LA LYTES UP HIP HOP LA's Got Chops & She's Knocking Them Out All By Herself.
5 CREATIVE DIRECTORS YOU SHOULD KNOW.
Athens New Renaissance
TIME TRAVELING DRUGS 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD QUESTION
1 SECRET THAT WILL CONNECT YOU TO 1 MILLION BRANDS
http://athensnewren.com/
A Racked Up Resume Of Issue 4’S Peeps. Editor in Chief Bria Brown Copy Editor Dylan Smith Director of Music Christopher Alley Artistic Director Quintavious Shephard Director of Fashion Anthony J. Thomas Contributing Editors Christina Santi Christopher Alley Rosemarie Driscoll Photographers: Arielle Kramer Blake Peterson Jimmy O’Donnell Lucas Alvarado Meghan Garven Mighty Beardo Nathan R. Smith Nicholas Nichols Rochelle Brock Sarah Maltais TeeShotMe Writers: Bria Brown Christina Santi Gyasi Williams-Kirtley Joe Kerr Martika Ragan Yomna Eldeeb
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MAG AZINE CRED ITS Special Thanks: Arielle Tatiana , Brittany White, Gilles Kortzagadarian , Illy Lussiano, JR Rubin, Kigan Joseph Max, Mo’s Bar & Lounge, Voce Di Art Gallery Models: Amanda Foster*, Arisce Wanzer, Falcons, Ian O’Brien*, Kyle Bretz*, River Robinson, Sarah Sharon Gallardo*, Teraj, Ysham Jackson*, *- Red Model Management Stylists Anthony J. Thomas, Askia Abdull, Jay Parel Kelsie Irbie, Laquasia Williams Hair Stylists Marjorie Cheatham Makeup Artists Frida Norrman, Jill, Noele Charles, Sherease Orange
CONTENTS FEATURED STORIES 85 Create a Sponsor Kit Anything in life is free. Here’s how you get it.
61 The 'N' Word Nigga. How'd that make you feel?
31 Joe Kerr’s Film Spew 5 films for your dark side
7 Epiphany Bee LA LYTES
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LA's got chops & she's knocking them out all by herself.
Beauty is more than skin deep; Epiphany Bee houses that theory.
5 LFE Bria discusses issue IV & the issues that come with it.
65 Chasing the White Rabbit: The Resurgence of Psychedelia in Popular Culture. The title explains it all.
79 Summer Stitch We’re pretty deep in Fall, but these pieces are off the racks of some of our fave brands.
27 Falcons This issues eye candy.
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11 Akomplice to the Town Trailer park boys go ‘round the outside... Of the box
19 Westernized Islamic Fashion Hijabs are now in Modern Fashion
LET TER FROM THE EDI TOR 5 Athens New Renaissance
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e-read old issues; old “Letter from the Editor” pieces. I didn’t even italicize “Athens,” dear God. While I gave advice like a vet, I spoke like a child. Over time the best advice I’ve personally gained was “stop playing yourself.” A bit harsh, but true. It took me almost a year to create another issue. Running around to build my business caused me to lose sight of the business itself. So I started over and I dropped this issue. For Athens IV, I’m crossing my fingers for way less typos, way more views- and although views on issue 3 were the shit- way better “Letter from the Editor” photos. This issue is on our vices. Spill through it. Ask yourself, “could my vice BE my virtue?” I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. I want to show you what’s blatantly cool and I’m taking what you feel you’re supposed to appreciate and asking you to think about it. There’s so much more than what’s on the outside. I hired a copy editor; so maybe in this issue, I’ll actually italicize “Athens.” I’ve learned things the hard way- especially after these past few months. But you mess up, you come back, and you redeem yourself. I hope you enjoy Issue 4. Oh yeah, we’re hiring.
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The Epiphany Within No one has ever started from the top. If you know someone who has, I'd love to meet 'em. But yeah, just the whole proving to clients that I'm the one they should choose to design their space is a pain the ass. By Nathan Smith Written by Bria Brown
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piphany Bradshaw started out trying to follow her interest rather than her vocation. Initially, she wanted to be an emergency pediatrician; however, when she began to realize that she was not a “bythe-book”learner. After being told by her professors her that she would have to make use of her literal cognitive processes, she decided to change and make her creativity her primary focus. Unlike your typical stylist, Epiphany is more concerned with what lies inside rather than the outside. She is the head of her own company, Epiphany Bee: Interior Design, in a business that rarely seems to get limelight unless one thinks of Martha Stewart, Home Living, or Oprah Magazine. How did you get started? Growing up, my mother was
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an early-childhood teacher during the weekdays and an interior decorator on the weekends. She was always decorating our house in Texas, and also that of various family members as well. Between the slew of Home & Garden magazines, HGTV shows, being around my mother sewing and decorating and upholstering and such, I kind of just knew it was in me. What is the most difficult process of interior design? Hmm... For me, the most difficult process, so far, has been proving myself. It's kind of like the whole “you need ID to get ID” thing. Most interior designers have mounds and mounds of references and titles and “blah, blah, blah” to [gain] new or prospective clients. But, when you’re just breaking in, you don't have all that. People don't seem to understand that as a new designer, you need to build from the ground up.
No one has ever started from the top. If you know someone who has, I'd love to meet 'em. But yeah, just the whole proving to clients that I'm the one they should choose to design their space is a pain the ass. It is not easy to work as a team. Do you go with your professional vision first, or with what is request by your customers? I usually work off the client’s vision first. Because I am not the one living, working, or functioning in the space I can't be biased [towards] my vision only. To design a space that not yours is truly a team effort. The client will usually give me their idea of how they see the space and what they want out of the space whether it is residential, commercial, retail, entertainment or whatever. Figuring out the functionality of the space is the first thing we establish. So working together as a team is effort. Not many people have
the money to spend on hiring an interior designer. What is the economy like on your side? The economy for interior design is a bit shaky. Like everywhere else, we took a big hit. But with DIY becoming a big thing, people are more open to working with an interior designer to kind of aid in the process. So although most interior designers are a bit out-of-budget for most, I work on a budget-friendly and a “work with you� kind of system. So I try and work with my clients to get the most out of their spaces and budget, while still getting quality products. Do you have a favorite part of the house to design? Ooh! My favorite part of the house is definitely the kitchen. I love the kitchen because it is a multifunctional space. I see the kitchen as more than just a space to cook and eat; [I also see it as] a gathering space, a learning
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space, and the center of the home. There is so much you can do in a kitchen dÊcor wise. Paint it a dope funky color, get some stainless-steel appliances, and colorful kitchen tools, and small appliances and add a theme and prestò! Kitchen sexiness! What is the most tedious part of the house to design? As much as I love the kitchen, it is THE MOST tedious space to design in a residential space. Between countertops, cabinetry, tiling, flooring, arrangements of appliances,
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ventilation and all that. The kitchen has the most work put into it. What does your apartment look like? Ugh! I hate my apartment. I moved in here when the apartment was being gutted, so I could give her suggestions on the layout. But, she totally ignored every one of my suggestions. I live in a two-bedroom, 1-bath, cute apartment. But there is absolutely no reflection of my design eye in here. It is basically a spot I am in, just to be
“WE TOOK A BIG HIT. BUT WITH DIY BECOMING A BIG THING, PEOPLE ARE MORE OPEN TO WORKING WITH AN INTERIOR DESIGNER”
in. Secretly, I cannot wait to move. What is the biggest risk you have taken on the job? Hmm... The biggest risk I can remember taking is with my godmother’s house in Boston. Jane, [my godmother] had this super nice three-story, three-bedroom, three-bathroom amazing house. We threw out most of the old furniture and redid the hardware and lighting in every room. [We] Repainted every room to go with each girls personality and just went all out on the décor. I also was allowed a chance to
decorate the Karmaloop store in Newbury St. in Boston as well. From dressing mannequins and rearranging everything-that was a fun project. Those were actually my first big projects. [I also] got to work with a construction company and a home inspector. What is most exciting thing coming up? Right now, other than this article launch, there's not much going on. I look forward to gaining new clients and learning new things. But besides that, things are slow. How did the lady's apartment end up after we shadowed you that day? It's still a work in progress. I'm excited to continue to work with her and her roommates to complete the apartment soon. What are some new trends you're finding within the home? DIY's galore! Because a lot of people don't have the money for some of the items they want, making them yourself is a great compromise. The spring season is bringing in a ton of bright, bold colors and Mother Nature inspired designs. There's a trend of midcentury mod-style décor. Pops of color and clean minimalistic décor are what's happening now. I love, love, love it!
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AKOMPLICE TO SOCIETY
People are always looking for the next big thing, but what about the next better thing? Patrick and his brother Mike of Akomplice are just that; they’re taking over the world with apparel that breeds a powerful message. We caught up with Patrick for an in depth glimpse at the business, a few quirks and even future prospects in creating a new town. Yes- a town. Brace yourself. By Blake Peterson Written by Gyasi Williams-Kirtley
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ike and Pat grew up in Colorado, but from moving- due to their parents divorcing when they were younger, they’ve been locals in Puerto Rico, Florida, Calabria, Mexico and Aspin. The mixture of surroundings has definitely painted itself onto the boys and emanates from everything they put together. Your commercial youngster had dreams of being a doctor or astronaut, or both. When Pat was growing up, he wanted to be a BMXer. When he felt he wouldn’t be good enough, he decided becoming a filmer/photographer would help him stay apart of the bike life & he’d still be able to hit the mounds. Mike was always interested in clothing. Pat, not so much. Their frustration with the fashion scene’s depthless tendency to attach a plain logo on a tee shirt pushed the Liberty boys to wear blank tees. A combination of the guy’s big aspirations and their Stephanie’s Ponytail trend setting complex, foretold the future they’d have with impacting the street wear/skate culture. When Akomplice first started, the boys were working out of their trailer in Colorado. They’d cooked up a visual catalog that welded their interests of Hip Hop, Soul, BMX, and politics/social issues & sent 100 copies out into a country that only had about 30 stores total catering to this scene. Compare that to today, where every corner you turn, suburb or city street, you can find a shop hosting bucket hats, skate decks, and graphic tees at your convenience. The duo sold out of their
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first few pieces in a couple of weeks, tops, from both the stores they connected with and their homes. The name of the line came from the dictionary. Pat and Mike got as far as “Accomplish,” before a few manipulations of the spelling and pronunciation then got them to think that being an “accomplice” to this bigger movement is the idea, and the “AK,” part …. Well that’s just pretty damned cool. Patrick: And that’s how it came about, the reason we chose Akomplice was 1: because its smart. You don’t hear normal people saying “accomplice,” you always hear it from lawyers or judges saying accomplice, like “accomplice to the crime.” It had a tinge of vigilance and a little bit of criminal mischief to it, and it was also meant like a partner to something. “He was the Akomplice to the crime”, so any person that rocks the tee or the hat is kinda like the Akomplice to this movement becoming bigger. That’s how it came about, but I would like to throw this out since you guys like to go further, and different from what people already know is before we had Akomplice as the name we had the name as Checkmate Clothing and the reason we did Checkmate is one, we’re seriously into Chess. When I hire people or I get interns I always figure out if they play chess or not, if they know how to play chess and they think they’re good, I can see how semi-smart they are, not like really quickly, but it’s a good like tell-tell
sign also if they play chess, it ups their chance of getting hired, but someone also had the name checkmate when we searched on Google so we dropped the name checkmate.
I ALWAYS HAD A FEELING I WAS LIKE GONNA DO SOME SORT OF POWERFUL THING WITH SAVING THE WORLD, OR HELPING THE WORLD EVERY SINCE I WAS A KID
That’s interesting. Do you guys go to chess competitions and stuff like that? (Laughs) No, no, no, no. We don’t go to chess competitions – basically its like thisanything you do “the best in the world” or something, you have to spend a lot of time. I was into Bobby Fisher, I was very good and I can beat most people, but if you spend every day of your life reading chess books and playing chess everyday you’ll beat me for the most part, but if you don’t do that I will most likely beat you. That kinda threw me off. I’m like chess? That’s crazy! You know like that’s really also what connected, well part of what connected us with Wutang [Klan]. I grew up doing Tai-chi and Kung-Foo and I liked chess, you know what I mean, and this was stuff
I could so relate to…also it’s a way of thinking so that what kinda created some of our affiliation with Wutang members and starting to collab with Masta Killa and Raekwon and stuff. How do you guys approach your collaborations? How does that work? You know honestly, how its works…and me and my brother were laughing about this the other day, we didn’t say we wanted to go collab with pretty much any of these people. All these people, [through] someone affiliated, or themselves ,emailed us about something and when we came in contact, how me and my brother are is , the brand is extremely creative and we would just come up with cool ideas and present them to ‘em and most of them were like “YES.” Is there anything you haven’t done that you wish you could as far as collaborations? Any big projects that were too big you just couldn’t do them. Honestly, I wanna create a town. I wanna create a new town that works with a zero carbon footprint and everything is localized and sustainable and creates different stuff. That’s on a big scale, ‘cuz really everything in life is a collaboration when you work with someone to a degree. Collaborations for the most part just mean both [of] your logos are on it. I’m young. I’m 28 years old. Me and my brother started at 18 and 20. We haven’t started yet and I have the plans in mind
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and things are starting to line up. The bigger goal is to create a model of a town that interacts with the world properly and the environment properly, and then have it become a tourist attraction and then other countries start to mimic this and then have it spread and slowly change the way society functions to a degree. What would you name it? It doesn’t matter what the name is Would you name it Akomplice? (Laughs) No, no. Not Akomplice. Ya know, I wanna say something, when I say “society change,” I shouldn’t really say that. I should say like the basic – like the way we transport things and …there’s just a lot of basic structuring that we could change, not that people actually have to change their lifestyle almost at all. Different fields, different energy, different fuel…like everything has to be recycled. When you go to Europe all the bottles are all recycled because you get mad money for it; so every person – like you’d be retarded not to turn your bottle in. There’s so many simple things that we can do better and then there’s big things that like massive companies won’t change their structure. In order to change the structure it costs a lot of money because they already have the system and the network laid out, and so it’s not worth it if were going to destroy the world and let humans go extinct and everything else with it. What kinds of doors have opened
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for you with all the success of AK? What are you able to do that you weren’t before. Tons of stuff. So many connections. I could do a million things and that’s how me and my brother feel. There’s a million ways to make money and where we’re at right now, all we need is like good, smart people that are basically like me and my brother to plug ‘em in and just partner with them and we can start bars and restaurants, and all sorts of different companies and importing different foods and distribution of different products; and creating foods. There so many different things and ideas we wanna do but there’s a limited amount of time in the day. Do you guys have a bucket list? A bucket list. (Laughs) Uh, no. You know my brother is calling. I’m going to add him in. This is my brother calling from Brazil. Might as well add him in since he’s one half of this bad boy. Mike ? Aw, we cant hear him. (The call disconnects) Okay, anyways we’ll keep going. Okay. You have touched almost every element a clothing company can dabble in with parties, fashion shows, and features in some of the biggest publications to date. What do you want to do this year? I want to do a collaboration with a famous actor that’s an environmentalist, like
Woody Harrison or Leonardo DiCaprio. That’s something we haven’t done. Do something where we really help the world. Do you guys have a foundation or something? Actually we don’t have any foundation we have basically we donate to different nonprofits and charities with each different cause, and that’s something you actually wanna start doing once we get bigger we wanna create our own non-profits and charities. I’m always super nervous about how they spend their money. I’ve seen how companies spend their money so stupidly and so ridiculously and I came up from being in a trailer park, so we’re very good with spending money appropriately, and making it have a massive effect. If we
were running a non profit or a charity we would maybe get a lot more accomplished for less money so eventually that’s something else I wanna tie [in]. Half the time when you donate money, it goes into the salary of the person that’s running it as to when I donate I always want it to go directly to the environment instead of someone getting paid 60 or 100 thousand dollars a year. You’re a really good leader. Do you ever think you would dabble in politics or something like that? Yeah, yeah no. I had that feeling like; do I have to be the president? No. You have to be corrupt and basically, the lobbyists give you money to –yeah, can’t do that. Do I have to be like Che Guevara or
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IT WAS AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING ‘CUZ I HAD THIS PRESSURE LIKE I HAD TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING, AND I’D BE LIKE “WELL WHAT AM I GONNA DO, I CANT THINK OF ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY SEEMS FEASIBLE.
Malcolm X, and basically create an army to overthrow the corruption we’re having? Nope, the killing and the war…I was going through all these [things] trying to figure out what’s the right [set of] balances in the world right now, and I realized it a lot through business. If you create it where people spend their money with you to do the right thing, and you create it so people can work in places that create positive change, then you’re going towards a better world. And if you create a model of [something] that’s making a country money, or popularity, other countries will copy it; so politics definitely- and with
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starting the city, I’m completely involved with the government. And the place I wanna start this is not in the United States. Where would you start it? Uh Or is that disclosed? (Laughs) That’s disclosed for now but I’ll tell you if you read the interview and you do the math; you’ll figure it out, and once we get going, you’ll have to come down and check it out.
I wanna be apart of it! I don’t wanna check It out. You know that’s funny, that’s the whole thing. Everybody that I talk to, everyone in our generation has a feeling, like you can feel what’s going on with the world you can feel and you relies this is not right. And everyone has a feeling that what they are doing in life isn’t solid or important enough in a sense, for the most part- so everybody I talk to is like “I’m down, sign me up. I’m ready to make this happen;” So people are ready. It has to be done and I don’t know how quickly it will take. Like 5 years before I start, and like 30 years before it’s perfect but still it’s not
that long. The main thing is just to create a model so people can see how to do it right, ‘cuz there’s so many people that are environmentalists and socialists, and want a better world, and people will come from all over the world to visit it, and it will be famous. Most people are like “I wanna get paid and laid, and be a player,” and stuff, but for me it’s like I’ve balled out. I’ve hung out with Carmelo Anthony and its cool and its fun but like there’s a bigger side to all this, you can do that, you can ball out and do this. It’s not like an either or type thing, but yeah, I’m excited and I think people are ready for it.
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WEST ERNIZED ISLAMIC FASHION
By Nicholas Nichols Written By Yomna Eldeeb
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ot all of us can look at the cover of Vogue Magazine during August and copy the look of the model's outfit. Some of us follow a code of conduct in fashion regarding what we can show on our bodies. More than often, the media presents women in Islam in black; sometimes with only the eyes showing, while the rest of the body is covered. While that is true in cultures in the Middle East, it is also true that not all women in Islam dress in full black. There are those who know how to incorporate Western styles with the regime that the religion has laid out. These "rules" have been instilled for the protection of women, for the their own sake so that they are to be modest and humble in front of the rest of society. In Islam, women cover their bodies so that their voices can be heard instead. Contrary to the belief that women in Islam do not have rights and are oppressed, they do have rights but with the "sacrifice" of not showing their figures. These rights include having an education, making decisions for ourselves for our futures, and having the choice of what to do with our bodies. The hijab that Muslim women wear is not something that can be forced upon them, but a decision that they must make for themselves because not only is it a form of dress, but a lifestyle that comes with it. However, this lifestyle does not stop us from wanting to take ideas from Elle or Marie Claire and making them our own. There have been many instances in which Muslim women have been able to style themselves in according to what is season.
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MAKING SURE THAT WE DO NOT GO AGAINST WITH WHAT ISLAM TELLS US Making sure that we do not go against with what Islam tells us what to show and how to infuse the latest chambray shirt and oxford shoes, has become a form of art for many and there are those who have mastered it. Examples of the masterminds of
this new “art� are presented during the American Hijab Design Contest. For the first time ever, Muslim women have decided that because they cannot compete in the Miss U.S.A. Beauty Pageant -sorry, bikinis are not in the rule book!- they will put together their own competition to bring out the best, setting the example for those who wish to follow. In this contest, Muslim women from all across America come together and show off their forms of how to wear the hijab - and rock the Jimmy Choos effortlessly. The contestants in this competition are ordinary young women
who have presented their styles in social media sites such as Tumblr, Instagram and their own personal blogs. Although this is a new rising fashion, many have been influenced by this code of conduct and it has been shown by the coming back of maxi dresses and maxi shirts for the season. The intimidation of these same-said women that are presented in mainstream media should not be the example for American society. It is the rise of future annual events such as the American Hijab Design Contest that should be in mainstream media.
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BEHIND THE MASK
Skate. Film. Hip hop. Editor-in-Chief. Music manager. Business man. These are just a few things that you can affiliate with Roger Gengo. The tables have turned and the interviewer is being interviewed. In appreciation for young entrepreneurs, the head honcho of one of NY’s most appreciated indie music blogs has stepped out from behind the mask. By Nathan R. Smith Written by Bria Brown & Gyasi Williams Kirtley Styled by Anthony J. Thomas Pieces by Mishka Let’s start with your name. Who are you? Where are you from and what do you do? Roger Gengo, Editor-in-Chief of The Masked Gorilla. I’m from the greater New York City area and, along with running The Masked Gorilla, I manage rapper Bryant Dope, run a concert booking company called Masked Gorilla Booking, and am a contributing writer to Complex Magazine. What is the Masked Gorilla? Where did the name come from? The Masked Gorilla is “the definitive youth voice in hip hop,” a music blog constantly updated with content from new school rappers, along with exclusive interviews we produce with these artists. The name was just a random idea I had running through my head one day and decided to run with it.
Would you consider yourself a talent scout of sorts? Considering The Masked Gorilla blog is solely focused on showcasing new hip hop
talent, I would consider myself a talent scout of sorts. For example, we discovered Mac Miller while he was still in high school, six months even before he released KIDS or signed to Rostrum, and filmed his first ever video interview. We’ve had that same sort of hands-on role early on in various other artists’ careers. How deep in the underground scene is TMG? Who should we be on the look out for? As of right now, you should be looking out for guys like: Joey Fatts, OG Che$$, Robb Bank$, Bryant Dope, Chance The Rapper... What was it like building your team? What’s it like now? For the first few years of The Masked Gorilla, I made literally every single post on the site, completely by myself, along with handling all over aspects of the brand by myself. In August of 2011, I officially took on a team of college student intern
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writers to help update the site throughout the day. After that, a business manager, graphic designer, and video producer were all added onto the team organically through the growth process. Tell us the story of how you got up with Complex. Have you always aspired to be a journalist? In November of 2011, Complex originally contacted me to be apart of their “Top Internet Tastemaker” panel, where myself and other notable digital hip hop journalists [and] personalities reviewed projects in a round table like format. After doing that for a few months, the Editor-in-Chief of Complex noticed The Masked Gorilla’s growing viewership and asked if we would like to join the media network. In February of 2012, we officially signed on and joined the ranks of the other top digital hip hop publications. I’ve always wanted to work in music, in whatever capacity, but being able to literally just talk about specifically what I want all day long is a dream come true. I hear you’re a big skate junkie. Wouldn’t happen to remember the cast of 03’s City of Killers of the top of your head would you? And to test your true knowledge, where was it filmed? I honestly am not familiar with that particular video. I know it’s a Zoo York film, so I would assume it’s shot in New York City [and] Harold Hunter is present. I’m definitely more of a Yeah Right!/ Really Sorry/ Baker 3 fan. Rest in peace to Harold
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Hunter by the way, one of the greatest all around skate talents to ever come out of this gritty city. How deep are you into film? Give me your top 5 favorite movies and directors past or present. I started filming right around the time I started The Masked Gorilla, although completely unrelated. Film is just another amazing creative outlet I’m in love with. I’d love to take it as far as I can, get into
BEING YOUNG AND ACTUALLY LIVING WITHIN THE SCENE HELPS ME STAY AHEAD writing [and] producing short films etc. I just watched Garden State for the first time, not quite a short film but it’s an indie flick. That’s the last one I watched for the first time and had to immediately watch a few more times again. What songs do you skip on your iPod/iPhone, but refuse to remove? None. I’m really specific when it comes to songs that stay on my iPhone. I’m shuffling through it all day long. How do you, as a journalist, keep yourself abreast the current trends and artist? How do you distinguish the good from the bad?
I think just being young and actually living within the scene helps me stay ahead of the curve. I’m the same age of these artists which I’m covering, so in most cases we’re all collectively going through the same trends [or] phases within music etc. Imagine you were able to film a documentary while on tour with Wutang. You have an unlimited budget, and you’re in charge of curating. What are you spending it on? If we’re talking about OG Wutang, I’m hiring multiple PAs just to keep track of all those characters. What are some of your favorite, now classic hip hop producers, artist or even urban gear you wish you would’ve introduced to the public through TMG? I think someone like Tupac would be really receptive to what The Masked Gorilla is doing. I would have loved to work with him from very early on in his career. Of course it would have been amazing to be apart of that Supreme NYC scene in the early 90’s, just hanging around the shop when it was still such a core NYC brand and interacting with all of those legendary brands. That is another company who would have been right on pace with what The Masked Gorilla is all about. What’s your internal beef with Fox News about? Ha! No “beef ” per say, just a general beef
with political pundits in general. I suppose Fox gets the brunt of my criticism though. I’m sure you get the “Shaun White” joke 3 times a day. If you could be White for a day, which would you choose: 17-year-old Tony Hawk mentee or 20-year-old U.S Open Gold medalist. Rap game Shaun White! I would definitely be 17-year-old Tony Hawk mentee for the day. I would love to learn from one of the greatest of all time
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FALCONS B Y S A R A H M A L T A I S F E A T FA L C O N S
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Pieces by: Champion Dickies KYC Vintage Mini Factory Tropical Shorts UpXUndr Vans
JOE KERR’S FILM SPEW
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his issue of Athens: New Renaissance will mark the beginning of an interesting section that I have given the extremely sincere name: “Joe Kerr’s Film Spew.” Here, for every issue of the magazine, I will offer takes on films that you may or may have not seen & offer articles about them that fit the context of the overall issue. This issue of Athens: New Ren. deals with our vices & how we deal with them. What those vices are, however, are entirely based upon subjective reasoning. In film, the concept of a “vice” has been routinely used as a vehicle to explain the psyche of characters & to portray the director’s idea on life & the meta-philosophy they believe in. For this issue’s film spew, I will offer to you, the reader, five films that take us, the viewer, on strange, revealing quests of the human ego.
TRAINSPOTTING Danny Boyle’s cult classic, based on the book of the same name by Irvine Welsh, is still one of the best cinematic windows into the life of heroin addicts. Now before I begin, I know what you’re thinking. “What about Requiem for a Dream?!” While I have nothing but love for Darren Aronofsky’s master-work, I feel as though it’s simply just not a better movie than Trainspotting. Trainspotting focuses on five friends dealing with heroin addictions in an area
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Courtesy of Miramax Films
of Scotland that was economically ravaged by a depression in the late ‘80s. The film is narrated by Ewan Mcgregor, who serves as our eyes into the world of the Scottish underground. Boyle’s film not only depicts the finer points of self destruction, but also has enough comedic scenes to keep you thoroughly invested into the lives of these decadent madmen.
ATHENS MAGAZINE
ELEPHANT
Courtesy of Miramax Films
I remember, during my freshman year of highschool, one of my classmates threatened to shoot up the school. Everyone in the classroom found it profoundly funny - well, everyone save for our English teacher, who was nothing short of offended. The next day, instead of his normal lecture, he came with a film. That film was Elephant. Directed by Gus Van Sant, Elephant explores the lives of depressed youth at a fictional Oregon highschool. Not only did this film send a chilling message about the insanity that surrounds a school shooting, but it also offered a discussion on homosexuality. Gus Van Sant, who is a master of youth-oriented films, should be applauded, as this film contains no notable actors. In fact, most of the children in this film had no acting experience whatsoever.
COSMOPOLIS
Courtesy of Miramax Films
Remember that little “movement,” Occupy Wall Street & it’s shot against the 1% elitists who make more money than the 99% of our country does? Do you remember how the rich Wall Street wolves laughed with their bubbling champagne on the balconies of New York City, looking down upon the disenfranchised? If you do, or if
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JOE KERR’S FILM SPEW
COSMOPOLIS CONTINUED.. you’re one of those who were fully involved in the protests, then Cosmopolis is a movie well worth watching. Being the second novel-based film on the list, Cosmopolis, directed by the king of misanthropy David Cronenberg shows us the existential loneliness & sheer chaos money can have on humanity. Littered with memorable quotes
THE STORY IS COLD, BROODING AND, SO SUBTLE IN IT’S NUANCES, THAT EVEN IN THE MOMENTS WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. & an amazing ending, Cosmopolis focuses on a day in the life of the unfathomably rich Eric Packer, portrayed by Twilight redeeming Robert Pattinson. 90% of the film takes place in his limousine, which serves as not only the control center for his ever flowing money, but also as his lifeline; his mobile home, where he is visited by the men who ensure his chariot is running in tip top condition, & by his royal subjects, who talk, consummate & keep tabs on Mr. Packer. The story is cold, brooding and, so subtle in it’s nuances, that even in the moments where nothing happens something is happening. As Packer’s sanctuary descends into madness, one can only wonder, Is wealth all that we think it is?
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FIGHT CLUB Fight Club is many things: existential, nihilistic, prophetic, but one thing it certainly isn’t is nice. The third bookturned-movie on this list, Fight Club was directed by David Fincher (Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo). The film was also released nearly seven months after another 1999 film you may have heard of called The Matrix, which can be considered it’s “brother in arms,” in our current zeitgeist. The
ATHENS MAGAZINE
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Matrix, and it’s exploration of opening your mind in order to do whatever you want in your reality, was a saintly like theory demonstrated through the protagonist Neo & his defeat of the false reality that had enslaved his mind. Fight Club, however similar it may be to the Matrix’s existentialism, can be seen as the unhinged primitive beast, compared to the latter’s Jesus like message. The film is narrated by an unnamed character, played by Edward Norton who lives a lethargic, inane life; full of mass consuption & routine, using
support groups to alleviate his agonizing insomnia. Flying back from a business trip, he meets an eccentric fellow who goes by the name of Tyler Durden. Tyler Durden is a charismatic, soap salesman who gives the narrator his number & urges him to contact him. Upon reaching his apartment complex, the narrator witnesses his apartment explode. Saddened by the event , he calls up Durden for a drink. After a mind opening conversation about consumerism & Tyler urging the narrator to take his anger out on him, he moves into Tyler’s dilapidated home. With Tyler pushing his psychotic philosophy on to him & the continuation of their bar fights, they soon form a fight club for men just as disenfranchised as the narrator, to relieve themselves of the societal dealings that hold them back. Falling more into the nihilism that Tyler preaches, the weekly get-together known as the Fight Club soon becomes a terrorist unit known as “Project Mayhem.” Fight Club’s appeal to popular culture is undeniable. It has inspired fight clubs in real life & opened “Generation Y’s” eyes (unbeknownst to us at the time) to the philosophy of nihilism. Brad Pitt has been in many great films, but if you ask nearly anyone under 40, they would probably tell you that Tyler Durden is the best role he’s played by far. The impact by Fight Club is still felt today and, depending on your rationalization of society, you may see this as a threat or a heavenly revelation, but nonetheless interesting.
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JOE KERR’S FILM SPEW
Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
SUNSET BOULEVARD It’s rare to find a film that truly challenges the viewer to figure things out on their own. As society progresses & our attention spans continue to dwindle, the overall art of films has found itself replaced by shocking moment after shocking moment & stylish quotes. Currently, our highest grossing films find themselves as action films with shallow ideologies or maybe a period piece so heavy in it’s message(or so absurd, in the case of Django Unchained) that we have to pay attention to it. But how many of these films actually affect us? How many of these films actually make us think, “what if it was me?” In 1950, Billy Wilder was riding high. He was five years removed from his first two Academy Award wins for the adaptation of Charles R. Jackson’s The Lost Weekend and, as of two years prior, had just found himself nominated for another two for A foreign Affair . Peaking in his fame & now living in Los Angeles full time, Wilder would see many silent film stars of the early 1900’s now living normal lives, many of which fully succumbed to the new “Star System” of Hollywood that ushered in The Golden Era. This caused a spark in Wilder. What if he made a film
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HE DELIVERED THIS IDEA IN THE GREATEST NOIR FILM OF ALL TIME, SUNSET BOULEVARD. about fading stars, the pressure, and the need for fame? How would true stars act once, as Wilder put it, “The Parade had passed them by?” He delivered this idea in the greatest Noir film of all time, Sunset Boulevard. The film centers around Norma Desmond, a faded silent era star looking to find fame again, and Joe Gillis, an aspiring, yet unsuccessful screenwriter. From the beginning of the film, you’re given the ending - Joe Gillis is dead, lying in a pool, a writer who had dreams of making it big & it all ended too soon. Norma Desmond, the lusty lead of this film, takes Joe into the destructive fantasy world of false promises & delusion, serving as the vehicle into the vice of self-obsession. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, & easily the greatest noir film ever crafted, anyone who considers themselves an artist should take the time out to study a film like Sunset Boulevard.
When trapped in our thoughts, we fail to communicate coherently. Listen to your wants, needs, desires- they do not always reflect what the rest of society sees. These are tears of dual identity; the jest of a smeared personality and the smile of a conscious child.
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“Victim” is too aggressive of a term to describe our relationship, our connection but these existences can control you. The question is where do you begin? Moderation teases curiosity… Maybe you should just close your eyes and satisfy.
Featuring Arisce Wanzer River Robinson Teraj
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SOCIAL MEDIA by Meghan Garven Makeup by Noele Charles Styled by Askia Abdull Pieces by Adeen Joyrich Doc Martens Aldo
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RELIGION by Jimmy O’Donnell Styled by Kelsie Irbie Pieces by Any Old Iron Michael Calloway Natalie Kraynina Pureville Von
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DRUGS by TeeShotMe Makeup by Frida Norrman Styled by Anthony J Thomas Pieces by Cole Headwear Truce Vintage Verameat
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L.atasha A.lcindor T H E CA N DLE IN THE SUN By Rochelle Brock Written by Christina Santi
L
.atasha Al.cindor (a.k.a “L.A.”) has sent the last two years cultivating her brand and pushing hip hop forward. If you take the lyrical tenacity of Remy Ma, the spiritual poetics of Erykah Badu & Lauryn Hill, add a few drops of Lady Gaga’s fearless originality, the quirkiness of Left Eye, and the rebellious nature of M.I.A, you’ll get the essence of who L.A is. All those elements just scratch the surface of her multidimensional artistry. Like many iconic artists, L.A. possesses a vision, a passion and perseverance that push the development of her sound. In just two years, she’s released a handful of projects demonstrating her range as an artist. On The Presentation, she showcased her skills on the mic, and later added layers of depth on LA Riots: The Mental Fatality, a darker release that saw LA take listeners through a journey as she exorcised her demons. Her latest project Spark expresses the freedom and joy that comes with finding yourself. The three styles are set to mix on her upcoming release, L.A. Lytes, a project which L.atasha Al.cindor teases, “...is a light side of things but it has a lot of back and forth light and dark letting me see the truth in everything.” Rap hasn’t always been L.A.’s main goal, but it has gradually become an outlet for her to express her thoughts about herself and the world around her. “I’ve always loved hip-hop, the essence of me becoming a rapper was not serious until recently,” she reflected.
“When I started rapping it was just on some fun stuff, I didn’t know it would become as serious as it has.” In the pursuit of becoming a female who wants to push the limits of the genre, L.A. battles with rap’s double standards as well as the difficulty of being a one-woman army, all while staying true to herself. L.A.’s music reflects her very nature as an artist; someone who takes lessons from adversity and uses it to fuel her growth. After splitting from her previous management, L.A. decided to take her career in a more DIY direction. Spending the better part of a year operating on her own has had a surprisingly positive effect, with her noting an increasingly organic feel in her work. According to L.A., “[I] found more appreciation for what I’m doing because I’m doing everything myself. You just fall in love with it more and you treat it like a child now.” For many female artists, working in a male-dominated industry is often a frustrating tale of marketing tactics, stereotyping, and diluted visions, but her experience hasn’t watered down or tampered with L.A.’s sound at all. On the contrary, she takes it as just another challenge to overcome, belying her eccentric girly-girl image with venomous lyrics and a commanding stage presence that just demands respect. “This ‘double standard’ of the rap game is there, it’s like racism you can’t let it go. But what you can do is improve yourself and change yourself as much as possible,” says L.A. on how she deals with the dichotomy of gender roles. “I’m going to put on my lipstick and
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makeup if I feel like it or some days I won’t. Whatever makes me feel comfortable I’m going to do and people will just have to respect it and if they don’t they will eventually.” L.A. has no reservations about expressing herself; she is the lioness amongst a pride of alpha males. Much of her approach can be credited to her upbringing. “Life has been the pusher,” confirms L.A., from the ups and downs of
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experiences with family and friends. “I feel like I’m at great peace within myself within the last year and a half...I talk about myself a lot on L.A. Lytes but more about helping my family situation instead of feeling a lot of pain through my family.” What sets apart L.A. as a rapper is her early beginnings in poetry and theater. “Theater has always been apart of my life,” she says. Both art forms demand a
I AM REVEALING EVERYTHING THAT HAS MADE ME, ME RECENTLY FROM MY PAST, MY FUTURE AND NOW. SO THIS WHOLE PROJECT IS COLLIDING ALL OF MY STORIES TOGETHER AND LETTING ME SEE ME” fearlessness to immerse you into emotion, an aspect of expression that she effortlessly incorporates into her music. Writing what she feels and rarely editing her rhymes allows for what she calls, “High-peak, beautiful moments when it feels like you can touch the sun and it has its moments where it’s so low, in between the mantles of the world love; those ‘I hate everything about this world’ moments”. L.A.’s rawness will be on full display with the release of L.A. Lytes. She will experiment with production from producers from London to Canada and everywhere in-between. “I am revealing everything that has made me, me recently from my past, my future and now. So this whole project is colliding all of my stories together and letting me see me”, she says. Intended as an escape from the “embedded, one kind of feel” of today’s hip-hop L.A. Lytes is revolutionary. Whether major or indie, L.A. wants to become the female artist to be considered as someone “who can change the prospect
of music and hip hop”. Not content with just rapping, she also wants to use the kaleidoscope of her brain to branch out into film. L.A. says, “I don’t know if I want to act but I want to write more stuff and maybe be myself in screen.” Along with her upcoming L.A. Lytes tape, she’s also planning a mini-film series that shows her life outside of music. Her ultimate goal? Opening a school that promote the arts and allows kids to creatively express themselves. “I want for kids to go in there and be like I want to rap today, Professor L.A.,” she teases. L.atasha Al.cindor is the definition of a real artist looking to break grounds, fighting to stay a few pages ahead of herself by flipping the script by challenging her artistic limits and riding out the rollercoaster of curating influential material. Taking life and all that comes with it in stride illuminates within her artistry. “Everyday something brings me up or brings me down. That journey makes it beautiful because what comes out of it can be amazing.” * After the completion of this interview L.A. has decided to push back the release of her LA Lytes project. The femcee will be releasing a prequel entitled la minimalista, a multimedia project “about everything in nothing”, where she will combine her photography, music, and performance art. The title is derived from 50 Cent’s belief that female rappers need too much. L.A. will coalesce the last three years of her plight to success into everyday and simple motifs.
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T H E “N” WO R D
The word is going to be exploited either way. It is bringing negative and positive energy to it though. They say it’s embracing our culture but I don’t think so. By Lucas Alvarado Written by Martika Ragan
“What’s up nigga?” Are you offended? Well, if it was 1969 you would have probably given the speaker of those words two fat lips. But it is not--it is 2013, and as you make your way out the door and go on about your day you will probably hear this word at least once. Which word am I referring to exactly? “NIGGA”. There, I said it again! Offended yet? Many things have changed since the Civil Rights era, and unlike our grandparents’ generation, Generation Y seems to be taking the “anything goes” route with social norms. Words like “bitch”, “gay”, “slut” and even nigga all seem to be used with equal frequency and casualness, popping up in music, movies, and even fashion trends. But are there still certain terms and ideas that strike a nerve in contemporary society and culture? Is “nigga” really now a given part of everyday conversation? Or are there still rules to one of the most loaded terms in the English language?
Athens: How old were you the first time you heard the word “nigga”? Thomas: I was 12. I was listening to the Reasonable Doubt album and I didn’t know what it meant. I was singing along to the words in my room and my mother heard me. She said I couldn’t say it because I was white. I didn’t care. Jay-Z was rich, he said “nigga”. I wanted to also.Cita: I can’t even remember the first time I heard it. I was young. My older brother was probably the first person I heard say it. Athens: For those of you who are biracial or not of African American decent was using the word “nigga” a difficult decision? Zareah: It...it’s just the way we would identify with each other growing up…it was a part of a third party culture that I am submerged in. Yeah I thought twice about it before, but it’s because I felt like I had to think twice. Dani: I don’t think about it much. It
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doesn’t sound right when I say it. I was raised not to see color. The word “nigga” isn’t used in my group of friends. It’s not because I identify more with my Caucasian side because I don’t. It just doesn’t sound right to me when I say it. So I don’t. Cita: No I grew up in a mostly Hispanic and African American community. “Nigga” rolled off the tongue like the name of your first love. I didn’t have to think, it just was a word commonly used. Thomas: I’m careful about saying the word “nigga”. I call my blonde haired green eyed grandmother nigga. She thinks it’s funny. But not everyone thinks a white guy
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from Howard County, MD saying “nigga” is amusing. My girlfriend does though. She’s black. Athens: Is there ever a situation where “nigga” should never be said? Kells: It should only be used when being conscious but if it’s used ignorantly it’s wrong. But it depends on the situation, the story and how they portray the word “nigga”. If I ever heard a dub step DJ using the word “nigga”, I’d never listen again.
Eli: The word “nigga” shouldn’t have this much power. You don’t see a bunch of white people sitting around a table discussing the word cracker like “I don’t like this word cracker. I don’t look like a saltine.” There are too many things we let divide us. Honestly, when approached with that word you are either going to be offended, be defensive or let it ride.
thug culture was raging it had a different tone. You had to be down to use the word “nigga”. Today looser.Rabbit: But today The it’s ResurChasing the it’s White mainstream, it’s corporate culture. It’s a Culture gence of Psychedelia in Popular different feel. by Arielle Kramer Dani: We can’t say we want it to be Written by Joe Kerr popular and universal in another word for Makeup by Sherease Orange friend and be mad when it’s used in any Styled by context. Jay Parel Alice: I feel like it’s a good thing it’s being Anji: I feel like African American people used in today’s popular music it’s changing are always under this complex to break the negative tone and making it not just stereotypes. black culture, but American pop culture. Thomas: In a room full of blue collar Anji: I’m at home dancing to A$AP Rocky white people or a bunch of angry black and hear “make a nigga act nigga-rich” it men. Just kidding. Kind of…they just doesn’t make me feel any type of way he’s wouldn’t understand if I said it. Sometimes talking about getting money. Even with people hear a white guy say “nigga” and white rappers it wouldn’t matter to me. automatically think some type of hate crime is about to be committed. I love this Athens: If you had to write a culture, but even Wu said “protect ya neck”. definition for the word “nigga” in 2013, how would you define it? Athens: With Hip-hop culture, “Black America” and Thomas: A person who is submerged “nigga” seem to be hand and hand into hip-hop culture. with hip-hop music; Is the word Kellz: A word that was once negative that “nigga” being exploited? was adopted into something positive Cita: A word from Black American Eli: The word is going to be exploited culture that now means “homie.” Everyone either way. It is bringing negative and I fuck with is my nigga. I give a fuck if you positive energy to it though. They say it’s were from Pluto. You cool, you are my embracing our culture but I don’t think so. nigga. I won’t call “them” by race because it’s the Eli: Cool ass motherfucker majority. It’s like that in any culture. But Alice: A Friend. That’s how everyone uses “they” don’t embrace black culture. They it. pick and choose what they want to make Anji: An individual who relates to profit. everyone. You have no race there is no Zareah: The word “nigga” has not color. changed just once. Like in the 90’s when
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CHASI By Arielle Kramer Written by Joe Kerr Styled by Jay Parel Makeup by Sherease Orange
SING The White
RABBIT
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oday's culture envelops drugs. Considered one of the biggest vices in society, drug use is at an all time high. It hearkens back to a time - much like now - where paisley was in, love came from speakers on top of canopies, and guitars let off the riffs of revolution. That timegone, but never forgotten- has somehow resurfaced in grandiose fashion. At one time considered totally against morale, the contraband substances have again become the main beat for our culture & my question is "why?" In 1971, author Hunter S. Thompson released the novel Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the American Dream, to critical praise - you
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may have heard of it. In the book, Raoul Duke and his lawyer paint the image of the consumerist American psyche with Las Vegas as their canvas. Duke and his lawyer paint the image of the consumerist American psyche. The book is mostly remembered for the copious amounts of drugs that Duke and his lawyer consume, none more notorious than the mighty LSD - the very drug that, for a large portion of the 60’s, changed the landscape of popular culture. For the the past 50 years, psychedelic drugs have been the topic of both scrutiny and nostalgic praise. Personally, I’ve used drugs - a laundry list of ‘em. I’ve consumed LSD, many times and have experimented with stronger hallucinogens such as mushrooms, mescaline, and DMT. From my own experiences, the hallucinatory
power of these drugs are tremendous, life changing, and deadly - depending on your thinking. My first experience with psychedelic drugs was at the age of 18. I was a tender, arrogant son of a bitch then; filled with hours and hours of Wikipedia research & enthusiasm on tackling something that I’d always planned to use when it finally appeared to me. From my inaugural LSD trip, my mind was forever altered. Things that “were,” became “weren’ts,” and my perception of reality hasn’t been the same since. In hindsight, I was a fool to take this on, to dive down the rabbit hole so young. In youth we are deranged. We believe that we just understand things, without questioning ourselves. This can be considered a gift, but more times than often, it is a vile transgression that we, as a society fail to realize until it’s too late. The 1960’s was a strange time for youth. With the Vietnam War raging on, and the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the nation was fully polarized between those who had an unwavering faith in whatever the government swine pushed forward, while the rest of the nation descended into complete madness. Uncertainty began to mount and many young Americans looked outside of their bubbles to find solace, to find a way out from the chaos. Enter San Francisco and its mad maestro, Ken Kesey. Ken Kesey author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and spiritual leader of La Honda’s Merry Pranksters - launched a series of events in order to attempt to show the country's youth a way to subvert the madness of
the time. Some of the most well known of these events were the “Acid Tests’” concerts which were not only launching pads for bands such as the Grateful Dead, Santana, and Jefferson Airplane, but hipped an entire nation to “mind expansion,” which arguably began a revolution.* Even the biggest artists of the time, the Beatles, began to create music with psychedelic undertones, adding fire to the burgeoning drug counterculture. The “Turn on, Tune in, Drop out” wave, first coined by Timothy Leary, had engulfed the nation by the latter portion of the ‘60s, but it would all soon come to a crashing halt. It's the close of the ‘60s.. Woodstock had come and gone, the Beatles had broken up, and Kennedy, X, and King were shot dead. Joplin, Hendrix, and Morrison all bit the dust due to unreasonable amounts of drugs
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and alcohol. We’d also lost the war in Indochina, bringing many young artists, criminals, and future politicians back, utterly shaken by the atrocities they’d witnessed in the jungles of Vietnam. With such insanity consuming our nation, the youth were once again forced into the void,
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a void unlike anything they witnessed before. During this period, many young adults gave up on the “dream” of peace and a free world, and went straight - conformed into the non-identity pastures of America and abroad; others sadly, continued to live the dream, plummeting further into the
leaders and artists. They went from enlightened astro-travelers to mind blown, psychopathic drug addicts and through it all, the questions swirled like typhoons in the Pacific. What did all the drugs, all the parties, all the music teach them? Did it truly open their minds? Or did they just waste their time?
YOU CAN EVEN EASILY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN PSYCHEDELIC CONCOCTIONS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME.
pitfalls of madness to eventually become the burnouts we see today. The inspired speeches, the happy feelings of a culture under the influence took a wild turn millions of Americans found themselves disillusioned from sea to shining sea by false hope given to them by their peers,
Today, the Internet has helped drug use emerge from the esoteric dungeon it’s been in since the 60’s, to a heavily documented social norm. Now, instead of hearing overly exaggerated stories from a glossy-eyed, out-of-their-mind freak, you can simply just Google whatever you'd like to know about the drugs. Jump on a forum, tweet someone, search for quotes and videos on what ever drug you’d like to do. You can even easily figure out how to make your own psychedelic concoctions from the comfort of your own home. Corporations, your favorite clothing line, and even the music industry are banking on this madness. There are men clad in suits, either physically or mentally, who have research teams, collaborative partners, all sorts of hands combing every crevice
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of the net for what’s hot and how they can create an equitable venture out of it. It is no coincidence that there is a film known as Enter The Void or that neo-psychedelia groups such as MGMT, Animal Collective, and Tame Impala are introducing a new crop of the young-and-eager to their drug experiences via their music. But rock music is only scratching the surface nowadays.
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ock music has lost its cultural and economical monopoly on recreational drug use, while hip hop has taken a revolutionary approach to drugs. For example, molly (also known as MDMA), a minor psychedelic that in high school myself and some of my friends used for good laughs, has become the new coke. Now there are an innumerable amount of rappers who somehow mesh their club stories of popping bottles and pouring money on strippers with molly. It is beyond me and most drug aficionados, as to how a low level drug like it could be apart of the serious use of narcotics in rap music. Every time I wake up to the radio, between travels from my New Jersey home and New York, I hear different voices over the same beat croaking about popping molly in the dark crevices of some hole in the wall club - but this is only one side of the coin. Much of the underground rap scene ties to the use of psychedelic drugs in hopes of personal enlightenment. Take the foreverbound-to-his-sunglasses Carson rapper Ab-Soul. On his single “Pineal Gland”
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Ab-Soul suggests that he may be tripping on DMT, a powerful psychedelic. After the release of Pineal Gland and the subsequent mixtape Control System, there was a trickle effect in underground rap, similar to the impact of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.” In New York City, the The Flatbush Zombies, and The Underachievers’ music contain heavy psychedelic undertones and more deliberate declarations of LSD, Mushroom and DMT usage. The forefather of psychedelic rap, Del The Funky Homosapien, planted seeds too strange to be taken seriously by popular culture during the ‘90s and had no chance to be heard, seeing as music wasn’t as easy to spread during the ‘90s & early 2000’s. The new crop though, they have the magic of the internet. These new artists are delivering the “Turn on, Tune In, Drop Out” mantra of the ‘60s to popular culture; albeit modified for the Internet age youth consumer. The aforementioned artists promote the use of psychedelic drugs for enlightenment. Rap music has become the golden standard of music in our generation, engineered through the social networking monster of a machine. For some, this is a blessing, but for most sensible people, this is insanity. In a time of constant Orwellian dystopia, many young adults (and teens) are using these psychoactive substances and like the hippies, are falling into that same morbid facade of societal revolution and engineering a shift in the human consciousness. Don’t get me wrong - I am by no means a cynic. I’ve been there with the dreamers, finding my place in the
tower to help ignite the fires of change. Yet through all of my hallucinatory journeys of my mind, I came to a perverse conclusion. We are at the beginning of a time much like the ‘60s where our predecessors thought they had all the answers, the notions for “true justice,” only to find out that living for the delusional idea of peace and love was just a flowery approach to the dream, and not a reality. With the merging of this new age psychedelia and the Internet, we’re finding ourselves geared for a time much like the ‘60s, but on a scale that we are without a doubt not, ready for. The insanity of it all is when you walk into a shitty hole in the wall party in New York, plop your ass at the make shift bar and you run into underage girls with fake IDs questioning you like the police on how to get the
“trippiest” drugs to “get trippy” with. This is only one example of the many strange encounters in my young adult life, but it speaks to our culture; these artists above all of the “consciousness expansion” they preach, are being victimized by the more superficial visions of them. It is mighty hard to preach mind expansion to youth whose delights include (but are not limited to) high priced designer clothing, Tumblr, and compiling photographic portfolios of themselves that no one will ever care about. What scares me more though, is that I am unsure if these artists want that to change. According to a study commissioned by the US Department of Health And Human Services, as of 2010, more than 22 million Americans age 12 or over use illegal drugs, which includes
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17 million marijuana users, 7 million psychotheraputic non-prescription drug users,and 1.2 million confirmed hallucinogenic users. Considering that in 1967 there were fewer than one million regular users of marijuana,* those numbers are mindblowing. David Byrne of the Talking Heads once said, “The widespread use of drugs is a symptom of a sick society.” We are indeed a sick society, full of nit-witted pricks and
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delusional suckers, who see everything unfolding yet pay no attention. We are once again at a time in our culture where we are consumed by “unknowns.” The Middle East is on fire and racism is still very much alive, but the battle has now shifted to class warfare between the 1% and 99%. We’ve traded flowers in for M16s & peace walks for hacking and instantaneous political leaks. Like the hippy years, we’ve been released into the ever cold, mad world, on that existential journey of finding one’s self, but redefined. Our young generation, soaked in nihilistic undertones and advertisements that fill our minds faster than the eye can see, cannot afford to repeat the foolishness of the past. One can only look at it all and hope that through all the hired bullshit, we work through the madness like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer did through America, and think for ourselves - for what I am witnessing in these formative years of this new, neopsychedelic world, was written 50 years ago by the wave that came and went. Further Reading * Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas By Hunter S. Thompson(1971) *One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest By Ken Kesey *Electric Kool Aid Acid Test By Tom Wolfe Statistical Information *Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health *The Nature and Extent Of Marijuana Use in the United States
How to: Create a Sponsorship Kit
This isn’t the fastest DIY, but it is a simple one...If you know your brand, that is. If You Know Your Brand. Here's A Gem That Will Help You Get The Money, Supplies Or Whatever You Need To Sponsor Your Next Big Event. What You Need: A brand, Spell check, Confidence You first begin with the email. Introduce yourself, and tell them who you're working for. Explain that you have an event coming up, and you would like to get them on board. Ask if they would be interested in joining hands with your brand or business & then follow up with the gem; the sponsor kit. Here's how to make it!
Step 1: Know exactly what you want. The clearer you are about what you need in order to complete your project, the more likely you are to gain sponsors. Find brands that connect to your company & project. Think about how or why they are so similar & use this to pitch your message. Tip: Don't just stick to clothing brands. If your audience is young & like snacks, get in touch with a candy brand that's looking to grow their market as well.
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Lets get started! We're going to hook your sponsor by answering 4 simple questions.
Who we are: Keep this to less than a paragraph. 5 sentences on your brand is enough to reel your sponsor in & give them an idea of who they'd be doing business with. They'll get a more full picture as they read on.
What we're doing: Keep your sentences clear & concise. Each sentence should have a purpose. Answer these questions: What is the event? What is it for? Why will the people enjoy it? Who are you looking to partner with?
What we want: It's great when you are direct. Explaimimg exactly what you want leaves no room for confusion or ambiguity. They even prefer to know your exact needs
because it helps them figure out where they can jump in. The important thing for this piece is to mind your wording. Use attractive words like "partner," and "team." Avoid terms like "sponsor," or "investor." This way, they'll feel more involved & not like they were just being used for money. A beautiful word to use is "help." Everyone likes feeling needed, or like they were a part of something bigger than their own job.
Ex:
What do we want? Funding. We've got a great plan & all we need now is a great team to work with us on it. It's extremely important that our partners understand our audience and our vision. Having you on board to help us bring The Golden Ratio to life, would be an
honor. Below we've included some of best partnership packages so you & your brand can walk away with something more!
What we offer: Here is where it gets fun. Kind of like Kickstarter, you will make sure the people who spend money on your project, get a bang for their buck. The formal name for this is called "sponsor packages," but to keep it sexy, name it something like "partner package," or "brand box." Each package they choose shouldn't be labeled by price, but have it's own name. Save the coolest name for last, of course. The higher in price, the more they get & the more limited the gifts are. A $1000 promotional package should not equate to, or have the same things as a $50 promotional package.
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Brand Gold Package- (200.00)
Brand Standard Kit- (50.00) Your logo on all of The Golden Ratio's promotional materials. This ranges from e-flyers, to posters hung around the city, & even stickers in the goody bags distributed at the event.
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Not only will you receive the Standard Package, But we've included a free advertisement space on our website & a newsletter about your partnership with us sent to our entire email network. We've got over 3,000 contacts that we know will love the big news!
Brand Platinum Package(400.00) This is our most solid package! We want to make sure we're giving you the full bang for your buck! The Brand Platinum Package includes your company's logo on all promotional materials, a free ad on our site, a special newsletter to our entire network & a very special photo shoot curated by our team for your brand. While promotion from us is great, the best thing we can do for you is give you our creative minds. We'll set up a shoot campaign just for your brand helping it reach across the nation to both our market & yours. What's a better collaboration? (Limited to 1)
Who's on board? This is the end. It just takes the event into greater detail & helps paint a picture. List the artists involved, who's on the creative board, & any other sponsors you have worked with. While this is just a piece of the pie, you can get full examples and help online at Athensnewren.com/Secrets. Make sure you type in the passcode: ANRare
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S U M M E R
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S T I C H
By Lucas Alvarado Styled by Laquasia Williams
Pieces by
4L “Four Leaders” Entrée Lifestyle Fog NY Fred Perry Puer NY Ratmouth by Feltraiger Ray Ban Tavik
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ARDENCY INN When you look at Ardency Inn, there is something about the women wearing it that relates to you. The newly released makeup line is made for women who“rock on and off the stage,” as proclaimed by the Ardency team. Being strongly based on the downtown New York City music scene, Ardency Inn is the woman that wears it. The brand’s products are highly accessible, but still provide the high performance quality that one can attain beauty and creativity in a few great steps. It is perfect for the NYC artist, who, of course, wants to look great and express themselves through their makeup, but also needs tools that are simple and fun to use. The beauty in Ardency is not only found their product; The founders also hope to use the brand as a platform for emerging artists. Between organizing their own concert showcases and producing work for artists like Marie de Villepin, it quite plausible to say Ardency is a bit of an A&R company. They help build artists,
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and support them in their career before they reach top level executives. No need to feel limited to just the punk rocker look with Ardency. With three divisions in the product line, there is something for every woman. The Punker is based on the deep, dark and edgy side of the rockers. The Modster carries all tools necessary to keep up with and create that upbeat high fashion look for trends and hot night clubs. Last but definitely not least is the Americana, which caters to the au natural downtown New York woman who is a part of a multicultural heritage and still maintains “effortless beauty.” The myriad of products supports Ardency’s connection to their girls, but the line itself keeps the ties close knit. There is a beauty in Ardency, for their product, but also for their connection to the beautiful, deserving New York artist. You!
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MODSTER Light-Catching Eye: $32.00
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MODSTER Long Play Lip Vinyl: $23.00 AMERICANA Custom Coverage Concentrate: $38.00 MOODSTER Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner: $23.00 AMERICANA Natural Lip Color Pencil: $23.00 MODSTER Long Play Supercharged Lip Color: $25.00
For great graphic designs at a reasonable price, check out CEG Graphics. Based online for over five years running, CEG has been a thriving graphics company dedicated to helping the customer “stand out.” Founded by Christian Enwere, CEG Graphics has worked with clients in the NJ/PA/NY area, assuring they cater to their customers through providing outstanding customer service through their unique creative process. Through the creation of original, hand drawn templates, CEG Graphics assures all of their customer's graphic design needs are fulfilled with complete satisfaction. "Everything that we make will be custom made... We focus on your idea, and we turn your idea into reality," said Enwere. Everything is made from scratch & the prices are literally cut in half! To date, CEG Graphics is connected to over 15 companies in consistent business. Not only are they completing labels and other design work, but they've taken the next step to enter the fashion world creating tees with fun designs and phrases. CEG Graphics guides their clients through the steps of creating their individual designs, going the extra mile by providing printing services as well. By keeping a close connection with their clients, CEG creates a relationship that makes business less of a hassle for all those involved, saving both time and money. CEG Graphics caters to the needs of many and offers an array of services. From labels, posters, business cards and t-shirts, CEG covers all of your graphic designs needs with the consideration of competitive prices.
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