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"NO ONE GAVE US SHIT"
Editor's 16 "these are not 16's These are verses from the Bible"
For many of us that come from ‘the gutter’, hip hop has fathered us. It has raised us, offered us solace, a place to belong in world where many us could not find a home and has motivated us to pursue our wildest goals by gifting us the confidence to believe that some way, somehow, it’s possible. I may not be able to write an actual 16, but hip hop as served as a craft and religion to me. Hip hop is home, and I hope THE MOBB can become that too. Welcome to THE MOBB, it's a secret society, all we ask is trust. C.W
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LEVI'S X AIR JORDAN IV Levi’s® and Jordan Brand are together again, pairing the signature Air Jordan style with classic Levi’s® premium denim. The two icons of sport and style reimagine their roots by carefully balancing the DNA and heritage of both brands. Following the inaugural indigo release,
this collection will begin launching global from June 20 and includes new color ways of both the Air Jordan IV and the Levi’s® x Jordan Reversible Trucker Jacket. The expansion features four new pieces, with the Trucker Jacket and Air Jordan IV offered in black and white denim. New for this launch is the availability of 3.5Y-7Y youth sizing, appropriate for women and kids.
Black and white denim brings the classic craftsmanship of Levi’s® to life on the silhouette of the legendary Jordan IVs. The iconic Levi’s® “Two Horse” patch has been remixed to include the Jumpman logo and is featured on each pair’s tongue and hangtag. Finishing touches include gum details on the outsole, gold stitching, matching-color laces and the classic Levi’s® Red Tab.
LEVI'S X JORDAN COLLABORATION
LEVI'S X JORDAN COLLABORATION
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KANYE’S ICARUS MOMENT Words by Caron Williams Kanye West’s latest studio album, Ye, has become the artist’s 8th no. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. A feat only matched by Eminem and topped by Jay Z, among hip hop artists. The anticipation for Kanye’s next musical offering has been palpable by his core fans and the industry as a whole. Few contemporary artists have impacted and transformed the musical landscape as much as he has – from artist, producer, creative and arguably genius – he has singlehandedly redefined contemporary hip hop. The release of Ye was preceded by Kanye’s return to Twitter and an array of deeply concerning and harmful comments ranging from his defence and endorsement of Donald Trump to his comment that “Slavery was a choice”.
Kanye has been no stranger to controversy, a trait that has contributed to his allure as a superstar. His 2009 interruption of Taylor Swift’s VMA acceptance speech with the now iconic and equally infamous “Beyoncé had the best music video of all time” line, still stands as one of the most controversial moments in music, but Kanye has always seemed to revel some level of infamy. He understood its power, harnessed it, and captivated us with it, because there was always an immaculate body of work that accompanied it that served as his redemption. A year after his Swift Gate moment, and after continued media scrutiny and ostracisation, Kanye offered us his redemption project, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a critically
acclaimed masterpiece which is now deemed a modern classic. We were reminded of his brilliance again whilst being taken on a surreal journey of endless thrills and emotions. He offered a project so profound, it highlighted his complexity as an artist and person, and compelled us to forgive him, or at least give him a pass. He atoned for his proverbial sins with genius. Fast forward to 2018 and Kanye’s comments aren’t just shocking or entertaining, they are deeply harmful statements with tremendous implications for the people of colour who afforded him his fame and platform in the first place. Endorsing Trump and blatantly stating that ‘slavery was a choice’ reduces decades of immense pain, generational trauma and
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visible racism. It does not only delegitimise the work countless black people have invested in the plight for fairness and racial equality; it devalues their existence as a whole. There is nothing that can be said that could ever excuse Kanye’s remarks, but die-hard fans clung to murmurs that it was all a performance art piece leading up to the release of Ye. There was a great deal of hope that this was a deliberate, considered attempt to spread a message about racism and that Kanye
would once again offer an immaculate body of work which offered perspective, sought forgiveness and made us marvel at the genius of Kanye West yet again. Instead, we got Ye. Ye is Kanye’s Icarus moment - a culmination of complacency, hubris and a lack of real emotional awareness. Self-indulgent Kanye albums have always met a level of greatness which Ye completely lacks. Whilst The Life of Pablo was an erratic
album with no real identity, it had moments of brilliance and sobering clarity which impacted culture. There was still an honesty, vulnerability and genius somewhere at the bottom of a lost project. Kanye’s desire to prove how ‘free thinking’ he is and that the rules don’t apply to his genius has resulted in his weakest project to date. So perhaps we do miss the old Kanye - the Kanye with soul; the Kanye that reflected us, inspired us and understood us.
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[NOTHING] [CREATES]
[NOTHING], a collective of creatives in collaboration with high-end womenswear brand, BOSSE, have put together a wardrobe lookbook from styling the dancers under Coreo Creatives for the Castle Lite Unlocks Chance The Rapper Conceart. The wardrobe is inspired by the creative direction of the music performed at the event by South African artists Nadia Nakai, Shane Eagle & Frank Casino. The wardrobe lookbook serves as a showcase of the looks and are not on sale to the public
PHOTOGTRAPHER: [@cole_ndelu ] CURATOR [@NOTHINGCREATES ] COLLABORATOR: BOSSE CASTING [@nkulsey ] MAKE UP: [@Bobbyfinewine ] MODELS: [ @_mordekhai + @kopano3000_ + @ponahellno + @outgettingsushi ]
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SHANE EAGLE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DROP THE BEST HIP HOP ALBUM AND THE STAR DID NOT DISAPPOINT. YELLOW HAS GONE TO RECEIVE OVER 2 MILLION STREAMS AND WON HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS. AFTER SUCH AN INCREDIBLE RUN, SHANE HAS ANNOUNCED HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH ELLESSE HERITAGE AND IS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AN INCREDIBLE LOCAL TOUR.
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Q: Can you please elaborate on the nature of the partnership and what we can expect from it A: The partnership has been pretty organic, Ellesse is one of my favourite childhood brands, so when it came down to doing business, it wasn't hard to find common ground. You can expect a few dope things, we have some ideas in the pipeline that could potentially be great, it's just about refining and timing.
Q: Yellow has enjoyed over 2 million streams. How has the journey and the incredible reception of the album been thus far? A: It's been a blessing. The fact that the music has been received by people the way I hoped for is one of the biggest blessings in my life. We are over 2 million streams man, thank you for supporting me, it means the world to me and my team.
Q: What it is about Ellesse specifically that drew you to the brand? A: The authenticity. They have a very unique position in the fashion world and I like how they achieved their success by focusing on the product.
Q: What else can fans expect from Shane Eagle this year? A: The Yellow Tour is about to happen, we just wrapping up a few things. It's going to be crazy.
Q: Why do you think Ellesse has resonated with South Africans for such a long time? A: I think it’s because they represent something. South Africans are expressive and passionate people, so when a brand is able to confidently and creatively communicate what it is they stand for, people in SA resonate with it which turns into strong support. Q: Can we expect any collaborative ranges between Shane Eagle x Ellesse? A: This is one of those dope ideas in the pipeline.
"The Yellow Tour is about to happen... It's going to be crazy."
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DENIM BY DOME: PROJECT 1
DENIM BY DOME Photographer: @Bra_Daki Models: @DopeNdata & @anitaskemper_ Styling: @Denimbydome
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DENIM BY DOME: PROJECT 1 Fresh from designing Nasty C x Redbat collaboration range, designer Dome releases the first themed project under his custom brand Denim By Dome titled "Project One". Having worked on a number of group projects with Head
Honcho, designing AKA's first Supa Mega Tour Merch, Cashtime x HH capsule & Channel O's last YGB offering, this is Dome's first solo project since his MCK days, 2008/12. ''Project One'' consists of caps, T-shirts, Hoodies, Denim jackets, leggings & socks. Described as reimagined promotional items the range is intended to
promote & market his soon to launch website/online store. The clothes will be available exclusively on the same online store. For inquiries email sales@denimbydome.com or you can view more of the capsule on his instagram and twitter pages @denimbydome.
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[NOTHING CREATES]