Contrast Issue 14 by david warrington

t s a r Cont

e n i z a g a M h t ou Y s ’ y e n k c a H Issue 14

Meleka

The UK’s newest talent tells us what it’s really like being a popstar

DYH Preview

FREE

. Eddie Kadi . Meleka . News Nov - Dec 09

Contrast Magazine Get published in 2 hours a week. Give Contrast 2 hours a week and we’ll give you: Your work in a magazine read by thousands; A better CV and a portfolio of published work;

Real experience of producing a magazine; The skills you need to make it in the media;

Opportunities to interview celebrities; Free passes to big events and previews. If you’re 13-19 and live, work or study in Hackney come to one of the 2-hour Contrast sessions, every Tuesday, 4.00 – 6.30 pm, at the Blue Hut near Old Street. See map on page 31. And it’s free. Contrast run free workshops for schools, youth clubs and anyone else working directly with young people in Hackney. If you would like your school or youth group featured in Contrast, or to give the young people you work with the chance to have their say, please call Anna or David on 020 8521 5495 or email contrast@socialspider.com

Editorial Team Contents

Contributors

04 DYH 2010

Bianca Manu Symone-Monet Codrington Shatoya MariĂŠ Rose Tskenya Fraser Phoebe Ryan-Faal Troy Boatman Rhasan Brunner Lara Akinnawo Gordon Adeyemi Merzan Roudette Abi OyĂŠwumi Elsa Mampuya Rachael Stuart Latoya Commodor Rachel Eriemo Chanice Browne Anna-Nina Koduah Fidel Elias Janine Dikman Yasmin Uzomah Leah Greenway

Discover Young Hackney preview

07 Your Story Studying hard in Hackney

10 The Glitter & Grind Popstar Meleka tells it how it is

14 Just Kadding Interview with Eddie Kadi

20 Original Beauty Young models in Hackney

22 Utter Madness On stage at Madstock

24 Click Here New young Hackney website

26 Reviews Music and theatre reviews

Discover Young Hackney Festival

Discover Young Hackney will be better than ever next year. In February 2010 it will be bringing you one whole month of arts events across the borough. If you’ve got a talent, are looking to promote it, or if you’d like to get involved with the arts, chances are Discover Young Hackney is for you. There are so many things you can do: act, dance, see your own films on the big screen, make music, learn how to graphically illustrate a comic book, become a fashion student for a day or learn how to contribute your design or photography skills to a youth magazine. If you can’t wait until next year, you could become a Discover Young Hackney Cultural Ambassador. Cultural Ambassadors are once again helping to shape the festival and will be creating a youth arts event that will be part of the festival. The programme starts in December and is your chance to make your mark in the arts. Launch event and auditions Once again the festival will launch in spectacular style with an X Factoresque talent contest at the Hackney Empire in January 2010. If you fancy yourself as the next Leona Lewis why not audition for the talent contest? Auditions will be held at the Hackney Empire but you must register first.

L’Amour won the launch event of DYH in 2009

Press Team New for 2010 is the Discover Young Hackney Press Team. Introducing Chantelle, Cynthia, Nicolette, Rosalee,Tola, Uchenna and Ashleigh! Along with young journalists from Headliners magazine they will be covering all the highlights of Discover Young Hackney 2010. If you want more information call Kate Sullivan on 020 8356 4261 or email kate.sullivan@hackney.gov.uk. Keep an eye on the website www.discoveryounghackney.com for information about all the events and opportunities. You will also find news and updates on how to become a Cultural Ambassador, how to audition, or be part of the crowd for the launch event as well as follow the festival footsteps when it all goes live in February. You can also follow us on facebook and we will keep you updated on everything Discover Young Hackney!

Young crime fighters

Young people from Jack Dunning and Morningside youth clubs gathered to discuss and prioritise issues that affect them and their community at Hackney police station, at the end of October. A growing number of youths in Hackney are getting involved with the community advisory panel (CAP), which is held every four months. Many teenagers are aware of the danger and consequences of gun and knife crime and want to prevent it happening. The CAP initiative enables young people to discuss and improve crime prevention. It also lets them see the police in a less intimidating light: as people who share the same ideals as them rather than ‘hard-faced law enforcers’. Many of the young people appeared to relax towards the police when they realised this; they were also informed and had their questions answered by the police. There was a range of people

from different ethnic backgrounds and ages who all felt the same way. The panel was addessed by Rhasan Brunner, a member of the Hackney Youth Parliament team, who wanted to have more involvement in the CAPs initiative. He felt that they were targeting the right audience and believed it was important for young people to participate in discussions and groups like CAP, “When young people start from an early age tackling issues which affect them, it can educate them and show them how to deal with issues when they grow up.” The CAP is a project that portrays young people from Hackney in a positive light. By starting to educate and listen to young people this project will hopefully reduce crime. Lauren, 11 and many others involved said it was, “Exciting to know she could make a change.” Bianca Manu

Your Story Latoya Commodors left school with one GCSE, but turned her life around and became a straight A student I didn’t do very well at school: I didn’t get my GCSEs, the only one I did get was drama, as that was the only subject I liked. I don’t know why, but school wasn’t right for me. I felt like: let’s just give up. Before I started college I had a boyfriend. Everything was fine at first, but then college came into it, I was getting distracted and in the end we split up. I was really upset and couldn’t concentrate on anything. So I took some time out and made a fresh start. After I got myself out of that situation I had to pick myself back up and knew that if I didn’t, where would I be? I knew I had to go to University. Now I am going to Greenwich University to study Drama and English, I have a job and have gained all of my GCSEs. I think something bad had to happen to me, to make me stronger. At college, when all the trouble started I got a report about how I was doing which was not good at all. I realised that I had to pull my socks up. My tutor (who

was also my drama teacher) told me that he didn’t think I’d last the course, but I did. When he said this, I was disheartened, because I felt like he didn’t have faith in me. But I am a grafter and him saying that made me more determined. It was this same tutor who called me when I received my A-level results. I was scared at first, but then he told me I had got As in Media Studies, Music Technology, English and Drama. My advice to other young women would be that you’ve got plenty of time, you’re only young, concentrate on your studies and where you want to get to, this is more important than having a boyfriend, because you have to set yourself goals, you have to know where you want to be and know what you have to do to get there. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hackney. I’ve always lived in Frampton and had a good childhood here, but I need a change. After University I hope to become a teacher, so I can give back and help people in school who felt like I did achieve.

Your Say What makes a man? Chanice

“I personally think that the question depends on who is judging, because you can be a man by taking r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, by not thinking stabbing people makes you one, by not thinking that going to prison makes you one. A man should take responsibility and look after his children.”

ice anice Chan Ch

Anna-nina “I think a man is someone who is brave, loyal and has pride, not someone who thinks too highly of himself and shows off. A man is someone who has respect and dignity.”

Fidel

Fidel “When you feel a change within yourself. Also when you

have to take on certain roles and responsibilities in your life.” Jenine “Everybody has different opinions and different expectations of a person. From my point of view, I think men should have as much respect for women as they do for themselves and should have responsibility.” Yasmin “His bravery, courage and kindness. Also his respect for women. If a man has respect for women and his mum he will have respect for a woman.”

Yasmin

Renne “I know a man when he is responsible and can look after you and you can have fun with him.”

The questions and answers were produced from a debate workshop with Fawcett youth club, if you would like to have your say, or would like us to run a workshop email contrast@socialspider.com

Do you think young people are stereotyped in the media? Anna-Nina “I’m in-between. I think there’s negative press about young people that gets exaggerated, but truly and honestly most of it is true. There are many people carrying knives, going out to beef other people. But on the other hand, many young people are high achievers and are positive role models and there should be more stories published about them.”

Anna-Nina

Leah “Yes, because they try to say kids are bad just because they wear hoodies. Just because some children have not set a good example, it doesn’t mean we’re all like that.”

Leah

Chanice “I think certain people have destroyed the image of our youths with everything that has been going on involving gangs, knife crime, killings and so on... So yes, I do think young people are stereotyped. The media should try to understand that not all young people’s lives revolve around stabbings, killings and gangs. The majority of us actually want to become someone and get somewhere in life.”

Renee

Renee “Yeah, because even if we don’t do something, we’re still always shown in the newspapers doing something bad.”

Yasmin “Children and teenagers of today are viewed as street rats: people that smoke, are foulmouthed towards people older than them. Even the way they dress is not accepted, especially when they wear hoods.”

The glitter & the grind Meleka tells Contrast what it’s really like to be a pop star. Interview by Symone-Monet Codrington and Shatoya Marié Rose How did you start off in the industry? I’ve grown up around music. My dad used to own a studio so I’ve always sung. But in terms of the music industry, as a business, I would say that when I won the Hugo Urban Rules, that was when I really started to be known, even on a small scale. The Hugo Urban Rules is a nationwide music programme from Hugo Fragrances that uncovers and invests in new talent. What motivates and inspires you? Being successful. I really want to be successful so I am trying to do, and work as hard as I can and that is my main motivation, my main drive. Aside from that, what motivates me to sing? Life. I’ve only ever wanted to sing. That’s all I have ever wanted to do so it’s not even a job. It’s a lifestyle for me. How did you get where you are today? Hard work and by pestering my managers. I love singing. I worked hard, I tried different things: even before I did Hugo Urban Rules, one day I sat down at the computer and rang up record labels trying to send them my demos and stuff like that. While I was doing it I came across

Basement records, and it turned out to be Basement Jaxx. They liked my stuff and now I’m on their new album. What are you up to at the moment? I’m working on my album and the next single. Hopefully that will be a Crazy Cousinz production as well, with a bit of a twist. Who would you like to work with? Anybody really. I love Pink and Coldplay. I really, really like Coldplay. I saw their concert the other day and I was just like yeah! What sort of music do you like? I’m trying to listen to all types of music. I recently bought an Etta James record and all I could do is cry. I’m not even depressed, I just really like the song. I bought Coldplay’s album, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Cher, Madonna. I’m not a big Madonna fan but I’m trying to listen to other people that people say are great artists. I write songs so I want to hear why these people are great. I want to see what I can take from that and then turn it into Meleka’s version of life.

It seems so hard to break into the music industry, and when you finally get there, you’re making 3p per download How do you spend your week? Mondays are my day off so I get to sleep all day. Mondays practically don’t exist for me anymore because I don’t see them. I usually have shows midweek. I have shows throughout the weekend. I have a couple of studio sessions this week. What about lying around in hotel rooms like a pop star? Not yet. I don’t think I’d be allowed to do that. I don’t think I’d even want to. I get very frustrated when I’m bored. When I don’t have anything to do I’m not a nice person. What advice do you have for aspiring artists? Just work hard and believe in yourself. Don’t be disheartened if people

tell you no. If you really believe in yourself, you know, you might not get to where you want to be. You might not be the next Beyoncé. You might just be, I don’t know, the next Busted or something, but just try. Try X Factor and if that works for you then it does, and if it doesn’t work for you, don’t think ok, my life is over. You can go and get an internship. Take Simon Cowell, he didn’t arrive with loads of million pounds that he’s got now. He worked as a postal boy in a record label, did various other things, went bankrupt and then he did all this kind of pop, TV, music stuff. So you have to keep working and not everything will work out, but you kind of have to just find where you fit in and make it work for you. Do you think there are enough successful women in the industry? There are lots of successful women in the industry. There are loads. You’ve got Leona, Alexandra, Girls Aloud. You’ve got the Saturdays, Estelle, Kyla, Egypt, Princess Nya, and there are a whole load of other funky house ladies. You’ve got Tulisa from N’Dubz. You’ve got Florence and the Machine, Amy Winehouse, Ffion, her niece, and Paloma Faith. I heard her today. There are a lot of men, but there are a lot of women: black, white, groups, solo artists. Sugababes, now Keisha solo. There are a lot of women doing their thing.

Do you think that artists in America get more recognition than UK artists? America is huge. Compared to England it’s absolutely massive. A friend of mine lives in Atlanta, and he works with a lot of producers. He tells me about this person and that person and you can be famous in Atlanta, be a multimillionaire pop or krunk artist, and not be famous anywhere else in America. And you could be the equivalent of, I don’t know, Tinchy in Atlanta. America is massive. You can be famous in one place, in one particular genre, you know. ‘Go’ was viewed over a million times on YouTube, are there still people who will want to buy it? With anything I suppose there is a saturation point and nobody knows, nobody can predict what is going to happen but a lot of people still haven’t heard the song and for me and for my team, ‘Go’ has kind of done what we wanted it to do. It’s done more than what we wanted it to do. There’s no expectation, there is just a hope. So if it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t, but we hope it can do as well as it can. It seems so hard to break into the music industry, and when you finally get there, you’re making 3p per download. I never realised. There’s a fine line. There’s like Tinchy, Chipmunk, N’Dubz who are here right now and then everybody else below. Because they’ve been

doing it hard for like two or three years. And once you’ve crossed over, which they have done – endless possibilities. But it’s the grind. And they might get 3p a download but then they’re on tours, they’ve got their merchandise and that’s what it is. It’s just grind. And that’s what it’s like if you work in any job. If you go to work in an office, there’s the CEO and there’s the post boy and you just have to work your way up. So you’re not disappointed by how hard you have to work? No! Do you know what? I am really, really enjoying coming from the bottom and working my way up. It’s so fun. I love a challenge in all areas of my life and this is a challenge.

Just kadding Comedian Eddie Kadi explains that it’s not easy being funny. Interview by Bianca Manu, Elsa Mampuya, Merzan Roudette, Symone-Monet Codrington and Shatoya Marié Rose Have you always been a comedian? What were you like as a kid, were you always making people laugh? I never really thought that comedy was something I wanted to get into. Even at the age of 18, I wasn’t into comedy that much, I never used to watch comedy shows. I only discovered I really could make people laugh when I got to University, and that was by chance as well. Do you remember the first joke that you ever told, that just got the whole crowd laughing? See it’s weird because, my first ever show, it wasn’t as a comedian. I was a part of the African-Caribbean society at Kingston University and I was a spokesperson. We would have about 600 African-Caribbean students, and every week we would meet up. I used to be the meeting co-ordinator, and we tried to book comedians for meetings, but they cost too much, and the idea was to just get a talent show going, and I thought ‘y’know, I’m not a comedian, but I can keep people entertained.’ The first show I did, they had different people from

different unis. I remember coming on, and I can’t actually remember the first joke I did but I remember I just wanted to impersonate my friend’s uncle, my Nigerian friend. I don’t know what I said but I just remember the crowd going absolutely crazy, and that was it, that was it for me. Do you have a lot of followers, and comedians who look up to you? It’s nice to put it that way, but I like to look at it in a way that they appreciate what I do. Being a comedian, it’s not easy. A lot of people think it’s just coming to the stage, making people laugh, but it doesn’t work like that, there’s an art to it. A lot of comics that come straight in, they realise that straight away from their first set, so the next natural thing to do is actually talk to fellow comedians, those that have been doing it a bit longer. Who do you look up to on the comedy scene, especially in the UK? Richard Blackwood is someone I’d like to say I look up to and admire. When he first saw me perform, he

I never really thought that comedy was something I wanted to get in to loved what I was doing and started giving me advice. And obviously, I grew up watching him so it was always amazing to get advice from him, and we’ve been friends ever since. It’s the best when you can make someone laugh, but what happens when you don’t? When you don’t it’s like, oh, should I even be here? And it only takes one joke to make you think ‘am I supposed to be doing this comedy stuff ?’ But I’ve learnt from that, you have to understand that people are not always gonna laugh. When you’re doing a show, you just have to make sure people remember, ‘oh he was funny’ . My opinion is, I like storytelling, so I worked out, even if you don’t have a punchline, make

sure that they can relate to the story, and they understand, and they can laugh. I do my shows and I don’t put myself under too much pressure. I try not to be too worried. I just have fun with it. A lot of people have seen your YouTube videos as the parking attendant and with Lethal B - where did you get your ideas from? The beautiful thing about my job is that you can literally be in your bedroom, think of something and then do it on stage. Some comics try too hard, in that they come on stage and say ‘hey, I’m a comedian, and I’m gonna make you laugh’. You shouldn’t do that as a comedian, what you should do is say ‘hi guys, I was thinking about this the other day, has that ever crossed your mind?’ That’s what happened with me, I was at uni with my friends, and we were listening to ‘The Boy is Mine’. The instrumental was playing, and we were mucking about and I started going with ‘can’t you see the sign, it’s a double yellow line’ – it just came out, it was random! My friends were laughing, and then they went home but I, I kept on writing stuff. At that time I wasn’t a comedian, I just did it to muck about. One day I did it in a show in Whitechapel. I did that song with the live band, but I didn’t know it was being filmed! About a week

later, I saw it on Google video, and I was just shocked man. After that it got loads of comments, and people started booking me just to perform that song. It was something that I did for fun and just didn’t realise how far it was going to go. Which is what I mean about don’t put yourself under too much pressure; if you love what you do, just do it. If you enjoy it and love what you do, other people will pick that up… Yeah, if you’ve got that joy and that energy, you cannot go wrong. You’ve got to realise that audience members are not stupid. If you are nervous, they will see. If I come on stage and I’m scared, you guys will know. Even if you don’t realise you know, you’ll look at me, and you’re not smiling at my jokes. The whole point of jokes is they’re not meant to be ‘oh guys, I’m telling this story, it’s a lie,’ it’s meant to be ‘I’m telling this story, it’s actually true, and it’s funny.’ If you come across as nervous, they will never buy into it. My advice would be, always come up there and take control of the stage, let the audience know that ‘this is my stage, I’ve been here a long time, I’m comfortable, welcome to my house.’ What made you start to do shows in the 02? Madness. Madness is what made me do it! No, my first show came off the

back of winning Best Newcomer, Black Entertainment Comedy Awards. How do you feel knowing that in a full, 2000 capacity venue all the people have come to see you? You know what, I was speaking to my mum a couple of days after that show, and my mum, and my whole family in fact, have been to every single show, and she was asking so many questions, and I said to her, you know what, there’s a spirituality about selling out a 2000 capacity because, I only know so many people. You don’t realise you reach out to so many people. To get 2000 people in a building, you can’t describe it. Did you ever get nervous? Nervous? I forgot my shoes that night!

I always pray before I perform. People do different things, some people jog, other people put their iPod on, I like to pray, and then I’m calm, somehow it works every time. Have you ever had a chance to go back home to Congo and perform? My parents haven’t given me the chance! I was born in the Congo and came here when I was eight years old. When I left, it was just before the war really kicked off. So my parents said they didn’t wanna take me back. My parents have been back a lot of times, but they didn’t want to take me back. My dad said, ‘finish uni, get a job, get settled’ cos he didn’t want me to go back there and get confused – you know, you get there, you get emotional, you say ‘I’m going back to Africa!’ – you don’t want that whole thing. So since I’ve finished uni, and been doing the comedy thing, he’s said to me ‘you know what, give it a couple more years, get settled in to the comedy thing. There are people back home who know what you’re doing, who’re very excited, you know what I mean, but let it just kind of calm down, then you can go back.’ So I’m going to go back next year with my family, hopefully. Are you going to dance? Yeah definitely! But what I’m scared of is I’m gonna go back there and do the dance, and I show off with the dancing here, but there are people

Don’t put yourself under too much pressure, if you love what you do, just do it back home that can reeeally, reeeally dance! So when you go home and you’re like (dances) they’re gonna look up and say ‘he’s terrible’. I’m excited about going there and learning more about my culture, ‘cos when I’m here on stage, I’m teaching people about my culture, as much as I know of it, and it’s about having that difference between being British and being Congolese. I wanna go home to find out what I’ve been missing out on, bring it back, and freshen up my material. Do you think there is a limit to what you can make jokes about, or is everything fair game? Nah, my approach to comedy is the bottom line is, if my mum doesn’t like it, if she cringes, then I can’t do it. And we all know naturally what

our parents will feel and what they won’t feel. There are enough jokes in the world that you don’t need to swear on stage, you don’t need to go on to profanity and sex. There are other parts of life that you can really go into, and take an opportunity to educate people. Not to say that there’s something wrong with comedians that do that, but for me, when you come on stage you’re not just representing yourself, you’re representing a lot of people. If I’m talking about Congo, I’m representing Congolese people, if I’m talking about my age group, I’m representing my age group, and

if I go to America, and I’m talking about being British, I’m representing Britain. What’s the future for Eddie Kadi? I want to get into acting more; acting is something that I absolutely love. But if you were to ask me what I want to end up doing? I want my own show. Richard Blackwood was, I think, the last person in our community who really helped. I want to be able to get to that level, and have a show like Jonathan Ross. So that’s the future for me!

Original beauty Teenagers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to look like stick-thin, airbrushed models in magazines to make it in the modelling industry, Shatoya MariĂŠ Rose explains why

People are all different, different sizes, different races. But when you look at high fashion and catwalk models they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reflect this. As a teenager myself, I know there is a lot of pressure, especially on young women, to be skinny and to have the same body type as women in magazines. This is a major problem because young teenagers and young women read magazines and see their skinny idols and aspire to be just like them. Teenage girls go on diets, starving themselves, sometimes to the point where they become

There is a lot of pressure, especially on young women, to be skinny

diets and harm themselves to get skinny and that they are fine the way they are. Best of all the models don’t need to pay to join. When you are desperate to get into a career, especially a competitive one like modelling, it is so easy to get ripped off, that’s why it was important to for me to work for someone ethical. It’s a great chance for young people of all shapes, colours and sizes to experience photo shoots and a modelling career from a young age. I work as a photographer and not as a model because I love taking pictures and showing the girls how to pose. Modelling is not for me. I love being behind the scenes and everyone knowing I took the photographs.

Photographs by Shatoya Marié Rose

bulimic. Women in magazines are airbrushed and slimmed down by computer technology. We shouldn’t aim to be like them, we should just be ourselves and be original! I recently began working as a fashion photographer for a modelling agency in Hackney that encourages people from different backgrounds and of different sizes to model. I work for the agency because it is not like many others. It has models from size 8 to 18, because it wants to show you can be a big girl and still be a beautiful model. You don’t always have to be skinny. That’s why they don’t take anyone under a size 8 because they want to show young girls and young potential models that they don’t have to follow strict

Utter madness Standing on stage, in front of thousands of die-hard Madness fans, Troy Boatman couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty. He tells Contrast why When I typed in ‘Madness’ on YouTube and listened to a couple of their hits, I didn’t in my wildest dreams imagine that in a few weeks time I’d be on stage with the band at their huge annual concert, Madstock. Madness are a two-tone ska band with a very strong cult following. They go all the way back to 1976 during the big ska movement and are known for their distinctive style of upbeat reggae-inspired pop. Even if you haven’t heard of them, some of their hits, such as Our House, One Step Beyond, House of Fun and Baggy Trousers are sure to ring a bell. I was sitting in my room one evening, when my dad burst in and told me that a friend had got us two reserved tickets. When we arrived at the park where it was held, it was at first unclear where to go, so we followed the sound and the train of people wearing Madness t-shirts and we soon found ourselves outside the venue to claim our reserved tickets. On the way in, one of the security guards asked me if I had any knives or guns. I shook my head, he was

When I was first told I could go on stage I was quite cautious, it was a pretty daunting prospect clearly joking, but I did not want to tempt fate by making a joke that he might not take so well. After getting the tickets and finding out that Madness were not performing for several hours, the struggle to get backstage began. It turned out the passes we were given were just one level below what you needed to get backstage. The support bands were performing, so we went to an area behind the stage

that our passes did grant us access to where we waited, anxious to see Madness perform. When we realised Madness were performing in mere minutes it all began to look pretty bleak: we still hadn’t managed to get backstage tickets, the bouncers were adamant about not letting us in and we’d missed our chance to get a decent place anywhere else. When we were just about to call it a day the guy who got our tickets came running, holding in his hand a bunch of backstage passes. We then triumphantly marched on up to the stage whilst being beckoned by one of the guys from Madness, much to the bouncer’s disliking. Of course, I didn’t know at this point I’d actually be going on the

stage. When I was first told I could go on stage I was quite cautious, it was a pretty daunting prospect and I didn’t want some scary bouncer to come and bite my head off. However, I was eventually dragged on and stood at the side by the colossal stacks of amplifiers. Needless to say, despite that overarching feeling of guilt for the Madness devotees, the awesomeness of the music prevailed. They tried to get us off the stage at several points but the tour manager didn’t let that happen and we got to stay on stage for the incredible and unforgettable night. Oh, and if you’re reading this and are a die-hard Madness fan, I have no regrets!

Click here Whatever you’re interested in, the new website for young people in Hackney has it all. Rachael Stuart tells Contrast why you should get online and check it out What is your role?

part in like dancing, football or writing. They can even get involved I am the online editor for the new in Hackney Youth Parliament. and improved ‘Young Hackney’ The website also acts as a guide for website: www.younghackney.org young people providing them with I update the website with current information they may not know events and opportunities for young about or have any idea how to find. people in Hackney. This allows me For example, the website provides to keep young people informed of information on how young people what’s going on in their local area. can keep safe around London and also how to manage the pressures Could you tell us about the Young of being a teenager. The website has Hackney website? What does it have information on coping with moneyon it? related stress, drugs, alcohol, healthy eating and sexual health. Even if The site is constantly being updated you’re just looking for a project to with various new projects. One of get involved in, the website has a the key elements of the website is jobs and training section which has the remix machine. This machine various apprenticeships and schemes allows users to compose a track they young people can apply for. can share with others, and allows them to comment on and rate each How was the website created? other’s mixing abilities. It’s a really good platform for up-and-coming The website was a consequence producers or music lovers to begin, as of the Point Blank team running they are able to download the tracks workshops with schools in Hackney. and use them as a ringtones or any This is where some of the logos for other way they like! the website were created. Previously Hackney did have a website for young What are some of the things you like people called HYPE which was not most about it? that successful, so they decided to revamp the idea and created the new The website has lots of positive ‘Young Hackney’ website. activities young people can take

By having a website specifically allocated to young people in Hackney, they are able to get involved in positive projects What do you think young people in Hackney will use it for? Depending on your personal interests, you can use the website to keep up to date with workshops, sports or dance classes you may want to be a part of. Also, it could be used as a medium for young people to network with their peers. It may not be on the scale of bigger network groups like MySpace or Facebook, but it is a useful community network group as the majority of users are from Hackney, so they will have a chance to communicate with other Hackney youths. Why is it important that we have a website for young people in Hackney? It is important as there is a decline in today’s youth culture, especially in Hackney, a borough that receives only a small fraction of good press.

Rachael is one of the young people who work for the new ‘Young Hackney’ website

So by having a website specifically allocated to young people in Hackney, they are able to get involved in positive projects. The site may also help you find out about new things you may have never known that you were interested in. How can young people work or write for the website? The website is for young people so your input is crucial, if you are interested, you can log on to the website www.younghackney.org and post articles you’ve written. If you want some work experience with Point Blank check out the ‘get involved’ section, where you can apply for a variety of schemes such as becoming an ambassador for the website.

Single Review:

Don’t Shank, Just Skank (It Doesn’t Have to Happen)

This is a song featuring some of the biggest names on the funky scene at the moment: Donaeo, Dj Luck & MC Neat, K.I.G, Meleka, Fr3e, Rollin’G and Zest. The song sends out a positive, antiknife crime message to children and teenagers. All the artists performed and have promoted the single free of charge to help push the message for teenagers to stop using knives. Donaeo (pictured) is the best on the track: his rhythm, harmonies and lyrics are irresistible. He also makes the song feel most like a funky house tune that teenagers will listen and dance to. Contrast asked Hackney teenagers what they thought about the song and whether they think the message will help reduce knife crime. “I don’t

really like it,” Said Alicia Johnson, 15. “A lot of people will find the song stupid because this will not stop knife crime. They need to come with a better approach to stop knife and gun crime, this won’t help. It’s a good song though!” and Michele Nyathi, 16, said, “I like it because it’s got a catchy beat but also because the message is good.” Whilst Laura Swan, 15, said, “it’s good, but it won’t stop knife crime because it’s just a song. It might be a start to helping stop it, but it needs more artists on it to make a real impact.” It looks like the song will be a hit, and it will put out a positive message to teenagers to stop knife crime. As to whether it will it stop knife crime, I’m not sure. Shatoya Marié Rose

Theatre Review: Pains of Youth

Crazy, neurotic, self-obsessed, selfdestructive; these are just a few words that describe the portrayal of young people in Pains of Youth. The play was written by Austrian author Ferdinand Bruckner in the 1920s and was recently translated into English by Martin Crimp. It is set in Vienna in 1923 and is about six young medical students. They all live in a boarding house, richly decorated with heavy, brooding furniture. The unscrupulous central character, Freder, sadistically manipulates everyone around him. Most notable, is his corruption of the innocent and naĂŻve young maid, Lucy. Freder also causes the relationship between heartbroken Marie, and bisexual Desiree. The pairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strange relationship provides much of the drama of the play.

(The National Theatre)

The device used for scene changes, although at times jarring, was perfectly strange. The stage was plunged in half darkness, while people dressed in black walked quickly around moving props, pouring drinks, placing cigarettes in the actors mouths and lighting them. The dark moving figures and scene shifts symbolized the passing of time and a changing of pace to good effect. The dry and witty humour in the play is derived from making fun of the mundanity of life: marriage, relationships and work. Most noticeably, the neurotic character Desiree relentlessly pursues the idea that life may not be worth living. Pains of Youth can be ridiculously bleak at times, and for this reason, it is a love it or hate it kind of play. Lara Akinnawo

Gig Review:

Spotlight (31st October 2009)

Spotlight is a Saturday night live music show at Ocean for people aged 13 to 25 living in Hackney. The show is hosted by BBC 1Xtra’s SarahJane Crawford, and gives performers a chance to showcase their talent. More than 100 people go to the show every month, and are always left satisfied by the performances and the general mood of the evening. It is difficult to pick the best part of the show, but the most enjoyable part for me was the ‘60 second spot’. This spot allows anyone to come up on stage and perform (for 60 seconds), regardless of what their talent is. There was poetry, instrumentalists, dancers and budding songwriters, and all of them were truly good at what they do. But one act stood out the most and that was a young boy called Kebba. He wrote a poem about a girl he liked, and won over the audience with his charisma and talent. Every verse was delivered with a different style, had a different meaning, and different morals,

allowing the audience to almost interact with him, and to understand that, in Kebba’s words, “You have to be cocky to get that girl, you got to have a can-do attitude, if she’s going to be part of your world” The show also allows the audience to pose questions to upcoming businessmen and women, and interview acts such as Tiny Tempah, Size 10 and Shystie. This month Meleka (see page 10), the artist behind the smash hit ‘Go’, performed and allowed the audience to get more of an insight into the industry, and what her job entails. She described it as being, “Hard work, but worth it”, and warned anyone who is looking to get into the music industry to be ready, as it can mean many sleepless nights. I am a really hard critic, but this show has to get perfect 10. I would encourage everyone to go and see it. To get involved, or to attend contact Nadu Placca on 020 8986 3232, and help bring people together. Tskenya Fraser

What’s On Project: Youth Circus Students develop skills in static trapeze, acrobatics, juggling and tightwire walking. When: Every Friday 4.30 – 6pm Where: Circus Space, Coronet Street, London, N1 6HD Costs: £90/£60 conc. For 10 weeks Age group: 11 - 18 Contact: 020 7613 8262 or Lydia@thecircusspace.co.uk Project: Youth Printing Project 20 young people will be trained in silk screen processes and as Assistant Workshop Facilitators to deliver training to the wider community. When: 14th November Where: Hothouse, 274 Richmond Road, London Fields, E8 3QW Costs: Free Age group: 16 - 25 Contact: 020 7241 7482 or contact@freeform.org.uk Project: Football Coaching When: Every Monday 5.30 – 7.30pm Where: The Blue Hut, 49 Provost Street, Hackney, N1 7NZ Costs: Free Age group: 8 - 16 Contact: 020 7729 6970 or info@skyway.uk.com

Project: Music Production, DJing and Video Game Design When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 6 – 9pm Where: Frampton Park Youth Club, Frampton Park Rd, E9 7PF Costs: Free Age group: 16 - 19 Contact: 0208 694 6201 or Krist@rollingsound.co.uk Project: Funky Festive Lights Participants will be using LED lights decorated with recycled materials to create festive fairy lights. When: 5th December 2.00 - 4pm Where: Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, E2 8EA Costs: Free Age group: 13 – 16 Contact: 020 7739 9893 or info@geffrye-museum.org.uk

How to find us: Every Tuesday 4:00 - 6:30pm The Blue Hut 49 Provost Street, N1 7NZ For more details visit our blog: contrastmag.wordpress.com Contrast is published by Social Spider. Social Spider is a Community Interest Company registered in England, No 4846529 The views expressed in Contrast do not necessarily reflect those of Social Spider or Hackney Council. © 2009 Social Spider Community Interest Company ISSN 1754-0623 Contrast is printed on paper that comes from sustainable sources and is monitored by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international organisation that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests. Advertising: If your organisation is interested in advertising, please call Stephen on 020 8521 7956 or email: stephen@socialspider.com Download our media pack from www.socialspider.com/contrastmediapack for information on our rates and specifications. Printing managed by: Ten Alps Publishing, 9 Savoy Street, London, WC2E 7HR Tel: 020 7878 2300. Contrast team: Abi Oyéwumi, Troy Boatman, Christian Jensen, Rachel Eriemo, Elsa Mampuya, Rhasan Brunner, Lara Akinnawo, Phoebe Ryan-Faal, Bianca Manu, Symone-Monet Codrington, Shatoya Marié Rose, Merzan Roudette and Gordon Adeymi. Contrast assistant designers: Merzan Roudette and Gordon Adeymi. Contrast staff team: Mark Brown, David Floyd, Stephen Gardiner, Laurie Penny, David Warrington & Anna Selby. The Contrast team would like to thank: Hackney Council, SkyWay and Agnes Marquis Contrast is funded by Hackney Youth Opportunity Fund, which is managed by young people in Hackney Youth Service. Contrast is supported by: SkyWay, Hackney Libraries and Exposure Organisation Limited.

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