VERB'Z UP Jsoul Musiq: Army Of One
The WORLDWIDE UNDERGROUND
Sept. 2018
The Poetry Corner W/ Barry Irving
DRINO of AMG
Younnes Jayo Kushman Icelands Elite: Julia Arna
GOT VERB'Z? GET'EM UP!!
VERB'Z UP Julia Arna
The WORLDWIDE UNDERGROUND
Sept 2018
Icelands music elite! honestatis
Younnes
Jsoul Musiq
Jayo Kushman desperantes hoc enim om ni enim
GOT VERB'Z? GET'EM UP!
Contents Icelands Best! 5
Julia Arna Stockholm Holdin!
7
OMG Artist: Younnes What's The Verb?
11
Let's talk #'s
A Soul Story: Army of 12 One
Jsoul Musiq
American Monster Quilds 19 DRINO The Poetry Corner 20 Written by Barry Irving
GOT KUSH?
23 Jayo Kushman
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Verb'z Up Magazine About Verb'z Up Magazine is a global publication dedicated to the underground/upcoming artist & model, covering everything from music & the arts to community & politics. The entire Verb'z Up Magazine would like to thank you for taking the time to read our publication! Submissions: verbzupmagazine @gmail.com Just Inked Models: Pg. 10 & 21: Lily Luna
THE WORLDWIDE UNDERGROUND Welcome to Verb'z Up Magazine: The Worldwide Underground! We would like to thank everyone that is featured in this issue of Verb'z Up Magazine from the models to the content writers. As we are coming upon our one year anniversary we're going to be moving into a new phase and era of Verb'z Up and would like to invite any and everyone that has anything to say or show the world to please send your submission request to: Email: verbzupmagazine@gmail.com. Subject: 1 Year anniversary issue
Pg. 24: Eleanor Johnson Pg. 25: Addy Shiloh
ENJOY!!!!!
Pg. 26: Miss Brooklyn Pg. 27: Paige Taylor Pg. 28: Pypr Brueland VERB'Z UP
Julia Arna: The Iceland Music Queen VERB'Z UP
Don't sleep on Iceland! Influenced by a music loving family and community in Iceland, Julia went from singing her first live performance in a singing battle between schools. To putting together her own concerts in church, to assembling bands and performing on weekends to full houses and dancing crowds. As well as acoustics with guitarist and back up singers. Finding her talents in arranging harmonies and finding melodies and tones within was surprising to her due to physicians having diagnosed deafness in one ear with rapid loss in the other. Sticking to purpose and burning passion and against advice and disbelief, Julia began composing in her home studio and recording melodies to advance her skills.
Taking on education in Denmark in vocal teaching, she also worked at an independent music school as a vocal teacher. Working on international collaborations in Pop, Rock, Acoustic House,Folk,Dance, Drum and Bass and R&B with award winning and highly sought Producers. This powerhouse talent is on the radar of industry worldwide! :Julia has what it takes. She'll go far." -Bruce Replogle Publicist for John Lennon on the album "Double Fantasy" "Phenomenal talent! Another voice the world needs to hear."-RaymondBarton Producer/ Grammy Voter. "What a beautiful instrument!"- Herb Middleton Multi Platinum producer for Mary J.Blige, Boys to Men, Luther Vandross and many others .
https://www.facebook.c om/juliaarnaofficial https://twitter.com/ juliaarnadottir https://www.instagram.c om/juliaiceland https://www.youtube.co m/JuliaArnaOfficial https://open.spotify.com /user/11127547796
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Younnes: Sweden Stand-up! VERB'Z UP
Younnes grew up in the south of Stockholm and has loved music ever since he was a kid. At 16 years of age, he started with the music, but he began recording at 17 years of age. Since then, he has had time to perform at a number of venues in Sweden. By 2016, he staked a large part in the Studio, which he released his debut single "Scream" and hes debut EP "Don't Care". What makes Younnes unique is his own style and sound of the songs. You will of course hear a lot more of his new music and projects in the future. In spring 2018, Younnes released his second EP "Don't Care 2" & is set to release his third EP, not yet titled, under Ozone Music Group / DERT-EWORK (Las Vegas, NV)
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What's the Verb? By Joe Dert In the last issue of Verb'z Up Magazine we touched on how the digital age has changed the future of music and how its consumed forever. Music has always been one of the #1 artistic outlets for people to use when it comes to expressing themselves. Since the Motown era it has ALWAYS been about who's got the MOST LISTENERS and BUYERS and of course most importantly who has the MOST FANS IN THE AUDIENCE. Anyone can be a local or regional but not everyone can travel outside of their respective markets and sale Pre-sale tickets (which is actually what promoters and tour managers look at when it comes to PAYING an artist for even a 20 min set.
Let's talk #'s So what numbers really determines an artist's actual value? Is it the online streams that everyone is chasing after?.... Is it the amount of likes, shares, or comments on anyone of the social media sites?.... Is it the number of times you've opened up for a big name in your local area?... Is it the number of radio stations, podcasts, blogs, magazines, or vblogs an artist is featured in? Or is it the number of features that they paid for from mainstream artists?.... The truth of the matter is they all are important but the most important factor of them all is WHERE ARE YOU BEING PROMOTED AND HOW IS THAT METHOD GOING TO HELP YOU IN THE LONG RUN? I know of a lot of artist's that do viral videos and get noticed from that and I know artists that get noticed just from the content they keep on their page. But none of those numbers really matter if neither one of those artists are actually getting up and venturing outside of their respected markets PROMOTING THEMSELVES! Just because someone else did something and got on doesn't mean that everybody who follows suit will benefit from that same method. It would't matter how "Hot" they are unless they can appeal to the MASSES! Everybody can like you in your own backyard but unless you can do it in someone else's your numbers won't matter! VERB'Z UP
A Soul Story Who is Jsoul and Why You’ll Want to Pay Close Attention By Desirae L. Benson
W
hat do you call the energy behind a smooth sounding voice mixed with the historically deep roots of the Louisiana Bayou? You call it soul...Jsoul in fact, and his musical style and repertoire are serving up quite a big helping of that good ole’ Cajun spiciness that the region is famously known for.
Jesse McKenzie, otherwise known as “Jsoul”, was born in the Louisiana city that’s synonymous with the word celebration, it’s a city that garners large crowds and exudes mystical energy…that’s right, the city of New Orleans. It’s not surprising then, that the acronym which contains the first letter of his name along with the letters: s, o, u, and l have a much deeper meaning than what you may expect. He coined the name after a phrase that came to his mind one day, and like magic, “Sounds of Unique Legends” was born. Speaking of being born, but in the literal sense, Jesse came into a family where music was honestly admired, as it served as a steady staple of influence for both his mother and father alike. Jesse McKenzie Sr, who hails from St. Francisville, is a self-taught musician whose passion for music undoubtedly transferred down to his son Jesse. Even his mother, Duann, who grew up in the town of Houma, Louisiana began her love for music at an early age by singing for her family and church choir. Jesse’s parents noticed that he began to display a hypnotic fascination to instruments and the sounds they made. As an illustrative anecdote, Jsoul recollects the one specific incident that sealed the deal for his love for music. Every time his parents tell someone this story, I can only imagine how excited and proud they are to be able to share how their little boy started playing a keyboard. That story in and of itself, played a big part in his staunch and unwavering passion to become great at what he does. It was the catalyst that paved the way. All grown up now, Jsoul can be compared to a Herculean beast when it comes to making music on those keys. Watching him play is like watching two lovers get into a sexually charged debate in which nobody wins, except for the energy between them. What is even more striking is that he plays effortlessly—the ability is a gift that is part of the essence of which he is, rather than what he just does. Granted, he practiced as a child, it wasn’t long before everyone around him knew he was destined to perform. His homebred virtues dictated that anything he was supremely passionate about needed to be continuously nurtured, and that’s exactly what he did. Not only was the seed of success deeply planted into rich and fertile soil, the seed sprouted into a proverbial forest filled with growth and creativity through his musical endeavors.
VERB'Z UP
"One day when I was four, my parents and I were driving in the car and needed to stop for gas. The way my mom explains it, my dad got out to pump the gas and she took me to the restroom that was located on the outside of the station. On the way out, she noticed a childs Casio toy piano sitting behind a box. She picked it up and wiped it off then gave it to me once we got back in the car. She said I played with it the entire way home and everyday after that until they got me a bigger one" VERB'Z UP
Music Oh Music, How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways... Upon graduating from High School, Jesse’s curious nature began to question the world around him even more than before. After a few years of working one job to the next, he began to feel the need for growth and expansion. With this immense complacency looming over both his head and his heart, Jsoul decided to become an explorer of sorts, and joined the United States Navy. As his years in the Navy ticked on, resulting in a five year stint, he felt the impelling force of movement in his spirit again. This time the urge came in the form of desiring a higher education. His mind was in a continuous state of creation and he thrived in environments in which he could learn and then apply what he was taught for the betterment of his future. Always keeping his musical interests at the forefront of his mind, he decided to enroll at in Florida, an educational institution specifically geared to those seeking degrees in media, communications, music recording as well as entertainment. Full Sail is obviously an educational leader when it comes to industry relations, as they boast seventeen graduates that have been credited for 11 Grammy winning projects. These projects span from areas of engineering, composition, production and mixing. Jsoul certainly found his sweet-spot and made himself at home in the school’s dynamic environment. With indomitable pride, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Production. Arming himself with some very powerful ammunition, he started to incorporate the knowledge he received in college towards his personal musically inspired goals. VERB'Z UP
WHO IS Jsoul Musiq?
N
ow with his degree under his belt, he relocated back to his home state of Louisiana, hoping for a fresh start with his new found perspective. Being the innovative person that he is, he invested in a plethora of sound production, and editing software to compliment his growing arsenal of musical
instruments, especially his favorite which is the keyboard. To date, Jsoul has four of these beauties in his collection—the Roland Phantom, Yamaha P-115, Korg Tritan, Maschine MK2 and the Akai MPC 2500. I think we can safely say, he’s come a long way from that little toy Casio he started to play way back when while in the backseat of his parents car. As funny as that may seem, Jsoul unequivocally has the dexterity to handle any piece of equipment he chooses to put his hands on. The word about his extraordinary talent and music production expertise quickly began to spread like a blazing wildfire. People spoke highly of him as an artist and of his composition skills. Back then and most certainly now, he simply possesses sleuth-like intuitive prowess when it comes to knowing what clients are looking for. It’s all part of his gift...a gift he readily shares with others. While working with one of the artist he produced an album for, he was asked to collaborate in a live performance that would help to showcase the client even further. Jsoul was receptive to that and agreed. From that one particular performance, many others were to follow. Just like the flow of water, he adjusted and adapted to whatever environment he was in. Soon, he found himself steadily composing and performing with people from all over the country. He developed a great professional relationship with a band that called themselves, “The Gallery.” As fulfilling as it was, with his talents wide open and in clear view while performing on stage regularly, Jsoul began to feel that infamous tug to expand his horizons once again. What does the curious mind of someone do when duty calls? They answer it. Be All You Can Be It’s not just an Army Slogan One thing that we all can agree on is the fact that music has the power to make you think, remember, smile, laugh, and even cry. Jesse McKenzie, A.K.A, Jsoul is aware of this truth oh so well. So much so that when his life situations dictated that it was time for a change…it wasn’t questioned, it was just done. VERB'Z UP
BE ALL YOU CAN BE!
T
he Army became appealing to Jesse for two important reasons. One being the obvious, it gave him an opportunity to travel and make music connections along the way. The second reason being, he was craving more from himself and more from the world in which much of his inspiration came from.
“Creativity doesn’t come in a neatly packaged box, it can’t be contained in that small of a space. I needed to find an outlet that showed off my gifts without them being placed within a group of others around me.” Playing music in a band was great at the time, but it began to mask his true independent desires as an artist from the manufactured status quo surrounding other people and their expectations. Jesse explains it best here when he says, “Creativity doesn’t come in a neatly packaged box, it can’t be contained in that small of a space. I needed to find an outlet that showed off my gifts without them being placed within a group of others around me.” What is key about his words and the message behind them, has more to do with finding your own station in life based on your own merit, instead of quietly shadowing the attention of someone else. Prior to joining the Army, his talent remained magnificent, but his ambition was meek. He knew he wasn’t living up to his full potential, therefore he had to remove himself from the monotony of performing within a group of individuals who were also seeking to find their way. Taking off and joining the Army gave him the time he needed to focus on the discipline he required to masterfully achieve more as a solo artist than he would conforming to a group. His instincts proved to be right, and within the two years he spent in this particular branch of service, Jsoul took his musical aspirations to melodious extremes, completely immersing himself in song writing, music composing and continuously developing his own sense of style and methodology. It worked to his advantage, as his portfolio kept growing and growing. This is exactly what he needed. When the time came to separate from service, he was in a much better position financially, physically, and emotionally to tackle any and all things. VERB'Z UP
ARMY OF ONE
T
he Army slogan, be all you can be, served a monumental role in how he saw himself. With much more confidence, he knew his capabilities were endless and there were no limits to what he could achieve, because he truly was being all he could be for himself…even though he worked well in a team environment...it was now time for the real, Army of one.
Experience is the best teacher Don’t cut corners After life in the military, Jsoul continued to have the spirit of a warrior and the intelligence of a sage. His focused nature allowed him to gain experience while learning what worked best for him. With musical influences from his teen and young adult life that varied from legendary artists such as, B.B King and Miles Davis, Jsoul developed a signature style that only he could master. He thrives off of his ability to hear something in nature, or even in a conversation, think about it, and compose a beautiful piece of music that takes on a life of its own. That’s a wonderful thing to be able to do and then share with others. With all of the experience he does have, Jsoul is an artist yes, but more importantly he is a man with a keen ear that will transform notes into a masterpiece beyond anything we could imagine. The ability to construct a song naturally and develop beats that literally cause one to feel a narcotic effect is mind blowing. It’s absolutely astounding what this man can do. He is notorious for rendering someone speechless after they listen to him play, coming up with intense and inspiring songs with the rhythm that will have you on a nonstop ride to places you can only fantasize about. How does he do it though, how is he able to meld together all of the right elements that cause you to feel a whole gamut of emotions? What is that ability even called? Well, it’s called having Soul…Jsoul more specifically, and you can trust and believe that his music will move through yours. Written by Desirae L. Benson VERB'Z UP
For information about the author of this written work contact: DesiraeBBB@gmail.com To find out more about the man, the method, the music, visit any one of these sites. To inquire about music production, song writing and/or editing, by Jsoul, please use the contact information below. www.Jsoulmusiq.com www.grammygoals.com www.facebook.com/Jsoulmusiq Jsoul4music/soundcloud.com Jsoul_musiq/I.G Jsoul Musiq/ facebook.com Jsoulsounds/ youtube.com Jsoul4music/ twitter.com Jsoul Musiq/ LinkedIn.com Be sure to also check out Jsoul on his new Hot 365 Radio show each Sunday from 8:00-9:00 p.m (CST) iOS Android TuneIn https://tunein.com/radio/ HOT365-s294029/ VERB'Z UP
Meet American Monster Guilds: DRINO
Drino (born Diamond Williams on November 5, 1996) just another kid from the hood struggling to rise above the negativity that surrounded him. Born and raised in the infamous Los Angeles, CA armed with nothing but an amateur mixtape and hunger, he built solid local buzz through impressive live shows and an online hustle. Now signed to American Monster Guild, sky is the limit.
With winter underway, Drino has decided to capitalize by giving fans a new album, to follow up his other album. WORK: The Album has more of those quality South Florida bangers, and features an array of West Coast & Down South staples: Armand Jones, Shannon Rivera, and more all make an appearance. In addition we get to hear from some newcomers, like buzzing WestCoast rapper Donny Loc and Drino's own Hood Records signee Choice, among others
www.soundcloud.co m/papidrino www.facebook.com/ DRINOGBE www.instagram.com/ thelifeofdrino www.twitter.com/ Papi_Drino?s=09
VERB'Z UP
The Poetry Corner: written by Barry Irving FAMILY What is family to me??? Family is people you can share any and everything with. Family is a person or people you can trust your life with at whatever cost. Family will never turn a snake eye on you behind your back. Family will be there during your hard times. Family is a person or people you share a lifetime bond with. Family will help carry the heavy load off your back when you feel like the World weighing down on you. Family is your Peace, Love and Happiness.
Barry Irving: Family Family should be able to fill the void in your life when you feel empty inside. When you feel you don't have nobody You always Family, distant or blood. Family is about Unity, coming together as ONE unit. Brothers and SiStars moving forward. No one is better than the other. All is well ends well, FAMILY, love, perservance, loyalty. Family means everything in my eyes and sacred Soul.
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Jayo Kushman?....
Hahaha, I am Jayo Kushman the halfbreed, the Alaskan Native/African American with a Portuguese bloodline that was adopted at birth because I wasn’t allowed to go back to my biological birth givers “Village” which is a small place called Ambler in Kotzebue, AK. But since I was adopted thank God almighty! Lol, I was born and raised on the East Side of Anchorage, AK. You know coming from such a big state and with such a diverse background of ethnicity we have a wide expand of all genres in music period. Myself personally is a rap artist. The first tape cassette I got from my pops was ‘All Eyes On Me’ I was only 7 years old bumping Pac in my boombox hahaha.
Currently, I have my mixtape out now entitled Visionized & Runnin’ out now in all digital music outlets you know, iTunes, Google Play, Tidal and more also have another mixtape coming soon called Wake N’ Bake. Currently signed to X-Rated Mafia Records out of South Carolina big and special shout out to the homie Met Geezus aka Met G one of my label mates and dopest artist coming out of SC and my manager Devin Patrick for helping a brother out! Gotten airplay many times on one of our local radio stations here AK 106.1 KONR. Later this year 2018 I will be touring with 3 other artists around the state very much excited for that, it will a documentary as well.
“Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.” ― Benjamin Elijah Mays
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