VOLUME ONE ISSUE TWO
The 5th Element’s Mission Emcee, Bboy, DJ, and Graffiti Arts. These are the four elements that compose Hip Hop culture. Many would argue that fashion is not a significant element of Hip Hop, but when placed in comparison with any other culture, you will see the appearance of its people is what distinguishes them. Fashion is the 5th Element. We, as a collective of Fashion Enthusiasts, are here to provide you with an online magazine that bridges the connection of Fashion in Hip Hop.
Our Common Thread Established 2010
THE CONTENTS MC // Rapper Big Pooh // 1 MC // Curtiss King // 7 DJ // DJ Neil Armstrong // 15 DJ // DJ Miles // 21 BBoy // L10 // 29 Graffiti // Cre8 // 35 Fashion // LAX to JFK // 55
JUST ANOTHER DAY OUT IN SUNNY LA WITH
rapper
BIG POOH
During a 2 week long-trip doing shows and putting in work in southern Cali, North Carolina’s own, Rapper Big Pooh is in Downtown LA to shoot a video for his single, “Special” featuring local artists, No One (Noni Spits and Dae One) and Chevy Jones. I was privileged enough to receive an invite to check out the shoot and hang out behind the scenes.
from his previous work and he replies, “I think it’s actually a combination of my past and present. I know a lot of people-the way I came in, the sound and surroundings of how I came in-that’s what they associate me with, so that’s what they always wanna hear…but as an artist, I’m growing. I continue to grow, so what I try to do is combine some of the foundation of that sound with some of where I’m at presently, and create something that I think people would enjoy.
An inconspicuous warehouseturned-loft is the airy office of Los Angeles based clothing company, The Blure CollecSo, I don’t necessarily think it tive, and the location of today’s differs, I just try to tie everything video shoot. I made sure to together and give it something take a moment with the man of the hour to discuss his newest album, his sense of style and his shoot with Orange County brand, IMKING. Big Pooh rose to fame as 1/3 of the highly regarded NC rap group, Little Brother. In 2005, he began to make a name for himself as a solo artist. With several albums and mixtapes under his belt, Pooh releases Fat Boy Fresh Vol. 1: For Members Only in April, which has already reached critical acclaim. I asked Rapper how FBF differentiates 3
old but something fresh.” “Basic…I aint gonna even front!” The southern gentleman expresses when I ask him to describe his personal fashion sense. “I’m a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers type of guy. I just keep it basic. I don’t really wear jewelry like that, just put some earrings in, keep the cut fresh, ya know…I keep it clean, basic, fresh. That’s what I’m all about.” This was the perfect segway to my next question. In response to the story behind the title Fat Boy Fresh, Big Pooh credits the idea to his manager, Big Dho. “He used to always say, ‘you know, when I step out, I’m fat boy fresh.’ That’s just saying, just because I’m big, don’t mean that I can’t dress like the skinny guys. So I just took it and I ran with it…and it’s not just for big people, but it’s for anybody--just being confident in yourself, confident in your abilities, confident in how you look. That’s what fat boy fresh is all about.” With twothumbs up and a smile from the dimpled emcee, he wraps it up with, “So, skinny people, you can be fat boy fresh as well.”
Noni Spitz, Dae One, Chevy Jones, and Rapper Big Pooh on the set of “Special”
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Just being confident in yourself, confident in your abilities, confident in how you look. That’s what fat boy fresh is all about.
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The busy artist had a full week ahead, including a photo shoot with IMKING in Orange County. The young company just celebrated their 4-year anniversary and are making huge waves in the world of urban streetwear. “IMKING reached out to me a few months ago. They are fans of music over there and wanted to connect with some of their favorite artists, and I am more than happy to be one of them. I’ve been rocking with IMKING for a few months now but expect bigger and better things from them in the future.” Regardless of Rapper Big Pooh and IMKING being from opposite sides of the country, it’s apparent that the fresh flock together. Take a tip from these two, and be Fat Boy Fresh. (Photos courtesy of Gina Nicol ginanicolphotography.com) (Photos courtesy of Alex Kuang of IMKING)
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HOLLYWOOD
SWINGIN’
CURTISS
KING 5
6
An Interview with CURTISS KING by Lindsey Linayao Flashing lights and cigarette smoke. The 5th Element Crew peruse up and down the Sunset strip in Hollywood, CA., scoping out different sweets spots around the world famous Roxy Night Club. In just a couple of short hours, a show will be going down at On The Rox, an intimate bar and lounge situated on top of the club. One of the featured performers of the night is emcee and producer, Curtiss King. As we interview Curtiss, we discover how he feels about fashion, music, cougars and Gary Busey. I know what you’re thinking, and, yes. It was a fun interview. “I love pumas, cubs, and cougars/you know how I maneuver/ if you follow me on Twitter/then this shit should not be new to ya.” Indeed. If you follow Curtiss King on the social networking 9
site, you would see that about 1 out of every 10 or so of his tweets have something to do with cougars. It’s true, although, I could be low-balling that figure… His feline affinity has become such a huge part of the emcee’s persona that he made a song about it. The lyrics I quoted are from his song, “P.C.C.” (Pumas, Cubs and Cougars). It borrows a sample from Uber Cougar, Janet Jackson’s “I Get So Lonely”, and is growing to be a very big hit for King. As I was preparing for Curtiss’ interview, I just HAD to ask him where his Cougar fixation stems from. “My love for cougars started early in the 90’s when I was a child. My mother had some fine friends…”, the rapper beamed. The crew and I chuckled at that because he said it with so much conviction. He continues, “I like older women. I love the maturity of them, I love how they’re just straight to the
point--no bullshit, they don’t care about all the other stuff.” To show his appreciation for older women, he has also created a Tumblr account under the handle TeamCougarsandPumas. You’ll find daily postings under titles like “Puma of the Day” or “Cougar of the Day” featuring pictures of beautiful celebrities who some wouldn’t even realize are as old as they are. Makes you think, ‘I could be a cougar lover too!’ I noticed a very low-key look to the artist as we were in conversation. Dark washed jeans, a black hooded jacket with some zipper detailing and passants on the shoulders, accessorized by a glittered black wooden Jesus piece. When we made a remark about the accessory, he states, “I’m a walking contradiction!” and proudly reveals that the t-shirt beneath his jacket is a screen print of (cougar) Brook Burke with whipped cream on
her lady parts. “I’ve never been a fashionista. I don’t ever try to be something I’m not. Honestly, I love the color black…I’m from a label out the IE (Inland Empire) called Black Cloud, and when I do my music, I’m clocking in…and this is my uniform.” An independent artist since 2002, it is clear that Curtiss is very passionate about his craft. He emphasizes, “I think that’s the one thing that’s been lacking from a lot of music—from a lot of people in general. People just don’t feel as passionate about things as they are. My music is influenced by passion.” King goes on to say, “We (Black Cloud) call our music Busey music. If you know Gary Busey, you know he’s a crazy dude. Dude fell off of a motorcycle and lost it…but sometimes he has words of wisdom. THAT is basically my music. My music is as free as can be, with wisdom inserted where it needs to be.” If
any of us were still confused as to what Busey meant, he sure drove it home with an incredible, energetic performance upstairs. At about 11pm, Curtiss King hits the stage at On The Rocks and executes an amazing set, complete with fist-pumping and a “swag break” where he played 30 seconds of Lil B’s “Ellen Degeneres”. Black Cloud’s Noa James and Faimkills make
appearances during this feature-filled set, as well as artists Hawd Werk, and Finess The Great. Wrapping up the all too short 15 minute set is “P.C.C.”. Soon as the crescendo hits, the crowd knows exactly what the song is and proceeds to sing every word, with hands in the air. Curtiss King and his talented band of friends literally rocked On The Rocks that night. You can hear Curtiss King’s production on the Mack & Malone LP as well as producing nearly the entire White Lightning II album by Glasses Malone. Be sure to check out Curtiss’ band camp page featuring his latest EP, Jet Pack On E, as well as his superb instrumental work. Get familiar and keep a look out for his album, D.I.Y., dropping this summer. As a significant accomplishment for the artist, “P.C.C.”, is now on rotation on KJLH’s Saturday Night Mixdown.
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I’ve never been a fashionista. “ I don’t ever try to be something I’m not.
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GET LIKE ME
Music video: My Last (2011) Artist: Big Sean
This Motor City representative and G.O.O.D. Music star on the rise is definitely high in the sky when it comes to style. Let’s take a quick look at the emcee with expensive taste in his video, “My Last” featuring Chris Brown. Get like him. 1 // ROLEX RING “Big Sean channels the spirit and steeze of the late great Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur with this gold rolex pinky ring. Get yourself one at approximately $3000 a piece.” (picture HYPERLINK “http://www.amazon.com” www. amazon.com)”
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2 // BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB TEE “Big Sean-don downplays the flash and flare in this “Season Zero” Billionaire Boys Club Tee. This re-release of BBC’s 2004 design was a combined effort with Japan’s MEN’S NON-NO magazine, and was only available through the publication. Nowadays, you can find the shirt on popular auction sites for upwards of about $140 a pop, or you can buy a season 11 tee for $80 on the BBC site. (picture of season 0 and picture of season 11 HYPERLINK “http://www.bbcicecream.com” www.bbcicecream. com)”
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3 // TI$A REDWINGS CUSTOM SNAP BACK “The hometown boy pays homage to D-Town with this custom Redwings snap-back from TI$A. Rep your city in style from $50-$90 a cap. (picture HYPERLINK “http:// www.shop.tisavision.tv” www.shop. tisavision.tv)”
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ASTRONOMICAL AGENDA
DJ NEIL ARMSTRONG
For two years he was on stage with the rapper, traveling to different cities and countries, and building a lasting friendship with many of the people involved with the tour. He recalls it as a hectic period of time and that it was basically one big fraternity. He is grateful for the opportunity to tour with Jay-Z and will always be one of his greatest achievements. Reflecting on the tour, “It was a stepping stone. You have to keep going up. Keep moving forward. Trying to figure out what my next step is.”
In the middle of working with famous hip hop artists to jet setting the entire globe, we caught up with DJ Neil Armstrong and discussed the man behind the turntables. With a vast knowledge of the hip hop culture, DJ Neil Armstrong practices a form of art that people might call a foreign language. The movements, the sounds, and the techniques, all show a talent that takes years to perfect. Turntables and the music it produces correlates with the artist who uses them. And vice versa, an artist is only as good as the instruments they hold. In a world where being unique is the key to success, this vintage soul musician stands out amongst his peers by proving he can reach a high point and continue to keep rising to greater heights. A New York native, Armstrong grew up in the golden era of hip hop when the world saw the introduction of legendary rap icons such as Notorious B.I.G and A Tribe Called Quest. Eventually he got into the DJ scene and one day witnessed a DJ battle called the New Music Seminar where DJ Shortkut was on the one’s and two’s. Inspired by their talents, he went on to practice 17
his skills and later became DJ Neil Armstrong. When asked about his moniker, he jokes about how people basically give you the name. They would often say “Neil Armstrong’s here” and it eventually lead to what we call him today. He then went on to start the Fifth Platoon, a collective mix of DJs, which he still has strong ties to. With his Aerial7 headphones on, he can mix an assortment of songs and beats that will keep pleasing any hip hop head. On the turntables, you might even hear him beat juggling. But what exactly is “beat juggling”? He explains, “When you take two records and re-arrange them, juggling the sounds and turning one beat into another beat.” Arranging and mixing songs is best heard in the various mixtapes he has produced. His first one, Original, was crafted ten years ago. Whether they are heard on a CD or mp3 player, no one can deny the quality of work put into each one. The right people got hold of one his mixes, eventually landing him a role as Jay-Z’s tour DJ in 2008.
It wasn’t long until adidas hired him as its Global Brand Ambassador. He was the main DJ for the adidas events and even appeared in the international commercials. As an icon in the hip hop scene, Armstrong is now gaining followers in the fashion world. Being sponsored by adidas certainly spread his name to a bigger audience. He recalls, “Back in the day, adidas was the first company to sponsor a non-athletic entity, which would be Run DMC.” The clothing and shoe giant knew that people reacted to these musicians the same way they did to athletes. The population wanted the same shoes that the musicians were wearing and the brands they were representing. From touring with Jay-Z, playing in exotic areas of the world, and being sponsored by adidas, he shows the many great achievements one DJ can make. A really humble guy who genuinely loves music, he is an artist who takes full control of his craft. DJ Neil Armstrong seems to be carrying the same passion and energy from the start, which could be the secret to his never-ending success. By Marc Mangapit
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You have to keep going up. Keep moving forward. Trying to figure out what my next step is.
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DJ ON THE RISE: DJ MILES
DJ ON THE RISE: DJ MILES Get to know one of your up and coming local DJ’s from Southern Cali.
same time you want to give people music that they don’t always hear on the radio.
With over five years of experience, DJ Miles knows how to work the turntables and get the people moving on the dance floor, while keeping it fresh too. You can catch him rocking some dope kicks and wearing his favorite streetwear brand, Bape. His swagger style is simple, classy, and original. He has played at various gigs including the Nordstrom fashion show, school dances, private parties, and debuts aka 18th birthdays. “I like to DJ at school dances because you get to see people really enjoy the music.”
Performing is the part I enjoy most when it comes to djing. When it comes to events, I feel like there’s a lot of pressure on the DJ. Depending on the skill the DJ can make or break an event. But the main goal of a DJ is to keep the dance floor packed. I know some Dj’s like to prepare a set of what they’re going to play at a party but I think part of what makes a DJ good is being able to feed off the crowd’s energy.
Ambitious and driven, he wants to see where the road will take him. A goal in mind is to be able to play at clubs. You might just hear him spin at your local club and at the new party hotspots. He likes to see people having fun when he’s working and confesses that you’ll see him having fun too. To give the readers a more personal introduction, we asked DJ Miles to give us an insight into his world and what it’s like behind the turntables. Here he describes 3 steps that he believes will keep everyone dancing and having fun: Preparation In my opinion, preparing for a gig is crucial in order to have a successful event. As a DJ, it’s important to know your client as well as your music. One of the best parts of being a DJ is being able to experience different parties or events. Every event and client is different so it’s important to cater to his or her needs. As a DJ, I think it’s important to have lots of music as well as staying up to date with new music. You never know what surprises people will request, and at the 23
Performing
Many people don’t know that the DJ and the crowd have a mutual relationship. During a set I try and pay as much attention as I can towards the crowd. The crowd’s reaction will let you know if they love or hate what you’re playing. If they love what you’re playing you’ll hear all the ladies start screaming like there’s no tomorrow. If they hate it you’ll notice the crowd slow dancing or even stop dancing completely. When it comes to selecting what songs I’m going to play I try and choose music that will not only keep them dancing but as well as playing something they don’t hear everyday. The way I see it, DJ’s always have to come with something fresh and new or else your better off listening to the radio. One of the things that have made me successful at gigs is my knowledge of music. I consider myself as a student of music even before djing. Being a student of music I know that not all songs are good throughout the whole songs. It’s important to keep the crowd on their feet and constantly pay attention to the vibe their sending. I’ve noticed that in today’s music, hip-
hop has bridged with electro music/techno music. At times, I’ll play a hip-hop song with an electro beat and notice people start shuffling. And when people start shuffling I automatically think what song will keep them shuffling or make them want to shuffle even more. The same case goes with hip-hop in general, people will start douging or cat daddying to almost any song. When it comes to my reputation I want to be known as the DJ that not only plays good music but as well as one who pleases the crowd. Closing When it comes to the closing of a gig I enjoy letting the crowd tell me what they want. If they are still in the mood to party then I’ll end my set with a song that lets them leave on a good note. But if I see the crowd is tired, I’ll usually end the set with some slow jams. I want to thank all the people that like my page on FB. If you haven’t liked it yet check out www.facebook.com/djmilesplaymysong Shoutout to Chrisol and PAC Modern. Thank you to my closest friends (Kevin, Paul, Brett, Jonathan, and Kyle) for always being there for me and acting as my stagecrew. A special shoutout to my girlfriend Maureen Du she always does her best to make it to all of my gigs and does a great job of promoting me. Next I have to thank my family for supporting me in my DJ career. My mom for being my manager, my brother for designing my business cards and my dad for being my technical manager. Above all else I want to thank God because without Him none of this would be possible. By Marc Mangapit
BAPE VARSITY JACKET
LEVI’S JEANS
2001 AIR JORDAN SPACE JAMS
TISA SNAPBACK
TISA LOGO TEE
GUCCI BELT
EARGASM: SKULLCANDY X JORDAN BRAND Headphones can hold up its own popularity in terms of rarity and brand superiority. Sound quality is first and foremost what people expect from leading brands. Appearance and design follows afterwards. Nowadays, headphones are expected to look great and sound equally amazing. They have been marketed as a fashion accessory. And no one seems to argue with that. They are aesthetically loud and made to make a statement. Early in 2011, we saw a collaboration of two giant brands: Skullcandy and Jordan. Two creative teams joined forces to release a handful of very limited edition packs, creating a massive worldwide buzz. One pack features the Air Jordan III Retro in white/cement with the Skullcandy Aviator headphones. The elephant print on the AJ 3 Retro is a staple design that sets it apart from many sneakers. This same print was added on to the Aviator headphones which looked nice on the glossy white ear caps. 27
The other pack features the Air Jordan 2011 with the Skullcandy Aviators. The AJ 2011 is designed with two interchangeable midsoles, the blue for added quickness, and the red for more explosiveness. This gives players a more customized performance. Its headphone counterpart, the Aviators, had a red cap on one ear, and a blue cap on the other to represent both of the midsoles.
A Hip Hop Mixtape : Volume One, “The Fresh Mix Edition” You might have the newest mp3 player and probably rock the illest headphones. But what are they good for if you don’t have fresh hip hop music playing on them? So the 5th Element staff wants to help you out and present a gift to all those in need of fresh music and free stuff. Everyone likes free stuff, right? The Mixtape Series will offer a download link for a track mixed by an up and coming DJ. All you have to do is grab the mp3 file, play that track on repeat, and give thanks to the DJ who mixed it all just for you. Enjoy. Download this mix and other previous mixes at the5thelementmag.com
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BBOY L10
“B-boying is my passion. It has never been anything else to me but kind and giving�
It was a typical Monday night at Mai Tai bar in Long Beach Ca. What started out as a slow and uninteresting night with a couple of friends, quickly transformed into a one man show that caught the attention of my friends and I. As the night went on I noticed one of the bartenders busting back flips outside in the front of the bar. A few minutes later he starts doing handstands and poses. I instantly knew he was a b-boy. This is the inside scoop of b-boy L10. L10 was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and raised in Grand Rapids. He found his passion for bboying in high school. Apparently, he dressed like a b-boy and was mistaken for one by the president of the breaking club. The president of the breaking club asked if he wanted to learn how to break, and L10 jumped at the opportunity. Training long and hard hours with the club, he kept pushing himself to be better. Unfortunately, the club started losing its members, but L10 kept at it. He had little to no help at all learning now to break. He has always told himself, “no matter how much someone will and can teach you, the only person who will make you better is you. It’s your drive, your ambition. It is only you that will push you to be great.” Mastering his craft, L10 was already battling at a young age. It was his strong training ethic that kept him focused and motivated. In order to stay on top of his game he works out everyday to keep up with this physical sport. He has a set schedule for the week with each day consisting of something different. The main goal he strives for is consistency. L10 practices his skills and bboy moves until he is satisfied enough to move on to the next challenge.
L10’s unique style of breaking is definitely explosive. He puts a lot of power and high energy in his sets. He originally started out with the hollowback, but has evolved into his current favorite move which is the airchair. Comparing his style from 5 years ago, he hasn’t changed much of his craft, but L10 has evolved his skills to a stronger flow, continuing to freely express himself. He has not tried any other dance styles, and choreography is not his cup of tea because he feels every song and genre moves his body differently. Being a b-boy can be pretty demanding. The long hard hours, injuries, and frustration can put a lot of stress on a person. Aside from b-boying, L10 works at Mai Tai Bar in Long Beach, CA, and also works from home with his best friend running their own custom silk screening business. When he is not busy working or dancing, he prefers a simple life chilling at home with his dog and watching movies. He has recently picked up playing basketball as a part of his training regimen.
Through the years L10 grew up to realize what type of clothes express and accent him well. His style is best described as urban. L10 is an avid shoe collector and dresses himself according to his sneakers. Starting from his kicks, he will work his way up to complete his look. We asked L10 what b-boying has done for him and he replied, “It gives me a lot of opportunities, such as traveling, meeting new people, being able to teach classes and throwing breaking events. It has kept me on my toes physically and mentally. Breaking has made me a lot quicker in life. My hand and eye coordination is way better. Before I started breaking I was very non-athletic…B-boying is my passion. It has never been anything else to me but kind and giving. It is my passion; it will always be number one. I’ve found that I can take my craft everywhere; Libraries, malls, airports, gas stations, parking lots, clubs, youth centers, basically anywhere. If there is enough space to just 2 step, I will dance there. My passion is portable.” 32
“I just do what I feel is in my heart and soul when I hit the dance floor.�
BORN TO
CRE8
Driving around LA you can’t help to notice the well colored graffiti that decors the city. After copping some new J’s on a Saturday morning at the Fox Hills Mall, I decided to take a different route home taking me across the graffiti wall on Slauson and Vermont. The block long wall shouldering the rail road tracks was colorized with graffiti from end to end. I got the chance to meet one of the guys that helped start the wall back in 1992 while covering the Urban Street Jam competition. A few weeks after, I caught up with Eric Walker aka ‘Cre8’ as he was working on some vans at Escape Camper Vans in the city of El Segundo. Pretty interesting spot I must say. Escape Camper Vans is a company that takes pre owned Chevy Astros and converts them to a fully functioning camper van and hires local graffiti artist to paint them, Cre8 was one of a few graffiti artist that were working on some vans. Cre8 affiliates himself with real hip hop culture. Old school bboy and popper, music collector, rhyme writer, and foremost, graffiti writer, he was trained that if you want to be into hip hop, you got to know about all of the elements. Cre8 is a professional graphic artist, he does illustrations murals, graphic designs and gives lectures to people that want to know about real hip hop culture. Involved with many of the heavy hitters in the scene, his job is to educate and put them in the right path to knowing what the graffiti art form is all about. With that he gave some words to start off the interview. Cre8: A lot of people get this art form twisted in terms of thinking that it is just involved with rap music…instead it is way beyond that. You can’t claim hip hop without knowing all the elements. Hip hop is way beyond rap music, it’s a cul-
ture. Rap is something that you do, and hip hop is something that you live. There is a lot of power in all the elements of hip hop and if they understood all the elements they would be able to embrace and get more from it. It became a lifestyle for me and a lot of other people I roll with. It’s an honor for me to be able to use hip hop lifestyle to give a sense of empowerment through creativity. Hip hop came from people who took their background, culture, and roots and modernized it creating something really creative and powerful. Q: Are there any crews that you are affiliated with? A: I’m the president of Rockin’ The Nation crew, affiliated and connected with West Coast Artist in LA, Rock Angeles, and The Magnificent Team crew. In the east coast connected with some of the pioneers that did a lot in the NY scene. I’m connected with good talent. I believe that if you hang with the best, you become the best. Much respect to all those out there and the crews I’m connected with out here in LA, but let me talk about crews real quick. For those of you writing, it’s not important to be a part of a crew. It’s cool to be part of a team that ya’ll can relate to and get things accomplished, but if you gonna be part of a crew, then make sure it’s one that you can be a family with. If you can’t get things done in a crew then it’s pointless. You got to earn your stripes to be a part of a good crew. Everybody that’s starting these tag banging crews, carrying guns and trippin, yellin ‘where you from?’ has nothing to do with us. This art form ain’t got nothing to do with that. If you’re gonna bang, separate yourself from this culture and bang. A true writer doesn’t disrespect and misrepresent this move-
ment and culture. Those are the cats that make us look bad. Q: Where do you get your inspiration from? A: My inspirations come from a lot of different things. Number one is hip hop but it depends on what kind of work I’m doing. As far as the hip hop work and writing that I do, my inspiration comes from the music I listen to and my attitude of who I am. Lots of it also comes from the earlier pioneers that I look up to in terms of style and stuff like that. Also I get inspiration from some artist that doesn’t have anything to do with graffiti like Boris and Ernie Barnes. I also look at other comic book artists like Mark Bode, Vaughn Bode. Many admire the way they created their characters and apply it to how we write and paint. Those are some of the different inspirations from the graff and art scene. Q: Not everyone knows what the terms “writing, bombing and graffiti battles” are, can you explain some what some of those are to our readers? A: Writing is what we call what exactly what we do. Writing is based upon the alphabet from A through Z, taking the letters and transforming them to something creative whether it’s from the simplest style to the most complex style of lettering which is what we call Wild Style. There are many different names for styles. There is Mechanical Style, Force field style where you put designs around letters, and drop clips where the letters would drop off, or you can put different graphics on the letters like arrows. There are a lot of different things that we utilize. Bombing is what we use for quick fast bubble type style letters in 38
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This culture is about recognition, fame, and being somebody because everybody wants to be somebody no matter what.
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goes out the window with the rest of the garbage out there. Q: Tell us about Battles
what we call throw ups. Throw ups is what a lot of people do when they haven’t really mastered the skills. There are people who do really good ones and there are those who don’t because they don’t have the proper knowledge or technique to apply to their work properly. As far as tagging, tagging is when you put your signature it’s applied after you usually finish a piece. You got people who are style masters and style architects and style builders. Those people concentrate on building letter styles, they’re not concerned about doing a bunch of backgrounds of characters but they want to master the art from a through z. Some people, all they do is tagging and write their name everywhere. The whole point of that is fame. This culture is about recognition, fame, and being somebody because everybody wants to be somebody no matter what. By utilizing these different elements it gave us a sense of being somebody. Some people become instant celebrities doing this art form. That’s how powerful this stuff is. When someone can see your stuff from overseas or even locally that’s powerful. Sometimes you don’t even know but you would make an impact in other people’s lives because of your work. One time I had someone actually come up to be in Bakersfield sayin’ ‘Aww man you Cre8?’ ‘Yeah that’s me’ ‘Man I 41
just wanted to tell you that you’re the one who have influenced me to want to push harder in my art career.’ – I don’t even know who he is. Q: Do you have a personal style? A: I like all styles...no wait let me rewind that. Some styles are garbage, I don’t like every style but they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because someone is breaking it out the floor doesn’t mean he’s good. Sometimes you can see a bboy breaking but they don’t have the fundamentals, get up and move really sloppily. Then you see a real bboy who gets up and move to the beat finish his set, gets up and kills it with a strong bboy stance. A real graff artist, don’t do pieces and not care about technique or can control. When you see their work you see good clean execution of style. It doesn’t even have to use a lot of colors; it can only be two color piece but the letters have rhythm, style, and are identified in the same family of lettering structure. You won’t see one letter identified one way and another looking another way. Those are who we call toys or beginners. Those are the amateurs that don’t have a thorough knowledge of the art form. Personally I like styles that you can get something from. Whenever you can feel a piece, that’s when you know you created an impact. If you can’t feel it that’s when you know it
A: Battles are a very important thing in the graff movement or any other movement. They can get intense. Some are friendly competition and some are personal. Battles bring out the best in you. When you go into a battle, you’re in there to win. When you’re in a battle you better bring your best style, your best techniques, and your best everything. Everything has to be on point those are your weapons. No matter of what element of hip hop you represent, you’re in it to win. And if you loose that’s when you go back into the lab and get better at what you’re doing. Q: Back at USJ you mentioned something about starting the Graffiti wall on Slauson and Vermont. How did that came about? A: In 1992 after the Civil Unrest or what they called the Rodney King riots, there were a lot of things going down in South LA. Things were getting burned down and a lot of people were looting and rioting and destroying everything. There was a wall on Slauson and Vermont by the train track area where people were vandalizing. Me and my partner Choise from RTN took it upon ourselves to talk to the owner and suggest that some of the local artist beautify the wall. Since there were a lot of things going around, the community needed something
powerful and positive to take place. Luckily the owner was cool enough that he ever sponsored us and provided materials to help transform the area. He even got us in contact with an owner of another building over on 54th and Western that wanted his wall to be painted. As an artist, my job is to beautify anything that looks messed up and bring it back to life as best as we can. We can’t save the world but we can do something to make an impact. That’s our responsibilities. Q: How do you think graffiti has influenced hip hop culture in fashion? A: Fashion comes from the inside. Personally I don’t wear my hat
forward all the time; I may tilt it to the side or turn it all the way to the back. I may not wear laces on my shoes, I may rock it like Run DMC with some shell toes on and I might stroll around with no shoe strings in them. Fashion plays a very important role in hip hop and is a very powerful thing. Fashion is always changing and things are always going in and out of style. As far as on the graff tip, the graff movement became very powerful when people started putting their artwork on their clothes. When we were coming up we didn’t do a lot of silk screening on our clothes because that didn’t exist. Instead, we used to take old school designer art markers that could bleed or acrylics and clear coats to
lock down and seal our art. It then evolved into air brushing. People from NY to LA mastered the craft of air brushing. That had a lot to do with the upcoming of fashion with graffiti. Once we start using silkscreen there was a lot of LA based crews such as Conart1989 and Fat cap who played an important role in the early stages of silk screening. Marc Ecko started off that way as well. Now that guy has a big company that’s way out of this world. You got 7th Letter now and all of theses different people with these different lines out. I think because we have this background, we are able to use our talents to the fullest. When you look at hip hop fashion, you gotta think about all of the different things because a lot of us come from different backgrounds and cultures but we are all tied together by hip hop and the skills we got. When you look at fashion you look at a lot of different things that pull that stuff together. As the fashion industry keeps running, they should make sure they do it properly and not take something that’s been done and claim it themselves. You got to take it and flip it and do it right if you’re going to claim something yourself. Q: Lastly any shout outs? A: Yeah, I want to give a shout out to all the writers out there keepin’ it true, keepin’ it authentic and keepin’ it real from international to the national scene. As far as in the states, I wanna give a shoutout to all the fresh writers in the east coast, where styles were the mecha of styles was developed and for those in LA, I wanna give a shout out to all the REAL writers that are representing this culture properly. My crew, Rockin The Nation, West Coast Artist, Last 2 Serve and The Magnificent Team crew. -Alvin Dharmawan
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CONCRETE CANVAS:OUTSKIRTS OF LITTLE TOKYO
Back in January, Marc suggested that I take a look around the outskirts of Little Tokyo where I might find some interesting artwork colorizing the buildings of local businesses and apartments. Little that I know the spot he mentioned ended up to be the same place where we decided to shoot the L10 interview. Right on the outskirts of Little Tokyo and in the middle of hipster central, this three block radius felt just like a living and breathing art gallery. Classic throw-ups, bomber pieces, stencil and wheat pasted works flourished the clay brick walls and rooftops of buildings throughout the area. Most of the pieces here were bigger than life; the size and magnitude of some of these pieces are truly humbling. It’s hard not to respect the artist who threw these up. Look closely and you can spot some works from Shepard Fairey, Bisy, Dissizit, Cyrcle, and French artist J.R.
BANKSY VISITS LOS ANGELES Unless you have been out of the loop you may have heard about Banksy’s visit to LA during the week of the Oscars. The infamous anonymous graffiti artist’s movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop”, joint produced by Mr. Brainwash, was nominated for best documentary. Celebrating the hype around the documentary, Mr. Brainwash popped up this mural on La Cienega. Unfortunately the documentary did not win a Oscars. Much speculation went around whom or how he would accept the award if he was to win. To make it even more interesting Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy stated that they would now allow any “shenanigans” in accepting the award if it were to win. He states that the request to have “five guys in monkey masks come to the stage all saying, ‘I’m Banksy,’” creates a potential risk for ceremony crashers. Though this questioned his appearance during the awards, it was made clear that Banksy was in the vicinity surrounding the time. A couple confirmed pieces were put up spread throughout the Los Angeles County from Compton, PCH, Santa Monica and the heart of LA. His name even made a cameo on the Simpsons Oscars parody episode. Although the movie did not win Best Documentary, in a sense we all win. Banksy gets to keep his identity anonymous and LA gets treated to some great murals. Here are the pieces that was thrown up during the month of the Oscars. Banksy Website Credit Moca Website Credit 47
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GRAFFITI X DENIM
The popularity of denim jackets has always been eminent article of fashion. We see that the denim jacket plays a role in all genres of music from the early punk rock scene to its popularity in country music all the way to the hip hop culture. For graffiti artist in the early 80’s, the denim jacket was an alternative canvas to the train cars of the New York subways. Unlike train cars, the denim jacket was a way for writers to wear and give away their pieces to friends.
One of the first appearances of the tagged denim jacket appeared in graffiti movie documentaries such as Style Wars, Beat Street, and Wild Style. As soon as these documentaries hit the world, the trend of tagged denim jackets blew up as well. Since then this article of clothing was adapted into culture and has been a retro fit that has never gone out of style.
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All rights reseved by HYPERLINK “http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironlaksuomi/” Ironlaksuomi of Flikr / Denim jackets made by Trama Jukebox cowboy Jackets. Copyright HYPERLINK “http://flying-fortress.blogspot.com/” http://flying-fortress.blogspot.com/
MOCA X LEVI DENIM
Release 4/17: Chaz Bojorquez’s Black Trucker (Chaz started writing in 1969)
Most recently MOCA’s Art in the Streets exhibition collaborated with STUDIO ONE and Levis to produce a limited run of denim trucker jackets. This 10 artist collaboration project with MOCA and Levis include some well known artists such as Shepard Fairey of Obey, Lady Pink and Krink. Only 50 of each design are being made and will release only at the MOCA gallery for a retail $250. All proceeds from sales of these jackets go back to the museum and its community programs. Release dates are followed almost chronologically to the dates these artist started writing. [Pictures courtesy of Levis.com]
Release 4/17: Crash’s Zap Trucker (Crash started writing in 1975)
Release 4/17: Lady Pink’s Women’s Bohemian Trucker (Lady Pink started writing in 1979)
Release 4/23: Kenny Scharf’s Dark Summit Trucker (Kenny started painting in 1979)
Release 5/14: Andre’s Rigid Trucker (Andre started painting in 1985)
Release 6/4: KR’s Black Trucker (KR started writing in 1989)
Release 6/18: Revok’s Dark Summit Trucker (Revok started writing in 1989)
Release 7/2: Shepard Fairey’s Dark Summit Trucker (Shepard started posting in 1989)
Release 7/16: Neck Face’s Black Trucker (Neck Face started writing in 2000)
Release 8/6: Keith Haring’s Rigid Trucker (Keith starting writing in 1979) 50
HEAD TO TOE What’s good readers? It’s me Nino, The Fashion Editor here at The 5th Element Magazine. This season it’s all about feeling RELAXED! Spring is here and it’s time to get your “Comfy Swag” on. Bust out the shorts and the shades and feel relaxed walking in those slip-ons. Check out the pictures below, they are some examples I pulled together on Karmaloop.com. Enjoy! Fellahs: Check out this Hooded Button-Down shirt from RockSmith. It gives you the classic spring time look of a button down with that extra added steez from the hood. Pair that up with some RVCA flat front Cotton-Blended shorts and slip on those Supra sneakers with the Wax Canvas finish that always gets a second look. Don’t forget to finish off the look with some Original Wayfarer Ray Ban’s to complete that classic feel.
The Organix Hooded Buttondown Shirt $58
The Weekender Shorts in Navy $40
The Belay Sneaker in Grey Waxed Canvas $76
The 54mm Original Wayfarer in Black $145
Made from 100% cotton, featuring a buttondown front, drawstring hood, dual chest pockets, dual waist pockets, buttoned epaulets, and logo embroidery on the right chest. By RockSmith
Made from 65% polyester and 35% cotton featuring a 4-pocket design, zippered fly, and a logo tag on the back right pocket. By RVCA
TUF Men’s Sneakers. A cross between a slip-on and lace-up sneaker. By Supra
Original wayfarer sunglasses; logo detail at temples; logo printed on upper corner of lens and etched into side of opposite lens. By Ray Ban
Ladies: Time to rock this loose fitting racerback tank from obey. It’ll keep you feeling cool and comfortable with the splash of the spring time sun. Pair that tank up with some 5 Pocket bermuda denim shorts and slip into some laceless canvas sneakers by Keds. Finish your look off withe some Tortoise print flat framed shades from a collaboration with The Super and WESC.
The Sorceress Tank in Grey Women’s Tops (Sleeveless) $26 Lightweight racerback tank with graphic on front; logo embroidered on right hip; 100% polyester. By Obey
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The Trampin Short in Indigo Trash $55 Five pocketed jean shorts with distressed detail throughout; cuffed hem; button fly with button closure; 9” rise, 4” inseam; 100% cotton. By Insight
The Champion Solid Linen Laceless Sneaker in Warm Sand $36
The Super X WeSC Moose Sunglasses $170
Laceless sneaker with textile upper and jute trim along rubber sole. By Keds
Matte tortoise acetate framed Super x WeSC sunglasses with bridge lens detail and WeSC logo at hinges; gradient tinted lenses. By WeSC
DOPE OR NOPE Old School versus New School! We have the classic Varsity Jacket and the new trending Feather Hair Extensions, both taken from an old school perspective and now evolved to fit the current trends. Now it’s time for your decide, Dope or Nope? Fellahs: The Americana Trend is coming back full force and throughout the past year or so a piece of it has been rocked throughout the seasons. The classic look I am talking about is the Varsity Jackets. Variations have been made since it’s debut in the early 1920s but it’s classic and distinguishable style has stayed the same. You can see artist ranging from High Profile Fashion King, Kanye West to Long Beach’s laid back native Snoop Dogg sporting these Jackets on Red Carpets and in their Music Videos. Brands like Orisue, Stussy and Obey have all dabbled in the re-creation of this classic style and have put their own twist and take on the Jacket. Ladies: Feathers have been floating through Fashion History since the Flappers were using them to accessorize their once thought of “unconventional” way of dressing. Now a days being “unconventional” is the way to go to show your sense of style and make your mark in the sea of fashionistas all over the world. The latest trend that has surfaced and is slowly making it’s rounds are the Feather Hair Extensions. From coast to coast I have seen the Ladies swagging their hair out with these colorful and eye catching extensions. These feathers are a quick fix to change your style up a bit and find a way to stand out in the crowd. 52
SWAGSENTIALS What better way to add some swag to your steez than to accesorize your fit with these swagsentials.
MEN
Rubber Player Nixon Watch $150
OBEY 25hr Ring $38
BLVCK SCVLE Feather Key $35
The Skewed Stacked Crystal Ring by Noir $98
Two-Sided Headband by Laura Kranitz $40
WOMEN
The Little Bow Good Wood $27
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BUY IT, USE IT, WEAR IT...TECHNOLOGIC With an endless amount of new technology the influx of new and improved gadgets on the market have invaded your nearest Electronic Store. Throughout the years it seems that these gadgets have become somewhat of an necessity in our lives and are usually carried everywhere and anywhere we go. From this came a new wave and market for the fashion accessory industry; from cell phone cases to laptop sleeves there are numerous ways to add some steez to your gadget of choice. Below are some of the latest trends:
Incase “P-Rod” Skate Backpack
Incase “Bird’s Nest” Iphone Case 54
PEEP THIS: LAX TO JFK
coast to coast and even carries it’s Own brand, Private Label. When the staff and I came to interview Nacho and to check out the store I instantly noticed some of the Private Label items. Some designs that stood out were their play on their West Coast/East Coast theme with no other than two iconic Faces in Hip Hop, 2 Pac and Notorious B.I.G both transformed into Sesame Street’s very own Bert and Ernie. Equally as dope were their Courtside Los Angeles Lakers and New York Nicks tee featuring Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee. As we casually talked and continued to interview Nacho and some of his staff members we get into conversation about the community, specifically the South Bay. He mentions the kids that come around to talk, hang out and peep the inventory while saving up their Socal Livin and South Bay Chillin, what surrounds the South Bay cities are malls, the beaches and Mom and Pop shops up and down Pacific Coast Highway and Hawthorne Boulevard. Being a South Bay native I feel like I have explored every city and its surroundings and can tell you where everything is with no reference to Google Maps or a Navigational system. Once I had turned 16 and got the keys to my first whip a, 1988 Toyota Corrolla rolling on 3 cylinders… yes 3 cylinders; I rolled around the South Bay always trying to find things to do and new spots to kick it at. Flash Forward nine years to present day and yes I upgraded the whip, but I realized I’ve missed a South Bay Treasure. Right around the corner of my very own house posted up in the Yukon plaza right next to one of my favorite Thai Food spots and in the same Plaza as Baskin Robbins (now I really don’t know how I missed this spot) is LAX-JFK a Boutique 57
Streetwear joint offering some great styles from The Hundreds, Black Scale, Diamond Supply Co. and much more. Conceptualized by brothers Nacho and Chuy Delgadillo the store was opened in January of 2010 and is a Family ran Business. Nacho has said it has always been a dream for him and his brother to open up a boutique like LAX-JFK and said “The South Bay needed something like this” and they were most definitely right. The concept of the store was that “it was up the street” being that there were no stores within the South Bay that offered a place to shop for select streetwear and offer help from employees that have the product knowledge of the brand and style not because they were trained but because they live and breathe the lifestyle it conveys. With the name LAX-JFK deriving from the Gang Starr song JFK 2 LAX the store features brands from
weekly allowance and lunch money just to cop some fresh new gear. Right there I realize that the store is much more then just another boutique or retail establishment but more or less a Staple for the Community that reps a positive outlet for the youth through fashion and hip hop. He also mentions that he was going to attend an “alternative career fair” which showcased careers beyond the norm and gave some shine to other careers like media, fashion and the arts. I appreciated this very much because as I grew up I don’t recall any adult figures telling me it was ok not to be a Doctor or a Lawyer and here we have Nacho a business owner of a Hip Hop influenced retail establishment, letting kids know you can be successful in other ventures. The future seems bright for LAXJFK,with hopes of someday opening up a store on the east coast to complete their coast to coast theme. Until then they’ll continue their hustle posted in the West Coast, so if you’re ever in the South Bay area I highly recommend you to roll through and peep the store and meet the staff.
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CREDIT MC // Lindsey Linayao DJ // Marc Mangapit BGirl // Karen Capalaran Graffiti // Alvin Dharmawan Fashion // Nino Llanera Design // Phillip Cendana SOURCES Djneilarmstrong.com Facebook.com/djmilesplaymysong Goincase.com Karmaloop.com Lax2jfk.com Levis.com Youtube.com SPECIAL THANKS MC // Rapper Big Pooh MC // Curtiss King DJ // DJ Neil Armstrong DJ & Mixtape // DJ Miles BBoy // L10 Graffiti // Cre8 Fashion // LAX to JFK Photos & Videos // DC Visions Productions // Don Cunanan Photos // Alvin Dharmawan Videos // Allan Daus SOCIAL NETWORKS Website // the5thelementmag.com Facebook // www.facebook.com/The5thElementMagazine Twitter // @the5thelmntmag Tumblr // http://the5thelementmag.tumblr.com
MEET THE CREW With an aesthetic sense of direction for creative media and culture, Nino has worked with Media Groups BakitWhy.com and WorldofDance.com and Fashion companies H&M and Gap Inc. On an off day you can catch Nino at your local dance studio or on the net perusing the web for up and coming trends surfacing from the underground. Style: Sophisticated, Clean, Street By day, Marc’s just your ordinary medical biller. By night, you can find him at your local bar or lounge, researching of course. Hip hop music and culture have influenced him since the fresh prince of bel air days.
Style: Independent, Street, Uninhibited, Hip Karen has a taste for a wide variety of music and will dance to anything with a good beat. She uses music and dance as a creative outlet to inspire and motivate others. She has been a huge fan of the break dancing community and is willing to learn all of what the creative world has to offer. Style: Simple, Comfortable, and just plain me Alvin is a full time student majoring in Business and communications. He is a long time streetwear and sneaker enthusiast and has been in the game before the hype. He has a strong passion for dance and cars and has found a new creative outlet for photography. Style: Fresh Kicks, Streetwear, Layers Lindsey is a California girl with a universal interest in the arts, Lindsey has been drawing, dancing and loving hip hop since elementary school. Over years of cultural influence, she has developed a discerning ear and a sharp eye for what’s good in music and fashion. Journalism is the medium she chooses to express her artistic observations. Style: Feminine, Casual, Fun Phillip has been drawing and designing since he was a kid. In the near future he plans on opening his own business. When he’s not designing, he loves to travel, cook and learn photography. Phillip’s favorite brands right now include Nike, Crooks, 10 Deep, Creative Recreation, and Acrylick. He is a huge fan of basketball, arts and sneakers. Style: Bold, Graphic, Clean