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editor’s note cashin in the uber hardknock smartphone The Food Journal: Mega Budget Meals b3nchmarq cover story boots for The Troops winter wardrobe
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was told I must give an editor’s note, so I asked what the hell is that? “An overview of the magazine” they said. So here goes (don’t judge it’s my first time) IT’S COLD OUCHEA IN THESE STREETS FAMILY… so this issue got that cold product just for you. But firstly I would like Thank You the reader for the support and love received from the past 6 issues from our friends, their friends as well as our devoted supporters and featured Vsionaries, we thank you for helping us see the vsion through your eyes and most importantly supporting the movement...(BLAH BLAH FISH PASTE).
anyway we got that Ambitious Duo B3nchmarq cover story where they tell us how they got signed. We check out the most reliable smart phone, and how uber is cashin up the passengers. We also look at budget friendly R100 meals for the winter and conclude the mag with some threads and boots for the troops. So ladies and lads, we hope you’re ready to peep this month’s issues of Vsion Magazine. Till Next Issue Totem
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varsity nights podcast www.vsionmagazine.co.za
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cashing in the
e be cashin in the uber, We be cashin in the Uber Oh Lord” (singing) This would make one of the greatest trap hooks of all time, if it only made sense. Cashin in the uber? I mean uber doesn’t even allow cash payments right? WRONG!!!! Our favourite Internet ride-sharing service Uber switched on its cash payment option in South Africa as
part of a pilot on the 26th of May 2016. Ever since its launch in 2013 Uber has only accepted credit card payments but the CHANGE is here ( see what I did there). According to Fin24 in a conversation they had with Alon Lits Uber’s head for Sub-Saharan Africa, the internet app plans to accept cash payments with half of all its driver-partners in South Africa.
This good news for the homies who always pay for my uber rides because I have no credit card, I can pay for my own rides with them Mandela notes. Uber says South Africa is the first country in the world where cash payments will go live across five cities simultaneously - these being Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
.According to Fin24 Lits said to them “If it goes well, we will obviously scale it up, we need to see if it will increase the sign-up flow.” The app will now prompt you to choose between cash or credit payment options From my part I just wanna thank uber for making travelling much easier and being that transport method i can count on LITERALLY.
the scripter
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SIDE NOTE:
Uber’s move to accept cash payments in South Africa comes after the company cut its fares by up to 20% in the country for the winter period.
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hard knock smart phones
Magazine Yet another one of those “my phone8is more durable than yours”debates right here. Back in the good ol’days we knew the nokia 5110 or 3310 were the gods
of strong phones. those phones were used as weapons in some fights i’ve witnessed, (my aunt putting my uncle in pocket). These days we cant be too sure, it seems with technology becoming more complex, the phones became flimsy. But what can we do, if u cant beat them.....find a suitable replacement. According to information from a South African repair specialist (Not privesh from the corner store), Apple phones are more realiable than their rivals. The Specialist said Apple branded products are exceeded by Samsung and Huawei. Although and Samsung offers its customers free screen repairs through its Samsung ADH programme and Huawei offers a similar programme through its Huawei Select programme with new smart devices. Guess they know their products break every 3 months. According to Ifix most common repairs relate to touchpad, followed by battery, camera, dock connector and headphone jack repairs. The South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi) compiled by Consulta found in 2015 that Apple scored 82.7 out of a possible 100 for satisfaction, the highest score in SA. This means the Iphone wins the title of the hardknock phone and shares a title with the nokia 5110 and 3310......Nah Fam that dont sound right.
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THE FOOD JOURNAL
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P I Z Z A
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Banting bacon and mushroom pizza price to make: R64.22 ingredients 1 culiflower, cut intro florets 1 large 3gg, beaten 1 cup (250ml) grated mozzarella 2 Tbsp Psyllium husks a quarter almond of coconut flour salt and milled pepper olive oil, for drizziling 4 rashers bacon, chopped 1 cup button mushroom, sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped pinch dried chilli flakes half sachet of tomato paste quater grated chesse handful baby spinach
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Broccoli and Cannellini bean soup price to make: R48.99 ingredients 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 sticks celery, chopped 400g broccoli florets 2 cans (410g each) cannellini beans, drained 5 cups (1.25L) chicken or vegetable stock Salt and milled pepper
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Pilchard Quiche price to make: R32.72 ingredients 1 400g Puff pastry 6 jumbo eggs 1 2L Full Cream Milk 1 (400g) Can of Pilchards in tomato sauce 300g Block of Cheese
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Pilchard Quiche price to make: R32.72 ingredients 1 400g Puff pastry 6 jumbo eggs 1 2L Full Cream Milk 1 (400g) Can of Pilchards in tomato sauce 300g Block of Cheese
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B3nchMarQTrappin Out The City by Omp Manana
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Ambitiouz Entertainment has emerged as the most popular and prominent music label in South Africa, in only just a period of 18 months. They just came into the game and held most label CEO’s at gunpoint (not literally people) and have given them a serious reality check on their lack of progress, which has resulted them into doing what most SA hip hop fans have been wanting from the get go- to give young guys a platform and chance. This has resulted in the award-winning artists such as FiFi Cooper and Emtee and with their current artist roster; Ambitiouz looks set to be the future and the present. However whenever one talks about Ambitiouz the names that will always come up are, of course, FiFi Cooper and Emtee, but most forget or don’t realise that their roster is quite lethal and forget to mention the likes of A-Reece, Benchmarq and even Saudi.
Fortunately for you and me I was able to sit down with Bench17 Magazine marq and get a Vsion exclusive that you wouldn’t get anywhere else (make sure you listen to the podcast of the interview to get the full Vsion). Firstly lets get the introductions underway, Benchmarq consists of P-Jay and Tkay, rhyming names for a duo, it’s a bit out there we know, but in an odd way it’s quite cool. These two Pretoria natives come from the same hood and met in 2007, when Tkay would invite rappers to his crib to drop a couple of bars, as he was known as a dope producer in the hood and together the duo made P-Jay’s first solo record. The two then decided to join forces along with another member who later dropped out to the 9-5 lifestyle. The self-proclaimed “best rap duo” have emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the future having had their own major banger “Get Lit” featuring Vsion5 cover artist and producer, Tweezy, which was then accompanied by a feature on what has become known as the first Ambitiouz song “Washa” by DJ City Lyts. From a personal point of view, Tkay and P-Jay are quite chilled laid-back guys, which is what I find cool.
There’s a huge stigma and misconception of how rappers are and act but I have to say that, without sounding insulting or anything close to that, the sense of normality The duo prides themselves on not being able to put their sound in a box P-Jay sating that they “work by feeling mood or inspiration”, which is a good thing for us listeners because that means that we can expect a more diverse sound from Benchmarq, in which we’ve seen the glimpses of with their singles: Get Lit, which had a more of a trap influence; “Bonang”, carried a move jiggy Dj Mustard vibe and their latest offering “All On Me” has a more laid back trap RnB sound. Speaking of how they “hustled’ Ambitiouz to get their deal, this duo truly stuck their hustling nature by DM’ing a PR at Ambitouz and approaching them with their work and like they say, the rest is history! Benchmarq have been relishing the opportunity of being under a label saying that their job of creating music has became easier due to the team behind them and the resources being pumped into them.
Ambitiouz also seems to be a tight knit group, Benchmarq did admit however that the relations started off as professional between the label mates, but after a while together on a radio they grew closer as a squad to a point where they’d supposedly go out for lunch and so on. Personally I think that, synergy within a label in an industry as small as South Africa’s is vitally important because that allows for a more cohesive and impactful performance, as a label, which is clearly shown by what Ambitiouz has done.
Their album could come later on as a more commercially driven Magazine 18 body of work which aims at selling and catching or creating a future wave… but hey, I’m just one guy with an opinion, you don’t have to listen to me, I’m no music expert. Speaking on Ambitiouz’s spontaneity, Tkay stated that they can “record a track today and release it tomorrow”, which has been shown by the surprise release of Emtee’s album after only having one promo single. . There is, however, a huge level of strategy amongst this, as they try to strive on not adhering to “the rules” which simStating that Ambitiouz is a very ply allows them to do things in spontaneous, the duo plan on the best way they see fit. Surely releasing a project after their third that’s the only way to go about single which has already dropped your business if you really want but did however state that it’s to make a name for yourself and all dependent on the reception. stand out in an industry and enI personally feel that something vironment that’s full of rappers more in the lines of a mixtape and many more on the outside would be dope and different for aspiring to be one. the duo as it could give people an u understand about their music without having being too critical, which is the scrutiny that comes with an album.
Speaking on the trap sound and aspiring rappers going 19 Magazine into that sound, the duo firstly stated that they believe that it’s the sound for all the young guys out there, however this does not necessarily make it easy to create. This is something I can definitely agree with too, as I believe that it takes an immense amount of skill and experience to make a hit single period, let alone a hit trap single. This is a sound that many have came to say is ignorant and foolish, due to its repetition and sometimes lack of clarity and enunciation, such as Desiigner’s “Panda”. However three’s a deep level of skill and story telling as it embodies a lifestyle that many cannot understand. Do yourself a four and actually read the lyrics to Panda, you’ll be surprised to hear what you’ve been dancing to. Anyway the duo as noted that they are now in a very musical age, which has resulted in people like AKA releasing songs such as One Time, and label mates FiFi Cooper with and A- Reece with “Truth or Dare” and “Mgani” respectively.
Which without a doubt prompted the duo’s decision to create their third R&B influenced single “All on Me”. Benchmarq empahsised the importance of having a packaged product, saying that “it sounds like its dumbed down but it has just become tougher” which should serve as justification to the underground-16 bar- enthusiasts out there that most rappers in the industry do have the skill, otherwise they wouldn’t be in the position that they’re in currently. However their music, like Benchmarq’s, is listened to by many different types of people ranging from people in the hood to people in the ‘burbs, therefore as artists they have to try and accommodate all of you and find a bridge because consumers all want the same thing.
Artists need to sell records in order to live, like you and I, so sometimes what you might see as frustrating or a lack of rapping ability, is one artists way of putting clothes on their back or rather gold around their neck and teeth. Benchmarq is the only recognisable duo in SA and I believe that they will become a name that will be on everyone’s lips in the future. I encourage you all to listen to the podcast on GXD radio of my interview with Benchmarq to get an insight to all things Ambitiouz and the industry as well as getting to know them better. Make sure you catch B3nchmarq on these platforms to get their latest updates and offerings Twitter: B3nchMarQ Facebook: B3nchMarQ Instagram: B3nchmarqSA All on Me single: www.datafilehost. com/d/ca56cb4d
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boots for 21
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the troops
by rezolution
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You know that one homie that has your back no matter what, through the thick, thin and blistering weather. That’s what boots are to our feet! With the weather being in all sorts of shambles this year we need to keep every part of our body covered up with the slickest thickest threads. With the come up of extraordinary local brands from all regions we must not only acknowledge but actually take initiative and support the cats. But while we do that we must account for our feet, they too need to be on blast. Busting through the door for the past few decades and still going hard are the infamous troop boots, the timberland. Through all the nitty gritty it prevails notorious, like b.i.g. To this day the people’s choice still remain the same – caramel over everything. The colour just compliments the season, every season. Any boot in any colour could suit just about anyone. If having a common pair of boots isn’t your cup of soup, timberland offers a number of different designer boots. Ranging from the 6-inch lineman boots, the Britton hill moc toe waterproof boots, the classic earthkeepers all the way to the premium two-tone waterproof boots we have quite a flavorful variety. If you can visit the timberland store in sandton you are guaranteed to bump into a godly pair that is aligned with your stature.
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win
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by oliver zondo
wa
rdr
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Winter has arrived and there is no better time to revamp your wardrobe then now. This means all your shorts, tank tops, torn t-shirts and reflective sunglasses need to fall all the way to the back of your wardrobe. Now, if you are anything like me the change of season should make the edges of your mouth curl into a smile cause this time of year brings some much needed excitement for people who like to dress up. Bears usually get tucked far away into their burrows and caves during this time of year overcome by a deep feeling of sadness caused by the realization of having nothing to wear, now scientists will have you believe they hibernate so they can survive through the cold season when the weather is freezing and food is scarce, Yeah right. Here at Vsion we know better. I’m no scientist but I know that you don’t have to suspend your life for three long months just because you can’t put together an outfit. So I will be giving you a few suggestions on the different styles and how you can approach setting up the perfect winter combo.
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Athleisure The minute a trend earns itself a coined term the hype seems to be endless especially when social media discovers its. Athleisure merely describes the trend of sportswear worn for the purpose of everything imaginable expect sport. Now, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to feel comfortable, but the trend stretches beyond the obvious into realm of well‌. Swag. Camo has been a common feature in recent fashion trends and goes well with a great pair of textured sneakers in neutral, brown or nude, colours. Try suede or the trusted canvas.
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Grungewave The style-conscious are always on the lookout for novelty and in their quest seem to always get inspiration from the past. Recently they have been abandoning Hip Hop wear for a more- late 80’s, early 90’s Punk Rock Star aesthetic. You will catch them wearing t-shirts from bands like Metallica and Nirvana merchandise worn under a denim jacket or a leather one
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hipster When I googled the definition of a hipster the results showed ‘a person who follows the latest trends and fashions’. Fair enough, but anyone with an Edgars account could fall under that category which can cause some confusion. No, what sets hipsters apart is their knack for avoiding everything mainstream. Think Vespa scooters and Tumblr then throw in a beard. Hipsters generally aren’t bond to conventional colour co-ordination schemes something that makes them more inclined , unlike us mere mortals, to explore the colour spectrum. As a basis point the quality of fabric is as important as it’s type. A plaid shirt, a knitted sweater and throw on a trench coat just for good measure.
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Trench Coat Trench coats trace their roots back to World War I, where they were named after the very trenches they were worn in. The fabric is sturdy, lightweight, weatherproof, and could easily be worn over every day wear. The trench coat is traditionally a long coat that extends to the shins, is double-breasted with wide lapels, and is belted at the waist and is different from a peacoat which is heavier and doesn’t overlap the torso.
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parka jacket As a layering option you can add a military parka jacket for those winter night outs with the chinas. Needless to say this comes as winter essential as it can be paired with any combination which adds to its functional purpose.
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Chelsea boots Chelsea boots, historically, are a shoe that has been associated with men of a more bespoke sartorial style but are helping keep the feet of bad boys everywhere snug. These are great as they tidy up your look keeping your outfit streamlined and crisp. I focused of three styles: Athleisure, Grungewave and Hipster as a way of guiding you through your decision on how to style yourself using different inspirations from these seperate styles as a way of making sure all the bears are out of their caves this winter
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Email to enquire about the product Forever@thatomegale.co.za
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visit www.vsionmagazine.co.za