CONTENTS Todgi Dozier explains her passion for art with our writer Jalysa Dalmida pg.16 The Face behind the Brand: Kenneth McDuffie NBA Preview by Derrick Jackson pg.6
Fit Out Apparel
pg.16
NBA PREVIEW As the temperature drops outdoors, the leaves change colors and the calendar winds down to the end of the year. Hoop fans across the nation are considerably antsy because the NBA is going to tip off very soon. This year you should stay particularly glued to your television because it’s going to be interesting from start to finish. Eastern Conference Remember years ago when the Eastern Conference was considered a joke and it was said that no team from the East could beat a team from the West in the NBA Finals? I do even though the Miami Heat won back to back titles in 2012 and 2013. Well the conference looks a bit different heading into the 2016-17 season especially since the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to dethrone the defending champions. Alas the Cavs will start the season as the favorites either way because let’s face it despite everything Steph Curry can and will do on the floor LeBron James is still the best player on the planet. Thats right you read it correctly, James is still the only player in the league in this era’s NBA who could probably play all five positions on the floor with the league moving away from the traditional “center” role. So let’s talk about the changes in the East in the offseason. The Knicks added former number one overall pick and former league MVP Derrick Rose as well as his best friend Joakim Noah. On paper Rose thinks that he Melo and the rest of the Knicks are equal to the Golden State Warriors. Rose forgets his major knee surgeries, Thibodeau running he and Noah into the ground while he coached the Bulls and the fact that there is only one ball per 5 players and Melo is a ball stopper on offense. I fully expect the Knicks to actually make the playoffs and be seeded anywhere from 4th to 6th but no one considers them a contender outside of NYC. For the first time since the 2002 season the Miami Heat will take the court without Dwayne Wade. I know 14 years went by pretty quick, with LeBron defecting back to his roots two seasons ago and Wade also going home to Chicago that leaves the Heat with…… That’s right think about the Heat roster Winslow, Whiteside and whomever else they employ. If you missed the point I’m sorry try to keep up the Heat don’t have a defined super star not one single member of their “Big Three” remains, Pat Riley all but assured us that Chris Bosh is finished as a member of the South Beach society. If you’re a Heat fan look forward to the Draft Lottery next summer. If you’ve been keeping up we’ve given two of the eight playoff spots in the East away to the Cavs and the Knicks. You can also expect the Celtics, Raptors, Pacers, Hawks, Hornets and Bucks. Everyone else is fighting for lottery position but if you are the 76ers at least you get to watch Ben Simmons for whatever that’s worth. Expect no less than the Cavs in the Conference Finals as for their opponent it’s up in the air the seeding a bit tough to determine because theoretically this is all on paper but expect LeBron to reach his 7th straight NBA Finals. Western Conference Does anybody remember when Shaq & Kobe were the best two man tandem in the league and everyone hated their guts. Well now that mantle belongs to the team from the Bay area. As if the Golden State Warriors weren’t already good enough the rich got richer over the summer. On the morning of July 4th as we all prepared for barbeque and fireworks Kevin Durant took the the Players Tribune to announce his intention to join the Warriors. Now correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Durant a tad bit critical of LeBron joining the Heat and criticized Chris Bosh calling him a fake tough guy cause he was on a good team. Hey Kevin pay attention remember when Bron Bron was the most hated guy in the league because of “The Decision” well that may be you now.
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NBA PREVIEW The top spot in the West belongs to Golden State until someone can dethrone them. Many members of the team have already been vocal about chasing the 96 Chicago Bulls, yes the Warriors now own the regular season record for wins but they ran out of gas which is why many pundits including yours truly still consider the Bulls the greatest team of all time. Funny thing is with Durant to really stretch the defense and spread the floor the Warriors could legitimately do it again but their main focus is the title after all that is why Durant joined. The rest of the conference will play out based on injuries leadership. Clippers coach Glen “Doc” Rivers says there is no gap between his club and the dubs. Yes you read that correctly Doc believes his dysfunctional squad can compete with the elite while it’s well known Blake Griffin doesn’t really care much for Chris Paul and neither does DeAndre Jordan which is why the free agent fiasco of 2015 involving Jordan, the Clippers and Mavericks is still very funny. Ask me to predict the Western Conference and I will tell you I simply can not. Warriors at the top for sure barring any major injury but keep in mind they sacrificed some key bench players to clear space to add Trey 35. Doc Rivers is right about one thing the Clippers will make the playoffs and they could be the 2nd seed but they simply don’t have the firepower or camaraderie to take down the Warriors. The Spurs will start their season for the first time in nearly 20 years without Tim Duncan but they still have Popovich who is arguably one of the best coaches of all time. Where they will miss “The Big Fundamental” in the locker room they won’t miss him much on the floor as his numbers were drastically down last season Tim knows like everyone else that Father Time is undefeated. KD’s former running mate and favorite little buddy Russell Westbrook surprised most of us by signing an extension with the Thunder some in the locker room have said that even with Durant on the team that Westbrook was their leader. If you thought Russell went for his before excuse my language but “you ain’t seen shit yet” . OKC added Victor Oladipo via trade on draft night to give a little more fire power, it will be very interesting to see where they finish. Westbrook is seething at the opportunity to avenge their Conference Final collapse especially after being up 3-1 and after Durant packed up and took his talents to the Bay. The four teams (Warriors,Clippers,Spurs, Thunder) I mentioned above are locks for the playoffs. As for the remaining four spots we hope to see James Harden return to form and lead the Rockets back to the playoffs especially without Dwight Howard clogging up the lane and playing like a shell of his former self. Hey Lakers fans remember when we were a bit upset Dwight bolted to Houston, guess what we got the better end of that situation. The Mavericks are older than they were last year don’t expect anything big from them yes Dirk is still their leader and Deron Williams is still their point guard if this was 2007 that would be awesome but it’s not. This should be Dirk’s swan song please go out with dignity. Anthony Davis claims he grew an inch and is now 6’11, so wtf was he before at any rate he signed that extension a few years ago staving off his free agency a bit longer and the Pelicans aren’t going to trade him for anything less than a fortune so he better put up this season. The Timberwolves added Tom Thibodeau to their talented roster and also said goodbye to Kevin Garnett who was a great leader in the locker room with 20 years of experience and a soldier’s mentality. Hopefully Thibodeau learned from his stint in the Windy City that he can’t run his talent into the ground. He left Rose in the 4th quarter of game 1 of the 2012 playoffs when the Bulls had a nice lead, Rose tore his ACL and nothing has been the same since. He has to exercise caution with Wiggins, Towns and even Levine. June 2017 I will celebrate another year on Earth by watching the NBA Finals yes it’s my own personal tradition. I fully expect to be watching Cavs vs Warriors part three, the sequel was so much better than the original kind of reminds me of the Godfather and Godfather 2. However this time the boys from the Bay will have a new friend with them, unless Kevin Love regains his Minnesota form and confidence the Warriors will simply be too hard to beat. LeBron set this all in motion 6 years ago when he and Chris Bosh left Cleveland and Toronto to journey to South Beach and hook up with D. Wade. James is as much to blame for the current state of the NBA and it’s super team mantra, the trend he started will be his ultimate undoing.
Warriors in 6!
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Music
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“Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?� - Maximus Gladiator
Competitive sport has been around for centuries, dating back to the Roman Coliseum where men performed feats of strength in front of packed crowds. Boxing at its hey day which could span from Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis all the way up Mike Tyson and now Floyd Mayweather Jr. basically created pay per view and coined the term “Fight Night”. It seems as if the more violent and dangerous sports are the more we can’t turn our heads. Several medical journals have cited CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) as lasting damage to athletes of contact sports (football, boxing, hockey, professional wrestling etc.). Even though it’s evident that engaging in any of these activities can have severe long term effects our modern gladiators still take pride in competing. The gladiators of our age happen to square off in their own smaller coliseums in the shape of an octagon. The Ultimate Fighting Championship has made millionaires and celebrities of their fighters from former UFC Heavyweight and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and former WWE Champion and indie wrestling superstar Phil “CM Punk” Brooks. But for every Punk, Conor, Ronda and Brock there are literally thousands of men and women you’ve never heard of and likely never will. Remember the old question “if a tree falls in the woods….” well if all the faceless fighters never make it to the bright lights of Las Vegas and a big payday in the end was it all worth it? After speaking with several anonymous up and coming fighters I found there world to be a bit cringe worthy to say the least. A fighter described to me how quickly he realized he wasn’t really ready for how brutal the sport can be. “No training can truly prepare you, once the bell rings all bets are off.” This same fighter expressed to me after two fights he realized he had taken on a lot more than he had bargained for and has since decided against pursuing a career in fighting. Underground MMA isn’t really as underground as it sounds I mean it’s not Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in the basement of some factory somewhere ala “Fight Club” but it is still very dangerous. Step into the ring with the wrong or right person and your life can be changed in literally seconds. Most fighters have some sort of background whether it’s martial arts, boxing or wrestling. So why do men and women sign up for MMA? Why do they put their bodies at risk? Well quite simply for honor, to compete as the gladiators who came before them. I spoke with another fighter who told me he went with a friend to work out and was approached by a fight promoter who told him his lean muscular build would be good for mixed martial arts and he promised him glory and wealth. Three years later he still drives a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria and has a ruptured ear drum but he can’t give it up because frankly he loves it. All fighters interviewed for this story wished to remain anonymous due to the fact their current employers aren’t aware of them fighting. Story by Derrick Jackson upnextmagazine.com | 13 | NOVEMBER 2016
If you want to know more about her and see more of her work although she is revamping her personal website, she can still be found at the following sites: Website: http://tjdozier.wix.com/theblackonion Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ todgi https://www.facebook.com/theblackonionTBO/ Instagram: @theblackonion. Walk in Excellence. Leave a Legacy of Greatness
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U
nless you have lived under a proverbial rock for the past 200+ years then you may believe that racism doesn’t exist in the United States of America. If you are a walking, living, breathing human being and are cognitive of what is going on around you then you would agree racism is alive and well. We as people of color have dealt with racism for the greater part of our lives. In the spirit of the late Dr. King there are those of us who have chosen to turn the other cheek and take the non violent approach. To say that Kaepernick has started a trend is an absolute understatement. His personal rating is as far down as it could possibly be but the sale of his officially licensed NFL jersey is through the roof. So while people like former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Gingsburg who may I remind you was born in 1933 (when people of color basically had no rights) choose to call Kaepernick stupid, we stand by our brother in solidarity. Kaepernick is more than qualified to speak on the situation if no one else is. Colin was born to 18 year old white Heidi (Zabransky) Russo, his African American father was gone before birth. Heidi agreed to place her son up for adoption to Rick and Teresa Kaepernick a white couple who had two children of their own but had also lost two boys to heart defects. Colin had pretty much been the odd man out since his childhood but the Kaepernick home was very loving and nurturing. Colin was raised in a predominantly white community as a child, most of his classmates were white and everyday he had to wake up and deal with his biracial identity. When contacted for comment on his current protest which has extended through the NFL as well as the NBA preseason his adopted parents declined to comment. An anonymous neighbor in the Kaepernick neighborhood has stated that no one blames his parents they are still well liked but not a single member of the community agrees with his protest. What people don’t seem to understand is that people of color and members of the LGBT community are being killed in alarming numbers. From Trayvon Martin to the individuals who lost their life in the shooting in Orlando the body count continues to pile up.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder” - Colin Kaepernick If we decided to take a violent approach we would be stereotypes of exactly what they feel about us. We try to peacefully protest and #BlackLivesMatter is now considered a terrorist movement. We have an active presidential candidate that wants to build a wall so that immigrants choosing to leave Mexico to pursue a better life will be kept out. Correct me if I’m wrong but on the Statue Of Liberty does it not say “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free…..” Yet in a country that was built on the backs of slaves and stolen from Native Americans anyone who speaks up against the establishment is viewed as unpatriotic and a threat. We’ve watched as Colin Kaepernick’s jersey has been burned in effigy on social media, read the comment threads where he was vehemently told “leave nigger we don’t want you here!” All in the name or idea of “freedom” At a time where peace is undoubtedly needed the divide seems to grow by the day. The last time this country truly felt united was after the attacks of September 11th, 2001 which resulted in extreme backlash toward Americans of Muslim faith and Middle Eastern descent. A country that was initially conceived on the idea of freedom and equality is anything but at this time. Stand strong brother Colin we are with you, your struggle is our struggle. By Derrick Jackson
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“I don’t understand what’s un-American about fighting for liberty and justice for everybody.” - Colin Kapernick
FASHION One of the best parts about writing for this magazine is the opportunity it presents to me on a daily basis. I get to speak with the men and women who shape culture for our society and present their stories to you the reader. Thanks to the digital age word of mouth is the most intense form of advertisement a simple tweet or instagram post means more now than any billboard you see in your daily commute. We first saw the change in the way we consume our musical and film content the standard CD/DVD releases of Tuesday mornings is now archaic. Streaming has changed the game and in fashion retail shops are soon headed the same route.
I spoke with Alexis Clanton the founder and head of the clothing line Fit Out Apparel recently about her phenomenal line and its humble beginnings. Alexis was born on the “South Side” of Chicago in the early 1980’s aka the era of Reganomics and she insists that she has seen everything. Now the one woman show as she so affectionately refers to herself and her brand has taken it’s talents to California in hopes of growing the brand. When it comes to the promotion as well as the ideas behind the designs she has her finger on each and every aspect. Even at a young age Alexis had an affinity for fashion ”I’ve always knew I had crazy ideas but didn’t know where to place them.” During college while needing extra money to make ends meet and pay for her textbooks she decided to try her hand at fashion. “I decided to print t-shirts for my neighborhood locals. I noticed the hustle that went into it and I became a fan of the movement. I did postpone it for some time as I was studying to become a doctor. However, the passion kept calling me and I decided to get back into it. Besides, I got tired of these corporate lay-offs, poor management and ungrateful co-workers.” While coming up Akademics, LRG and FUBU were the brands of choice and when checking out her brand you can kinda get the feel of those classic brands. She states that the way they fused with hip hop was very important and one of the reasons she was so fond of them. As for current brands she cites Stussy, Zoo York and Mighty Healthy as 3 of her favorite current brands. “The list goes on but those 3 stick out to me because they have some dope ass clothing. I like how the brands combined a surf/skatewear, hiphop and urban twist to it.” When it comes to Fit Out she is the judge and jury and nothing moves without her say so. Alexis comes up with the vivid design ideas and relays them to artists who then are tasked with the job of making them come to life. “I am the creator of all my designs. I do have a process where I hire three graphic artists and give a concept of the design I want and let them do their work. I select the best at the end. I let the artists I work with be free with my concept of a design.” The most interesting thing I found out about Alexis was that she “gets it”. Understanding the market and advertising in 2016 and going forward is vital to the longevity of your product. The new trend in clothing lines is the pop up shop we’ve seen them from everyone from Kanye West and his Adiddas collaboration as well as Drake while ramping up promotion for his Billboard chart topping album VIEWS. Alexis totally supports the pop up shop. “I prefer pop up shops rather than retail store fronts. Not only is it good for marketing but you’re engaged with the customers in a more direct way. The customers are shopping for your brand only and you don’t have to compete with other brands in the store. Also, how much are you paying for your brand to be at the front of the store so people can see it? You’re paying a lot. Pop up shops are definitely a way to create that experience with the consumer and it’s trending now.” What does the future hold for Alexis and Fit Out Apparel? Going forward she would like to see fashion take on other avenues like the annual SXSW in Austin, TX. “! I think SXSW is a great event to showcase talent such as comedy, music, film, so why not fashion?” Ultimately the goal is worldwide recognition of the brand though Alexis insists she is a simple person being a part of runway show isn’t an absolute necessity. Being mentioned in the same breath as her longtime favorite Chanel is always in the back of her mind. “It’s very chic and iconic I’ve loved Chanel ever since I was a littler girl. It’s definitely timeless and still holds a place in today’s fashion world.” You can follow Fit Out on instagram @fitoutapparel for the line itself fitoutapparel.com for everything from women’s work out yoga tops to snapbacks they’ve got you covered. by Derrick Jackson
upnextmagazine.com | 31 | NOVEMBER 2016
Kenneth McDuffie Young & Hungry
2016 has been great to Kenneth McDuffie. He is currently a weekly guest on the Big Nate & Da Big Bang Morning Show on URU Radio, Moment with Purple on PQ1 Radio. He was a sponsor for Philadelphia Democratic National Convention BLK out Social Mixer, and was a featured guest on WDAS with the legendary Patty Jackson. The future looks exceptionally bright for Ken, who knew that mac and cheese could be a career move. Kenneth J. McDuffie, is a native of the fighting city of Philadelphia. He is described as an independent, motivated, full of life man of God. Even through school years, he worked hard to maintain good grades, and went off to college to focus on building his empire. Kenneth’s big personality is matched only by his even larger heart. He is a giver of his time, energy, love, and his passion for cooking he loves to give advice to help and inspire others who love cooking. Kenneth’s motto and mission is to encourage the youth. “Know if you remain humble and faithful, all things are possible if you believe.” Kenneth was raised by his Great Grandmother the late Esther A. Smith, where she taught him everything he needed to know in the kitchen. Yes, you could say cooking is in his DNA. Kenneth took his passion for cooking and his skills and moved to Hawaii and accepted a job with the world famous Norwegian Cruise Line. Prior to moving to Hawaii Kenneth had already started his own catering business “A Taste of Soul”“ which he revamped this year to “Young and Hungry.” Kenneth has already started making his mark in the entertainment world, he was honored to cook for Def Jam Records recording artist Juelz Santana, as well as current Senator Vincent Hughes and his wife actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. Up Next: So tell me about you? What age did you start cooking? And how did you become so passionate about it? Kenneth: I started cooking at the age of 8, I was raised by my great grandmother so the passion about cooking came from her. Being in the kitchen just watching, learning and knowing that whatever problem that may arise cooking always brought the family together. Up Next: How did you get started in the business? What made you start cooking? Kenneth: I got started in business because of my passion to cook for people. I was always told by family and friends (especially my sister Mina) that I should have my own business. I started cooking because it’s in my DNA! The craft was just a huge blessing sent from God. Up Next: How long have you been in business? Kenneth: Been in business since September 2009. My first catering business “A Taste Of Soul” I would do a lot of local events for family, friends and decided in July of 2016 to revamp and turn my catering business to “Young & Hungry Catering Services”. Up Next: Congratulations on your recent award with Black Expo, how did it feel when you receive this award. Kenneth : Thank you! I felt very overwhelmed I was excited to be recognized from the African American community, it means a lot when your community recognize you for your hard work and dedication to your craft. This is just step one out Up Next: You stated that you will be opening a restaurant here in Philadelphia, when & where will the location be? Kenneth: Well actually that is something in the making, yes it will be in Philadelphia we are currently looking to open in the Fairmont or Brewerytown section of the city in 2017. Please continue to keep me in prayer it’s a stressful job because I want everything to be right no half stepping! Up Next: What’s your motivation? Kenneth: My motivation right now are my nieces, nephews and God children. I’m the oldest of seven children and for some reason I never wanted kids I always wanted to be “Uncle Kenny”! The motivate me to be a better man than I was yesterday but keeping me “Young & Hungry” so I can work to leave a legacy for them. Up Next: What’s your favorite dish to make? Kenneth: I love to cook and that’s a hard question to ask a chef (LOL) but I love making my famous Baked Macaroni & Cheese, I think I’m one of the best Baked Macaroni & Cheese makers it doesn’t matter what I cook as long as they have Macaroni & Cheese. Up Next: Last question, Is there a chef you admire the most and why? Kenneth: Hmmmm admire? To be honest there are so many I could name but to some it up in two words the legendary “Patti LaBelle”. I love her because first she is a Philly native, a legendary singer and hold up mother can BURN! I admire her because for a woman of her age she has accomplished so much and now she went from having a long singing career and now she is making everything from pies to some good old soul food. Kenneth is a visionary, an excellent chef, known for his baked Macaroni & cheese. Also Kenneth is currently working on bringing his dream to reality, he is working on opening his own full service restaurant right here in Philadelphia, where he is looking to give back to his community, train, teach and educate other up and coming chefs. “Don’t take criticism too personal. You are a wonderful person!” –Kenneth J. McDuffie
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upnextmagazine.com | 34| NOVEMBER 2016