is Eliaquim Mangala, we have a really good group. I think this is my favourite group from my time in England.

We like to do a lot of things together as a team, a lot of activities.

And what is your relationship like with the boss, Manuel Pellegrini?

There is a respect. I remember that he came at a point when I was a little bit down and I had a great first season with him, doing the double, and last season aside from the injury, I had a good spell in November to December. He trusts me to play with a lot of freedom, he gives me a lot of confidence. We have a good relationship because I know what he wants from me and what he expects from me.

Looking at that strong group you have, how focused are you guys to finally make an impact in Europe next season?

We’ve been really unlucky this year, being drawn against the best team in the world with their three forwards scoring record

“I had great years at Arsenal. I don’t have any hard feelings towards them, I have friends who play there and I have huge respect for the manager.” amounts of goals. I think to do something in the Champions League you need some luck in the draw and we haven’t had this.

I think that last year, the Barcelona side we played wasn’t the best and we could have done better, but this year we were unfortunate. Of course we want to do better and I think the ambition of this club, considering the resources, is to at least reach the quarterfinals.

How much are you looking forward to having an uninterrupted pre-season and getting back to your best for City?

I just think that this season I have been really unlucky, I had four injuries and I know that the most important thing at the beginning of the season is your condition.

Last season I started with an injury, which isn’t the best way to start. But I know I will get stronger for these problems and I’ve missed one season, but I am really looking forward to adding to this team.

Samir Nasri wears the New Balance Foootball Visaro get more info at newbalance.co.uk/football

two sides / 42

I s T he N ew T V D eal G ood F or Fans?

As the Premier League continues to smash records for money paid to screen its games, Ben Fawcett and Joe Walker considered the ways this deal will affect the people who matter most, the fans!

“It’s 2015 and we, as fans, don’t need to be ever-present in our club’s stadiums to call ourselves real supporters, do we?”

If we want the Premier League to carry on it’s tremendous forward trajectory that has seen it surpass all other domestic leagues in revenue, talent and entertainment, this £5.136bn TV rights deal needs to be spent on what was once referred to as the “armchair supporter”.

It’s 2015 and we, as fans, don’t need to be everpresent in our club’s stadiums to call ourselves real supporters, do we? For a vast majority, it has been a good 20 years since the necessity to support your ‘local club’ went out the window, and as time moves on and the Premier League progresses, it’s evident that we can fully back our sides in heart and mind from the comfort of our sofas.

weekend’s Score Centre on Sky Sports. We don’t truly believe anything until we see it in the famous yellow bar, do do we? I know I don’t. That particular gem of football culture has become iconic for a whole generation of die-hard fan and is certain to retain its importance for generations to come.

The incredible investments from TV organisations like Sky and BT over the past two decades has made the Premier League what it is today, and has made it easier for all of us to digest the game we love, forming a real affinity with the league in its entirety. Thanks to the regularity of televised games I’m able to sleep in on weekends and wake-up at midday on a Saturday to enjoy the 12:45 kick off in the comfort of my own home, rather than travel the length and breadth of the country. With the addition that it’s not just my team I’m watching. It’s everyone’s. That is what has made the Premier League what it is today, the best league in the world. @benkeablefaw

We live in a time when football media and news are both so readily available to us through social media, but there is still nothing quite like the

Fitz Hall (2004) Just a year after a £250,000 transfer to Southampton, Fitz Hall joined play-off winners Crystal Palace for a record £1.5m, reuniting with former manager Iain Dowie. The tall defender couldn’t prevent Palace’s relegation but went on to captain the side.

Robert Earnshaw (2004) Welsh striker Robert Earnshaw got his first taste of the Premier League when he joined West Brom for £3m their biggest fee that summer, scoring 11 goals as The Baggies manged to escape the drop.

The Premier League’s eye-watering television deals are really beginning to make a noticeable impact on transfers. It’s one thing for the top six to strong-arm some of the best clubs across Europe, but when you have Yohan Cabaye turning down Atletico Madrid to join Crystal Palace and PSV’s Georginio Wijnaldum rejecting the chance of skippering his side in the Champions League next season in favour of a move to Newcastle, the magnitude of what the increased top flight revenue brings is clear. How does that sound as a Premier League fan? Absolutely fantastic!

Such is the amount of the TV revenue, evenly spread across all 20 Premier League clubs, that newly promoted Bournemouth paying £8m for Tyrone Mings is no longer the stuff of fantasy, or restricted by Financial Fair Play. Wages will inflate as a result, and we’re set for plenty more incomprehensible transfer fees, but there is reason to be optimistic if you’re a regular match goer.

Part of the Premier League’s worldwide appeal comes from its supporters, who fill stadiums and are often right up against the pitch. A goal celebrated by an empty stand is never quite as satisfying to watch, is it? Clubs know that, and we

“Swansea City have nobly set the pace, putting aside an estimated £300,000 to ensure their travelling supporters do not pay more than £22 for a ticket at an away ground.”” should expect to see moves to protect matchday fans, especially now the television revenue is so high. Why price out passionate supporters for the sake of earning what will soon amount to a drop in the ocean?

Swansea City have nobly set the pace, putting aside around £300,000 to ensure their travelling supporters do not pay more than £22 for a ticket at an away ground this season, but it still means their rival clubs are able to charge daft amounts - £45 at Norwich City, for example. The long-term answer is for clubs to adopt something like the much campaigned for ‘Twenty is Plenty’ scheme across the board, and there are becoming fewer and fewer worthwhile reasons for clubs not to get involved. @josephlwalker

Tyrone Mings (2015)

Etienne Capoue (2015)

As statements of intent go, this was a big one from Premier League first-timers Bournemouth.

Arsenal had tabs on Tyrone Mings but it was The Cherries that made the £8m star their biggest signing of all time.

One of the less successful Spurs signings funded by Gareth Bale’s sale, it was still an impressive coup when Watford bagged French midfielder Etienne Capoue for a club record £7m this summer.

hudson mowawke / 44

T he E volution of H ud s O N It had been six years between his debut album and this year’s follow-up LP Lantern, and in that time Glaswegian producer Hudson Mohawke had more than made his mark beyond these shores - the TNGHT project with Lunice saw the quiet 29 year-old become an unlikely star, before signing to G.O.O.D. Music with credits on Kanye West’s seminal Yeezus. This summer’s release brought with it an expectation from his newfound followers to deliver a continuation of those sounds, but HudMo had other ideas. We spoke to him just before Lantern dropped about his thought process through the album’s inception and what has really changed since 2009’s Butter.

Where do you source samples like the one found on Ryderz? Your dad was a funk and soul DJ, do you dig through his collection?

They’re influenced by that I guess, but I can’t remember where I got that particular record. I own quite a lot of soul records, some I don’t even necessarily know the artist, just for sampling uses. I feel like a lot of people don’t do that anymore, because I guess it was a really big sound in the late 90s and early 2000s: a lot of the Kanye production, a lot of the J Dilla, the Madlib, Just Blaze production was all very sample-based. Nowadays the people who own the rights to the samples have kind of realised they can rip people off, so beforehand you could get away with sampling a lot of stuff and you could probably clear the samples for not that much, but nowadays the production style has changed because the people who own the rights are like ‘no, we want 90% of

“Nowadays the people who own the rights to the samples have kind of realised they can rip people off” this’ or something like that. I wanted to do a tribute to that era of production, as that was a huge inspiration to me. All the producers that I mentioned, all their work has been a massive influence for me.

Are those formative influences still at the forefront of music you listen to?

You know what, I still keep up with all that stuff but it’s not necessarily my favourite sh*t any more. I still love it, but I feel like it’s become progressively niche. It’s got a little bit stagnant, like it’s not quite as interesting now as it would’ve been. There hasn’t really been any huge advance within that kind of genre. That’s no >>

hudson mowawke / 46

“If anyone is a little bit surprised that the new record isn’t just rap bangers then all you have to do is look at my back catalogue” << disrespect to any of them because they’re still some of my favourites of all time, but sometimes I find it a little bit sort of predictable.

You’ve worked with Miguel and Jhene Aiko on Lantern. Given you used to do rnb bootlegs early in your career, this is essentially the dream right?

Yeah, I mean that’s kind of what I’ve wanted to do for ages and that’s why I did the bootleg ones in the first place. I wanted to add my touch to their vocals, but I didn’t really see any way of getting myself into that world where I could potentially work on songs with them. I think that’s also something I’m really keen to point out to people who only became aware of me via the TNGHT project or rap stuff I’ve done: the first ever records I put out were rnb bootlegs and stuff like that, so if anyone is a little bit surprised that the new record isn’t just rap bangers then all you have to do is look at my back catalogue to see what my first releases were.

You mentioned TNGHT there. Was it tempting to ride that project out for as long as possible?

Absolutely. That project kind of took off without us really - when we made those songs we weren’t thinking of putting it on a record. We were f*cking around and within a couple of months we had US major labels approaching us with essentially, ‘Here is a cheque, just write a number on it and make an album’, and when you get put into that sort of situation it’s very difficult, especially because we were having a lot of fun with that project.

We also could’ve made a f*cking awesome rap record, but it still would have been a rap record, you know? I kind of wanted to branch out from that a little bit, and I felt like if we had gone ahead and done that record, that would be the main thing people would know us for forever.

Financially we’d be in a much better position, but we’d be kind of restricted as far as what labels and listeners would accept from us.

I’ve read that you took more of an executive producer role in making Lasers, how did that work?

It was just me really not wanting to make an album that was based around me sitting in front of a computer. Apart from

the TNGHT stuff and I guess the stuff I’ve done over the last couple of years, anything I’d done previous had been just myself at like five in the morning, headphones on, in nerding out mode. I wanted to do something that was a bit more collaborative. I wanted to play more instruments and bring more people into the project as far as other musicians and having other people’s ears and input, rather than just sort of locking myself away. That’s something I guess I learned from the more mainstream albums I’ve been involved with over the last couple of years, and their kind of approach to making a full album. Witnessing how ‘major, major’ albums are put together, that inspired me a lot in terms of how I approached making this record.

How easy was the transition?

It took me a while, because as far as making a long player solo record, my last one was six years ago. I’ve had solo EPs and singles since then, but I haven’t had a solo full length album out for six years. Over that period it’s been a learning process in terms of going from a bedroom producer to someone that’s much more keen to be collaborating with people.

Beforehand I’d rather just send files on email and someone sends me vocals, but I’m much more keen to work directly with people now. It took me a while to get into that mindset.

Are we going to have to wait another six years for the next album?

No, no. I have a lot of built up material now that I didn’t include on this record, so some of that will go on the next one.

The reason it wasn’t on this record is not because I didn’t like it, because there’s tons of songs I really like that didn’t get included, but I just didn’t think they fit the particular flow of the songs on this record.

There’s a ton of other songs which are sitting there ready to go, but they’ll be for the next project, so the next project is I guess almost half done, so it definitely won’t be another six years.

That’s a relief. One final thing: have you ever produced or released music under an alias? Is that something you’ve considered?

Ahh…no comment! [laughs] Follow @HudMo on Twitter and grab Lantern on iTunes now

STYLE sports casual

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Photography Elliott Morgan Stylist Kyran Low Grooming Jay Pinxie Models Cameron at Premier Red at Nevs

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STYLE news / 56

Heat In The Winter New Era has got you covered for the drab months ahead If you’re one of those people that just aren’t equipped for summer, the good news is that the British heatwave is never a particularly long one, and it will soon be time for the thick garments to come back on. Coming through with the headwear for the season is New Era and their autumn 15 knit collection, designed with snowboarding temperatures in mind and therefore ideal for these cold, cold streets. The technology includes Durable Water Repellency, which is also exactly what we’ll need in those months when that rain hasn’t quite began to freeze.

The collection hits stores 7 September

More Tubular Get a sneak peak at next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adidas Originals Tubular The untouchable heritage of adidas means that it can reach into its archives, pluck out just about anything, hand it to their modern design team and shut the internet down, but when the brand reached back for the obscure Tubular 93 late last year you would be forgiven for expecting a flash release, a few blogs and a couple of extreme eBay prices. The adidas Originals Tubular though, managed to spark the imagination of trainer lovers from the street to the catwalks of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most fashion-forward cities, fast becoming one of the most talked about releases of 2014.

Continuing its powerful run, adidas unveiled their Tubular plans for summer 2016 at Paris Fashion Week last month with new the Nova, Doom, X and Defiant styles profiled. Created by a dream team of adidas designers, the forthcoming Tubular range features a monochrome colour palette, with that eye-catching EVA sole unit, while maintaining the now iconic Tubular silhouette.

Expect the Nova, Doom, X and Defiant to hit stores from spring 2016 and grab the current range at jdsports.co.uk

ibiza rocks / 58

ibiza rock e d !

It was a decade ago that the Ibiza Rocks brand was introduced to the Spanish island from which it takes its name, offering a range of alternative of live bands to the rave capital of Europe, and it has grown to become one of Ibiza’s most recognisable fixtures. Now, it has evolved to provide an avenue for more styles of music not necessarily associated with the club island. As part of their 10th birthday celebrations, Ibiza Rocks have teamed up with Supply & Demand for a clothing range, combining the styles of New York and Ibiza for a slick new collection and with the festival embracing our beloved grime genre, which will be regularly represented across the summer, we had to hit the island for Boy Better Know’s headline show at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel.

We arrived very early, so early in fact that we caught BBK’s sound check. Skepta, JME, Maximum, Frisco and Shorty were all in attendance, while Jammer swooped around the stage on his ‘Swegway’ board. Having done so many of these tedious checks in their careers, the group were doing their utmost to keep themselves entertained, with a JME vocal blend of That’s Not Me and Mambo Italiano one of the few surreal improvised performances we saw. It definitely wasn’t an early indication of the evening’s set list, but the energy and smiles on their faces suggested they were all really in the mood for a big show.

A few hours later and the W.A.R! event was off and running. Ibiza Rocks resident DJs opened proceedings and warmed up the crowd with some nostalgic grime – we were as surprised as we were delighted to hear classic

Durrty Doogz – before Plastician took to the stage for his DJ set. As the crowd at the hotel’s poolside stage continued to pack out, the Croydon producer got the ravers going with everything from Zed Bias’ old school garage to Lethal Bizzle’s iconic original version of Pow. Then, it was time for BBK. Each Boy Better Know member got their lion’s share of solo stage time, be it Jammer for Murkle Man or Shorty for What’s Going On. Even though Solo 45 wasn’t there, it didn’t stop all in attendance losing their minds when DJ Maximum span Feed Em To The Lions. Group anthems such as Too Many Man and the more recent Don’t @ Me – one of many from JME’s new album - all got incredible renditions, and the group fed off the crowd’s returned energy.

Although they each took turns on stage across the night, we must

give a special shout-out to the tireless JME, who played hype man on the mic across the entire set, be that on or off stage. Boy Better Know finished to a huge ovation, as the event ended on a bang. It is a great time for grime right now, and this show was just another thing that proves it.

The Supply & Demand x Ibiza Rocks collaboration is available at JD Stores and jdsports.co.uk.

“Skepta, JME, Maximum, Frisco and Shorty were all in attendance, while Jammer swooped around the stage on his ‘Swegway’ board.”

presto / 60

hey P r e s to !

An early obsession with Nike trainers should definitely serve as the perfect starting point for a budding footwear designer, but Leon Witherow’s love of the Swoosh ran just a little bit deeper. Morphing a healthy interest in all things Air Max into something more niche and a whole lot trickier, a taste for the revolutionary early 2000s silo – the Nike Air Presto, Leon (or @Prestology) has scoured the globe in search of rarities. With the trainer given an Instagram exploding re-release this summer, it was the perfect time to catch-up with the Nike designer as he prepares to begin his dream job at the company’s Portland HQ and find out what it is about the shoe, it’s affiliation with Eric Clapton, its legacy and more.

“While a lot of people were looking at it going,‘ Hmm, I prefer a pair of Air Max.’ I was looking at it going, ‘Oh my goodness! What is this amazing creation?’

Aesthetically I think it’s a work of art.”

What was your first experience with the Presto?

I saw pictures of it a few years after it was released. I was quite young when it was released, but a few years later I saw a few pictures of it and to be honest, I didn’t take much notice because I was quite an Air Max head back then. But then I started working at a Nike Factory Outlet and one day my best friend, who is also a sneaker head – he was the one that got me into sneakers - he called me up and said, ‘Leon, I’ve just tried on a shoe called a Presto! If ever you get a pair through the door, try them on straight away!’ Then just that day we got a pair on our discount wall at the Factory Outlet, it was an Australasian exclusive pair. I’d never seen a shoe with a shape like that. It looked like it was moving when it was still and that’s really where it all started for me.

It’s cool to hear a trainer head talk about function over form, but what did you think of its look?

I’m naturally drawn to things that are slightly left of field, things that think outside the square and for me the Presto sums up that whole philosophy.

Back then it completely revolutionised footwear, the way it was constructed, the whole idea of taking a shoe down to its bare minimum components, if was completely revolutionary for its time, so while a lot of people were looking at it going, ‘Hmm, I prefer a pair of Air Max.’ I was looking at it going, ‘Oh my goodness! What is this amazing creation?’

Aesthetically I think it’s a work of art.

The classic trainer silos always have great cultural affinities from terraces to basketball and hip hop, what do you see as the cultural identity of the Presto?

There are a few different ones to be honest. The first one that comes to mind is Japanese >>

presto / 62 “The thing that stands out for me is that it’s considered the godfather of the Nike Free. A lot of people don’t know that.” << This shoe had a huge, huge impact in Japan and that was one of the goals of the shoe when it was released. Nike wanted to branch out into as many cultures as possible, so they ran several campaigns on street culture, on art culture and they even tried, successfully, to break into high fashion as well. It was really the first time a major sportswear brand had broken into, or at least blur the lines between performance and high fashion and they did it successfully. But for me, whenever I think about Presto I tend to think about Japan because it has that refined design sensibility that everybody typically associates Japan with – that attention to detail, keeping things simple and that little bit of quirkiness.

There have been some amazing colourways and prints on the Presto, which one do you most associate with the shoe?

The one that stands out for me is The Rainbow, which was a Japanese exclusive.

The rainbow print in the context of Nike is all about respect for everyone, the whole Be True philosophy. The rainbow has quite a deep cultural association with everybody having equal rights and that kind of sums up the shoe in a way, it wasn’t just for runners, it wasn’t just for sneakerheads, it was really meant for everybody. The Rainbow print was also the first real ‘grail’ pair that I got, so it has a bit of significance for me.

It’s a shoe with so much personality from its technology, to its shape and its fit, what do you think stands out the most in such a unique trainer?

That’s a tough one because every consumer resonates differently, but I think it’s probably the sizing to be honest. Even now the shoe being released in sizes S, M, L, XL and XXL is so revolutionary. The idea of a shoe that fits like a t-shirt for your feet really stuck with not just sneak-

erheads, but everybody. I think that’s the thing that people remember the most – the shoe that had the lettered sizing instead of the numbered sizing.

Are their any pairs your collection is lacking?

Yeah! I would probably trade internal organs to get the Hello Kitty pairs. I think they’re my white whales to be honest. I’ve been hunting these shoes for going on seven years and I’ve missed out on quite a few opportunities to have them. They’re expensive and they only made about 12 pairs of each colourway and the people who have got them know what they have and they’re not exactly inclined to sell them. I just keep my eyes on the prize because I know one day I will eventually have them, but that’s the thing that keeps me going, it’s the constant hunt. Every day I’m chasing a possible lead to try and hunt down a pair and I think I’m getting close, but I don’t think I’ll retire until I get them.

What has been your biggest get so far?

Either the Sole Collector collaboration with Nike Town Honolulu, which was the first first collab that Nike did with Sole Collector and it was also a hyper strike, so there were only 48 pairs worldwide, but I don’t know how many pairs still exist. Then there’s the Eric Clapton Signature Edition. I’m still not sure

how many actual pairs were made of that shoe and it’s safe to say there are a few pairs floating around, but only one pair was actually signed by him and auctioned off for charity, so if you’re looking for just pure rareness then that would have to be the holy grail really.

Eric Clapton and trainer culture, that’s a strange cross-section, how does that come about?

It’s a strange combo. I was confused about it at first, but the more I read about it and the more I talked to the older generation of sneakerheads, the more I realised that he was and I think still is a big part of sneaker culture. Apparently he’s a massive sneakherhead and Nike have done a few collabs with him – he’s got a pair of Eric Clapton Air Max 95s, I think he’s got a pair of Dunks as well and I don’t know if this is true, but apparently he’s quite charitable and at the end of every year he used to donate a lot of his super rare pairs to charity.

Follow @Prestology for more classic Prestos and keep an eye on nike.com for more Presto drops

chuck ii / 64

C huck It In There are trainers with legitimate claims to being daddies of the culture, but they’d face a difficult challenge convincing anybody that they reign over the Chuck Taylor, a shoe that has sold consistently (two pairs are sold every second) since 1917. Relatively unchanged in its 98-year history, the Chuck has seen minor alterations to fabrics, eyelets, laces and materials, but not much to write home about. In 2015, though, The Chuck Taylor All Star has undergone its biggest upgrade to date – introducing The Chuck Taylor All Star II.

The Chuck Taylor transcends cultures – born on the basketball court in 1917, the iconic rubber toe-cap, canvas upper and All-Star patch on the ankle have found favour across musical genres and eras, with the likes of Elvis Presley among its famous fans, before James Dean, before Kurt Cobain, before NWA, before Snoop Dogg, before Jeezy and before Wiz Khalifa. Now a strictly lifestyle focused silo, Converse faced the proposition of updating a classic, without tailoring it to a court, field, or pitch, or changing it so much that their near centurylong legacy be ruined.

At first glance you might not think much has changed, and that’s a testament to Converse’s commitment to the Chuck

Taylor’s legacy, but the devil’s in the detail, and each of the trainer’s upgrades would go down as being among the biggest in the shoe’s entire history in their own right. A trainer deliberately limited to its basics, the Chuck Taylor II was intended to deliver more, without destroying its charm, which is about as challenging a task as a designer will face.

Calling over to its parent company Nike (Nike have owned Converse since 2003), the Chuck II has been upgraded with one of the brand’s most popular innovations in comfort, Nike Lunarlon, in the form of a removable sockliner, offering full foot cushioning and arch support that fundamentally wasn’t available to OG Chuck fans. The canvas liner

has been updated with a perforated micro suede liner, giving a smoother and more comfortable interior, with increased breathability during extended wearing. Listening to Chuck fans from across the creative spectrum, Converse knew a focus on comfort was crucial and any regular wearer of the icon will be able to relate to the need to update the collar with new foam padding added, an innovation also included in the new non-slip gusseted tongue.

Unveiled in Converse’s hometown of Boston, where the brand have built a new base on the Charles River, the brand have a renewed focus on innovation, with seemingly minor, but experience changing touches taking the Chuck Taylor II to the next level.

The updated trainer has also been given new premium materials across its established and iconic elements, including the fully embroidered All-Star patch, on-trend high foxing and monochrome matte eyelets.

Fans of the icon are likely to be pleased that the silo has been cleaned up, but not affected by over-ambitious design, while

those turned off by the Chuck Taylor’s basic, almost plimsole-like commitment to minimalism should be intrigued by the prospect of a fully tuned up legend.

The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star II is available now from jdsports.co.uk

“The likes of Elvis Presley [were among the Chuck Taylor’s] famous fans, before James Dean, before Kurt Cobain, before NWA, before Snoop Dogg before Jeezy and before Wiz Khalifa”

big sean / 66

Big Sean: T he P ursuit O f H appiness “There are billionaires that work like an hour a day, and then there are people who work like 20 hours a day who are flat broke and taking the bus. It’s not about how hard you work, it’s about how efficient you work. It’s about being happy. You can’t measure success in anything but happiness.” We’ve been chatting to Big Sean for about half an hour now in the back of a London studio.

He’s talking about a vision that he had over a year ago, in which either god or his heart - he mentions both but doesn’t specify which - sparked an idea in which he’d build a studio in his three storey house (the one he calls “a trilogy” on IDFWU) so that he could lock himself away in his own environment to craft his third album away from the prying eyes and ears of record execs. Putting efficiency and his own happiness at the forefront has certainly paid off, resulting in Dark Sky Paradise being described almost unanimously as his finest work thus far.

“Did I ever feel like rapping got in the way of my happiness?” He ponders, throwing our question around his head before admitting. “I have felt like that, but I think it was a misinterpreted feeling. I think it was the stuff that came along with it; stress from people, family members, you not being on the level you want to be on - all of these different frustrations that come into your head.” It’s this emotion that forms the foundation of Dark Sky Paradise. While the music cooked up in his own house, Sean was able to really live in the album for 12 months, allowing him to achieve a cohesive sound. “We were like, lets stick to a vibe and murder it,” he says.

When constructing his rhymes - which he does in his head, rarely writing anything down - images, ideas, thoughts and memories race through his mind at a high speed. He finds it difficult to describe, and leads him to believe that his ability comes from a higher place. “It’s really a spiritual process for me,” he reflects. “I give it up to god every day, because it’s really a blessing to just be what you want to be in life.”

Although he admits to having written music more for himself in the past, during the process of Dark Sky Paradise he spent more time caring about the feelings of others - though this shouldn’t be mistaken for self-conscious worry: “People have their own stuff going on,” he says. “They’ll judge you off of one >>

“I see the progression in myself - and I’m not talking about as a rapper - I’ve just been becoming a better guy, and just getting older and maturing a little bit.”

big sean / 68 << thing, sometimes or look at you in a weird way. I care about how people feel in a sense of really analysing ‘How is the listener going to feel listening to this?

What type of way are they going to be able to relate to this?’ When you make music with intention, it makes all the difference.

It shows. I see the progression in myself and I’m not talking about as a rapper - I’ve just been becoming a better guy, and just getting older and maturing a little bit, so that naturally affects my music too, and I’ve seen that progression in my music.”

The most important aspect of Sean’s relationship with his listener is that the music is relatable. “I just want to let people know that I’m on the same level as them, and I know if I can be happy and do what I love to do then everybody can,” he says. “You can’t really get anywhere by hating anything, so why wouldn’t you just want to radiate happiness and success?” He finds the albummaking process therapeutic, particularly when it’s on his terms. Instead of the cliche of groupies and record execs filling the studio, at Sean’s house you’d be more likely to catch his nephews playing video games.

“All of that type of stuff can throw you off sometimes,” he says of the unwanted presence of industry types. “So it was just cool to be in the house, have a couple of my friends there, or sometimes just me alone or me and the producers. And we would just vibe, they understand the process.” While enjoyable, he admits this could often be tedious. The beat for IDFWU for example, went through multiple transitions before it became what reached our ears. This is something he attributes to working with mentor, Kanye West: “Just being in the studio with him and seeing him work on his albums - that’s something I’ve taken away

“I think we all have egos. But the thing is to be able to put your ego to the side. To be able to control your ego really takes a lot of responsibility and experience” from him, always wondering how can you make a song better, how can you add to it?”

The trick is finding the cut off point. “You could work on a project forever, you can write a book for five years, shoot a movie for ten years and you could work on music forever if you wanted,” he adds.

While his mentor might be misunderstood as egotistical, Sean has picked up a solid lesson about achieving happiness in the public eye. Through our conversation he talks as someone who has clearly learned a lot along the course of putting out three albums, the first two to particularly mixed reviews. As we draw to a close he offers a well-considered final thought about the struggles of the ego. “I think we all have egos. But the thing is to be able to put your ego to the side. To be able to control your ego really takes a lot of responsibility and experience. To be honest man, I appreciate everything that happens to me. I am confident in myself. I think everybody is in the spot that they’re in because they put themselves there, whether it’s the top or the bottom. You can’t think of things from an egotistical standpoint because you’re not going to put your best foot forward, you gotta think with a clear mind. Your ego will get you into trouble man, it will get you into trouble.” @BigSean’s Dark Sky Paradise is out now

novelist / 70

n ov e l i s t lewisham ’ s grime misfit

Imagine you’re a Lewisham don, who’s been around grime since the age of six. You’re at the point where it far transcends a genre of music. As Skepta so elegantly put it on Shutdown - it’s your religion. Now imagine - through a tonne of hard work - you’ve found yourself in the studio with some of your favourite MCs. The guys you grew up listening to on Rinse FM and through CDs and DVDs. What do you do? You take the reigns yourself and pay grime its proper respect. That’s exactly where Grant Brydon finds Novelist.

“It’s kind of frustrating. But I just think to myself, ‘Let me do it instead man, they don’t get it’,” says the 18 year-old MC and producer of grime legends gone astray, sat backstage at Manchester’s Parklife Festival. It’s not that he has issues with anyone, quite the opposite. It’s that he knows they can do better, and he wants to see his heroes succeed. “A lot of them don’t even know themselves,” he adds. “They don’t know what they’ve done for young people. It’s kind of been passed on to people my age now, who kind of get it a bit more than them.” He pauses before illustrating his point: “You see like the first man to paint a picture, yeah? He was probably just painting a picture. But now you’ve got the people who seen him paint the picture and they’re breaking down; where his influence came from, what it means…that’s my age group.

We’re the people that get it a bit more than the people that actually invented it, because now we can break it down in a whole new light and incorporate it into our lives man.”

Novelist wants to educate his audience on grime - beyond just showing up, performing a few songs and grabbing the cash. Earlier this afternoon he and his DJ Grandmixxer, played a pirate radio style set to a rammed tent full of kids in scruffy Vans. “When you give it to them and deliver it well, they love it,” he explains. “It’s like teaching them how it happens, how it works. They might not have ever have seen an MC do a live set like that. They might have heard the lyric and heard the beat before, but they haven’t heard the combination of the two. That’s why I like to do live sets - it’s quite spontaneous. It’s not just about pulling up the instrumental or letting me spray my heart out, it’s about actually getting a balance of both.”

“It started in a small club, and now it’s in a bigger club. So obviously the movement is working,” begins his Mumdance-produced banger 1 Sec, and there isn’t really a better way to articulate Novelist’s progression. He’s gone from pirate radio to packed clubs, bursting tents to sharing the stage with Kanye West - but he isn’t fazed by any of it. “Pirate radio trained me up for these things,” he says. “It taught me not just to MC, but to give them every element of being a mic controller.”

We revisit a moment in March, at an earth-shattering surprise show in London where Novelist has his arm slung around Kanye West’s neck, vibing out as if they’ve known each other

for years. In reality they’ve only just met, but Novelist’s disinterest in fame bypasses any awkwardness. “I don’t give a sh*t man, if I’m honest,” he says now. “I like Kanye, he’s safe - that’s the only reason why I was on the stage with him. If he was a prick artist, big or not, I wouldn’t have been on the stage with him. That show was completely spontaneous, if you base music off good vibes and you like the people that you’re working with - you don’t then have to plan as much.”

And yet meticulous planning has played an important part in Novelist’s career.

Despite his incredible influence on the current generation, he’s only released a handful of tracks. It’s another aspect of his approach that sets him apart from his peers and mentors. “It’s not about just putting a tune out because you like the tune,” he says. “It’s about how it’s going to correlate with how the people feel at the time.” This is key to why Novelist’s rare drops resonate well; he recently released a track called Ignorant & Wot via his SoundCloud page and plans to shoot a documentary surrounding the track. “I felt like it was appropriate to put that tune out after the general election, because the whole

“I like Kanye, he’s safe - that’s the only reason why I was on the stage with him. If he was a prick artist, big or not, I wouldn’t have been on the stage with him.” of the ends was frustrated after that. I made that tune because as a teenager there’s bare sh*t man goes through, and nobody really talks about it that much. Not really from a non-glamorous way. Everyone glamourises the mad stuff that happens, but I just wanted to talk about it.”

It’s this social responsibility that has Novelist’s music in such high esteem.

Not only is he demonstrating impressive technical ability as a producer and MC, but he’s actually saying something. At times, he admits, this power can be scary. “Me and Skepta and a few other guys, we’ve got the people’s love. So we can do so much that back in the day, you’d have had to rely on a big organisation to help you with. That’s quite a scary thing, because it’s like ‘Oh sh*t, if I do this is it going to >>

novelist / 72

<< affect all the teenagers in the country?’” He pauses, adding: “Half the country is dressing like us now. But I like that. It gives all of the young people something to believe in, and something to be a part of. It’s not like being in a gang, it’s being a part of a movement of people who don’t care and are going to follow their dreams as they see fit.”

His love of skateboarding is another aspect of his identity that promotes the importance of staying true to himself.

While the culture has bonded with hip hop over the years, it’s rarely ever tied to grime. But when a young Novelist was flying through the air on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, he had to give it a go in real life, despite what his mates were doing. “I’m not trying to promote the ends and that, promote the bad sh*t that happens, but I’ve always been a hood yout. I’m from the ends, we’ve had our madnesses, some of our boys have been killed, I’ve been stabbed up, we’ve done some mad stuff,” he explains. “But in life, you’ve just got to be yourself man. So if my boys were to see me on a skateboard, they wouldn’t look at me like ‘Oh Nov you’re a nerd.’

They’d just be like ‘Yo that’s Nov doing his thing.’”

“I’m a proper skater, bro,” he says. “I’ve messed up my ligaments bare times and done loads of mad things all in the name of being on four wheels.” It’s an unlikely source of inspiration for his music, but one that makes a lot of sense. “You’ve got to be ferocious with it. You’ve got to be fearless. You can’t really care about damage or hurting yourself. You’ve kind of got to bring that attitude to other things in life. That’s what I’ve brought into music: some might say it’s risky me not releasing a lot of music, but that’s like the same risk as me going down a ramp for the first time. We’ll see what happens on the other side.”

Although he usually opts not to talk too much about his anticipated debut album, he does reveal that it’s almost complete, but it’s not a ramp he plans to rush down.

While label heads panic about capitalising on the world’s sudden interest in grime, Novelist is more concerned with making sure his debut is timeless. “You see a good album,” he says. “It doesn’t matter when the f*ck it’s released. In fifteen years people aren’t going to remember when the hell it came out. [I’m thinking about] ‘How can I influence people? How is it going to affect them? And am I saying some real stuff?’ Because everybody can be a musician, it’s about like are you really valued? Are you going to be looked back at in years to come?”

“Half the country is dressing like us now. But I like that. It gives all of the young people something to believe in, and something to be a part of.”

While the future is on the peripheral of his thinking, right now he’s placed firmly in the present, already feeling a sense of fulfillment based on how far he’s come.

“I’m going to be a millionaire by the time I’m 25, I know it,” he says, drawing our conversation to a close. “But that’s not where the success is at. Success to me is current. I’m living in success right now. I don’t see an end goal, I see it like constant. And if I die right now I’m dying happy. That’s success, happiness, and piece of mind and knowing like rah, I’m the person I wanted to be. You’ve just got to follow your heart man, and go where you want to go.”

Follow @Novelist on Twitter and stay up to date with his latest music at soundcloud.com/novelist.

meridan dan / 74 “People are rarely satisfied with just the one they get. Even Tempa T references it, ‘everybody is asking where’s the next tune? This is the f**king next tune!”

I n T h e Str e e t There are only a few certainties in life and even fewer when it comes to life in London City. Moody weather and striking tube workers, sure, we come to expect that, but outside of those things, life in the capital is a gamble for the most part. One inevitability however is that when Tottenham’s own Meridian Dan drops a single, whether it be his 2014 classic German Whip, his follow-up heaters I’m From a Place and One Two Drinks, or his 2015 bangers In The Bits and In The Street, Dan is going to get you. In the car, in the club, in your headphones or through somebody’s speakers at the back of the bus - you’re going to feel it. With an innate ability to tap into the subconscious with his blunt rhetoric and infectious cadence, coupled with the undeniable ear for a catchy hook, Daniel Lawrence represents his city in every single way. Reigniting pop culture’s love of grime along with JME and Big H last year, Ben Fawcett met-up with the PMR signed MC to talk A$AP, wordplay, Skepta and more…

How has momentum been building for you since the start of such a huge year?

I think it’s late to be honest man, I think it’s late. I think I should have been going from the start of the year. I like to have fresh music in January through to February. My music has come out late this year. It’s just been timing though. You’ve got to make sure all your ducks are in a line. Since January up until very recently I’ve just been in the studio, which is why I’m so confident now to put things out, because I know that everybody is looking for the next one. People are rarely satisfied with just the one they get. Even Tempa T references it, “everybody is asking where’s the next tune? This is the f**king next tune!”

So you’ve had to resist the urge to rush something out?

I just think that with art and anything you make, you just have to be happy with it. I’ll listen to a tune 100 times before I let anybody else listen to it. I don’t think it’s a rush, good things take time, and more importantly good music is good music. If I play you a tune now and then again in eight months or nine months, that’s still either a good tune or a bad tune, it don’t change. Plus I believe that you have to run at it with a vibe. You always have to think it’s sick all the way through, you may have those moments of doubt, but then you’ll go home and listen and realise that this is actually sick. It’s just creative ups and downs. You’ll get to points where you’re just not feeling it but you gotta move past that.

How does it make you feel to see Skepta’s recent successes?

Well f**king hell! Skepta is just a G, man! He’s always been a G! I’m happy, because when Drake first reached out and that, a lot of us were like, I know Skepta is a G, I don’t need telling, but then others started to kind of accept it more and that’s what it is. People don’t accept the thing that’s right in front of them, but if you take somebody that everybody clearly does rate in Drake and Drake knows that Skepta is sick, it means if that’s your favourite MC’s favourite MC, then you have to give him that respect. I watched the Drake interview when he said that he makes music for his friends and that’s what Skepta has always done.

He’s got an organic way, but you can’t pin your hopes on that man, you cannot pin your hopes on that. You can’t wait for the day that Drake or Rihanna or someone gives that sign but definitely a win for any UK artist and a win for the scene is a win for us all. If you look at what Krept & Konan have done and as much as people wouldn’t put us in the same category musically, that’s a win for me. >>

meridan dan / 76

<< You’ve mastered the ability to turn a catchy phrase into a mean hook, where do you think that comes from?

I’ll be driving around listening to some music, walking around, in the gym or wherever I am, and a line might pop into my head and I’ll write it down and play on it later. If I’m in a place where I’m doing something musically and I’ll go to the studio and that line might find it’s way into the song. I never do or I never have gone into the studio trying to catch that line, I never force anything. I think what comes natural is what comes best. I don’t know if you notice, but if you look at the two drops The Bits and In The Street I just try and tell stories and I think that I can give the people stories about where I’m from or what life’s like from my perspective, because if you’re gonna buy into Meridian Dan, you’re gonna want the stories told from my perspective.

You have a strong reputation as ‘humble’ is that challenged as you increase in popularity?

Ever increasingly yeah. You get noticed in the street and nine times out of 10 it’s people who know Dan and know I’m not a victim, or they’ve felt it through my music, so they’re not gonna come with no negativity, it’s normally on a love side and I’m good with that. I just take it as it comes. I used to box, which helped me understand that you’ve got to respect everybody and not write anybody off, because the skinny guy will come in and beat your face off, but then the hench guy will step in but you can beat him up. I learned a couple of things from construction too, but this is what I always wanted to do and I’ve gone through those other things to kind of come full circle back to doing this. It’s what I originally wanted to do, but at that time when I was younger and my Mum was telling me I gotta get a job because she can’t support me, you know how it is.

A$AP Rocky was very vocal about his love for German Whip does that mean as much to you personally as say it would to a fan of yours?

It’s always nice to have another artist respect your sh*t. When Tinie did the Live Lounge cover of German Whip, that meant loads to me and even when I get sent a video of a two year-old called Tae-Tae who wasn’t feeling too well and I went and saw him in the hospital with Harvey from So Solid and met his family and that, it touched me. Once it’s genuine and I feel like it’s genuine - it touches me.

When I was getting Tae-Tae’s videos it made me realise that I was having an impact on a two yearold’s life and it’s crazy.

Is there a Bloodline project due soon?

Yeah, I think it could happen at anytime. I’m all for a Bloodline project. I think it’s about timing though.

I had breakfast with JME and Skepta this morning and saw Bossie this morning, I’m gonna go and see Major and see Pabz, we’re all close, so it can happen at any time. We’ve just all got to get to a place and as you can see, everybody from that Meridian umbrella, they can stand alone, they can be their own show.

Meridian Dan’s debut album I Am London is coming soon. Follow the serious cockney on Twitter @Meridian_Dan.

“I had breakfast with JME and Skepta this morning and saw Bossie this morning, I’m gonna go and see Major and see Pabz, we’re all close, so [a Bloodline project] can happen at any time!”

film preview / 78

S creen Time

2015 has already been a big year for film; a veritable blockbuster bonanza as the likes of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World have stormed and stomped the summer underfoot. But the year isn’t over yet, no sir! A sumptuous platter of cinematic delights await, from Straight Outta’ Compton to Steve Jobs, Southpaw to Spectre, and the biggest film of the year – maybe even the decade – Star Wars: The Force Awakens…

Lucky Number Seven?

It’s been ten years since Revenge of the Sith hit cinemas, and it’s easy to forget just how significant a new Star Wars film is. Despite the Prequel Trilogies’ middling quality, Star Wars still commands a legion of devoted fans who will flock to the seventh chronological film in their millions. With series stalwarts Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher passing the torch to debutants John Boyega, Daisey Ridley and Adam Driver, plus a new galactic menace to contend with in Andy Serkis, we’ve high hopes for a return to form.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be smashing records from 18 December.

“For every Ray, there’s a Jimi.

With that said, we’re pretty excited for the Ice Cube and Dr Dre-produced Straight Outta Compton”

The Birth of Street Knowledge Music biopics can be a mixed bag. For every Ray, there’s a Jimi. With that said, we’re pretty excited for the Ice Cube and Dr Dre-produced Straight Outta Compton, chronicling the inception of hip hop provocateurs N.W.A, their rise on the West Coast scene and the subsequent efforts of the state to silence their sound. Cube and Dre already add credibility to the classy-looking production, with the former’s actual son, O’Shea Jackson, playing his father, and Friday director, F. Gary Gray, calling the shots.

Count us in.

Straight Outta Compton hits cinemas 28 August

Shout Out The Pear Not to be confused with Jobs and its ill-advised casting of Ashton Kutcher, Steve Jobs stars Michael Fassbender in a sure to be much better adaptation of the Apple visionary’s life. With an unconventional plot structure – focusing on three of Apple’s biggest product launches, backstage with Jobs himself – it promises to be an unflinching portrayal of the mercurial designer’s career, shaping the modern landscape of consumer electronics.

You’ll feel a new appreciation for your iPhone when Steve Jobs is released 9 October.

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“Whenever an actor gets a little too old to don the suit, tie and Walther PPK, he steps aside for a newer, younger model. Daniel Craig isn’t quite over the hill just yet, but it feels like he’s nearing his 00-zenith.”

What Is He On? Bond is back. Has he ever really left? Whenever an actor gets a little too old to don the suit, tie and Walther PPK, he steps aside for a newer, younger model. Daniel Craig isn’t quite over the hill just yet, but it feels like he’s nearing his 00-zenith. It’s time for Bond to confront enemies both old and new, in the form of the nefarious Spectre organisation, headed up by Christopher Waltz’s Franz Oberhauser, which rumour has it, is just an alias for none other than Ernst Stavro Blofeld!

Bond gets made at the world in Sceptre on 6 November

Peak Times We don’t see enough genuinely good horror films nowadays. It’s all shoddy remakes of classics, or ever yet unimaginative found-footage gimmicks. Enter Guillermo Del Toro, and Crimson Peak. Self-described

by Del Toro himself as a “ghost story and gothic romance”, it promises to be a visual feast and maybe, dare I say it, even a little scary? Del Toro is due a return to form after the likes of Hellboy 2 and Pacific Rim; it’s tiring convincing people Mimic is a good film!

Cinemas officially get peak in time for Halloween on 16 October

TV Preview 2015 The autumn is also a great time to binge on TV, so what’s still to come in 2015?

Mercenary Moves

Alienated “I’m going to have to science the sh*t out of this,” reveals Matt Damon’s stranded astronaut in the upcoming Ridley Scott epic, The Martian.

NASA has been heavily involved in ensuring the film adaption of Andy Weir’s best-selling novel is as accurate as possible, so those science chaps will be pleased. But if the idea of Matt Damon scavenging an existence in a harsh and unforgiving alien landscape is sounding a little too Interstellar-y, well… come on, it’s Matt Damon! Maaaatt Daaaamon!

The Martian lands in the UK on 2 October

What happens when the director of True Detective’s entire first season joins forces with London’s finest actor? We’re not entirely sure, but we’re certain that Cary Fukunaga and Idris Elba’s new series on Netflix, Beasts of No Nation, is going to be worth a watch; maybe even a binge!

Elba plays the Commandant of a band of West African mercenaries, who take in young Abu, displaced after he lost his family to the country’s infighting.

Beasts of No Nation comes to Netflix 16 October

Rise of the Return of the Zombie Apocalypse

Ring Presence Once envisioned as an extension of 8 Mile, Southpaw was to be a metaphorical realisation of Eminem’s struggles in life, depicted in the ring. But when he put the film on hiatus to refocus on his music – not sure that was the best idea – Antoine Fuqua of Training Day fame stepped in to finish what he had started, with Jake Gyllenhall lacing up as a boxer down on his luck, fighting for his career and family. It’s had a… rocky development, but Southpaw could be a sucker-punch success.

Southpaw will leave its mark on 24 July

Here at RWD, we’re not the biggest fans of The Walking Dead. It’s a little slow and serious to a fault; but it has zombies. And we all love those rotting, flesh-eating chaps. So AMC have decided to spin the series off to Los Angeles, in the hopes that the warmer climate and new cast might spice things up for fans who might have grown a little bored with all the walking, talking, grim faces and the occasional imaginative zombie gag – Fear of the Walking Dead might be what we wanted its mother show to be!

Fear of the Walking Dead is set for a 23 August debut

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What We P l a y F or

The elite athletes in any sport have to have skill, technique, determination and that little something that just can’t be described, and in the world of cricket it doesn’t get more elite than Stuart Broad. Speaking as he prepared for England’s crucial second Ashes test at Lords, we wanted to understand the Nottingham born bowler’s passion, his process and what he plays for.

Getting started… I probably first picked up a cricket bat at the age of three or four. I got into the Leicestershire under 11s, which was my first representative cricket, but I never took it particularly seriously. I always did it as a hobby, but that’s when I probably took it to a different level.

Early development… Throughout my teenage years I was quite small, so I didn’t have that many standout moments. I didn’t have the power to really succeed at that age, but that helped me technically because I knew I had to get my technique right. I remember playing for Leicestershire Under 16s, I hit 196 against Derbyshire while the Academy Director was watching, he came over to me and offered me a place in the Leicester Academy, which was probably the biggest turning point, because then I was in the system of looking to get a professional deal.

Finding a path… I never really thought about the kind of player I wanted to be. Cricket was a hobby for me and I was very fortunate that I didn’t have pushy parents, at the end of the game the first question

mum would ask me would be, ‘Did you enjoy it?’ It was never, ‘Why did you get out that way?’ or ‘Why did you play that shot?’ It was always an enjoyment thing for me, so I never felt under pressure to perform all the time, which is I think why I could take my time and learn the technique. There were always players that were better than me at a younger age because they were a bit bigger and a bit stronger, but looking back now I think being a bit smaller was the best thing that could have happened to me, because I couldn’t power it through and I had to learn the finer points of the game and that’s what carried me through to the higher level.

Being a winner… Individual achievements have never really floated my boat that much. I play for the winning. I remember at school when the coaches would say, ‘It’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that counts,’ even from a young age that wasn’t why I wanted to play. I played to win the game. I wanted that feeling. That buzz you get in your stomach. That intangible thing you get when you win and I still get that now! Even with Ashes matches it doesn’t matter

if I’ve got one wicket or if I’ve got five - that feeling of winning is what keeps me getting up in the morning.

That’s why I play the game and that’s why I played it at a young age.

Playing for England… The England team have become quite aware of the influence we can have on the country and winning is the biggest thing. Kids are inspired by winning teams, but the way we’re trying to play our cricket with a smile on our faces, but really with an attacking intent, I think kids will want to grab a bat and a ball and play big, exciting shots in the park and have fun while doing it. I had a great moment at the start of the summer when I took the dogs for a walk to the park and there were kids playing a big game of cricket in the park pretending to be the players from the game the night before. I stopped and thought, ‘That’s why I play! I want to inspire people to go and play cricket!’ I ended up joining in the game and it brought it home to me that we should be playing attacking, exciting cricket, because that’s what people want to watch! @stuart_broad wears @adidsauk #WhatWePlayFor

“Throughout my teenage years I was quite small, so I didn’t have that many standout moments. I didn’t have the power to really succeed at that age, but that helped me technically because I knew I had to get my technique right.”