SWAGGA DIGITAL MAGAZINE
SUMMER ISSUE 2019 LOOK GREAT ❇ DRESS SHARP ❇ LIVE WELL
ARTIST NOW TRENDING PRINCE RAY POPE ACTOR, MUSIC, MODEL
END OF SUMMER
Where STYLE MATTERS
INTRODUCING GEMSTONE BRACELETS BY SDM MAGAZINE END OF SUMMER @THE BEACH WITH (2)EXIST
THE TENACIOUS HUSTLE OF CHRISTOPHER KENJI
❋ FASHION AUGUST — OCTOBER 2019
Culture
LIFESTYLES
Music&Art
STYLE MATTERS MAKE A CHOICE
24 ISSUE NO. 24/ VOL 9
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How to Recession Proof Your Finances Recent signs that a recession is coming have had Americans panicking. President Donald Trump recently stated that a recession will only occur if voters fail to reelect him in 2020, but about one-third of economists agree that the dreaded “R” word is on the horizon no matter what and likely to arrive by the end of 2021. Though no one can predict exactly when a recession will occur, one thing is true: Recessions are a cyclical component of the economy, and another is bound to happen at some point, whether one or 10 years into the future. So what exactly is a recession and how can you protect your finances during the next one? A recession is defined as a period of significant economic downturn that lasts longer than two consecutive quarters. Usually, economists look to the gross domestic product as the primary measure of economic health. However, the National Bureau of Economic Research ― the committee that officially declares and measures recessions ― says a negative GDP doesn’t necessarily have to occur to call a recession. When it comes to shoring up your savings and investments against a recession, it’s important to understand that no one is 100% immune to its effects. “Everyone is subject to risk,” said Justin M. Owen, a registered investment adviser representative and owner of Owen Financial Planning. “The best safeguard someone can have in place during a period of recession is a professional retirement plan that is goal-based.” That’s because a 25-year-old with an aggressive investment plan is going to ride out a recession much differently than a 60-year-old whose top goal is avoiding financial loss. “A retirement plan should take into account timelines, ages, risk tolerance and so much more,” Owen said.
“You should know what your portfolio is going to look like during a severe market downturn so that you fully understand what real risk looks like.” The best safeguard someone can have in place during a period of recession is a professional retirement plan that is goal-based. That said, there are a few steps you can take to minimize losses during a recession, no matter your age or financial goals. 1. Understand your cash flow. The first step in preparing for an economic downturn is knowing where you stand. An easy way to do this is calculating your cash flow, or how much money you have coming in versus going out. “Uncertainty is a major cause of financial stress, so understand what your cash flow looks like in a typical month, and some of that uncertainty will be removed,” said Ian Bloom, a certified financial planner and owner of Open World Financial Life Planning. “If you lose your job or if the revenue slows down in your business, you may feel less constrained if you know how many months your savings will last you.” There are a number of free tools available to help you figure out this number, such as Mint. Simply link your accounts, and the free software will track all your transactions and categorize them. “You will see patterns emerge, like more ‘fun money’ spending in summer months or around holidays, but you will also see the consistent ‘needs’ of the household and know what it costs to keep yourselves going when you need to be lean,” Bloom said. You can then set specific budget goals and look for ways to cut costs or increase savings.
Westcoast Leather San Francisco
3. Get rid of debt. Once you’ve built up an emergency fund, your next priority should be paying off as much debt as possible. If money becomes tight, you’ll want your income going toward basic living expenses and not paying back lenders. Plus, if you wind up missing payments, it will wreck your credit score and make it tougher to get approved for new credit once the economy recovers, according to Lindsay Martinez, a certified financial planner and owner of Xennial Planning LLC. She recommended focusing on high-interest debt first, such as credit cards and private student loans. 4. Review your asset allocation. You’ll also want to be sure that your current asset allocation, or mix of investments, matches your risk tolerance and retirement goals. If you’re close to retirement age, for example, you might need to make your investments more conservative in preparation for a possible recession. “The 80/20 stocks-to-bonds mix is sure to go south, and it becomes nearly impossible to make up for those lost dollars,” Martinez said.
5. Update your résumé Unfortunately, even the most dedicated employees are at risk of being laid off during a recession. In 2008, during the height of the Great Recession, 2.6 million Americans lost their jobs ― the highest level in more than six decades. Those at the highest risk of becoming unemployed are young college graduates. “Brush up on your job skills and keep your resume up-to-date,” Martinez said. “In the unfortunate case of a job loss, you are ready and poised to showcase your talents and stand out among the thousands you may be up against.” 6. Stick to your plan. It’s important to understand that recessions do happen. All you can do is prepare as best you can. The key is not to panic when markets take a nosedive and undo that planning. By selling at the bottom of the market, you will miss out on the opportunity to gain back those losses as the economy recovers. “In the most recent recession, the S&P 500 began dropping at the end of 2007 and began recovering by mid-2009,” Bloom said. “Recessions can be dramatic, but even in the most dramatic example from recent history, we see the market climbing back up within two years.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that all future recessions will behave the same way, but historically, they’re briefer than we tend to remember. “Whatever investment strategy you chose before the recession will likely remain functional after the recession,” Bloom said. “Just because things look bad momentarily doesn’t mean they will be bad forever.”
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Owen suggested having at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses set aside, preferably in a high-yield savings account. “It is not to be touched for any reason other than a true emergency,” he said. For example, if you are laid off ― a strong possibility during a recession ― you would have enough liquid money to keep you afloat for a while. Building your emergency savings “is priority one and takes precedence over all else. You should constantly be working to fund this until you have reached the amount you need,” Owen said.
On the other hand, if you’re in your 20s or 30s, you still have decades to make up any losses and can afford to ride out the storm with a more aggressive portfolio. In fact, a recession is a great time to buy up more securities at rock-bottom prices if you can.
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2. Have a fully-funded emergency fund. One of the best defenses against any unexpected financial strain is an emergency fund. During a recession, you can tap into that fund rather than rack up high-interest debt.
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m ipsum
BEHIND THE PAGES
MEDIA GROUP™
VOLUME VI, NO. 24 | SUMMER ISSUE PRINT • MOBILE • SOCIAL • ONLINE • TABLET
MANAGEMENT TEAM DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY GRAPHIC DESIGN & CREATIVE SERVICES PUBLISHING PHOTO EDITING ART DIRECTION CONSULTING SERVICES ADVERTISING MANAGER
ARCHIE BRUMFIELD REMOTE FACE GRAPHICS SDM MEDIA GROUP SDM MEDIA GROUP RON FULCHER FORTE MODELS NYC A2B MARKETING
PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS, SPONSORS, MODELS PHAROAH BRAND, SKIP PAS, WESTCOAST LEATHER, S.F., CHRISTOPHER KENJI, FORTE MODELS NYC, VISA INTERNATIONAL, SEE EYE WEAR, H&M MENS CLOTHING, RCA RECORDS, LIONSGATE PUBLICITY, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., PEER SPACE, FAB STUDIOS, SPOTIFY, PRADA, PRINCE RAY POPE, ADELYN PHOTOGRAPHY, HARDER PARKER, @LP MODEL, @ALAZON_, @UPPITY_NEGROPONTE, @RUSSKOV37, @ELMASBUSK2, @CHRISTOPHERKENJI, @ANGMODELMANAGEMENT, @D1oDREAM, @MALIKXOMAR, @BLACKDIAMONDGUY, @IWEEZY_, @WEEZYS_PLAYHOUSE, @ANDRATIRDEA, @HARDERPARKER, @SABRINAJYUAN MAKEUP BY: @ALYSON_LAVENDER, @TWISTEDBEAUTY77 HAIR: @THATGUYHMUA, CLOTHING BY: @VIDAMOULIN, JEWERLY BY: @LALADYDESIGNS, @SWAGGADIGITALMAG
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FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY RON FULCHER PHOTO EDITING RON FULCHER GRAPHIC DESIGN SDM MEDIA MODEL CHRISTOPHER KENJI STYLING PHAROAH BRAND FASHIONS
BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY RON FULCHER PHOTO EDITING RON FULCHER GRAPHIC DESIGN SDM MEDIA GROUP MODEL CHRISTOPHER KENJI STYLING PHARAOH BRAND CLOTHING WESTCOAST LEATHER
CULTURE
ARTLIFESTYLE
MUSICFASHION
MEDIA GROUP™
EDITOR’S NOTE This publication is dedicated to my mom whose courage, strength, tenacity and love has been a rock for me in the production of this magazine. There are so many people who are instrumental in the production of this publication, and I could not possibly name them all in this writing but I just want to thank all of you and you know who you are for assisting me with this issue. Many thanks to all of the wonderful and talented models, photographers, MUA’s, and Hair Stylists. Reproduction of any material within this publication in whole or in part is, prohibted without expressed consent of publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility to any party of the information, claims or ads herein to include errors, inaccuracies or omissions. By advertising the advertisers agree to indemnify the Publisher against all claims relating to or resulting from said advertisements and or promotional material.
Ron Fulcher Editor-In-Chief
COPYRIGHT ©2009-2019 SDM PUBLISHING ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of SDM The Magazine is prohibited. SDM The Magazine does not accept and cannot be held responsible for any kind of unsolicted materials. Published Quarterly, Four (4) Times a year. Available in Print, Mobile, and available for download to Apple, Android, Ipad and Tablets. Visit our website at www.swaggadigitalmagazine.com Need to send a email to the EDITOR: sdm_magazine@yahoo.com. For subscription information email us at: sdm_magazine@yahoo.com Printed in the USA, CALL 1.415.856.9891 CUSTOMER SERVICE: swaggamediagroup@gmail.com CONNECT WITH US EMAIL SDM_MAGAZINE@YAHOO.COM SOCIAL MEDIA: facebook/swaggadigitalmagazine, instagram/@swaggadigitalmag twitter/@blackberryron snapchat/@keepitrealfilms Visit Issuu.Com,Blur.com and Magcloud.com Digital Newstands to download our digital version to IPAD, TABLET, IPHONE or your Andriod Device
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CONTENTS FEATURES ON THE COVER 29. CHRISTOPHER KENJI Styled by: Pharoah Brand Clothing: WESTCOAST LEATHER MONEY MATTERS & FINANCE 02. HOW TO RECESSION PROOF YOUR FINANCES 20. STYLE MATTERS: LOUNGING AROUND THE POOL EDITORIAL: ADELYN PHOTOG 29. THE TENACIOUS HUSTLE OF CHRISTOPHER KENJI 46. LEATHER IN ITS FINEST BY WESTCOAST LEATHER, SF
WHAT’S INSIDE…
56. BLUE NOTE RECORDS AT 80: CAN A SYMBOL OF JAZZ’S PAST HELP SHAPE ITS FUTURE 58. MODERN MAN IN BLACK 64. END OF SUMMER @THE BEACH (2)EXIST Featuring: Lyndon Peters 74. INTRODUCTION OF GEM STONE BRACELETS FOR THE MODERN MAN: BY STONES BY SWAGGA 80. STYLE MATTERS: MAKE A CHOICE 88. ARTIST NOW TRENDING PRINCE RAY POPE ALBUM RELEASE
Special thanks to the amazing models, photographers, and stylist, who have endeavored to make this issue possible. Words cannot express my gratitude.
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Style Matters
CHICAGO MIAMI NEW YORK SAN FRANCISO TORONTO
CONNECT WITH SDM PRINT . MOBILE . SOCIAL . ONLINE . TABLET
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DIGITAL MEDIA
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More than a magazine it’s a lifestyle
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ART CULTURE MUSIC FASHION LIFESTYLE ART
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It’s a matter of style 13 SDM MAGAZINE SUMMER ISSUE
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See Eyewear
SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
NEW YORK
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See Eyewear
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MIAMI
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Curated and Styled by: @iweezy_ @weezys_playhouse . . Models: @andratirdea (andra @harderparker @sabrinajyuan makeup by: @alyson_lavender @twistedbeauty77 . Hair by: @thatguyhmua Clothes designed by: @vidamoulin Jewelry by: @laladydesigns . .
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See Eyewear
SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
NEW YORK
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See Eyewear
SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
NEW YORK
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P R O M OT I O N
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See Eyewear
PROMOTION
SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
NEW YORK
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christopher kenji featuring
recording artist — songwriter
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Clothing WestCoast Leather Stylist: Pharoah Brand Photography by: Ron Fulcher CHRISTOPHER KENJI HAND BRACELET: SDM JEWELRY on the cover
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LIFESTYLE
ARTMUSIC CULTURE FASHION
THE TENACIOUS HUSTLE OF…
Christopher Kenji Hello, my name is Christopher Kenji. I’m a 24-year-old singer-songwriter, graduate of Berklee College of Music and a print/runway model.
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HOW DID YOU GET INTO BOTH MUSIC AND MODELING? Ever since I was a young kid, I’ve always had a deep passion for music. I picked up the guitar when I was about 10 years old and fell in love — I would spend all my free time playing and writing music (sometimes seven hours a day until my fingers hurt and I couldn’t play anymore). Music has always been and will always be my biggest passion in life; there’s nothing that compares to performing on stage, wearing your heart on your sleeve with your lyrics and melodies and having people connect with you so purely and intimately. Before anything else, I am first and foremost a musician. As for modeling, it’s kind of funny — I never in a million years ever thought I would become a male model. I know a lot of people grow up having dreams of becoming a supermodel and living that glamorous lifestyle or something but that was never me as a kid. Growing up, I never really thought of myself as a physically attractive person; if anything, I was told the opposite at times so it’s still kind of surreal to me when I think about it. Anyway, my modeling journey started last September when I was at my friend’s show in LA and he introduced me to a woman there who happened to have spent years working in the fashion industry (little did I know, she would go on to become my mentor). She told me that I should become a model and I kind of laughed it off at first but then I realized she was actually very serious about it. I was kind of tipsy at the time, but I told her I guess I could give it a shot and she held me to it. She then signed me up for a runway show casting in San Francisco. I went, got placed in two shows and ended up being awarded best model of 2018. They made me make a speech in front of the whole audience and it was one of the few moments in my life where I was truly and utterly dumbfounded. It almost felt like the world was playing a big joke on me but it wasn’t a joke; it was real. Having that experience really gave me the motivation to seriously pursue modeling and ever since then, it’s become a huge part of my life.
DO YOU DO ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO KEEP UP YOUR APPEARANCE FOR MODELING? Yes, I actually kind of changed my life for modeling. I treat modeling like a job now because, well... it is my job. So, that means I can’t just make poor lifestyle choices all the time anymore. I remember getting an interview with IMG Models in New York City, which was pretty much the biggest interview of my entire life and asking my mentor what I should do to prepare. The first thing she told me was to completely cut out booze for the two weeks before I met with them. I said to her, “I’ll cut it out after tonight when I’m done performing at the bar” and she said “no, cut it out starting right now”. I remember feeling super weird playing 100% sober to a packed crowd of wasted people that night but it really taught me something. After just four days, I noticed that I looked and felt better than I had in literally years. Nowadays, I don’t drink alcohol, don’t eat sugar, I work out super hard in the gym at least 3-4 days a week, I don’t drink any caffeine and I take ice cold showers to wake myself up every morning. Despite it seeming like I gave up all the things that I love in life, as a byproduct, I feel the most healthy and confident in myself that I have ever been. To me, that’s the most rewarding feeling of all. DID YOU ALWAYS BOTH SING AND PLAY GUITAR OR DID ONE COME AFTER THE OTHER? No, I used to never sing. I was terrified of the idea. I remember specifically not applying to a music school I was really interested in because they required all of their students to sing. Singing always really fascinated me but I was always too nervous to try to do it myself. When I first ever tried to sing, I immediately realized my voice was weird. An astounding majority of the famous male vocalists we all know and love such as Freddy Mercury, Michael Jackson, Sting, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, etc. are all tenors with very beautiful, clear, high-pitched voices. I am basically the complete opposite (a bass/baritone with a very low, gritty voice) and I found out pretty quickly that I would never sound like any of them no matter how hard I tried.
DO YOUR TATTOOS HAVE MEANINGS? IF SO, WHAT DO THEY SYMBOLIZE? Yes, all of my tattoos have meanings. I’m a very OCD person and all of my tattoos are organized. The right side of my body reflects my internal qualities (my birth name, birth year/place and birth order) and the left side of my body reflects my external qualities (my music and my martial arts). On my right side: being a quarter Japanese, I have my Japanese middle name “Kenji” (which translates to ‘healthy; rule’) on my right upper arm. I was born in New York City in 1994 and when I was in New York last year, I got that tattooed on my right forearm. I’m also the oldest of three boys and under my right collarbone, I have an arrow with three circles in it symbolizing me and my brothers; the biggest circle represents me (the oldest) and the other two smaller circles represent my two younger brothers. As for my left side: I have a guitar fretboard which symbolizes my passion for guitar/music on the back of my left forearm ––pretty self-explanatory. And lastly, after training three days a week for 14 years, I wanted to have something on my body representing my black belt in mixed martial arts, so on my left shoulder, I have a rising sun blended with an American flag, which is a symbol that was on the wall of my martial arts studio all the years I trained there.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST GOAL FOR THE FUTURE? The short simple answer is that I just want to be a rockstar — not going to lie that would be pretty cool. But really, the bigger answer is I want to create art that brings people together. It’s so easy to feel lonely and lost in this world and I hope to make art that helps people feel less alone and inspires them to use their own voice and be heard. When you feel like no one in the world understands you or knows what you’re going through and you hear that one song that just somehow you gets you when no one else does ––a song from a person you’ve never even met but who’s music and lyrics help you know that they’re there living somewhere in this same, big world as you and they feel it too; that’s power. It could also be a character from a story you connect with or a piece of art — it’s something bigger than you or me or anyone. That’s the reason I chose to be an artist. If I could just even make one person’s life a little bit better or inspire them to express their own individuality whether that be through my music, fashion/modeling work, art, etc., it would make my purpose feel served. I would rather have one person really connect with my art and be invested in what I am trying to say than a million people who don’t really care that much. I’ll either shoot for the stars or die trying but I refuse to be mediocre — that’s how it’s always been and that’s how it’ll always be for the future! … RECORDING ARTIST – SONGWRITER
CHRISTOPHER KENJI ON THE COVER CLOTHING: H&M J E W E L RY : RO N F U LC H E R PHOTOGRAPHY: RON FULCHER
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It took me a long time to really find my voice. When I finally first gathered up the courage to start singing in front of people, I remember getting comments like, “you’re good at guitar, I think you should stick to that” and whatnot. It was a lot of work behind the scenes to get my singing to where it is today but it’s interesting —the qualities of my voice that I used to view as imperfections are now often the things that people tell me they like most about my voice. It’s crazy how things work out like that ––I’ve come to realize that sometimes a lot of the things in life that seem like curses really are just blessings in disguise.
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See Eyewear
SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
NEW YORK
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