TOP 5 VIDEOS & MIXTAPES | TRAINER TRACKER | HOW IT STARTED UK
urban revolution // editor’s letter Hello Readers, It’s Mitch back again to let you know what’s in store within the new issue. I tell no lies when I say this issue is bigger and better!
contents TOP 5 MIXTAPES/VIDEOS E.MAK - Mixtape review Live and talented with: Rachel Burns how it started uk feature: tinyman Sports interview: Taboka A Kiss from flavour feature: bevlondon interview: soffa Interview: yb bello top 5 trainers words of wisdom
3 4 5 6 7-9 10-11 12-13 14 15-16 17 18-19 19 20
I’m sure you have noticed the changes already via the front cover. It is exciting times for the team here at Urban Revolution as we continue to expand and grow with the help of you the reader. As you read this, you’ll be aware that we have finally launched the website! You can now read the magazine directly on the site (www.theurbanrevolution. co.uk), as well as read regular blogs from the team if the wait between magazines becomes too much. We’ve even added a function whereby you can subscribe and have the magazine sent directly to your inbox a few days earlier than the rest of the public. In this issue we have four interviews/feature with the freshest urban talents as well as our customary word of wisdom, top 5 mixtapes & videos, sports, beauty & cosmetics & fashion blogger interview pages. However, we’ve added two new pages, we have a new top 5 trainers page and also a artist spotlight written by our newest member Bakita Kasadha. So that’s all from me now ….i’ll let you get on with enjoying the mag! Yours truly, Mitch Osei
THE URBAN REVOLUTION
Stickz – Game Of Life
Reptar – On A Mission Feat. Chris Ike
Eklipse - Euphoria
Bonkaz – My Mind
Mover – Think That I’m Muni
YB Bello – Find My Way Mover - Ouch Chea Vol 2
E.Mak – Cool & Conscious
Ayar – Good Is Getting Better MARK asari - mark my words urban revolution
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E.Mak – Cool and Conscious Cool and Conscious the 2nd mixtape from West London rapper E.Mak delivers exact what it says on the tin (or front cover artwork) lol; a body of work that is smooth and melodic in its entirety, much of which is due to the excellent production by Lil Sun and the great choice of features. Which include Solo, Twitch, Daniella Wilson, YJ, Raheem Bakare, Siobhan Bryan, Jay Alexander & Lakesha Cammock The intro sets the tone for an introspective mixtape, which give us an insight into E.Mak’s inner thoughts regarding his life and position within society. The stand out line has to be...
“9-5 kind crushing my spirits// had to lay of it a little because they don’t know their limits//man they don’t know my potential” Track 5 - Common Denominator featuring Twitch is my favourite track on the mixtape, common denominator displays E.Mak at his lyrical best rapping “I said there’s 10 different tales behind my black skin//another ten different tales behind them black tints //you see that brother shot down with the shotgun he’s only on one because he lost one when he dropped one’ and Twitch delivers as he is not to be out done but E.Mak narrating...
“I smoke another for the mother who just buried her son // and his brother who’s still crying whilst he loads up his gun// twitter ***** tweet banging because it’s all for the fun// but don’t you know this is the life in which we tryna out run” These two artists appear to keep each other on their toes through the track propelling each other to deliver nothing but their best delving into the painstaking truths of their surroundings. The dreams skit takes us into the second half of the mixtape, which could be, described as the motivational and uplifting segment. This creates a beautiful juxtaposition and story of the struggle and strife, which E.Mak seeks to recycle and use as the driving force in his pursuit for his musical dream. This mixtape is definitely work a download so get onto cool&conscious.com and see hear for yourself why I’ve rated it so highly.
Words By @mitch_hustle page 4
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Live and talented with: Rachel Burns By Bakita ‘Masala’ Kasadha
It is time to discover the number of talented acts, who haven’t yet reached radio stations and the music charts. Searching for them needn’t be long when channels of communication include social media and word of mouth. Why wait for the DJs to tell you where the talent is, when you could just discover it for yourself? Be ahead, be there as the artists are shaping their style and developing their voices. On Saturday 4th May, I had the pleasure of discovering the voice of Rachel Burns, during a live debating event that also incorporated live music and other talent. The night included three performances but for me, Rachel Burns’ was the most memorable. Forcing me to take to twitter and (sing) her praises. Rachel Burns, 21, from North London is currently studying part-time at a drama school. Describing her own sound as a “dash of soul and jazz”, Rachel Burns has brilliantly interpreted a variety of influences and genres to create a mesmerising sound. On the night, she performed three songs, Miguel’s All I Want Is You, Sam Sparro’s Black and Gold and an original entitled Real Me. Her sound is truly distinctive, and because of this, she was able to make Black and Gold her own. I actually preferred her cover to the original. Through her covers, she expressed her strong identity, not only making the song her own with ease, but by skilfully making those who listened, forget that the song was indeed a cover! With her original, Real Me, Rachel Burns proved herself not only a talented vocalist, but credible creative artist. Writing since she was 15 years of age, Rachel has recently finished the song which focuses on self-perception and empowerment, conveying the important message: ‘Don’t judge me by your standards, I’ve got my own.’ Rachel is currently under Hoxton Street Management and is concentrating on developing her sound and identity as a solo artist, after years of appearing as part of backing vocals and in a choir. Over the past year, Rachel has been finding her independence and voice, and will be continuing on the same vein by being an attendee at a writing camp in the near future. Be patient, you may not find many links to her recorded performances, but when you hear of her performing, take the chance. It was a pleasure, Rachel. If you are still at the developing stages, let the world be ready for the future and established you!
Rachel Burns | Sensational Vocalist | Developing Artist | Twitter: @RachieSoul urban revolution
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HOW IT STARTED UK How It Started UK is the website to head to for everything entrepreneurial and inspiration. How It Started UK showcases the stories of how people turned their visions into reality. We caught up with the creator Samuel to see how he came up with the idea for the site and his views on entrepreneurships (www. howitstarted.co.uk). Give us a bit of background information on yourself as the creator of HowItStartedUK (educational background and interests)? My names Samuel, I’m 19 and a first year Economics & Finance Student. Love all things tech and business. What is How It Started UK and how did you come up with the idea? Ever since I was a kid I’ve been in love with ideas. Thinking how I could make a dent in the universe. So late 2012 I was searching the internet for a website where I could see the different ways people have come up with creative ideas and the routes they have taken to make their ideas a success. How It Started is the website I’ve always wanted to see. What are your plans in terms of the development and growth of the website? I would love to see the business still growing, exploring more exciting collaborations with other startups and expanding in new innovative ways Who is in the team and what are their roles? At the moment I’m working alone on the project but have occasional guest bloggers sharing their stories and advice. What struggles did you face in setting up the idea The design of the website was a hurdle I had to face. I knew from day one what I wanted the site to look like but trying to build it was very difficult. What is your definition of entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurship is for the people who fall in love with ideas and don’t listen to people when they say ‘stop’. A great saying I heard was ‘Being an Entrepreneur is like jumping off a cliff then trying to build a parachute’. Do you think entrepreneurship is important within the current society and why? Entrepreneurship is crucial, especially today when unemployment is very high. By using innovative ideas entrepreneurs can create jobs out of nothing. Hence the reason some people call them magicians!
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URBAN REVOLUTION presents
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‘s Oph-entic orphanage The team met up with the orph-entic artist that is Tinyman. We got straight into things and asked him what the orphan gang was. He has released the third installment of the series, which appears to be a lyrical catharsis of some sort, whereby Tinyman just liberates himself over a mellow soulful beat for all to enjoy. He explained that the orphanage (Orphan Gang, #ORPHGANG) is an artistic/creative/socialexpressive movement, a metaphorical place where, the socially, musically and artistically ‘unwanted’ reside. The people who are not a part of, or in any stereotype or group, so to us an orphan is a person who socially, musically, mentally, artistically has no parents to there style. Distinguishing that...
“When I say orphan it should not be taken literally or religiously, I know my Father God. We are our own parents in a way and in all ways we are adopted from or genre. The orphan gang are alone in a good way. So when I say we are the orphanage, orphan gang primarily its a different movement, a collection of creative’s but there’s more to it.” However, we learned there are no official members like say a band would have, but there are many people, including close friends of Tinyman and fellow creative’s who represent the movement. The Oprhan flow series of tracks has created quite a buzz with vol.3 being posted up on Rap Genius alongside many other reputable blogs. When asked what Tinyman aimed to achieve as a result of the series he stated “The purpose of the orphan flow series was to showcase a different side of me where I could just write lyrics and deliver them raw over a beat and show people there was more to me lyrically than just making songs, no gimmicks just a beat and lyrics. “ and it’s safe to say he has definitely displayed his lyrical prowess via the orphan flow vol.1,2 & 3, whilst also challenging peoples attention to detail and interest in lyrics by creating thought provoking verses in unison with substantial content and flow.
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#RapGenius
Tinyman being such a lyricist often goes over the heads of many people, the true meaning of what he is implying lost amongst the many and only understood by few. However, his recently connection with Rap Genius now allows us the chance to fully understand the thinking/meaning behind his and many others lyrics. We asked him does he feel this is an important element of the rap scene and if so why he felt that. He articulated, “This is the best thing I have ever come across. As most of us know, technology mainly the internet has contributed to molding music fans into people who know what they want and they get fed up of repetition, they are eager to know more than they already know and want to be involved more than ever its great for artists to bring listeners into their worlds by breaking down what lyrics mean and what inspired concepts behind songs.” The message is now clearer with the introduction of Rap Genius. Tinyman now feels he can now use his art to portray the importance of being authentic & creatively free, projecting something that is self-representation and create art of a substantial quality.
Acting
As a multitalented individual Tinyman’s abilities spread further than just music, he also acts and has been involved in 3 theatre productions with Real Drama Theatre, the popular house party UK theatre production in 2010 & 2011 and a production called the truth. He plans to continue his acting experiences now that he has finished University as he realises the positive correlation that now exists between the various art forms within the entertainment industry. Tinyman expresses the importance of his acting endeavour’s noting that they help him establish a mental and creative space that fuels his works. Also opening up a new perspective unobtainable solely through music, which in his words “allowed my mind to work in ways that I could never imagine”
Future Plans
In the near future he hopes to release more visuals, an EP and an Album. He couldn’t let give us dates or names for these project, but guarantee their creation was imminent.
Download Tinyman’s music tinymanmusic.com @tinymanmusic
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The Rise of German Football The Rise of German Football ITV, BBC and Sky Sports trail behind the world when it comes to football knowledge, yet because of the ramifications of repetitive outdated assumptions that the Premier League is the pinnacle of league football it has become effortless to dismiss the realities surfacing world football. Over the last month the UK finally got the eye-opener it deserved, as two of Germany’s best club teams (Bayern Munich & Borussia Dortmund) dismantled the two Spanish powerhouses, the two so-called underdogs left in the
Champions League tamed and humbled the superior powers of Barcelona and Real Madrid. But who was really surprised? I called it when the quarter-final draw was first made, that Borussia Dortmund would get to the final at the very least, as I never considered Dortmund a darkhorse as many did. I always believed they were genuine contenders. Bayern Munich on the other hand should be acknowledged to every knowledgeable football fan as one of the globes greatest brands in terms of standards and stature. Bayern Munich will be playing their third Champions League final in four years at Wembley on May 25th. Coincidentally they have been modest runners up to fellow finalists Borussia Dortmund who cut short their domestic dominance in the previous two seasons. But German football surge to the summit of world football still remains a revelation. The only thing English football and German football have in common is the fact that they are both European Leagues, top European Leagues. Ownership, TV rights, financial restructuring, foreign investments have all played their role in remodelling English football into an economical empire, the love of the game in England has been sidelined by the lure of glamorisation. However, the authenticity of Germany rightfully remains. The Germans currently chuckle at the thought of the price that English fans are forced to pay when supporting their favoured clubs; they can
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watch their team play for merely nothing. Just last week Bayern Munich offered to refund all of their season ticket holders in act of consideration because of the lack of competition faced this season. The standard of football, a common hoof up the field for a Grant Holt or Andy Carroll knock down is what we familiarise ourselves with on MOTD, followed by the lavish praise of Alan Shearer and Alan Hansen who smile engagingly. Outside the big six of English football, Liverpool still included, a now rare commodity of football is still being played, a style of football frequently seen whilst the likes of Gerrard and Rooney try to engineer a way to provide their nation with some sort of footballing recognition by delivering international glory. Germany still laughs at us. The 4-0 mauling at World Cup 2010 was of great significance to the landscape of both footballing countries today. Germany have adjusted and upgraded their style of football and England continues to prove their worth to the sport of rugby rather than “the beautiful game”. In the last four years, Germany have introduced the likes of; Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Holder Badstuber, Marco Reus, Mario Gotze, Mats Hummels, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, the Bender twins, Ilkay Gundagon and Julian Draxler to their national
the realisation that Germany is the closest nation to playing the attractive football that he thrives off as a coach and as a spectator, therefore the deal was more than a likely formality. German football’s meteoric rise commenced as early as 2008 following the defeat of Spain in the final of Euro 2008, since then year by year Germany have made silent strides to the footballing podium and their reign at the top will be completed as soon as May 25th if it has failed to do so already. Or maybe this entire article is a precipitate assessment
into the current landscape of football, encouraged by one jumping on the illusive German football bandwagon. With the World Cup looming ever closer and Pep Guardiola’s latest German experiment due to take place next season I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Words By @ReeceRev
set up, to name just a few. And more than a handful of those names are those speculated to leave their current stable home of good football to join a league that is dare I prematurely say it in decline. Ask Pep Guardiola what encouraged him when deciding to join Bayern Munich in favour of other colossal offers. Or better ask Raul Gonzales, arguably one of the most naturally gifted finishers of his generation why he joined German club Schalke 04 in 2010? The beauty of the game was a definite factor of course. One of football’s most beautiful architects, referring back to Pep Guardiola would hardly find it fitting travelling to Stoke City, standing opposite a manager yelling “Shawcross the lad is leaving here on a stretcher son”. A slight exaggeration maybe but Guardiola perhaps came to
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Danny Welbeck: Central Midfielder? Some of the greatest players to grace a football pitch have done so in positions that they didn’t originally see as fit for themselves. Thierry Henry, decent winger, transformed into a fearsome striker of the highest quality becoming arguably the greatest non-british player to play in the Premiership. The Ginger Maestro we all love whether it be for his trademark bullets from distance, delightful passes or crunching tackles, Paul Scholes started off as a striker before gradually moving deeper to find his rightful home in Fergie’s Engine Room. The key fact with these two football icons is that this change of position was not done in the twilight of their careers like Ryan Giggs, rather it was at crucial points early in their careers. Fresh off his 1st Premier League medal and a season of substantial growth, there is one statistic that looks bad on Danny Welbeck’s first season as a Premiership champion: in 26 games he only managed 1 goal. Looking beyond this however, there was enough on display that could suggest that Wayne Rooney isn’t the only player that could be looking at a new role come preseason. Danny Welbeck….Central Midfielder?
“He is blessed with power, pace, skill and a great engine. Sir Alex has likened him to Nwankwo Kanu however he has a build similar to Patrick Viera and the way he can glide past players with long powerful strides strikes an uncanny similarity. “ His link up play is already brilliant, allowing him to effortlessly work up
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attacks whether it is with Carrick in the middle of the park, Nani & Valencia on the wings or with Van Persie up front. His 4 assists may not be off the charts but for a player who isn’t the creative hub of the team like a Juan Mata it shows he has the potential that with time will mature into a deadly array of skills as a creator and scorer of goals. These attributes indicate that Danny could be a midfield lynchpin in disguise. However, there are signs to contradict this. His delightful flick against Sweden and towering header against Real Madrid give an indication that Mr Welbeck could well have a future as a top striker. His loan spell at Sunderland matured him into a much stronger player and until injury struck he was having a great breakthrough season with 6 goals in 28 games. His first season at United did not stop his progression as he ended with a tally of 12 goals and a place in England’s Euro 2012 squad.
pressures of leading the line. Another option would be to mould him into the next Patrick Viera. Adding power and pace into a weak Manchester United midfield like the French Legend did for the Gunners, Moyes would still be able to get rid of the flop known as Anderson and replacing him with a more tactical astute player as his performances against Real Madrid showed. All said and done, Danny Welbeck is a striker and could prove us all wrong and turn into a lethal weapon for Manchester United and England. But take away Rooney’s long range passing and you begin to wonder if it is Welbeck rather than Wazza that should be dropping into a deeper role… So Danny Welbeck: Central Midfielder?
Words by @sugarcraig
However, all this promise has been forgotten in the fickle nature that is alive and well in football and after a very poor season in terms of goal return, the calls for him to be sold instead of Ronney or Hernandez to accommodate a top level striker who will provide the goals are steadily increasing. Nevertheless, while Welbeck has the tools to make an impact but it isn’t by leading the line and neither is it as a midfield conductor like a Pirlo or Carrick. But what about the Kaka role? Otherwise known as the trequsita role ahead of a midfield duo and behind a main striker. Welbeck’s work rate, link up play and strong runs could yield devastating results. Although this would result in direct competition with both Kagawa and Rooney, it is a better option and gives Welbeck the match experience he needs to continue his development without the
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taboka What are your other passion other than fashion illustration and design? Apart from the design process I do enjoy writing. Not poetry or anything, but essays. I enjoy the research a lot, I always find out new things that tend to come in handy later on in general and in design.
her eyes and ears out for opportunities for me.
You seem to be focusing a lot now on gowns as well as designing pieces for clients, what other types of clothing should we
Hey Taboka, for those who don’t know much about you and your craft please give us a brief inWhere did your love for this troduction as to who you are and stem from? what it is you do? I’m a women’s wear designer, my brand is my name, i just figured it was simple and unique enough as it is. I’m known more for my evening wear collection but I create more ready to wear pieces also. I started taking on orders last summer of 2012 so I guess that’s when business started picking up. I’m very hands on and I love the whole design process from idea right through to the final piece. I’ve always been artistic and I chose to take on the path of fashion design from a very early age.
What do you enjoy most fashion illustration or the actual design process? I love both aspects of the design process, because they both aid me in achieving my final piece. Sometimes the construction element gets very tiresome and a bit tedious, so when I illustrate I’m taking a break from sewing. What inspires your illustrations? My illustrations are inspired by a fusion of my thoughts and other illustrators work. I’m constantly researching new artists and their techniques and in turn it improves my personal skills.
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My very creative childhood. For as long as I can remember I’ve been creative, my mind cannot work any other way. As a child I used to cut my own clothes to remake clothes for my barbies (my mother wasn’t so pleased) but since she realised it was what I loved and could be a promising career path of mine she’s been my biggest support system! She’d randomly buy me fabric or hand me something she didn’t want anymore, and she always keeps
expect from you? Yes! I have a love for couture pieces so the gowns I make are heavily influenced by the likes of Eli Saab, Dior and Valentino. The pieces I’ve made have been made freehand, no patterns just taken a pair of sheers to fabric and sewn while designing from my head. I love that I can just do that sometimes. It’s great practice and I personally feel its a good skill to develop. My aesthetic is clean and simple. The inspiration behind this collection was ‘aircraft’. It was one of the outfits out of my final year uni collection. I’m looking to expand on this collection and eventually transform it into an all white col-
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lection as I edit some existing pieces out. Next step for the brands RTW collection.
Where can we kept up to date with the progress and work carried out by you?
My audience is a young women aged 18-25 who love high end designer pieces, from ready to wear to couture. I’m just using my talent to show my take on high end pieces as that’s the market I’m aiming for. Ever since I began sewing bespoke pieces for clients , I’ve realised that they want dresses like these, so it makes me happy to be able to provide that service.
Being that I’ve been managing myself I’m my own pr, so I promote myself via twitter, I update my blog when I can but my most frequent work would be posted on my Instagram account. I find it more convenient to update especially when I’m on the move.
Who is your target audience?
Your latest update on your blog enlightens us about your latest collection the lace edition what inspired this collection? The lace edition was inspired by my love for couture, when I watch designers my mind frame is ‘I can make that’ so I try. With the research I do I noticed the lack of pieces that I want to see/ buy on the high street. I wouldn’t expect to walk into Topshop and find dresses like those so when I made and uploaded the dresses, my target audience took a liking to them which was really overwhelming because I never expected such a response. The lace edition consists of the two pieces shown, it may expand in time but it will be launched as the two styles initially.
Words by @ToluLopz26 Who would be the ideal person you would love to see in one of your gowns and why? One word BEYONCÈ! She’s my favourite celebrity and if she ever wore any of my pieces anywhere it would be one of my biggest achievements of my design career. I love what she stands for and how far she’s come, her success inspires me do better in my field.
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‘A Kiss from Favour’
By Alice Favour (OF A FAVOURED FACE)
Summer time is blooming and it’s your chance to have the sweetest colours displayed on your lips. These last few months have accommodated the dark lip trend where lipsticks such as; MAC’s rebel, Rimmel Kate’s Lasting Finish in 04, Rimmel Kate’s lasting finish matte in 107 were on the lips of many. Now the sun has finally come out so can those bold and bright lip colours we’ve all been waiting to wear.
“Purple, coral and pink are the colours to have on your lips this summertime. Alongside red being another beautiful but stable colour to wear throughout the seasons“ Some of my must wear lipsticks for this season will be MAC’s ‘Up the amp’, Ruby Woo, Wet n Wild’s mega last Lip Colour in Mauve outta here (907C) and Don’t think pink (966). As well as Rimmel Kate’s spring collection lipstick in 04 and Sleeks true colour lipstick in exxxagerate. Alongside picking the perfect summer lip colour, it is essential that the lipstick is applied properly. So here is my very own 4-step guide to applying your lipstick of choice amazingly: 1. MOISTURISE! It is always important to start off with moisturised lips. The colour of our lipsticks should be the main focus. 2. Lining your lips with a lip pencil is an essential part of the lipstick application, as it helps your lipstick to last longer and stops your lipstick from bleeding. 3. After lining your lips with a lip pencil similar to your lipstick colour or slightly darker. Apply the lipstick. 4. This step is optional but if you wish to go for a glossy finish you can apply a lip-gloss closest to your original lip colour on top of your lipstick. Favours’ general Lipstick and lip liner colour combinations: - A dark purple liner with any purple shade of lipstick - A red or dark brown lip liner with a red lipstick - A dark pink lip liner with a hot pink lipstick - A brown lip liner with the baby pink lipstick Favours’ Favourite lip liners: - NYX long lip liner Prune (LPL19) - NYX lip liner Hot Red (817) - NYX lip liner Bloom (836) - NYX lip liner Dolly pink (839) - NYX lip liner Mauve (831) - LA Colors Lip liner pencil Dark brown (P507) “Remember your face is A FAVOURED FACE”
Words By @AliceFavour_x
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BEVLONDON
Rapping up the runway
“when different art forms mix together it allows evolution and quality growth for new manifestations to blossom. It allows the original art itself to stay strong and relevant” – Drew Bakes BEVLDN is a creative collective consisting of:
Nehmy @nehmybevgang | Dope Rich @colorbro | Drew Bakes @drewbakes | Jay Casjj @jay_casjj Eric Stilo @eric_stilo | Nana Jr @nana_jr | Pascal Phillips @passyphilly | Ime @pureanubis Gonçalo | Eri ife | Michael lamar | Marques We caught up with the four rappers from the group (Dope Rich, Jay Casjj, Nehmy & Drew Bake) here’s what they had to say… he believes the formation of the group was so seamless due to The group formed in the beginning the fact they’re all “close friends had a lot of the same interests, of 2011. It started with the 4 and a main relation was the way artists. Beforehand, Drew Bakes we presented our style. Eric and was doing music but only for the Pascal were the next to join, then enjoyment it gave him. Jay Casjj later down the line more of the was playing football for Dartford members came aboard. as a member of their academy set up; it was until the group was made when he turned his hand to Biggest Achievement & Mixtape rap. Nehmy and Richy were also Releases doing music part time, as well as dance and where introduced The collective noticeably have to Drew Bakes via Jay to form different highlights of their journey the foundation of what is now so far with Jay Casj personally BEVLDN. Drew Bakes stating that marking his as “being able to
Humble Beginnings
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stay strong together as a family because we went through a large beginning stage of hate from the freedom of being ourselves”. Drew Bakes and Dope Rich stating that there have been way to many highlights to simply pin point one but the PeaceBeats concert is definitely one of the many performances that are firmly imprinted in their memories. The group decided to initially release solo tapes and all except Dope Rich whose mixtape will be out later this year, currently have
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their projects out and available for free download. Nehmy’s latest mixtape is entitled “FUEGO” and it can be located at http://www. mediafire.com/?q76r39lnl4ybj7d, Drew Bakes “Good Kids And Criminals” here http://www.datpiff. com/Drew-Bakes-GoodkidsCriminals-mixtape.424201.html and Jay Casj’s Uneducated Design http://www.mediafire. com/?1ew2lqiqcnb13fm. The collective cited their reason behind taking this approach to introducing themselves to the public as wanting “to establish the artist individually as we all carry different elements, visions and stories to tell which all need full exposure and recognition, this also allows more sustainability within the music game. By analysing musical legends and the forefathers we realised that by allowing the artist to have a strong solo ground it would have a much more critical effect especially when promoting the diverse meaning of the group, allowing us to reach a wider audience with various paradigms”.
bigger force.” All the members stated that it is so important different art forms fuse so it was no surprise when Urban Revolution came to learn that BEVLDN would be performing at RipTheRunwayUK. The establishment of this opportunity can be accredited to Dope Rich, who previously has worked wit one of the main CEO’s of the event and also head designer of ODF Clothing (Supanova Dex). This year long relationship has allowed Supanova Dex to first hand see BEVLDN’s progress from when they started to now and when he to create and formulate the right vision and direction for the project. confirmed that Rip The Runway was happening ”he was quick to call me to get us on the stage” Rip The Runway UK says Rich.
As we enter a time whereby all mediums of entertainment fuse and collaborate we asked BEVlLDN how important they felt this integration was and if indeed it did add to the overall scene. Drew Bakes was the first to state how important he felt fusing art forms is, stating that from the beginning of music’s creation it has always co-existed and been infused with other art forms. For example dance (breakdancing), graffiti and visuals (film) etc. He feels that “when different art forms mix together it allows evolution and quality growth for new manifestations to blossom. It allows the original art itself to stay strong and relevant”. Jay Casjj added that “when it’s all crafted together as one, it turns into one big art piece. People aren’t just hearing music, or seeing dance etc. they’re seeing art. I like to connect as much as possible with the audience. So I would say This doesn’t mean to say we won’t yes it is important to have mixed be getting a BEVLDN mixtape as entertainment at times”. Lastly, Dope Rich concluding the topic Drew Bakes let slip that behind the scenes the mixtape is currently saying “it definitely does, music is one of many huge art forms and being put together. However, we when you are able to combine could be waiting for a little while, these art forms its creates an even as the group wants to take time
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Future Plans “...continue feeding the world with our ranges of art”. BEVLDN: Twitter: @BEVLDN Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/ user/BEVGangTV Facebook Page: https://www. facebook.com/bevgang Soundcloud: https://soundcloud. com/bevldn Tumblr: http://bevldn.tumblr.com/ Instagram: bevldn Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/bevldn Bookings: contact.bevldn@gmail. com
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SOFFA You’ve been away from music for a while. Where have you been and what have you been doing? Yeah, I’ve been away from the public in terms of music. However, I’ve still been making music that isn’t being released yet. I’m a University student, which most people would be surprised to hear. Being at University has taken up a lot of my time but I have recently finished so you will be sure to hear some new music from me in the near future.
How would you describe the music you make and why? I describe my music as versatile rap, reason being is because I believe I can make a number of different types of music i can make crud for the mandem in the hood, tunes for the girls, girls tunes for the mandem and the gurls, club tunes, life tunes, party tunes you name it
What inspires you to make music? Growing up listening to Cassidy inspired me to make music and influenced my style a lot. Cassidy is one of the original ‘punchline rappers’ as a fan of his music it’s something I’ve incorporated into my music. My supporters often state it as an element of my style they really like and are drawn too. Also just giving good music to people inspires me to make music, when I get people messaging me on Twitter and Facebook saying, “I love your music”, just that is enough to inspire me to make music.
The 2nd wave?
don’t aim to get a message across why not? To be honest don’t really have a message which I aim to get across with my music. I’m not here to change the world with all messages and that in my music like stop crime. Nah, that’s not me if you enjoy my music that’s enough for me. I’m from the south side, we don’t do messages just straight up, you know lol
Aside from music what other things do you enjoy and how do they influence your music?
I enjoy football, chilling with the mandem, chilling with ma spice girl, getting waved that’s why they call me Soffa Wave lol, and that’s it really. I think this influences my music because say I might drop a bar in my tune maybe relating to football, or talking about things that I’ve done in the past with my mandem and obviously my girl tunes can only be made if I’m thinking about someone, you know. Yeah and also I like making party tunes reason being because I’m a hyper person that loves to drink, so that affects me making them types of tunes.
What’s your next project and what can we expect from it? My next project will probably be a free mixtape just to bring myself back on the scene because I’ve obviously been away for a while. You can expect non-stop bangers, unskippable music, and some good features, something nice for the summer time but also for any weather.
What message do you aim to get across with your music? If you urban revolution
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Lost but now he is found don’t feel comfortable working a job but at the same time music isn’t paying well enough. That’s why a lot of rappers do what they are doing on the streets to get money whilst still rapping and if they don’t blow it’s like it’s almost worse for them, because they feel they can’t revert to a normal life now everyone knows them.
Do you see music as a viable career as an UK artist?
Talk us through why you decided to name your mix-tape D.F.R (Drugs.Fraud.Robbery) and the subsequent issues you had with it and why you had to take it down? The other day I found an unreleased video of myself rapping in 2010, in which I mentioned the phrase “DFR”, whilst viewing the video the thought came to me that the phrase came about so naturally. As it was to be my 1st mixtape release I wanted a mixtape name that was in your face, something you can’t forget, something that’d get people talking. However, I caught a case a month or two after putting up the mix-tape, so I took it down as a safety precaution as the tape could be deemed incriminating
Why do you think D.F.R was “slept on” as you stated in the intro to ‘Find My Way’? I believe that It didn’t get the promotion it deserved, this is primarily due to the fact that I put it out in a busy period and most of the videos where released months before the mixtape. I’ve done the same
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thing again with FMW but the difference is I don’t have a choice this time. The release dates got pushed back, which also stunted the hype that we were creating. I’m planning to work on some videos for FMW, which has got a better response so far. I planned to put DFR on UKRAP.com’s website but they got shut down so I put it on my own website. On my own website it’s only me promoting the link, once I stop the promotion stops, there’s no other traffic. I learnt from that and this time I put my tape on mixtape-madness.
Do you believe in the UK many artists find the balance of managing life and obtaining money to pay for their music careers difficult? Why? It is difficult because music isn’t cheap. A project could set you back thousands, from studio/engineering/producers to videos and advertising costs. It’s hard for those who go to work to then go to the studio and then come home and promote their material. It’s hard for them to keep motivated or consistent when they aren’t getting a return. It’s easy to get caught in the trap where you’re so well known you
Potentially, it’s achievable, but no. It’s a matter of how long am I going to chase this dream for, because it may or may not happen. Do I want to take that risk? It’s scary seeing people chasing things we would consider more attainable than music and buying houses from it legitimately whilst I’m waiting for a dream to manifest. What if it doesn’t, where does that leave me? So I don’t look at it as a viable career and that explains why I don’t chase it as hard, but at the same time, the fact that I’m not chasing the dream with as much effort as I could could be the reason I never make it. Either way, how many rappers in the UK right now without a deal are making enough money not to have to have their hands in different pies away from anything to do with music?
You recently released ‘Find My Way” what has the feedback been so far/what have you taken from away from the tape? People like that tape, they’re asking for visuals mainly. It’s just another boost really, people like what I’m doing, makes me want to do more.
What are your long-term goals within the music industry? Take everything as it comes. The further I get the more I want to pursue it, my plans are always changing. I’d like to get somewhere with it and make something proper out of it, get some real recognition and be someone. I’ve always liked music, sometime I feel like stopping and leaving it alone but I always come back to it naturally.
How important do you think the visual side of music is (i.e. Videos)? Why? urban revolution
Very important, at times it can be even more important than the music itself. To be honest it’s all about image nowadays, if certain artists didn’t look/dress/act the way they do, they wouldn’t sell as well as they do. It’s the primary advertising tool for an artist, a chance to sell yourself to the viewers. If they like what they see they’ll listen, speak about it and share it. Online videos are an available medium to everyone at the click of a button, easiest way to attract people as well.
trainers
Do you believe there is such thing as team UK? Why? Yes, to an extent. When you’re in a position beneficial to both parties, people are willing to work together. When you’re not in a position like that it’s a hard grind which is demotivating at times especially when you know you’re talented and aren’t getting the response you deserve. Personally I don’t think other artists genuinely want to help others as much as they make out they do. Some definitely turn a blind eye till you create your own buzz and they have no choice but to work with you, on an odd occasion you see people reaching out and I respect that.
What’s next mix-tape/album? What can be expected on it ? I’m not in a position to make an album yet. To be honest I’m lazy. I started rapping August 2010 maybe, It’s now March 2013 and I’ve got about 6 videos on Youtube which in my opinion is terrible. I’m on and off with music but when I do want to get to work I get the job done quickly and deliver to a good standard. I made FMW in four studio sessions, either writing the day before studio, the same day or on the spot and all I’ve got is good responses. It’s my second mix-tape. I dropped DFR the same time last year but I think I took too much of a gap since then. I might make another mix-tape first then work on an EP. I plan to slowly make a transition heading towards a more accepted tone of music for a wider audience and see where that takes me. More songs like “Find My Way” and “Imagine” off the mix-tape, more singers, pro/semi-pro videos etc. I’m going to try not to be too personal either and just make good music people can enjoy instead of telling my own story all the time.
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“Advice is least heeded when most needed” – English Proverb “Work is the source of nearly all the misery in the world. Almost any evil you’d care to name comes from working or from living in a world designed for work. In order to stop suffering, we have to stop working.” – Bob Black
“Without the rich heart wealth is an ugly beggar” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “I’ve never been afraid to fail” – Michael Jordan “A man has no more religion than he acts out in his life” – Henry Ward Beecher “Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak…Non violence is hard work. It is the willinginess to sacrifice. It is the patience to win” – Cesar Chavez “Few of us get anything without working for it” – William Feather “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up. “ -Thomas Edison
“Study when others are sleeping; work when others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream when others are wishing.”- William Arthur Ward
“Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will get you everywhere.” - Albert Einstein “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
”All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” - Buddha “Begin with the end in mind.” - Stephen Covey “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised,” - Proverbs 31:30
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