IS CHASING PAPER A UGUST 2012
64 NIX DAMN P
62 MISS BADKISS 10 STATUS MESSAGE 12 MASTHEAD
STATUSPHERE 15 20 21 22 23 24
THREADS SETTING BRICK & MORTAR BEATS SCREEN INK
gadgets 25
TECH PACK: THE BLING RING
Mo’ money, mo’ gadgets.
BEAUTY 26 27 27
FACE PAINT: BLOODY MARY
Red rum, red rum.
ABOUT FACE: BAL MASQUÉ
Peel off the layers.
BEAUTY BITE: HAIR PHILOSOPHIE
FASHION
STREET STYLE
VISION BOARD
32 LADY LUXE
A flash of gold and a dash of bold. By Allen DeMarcus
38 COLOR PARTY
Get showered in champagne and confetti. By Rxandy Capinpin
44 OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD
It’s a casual Friday, the union’s on strike. By Miguel Miranda
SHOPPING GUIDE SWAG
51 CANVAS ON CANVAS Canvas bags
52 TANK ME LATER Tank tops
52 VISION MISSION Glasses
53 DREAM CHASER Cardigans
54 THROUGH THE WIRE Sneakers
55 THE MOTTO Khaki pants
28 GO SEE
56 RACK CITY
30 STYLE ID: FLORAL RANGER
57 THE CLIMB
Round up the crowd and get loud. Mighty morphin’ flower children.
Bralettes
Pointed pumps
58 NEW CLASSIC Pencil skirts
70 59 ALL TOGETHER Skinny belts
59 WRAP GAME Turbans
FEATURES mUSE
60 ANY WHICH WAY
Grace Bol navigates the fashion storm. By Giano D. Dionisio
mAESTRO
61 GOLD STANDARD
Wake up. Get conscious with Macklemore’s conscience-tapping rhythm; the rapper is fluent on the influence of being under the influence. By Loris Peña
62 CALL OF DUTY
British rockers Zulu Winter work a hard day’s night eight days a week for their penny, with pound by pound of groovy sound. By Miguel Escobar
62 GRAND MEISTER FLASH
Miss Badkiss went from mixing behind the bar to remixing on the turntables. Under her thumb, make sure to breathe. By Rolly Ibañez
63 EAZY DOES IT
G-Eazy reupholstered this kitty. From a purr to a roar, this slick-haired operator is as smooth as a sleuth hunting for truth. By Reena Mesias
JULIEN DUPONT 64 NIX STAMPEDE
Let the fresh prince of Manila’s urban jungle beat, DJ Nix Damn P, educate you with his safari of sound. By Giano D. Dionisio
65 WORDS’ WORTH
With a rhyme that one-two-threes on reason, Aesop Rock spits fire like napalm bombs on Vietnam. By Viva Gonzalez
mASTERMIND
66 THE SHINING
San Francisco artist Benny Gold flies like paper, way higher than planes when he busts out the pen and reinvents the plain. By Samantha Castro
67 POSITION OF POWER
Artist KAI is living in the 21st century, doing something meaningful to it through his urbanized iconography. By Carina Santos
68 SUPER FLY
Behind ADEEN’s animated bling and caped crusading, you’ll find cartoon-watching, cereal-eating designer Rembrandt Duran with his mask off. By Belle Rodolfo
69 ADVENTURELAND
In the carnival of Charlavail Effron, you will find cotton candy skulls, woodland illustrations, and every flavor that makes you say, “Sweet.” By Reena Mesias
70 FREE FALLING
From wheels to reels, motorcyclist-turned-moviemaker Julien Dupont urges us to Ride the World. By Rolly Ibañez
IS CHASING PAPER A UGUST 2012
72 NIGO
80 CRAIG REDMAN
69
70 FAMILY BIZNESS
Comedian Steve Byrne keeps it thicker than water or lager or soju with his new show, Sullivan and Son. By Rita Faire
71 FULL SIR CALL
Made-to-measure menswear designer Abdul Salam makes bread by spinning thread and weaving history into his modern craft. By Giano D. Dionisio
HEAVY HITTER
72 NIGO & HIS WHIM-WHEELING FACTORY
Take a golden ticket and rocket in a glass elevator through Nigo’s vast expanse of expertise. The BAPE founder championed an upheaval of urban lifestyle, fusing hip-hop with Haraju-cool. Nigo knows flavor that lasts forever, so start chewing on that Everlasting Gobstopper. By Kristine Dabbay
80 MONONYMOUS
Australia-born, NY-based visual artist Craig Redman—the who and what behind Darcel Disappoints— shares the how and why of his shifty one-eyed creatures. With
CHARLAVAIL EFFRON
a career that spans all spheres of influence, Craig may suffer from fatigue and dark circles, but he barely bats a lash. By Giano D. Dionisio
84 MONSIEUR MONTANA
With his underground background and street-wise scheming, rapper French Montana knows how to “Pop That,” and he can teach it in three languages. That may be a lot of tongue action, but there’s no such thing as too much French. Just don’t get sloppy, stay on top of the game. By Loris Peña
BLOCK PARTY: NEW WORLD ORDER Musical culture shock
86 VAVAMUFFIN Poland
86 MZUNGU KICHAA Tanzania
87 CHOCQUIBTOWN Colombia
EVENTS
NIGHTVISION
89 MAYNARD MADNESS 90 CANNES 90 THEM LOST BOYS 91 PUMA SOCIAL 91 STATUS X KEDS: EARTHLY DELIGHTS
92 BONNAROO BINGO MADNESS 92 GET SHIFTY 93 ANIMAL FARM FACTORY 93 FIST PUMP SATURDAYS
MORE
96 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES
87 CRIOLO
98 CHOLO DELA VEGA
87 ERCANDIZE
98 CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
Our friendly photographer captures life in and through fancy frames.
Brazil
Germany
As the wheels and gears turn and whirl, Nigo pedals and peddles his way through life’s race for first place. Though the Japanese kingpin has a money-making mind, he doesn’t mind the money, just the drive behind his mileage. In this exclusive shoot by Keiicha Nitta for our Hustle Issue, Nigo teaches us to keep pushing hard, even if it feels like your bike is parked. And even if it means learning basic Japanese in five minutes to arrange for a photo shoot.
Career advice from Snoop Dogg’s incredibly wealthy dealer.
statusmagonline.com
Blogsphere
the pulse of hip at your fingertips
go see
we’re all models off duty. smize!
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not free mixtapes paper and wallpapers
STATUS MESSAGE
Nigo (72)
Craig “Darcel” Redman (80)
CHASING PAPER D
oesn’t it seem like everyone is on the grind nowadays? I’ve been talking to people who are either starting a clothing line, a video production house, or a tech company; but their common denominator is their hustle to turn their vision into reality. I’m so thrilled to have Nigo on our cover; not only because famed Japanese photographer Keiichi Nitta shot it for us, but I’ve also been a huge admirer of Nigo’s work, style, and vision. Before we started STATUS, he was a major influencer in streetwear (with his line A Bathing Ape), hip-hop (with friends like Kanye and Pharrell), and art (mixing KAWS with Andy Warhol). The way he seamlessly mixes street sensibility with luxury made me believe that creating a magazine like STATUS would be possible. Having him on our cover now is bringing that vision to a full circle. It took four years to get him, but it was worth the wait. It’s nice to see so many creative people working hard and allowing their passions guide them. French Montana knows all about this, as a rapper who grew up in Morocco and moved to the US when he was 13 to pursue hip-hop. Now, French rolls with Diddy and Rick Ross while touring with Drake and J. Cole. I guess you can say he’s living the American dream, but with better chains, cars, and clothes. We also got to interview Craig “Darcel” Redman, a New York-based Aussie artist who always likes to keep an eye on the prize. He caught our eye because of his portraits of icons like Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, and Jeremy Scott looking like, well, an eyeball. Plus, check out the hustlers running Manila: DJ Nix Damn P is making his mark with his mixtapes, music, and style; photographer Cholo Dela Vega is showing us his new take on fashion; menswear designer Abdul Salam is updating classic tailoring; and DJ Miss Badkiss is schooling the crowd with her beats. I’m so inspired by the features in this issue. Just like you, we’re not only chasing paper, we’re chasing our dreams.
Editor-in-chief
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contributors statusmagonline.com Rosario Herrera
@rosarioherrera
creative director Patrick L. Jamora art director Patrick Diokno graphic designers Nyael David
@padraick @patrickdiokno @nyaels @paolostroodles
editor-in-chief
Paolo Geronimo
associate editor
Kristine Dabbay
features editor Reena Mesias fashion editor Loris Peña
KEIICHA NITTA
He may not speak much English, but Keiichi’s pictures need no decoding. According to him, he doesn’t need any tools. In front of his lens, the best props are fun, laughter, and a touch of swagger. In his portfolio: underwater boobies, backlit fellatio, Tom Ford getting touchy, and a lot of BAPE badassery. Keiicha’s friendship with A Bathing Ape’s own Nigo (72) made him an easy choice to shoot our cover story, bringing real Tokyo thrust to our Hustle Issue.
fashion assistant Zoe Laurente assistant editor Giano D. Dionisio editorial assistant Rita Faire sales & marketing consultant Tina Herrera account manager Dan Buenaventura junior account manager Kevin Jude Pueblo
@tindabs @yohitgirl @_dizzyrizzy @zoelaurente @giodion @ritadoesnttweet @tinaherrera_ @danbuenaventura @kevinpueblo tweet us!
contributing writers
Samantha Castro, Miguel Escobar, Viva Gonzalez, Carina Santos contributing artists
Andrew Apuya, Toch Barreiro, Pablo Barruti, David Black, Nilufer Bracco, Rxandy Capinpin, Bruce Casanova, Ming Han Chung, The Cobrasnake, Fernando Colon, Danica Condez, Allen DeMarcus, Sam DeSantis, Raizel Dy, Imane Fiocchi, Borgy Garavina, Joaquin Gregorio, Lloyd Gumba, Estelle Hissler, Sarah Kjelleren, Jason Koenig, Arito Lara, Ernest Levanza, Stephen Lody, Derek Macario, Maui Manalo, Miguel Miranda, Rebecca Newman, Aaron Ni’jai, B. Niles, Keiichi Nitta, Roland Okon, Tom Oxley, Chrissy Piper, Nikki Ruiz, JP Singson, Ryuji Shiomitsu, Klay Tan, Jerby Tebelin, Adam Seth Teh, Neil Visel, Aleksey Volchek, Jay Wee, Shareif Ziyadat
ALEKSEY VOLCHEK
Growing up at a ranch in middle-of-nowhere, St. Petersburg, Aleksey was surrounded by his father’s vintage camera collection, which sparked the young boy’s interest. When Aleksey flew to Los Angeles to pursue Hollywood dreams, he ended up crashing electronica raves instead. That paradigm shift taught him that hustling is “all about finding your true self no matter what you thought of yourself previously.” Revel in this night life photographer’s intoxicated memories immortalized in our Night Vision (92) pages.
interns
Jer Dee, Marnee Gamboa, Rolly Ibañez, Mara Celine Javier, Belle Rodolfo, Arden Santos, Nicola Sermonia, Mabel Toh, Denise Villanueva
editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other.
DEREK MACARIO
When he was younger, Derek would make dime selling Pokémon cards to his pals, but nowadays he captures more candid creatures. The twenty-something photographer from San Francisco can usually be seen snapping photos at events, documenting everyday encounters, and geeking out about art. For this issue, he kept it casual with buddy Benny Gold (66), capturing that elusive balance between chillin’ and illin’.
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What’s your STATUS? tell us.
read our digital version statusmagonline.com/ digital-magazine like us facebook.com/statusmagazine follow us twitter.com/statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
AUGUST 2012
ZERO TO HERO H
ere comes SONS OF HEROES to the rescue, donning sleek drop–crotch trousers and leather jackets in ashen shades. Working Class Heroes Make Do and Mend offers nothing but salvation from the cold weather with printed tees and draped knitted sweaters. Zip up that textured leopard jacket and lace up those combat boots, for the night is dark and full of surprises. sonsofheroes.com
A DOLLAR AND A DREAM I
f there’s one thing we got from this line of caps, it’s the MOTIVATION to go cray on prints and patterns. Besides the requisite logos and checks, the brand incorporates floral and animal prints too. Nevermind that your favorite rappers are seen sporting these. Motivation roars and that’s all you really need to know. mtvtn.com
DEAR DIARY M
OTEL ROCKS plans to rock your world with its latest collection of printed tops, high-waisted shorts, skinny jeans, and dresses. The rainbow-colored Charlie skirt matched with a cropped top is becoming for an afternoon party, while the lacy lilac Ginetta is inviting for a tête-à-tête or secret rendezvous. Well, we’ll hear about your story from the grapevine. motelrocks.com
SUPER SLEUTH R
emember how trench coats and trousers would equate to a detective’s wardrobe? OXYGEN puts a casual spin on Sherlock Holmes by employing the essential brown trench, but shortening and pairing it with colored trousers and printed shirts. If you’re clueless about what to wear, ignore all red herrings and put on the perfect trench. Elementary, my dear Watson. oxygenfashion.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
NEON TREES W
hat’s bright, low-key, and sustainable all at the same time? ALDER, of course. With its day-glo designs in athletic silhouettes, the line features a color-happy visual feast of asymmetric skirts and tapered dresses for the minimalist. It’s not just about fashion; the brand goes into its grassroots by sourcing materials that are organic and local. alderboutique.com
HAIL THe cab I
t’s the 20th year of VANS Half Cab, and what better way to celebrate it than collaborate with the original designer? That’s right; “Cab” is a person—short for Steve Caballero, the skilled skater, musician, artist, and illustrator. Vans and Cab put their heads together for one of four artist collabs for Fall 2012. Traffic to the store is sure to get nasty. skate.vans.com
CARTOON HEROES L
ook back on the good ol’ days with ADEEN’s fresh new caps. Inspired by morning cartoons like Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, ADEEN makes sure you encounter your favorite heroes and villains outside the telly. While saturated with nostalgic references , don’t forget that these bad boys are for play. Bust your Nintendos out, whip those thumbs into shape, and get a head rush—game is never over. adeenyc.com
COCO CHANNELS T
rade staple Stepford florals for outlandish COCO FENNELL designs. Mix and mismatch prints of vintage phones, sailboats, and circus elephants with prim and modest babydoll button-downs and skater skirts for an air that’s in between put together and rough around the edges. Topped perfectly with coiffed mane, you can trade these threads for anything, except maybe for your N°5 or classic 2.55. cocofennell.com
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HEARTY TALE O
nce upon a time, BOY MEETS GIRL made everyone fall in love with trademark couple silhouettes printed on cute shirts, hoodies, bandeaus, and blouses. But it’s the brand’s latest collection of comfy tees mixed with cardigans, jackets, and harem pants that steals our hearts nowadays. Cap off the sportswear trend in grey sweat shorts paired with mean booties; this tale always leads to a happy ending. boymeetsgirlusa.com
THREADS
SERGEANT OF ARMS H
AN KJOBENHAVN rounds up a collection to salute the brave few. The Danish brand’s denim shirts, sweat chinos, and quilted vests update military dressing by throwing in patch pockets and a few rips and tears for action. Arm yourself with a leather button-down paired with worker jeans for a look that’s dapper for duty. hankjobenhavn.com
ROUGH RIDER A
HARAJUKU BOYS
X + APPLE knows how to be sweet and tough. Its Imperial Ash collection of vintage jewelry keeps it interesting with silver-plated chains, white bronze plates, and hand-carved wax. The Pyramid bracelet with a hanging talon cast is the perfect statement piece for a normal day. Don’t be a bore—cuff up or go home. axandapple.com
W
ho said only Gwen Stefani’s gal pals can have all the fun? Definitely not LOSERS. The sneaker brand from Harajuku serves the cool kids poppin’ new sneaks with clean lines and a signature “V” stamped across the toes. We think “Losers” is a misnomer, but we’ll just let the shoes do the talking and walking. losers-styg.com
NO ROOM FOR SQUARES F
orget structure and all perceptions of shape as GEOF GONZALES cuts out patterns of dresses that challenge the constructs of chic. Formless doesn’t mean ill-fitting, though; because fur, lace, pleats, and unfinished hems can add character to any piece while strong blues, greens, and pinks can make any design pop. cargocollective.com/geofgonzales
PASS YOUR QUIZ T
he latest drops from DUAL NATION include handmade woodenlooking necklaces, rings, and bracelets made from polymer clay. Elaine-The First Born collection is filled with pastel accessories designed as crowns, wolves, and skulls. Prepare to be flooded with questions like “How much is that?” or “Where did you buy that?” when you have these on. Don’t forget, you have the right to remain silent. dualnationjewellery.com
statusmagonline.com - 17
THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
Sorbet Party T
ake a look and you’ll see a world of pure imagination in MAKIN JAN MA’s latest collection of shift dresses, button-downs, trousers, and tailored shorts in pastel colors that satisfy like ice cream licked on a hot Saturday afternoon. Give in to the craving and pair pink trousers with a printed blazer. Treats are on them. makinjanma.com
in versailles F
ur, frills, florals, and cake—everything for the modern Marie Antoinette is in ZAYAN’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection. All things dainty—ruffled tanks, flowery pants, and balloon-skirt dresses—relive the frolic of the big-haired queen, while dark lace frocks depict the young royal in her less ostentatious hours. This is what it’s like as a fun, flirty, and filthy rich femme in the 18th century. zayan.com
Golden age S
carf prints are all the rage this season, and it’s no surprise that scarves are as well. SQUARE LUST is all about making the most of the trend with its multi-wear pieces that have a metallic sheen. Wear them with neons or pastels and prove that abstract and geometric leaf patterns in gold and neutrals aren’t just for the classicist. square-lust.com
permanent marker A
ll threads are stained by ink inside WHITE TENT, leaving not a single empty spot behind. The brand’s latest collection brings you to the shady side of fashion with greys and blues dominating its knitted tees, sweaters, and trousers in clean and boxy silhouettes. Layer utilitarian pullovers and rain jackets over loose mullet shirts and keep yourself cozy. Remember, you’ve been marked. white-tent.com
Hard candy S
traight out of candy land is FIVE AND TWO’s jewelry collection comprising rings, earrings, and pendants with translucent gem fragments. The entire confection drips with shimmering sugary hues. There are multicolor gummy bear charms and leather string bracelets in neon and Ladurée pastels. Yum! five-and-two.com
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THREADS
Leader Ladder A
ct like a lady and think like a boss with LAVENDER BROWN’s latest collection. With pleated dresses, printed skirts, and cutout blouses made of silk and chiffon, you’ll be shaking hands with the top dogs and rubbing elbows with the queen bees. These outfits are your one-way ticket to being little miss bossy. Heel up and don’t ever look down, the highs can be dizzying. lavenderbrown.com
ali baba baby T
ake a trip to the land of desert moons and magic carpets with NOR BLACK NOR WHITE. Its Indian inspirations take Princess Jasmine to town for a cocktail, dressed in fringed tops and printed wide-leg pants. Come out of the desert heat topped with larger-than-life disc earrings. There’s no better way to conquer the sand dunes than looking like a mirage. norblacknorwhite.com
British flag S
how some London loving with a pair of MIISTA shoes. The brand’s towering heels are made for lady daredevils who aren’t afraid to wave their fashion flags. Take a cue from the Brits and put those skinny stilettos to rest. It’s time to slip on a pair of chunky, wooden-heeled peep toe booties and rule like a true blue-blooded queen. miista.com
the book club W
hen you feel like sticking your nose into a novel, try OLYMPIA LE-TAN’s updated library instead. In Power, Corruption and Lies, the minaudière—just a fancy word for the tiny clutch—is turned into a pocketbook. The flat bags feature other titles like “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The Merchant of Venice”—enough to turn any bookworm fashion-savvy. olympialetan.com
Words by Zoe Laurente, Loris Peña and
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members only L
ounge around in your khakis and pastels in a beach club or at a private villa. WACKERHAUS brings you all you need for that weekend getaway by carrying silky, streamlined pants in neutral colors, candy-colored shift dresses, and light button-downs perfect for covering up a sleek bikini. The brand makes sure you get the gift of compliments, with many of its pieces wrapped up and tied with a bow. wackerhaus.dk
statusmagonline.com - 19
SETTING
PLACES TO GO
CORKAGE
sUPPER PUNCH W
ith a restaurant upstairs and a fully stocked bar in the basement, London’s DABBOUS has you covered from dinner to drinks. While top dog Oskar Kinsberg promises fine reds and whites, champagne, sherry, and port, the more adventurous crowds can delve into seasonal cocktails with homemade syrups and infusions. Brave hearts are also invited to try Oskar’s signature Sloe Gin Punch with homemade sloe gin, hawthorn syrup, ginger ale, and pink grapefruit. It sure packs a wallop so don’t say we didn’t warn you.
SUITE
CHROMA CHAMELEON
C
GRUB
THE FINE BURROUGHS T
aking its name from the famed New York neighborhood, NOLITA offers classic North Italian pizza suited to the American palate. With a bare industrial look, the Fort-based pizzeria takes size seriously with slice after slice of hot stringing cheese blends on crispy crusts
with toppings like Spinach and Artichoke, Chicken Parmesan, and Wild Mushroom Walnut Ricotta—all coming from a huge 20-inch mothership that guarantees a full stomach.
facebook.com/NOLITA.PIZZA
olor goes crazy in DesignHotel’s FRESH HOTEL. Hailed as one of Travelers’ Choice 2012’s trendiest hotels in the world, it has over 130 vivid yet minimalist accomodations ranging from street-view rooms that look over all of Athens to Korres-outfitted suites with private balconies overlooking the Parthenon. After a day of sightseeing and island-hopping, treat yourself to an experience at Fresh Hotel’s Air Lounge on the rooftop to chill out at night and get some gazing on, star or otherwise.
freshhotel.gr
PLATE
THAT’S AMORE
Nothing says love like a slice from NOLITA’s 20-inch pizza pies. The only things that come close would be helpings from the rest of their menu— ordered to share, of course. 7th Ave. corner 29th St. South Bonifacio High Street Central Global City, Taguig
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CHEESEBURGER PIZZA Tomato-based New York-style pizza with cheddar, burger patty bits, and red onion rings
SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE PIZZA A mix of spinach, artichoke, and pesto on a thin, crispy crust with a white sauce base
STOVETOP MAC N’ CHEESE Fusilli pasta with cheddar cheese sauce, topped with crumbled bleu cheese
FRIED PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH Deep-fried sandwich with creamy peanut butter and fruit jelly
Words by Rita Faire Fresh Hotel photos courtesy of DesignHotels™ (for bookings: designhotels.com), Nolita photos by Patrick Diokno
dabbous.co.uk
BRICK AND MORTAR
STORES TO SHOP
Bodega, Boston 6 Clearway St. Boston, MA 02115 bdgastore.com Dime to drop: $20-$2000 (P866–P87,000) Don’t leave without: a piece from the new Bodega Spring/Summer 2012 line
D
on’t be fooled by the grocery store façade of BODEGA. The store may sell detergent and a mean soda pop up front, but what it has in the back are goods fresher than all of your mama’s vegetables combined. Swinging through the sliding vending machine store, you’ll discover that this space was made for sneakerheads. Besides being greeted by wooden shelves displaying an assembly line of Airs, SBs, and Jordans; printed shirts, varsity jackets, and caps are also arranged neatly as if they’re piled in the library (yes, moving ladder included). Brands like Barbour, Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, Garbstore, White Mountaineering, Nanamica, and Saucony are also sold alongside selections of Yuketen, Clae, and Adidas. Plus, the store is known for collaborating with Odd Future’s recent pop-up store. Can you say C-O-O-L? Good music and chill employees are a guarantee here. The secret may be out, but one thing is sure: no other place in Boston lets you cop sneaks and detergent soap at the same damn time.
OXYGEN, Manila Ground Floor, TriNoma Mall Quezon City oxygenfashion.com Price Range: P399-P2,500 Don’t leave without: colored jeans
B
Words by Loris Peña and Belle Rodolfo
reathe in, breathe out. OXYGEN turns the heat on as another store opens. Its 200-square-foot space, decked with gleaming floors and a black ceiling, is occupied by a friendly staff that will guide you toward racks of clothes, accessories, and shoes that carry the brand’s signature blacks and whites. Aside from neutrals, you’ll be greeted by mannequins clad in colorful threads and a large screen near the counter that plays the brand’s latest campaign. Rows of skinny jeans, knitted sweaters, and graphic tanks take the center while leather bracelets, canvas bags, perfumes, and sandals are displayed conveniently on the side. Further on, go dotty with polka dot shirts. When you’re done reading this, remember to take a breather. When it comes to stopping just for shopping, Oxygen better be your bet.
GRACIA T
here are pretty girls and there are GRACIA girls. The latter ooze with confidence and sexiness in their wardrobe choices that include cutout blouses, maxi dresses, floral skirts, jean jackets and more. May it be a casual red
skirt or a graphic romper, these girls always emanate grace. Donning peep toes, printed mullet dresses, and their biggest smiles, everyone’s eyes are on them.
shopgracia.com
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BOOKS TO READ
BOOKMARK
HOT OFF THE PRESS SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HARDCOVER VOLUME 1: PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE By Bryan Lee O’Malley Revisit Scott Pilgrim’s quest for Ramona Flowers and his battle against her Seven Evil Exes in this full-color reprint of the black and white comic book series. Precious Little Life sees the Canadian SexBob-omb bass player locked in a video game-style bout with Matthew Patel, an emo mystic with the ability to chuck fireballs and summon an army of “Demon Hipster Chicks” at will.
TRUE BLOOD: EATS, DRINKS, AND BITES FROM BON TEMPS By Gianna Sobol and Alan Ball Just when you thought human necks and Tru Blood were the only courses in Bon Temps’ menu, series head honchos Alan Ball and Gianna Sobol whet your appetite by showcasing the unfortunate town’s cuisine. The cookbook contains 85 bayou country recipes featured in the show itself, from handmade canapés served by the Fellowship of the Sun to Lafayette’s specialties from Merlotte’s Bar and Grill.
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING By Christopher Buckley
In this satirical novel, tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor is a man who sticks to cigarette sticks. Here are his arguments on why he won’t rest his case. 1. If the tobacco companies are responsible for every cigarette-related death, then the state of Vermont should be accountable for every artery clogged by their cheese. 2. If the warning symbol on cigarette packs are reminders of the dangers of smoking then you might as well slap the same thing on all airplanes, cellphones, and cars because they could be just as hazardous for your health.
BEATLES IN COMIC STRIPS By Enzo Gentile and Fabio Schiavo
3. Someone told you that cigarettes kill? Was that a doctor? A scientist? An expert? If entire NGOs haven’t found the link between smoking and a number of respiratory diseases, then your friend is letting opinion get in the way of facts.
Published on the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first single, “Love Me Do,” is this collection of more than 200 comic strips dedicated to the Fab Four. The book investigates and documents the unique relationship between the band and their depiction in comic strips. Expect anything from graphical interpretations of the Beatles’ lyrics as well as surprise appearances of the lads themselves as stars of their strips and guests in others’.
4. If your parents told you that chocolate was dangerous, would you take their word for it? Same goes for cigarettes, go out there and decide for yourself.
FOOTNOTES Defeat your demons— hipster chick or otherwise—by gaining inner peace. Most martial arts, like Kung Fu or Aikido, require intensive meditative exercises before getting into combat mode.
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Before becoming Damon Salvatore in The CW’s The Vampire Diaries, Ian Somerhalder first auditioned for the role of Bon Temps’ resident manwhore, Jason Stackhouse. Shoulda, woulda, coulda, honey.
During his humdrum schoolboy days, John Lennon wrote his own newspaper of jokes and cartoons called The Daily Howl.
Words by Rita Faire
INK
SCREEN TICKET
SCENES TO SEE
REMOTE CONTROL 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK This sequel to 2007’s 2 Days in Paris examines cultural differences between New York-based French photographer Marion (Julie Delpy) and her American boyfriend Mingus (Chris Rock).
PARANORMAN From the creators of Coraline comes the story of a boy who must use his gift of seeing dead people to save his town from an age-old curse involving ghosts and zombies.
THE SAPPHIRES This Cannes Film Festival darling follows The Sapphires, composed of four Australian Aboriginal girls, as they dig deep to find their inner Aretha Franklin when hired to perform for US troops in Vietnam.
LAWLESS Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain, and Mia Wasikowska star in this Depressionera Western inspired by the real-life bootlegging adventures of the Bondurant brothers.
Words by Rita Faire
PREMIUM RUSH From Mission: Impossible writer David Koepp comes a high-octane chase flick following a New York bike messenger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a dirty cop (Michael Shannon) desperate to stop his delivery route.
Cosmopolis Adapted from Don DeLillo’s novel of the same name, the film follows the strange and dangerous adventures of a young billionaire traveling across Manhattan to get a haircut.
THE MINDY PROJECT (FOX) Emmy-nominated writer and The Office veteran Mindy Kaling produces and stars in this series about a single OB/GYN on a quest to balance her professional and personal life. Also starring are Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s Chris Messina and True Blood’s Anna Camp.
REVOLUTION (NBC) Supernatural’s Erik Kripke, Lost’s J.J. Abrams, and Iron Man’s Jon Favreau head up the creative team for this sci-fi drama set 15 years after a blackout that disables technology around the world. The series follows the Matheson family—led by Twilight’s Billy Burke—in a quest to discover what’s behind the blackout.
COPPER (BBC AMERICA) Set in the 1860s, newcomer Tom Weston-Jones and Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) star in BBC America’s first commissioned series about war and peace among the gangs of New York’s Five Points district. Rounding off the cast is Being Human’s Kyle Schmid and Once Upon A Time’s Anastasia Griffith.
PL AYBACK DRAG ME TO HELL (2009) The perfect horror movie— funny, smart, and scary without being absolutely terrifying.
by CRAIG REDMAN of DARCEL DISAPPOINTS darceldisappoints.com WITHNAIL and I (1987) When I first saw it, it was a little too close to real life.
DAVID HOCKNEY: A BIGGER PICTURE (2009) A rad documentary about Hockney’s more recent English landscapes.
HERB & DOROTHY (2008) My favorite documentary about the most adorable New York couple who spent their meager life savings collecting conceptual art.
YELLOW SUBMARINE (1968) Quite predictable, I guess, but it had a big impact on me as a teen and probably influenced my decision to get into art and design.
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BEATS
MUSIC TO HEAR
PL AYLIS T
BEST COAST Bethany Cosentino (vocals) bestcoast.us
HANSOM Ton Vergel de Dios (vocals/drums) facebook.com/hansommusic
“Dream Baby Dream” Suicide It’s a perfect contrast between darkness and hope.
“Red Sails” China Crisis I like naïve songs like this. The nice melody line and vocals are perfect.
“Painter in Your Pocket” Destroyer This is my favorite song. The layered vocals are great.
“California Blue” Roy Orbison Its melody blends Electric Light Orchestra with old school 50s jams.
“Searching through the Past” Bleached This song reminds me of a Lindsay Buckingham song.
“Vertical Walk” Dunes Good friends of ours from LA who blend Cocteau Twins with postpunk.
“Love in Store” Fleetwood Mac I love the lyrics and the guitar part.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” Queen Queen is the most inspirational band.
“Us and Them” Pink Floyd This will be the song during my first dance at my wedding.
“Here Comes the Sun” The Beatles It’s hot, so it gives you a positive reason to like the sun.
“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” The Miracles Heavily covered, but it’s really Smokey Robinson’s song.
ON THE RISE
Consider it done People might get the idea that mainstream radio covers all things hip-hop, but under the radio’s radar are rising acts that shake the music scene. Inspired by hip-hop’s roots, DJ Dtech, producers Tibbz and DJ Umph, and MCs Delphi and Switch of MISCELLANEOUS give us a taste of what live rapping
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is supposed to feel like when matched with jazzy overtones, a dash of funk, and body breakin’ beats. Packed with 90s hip-hop— almost part-Bone Thugs, partFrank Sinatra—Miscellaneous create a breezy vibe with aggressive lyrical flow. They overthrow cheesy battle rappers by creating different
flavors in their new album, Almost Done. Mainstream rappers, the end of your lives are near, when these guys premiere.
facebook.com/themightymusic
MUSIC NEWS
We all know that Willow Smith can whip her hair back and forth, but can she do it with a red, curly bob like Annie? The little fireball just bagged the lead for the remake of Annie—which her Daddy-o is producing with screenwriter Emma Thompson. There is no word about its production period, but it will be set in modern-day New York, and Jay-Z will man the music. “HardKnock Life,” anyone?
We’re honestly tired of watching Justin Timberlake act. We’d rather have him behind the scenes to supervise the music—particularly, the one for The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, a drama directed by Bill Purple and starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chloë Moretz, and JT’s sweetheart, Jessica Biel.
Björk’s Biophilia education program consists of workshops for school children that explore music and science (i.e. playing custom instruments, extracting DNA from an onion, watching cell division on TV). Björk has now been holding drop-in workshops daily for school classes, summer camps, and family groups at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the New York Public Library. Kids and geniuses alike, this mobile education program will run until December 30.
Words by Marnee Gamboa and Reena Mesias Bethany Cosentino photo by David Black, Ton Vergel de Dios photo by Nyael David
WE ARE SERENADES Adam Olenius weareserenades.com
“Shipbuilding” Robert Wyatt Timeless songwriting. Beautiful words.
TEC H PACK VERTU CONSTELLATION CANDY • Features a 3.5-inch AMOLED screen with Sapphire Crystal protection • Equipped with exclusive ringtones and alerts played by the London Symphony Orchestra • Pre-installed with exclusive Vertu services like Vertu Concierge, Vertu Club Access, and Vertu Select. • Comes in raspberry, mint green, and tangerine
DIESEL VEKTR ON-EAR HEADPHONES
SRP: TBA
• A collaboration between Diesel and Monster Headphones • Features a multi-planar and tri-fold design • Equipped with triangular line highdefinition cables for minimal tangling • Comes with a touring case for easy storage • Features ControlTalk™ that enables answering calls and changing music via a simple touch on the headphones SRP: P12,230
THE BLING RING You’ll be looking like wealth with these luxe gadgets.
PORSCHE DESIGN P’9981
SAMSUNG ES8000 SLIM LED
• Stainless steel BlackBerry Smartphone with leather finishes styled by Porsche Design • Features fluid animation via a Liquid Graphics™ 2.8-inch high resolution touchscreen • Employs a wide QWERTY keyboard for easier messaging • Powered by a 1.2 GHz processor with 8 GB of onboard memory • Equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi and BlackBerry App World™ 3.0
• Equipped with voice control, face recognition, and motion sensor technology • Has a 960Hz Clear Motion Rate that delivers smooth Full HD 1080p resolution • Samsung’s Smart Hub which connects TV to a variety of lifestyle and social media applets • Comes in 46-inch, 55-inch, and 60-inch models. SRP:
P95,230 to P135,260
SRP: P100,420
DOWNLOADS LOUIS VUITTON 100 LEGENDARY TRUNKS by Editions de La Martinière Released in conjunction with a book of the same name, the app explores 100 prominent Louis Vuitton trunks throughout history.
UNIQLO WAKE UP by UNIQLO CO., Ltd. Social alarm clock that adapts to your area’s weather by featuring alerts written by Grammy nominee Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada) and Yoko Kanno.
KOPPARBERG FESTIVAL PLAYER by Kopparberg UK Creates UK festival playlists via Spotify and Last.fm to enable auto-sharing on Facebook
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FAC E PA IN T TARTE Amazonian Clay 12-hour Shimmering Blush in Frisky P1,075
CAROLINA HERRERA CH Eau de Toilette Feminino P12,169
GIORGIO ARMANI Beauty Blushing Fabric Second Skin Blush in Sienna P1,634
BLOODY MARY
MAC Hey, Sailor! Lipstick in Red Racer P645 KORRES Lip Butter Glaze in Pomegranate P516
Crimson and carmine are just living reflections from a dream. BENEFIT Benetint P1,257
YVES SAINT LAURENT Voile De Blush in Carmine P1,531
Butter London™ 3 Free Nail Lacquer Vernis in Knees Up P602
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Lip Liner Pencil in Red P774
RIMMEL LONDON Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 12 P408
THE BALM Stainiac Hint of Tint in Beauty Queen P731
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NARS Blush in Exhibit A P1,333
MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Cream in Red P989
Model photo by Fernando Colon
SHISEIDO Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Dragon P1,075
AB O U T FACE Expert Advice
These products are best used twice to thrice a week—not everyday.
EARTHLY WONDER
Soiling your face with MURAD® CLARIFYING MASK isn’t such a bad idea. It’s made of natural clay that purifies skin and keeps excess oil away. P2,064
SUPER STARLET
Let GLAMGLOW® VERY SEXY TINGLING & EXFOLIATING MUD MASK give you a touch of Hollywood. This gentle exfoliating treatment helps moisturize and brighten skin for an A-List glow. P2,967
GOT A MINUTE
BAL MASQUÉ The secret to glowing skin lies behind these face masks.
Fifteen minutes with SOAP & GLORY THE FAB PORE™ FACIAL PEEL is all you need for a skin-deep cleanse. Rub a grape-sized amount onto clean skin, focusing on your T-Zone area—voila, refreshed skin in a jiffy. P1,075
REBOUND GIRL
Bounce back to beauty with BLISS® FABULOUS SKIN-REVIVING RUBBERIZING MASK. It fends off free radicals and calms your skin leaving it vibrant and fresh. P2,064
DRY RUN
MARIO BADESCU DRYING MASK isn’t only for your face, but it’s for your chest and back acne as well. Its colloidal sulfur base dries out pimples and oil. P1,145
MRS. BLOOM’S SECRET
b ea u t y b i t e
Heaven just can’t keep quiet about KORA™ ORGANICS BY MIRANDA KERR CLAY PURIFYING MASK. The secret: noni and lavender extracts that restore healthier complexion for clear, smooth skin. P2,128
Words by Zoe Laurente and Belle Rodolfo Model photo by Fernando Colon
HAIR PHILOSOPHIE
N
estled in between crowded buildings is HAIR PHILOSOPHIE, a getaway for weary city slickers. Clean lines, wood fixtures, and white furniture occupy the spacious interiors that can relax any soul. Don’t leave without trying the Kérastase Chroma Riche Treatment that brings out hair color without burning your mane. If you need extra indulgence, Hair Philosophie boasts private rooms, too.
Definitely the girl on the go’s go-to for some quick pampering, Hair Philosophie is that haven where you can turn stress into beautiful tresses, regardless of what your beauty philosophy may be. G/F FinMan Building 117 Tordesillas St., Salcedo Village, Makati City
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GO S E E No matter how heavy the crowd bustles, their styles stand out as the most fashion forward.
Chunky Sweater
Leather Pants Navy Trousers
Leather Jacket
Bone Accessories Oversized Sweater
Bra Top
Pastel Maxi
Brogues
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Denim Vest
Oversized Blazer Pencil Skirt High Slit Skirt
Harem Pants Pleated Skirt
Khaki Coat
Photographed by Ming Han Chung, Danica Condez, Toch Barreiro, and Joaquin Gregorio
Checkered Blazer
Floral Blazer Leopard Cardigan
Zippered Sweater Leather Backpack
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S T YLE I D
FLORAL RANGERS This rainy season, take the sunshine wherever you go by sporting fresh, flirty, and vibrant floral ensembles. By JP Singson
Floral on print pretty
print floral looks sexy.
Prince Pelayo of Kate Loves Me looks handsome in a flowery CĂŠline moto jacket.
Dagda gets androgynous in an oversized herbaceous cardigan.
London-based Olivia-Kate Doige wears a decorative Miss Selfridge’s bandeau.
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A Londoner joins the floral trend in an eye-catching varsity jacket.
Faustine from Paris pairs her floral print trousers with her quirky hat and jacket.
Photos by JP Singson (jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com)
Anna Wegelin from Berlin brings out her inner flower child by donning a girly girl skirt.
LA DY LU XE Uptown girl has been living in her uptown world of leather gloves, cinched corsets, and high slits. On a cloudy afternoon, she parades her light and breezy frocks while she carries the weight of the world by wearing gold and the biggest rocks. Photographed by Allen DeMarcus Styled by Nilufer Bracco
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top by Michael Kors corset by Kiki de Montparnasse shorts by YT jacket by Helmut Lang collar by Karl bracelet by Yves Saint Laurent vintage earrings, stylist’s own hosiery by Betsey Johnson
shirt by Prada shorts by YT belt by Lanvin necklace by Chanel earrings by Tiffany & Co. ring by Istanbul Grand Bazaar
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bustier by Dolce & Gabbana skirt by Agent Provocateur necklace by Lanvin shoes by Gucci earrings by H.stern bracelets by Alexander McQueen vintage bracelets, stylist’s own
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dress by Chlòe choker by Versace for Topshop belt by Gucci rings by Istanbul Grand Bazaar
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jacket by Chl贸e corset by Agent Provocateur leather pants by Helmut Lang boots by Tom Ford necklaces by Lanvin
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Makeup Imane Fiocchi Hair B. Niles for Oribe Retouching Pari Retouching Photo Assistant Aaron Ni’jai Model Dashil Hernandez of Muse Model Management NYC jumpsuit by Yves Saint Laurent belt by Yves Saint Laurent shoes by Yves Saint Laurent gloves by Franco bracelet by Lanvin vintage earrings, stylist’s own
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You’re invited. Dress code consists of your favorite dresses, jewel toned skirts, vests, and caps. Replace party favors with metallic bags, wedges, and silver boots. Prick a balloon or roll with champagne bubbles, you look like a VIP anyway. Photographed by Rxandy Capinpin Styling by Ryuji Shiomitsu
mint green jersey dress by Jian Lasala pvc turquoise vest by Je-C Macaraig clear bangles by Lizanne Cua yellow helmet by Red Mil
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orange swimsuit by Yong Davalos sunset orange jersey dress by SESA by Kika Serrano shoes by Gold Dot medium brown bag by Bloomingdale’s pink clear sunglasses by Rustan’s
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red off-the-shoulder knit sweater by Forever 21 pink jersey dress by SESA by Kika Serrano green monster hat by David & Goliath blue slim belt by SM Accessories pink canvas hobo bag by CAVA Handbags
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pink sorbet jersey dress by Jian Lasala pvc bolt necklace by Gold Dot silver foil bag by Space Encounter shoes by Gold Dot
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Assistant Photographer Jerby Tebelin Assistant Stylist Raizel Dy Makeup Lloyd Gumba Hair Jay Wee Model Olivia Danah Song pvc purple vest by Je-C Macaraig high-waisted skirt by Seph Bagasao metallic silver laceup boots by Dr. Martens green clutch bag by CAVA Handbags flower chandelier earrings by Adante Leyesa
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OCCUPAT IONAL
HAZARD Tied to a stick as machines tick—sweat in midriff tops, plaid shirts, and jumpsuits. Lessen the toil with glazed eyes and shaded skin but double the trouble with leather worn on a whim. Photographed by Miguel Miranda Styled by Loris Pena
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top by Forever 21 jumpsuit worn as pants by Sassa Jimenez
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bandana, stylist’s own top by Nixon Marquez leather shorts by Veejay Floresca boots, stylist’s own
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leather cutout top by Veejay Floresca pants, stylist’s own
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jacket by Sassa Jimenez leather dress by Sassa Jimenez hoodie, stylist’s own
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Assistant stylist Zoe Laurente Makeup Maui Manalo Hair Adam Seth Teh Model Julia of Elite Model Management Manila leather vest by Mike Lavarez leather shorts by Mike Lavarez plaid shirt, stylist’s own
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tank t o p s / g la s s e s
TANK ME LATER Keep it breezy, Drizzy.
Penshoppe [P499]
21 Men [P705]
Folded & Hung [P499]
Penshoppe [P499]
ai R ic h ar d C h 2 0 1 2 MER S p r in g /S U M
Jerome Lorico for Folded & Hung [P499]
21 Men [P755]
VISION MISSION You can see clearly now.
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Folded & Hung [P499]
Catena [P350]
Folded & Hung [P499]
c ar d i g an s
DREAM CHASER Cardigans for the big guns.
Penshoppe [P1,399]
Oxygen [P1,119]
Terranova [P1,345]
Perr y E ll is 2 0 1 2 MER S p r in g /S U M 21 Men [P1,375]
21 Men [P1,425]
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s neaker s
THROUGH THE WIRE Sneaks for breakfast and sneaks for dizzert.
Steve Madden [P3,937]
Creative Recreation [P3,995]
Vans Native American Low [P3,498]
Vans LPE [P2,798]
Superga [P2,250]
Civic Duty [P3,890]
Sperry Top-Sider [TBA]
Creative Recreation [P3,995]
Penshoppe [P1,645]
Skechers [P3,590]
Superga [P2,250]
Sperry Top-Sider [P4,995]
Pony [P3,995]
Keds [TBA]
Clae [P5,980]
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K H A K I p ant s
THE MOTTO Mo’ khaki, no problem.
Zara [P2,990] Penshoppe [P1,099]
Jerome Lorico for Folded & Hung [P1,399] Topman [P2,395]
g eneral id ea 12 ER 20 S p r in g /S U M M
Terranova [P1,695]
Celio [P2,895]
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B ralette s
RACK CITY
Bralettes as risky as the Russian Roulette.
Topshop [P2,250]
Forever 21 [P455]
Topshop [P945]
A nna Su i E R 2 0 12 S p r in g /S U M M Topshop [P945]
Forever 21 [P455]
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P o i nte d Pum p s
THE CLIMB
To go places, pump it.
Aldo [P4,895]
Call It Spring [P3,295]
Aldo [P4,298]
Call It Spring [P2,195]
LO R R E B E CCA TAY 0 12 ER 2 S p r in g /S U M M
Zara [P2,990]
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Pen c i l Sk i rt s
NEW CLASSIC Sexy pencil skirts got the bases covered.
Forever 21 [P1,175]
Topshop [P2,095]
Zara [P2,990]
Warehouse [P1,795]
Topshop [2,545]
Forever 21 [P665]
R N ICO L E M IL L E 0 12 ER 2 S p r in g /S U M M
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Sk i nn y B elt s / turban s
ALL TOGETHER United colors of belts.
Warehouse [P395]
Terranova [P299]
Call It Spring [P655]
L u ca L u ca E R 2 0 12 S p r in g /S U M M
Dorothy Perkins [P395]
Calliope [P455]
WRAP GAME Survive the urban with a turban.
Aldo [P355]
Terranova [P445]
Terranova [P445]
Aldo [P455]
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M U S E
No ordinary newbie, GRACE BOL burst onto Paris’ elite catwalks (Westwood, Givenchy, Margiela) a year back. This time around, she’s not messin’ around. The model has done her rounds, and she’s ready for the next round, whichever direction it comes ‘round. By Giano D. Dionisio Photos courtesy of WM Models
W
ith her face that acts like an angular canvas and her eyes that captivate like an enigma, Sudanese beauty Grace Bol is a favorite among designers Rick Owens, Jeremy Scott, and Riccardo Tisci. Her force on the runway translates into a royally badass print personality. “During a photo shoot, I do play one particular character: a warrior princess,” she says. Get ready to rumble.
HOMETOWN DOWN
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri was amazing. As a child, my favorite memories would be spending time with my family and friends. Also playing basketball.
DRESSING UP
A gown makes me feel confident, respectful, and beautiful… because it’s an appropriate outfit for any occasion… [On the runway, however,] I would like to see more of a casual look.
A RIGHT MATCH
One trait I find attractive in a person is his or her smile… I would say that my sexiest personality trait would be that I am funny.
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LEFT FOR LAST
The last thing that made me cry recently was when South Sudan became an independent country. It made me laugh, too, because I couldn’t believe it actually happened after so many decades of trying.
justwm.com
M A E S T R O
“There’s obviously some people [WHO] fabricate AND exaggerate in their rap. That doesn’t make them more or less conscious, but that means they might be liars.”
Though rapper MACKLEMORE’s upcoming album is called The Heist, it’s made of pure honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity. With striking verses and some Irish pride by his side, he’s one of those rappers whose standard in craft is measured by beating the hype. By Loris Peña Photographed by Jason Koenig
T
here’s hype and there’s Macklemore who was in XXL’s cover featuring the Freshman class of 2012, an annual list of up-andcoming rappers. The Seattle native who has been selling out shows across America claims, “For us, we’ve built a substantial fanbase, which I think is a testament to the credibility of the music we make… I care more about having music that lasts for a longer length of time than having an immediate explosion, blowing up, and being famous immediately.” Standing out from his peers who are signed to major labels or co-signed by big artists, Macklemore keeps his head high and insists on doing things his own way. He says, “I think there’s a ceiling in being independent, and I don’t think we’ve reached that ceiling yet. A part of my job would be easier with a major [label], but parts of it would be sacrifice.” With his raspy voice, lyrics about drug abuse and consumerism, and producer/friend/ support system Ryan Lewis, he has created a movement that makes fans commit to the music and sometimes to more. The rapper laughs it off, “Some people support from a distance, some people get involved, some people cross the line. It’s a little bit
scary, but for the most part, it all comes from the place of love. So, I can’t call anyone out.” While he enjoys the perks of being famous, he isn’t consumed by what comes with it. Macklemore surrounds himself with family and friends. This includes hanging out with his 81-year-old grandma. The “Wings” rapper refuses to step into the limelight with a pill-popping, leansipping lifestyle. Openly sharing his experience with drug abuse, he explains, “I want to be on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of what that has done in my life. Dozens and hundreds of rappers glorify the use of drugs—not that’s there’s nothing wrong with that. If that’s what they want to do, I can’t judge them. I had a different experience and I just want to share that honestly.” And share he does. His verse on “Otherside” (“Us as rappers underestimate the power/and the effects that we have on these kids”) shows what he’s all about. “I rap about what I’ve
gone through and what I’ve perceived in the world, and I think that’s all anybody does. There’s obviously some people [who] fabricate and exaggerate in their rap. That doesn’t make them more or less conscious, but that means they might be liars.” Macklemore is aware of what needs to be done to get on top. As his verses go beyond making him dough, he dreams of being a well-rounded person who contributes to the society. Just don’t call him a conscious rapper. He says, “To me, everything breathing and living is a conscious person. To try to separate myself using that word— that’s just false. Every single person who is rapping is a conscious rapper. I don’t specifically like that term, but I understand why people label me that way.”
macklemore.com
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MAESTRO
CALL OF DUTY
Henry Walton tells us he’s in Toronto “for some tasty lunch and then straight to work.” Your first guess might be that his desk job threw him a bone and sent him on a business trip for once. In truth, Henry is the guitarist for indie rock quintet ZULU WINTER, a British band that plays hard for work. Oh, the things we’d do just to join Henry’s company. By Miguel Escobar Photographed by Tom Oxley
“the best music around has been made by people not paying attention in class…”
A
s guitarist Henry Walton, vocalist Will Daunt, bassist Iain Lock, keyboardist Dom Millard, and drummer Guy Henderson of London’s Zulu Winter set the internet abuzz these past few months with their album Language, they have been referred to as both “the new Coldplay” and “the new Vaccines.” These aren’t farfetched comparisons, but the band does much to differentiate themselves using “solid grooves with cinematic
sweeping atmospherics and pop hooks,” describes Henry. It also helps that the guys are quite scholarly (they’re fans of director Sergei Parajanov, and they compiled a mixtape with pieces from Alice Coltrane to Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guebrou). But Henry defends, “I would say that most of the best music around has been made by people not paying attention in class and skipping [it] to smoke cigarettes and listen to records.” Their real education happened by “withdrawing from the world a little.” Henry expounds, “We’ve been playing as a band for a long time in
different incarnations so the most challenging thing was not being as good as we thought we should be, and not getting as far as we thought we should. The latter is a lot easier to swallow when you realize you’re not that good though... A lot of doubt starts kicking in when you decide to cut everyone else out.” But now that they are getting the attention they deserve—they played in Hostess Club Weekender in Japan and Field Day Festival in London, and opened for Keane and Foster the People—it’s a whole different job description.
zuluwinter.com
GRAND MEISTER FLASH From Munich to Manila, MISS BADKISS is too busy enjoying the best of both worlds of being a mother and a notorious DJ. She spins clubs into frenzy by scratching the crowd’s music itch—from electro-eager earlobes, techno-twitching toes, and discopunk-driven deltoids—just to make you dance, dance, dance. By Rolly Ibañez Photographed by Patrick Diokno
C
hristina Bartges aka Miss Badkiss knows how to get things going. As she sets foot in the STATUS headquarters, before you know it, she’s already prepping up for a Terry Richardson-esque photo shoot. Expect this audacity to manifest either outdoor or inside cafés because this Miss succeeds in compartmentalizing her assets. She goes all out to make everyone dig in. Miss Badkiss discloses, “I was working as a bartender in the club and I’d always complain to the DJs that they were playing crappy music. And they were like, maybe you should just be a DJ yourself and stop annoying us.” While
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often channeling a dominatrix side, she’s now able to mix her chirrupy self to her provocative alter ego by being known in the city as the Filipino-German DJ with a wicked grasp for beats. In her own words, though, “Christina is actually very easygoing and sweet. She’s also upfront.” We got a slice of her tact during our interview where she reveals: “If I get to be upset, you’ll definitely see it. I’ll get over it quickly.” She warns, don’t ask “Miss Badkiss for a dumb song when she already said no.” How to deal? Flash your hunger, flush your anger. Can you kick it? Yes, you can.
soundcloud.com/missbadkiss
DOES EAZY For the gentleman who wants to look like a modern-day James Dean, for the musician who aspires for some throwback suave in a song, and for the sweet lady who dreams to be swooned by lyrics, tune in to G-EAZY.
MAESTRO
IT We would gladly wait Four score and seven years for another BLOC PARTY album. We don’t know what we would have done if the rumors about Kele Okereke’s solo career was true, but now that’s out of the way, the songs and sirens can begin.
Introduction by Reena Mesias Interview by Rolly Ibañez
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apper G-Eazy (Gerald Earl Gillum) is 23 years old. While most of us are tolerating our professors’ repetitive lectures or crying our way to pay the rent and our Master’s degree, G-Eazy is sampling songs and opening for Drake, A$AP Rocky, Snoop Dogg, and Lil Wayne. His James Dean vibe foreshadows what his music is all about: a mix of 50s and 60s pop with a dash of 90s hip-hop. “My music is definitely a reflection of my personal style and taste,” G-Eazy explains. “If it turns into a fad, then that would be interesting, but I’m just having fun making what I’m making. I’ve always been taught to aim to create what you would want to listen yourself. For me, that means drawing from all these different sources, taking the specific elements I like about each of them, and mixing it all up and creating something new.” His The Eternal Summers mixtape is still gaining momentum, but he’s gathering all force for his debut album. “It’s all original and doesn’t rely on the crutch of samples. I think this album will show my growth as a musician and as an artist.” That’s G-enius for you—either you want him or you want to be like him. Hey, G. What’s up? What’s good! You look dapper with all the immaculate combination of wayfarers and brushed-up hair. Do you think this synergy between fashion and music helped your success? Thanks, I appreciate it. Yeah, I definitely think image always has a lot to do with the success of an artist, but I’ve always been focused on keeping both sides consistent with each other. So whenever you see a photo of me or hear a song, you can always understand my brand and what I’m about.
“Ready or Not,” MEEK MILL will have you chasing the Dreams and Nightmares in his head when his first album drops this month. Filled with fast rhymes and beats, it’ll “Burn” through your skull and stain your thoughts indefinitely.
So you’re hands-on with everything, from composition down to designing the visuals. Is it really necessary to make all things cohesive or should you tweak things to excite people? I’m definitely all about making things cohesive. I want the artwork to represent the brand in the same way the music, merch, and photos do. I think that’s essential to establishing a strong brand identity. You are a fixture within the rap scene in New Orleans but you’re from the Bay. How did the two areas transform you as an artist? In the Bay, we grew up on West Coast rap, like E-40 and Too Short. We were all very aware of the South, but it was the northern California style that really got me started in music. Those artists were the beginning for me, but once I went down South, I really got to experience something new—culture, slang, style, and music, especially when it came to club music. I found out about bounce music—which is this crazy, energetic type of dance music—that’s unique to New Orleans. Besides that, Lil Boosie was poppin’, there was a solid local scene, and then you had Lil Wayne who was a huge influence on me.
Are your lyrics made from personal experiences? Most of my songs aren’t made from exact personal experiences… They sort of represent a collection of stories all put into one song. “Runaround Sue” is one of those songs that tells a story that a lot of us have either been through or seen. Was there anything you wanted to do rather than making music? Well, when I was young I was really into riding BMX… but as soon as I got down with music, I never even thought about doing anything else. It’s been an obsession ever since. I mess around with graphic design a bit, like I do all my own album art, but it’s still just a hobby. My real passion is making music. If you were given the opportunity to do a collaboration with three artists, who would they be? I’d love to work with Nas at some point. He’s been my favorite rapper for a long time. I’d love to work with Kanye on the production side, and try to understand what his thought process is and how he approaches making music. Then maybe we could get Jill Scott in there to sing the hook. That would be rad. g-eazy.com
Even “Damaged Goods” won’t stop YEASAYER from saying yes to a Fragrant World, blooming like “an Aaliyah album if you played it backwards and slowed down,” says frontman Chris Keating.
The night may be dark and full of terrors, but there’s nothing to be scared of when you have Jack Tatum’s WILD NOTHING to guide you “Through the Glass” and into the Nocturne. Don’t worry about the Others, the only thing you’ll find in this album is “Paradise,” a shoegaze haze drenched in nostalgic string-infusions.
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maestro
NIX STAMPEDE
“There are people who are born pianists and guitarists. I haven’t met anyone who was born a DJ.” Best believe there’d be “No Lie” in 2 CHAINZ’s debut album ‘coz it was Based On A T.R.U Story—his story in fact. The homegrown Atlantan formerly known as Tity Boi busted out with his new name. Let’s hope his new crew (Drake and Kanye West) helps him to make this one stick.
When it comes to music, DJ NIX DAMN P barrels along with an animal force that turns club crowds more feral than feeding time at the zoo. It’s time to let the dogs out. By Giano D. Dionisio Photographed by Andrew Apuya
There’s gotta be Somethin’ Bout Kreay or we wouldn’t be so crazy about her in the first place. Just when we thought we’d finally gotten “Gucci Gucci” out of our heads, KREAYSHAWN puts it right back in with the release of her debut album featuring Kid Cudi, Chippy Nonstop, and V-Nasty.
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t’s a Saturday night—or early Sunday morning—at the club, and DJ Nix Damn P is blasting some Throne for a throng of guys and gals gyrating to the reverb. The mix of alcohol and downbeats has everyone jumping, and I flashback to the first time I saw Nix spin—at a beachfront fete that went “Starships” sonic as early as 3pm. It was a similarly sweaty scene, only with less clothes and even less shame. It’s standard procedure for Nix to go off the chain, bringing partygoers along for a soundscape rush that rolls like thunder and tramples any bad vibration on its path. From delivering on funk to “Fuck Up the Fun,” Nix is a damn G who doesn’t just play the game. He remixes it. Map out your music taste. I started with house music around 2002. That was my foundation. I learned hip-hop through my cousins when I went to the States. I came back to Manila, researched about our own local hip-hop—the influencers, the pioneers. I studied the old and then the new. Then I learned dub—not dubstep—which opened my music preferences. After that, I only had two genres: good music and bad music. Do you play for the crowd or for yourself? It depends. At my gigs, I prepare depending on the venue. My playlist at a regular club will be different from the one at an opening of a shop. I play for the crowd, but I make sure I educate them. If the crowd
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wants this song or genre, I’ll let them listen to the remix or I’ll flip it. For example, indie music? I’ll start with the foundation of it. So I’ll research about the beginnings of indie then transition to newer songs. What does “hustle” mean to you? Work is exploration and learning. So every time I hustle, I do stuff I don’t normally do. I’m a DJ, but I also engage in fashion, art, culture, and videos. I could help videographers in shooting and curators at galleries. For me, it’s all about the lifestyle. What’s the relationship between your music and your style? I like comfortable clothes. Comfort is the priority. How it connects to music? Hip-hop is street so I’m pretty heavy on sneakers. I start with the shoes. Whatever it is I have to wear will depend on them. It starts from the bottom then up. Favorite music to play right now? Now it’s bass music. It’s kind of like hip-hop with more bass, kind of experimental, but I
think they call it trap music or thrill? We could say it’s an evolution of dubstep ‘coz of the same tempo. But it doesn’t sound like it’s being electrocuted. Dubstep’s a headache. How do we enjoy a set? The line I use is, “Trust your DJ.” Give a DJ at least 30 minutes to check the atmosphere, so some DJs will have to adjust. My sets are more of a journey. You’ll probably listen to some songs you won’t hear from other DJs—I hope. What do you wanna say to wannabe DJs? All of the equipment are available in the market now. But you can’t buy taste. You can’t learn it. If you wanna be a DJ, you gotta work with your sound. You can learn the skills, and you could be really good if you just practice. Some of the DJs just play top 40, but there is so much more good and new music. Just practice, practice, practice. There are people who are born pianists and guitarists. I haven’t met anyone who was born a DJ.
nixdamnp.com
It ain’t a potion, but THE DREAM’s Love IV MMXII sure has us swooning. His follow up to his mixtape, 1977, starts off with a bit of “Foreplay,” something Rolling Stone has compared to the nostalgic croonings of R&B gods of old, leaving you hot and bothered—in a damn sexy way.
We’re not sure if WIZ KHALIFA is the O.N.I.F.C. (Only N*gga in First Class) but we’re pretty certain his cabin-mates don’t have anything to complain about. He tells MTV News’ Sway in the Morning that he’s not out to offend, “I was just talking about me being a young rich dude and being black.” Living the dream, bro!
MAESTRO
Do not confuse AESOP ROCK with A$AP Rocky. Although their names are separated by only a few letters and a dollar sign, their styles could not be more different. Let’s just say, Aesop Rock doesn’t need to “know what people want or like” to survive the game. Critics label his lyrics “complex,” but he says, “I don’t care.” The whole ignorance-is-bliss idea works enough for him. By Viva Gonzalez Photographed by Chrissy Piper
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tereogum calls Ian Matthias Bavitz aka Aesop Rock the “abstract rap prince,” because some find his conceptual lyrics “inaccessible.” Aesop explains, “I have such a different relationship with this music than anyone else will ever have—so all the adjectives that get tossed around to describe [my work] are always interesting. Everything I make is very accessible to me.” “Unsigned hype, frontline aeronauts flurry/Zero dark thirty, zero friends, minotaur-fugly stepchild/Evoke lunch jumped over plunging necklines,” these first lines from “Zero Dark Thirty” off his new album, Skelethon, lets the uninitiated know that Aesop’s verses on religion, life, death, and the metaphysical mean business. The single shows Aesop deviating from his earlier sound while managing to keep his lyrics tight. He talks about his new album, saying “I am frazzled and unprepared as usual, but I guess that’s part of the process. I feel I did a decent job, so now we just throw it to the wolves and see what they say.”
You achieved success in the underground scene through your self-produced albums/ EPs. What was the best and worst part about that stage of your career? My self-released stuff sold anywhere from 100-1000 copies—not exactly successful by most standards. Getting those tiny projects into the right hands helped me step forward with each release, but ultimately it was just legwork and love of music. There is no best and worst, it was just fun and weird and cool and scary and awesome and terrible. It’s cool to see a few people like the stuff that is personal to you— that’s a sentiment that doesn’t ever go away. You started out back in the 90s. How different was the scene back then? Well, the internet exploded since my early tapes, but the idea is the same. I’m probably further from the actual scene than ever before and maybe closer to the craft. I’m not out at every open mic trying to show and prove—I just like to make songs.
Tell us about your first memory of hip-hop. I remember Run DMC’s Raising Hell and the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill being the two tapes that really had a powerful effect on me, and that’s where my brain started really dissecting the music, memorizing lyrics, and just getting to that point where I’m really learning a song. Then my mom took the tapes from me and threw them away. Which comes first: beats or lyrics? I’m always doing both, writing thoughts and rhymes, making beats. At some point, I usually get a beat started that I think has some potential, and I’ll look through my notes and start piecing them all together. I take a lot of notes, so there are always puzzle pieces floating around. Sometimes I assemble a rhyme with no beat, but it usually needs to be tailored once I lock in what the music is going to sound like. If I can’t seem to write anything, I’ll take a break and go make beats, and vice versa.
aesoprock.com
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THE SHINING
There is a second coming of the Gold Rush piloted by graphic designer BENNY GOLD. Only, his wealth is found in designs that don’t need all that glitter. They come in the form of in-your-face graphics and paper planes. By Samantha Castro Photographed by Derek Macario
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aving worked with brands such as HUF, Nike, Mash, and Timbuk2 was just the tip of the iceberg for independent graphic designer Benny Gold. “I was working a string of corporate design jobs, and I felt like I needed a daily reminder of what made me fall in love with graphic design… So I created stickers in the shape of a plane with the ‘Stay Gold’ motto, and posted them around town.” This “iconic symbol of youth, exploration, and growth,” spread like wildfire and was the turning point to his now internationally distributed clothing brand based in San Francisco. “It’s mindblowing to see how much it has grown from just that simple paper plane.” What makes his ideas fly is his process that starts with a sketch. That’s where everything originates. He explains, “Without a strong concept, there is no strong design. It’s that simple.” Like his work desk— covered with samples of new products, sketches, and a cup of tea or whiskey—Benny’s designs are clean and concise with a kick of flavor and malt. Expect
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bold colors, graphic detailing, and the staple argyle and stripe streetwear patterns. In fact, some of his works have made their way onto people’s skin. He laughs, “I have no plans of switching trades and becoming a tattoo artist… But I will definitely be getting more work done soon.” On top of running his own brand, Benny also skates and makes sure he is the coolest dad to daughter Rumi Sailor. “Being a father is still so new to me, and it has changed my life tremendously for the better. I am working on time management now so that I have the time to invest in being a good father while still getting on the skateboard and pushing the brand in the right direction.” He adds,“Rumi just started walking and it’s amazing to watch her curiosity grow with every step.” Can we get a collective “awww” right now? While his daughter is his constant inspiration, an artist like Benny also needs to be surrounded by new sights and culture; living in San Francisco seems to be the perfect habitat.
“Without a strong concept, there is no strong design. it’s that simple.” It probably doesn’t hurt that the city “has some of the best skate spots in the world.” His retail store is located at the heart of SF’s Mission district. Benny is still getting used to day-to-day events in the store. He says, “Everyday, it seems like we have international visitors coming into the store. I am always blown away that they want me to autograph what they just purchased or take a picture with me and my dog, Levi.” With all the hustle and bustle of his busy life, we tried to find out what’s next for this Bay Area artist.
“Hopefully, putting out the best work that I can and getting better at being a father,” he says. While he thinks that art is becoming less permanent (“The internet and digital aspect of everything makes what you put out the old by the time it hits the shelves,” he explains), Benny keeps his head down and makes sure he gets to finish something each time he creates. “Even if it will only last a minute, I still want my design to be amazing,” he beams.
bennygold.com
mastermind
POSITION OF POWER KAI, most known for his anti-smoking series, Morons, has also generated buzz for Now Royalty, a series of paintings depicting hiphop icons as music’s blue-blooded brethren. “No one man should have all that power,” Kanye sings. But KAI could sing back, “’Til then, fuck that, the art world’s ours.” By Carina Santos Images courtesy of KAI/The Chamber Group
Jay-Z
“To me, [hip-hop icons] are the royalty of this day and age. When they talk, everyone listens.”
“I didn’t ever get into art. Art sorta got into me,” 21-yearold LA artist KAI recounts how he started as an artist. He credits this to his father. “As the eldest, I always got to go wherever he went. I was a sponge and absorbed what was around. It wasn’t until I needed to get him to quit smoking that I knew I could do it. I would have to speak his language, so I created my Morons series—my first real artwork.” After his foray into antiadvertising, KAI treads on newer ground—from the streets and into the galleries—by putting a spin to Watch the Throne via his Now Royalty series. Comparable to Kehinde Wiley’s paintings of African-American, Indian, and Ethiopian characters in heroic poses, KAI depicts hip-hop moguls like Eminem, Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Diddy as noblemen. Would you consider yourself more of a street or a fine artist? Well, I place art where I find it communicates the clearest, so I don’t consider myself either. I just like to express myself, and I’m open to using any medium and any location which I feel will fufill the full potential of the work. How different are the audience’ reactions to your art? When an exhibit or show is put up, it sits in the context of a gallery. It’s in the honored system of art, and people go out of their way to see
exhibits, which means that they enjoy art and they’re going to really analyze the work and try to understand the artist. The street speaks to me in a completely different way. When I put something in the street, it’s out there in everyone’s face. They can’t run away from it. Do you have any memorable reactions to your work? My father has had both the best and the worst reactions. But one of the best is when I received an email from a lady saying she would quit smoking for good because my Morons poster inspired her. I felt good knowing I helped someone. How do hip-hop icons move you? Most of them have something to say, and the public always seems to listen because what they have to say comes from the heart. They also always have some sort of conflict and have overcome it. I find them extremely inspiring. They took something simple—words—and made them great. To me, [hip-hop icons] are the royalty of this day and age. When they talk, everyone listens. Who are your favorite visual artists? My father taught me to draw on everything around me, that being an artist is a way of life and anything can be the next greatest artwork. But of course, I like Banksy’s wit, Warhol’s
Drake
perfection, Basquiat’s freedom, and Norman Rockwell’s ability to tell a story in a single frame. If you weren’t an artist, what would you have liked to be? As a child, I always thought I was going to be a lawyer, but then I wanted to be a professional soccer player. Or I would have liked to direct movies or be a music producer. What is the single, most important thing you want to address with your art? I just want to help people. As an outsider, the best thing I can do is plant a seed in your mind. It will eventually grow, allowing you to make a new or different decision in your life or it can die as you walk away.
kaistreetart.com
Eminem
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mastermind
SUP ER FLY “I watch cartoons until it’s bedtime.” ADEEN “Lord” and “Hood” snapbacks
Like a superhero, REMBRANDT DURAN has aliases representing his different sides. But unlike superheroes hidden behind capes and masks, Rembrandt saves the day by making people super fly with his brand, ADEEN. By Belle Rodolfo Photographed by Sarah Kjelleren
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em, Remy, Jimmy Vega, and the barely used Ricky Ticky Tan—any which way you know him, Rembrandt Duran remains the ingenious mastermind of New York-based street brand ADEEN. Although Jimmy Vega was the moniker he used when out at parties, it now represents his love of rap and cartoons. While we’d love to hear about a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde bent, we discover that Rembrandt is no loony, despite his designs being influenced by loony toons. He’s really just endowed with creative powers.
Cuffs-Saturday Collection
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Describe a typical day. Wake up, go over orders we received the previous day in the e-store and what needs to go out, pack them up and bring them to the postal. I walk my grandmother’s dog, then work either on wholesale orders or on new designs. Sometimes, when my intern isn’t there or it’s not a super busy day, I’ll pick up plastics and plush that we need. I blog a few times maybe, and help my mom with things that she needs to do. Then I watch cartoons until it’s bedtime.
“ADEEN” is a slang word you and your high school friends coined. How did it become a brand? It came to life as a brand when I met the people at the Teddy Bear company I worked with and decided to make my first pins with them. The person I worked with on ADEEN at the time didn’t like the idea, but I told them I was doing it with or without them because I believed in what I was putting out.
brand, but also with other companies—fusing our visions to just create. In the future, I would love to direct videos and short films. I would love to choreograph a fight scene for an action film, and it would be a dream come true to do the costume design for an animé that would allow you to actually buy and wear what you saw them wearing. That’s not in the near future, unfortunately.
How often do you wear your designs? Every single day. You will never see me without some ADEEN on.
Where do you see yourself (and ADEEN) 20 years from now? I see myself and ADEEN in 20 years both very comfortable and established. I see myself progressing beyond ADEEN and doing a lot of outside projects, working with cities on things like designing parks. ADEEN would be a full-fledged brand with everything from sneakers and menswear to heels, handbags, and sunglasses.
What’s your design motto? If you wouldn’t wear it, don’t make it! [Laughs] I don’t wear everything I make, but when I design, I always think of things I’ve always wanted to wear. If I went into a store and I saw it, I would be like, “Oh, that’s mad hot!” Aside from fashion, what are your other tricks? I’m trying to get into art direction and creative direction in general—not just with my
adeenyc.com
“a typical day consists of me using power tools and being covered in paint.”
mastermind
embroidery
skull buttons
inventory for my online store. As soon as we are done with these, a typical day consists of me using power tools and being covered in paint.
ADVENTURELAND If CHARLAVAIL EFFRON could design her own theme park ride, she’d call it “Charlavail and the Permissible Voyage.” It would have “endless, too-cute-tohandle woodland creatures and an unexpected drop.” Multiple photos would be taken and there would be complimentary cotton candy. This way, please. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Sam DeSantis
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harlavail Effron is an internet sensation, famous for her hair colors (she’s dyed it pink, blue, orange, and blonde), sugar skull clips, and signature cartoony illustrations on canvases, shirts, wood, and cakes. She’s friends with—and looks so much like—Paramore’s Hayley Williams, and is the girlfriend of VersaEmerge’s Blake Harnage. “I try to surround myself with people who dream as big as I do and only encourage me,” Charlavail says. But what she really wants is to be viewed as “an artist who just forges ahead regardless of practicality.” This painter/
baker/traveler/entrepreneur/ full-time dreamer has an adventurous mind. Must it come with even more adventurous works of art? Hell fuckin’ yeah. Describe a typical day. There’s a garage next to my room that my dad allowed me to convert into a studio space. Most days are spent in there or in my room working on some form of art. It’s hard to describe a typical day because recently, my projects have been all over the place. The last two weeks, my friend Sam DeSantis and I have been making hundreds of skull button covers so I have
Are you more of an artist or an entrepreneur? I think, first and foremost, I am an artist, however I understand the necessity of being an entrepreneur. Without the business side of it, I wouldn’t be able to work on the art projects I work on and the future projects I dream of working on. In the last few years, the entrepreneur has been forced to become more active to fund my ventures. You once said that boredom influences your transition from one medium to another. How did you learn to use all your materials and be so good at them? I definitely use the internet to learn about materials. I didn’t use to, but I’ve wasted time and money too many times on not using materials correctly. Learning curves can be so frustrating! But I try not to allow this to intimidate me and prevent me from trying a new medium. This only applies to supplies that have specific instructions, but with materials such as paint, oil pastels, colored pencils, I just dive in and hope for the best. I don’t know about natural talent. I think when I’m in the creative zone, I’m just channeling my
mom’s or grandma’s artistic ability. What do you do to destress? Shave my head. No, just joking… kind of. When I do get stressed, I usually have the internet to blame. The last two years have been crazy. People mold you into who they want you to be and sometimes it gets to me. I’m not used to the reality of people noticing and possibly judging every move I make. And even if 95% of what people have to say is positive, it’s hard to ignore that 5% of negative rubbish. But when it does happen, I find that it motivates me because I get defensive and work on an art project aggressively for the next 10 hours. What’s next for you this year? Charlavail’s Traveling Confectionery. For the next eight months, I will be planning and building an art installation that I will bring to five cities next year… It’ll be edgier, bolder, and slightly creepier than [my old bakery]. It will be more intricate and delicate. The whole concept really encourages me to push myself and become more of an artist. It’s a magical feeling when… You succeed in perfectly toasting a marshamallow without burning it, then building a smore with Reese’s instead of milk chocolate.
charlavail.tumblr.com
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mastermind
free
falling
The term daredevil can best typify JULIEN DUPONT, the French motorcyclist known for his death-defying 360° flips and innovative tricks. By Rolly Ibañez Photographed by Patrick L. Jamora
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rench motorcyclist Julien Dupont is fated to test his scare-threshold. After all, he’s a pacemaker in motorcycle trials. “My first time [on a motorcycle] was when I was only six months old,” Julien recalls the moment his father put him in a special backpack and took him on a cross field ride. The unconscious preparation paved the way for Julien’s taste for peril—leading to a path that has him doing one-handed Supermans for a living, and two-handed autograph signings for his fans. “I think I’m not different from other athletes… or movie stars,” Julien stresses. After retiring from trial competitions, Julien found a new diversion in filmmaking. He talks about his award-winning project Street Trial, “I met a French moviemaker in my city, and we decided to make a teaser of my stunts and shoot [for] one week in Lyon, in my hometown.” The artistic transition gave him the break to amalgamate culture
“My first time [on a motorcycle] was when I was only six months old,” and sports with the inception of his movie, Ride the World. The motorcycle trials for filming that project can cause an adrenaline rush even to viewers. It’s too much even for the men in uniform. “In Mexico, I was arrested… We ran from the police one day…” Julien admits. Despite the danger, these are moments that enable Julien to test his mettle. A real humdinger of a biker, Julien is all about the rush. Number one rule in his club? Ride or die.
dupontandco.org
bizness family
Being half-Korean and half-Irish has provided comedian STEVE BYRNE endless material for his stand-up acts and oneman shows. Now, his showbiz career is fueled by the scripts of his first TV series, Sullivan and Son. Mom and pop would be proud! By Rita Faire Photographed by Neil Visel
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rt imitates life as stand-up comedian and actor Steve Byrne develops and stars in TBS’ Sullivan and Son, a show inspired by his own family and heritage. It follows a half-Korean, half-Irish corporate attorney who turns in his briefcase and power suit for a bottle of beer and a sympathetic ear to take on the responsibilities of running his dad’s bar. “My father on the show is kind of like the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood and my character decided that’s kind of what he wants to do—help people out—instead of reading a 400-page document,” says Steve. It took Steve a while to go from the mic stand to the film lot. He admits that “there’s nothing more dangerous than to
just walk out there and make people laugh” so doing it in front of a live TV audience and a million other people watching from home must have seemed like the media equivalent of bungee jumping on the Grand Canyon. But prodding from his brotherfrom-another-mother, Vince Vaughn, finally convinced him to pick up a pen and work on this passion project. “Vince has got one of the quickest minds in terms of improving. You could put him up against anyone in the world and he’d beat them,” says Steve. When someone like that tells you to “develop a show for yourself and create your own opportunities,” you shut up and do it.
stevebyrnelive.com
mastermind
full sir call Outfitting Manila’s modern gentlemen is a toilsome task, especially when you’re mostly winging it. ABDUL SALAM, creator of local bespoke label Sir, does it with needle-sharp instincts and a drive that’s tighter than any warp or weft. By Giano D. Dionisio Photographed by Patrick Diokno
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esides the two tailors who cut, stitch, and repeat in their respective desks, Abdul Salam does most of the shirty work for his brand. Launched a mere year ago, Sir is gaining a reputation as one of every contemporary Filipino man’s wardrobe musts, thanks mostly to the way the designer runs his friendly business. Abdul takes care of his customers and their customizations by concerning himself with the nittygritties of his work: locally
sourced fabrics, individually cut patterns, and especially imported buttons are just some of the quality-controlled deets. The tatted, wiry-haired, and loose-limbed gentleman talks shop and explains how the brand is branching out from its button-down repertoire. Abdul plans to fuse traditional barongs (Philippines’ embroidered formal garment) and trousers with practiced menswear flair and the designer’s own metropolitan caractère.
“I DON’T SEE [ RALPH LAUREN ] OR ANY OF THE BIGWIG DESIGNERS AS “DESIGNERS.”
Given your retail background at San Francisco’s True boutique, how did you evolve from an urban style to Savile Row swag? My friends were at the cusp of where streetwear was turning into this whole workman thing and then this whole preppy thing. They were into that whole scene. At the time, I was still working at True, and we wear suits and bowties, but I liked the whole idea of prep, I liked the look, and I liked both worlds [of streetwear and dandyism], and to be able to bring them together… that’s what I wanna do. What kind of customization goes into the shirts you make? You can only go so far with the kind of fabrics, pocket details, collar construction, and all that stuff. What I’m trying to do now is provide a variety for everyone. As far as fit’s concerned, I don’t have a house cut. At the end of the day, it’s the customer who’s gonna wear it, so I just ask them what they think. What are your plans for Sir as a local industry player? I’m a big fan of Ralph Lauren. I don’t see him or any of the bigwig designers as “designers.” They’re more like advertisers or marketing gurus; they know how to package something and they can provide consistency to whatever image they decide
to represent… In a nutshell, I hope Sir will be somewhat along the lines of Ralph Lauren, but instead of Native-American stuff, it’ll be Filipino stuff, you know? Essentially, you’ll have the chambray shirt, the gingham checks, and the business suits, but you’ll also have the guayaberas (Mexican wedding shirt), barong Tagalog, and a lot of the ethnic and indigenous fabrics. In the Philippines, what can guys improve on, style-wise? I don’t know. There’s a lot to say, but I just don’t wanna be the dude to say it. [Laughs] I really don’t know; this is all new to me and I haven’t done enough time to really say how it is… but an issue here—and I’ve had enough customers tell me it’s an issue, so I can back this up. As far as local tailoring is concerned, it’s a little dated… It’s boxy, it doesn’t have any shape, the shoulder pads are super thick… Some tailors don’t even use natural fibers, they like using polyblends, which defeats the idea of wearing comfortable clothing for tropical climates. We have the technical capability to produce really good stuff; it’s just a matter of delegating, scrutinizing the process, and just getting a more up-to-date fit and feel.
iamdeerhunter.blogspot.com
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H E A V Y H I T T E R
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HEAVY HITTER
With almost 20 years of retail success, streetwear luminary NIGO spreads his whims from emporium A Bathing Ape (BAPE) to his limited edition vintage label, Human Made. Neither is non-pollutionary nor anti-institutionary nor pro-confectionery; but both factories of fun guarantee 100% cool beans. By Kristine Dabbay Photographed by Keiichi Nitta
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”I WANT the world. I want the whole world. I want to lock it all up in my pocket. It’s my bar of chocolate. Give it to me. Now!” Oh, Veruca Salt, how you echo youthful ambition and materialism. Nowadays, people of all colors and collars got the bug of shopping battiness. Their code reads: regardless of price, shop to your heart’s content. Nigo chairs this union of collectors and accumulators, but unlike the fictitious Veruca who remains at the hems (no oompa loompa would allow a bad nut to rule), Nigo has the willpower to be their center figure by churning out collection after collection of apparel ready to stir consumer rage. You’re lucky if it’s within your wage. Then again, everybody needs oomph for his moolah, be it in a buttonhole or a seam. Fancy looking cash wearing camouflaged hoodies? Smile. Say, green! Even Jay-Z raps about ape kicks, but way before hip-hop alphas Kanye West and Pharrell Williams sported BAPE; the brand—inspired by the Japanese expression for “bathing in lukewarm water,” a luxury Japan’s privileged youth enjoy— earned a cult status right in Harajuku’s backstreets where BAPE-heads crowded to get dibs. It started from a shop called Nowhere to a label that has adorned cafes, art galleries, hair salons, and even condoms everywhere. It got too big, according to Nigo, so he decided to sell it, but remained on its helm as creative director. Since then, his sensibilities have transitioned from blinged-out
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to pared down Americana and rockabilly-inspired, a core aesthetic for Human Made. Nigo’s first vintage garment is a shredded Levi’s Type 2 jacket which he has kept since he was 15. Now, he’s recreating the past’s wear and tear by shokunin’s (workman) handmade craftsmanship. Clothes are just a part of the big picture because Nigo expresses himself by collecting all sorts of items. As STATUS witnesses, whether it’s vintage, life-sized, labeled, organic, plastic, limited edition, distressed, spare, or futuristic—he curates them all. His parents worked all the time and toys became Nigo’s childhood allies. Until now, they keep him company. In a way, they keep us company, too. Owning Nigo’s creations from Billionaire Boys Club to his latest ventures with Converse and Polaroid owe so much to a sense of childhood entitlement and wonder. Good for Nigo, his dolls turned into dollars. Even if his resemblance to Hiroshi Fujiwara earned him his moniker, Nigo, which means “number two,” he will always be a godfather and perpetrator of streetwear. Now, it’s your time, kid. Charlie, you’re it. Hi Nigo! You started your career in publishing, specifically in Popeye & Olive. What made you decide to pursue it instead of becoming an editor? I studied to be an editor at fashion college and, in a way, the shop was actually a project that came out of my editorial work—it was an idea or theme for a column that I
wrote. Eventually the success of the store made the priorities change, but I was never really that conscious of it. I still do a lot of work with magazines, so it doesn’t seem to me that it was a real change… I still perceive myself as doing basically the same thing. There’s truth to the saying; “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Who helped you on your way up? I was lucky to have great friends, but I don’t think of it as being a situation where
there was someone particular who helped or supported me in that way… There was a group of us and we were naturally into what each other was doing. For something random, Banksy’s new book says, “You are an acceptable level of threat and if you were not you would know about it.” Any thoughts on this statement? In your younger years, did you ever feel a sneaking suspicion that you’d be successful? I never thought that I would be successful. I wasn’t thinking
”I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING ORIGINAL, TO BE THE ORIGINATOR.”
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Nigo’s tips on making it to the top
1. Sleep early, wake up early. 2. Don’t hate. 3. Have good friends. 4. Work is play. 5. Play is work. 6. Put everything in its correct place. 7. Have consideration for others. 8. Always do what you say you are going to do. 9. Do It Yourself. 10. Stay obsessive.
”IF I HADN’T STARTED DOING WHAT I DO NOW, I WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE HAPPILY WORKING IN A CURRY SHOP. ”
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”FOR HUMAN MADE... I AM ONLY MAKING WHAT I WANT TO MAKE FOR MYSELF.”
needed to know about what I was doing. So, they could turn off their attention. It is a notable phenomenon in Japan, though, that Japanese people are very proud and supportive of anything Japanese that becomes a real success overseas, particularly in America. Even if they hated it when it was a ‘Japan only’ thing! I was almost ignored in Japan while I was becoming known in the States; when people here finally realized that the brand was really happening there, I was welcomed again. It has been an interesting experience. What were the toughest challenges you encountered in your career? It’s a constant challenge to do this. With each level of success, new and bigger challenges appear.
about anything like that at all… I just did what felt right at any given moment. Perhaps, the fact that I was able to concentrate on the present and on things closer to me was beneficial. I don’t know. If I hadn’t started doing what I do now, I would probably still be happily working in a curry shop. In an interview with Nylon Guys, you mentioned you’ve been received better in the west than in Japan, which happens quite often in many cultures. How did you legitimize your brand to overcome that perception? Nothing I do is that carefully planned. I felt more genuine appreciation overseas, so I was naturally drawn to focus on that—it was more rewarding. It felt like they understood what I was doing and valued it. Ironically, the reason I didn’t feel that in Japan was, I think people already assumed that they knew everything they
You’re surrounded with materialism and celebrity, how do you deal? How do you keep it real? The flashy stuff is only ever 10%; the remaining 90% is genuine dedicated hard work. I am a naturally quiet person and I am serious and passionate about what I do. I ride a vintage Schwinn bike to the office everyday! You don’t care much about money but you magnetize it. What’s your rule in balancing a cool/underground image and profitability? I really don’t think about anything other than staying creative and making good things… The rest should take care of itself. I love that you’re over the whole idea of collaboration as a means of doing something creative. You seem to always be ahead of the curve, what feeds your creativity these days? Really, collaborations were never that important to me. I think they got undue attention as a convenient tag to describe what was new and different about the “scene” that I was seen to be a part of. I have always wanted to make something original, to be the originator.
We found out you’re interested in kopi luwak, which is produced in the Philippines. In line with this, you’re an obsessive collector; what are your current exotic favorites? I know (of course!). Recently, I have been very interested in traditional Japanese culture— kabuki and so on. I never knew much about it before, so to me, it is strangely exotic and yet vaguely familiar. With Human Made, you’re able to pursue your interest in remaking mass-produced items from the past that are hard to create now. Can you tell us more about this new creative process in contrast with what you do for BAPE? I feel that BAPE got too big… Like an oil tanker, it’s difficult to steer. My role became to provide what our customers want. For Human Made it’s quite the opposite—I am only making what I want to make for myself. You said, you just don’t want to have a clothing company—you want to have a lifestyle company instead. How do you see your lifestyle company evolving in the next years especially that your progression has been from doing it really big (BAPE) to doing something in a small, handcrafted way (Human Made)? I have been studying the work of Raymond Loewy, the great industrial designer. He’s one of my heroes. The New York Times said about him that, “From toothbrushes to automobiles… he changed the look of American life.” I like that idea. Within my work as Nigo is BAPE and also Human Made—they are designed to do different things, and I have worked with many different brands and products, and I hope to carry on expanding that repertoire in the future. Complete the sentence, Nigo… Nigo IS made in Japan.
humanmade.jp
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He’s regularly recognized by a different moniker, but CRAIG “DARCEL” REDMAN isn’t disappointed at all. The prolific artist turned his cynic character into a celebrity, a brand, and an icon in the art and fashion communities. Jealous? Just do as he did, and take it one day at a time. By Giano D. Dionisio
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eet Darcel. Wink, don’t blink, or else you might miss him. He lives in a virtual Empire State of mind, documenting observations, encounters, and Big Apple bloopers on his blog, Darcel Disappoints. He keeps his critical eye on the quirky deets of the daily grind while his paranthesis-stick hand is placed firmly on the cultural pulse. He always wears wooden frames and frowns even on Fridays. He boozes at his workplace and sulks in posh cafés. There’s always something sarcastic to say when he’s around, whether it’s at a Fever Ray concert, a Motor City bathroom, or Paris Fashion Week. Meet Craig Redman, the flesh and blood behind Darcel’s pixels and vectors. “I started the blog as a means of keeping track of my thoughts and observations when I first moved to New York,” he begins. “My literary skills are terrible, so I thought it should probably be an illustrated blog.” It’s no ordinary blog, though. It’s a self-curated, self-illustrated semi-autobiography online—the
lovechild of Twitter, Instagram, and Craig’s personality, which is unexpectedly soundtracked by Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. “I like bright, shiny, colorful art and dreary, depressing music. Kind of sums up the ridiculousness of Darcel perfectly!” The artist considers moments of boon (meeting Miss Wintour), bane (camping in the rain), and boredom (doing groceries) equal game for Darcelification, musing on everything from Lichtenstein at the Gagosian to Facebook tagging, alleywaypissing, and rolling with life’s punches. As Craig explains, though the monocled avatar is definitely him, Darcel tends to dramatize. “I’m an inherently cynical person, unfortunately,” he confesses, “Particularly with Darcel, that comes through in the content of my work. On the surface, though, there is a vibrant optimism through the colors and the simplistic shapes; it’s a strange and perplexing juxtaposition.” It’s also a theme that comes out in his other work. Way back,
before Darcel achieved internet cult status, Craig was just another talented Aussie artist/ student knocking back beers with fellow artists/students (Karl Maier, Adrian Clifford, Rilla Alexander, and Steve Alexander, to be specific) in Brisbane’s Queensland College of Art. The five eventually became the Rinzen collective, dedicated to the weird, wired, and wonderful world of melting ice cream cone cuties, CMYK-fied objects, and enough type to write a novel. After uni, Craig moved from Australia to New York, where his dreams were made, oh. There was nothing he couldn’t do. Frequenting galleries, greasy Chinatown takeout spots, and the Chelsea neighborhood, Craig found his ultimate muse in Lady Liberty. At the same time, he admits, “If you don’t have the drive and hunger, then you can quickly get crushed here. It can be a struggle, but if it’s the thing you really love, then you probably don’t know how to do anything else anyway.”
Although the Rinzen group eventually grew apart to focus on establishing individuality, Craig stayed besties with fellow Rinzen and teenage classmate, Karl. Now, the duo compose Craig & Karl, a geographicallychallenged collabo, considering Karl is in London. Craig shrugs, “As brutal as New York is, at least it forces you to figure out whether you’ve got the stamina to succeed or not… just keep doing it whether you’re in New York or Buenos Aires.” The Craig & Karl arrangement works for them over daily Skype conversations. The proof is in the laundry list; the two have designed for umbrellas, Google, bags, The New York Times, restaurants, LVMH, galleries, Vogue, boutiques, Nike, and even for charity. Pure energy bursts out of the pair’s art, manifesting in bold projects such as painting a room floorto-ceiling in a prism of hues or simpler endeavors as a 7th dimensional rave poster.
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150/15 Colette X Darcel Disappoints Exhibition
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n his own, however, Craig is an unstoppable force himself. His portrait series of mish-mashed patterns (from polka dots to grid checks and graffiti) bagged him a gig with Turkish Airlines. He’s worked several times with Colette—once on a series of Darcel lighters enumerating how life sucks and, more recently, on a series of 150 Darcelized portraits of icons ranging from Björk to Rihanna, and Bill Cunningham to Suzy Menkes, culminating in a feast for all eyes. His fondness for type experimentation has produced gems such as psychedelic drippy rainbow text, snap-to-grid found-item treasures, and trippy dream font. Considering all that, please stop calling Craig out for looking weary all the time. Instead, raise a glass and pat him on the back (especially once he’s over the toilet, vomiting.)
It’s difficult to pin him down to a certain style, with the gamut his creativity runs. When prompted, though, Craig articulates, “The idea is more important than the process. I mostly get inspiration from the world around me. It could be some crazily dressed homeless person on the tube in London or some mega exhibition in New York that triggers a thought process that eventually leads to a new interesting outcome. It’s a matter of constantly being aware of your surroundings and taking snippets of lots of different things that you can Frankenstein together into a big new idea.” The answer hits the nail on the head: evil genius Craig Redman has created monsters out of the mundane. The designer is first to admit he’ll obsess over The Real Housewives of Atlanta as soon as he’ll get nerdy over Yayoi Kusama.
“As brutal as New York is, at least it forces you to figure out whether you’ve got the stamina to succeed or not…” “The art world doesn’t like you doing design, but the design world loves it when you do art,” he talks about some of the industry’s challenges and complexities. Thankfully, he gets “just as much pleasure from doing an ad campaign as I do from putting together an exhibition, so I guess it’s just a matter of having a manageable balance between the two,” referring to managing work for both Craig & Karl as well as Darcel Disappoints. Natural progression suggests Craig should be launching his own empire soon, but he’s too comfortable dominating his personal HOV lane for now. “Maybe one day,” he considers. “In general, I find producing my
own product to be a total pain in the ass, which is why I like collaborating with brands that are much more experienced and better at doing that stuff than I am.” This don’t-fix-what-ain’tbroke attitude keeps Craig from going broke. In spite of all the hustle he puts out and the ton of bustle he has to get done (for Colette, Opening Ceremony, the Olympics, Sephora, exhibits, et al), Craig is unsurprisingly composed, even moreso than his online counterpart. When asked what selling out means, he offers a quick reply: “Success!”
darceldisappoints.com
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MONSIEUR montana They say, when you’re in France, do what a French does. We say, wherever you are, do what FRENCH MONTANA does. From touring the world, shooting music videos, doing club appearances, being the leader of Coke Boys, to making hits like “Stay Schemin’” and “Shot Caller,” the hustle never stops and neither would he. By Loris Peña Photographed by Shareif Ziyadat
A lot has been said about the rap game and its key players—how they’re all about the money and the fame—but really, a lot more credit should be given to the hustle involved in tackling its ins and outs. French Montana is a testament to this coup. Being in the industry for almost a decade and recently aligning himself with the likes of Rick Ross and Diddy, he has established himself as someone who has paid his dues and is here to collect what he deserves. Born as Karim Kharbouch of Somali-Moroccan descent, this rapper has come a long way from home. From selling DVDs that documented street culture and his talent as an underground artist, producing more than 15 mixtapes and releasing an album with Maybach Music Group, to working with his album, Excuse my French, he stays schemin’ and tells us exactly why he is “Self Made.” Hey, French. What’s up? I was in London for a show but I had to fly back to the US for the BET Awards. I am performing in the pre-show at the BET Awards so that’ll be a good time and I just came back from the Club Paradise Tour with Drake, Meek Mill, J. Cole, and 2 Chainz.
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Where did the name French Montana come from? Well, I got the name French from being Moroccan. A lot of people don’t know I’m from there, but I moved to the US when I was 13. Montana comes from the hustle, like Tony Montana. That came from my hustle with the Cocaine City DVD series. Who are your musical influences? 2PAC, Notorious B.I.G., and Nas were of my generation, so I listened to those guys a lot. Right now, Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg are some of my favorite people and are definitely big influences on my music.
lifestyle so I had to grind to earn that money for the cars, the clothes, the chains. In Morocco, it was different; people hustled differently because there was a bigger difference between rich and poor.
How would you compare your hustle now versus your hustle before? Back in Morocco, I just remember if you had money, you lived good. Out here, everyone has an opportunity to make that money. Now that I have the opportunity in music, there is just so much more to do. I have to work even harder—in the studio and on the road.
Do you think your music and style have changed over the years? My style over the years has been inspired by my hustle. As the hustle evolved, my style evolved. From the Cocaine City DVDs to making music, the way I have handled myself has evolved into what I always aspired to have. I had always been passionate about fashion, but now I have the means to invest even more. I am really into Versace, I wear a lot of their silks. I also like the classic houses like Fendi and Gucci and also Louis Vuitton. The shoe game is proper, but my favorite
Even after 10 years, you’re still going at it. What’s your motivation to keep grinding? The passion for music is a big thing for me. Also, money. I wanted a certain kind of
shoes ever have to be the blue Penny Hardaways. I’ve also been wearing YSL shoes a lot lately. Congrats on the new album, Excuse My French. Thank you. Excuse My French is going to sound like New York City. I have been working with Max B, the MMG family, Rick Ross, and Diddy. Rick Ross and Diddy are executively producing it and it will come out on Bad Boy. I’d like to someday work with Jay-Z and also Snoop Dogg. Tell us about your first single, “Pop That.” The song is picking up so fast. I want it to be the record of the year. I loved working with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Drake. When I first heard the beat, I knew it needed to be big. Every time I perform the song, it feels crazy, the energy.
HEAVYHITTER
You make more money when you are cool with everyone.
Do you plan on reaching out to an international market? This is something I am very interested in. I had a great time performing in London and want to go back and tour more in the UK. I want to go overseas on what I call a grindcation— grinding on vacation. There are many international artists; I love Amy Winehouse and Adele out of the UK. I also want to go and perform in Africa. Being signed, does that make you “mainstream?” No, I don’t think so. Being signed really just means you now have some backing to get your music out there. It’s more of a
team effort now and we out here getting it. Does being a dad affect the way you are as a rapper? Hell yeah, it inspires me to go harder. What do you think is the state of hip-hop right now? I think hip-hop is at a good state. Bad Boy is out here killing it. Massive, nationwide, worldwide tours. Hip-hop artists are the biggest they have ever been and the audience worldwide is crazy. With different crews running the game, YMCMB, MMG, Bad Boys etc.,
do you feel like it’s a need for an artist to be associated with a “crew?” No, you can be associated with a crew but I have my own. I came from having a lot of drama with people in the past. I am in a better position. You make more money when you are cool with everyone. It’s better for business. Can you curse in French? I speak English and Arabic and French. I can definitely curse in French.
thecokeboys.com
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B L O C K P A R T Y
NEW WORLD ORDER Musik, muziki, música, muzyka. In any language, music speaks a global dialect. Unlike our interviews with these artists, their songs don’t need translation. Take a joyride outside that comfort zone and just listen. Cross continents without the jet lag; there’s no real destination except united nations.
VAVAMUFFIN POLAND
What, to you, is “hustle?” Mess is the word, our hotel room afterparty when we’re on a tour is the picture. Describe your sound. We are eight musicians, so everyone brings his own ideas and musical influences. In the end, we
get a mix of reggae, dancehall, and dub with lots of energy and passion… In our records, you can find a mixture of varied themes— songs about love and having fun as well as stories based on real events connected with social unfairness and political situations.
What inspires your music? All kinds of ethnic music inspire us, from Warsaw’s old traditional songs to reggae classics like the Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, Gregory Isaacs, etc.
vavamuffin.art.pl
MZUNGU KICHAA TANZANIA
What, to you, is “hustle?” It’s what life is all about, especially in the music business… There is no set formula of how to succeed in the music industry and a lot of your success comes through trial and error. Despite tackling certain sociopolitical issues in your music, how do you keep it lighthearted? Having a sense of humor is the most important thing when entertaining people. I can be very serious, but I can also be a joker. Although life is serious, it is also important to let yourself loose once in a while. A lot of people get very entertained by my dance routines—at least so they say. We have an amazing new dance tradition
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in Tanzania called Kiduku. This dance will put anyone in a good mood. What’s your favorite Swahili saying? “Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba,” or “Little by little, fills the pot,” which could also mean “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Multilingual bonus! What’s your favorite Danish saying? “En sand ven er en, der trår på en, nor man self er holdt op med det,” in English: “A true friend is someone who believes in you, even when you have stopped.”
facebook.com/mzungukichaa
BLOCK PARTY
CHOCQUIBTOWN COLOMBIA
What, to you, is “hustle?” It means all the work and effort throughout the years, and the struggle to accomplish our dreams. Describe your sound. Music is music, we just added sounds or beats from our culture to hip-hop. Sometimes our music sounds more hip-hop, sometimes more folk, but always with lyrics that reflect who we are.
What is your music all about? We talk about our hometown, de la Fiesta (living life and partying), and culture. We talk about our history— what we faced as blacks—and politics, too, because it is part of who we are as people living in Colombia as well as other South American countries.
chocquibtown.com
CRIOLO BRAZIL
How do you compare your own sound with current mainstream hip-hop? I believe we come from the same birthplace: rap music. It’s a huge universe, and each and everyone has its own way of manifesting.
Words by Giano D. Dionisio, Mzungu Kichaa photo ocurtesy of Caravan Records
Which song in your album is most personal to you? I feel touched by all of the songs in some way. Each one was made at a specific time. These
songs are like commas; they are a [pause for] breath of a human mind. What is your music all about? Life stories of my family, my city’s daily life, this eternal exchange of thought and living that every citizen has. It’s all about my way of seeing the whole and how I see myself in that whole.
criolo.net
ERCANDIZE GERMANY
What, to you, is “hustle?” Hustle is a way of living, regardless of what you’re hustling. It’s the hunger for more, it’s reaching what you aim for by any means necessary, no matter what. Tell us about your latest album, Uppercut. It was the first time I finished an album in a clear, defined time frame— four weeks. It was hard work, but I’m very satisfied with the results… I attached great importance to the
beats. Even if this is a classic battle album, I kept my focus on making songs and not just short-term freestyle tracks. The whole album follows a common thread. What’s your favorite German saying? “Und wenn der schnee schmilzt sieht man wo die kacke liegt.” It means, “As soon as the snow melts, you see where the shit is.” Nothing is as it seems—it’s only a matter of time til you see the truth.
ercandize.de
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NIGHTVISION MAynard madness by The Cobrasnake
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NIGHTVISION
CANNES
by The Cobrasnake
THEM LOST BOYS by Aleksey Volchek
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NIGHTVISION
PUMA SOCIAL @ Fiama
by Nikki Ruiz
STATUS X KEDS: EARTHLY DELIGHTS by Nikki Ruiz, Danica Condez, and Klay Tan
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NIGHTVISION
bonNaroo bingo madness by The Cobrasnake
Get Shifty by Aleksey Volchek
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NIGHTVISION
animal farm factory
by The Cobrasnake
fist pump saturdays @ 7th High
by Ernest Levanza
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DIRECTORY BRANDS 21 MEN Forever 21, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City ALDO Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City ART DECO Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City BENEFIT Greenbelt 5, Makati City THE BALM thebalm.com BLISS blissworld.com BUTTER LONDON butterlondon.com CALLIOPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CATENA The Ramp, Glorietta, Makati City CELIO Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City CHANEL chanel.com CIVIC DUTY civicdutyshoes.com CLAE clae.com CREATIVE RECREATION Complex, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City and Shoe Salon stores nationwide DOROTHY PERKINS Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City FOLDED & HUNG Glorietta 5, Makati City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City GLAMGLOW glamglowmud.com HUGO BOSS Greenbelt 4, Makati City
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KEDS keds.com KORA ORGANICS BY MIRNDA KERR koraorganics.com MAC Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MARIO BADESCU Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MURAD murad.com NARS Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City OXYGEN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PENSHOPPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PONY pony.com RIMMEL LONDON rimmellondon.com SHISEIDO Greenbelt 5, Makati City SKECHERS skechers.com SPERRY sperrytopsider.com SOAP & GLORY soapandglory.com STEVE MADDEN Greenbelt 5, Makati City SUPERGA Greenbelt 5, Makati City TARTE tartecosmetics.com TOO FACED toofaced.com TERRANOVA SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TOPMAN Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City TOPSHOP Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City
VANS Vans Concept Stores, SM Department Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Landmark Department Stores, Urban Athletics, Toby’s Sports, Olympic Village, Shoe Salon, American Rag, Sole Academy, Greyone Social WAREHOUSE Greenbelt 5, Makati City YVES SAINT LAURENT ysl.com ZARA Greenbelt 5, Makati City ARTISTS Andrew Apuya (Photographer) andrewapuya.tumblr.com Toch Barreiro (Photographer) tochbarreiro.blogspot.com Pablo Barruti (Photographer) behance.net/pabluti David Black (Photographer) davidblackphotography.com Nilufer Bracco (Stylist) niluferbracco.com Rxandy Capinpin (Photographer) rxandy.carbonmade.com Bruce Casanova (Photographer) flickr.com/brucecasanova Ming Han Chung (Photographer) followmystory.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Fernando Colon (Photographer) fernandocolon.com Danica Condez (Photographer) daniboy.tumblr.com Allen DeMarcus (Photographer) demarcusallen.com Sam DeSantis (Photographer) flickr.com/people/wtfloserfacee Imane Fiocchi (Makeup) imanefiocchi.com
Joaquin Gregorio (Photographer) joaquingregorio.com Sarah Kjelleren (Photographer) sarahkjelleren.com Jason Koenig (Photographer) jkoephoto.com Stephen Lody (Photographer) behance.net/kadoka Derek Macario (Photographer) derekmacario.com Maui Manalo (Makeup) mauimanalo.tumblr.com Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Rebecca Newman (Photographer) rebeccanewman.com.au Aaron Ni’jai (Photographer) facebook.com/NijaiPhotography Keiichi Nitta (Photographer) keiichi-nitta.com Tom Oxley (Photographer) tomoxley.com Chrissy Piper (Photographer) chrissypiper.com Nikki Ruiz (Photographer) nmgruiz.tumblr.com Ryuji Shiomitsu (Stylist) fashionvictimdiaries.blogspot.com JP Singson (Photographer) jponfashionspeed.com Klay Tan (Photographer) 500px.com/KlayTan Adam Seth Teh (Hair) facebook.com/adamsethteh Neil Visel (Photographer) neilvisel.com Aleksey Volchek (Photographer) volchekshot.me Jay Wee (Hair) houseofweecarbonmade.com Shareif Ziyadat (Photographer) shareifziyadat.com
S TAT U S IN VA D E S
GUCCI SPECS
Hand-me-down. I think these were from the 50s.
BANG & OLUFSEN FORM 2
Makes me look like I’m wearing a headband, but the sound quality’s really good.
ORIENT PERPETUAL DATE SAPPHIRE
Almost everyone who’s really into watches likes this Japanese brand because its products are well-made and look dignified.
A SINGLE MAN DVD
You can pause anywhere, print, and you’d have an editorial.
CHOLO DELA VEGA With his taste for all things shiny and new, photographer Cholo dela Vega knows that you ain’t gonna get that bling if you don’t do the hustle.
PAUL SMITH FOR RHODIA GRAPH NOTEBOOK
For those engineering moments.
HERMÈS CARD HOLDER
My first ever impulse buy and I don’t even know why I bought it. Good thing it’s nice to look at.
twitter.com/cholodelavega
KNOT CUFFLINKS
Give that white dress shirt a little fun.
QUIAPO FRAMES
Most people don’t believe me when I say they’re from Quiapo. Blend with the crowd, keep your eyes open and you will find nice stuff there.
BATTERED TIFFANY & CO. MONEY CLIP
I like collecting junk in my wallet, so this helps me keep my discipline.
HPRC HARD CASE TROLLEY
Indestructible case for cameras and lenses—perfect for clumsy people like me. As a bonus, you can use it as a chair when shooting on location.
CUSTOM WRIGHT SUPPLY SCENT RANGE ROVER SPORT SCALE MODEL
I’ll have the real one soon. And I’ll use it to go to my future latifundia.
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Pick up some wood that’s been lying on the grass during the rainy season, sun-dry it, squeeze fresh oranges on it then finish with unscented powder. That’s how I’d describe this scent.