Athens S/S 2014 by Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

SpringFling s and Boys! Florals, Fashionistas, Blogger

SPRING SUMMER 2014

Athens New Renaissance

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Editor in Chief Bria Brown Creative Director Joey Shepherd Copy Editor Dylan T. Smith Contributors Francesca Rizzo, James Elliott, Jennifer Rowe, Noah Portner, Rose Driscoll, Shaenna Taylor, Sir EU, Yomna Eldeeb Contributing Photographers Hannah Snyder, Joanna Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shea, Jordan Marble, Josemaria Solanes, Kendario Pierre, Kevin Evans, Laquan Brinson St. Pierre, Melissa Camilien, Rochelle Brock, Steve Reganato Contributing Stylists Brendon Alexander, Lisbeth Cervantes, StyledbyPhil Contributing Makeup & Nail Artists Anthony Payne, James Milligan, Jersy Omanzo, Maricela Garcia, Takahiro Okada, Victor Noble Contributing Hair Anthony Payne at Mario Nico Salon, Victor Noble Models Adrian NuĂąez, Byron Bey, Emmanuel Atilola, Jerah Degrandez, Khalid Onaola, Luna Santana, Malcolm Alexander, Quayyum Morakino,Venture Cook, Zayd Atkinson

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

CON TEN TS 5/25

FEATURED STORIES 32 The Bromance See what’s hot for men’s wear this season through our cover shoot editorial

14 Dorm Drug Lord. Breaking Bad in College.

60 The Unspoken Truth Male & sexual abuse- All too common. Men being abused? All too taboo.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

CONTENTS FEATURED STORIES 20 “Struggling in America.” Three girls. Two countries. One life.

82 Zig Zags Tour. Album. Rock. 48 “Apollo Mighty, Yes!” Apollo Mighty, Yes!

6 Letter From The Editor Bria Discusses Issue 5

8 2 Blogs, 1 Online World Blogger Where is media heading? Bloggers Akilah and Robert ‘Max’ Twitty have an answer

5 “How Craft Beer Will Save the U.S. Economy. Brand names on the shelves but small business are on the rise.

76 Focused Space 3 great bags for a bunch of different things.

65 2k14 Address Sir EU makes his state of the union address.

26 Tribal Tale Tribal Piece One creative piece brings out the “tribal” in us.

54 Hands On! Hand article 8 Spring items that we couldn’t keep our hands off!

66 To Live & Die at a Rap Concert A Hip Hop How To

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

EDI TOR letter from the

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

I really didn’t want to write a “Letter from the Editor,”…. I really didn’t. I felt like whatever I wrote wouldn’t do this issue justice. We’ve introduced the publication with Sir EU’s 2K14 address, because like this issue, it is a culmination of urbane class and edge combined…. Perhaps his was a bit more edgy than anything else, however. Athens 5 is our introduction to rebranding the publication. I wanted to bring on a more clean cut touch to this spunky and quality content we already provide. We are now working to merge our audiences. The young adventurists should be able to appreciate the same publication that the reformist loves. So to bring our people together, we are doing the same thing in the issue. The pieces were constructed and developed carefully by each person on the project. Providing piece of a standing up to a particular literary merit while excelling in visual quality is our goal. We are not totally there yet, but we’re working towards it. We appreciate you coming along for the ride. Cheers,

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

“journalism is a deep art form that people will always want. There are so many interests journalist touch on that it will continue to uphold in the future.”

By Jennifer Rowe

2 Blogs, 1 Online World Wh hy are we so intrigued by a blogger’s mind? We follow the daily thoughts of bloggers we don’t know and then they assume an authoritative position in our lives. Their thoughts and ideals resonate a distinct voice that we respond to, whether it is through a personal or a lifestyle blog. It’s this concept of new media that leaves us so intrigued, regardless of if we are habitual digital readers or occasional ones. We are attracted to bloggers and their work because they are able to resonate an open and honest dialect within us. Managing to continuously branch out and rebrand the meaning of journalism, Akilah Hughes of It’s Akilah Obviously and Robert “Max” Twitty of Gents Among Men have delved into the world of new media, both channeling what they feel is expressive and appealing to an audience. A blogger can present his or herself through many different mediums. Akilah and Max have both created a reputable following whilst proving that new media will allow writers to bare their views in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Akilah Hughes and Robert â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maxâ&#x20AC;? Twitty

Makeup: Victor Noble Photographer: Laquan Brinson-St. Pierre Stylist: Lisbeth Cervantes

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

ANR: Starting the blog… Akilah: It began as a way a way to communicate with my friends and family back home [in Kentucky], as well as work on my comedy sketches. I wanted to create real and funny pieces that would be enjoyable. I started my Tumblr simply by reblogging funny things and soon realized I didn’t see a lot of blogs that expressed some of my similar interest. That’s when I decided to create mine and added in more funny tones than serious ones. Max: I’ve always been into fashion and trends since I was younger and I’m especially a fan of the way men dressed during the Harlem Renaissance. Men had a great appreciation for fashion then. I saw a void in men’s lifestyle online sites and wanted to see a resurgence of the ultimate “gentleman”, as it was becoming more prominent in pop culture. ANR: Describing their artistry… Akilah: I’m still trying to find a balance between being a comedian and a writer. My style is very carefree and all of my experiences are very specific to me. If someone can see themselves in what I’m doing, then great! But I don’t want people to view or expect me to be a leader or pillar to the community as a role model. At the end of the day, my writing and my comedy speaks truth to me and I try to emulate that in what I do. Max: As a writer, I try to be appealing to the reader and focus on why I would want people reading the stories on my site. I like to keep it short and direct and try to push the envelope in ways other men’s blogs don’t. I want to get people back into the culture of being a man’s man and take that extra percent to being a gentleman at the same time. I want to demonstrate the idea of being better rounded and place my emphasis around that.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

ANR: Views on new media… Akilah: We’re in a young technological renaissance where so many people have access to computers and the Internet. People are coming together in digital forms all the time throughout the day. You are able to have a greater existence on the Internet that makes it a more enjoyable experience because it is constantly changing. Max: More people are relying on the internet for a creative outlet and one that speaks to their interest. Being interactive online with videos, music and graphics really enables people the ability to connect on a larger scale. ANR: How they feel about blogging… How they feel about blogging... Akilah: I appreciate someone who is a writer more than a blogger. I think the real craftsmanship is somehow weaving pictures and words into a bigger project, than just reblogging anything you see. The way you share becomes more interesting. The internet is very multifaceted and you have to be constantly learning and relating to people and figuring out new media as you go along. Max: I do feel some people use blogging as a way in thinking they can make money or get instant fame. However, I appreciate bloggers who write because they want others to read their thoughts. Content and competition make for great change. In order to compete you have to change what you are doing if you want to stand out. Your content needs to reflect a new approach and outlook, and because of this it is forcing people to be more creative and interesting. ANR: The movement of Gents Among Men… Max: [We want the reader] to be a more well-rounded and cultured

individual. A lot of people I’ve come in contact with are solely focused on looking good - which there is nothing wrong with, but life is more than just looking good. You should understand and know about what’s happening around you. We don’t just touch on fashion and styling, but also living and politics. If you are having a conversation with someone, you can vouch for yourself with intellect and carry a nice conversation. ANR: Getting noticed… Akilah: When people discovered my blog and liked what I wrote, it began growing. So now, I use my blogging and vlogging as a way to reach people I would have never gotten the opportunity to meet and talk to people who care about what I have to say. It’s become a great way to reach out to others. ANR: Staying connected and current…. Akilah: I feel like that’s where picture posts come in handy, when I’m not too sure what to write about. At least I’m making an effort to reach out in some sort of way. I don’t feel you always have to have pop culture references each day or a new update to satisfy someone. I’ll write something just to write, whether someone finds it corny or stupid, I’ll just post it. Our culture is so intrigued with “the now.” I’m going for the long run and not just quick views. Max: I think by producing quality, people are going to respond to you, regardless of when it comes out. I’d love to be current everyday with a different topics and it is definitely something I am working on. I don’t want to put something on my site just to stay current. People get bored easily if it’s not something that pertains to them or is really catchy. I’m more focused on quality vs. quantity. That’s why you have loyal readers for a reason.

“I’m still trying to find a balance between being a comedian and a writer. My style is very carefree and all of my experiences are very specific to me.”

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

“A lot of people I’ve come in contact with are solely focused on looking good - which there is nothing wrong with, but life is more than just looking good.”

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

ANR: What’s next for Akilah Hughes… Akilah: I’m thinking hosting and T.V. opportunities and more in person comedy shows. The great thing about doing these YouTube videos and writing these blog posts is that people are starting to take notice and I’m getting to break into the industry I’ve always wanted to be in, so I’m finally getting to live my dreams! It’s all coming together… ANR: Thoughts on the future of Gents Among Men…. Max:Max: I’d like to produce more visual and video content and get Gents Among Men to a point of yearly publication. I really respect Esquire’s Big Black Book issue and aspire to build more projects similar to that. I want to work with upcoming brands, artists and culture and have Gents Among Men attached to it. I want to continue touching on different areas of men’s culture and keep the interest of my current subscribers while gaining new ones. I think journalism is a deep art form that people will always want. There are so many interests journalist touch on that it will continue to uphold in the future. Follow Akilah & Max! Akilah: Blog: ItsAkilahObviously.com YouTube: smoothieFreak Instagram: @Akilahh Max: Blog: GentsAmongmen.com Twitter: @AgentsLife Instagram: GentsAmongMen

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

DIY DRUGS MADE EASY

A FRESHMAN CHEMISTRY MAJOR WITH AN INTEREST IN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY.â&#x20AC;? By Noah Portner

Mycellium colonizing a jar. Source: Shroomery.org

Note: All names have been changed. All semi-legal research chemicals listed in this article have since been classified as Schedule 1 Drugs, and users who attempt to recreate the activities in this article will be violating Federal Drug Laws. 14

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

onah reached behind the small whiteboard that was affixed to the door of his dorm room and pulled out a small plastic bag filled with an extract of the plant Salvia Divinorum and a note, handwritten by the friend who had given the gift. The sticky extract contained a 100X concentration of the plant, about ten times as powerful as the recommended dose that most users trip on. The note, which contained a “passionate disavowment” of the substance, was just the push that Jonah needed to load a bowl and inhale the harsh smoke. After two hits, Jonah would “transform” into one of his own cells, float in the arms of elfish-looking people, and be picked up by the giant arm that was sprouting from the ceiling. Salvia is a legal drug, but the law would rarely constrain Jonah's desire to trip on powerful hallucinogenic drugs. Over the course of the next few months, Jonah would go down a road that involved both using and selling a number of semi-legal research chemicals, ranging from the more common drugs, such as marijuana and LSD, to the rare and bizarre, such as Methylone, 2C-I, and Bromo DragonFLY— a hallucinogen that causes psychedelic trips lasting up to three days. A marijuana grower who attempted to grow mushrooms; a chemistry major who would draw up novel syntheses for ecstasy; and a drug user unafraid to conquer the frontiers of psychedelia, Jonah is an

unknown name on the forefront of the psychedelic drug industry. It started in the first weeks of school, before we were even settled into our class schedules. Jonah -the proto-hipster who could often be found lying in his bed and listening to music that you've never heard of- had found a supplier of 2C-I, a psychedelic research chemical that straddles the line between being legal and a felony, and would send those daring enough to try it on an intense psychedelic trip that lasted between six to ten hours. Using internet forums that cater to those trying to push the envelope on what it means to be a druggie, Jonah found that he could wire money through a service called Liberty Bell, which he describes as “essentially money laundering.” After taking a cut, Liberty Bell would pass the money on to a Polish distributor of the questionably legal research chemicals, who would then send out an unmarked box, similar to the type one would get after buying a book from Amazon, which was full of the illicit white powder that is 2C-I. Jonah ordered two grams for less than $100. Using a scale that he had previously used to weigh out doses of psilocin, one of the active ingredients in magic mushrooms, Jonah weighed out two hundred doses of about 10 micrograms each. What followed was pure chaos. Word of the appearance of this potent white power quickly spread around campus, and a 2C-I craze was sparked. Jonah's life was frequently

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Top left photo: Mushrooms being grown in Jonah’s* closet / Bottom left: Mycellium colonizing a jar. Source via Shroomery.org

disturbed by knocks on his door, as people of all class standings and social networks went after that white powder. Jonah was selling at a price of five to ten dollars a night, “depending on how crazy the night was. Literally.” The nights got crazy. After walking through a graveyard shortcut to get to Jonah's coveted powder, Lauren

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

shelled out $10 for the standard dose. Within an hour she was kneeling over a toilet, convinced that she was vomiting torrents of blood. She was not actually vomiting anything, but the drug's hallucinogenic powers forced her to imagine the full spectrum of feelings that come with intense vomiting, and to imagine the visuals of blood spewing out of her mouth. It would not be until hours later when she had completely come down from her trip that Lauren would be able to fully understand what had happened. While some users reported having positive trips, Lauren was not the only one whose trip would bring her into a state of hellish panic. To this day, Jonah feels bad about the chaos he caused. While he did try to warn users about the effects that the research chemicals would have on them, he does not feel that he properly illustrated the potential for bad trips to his customers. He took this remorse,

though, all the way to the bank, clearing over thirteen hundred dollars from that one shipment alone. Over the course of the year, Jonah would engage his creativity on a number of ambitious schemes to corner markets on drugs that few had even heard of, selling synthetic marijuana made out of legal herbs and semilegal research cannabinoids, making butane hash oil in a parking lot, and using a dorm kitchen and stolen lab equipment to make green dragon— a marijuana tincture that one drops onto their tongue to get high. Two drops of the green dragon is the equivalent of smoking a joint. Jonah never came alive more, though, than in his spirited, yet tragically failed attempts to grow psychedelic mushrooms in his dorm room closet. As he continued to run a synthetic drug empire out of his dorm room, Jonah developed an eye

Above: Various research chemicals. Source: online Reddit user.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

for a more natural type of high. After extensive research on forums that encourage users to grow their own drugs, Jonah ordered his first batch of mushroom spores. He had never grown any type of fungus before, but a keen eye for detail, a history with growing marijuana, and an innate understanding of chemistry convinced Jonah that he was capable of running a small scale mushroom grow out of his closet. He was able to buy most of the necessary ingredients for a grow â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including glass jars, fungus food, water filters, and a reptile tank â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at regular convenience stores such as Target or Amazon. Even the spores -complete with the syringes that would be needed to transplant them into their growing environment- were ordered from Hawaii. The retailer in Hawaii was chosen because of the specific strain of the mushroom, Psilocybe cubensis, but other strains could have been purchased from retailers in Washington or Indiana. These retailers used front companies, Tor-enabled encrypted servers, and shady money-routing companies like Liberty Bell to avoid potential prosecution as they balanced

on the tightrope of legality. Today, the online drug industry has expanded orders of magnitudes beyond what it was during Jonah's freshman year. Technological innovations including Bitcoin, an encrypted digital currency, and the Silk Road, one of many drug bazaars that use proxy services like Tor to discretely facilitate transactions between drug distributors and customers around the world, make it easier than it has ever been for consumers to purchase illegal drugs. In 2014, Jonah could have used the Silk Road network to illegally purchase mushrooms in bulk and then resell them for massive profits, much as he was able to do with the questionably legal research chemicals, but this was not an option that existed for blatantly illegal drugs in 2011. The lack of digital crypto-currencies like Bitcoin made the idea of directly purchasing illegal drugs from a supplier to be too risky. In order to supply his side of campus with the mushrooms that many craved, he would need to grow them himself. One of the earliest steps that Jonah needed to take, prior to implanting the spores, was to sterilize the jars that they

Butane Hash oil. Source: online Reddit user.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

would colonize. The jars would be filled with fungus food, and the spores would eventually grow mycelium, the fungi equivalent of plant roots, to envelope the nutrient rich blob in a white haze that most closely resembles a serious case of mold, a light and powdery snow, or a symphony of cotton. The colonized mesh of mycelium and fungus food, known as a 'cake,' would then be carefully removed from the jars and placed into a tank that would maintain a delicate balance of heat, carbon dioxide, and water levels, and in this tank, mushrooms would sprout out of the cakes and before being picked, dried and prepared for consumption. efore he could even think through what he would need to do to do get the mushrooms to grow in the tank, he needed to sterilize the jars, preventing other microscopic fungi or aggressive molds from competing with the desired hallucinogenic fungus, a competition that the magic mushrooms would surely lose. Sterilizing the jars would mean needing to use the dorm kitchen to boil water and sustain the heat for long enough periods of time to kill potential competition within the jars. Other than shopping and picking up packages from the mail, this would be the only step of the entire grow process that would be done in the open, and boiling jars would be a serious departure from the discreet nature of the rest of the operation.

Several people walked through the kitchen in the course of the time that it took to sterilize the jars, most unaware of what the end goal of the kid boiling water was. Unfortunately for Jonah though, a couple of people, perhaps having researched the process themselves, understood what he was doing and began to ask questions. From here, and perhaps also due to friends who had trouble keeping their mouths closed, rumors began to spread that the same kid who had supplied the campus with 2C-I, homemade synthetic marijuana, and

A mushroom grow. Source: Shroomery.org

hash oil, among other drugs, was now in the mushroom business. His fellow students, despite their hunger for the mushrooms, probably weren't dangerous — mushrooms aren't the type of drug that people get killed over. The danger from the administration, though, was an ever present factor. Had his room been searched, Jonah surely would have been expelled, and may also have been reported to the police. The amount of marijuana, 2C-I, opium, and LSD that had passed through this room would have been enough to make an aspirational police officer's week. Jonah and his roommate devised a series of schemes to make it less likely that the mushrooms would be discovered by accident, including a system that would have hid the mushroom grow tank deep in the closet and behind old clothes— a condition that they could not be grown in— in the event of a fire drill or other unwelcome intrusions. Still though, the ever present knowledge of the schedule one drugs growing in his closet brought out a sense of paranoia in both Jonah, and in the roommate whom he had been assigned at the beginning of the year. This paranoia prevented Jonah from going forward with other

plots, including plans to synthesize MDMA, although it did not prevent experimentation with and sales of Methylone, another semi-legal research chemical that is chemically similar to MDMA and could be used to synthesize the drug.

SEVERAL PEOPLE WALKED THROUGH THE KITCHEN IN THE COURSE OF THE TIME THAT IT TOOK TO STERILIZE THE JARS, MOST UNAWARE OF WHAT THE END GOAL OF THE KID BOILING WATER WAS. Ultimately though, what killed the mushrooms was not any sort of authority, but the environment. Mushrooms need very specific and very sterile conditions to grow in, and Jonah was living in the oldest dorm on campus. Over fifty years of accumulated dust, grime, and mold was just too much for the mushrooms to take, and a grow that should have produced between two and three ounces of

mushrooms would instead produce closer to an eighth of an ounce-enough for Jonah and a friend to trip with, but not nearly enough to sell. By the end of the year, Jonah would come to find that the academic experience was just not right for him. A disinterest in many of the required courses and distribution requirements, a disconnect from the community at large, and a complete loss of faith in the field of psychopharmacology convinced Jonah that he was better off learning marketable skills like basic electronic engineering and joining the legitimate business community as an apprentice in a small electronics company. The tale of one of the most brilliant and creative chemists, campus drug kingpins, and experimenting hipsters that the world has seen will remain a mystery to all but a few who were lucky enough to experience his creative process first hand. Given his natural brilliance and ingenuity, it seems highly likely that Jonah will one day emerge as a big name in whatever field it is that he ends up in. Hopefully, his extensive history in the illegal drug industry will not come back to haunt him.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Struggling in America: Middle Eastern Women Trying to Find the Balance 20 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

By Yomna Eldeeb Photographer Melissa Camilien

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

SHE’S A HIJABI, SHE’S A TERRORIST, SHE’S NOT ONE OF US.

ina walks down the streets in Cairo, Egypt, looking very much like the people walking down the same street. She has the same facial features and speaks the same language as the other people. She even knows how to wave a cab, much like the other Egyptians living in the country. When she gets in the cab in the front seat, she does a grave mistake - she puts on her seatbelt, and right then and there, the driver realizes that Dina is not really from around the area Dina, Sohyla and Nehal Sayedahmed have been raised in the United States their entire lives. However, that does not necessarily mean their hearts and souls are completely embedded in this country. The three sisters, much like a majority of Middle Eastern young women living in the United States, have been struggling to balance out point of interests for both their native country and the country that they have been raised in since they were young. Sometimes, going back to their native land does not always involve hugs and praises from the people there. Dina, the youngest of the three sisters, expresses the “out-of-place” feeling when she is in Egypt. “The cab driver charged us double what the normal fare was,” she said. “That was just because I put my seatbelt on.” In Egypt, the drivers and the passengers never put on their seat belts when they are driving. For a person to do that comes with the automatic assumption that the person is a foreigner or not a native of the country. It is likely that the driver saw Dina and her mother as an opportunity to gain some extra

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

cash, despite the fact they were Egyptian, like him. Yet her two older sisters, Sohyla and Nehal, have different perspectives on this topic.“When you’re in Egypt, it’s like, ‘You’re one of us’, Sohyla firmly stated. “But when you’re here [the U.S], people are always like, ‘She’s a hijabi, she’s a terrorist, she’s not one of us.” Out of the three sisters, Nehal feels like she has a little bit of both worlds with her. “I always long for Egypt when I’m in New Jersey,” she says, “and sometimes, but not often, I long for New Jersey when I’m in Egypt.” Islamaphobia in America has been on the rise since the attacks on the World Trade Center, and has been increasingly sensationalized by the media in many different (and discreet) ways. Muslims in America have faced different forms and shapes of racism, both loudly and quietly. “Innocence of Muslims”, which was a viral video that spread when first posted on YouTube in 2012, was the prime example of how “freedom of speech” has been implemented to allow this video become easily accessible on the Internet. However, in an article in the Los Angeles Times, court rulings made it so that Google had to take down the video permanently after an actress in the film began receiving death threats. The actress in the video, Cindy Lee Garcia, had not been aware of what the film would be like, and “has fought to assure every part of the Muslim community that as a fellow believer in one God, there is no hate in my heart for either the religion of Islam or the people who follow it.”

From this sensationalism comes the unconscious and sometimes indirect notions of stereotypical comments aimed towards Muslims, and the sisters have encountered some racial segregation.“Some people would argue that I’m too theoretical when I speak about politics, both here [the U.S.] and over there [Egypt],” Dina said. She often gets into clashes with her peers at school because of this. “Sometimes, it gets to the point where a professor will ask a question and it’ll have something to do about the women of Afghanistan, he’ll look at me for some reason,” she added on. “It kind of stems from ignorance. We’d be at the supermarket and we’ll get some ignorant comment from someone, telling us to ‘go back to our countries’.” Nehal experienced the racial segregation to a different extreme recounting her experience when she

transferred high schools. “I was one of the first hijabi’s at the school,” she said. “I remember when I’d sit down in class, people would throw crumpled paper balls at me and they’d actually move their desks away from me. And let me tell you, that HURT.” Fortunately, things became better when her peers started to realize that they were misjudging her for a piece of cloth on her head. They slowly started to see the brains that were “under the piece of cloth” and began to appreciate her. According to another article written in the Los Angeles Time, statistics stated “the public’s view of Islam has worsened. According to a study, 30% say they have a favorable opinion of Islam, while 38% have an unfavorable view.” Most of the positive opinions towards Islam came from a younger generation, as opposed to their older

counterparts who had a more negative view about the Islamic community. However, that does not completely rule out the fact that there are negative views from the younger generation, with the case of Nehal’s bullying as an example. According to the three sisters, ignorance comes in many forms and not just from nasty comments made at supermarkets. Sohyla talks about a girl she once knew who thought it was ok for her to “be an expert” about the Middle East when in reality, she knew little to nothing about the culture and the importance of it. “Some people think it’s ok to ‘wear the culture as a costume,’” she stated. “A culture should not be as little as items in your closets.” Many people nowadays have used the culture as fashion, taking symbols that represent different aspects in politics to wear as scarves around their necks. Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Dina questions, “Do you really appreciate the culture? Do you really understand the culture? If the answer is no, then how are you making a fashion out of it?” For them, to represent the culture is through ideas, thoughts and point of views of topics that they were raised with

and this does not limit them from their personal interests. “If you look at all the great artists of the past, you’ll notice that many of them didn’t come from wealthy families. They don’t have access to a studio overlooking Central Park and they don’t have all the brushes they’d like or all the paints

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

they need to create art,” Nehal stated. “They’d be lucky to have a candle to light up their workspace, but THESE are the conditions in which masterpieces were created.”of stereotypical comments aimed towards Muslims, and the sisters have encountered some racial segregation.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

T R I B A L TA L E There is a royal mysticism behind the guild of creating; weaving ideas into a seamless narrative of your wilder design, composing partially off what we find relative, but primarily off our imagination. The relentless energy behind the creative never finds satisfaction, but the most desirable thirst for discovery and the everlasting euphoria in being dubbed a creator. Angelique "Luna" Santana blends a fantastical vivacity detailing a world all of her own -a space where her curiosities bring her interest and ultimately acclaim. In this spread she depicts the journey of one who has gone from ancient Aztec weaver to royalty. Angie displays an intense need to use her instinctual gifts -- the power of her hands -- to define her own odyssey into a woman who experiences the enlightenment of the glory.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

TRIBAL PIECE

Photographer: K. Pierre Stylist: Brendon Alexander Hair: Anthony Payne Nails: Jersy Omanzo

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

The power of her hands -- to define her own odyssey into a woman who experiences the enlightenment of the glory.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

30 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

THE BRO

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

OMANCE

Studio shoot by Steve Reganato House shoot by Josemaria Solanes StyledbyPhil Athens: New Renaissance Makeup byMagazine Takahiro Okada 33

34 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Zayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d wears tee: Huf, Jacket: Huf, pants: Bar III

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Adrian wears Shirt: WeSC Shorts: Slate & Stone sweatshirt around waist: Burkman Bros.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Byron wears jacket: Ch. tee: Ch. pants: Ch.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

40 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Ven wears backpack: House of Marley shirt: WeSC shorts: Bar III

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Zayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d wears tee: Huf, shorts: Ch., Socks: Huf ,Shoes: Huf ,backpack: Focused Space | Adrian wears Jacket: Slate & Stone ,shirt:Slate & Stone ,shorts: Burkman Bros, shoes: HE by Mango ,backpack: Focused Space, Portable audio system by House of Marley | Ven wears shirts: WeSC

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Ven wears shirt: WeSC,Camera: Fujifilm instax 210, portable audio system: House of Marley | Adrien wears eyewear: Mercura hat: Huf, hoodie: Akomplice tank: Akomplice pants: Ch. | Zayd sweatshirt: Huf, backpack: Focused Space | Byron wears tee: Huf

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Adrien wears zip足up vest: Bar III, shorts: Bar III, socks: Akomplice | Adrien wears eyewear: Mercura hat: Huf, hoodie: Akomplice, tank: Akomplice, pants: Ch. | Ven wears top: Huf, pants: Huf ,hat on table: Huf | Zayd eyewear: Mercura, tank: Degen, pants: Degen headphones: House of Marley | Byron wears shirt: Ch., Pants: Ch.

44 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Adrien wears Zip足up vest: Bar III Ven wears: hat: Huf, top: Huf, pants: Huf, shoes: Huf Byron wears: shirt: Ch. Zayd wears: Tank: Degen, Pants: Degen Athens: New Renaissance Magazine 45

How Craft Beer Will Save the US Economy

ocal consumerism: Like many great ideas, this one started with a few beers.After several decades of US consumers preferring to buy international goods or at least nationally recognized brands, we’re now swinging back to buy clothes, food, and other products that come from home. At one point, national breweries like Miller and Coors were the go-to cheap drink. Then around 2011, microbrews started to crop up across the country. Between 2008 and 2012, craft beer sales rose 15 percent. This means more dollars spent in individual towns and neighborhoods, which means more jobs for more Americans. Take for example the microbrewing industry. The 2,347 craft breweries in the United States employ 108,440 people. Success, in this situation, begets success. The microbreweries open tasting rooms for their signature brews. Rust Belt Brewery, based in the once-dead steel town of Youngstown, Ohio, uses its newly-opened taproom to promote not only its own brews, but “stocks as much Ohio liquor and beers as possible,” according to their

THERE ONCE WAS A TIME WHEN MUSIC WAS NOTHING BUT GLITZ AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE NICE CARS AND THE ICE. bartender, with whom I conducted an extensive interview. That Cleveland Bourbon is really something, let me tell you. The efforts of Rust Belt Brewery and several others like them are bringing Youngstown’s long-slumped local economy back on its feet. How can other entrepreneurs follow the microbrew model? Microbrews recognize and capitalize on the appeal of their locality and value their regulars as much as travellers looking for novelty. Restaurants never wholly lost their local appeal. Authentic foods, ethnic cuisines, and family-owned restaurants are able to compete with the national chains in most cases. The microbrew model has changed the restaurant industry a bit though: now we want to know where all of it came from.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

How far away is the farm where the tomatoes to make this pizza came out of the ground? Many socially conscious restaurants and people have turned to community supported agriculture to source fresh, local food. Moriah’s Pie in Cincinnati, Ohio has an intensely local kitchen. They welcome people to pay as they can and serve gourmet pizza and deserts featuring home-grown veggies and locally-sourced cheese. It’s right out of a Portlandia sketch. Yes, American Apparel, everyone knows that you’re made in the United States, but Los Angeles not enough to impress us any more. National brands lost business first to locally or charitably owned thrift shops, and as the economy slowly repairs, they’re losing more business to small-time designers, boutiques, and etsy shops. After all, why should people spend hundreds to look fake poor when they could look real poor by thrift shopping? Even if I was going to spend a bunch of money on something new, I’ll support a designer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and buy a moop bag.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

yes! A P O L L O M I G H T Y,

Written By Shaenna Taylor Photographs By Jordan Marble & Kevin Evans

48 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

HERE IS WHY YOU WILL FA L L I N L OV E W I T H MUSIC, ALL OVER AGAIN.

good Memphis artist should be no stranger to the essentials of music and what it takes to make an outlasting, soul clenching impression on a listener. Home of historic record labels like Stax and Hi Records who are responsible for pushing musical wonders like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding and Al Green, Memphis should now be recongnized for giving birth to a new sound that combines the roots and rythyms of the past with intense melodies of the present through one specific artist. Apollo Mighty is the new musician out

50 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

of this town who plans to reintroduce himself to the world with his newest EP VI. This is the second installment from Apollo’s dynamic piece entitled Project 369. VI particularly, entails a meticulously constructed song list that takes you on a journey of musical blissone that you will want to experience repeatedly. Orchestrating concise harmonies and ranges that gradually developed into new melodies, it fooled us when Apollo said he’s never had any vocal training. Paying close attention to the legends before him and studying music, he took everything that was deeply rooted within him, making himself a new man of soul. Apollo’s humility strings from acknowledging the determined people he encounters every day, as well as the close kept memories of his mother- each one playing a greater role in the musician we see today. If you spend any time

with him you would get an inside look on where he’s coming from, where he’s going and the exact things that make him so mighty. “Dark Side of the Moon,” why was this the song of choice for the single and how does this compare to your next single? Well “Dark Side of the Moon” was sort of like a natural. It came and we just felt it. When I listened to it and let other people listen to it, they automatically connected with it. There is a drop in the song right when the chorus comes in and I feel like when that drop comes you automatically just go right there. It takes you back to a place where you were lost and didn’t want to be where you were. I wanted people to really get that about the project. It was supposed to take you somewhere, it was supposed to be a kind of a journey because it represented my journey. This is all about the journey I’ve been going

through lately. With the next single, it’s going to represent where I’m heading and the next level. What I wanted to convey with “Six Two” is that: you will have times when everything is down and everything is catastrophic, but yet you always have to keep your eye on the next thing that’s coming. That’s what the next single might convey; I’m not really going to give it away just yet. The Intro on your latest project is pretty direct and intense, Can you tell us about this person? The intro is directly talking about my mom. It encompasses a lot of things, but on that part I was directly talking to her. My mom and I did have a loving relationship, but we did have some demureness times too. I just wanted to kind of apologize because that was a time when I was receiving love and didn’t really know what to do with it all the time. It’s like you’re a kid and you’re learning who you are and what you want to be. Then, you got this person who’s directing you but you think you know everything and you’re just at such a young age to understand. So, a lot of times I would reject that love and it is crazy because I still think about the times and how that made her feel. I was trying to apologize and just relay the message that nothing has felt the same since she’s left and find some closure. That would literally be what I would say to her if I just had one more day. How has love affected your music? I will say that love has affected my music the same way it has affected my life and that’s the sense of - there has been times when I really wanted it and didn’t get it. There have been times where I had it and didn’t know how to treat it. A lot of times with my music

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY I’VE BEEN GOING THROUGH LATELY.”

my growth as a human being and my growth as a man go hand and hand. I write about the times where I was going through those situations and I didn’t know what to do with the love and affection someone was giving to me and then I write about the times when I deserved someone’s time and affection and I didn’t get it. It’s the full aspect of love. What was the best advice ever given to you and who did it come from? I receive a lot of good advice, but some of the best advice I received is a saying in the Bible - it states; “Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.” It’s not necessary about keeping secrets, it’s more of knowing how to hold your hand and knowing how to not give too much of yourself away too early. Especially with the music industry and only being a part of it for just a short time, I have learned there is certain things you can give away and there are certain things you can’t give away. Honestly, it’s more just for your mental state. You kind of just want to surprise people and put things in the works. You want to have some confirmation before you put it all out there. In your opinion, what is the music industry missing right now and how do you come into the equation? There once was a time when music was nothing but glitz and it was all about the nice cars and the ice. I realized then that I wanted to be a part of the music industry, but I realize now that I couldn’t fit in at that time. Right now, music has a very grass roots spirit to it. It’s very organic. Everybody is pretty much coming straight from their soul

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

and they are talking about things that are not really easy to talk about. It’s getting back to where it used to be when we had the Aretha Franklin’s of music and just the grit of soul of music. I feel like my music is perfect for this genre because it’s real, it’s real and authentic just like the world. What do you want your audience to leave this interview with? A part of me. I really don’t know if I will do a lot of interviews in my career because I love just giving my music to people and letting them be able to interpret that. I was really excited when they told me that Athens wanted to interview me because I think you guys are perfect just from the previous interviews that I have seen - perfect enough for one of those rare interviews that I want to do. I want people to leave this knowing that we are all creators. We are all meant to create something and, just like I’m doing [with] what my passion is, I want everyone to be encouraged to do what their passion is and to go on and create and make things that help them and others as well. (Editor’s Note) Apollo Mighty also gave his intake on love and the advice he would give to anyone out there coping with a loss or pain. He said there is no easy way to get over a relationship, but the right way is finding a healthy way to cope. With his music he expects to touch a few souls with one listen at a time. He was humorous and sweet, Giving no problems with letting me into his mind as well as his heart. He also made me aware that he writes all of his music - a jack of all trades. Apollo Mighty’s next project will be released in April - stay tuned.

HANDS ON! 54

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Photographer: Hannah Snyder Nails by: Maricela Garcia Ardency Inn Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

HYPERGRAND Garden Skirmish –flowery watch

HYPERGRAND Raven Maverick –Blue Watch

Andrew Wills, CEO of Stop Abuse Campaign.

60 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

THE UNSPOKEN TRUTH

How are men dealing with being victims of sexual abuse? By Bria Brown

efining Rape - From the beginning of time the male was known to be the providerbringing home the game for his village, the protector- defending his fort from all harm, and the aggressor- ruthless, to assure he would get whatever he wanted. Men are not susceptible to being attacked, nor are they vulnerable- and if they are, then they are weak. Acts of vulnerability, submission and loss, are characteristics of weakness and only accepted of the female. So for a woman to be a rape victim, it is commonly understandable. For a man to be a rape victim, it is impossible. Andrew Wills, co-founder of Stop Abuse, a political organization in New York City has worked for years to educate and quell these senseless ideals. A victim of sexual abuse himself, Wills developed the organization pushing not only to stop the abuse of only women, but of humans in general and men are not discriminated against in this campaign. “People serve [the idea to be] a bit incredulous that men can be abused. Men are the abusers, not the abusees. So when you

think about men being raped, it kind of plays with your mind a bit,” said Wills. Politically, the misconstrued definition of rape plays with a lot of people’s minds. New York State laws determine that coercive force or sexual intercourse without consent of the person is rape. Oral or anal intercourse is defined as a criminal sex act, but not defined as rape. NYS resident Lydia Cuomo pushed for a reform against this century old law with the “Rape is Rape,” bill. Cuomo was a victim of oral and anal rape, and while jurors considered prosecution, they found it quite difficult addressing her aggressor’s acts as rape- despite finding his semen in her underwear. “So to be raped, you have to be vaginally penetrated. I was raped when I was 10, I promise you I didn’t have a vagina,” retorted Wills. While steps have been made to properly elucidate the definition of rape, statistically and socially, it seems difficult to come forward with such conversation. This difficulty relies not only within the US but globally. The UK however, seemed to be a bit more comfortable with speaking out on the subject

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Dennis Tyson,New founder of The Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Dennis Foundation holds his own photo. 62 Athens: Renaissance Magazine

as one of their male survivors organizations, SurvivorsUK, launched a campaign that unfurled through 140 subway stations with a Rugby ball as their spearheading image, tied with the phrase “Real Men Get Raped.” According to SurvivorsUK, 11% of male survivors report their abuse. US organization 1in6 finds that 1in6 men are abused before the age of 18. This number of course, is suspected to be much lower than the actual number. RAINN, the Rape Abuse & Incest National Network found that 10% of US sexual assaults as of 2009 were male victims. In time’s difference as well as the lack of reported victim’s these numbers as well, could be potentially larger than what the internet provides. Considering the lack of reports, we must consider what we define as rape, and what we do to find justice for it. The first step might just be properly defining rape. The second, accepting that men are also susceptible to it. Men Can be Survivors Too. It wasn’t until 2012 that FBI Director, Robert Mueller, made a significant change in the definition of rape defining it as “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” This is quite a change in definition since the 1927 law that labeled rape as “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will,” which strictly acknowledged rape as a man forcing a woman to have sexual intercourse. With the new definition, there is hope for progress in serving justice in rape for women and men. It is almost a “burst of the manhood,” to discuss something like male rape and sexual abuse. In discussing the subject of rape being broached within conversation, Wills said “I often say if people have like green noses or blue ears or something after they’ve been abused.. then we’d be treating this like a medical problem. We’d be like ‘holy smoke, we’d better do something about that,’ because people with green ears cause an awful lot of problems in society.” So without blue ears and green noses, how can society grasp that men are also susceptible to abuse? American society is not the only social environment that seems incapable of grasping that men are also victims of rape. According to the St. Kitt’s & Nevis Observer, the maximum sentence any one can receive for male rape or buggery is ten years- a scarring difference in comparison to the max sentence someone can receive for rape of a female in the Caribbean, which is life. Dennis O’Brien has encountered sexual abuse under multiple circumstances throughout his lifetime. At first he didn’t even know he was a victim of abuse. First molested at the age of five years old, it wasn’t until he sought consolation and justice for his later abusers actions that discovered that this would be near impossible to come by. O’Brien, a Jamaican man, had been in a relationship with one of his abusers for years. At the age of eighteen, in the ending that encounter, he sought out for counseling hoping to find answers to his past and what he was experiencing.

Somewhere in the midst of this, Dennis found himself in an online chat site, speaking with another male survivor. After some time of internet comradery, the two finally met and not too long after, O’Brien found himself being raped by his e-pal and another man. According to Dennis, when he went to the police to report the crime, they told him this would not be charged as rape but as buggery, and he could also be arrestedfor sleeping with another male- even if it was against his will.

hree weeks later, O’Brien left Jamaica for the United States and never looked back. His next few weeks would be execrable, being induced into a psychiatric ward and bustling through counselors. He eventually found a counselor that stimulated his efforts in piecing himself back together. In between reconstructing himself, he began constructing his personal memoir, a novel and his senior thesis for school. The senior thesis: Understanding Male Sexual Abuse, which shared the stories of numerous men who had dealt with the circumstance. This project, evolved into his novel Love on the Wire: A Jamaican Gay Love Story and it also was the spearhead for him creating The O’Brien Foundation, which is his personal company that works to change the way society perceives male sexual abuse. How Do They Cope? One of the biggest keys to weathering through any circumstance is being able to understand the surrounding events. The Dennis O’Brien Foundation pushes for that understanding. O’Brien’s organizational mission is to educate and “overcome the effects of both male sexual violence and abuse.” In 2012, Dennis O’Brien produced a photo exhibition, displaying eleven men who had overcome their tribulations of sexual abuse. Though the exhibit was used to display men who were going through their internal conflict, it certainly served as a medication for those who viewed the photos and for Dennis, himself. The photos displayed each man holding a portrait of them at the age when they were first raped. The exhibition was called “Men without Voices.” The photographer Michael Letterlough Jr., worked personally with each male to develop a photo concept, many of them holding frames of photos that displayed them in their youth and posed with the frame in a way that symbolized how they feel about their story. Andrew Wills was a part of the project, holding his frame behind himsymbolizing that this tragic story is now in his past. Dennis O’Brien, like many men who have dealt with sexual abuse faced an eating disorder and was quite self-conscious about his body. After coping, he became more comfortable with himself and decided to pose with his shirt off, showing that he is no longer cramped by damaging thoughts. When speaking to Dennis about his confidence in speaking out and sharing his story first, he replied “I don’t mind being a guinea pig.” Dennis only knew about four of the eleven prior to the Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Above: Photo from the SurvivorsUK Campaign.

project. Many of them came forward on their own and during the opening night, the curator of the project was left very moved and emotional to see so much support out of the entire event. He plans to do the exhibition again this summer with double the amount of men. Support thrives in many ways for this cause. For O’Brien it was through counseling, literature and visual art. For Wills, it has been through lobbying, petitions and education reforms. His organization, Stop Abuse, works to educate people on abuse- particularly with children and is currently lobbying for things like the reform bill for the definition of rape. Stop Abuse and The Dennis

O’Brien Foundation reside among the many that work to spread awareness and education of sexual abuse. Like RAINN, 1in6 and surrounding organizations, their push for knowledge would hopefully ameliorateor in Wills’ case, quell- the occurrences and outcomes of abuse. Conclusion It is plausible that injustice remains for men because of gender roles in society, or perhaps the lack of education or even simply the lack of a proper definition of rape and abuse to be implemented in our laws. Despite the lack of equality, justice or simply the improvement of it all, it seems the best way to cope is to speak up and speak out about it. Whether that is through

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Sites to Visit 1in6.com Obriendennusfoundation.ca Rainn.org Stopabusecampaign.com Myths and Stats -Myth: Being a sexually abused male means you are homosexual or your predator was homosexual. Being raped has nothing to do with sexuality It deals more with displaying dominance and power over the victim. -Myth: If a male gets an erection during his abuse, this means it was not rape. Erections are the body’s physical reaction. Doubling does not mean that the victim consented to sex. -Myth: If the person did not fight back, then they weren’t raped. Lack of consent is the same thing as not giving consent. It is still rape. -Stat: 14,000 men in the military were victims of sexual assault in the 2012 fiscal year according to The Washington Times.

THE 2K14 ADDRESS by SIR E.U

his is to my niggas, my young-niggas, my whiteniggas and the beyond. In these days of having the world at your fingertips one way or another, the stakes of truly being “outchea” are as critical as they have ever been. Worldstarhiphop is where we upload the new public lynching and other nigga-shit. Things have progressed and evolved within the world. We gotta be really aware of what’s going on. We gotta understand how what’s going on affects how [we as] people see things. We gotta make sure we keep a clear head while seeing the vast amount of shit we have the access to enjoy, laugh at, or are influenced by. We gotta know how much we contribute to how the next person like us is perceived. Remember that every single person is like you somehow. We gotta find what we stand for and live by it. Pick something good. Think bigger than you already have been. Do your best to respect yourself. Do your

EQUALITY IS ON THE RISE. I PERSONALLY -AS A YOUNG NIGGA AND BLACK MAN- WANT EVERY NIGGA TO HAVE AS PLEASURABLE A LIFE AS THE WEALTHIEST PERSON MIGHT. best to be respectable. Don’t make the same mistakes. Get in touch with the reason why you should give a fuck. Get that shit tatted on you once you stay in touch with it enough. Yolo. Don’t let the technology age fuck us over by becoming too impersonal with each other. Equality is on the rise. I personally -as a young nigga and black man- want every nigga to have as pleasurable a life as the wealthiest person might. “Nigga” is a term of endearment I’m using to describe all people in general.

A lot of us are black. Every person is different. Every person doesn’t endear all niggas- there may never be a time when everyone does. Remember that every single person on earth is blessed differently. Everyone doesn’t always understand the importance of keeping everybody alive. Everybody is learning something new from each moment and experience; be mindful of how they learn from you. Be careful of how you learn from them. Be understanding. Sometimes people are dealt cards that make it almost impossible to make the best decisions for themselves. It’s really hard to see or do good when shit is critical at every moment of your day. Keep this in mind coming to your conclusions about what you seebecause everything is critical. Try to keep shit appropriate. Shit will be way better if you do. Make sure y’all respect y’all motherfuckin’ mothers at every minute of the day too, nigga.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

ATHENS MAGAZINE

To Live and Die At The Rap Concert A “How-To” on attending you favorite rapper’s show

our tickets have finally come in and the big day you and your friends have fantasized-nervously waited for and bragged about for weeks on end is only forty eight hours away. You stare at the little piece of paper that announces your favorite artist’s name, the venue, and the time; it also symbolizes your 66 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

acceptance into the hip hop family - or it will, once you physically step into the club, concert hall, or stadium. This is your first rap concert. Congratulations, it’s a small step for seasoned music lovers, but a giant leap for you. Before you step into the venue, there are some traditions that you should be aware of to have a good time. Each

show is different, so you never know what to expect, but there are some common threads that run through them all. Audiences vary depending on what type of event it is, but they should always be taken account for; in fact, majority of these tips deal with your fellow crowd members, because they have the most direct influence on your

ATHENS MAGAZINE

Guwop is going to show up that early? Sorry, I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Rappers never come early. Somehow, they are always in the midst of traffic when their set time begins, or they are eating, probably smoking themselves stupid. Whatever the reasons, expect your star emcee to come out between half an hour, to two hours late. Always. I had a friend who went to show that was supposed to begin at 9, the headliner came out at 1 in the morning.

going to see Waka Flocka Flame, hip hop heads will welcome you gladly, and you’ll probably see some long-lost relatives anyways.

Backpack Rap

Weed will be everywhere.

Marijuana is the sponsoring fragrance of hip hop and rap shows. Everyone and their mother smokes inside, which is great when you are seeing someone like Curren$y, but confusing when you are seeing a group like Arrested Development. However, this makes the concert vibe a little nicer than usual, but you should still be on your toes, enjoyment. Read these carefully, because beer is also around and you they might save your life one day know how that goes. probably not, but they might help • Nervous because you you have a lot of fun. think that you being Caucasian will somehow negatively affect Overall Rap your enjoyment? Well don’t fret; If you expect your favorite rapper majority of rap concerts normally to come out on time, you are setting have a significant white presence. yourself up for heartbreak. Your Rap is totally democratic, so you ticket says Gucci Mane is coming will fit right in. Even if you are out at 8pm, and you actually think

• Everyone will prophesize the artist you are going to see is saving hip hop - most likely, he or she isn’t, but don’t tell the fans that. If you are going to a show where the artist mainly raps over ‘90s style production and oozes lyrical storytelling, get ready to hear a number of hip hop chants and denouncing of the mainstream. High school kids all around you will sing their praises and will use cliché lines like “he’s so real,” or “I wish I was born in the ‘90s.” It gets tiring quickly. • Nobody dances, just head bopping. Probably the only musical event without any leg movement at all; simply, backpackers do not dance. They stare up into their favorite artist’s eyes and try to gain their knowledge through osmosis. • The artist and the crowd will be mostly chill and really intimate. Most of the people following this rapper have been doing so since his first mixtape or album. They know everything about him and have desperately tried to get him to blow up within

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

their circle of friends. If you like this emcee, you will find a great home and family here. Plus, you will probably never see a fight break out.

Gangsta Shit

• Good luck getting through the jail-like security check with your dignity. Apparently, everyone who goes to these shows are packing some heavy machinery with them- which isn’t entirely untrue. You will have to practically rip open your bag, accept an invasive groping, and then wait on a never ending line for the ticket check. • Hype, turnt to almost Metal levels: there will be moshing, stage dives, fights, and sweat - so much sweat. If you come out without a bloody

68 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

nose, you were doing it wrong. The artist and his or her posse on stage will instigate the whole thing, probably jumping down to throw some quick elbows, as well. It is fun, but also a nerve wrecking experience. • Not as many women usually attend these shows, so don’t go into this one expecting to find your wife or girlfriend. You may find one, but just be forewarned that the Chief Keef concert isn’t a substitute for the bar, club, church, or your workplace.

Mainstream

• Crazy production value: you will see things on stage that will change your life. Fireballs? Check. 3D giant screens? Check. Beautiful models doing ballet? Check. A ninety minute set? Check. Your enjoyment? Check. Seriously, they have some of the best performances you will see. • So many hits, even the ones you hate, so prepare. These guys own the radio and practically live there for three month increments. You’ve probably forgotten how many of their number ones you know or that they’ve had. Once they start performing, though, you will probably be pleasantly surprised at how much you know and how much you are enjoying yourself. • They fill up a concert venue with enough fans to fill a small country. Every single one of them will do their best to dress like said artist, talk like said artist, and even walk like said artist. The crowd is half the fun too, because they know pretty much every word to every song. It’s amazing.

Underground

• These are the most humble dudes, who are just happy that you showed up. If you know any of their lyrics, you have just become best friends with them. More than likely, they are more excited about seeing you, compared to how you are seeing them. • Super small and intimate, so don’t expect large crowds to be there. It’s nice to get close to some of these artists that might make it big someday. • You may be the only one there, but don’t be discouraged though.

Festivals

•

You’ll be standing for

hours. You might want to see only one artist, but you are going to have to wait for some time. • It will be hot, so you may pass out during your waiting period. Most festivals are during the summer, there won’t be free water, and you are right in the sun. Good luck. • You are going to walk away with some non-hip hop favorites. Well there you go, here is everything that you need to know about going to rap concert. You will have fun no matter what, but always pay attention. Trust me, you will be set if you follows these tips. Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

F O C U S E D

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

S P A C E

Bags That Finally Help You Get It Altogether. You’re a photographer, a student and a disorganized mess. The book bag you’re carrying around leaves room for stuff to get lost at the bottom. Months after loading up you’re pulling out crumbs and random objects out like a magic Barney bag- not to mention the bag is not comfortable at all. If you do have one that keeps your content from cluttering, who’s to say it’s as fashionably apt as you would like? The San Diego brand Focused Space introduces a new line of bags that accommodate “functional fashion,” as their team calls it. We’ve got three units that take organization and appearance to the next level.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

T H E

I V Y

L E A G U E

P E R F ECT FO R S P R I N G , T H I S C L AS S I C B O O K BAG D E F I N I T E LY G E TS T H E J O B D O N E .

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

T H E

D E P A T U R E

L A P TO P A N D I PA D C O M PA RT M E N TS , Q U I C K AC C E S S F R O N T Z I P P O C K E T A N D D UA L F R O N T U T I LI T Y P O C K E TS , E X PA N DA B L E P O C K E T C O N F I G U R AT I O N I N F R O N T M A I N C O M PA R T M E N T TO P CA N VAS E X T E R I O R , B OT TO M L E AT H E R E X T E R I O R

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

T H E

W I M B L E D O N

M A D E O F: VA R I E D U P H O LST E RY G R A D E WOV E N S , P U, C OT TO N CA N VAS , 3 6 0 0 D P O LY 1 6. 5 X 1 1 . 5 X 4 . 5 I N C H E S

80 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Zig Zags Enforce the Punk Standard by William Ryan Photographs by DenĂ¨e Petracek

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

magine having a feature from Iggy Pop on one of your tracks just by asking for it. Could you ideate recording an average of one song every couple of months then challenging yourself to quadrupling that amount in just thirty days or a few hours, even? In the Red is the album that paints the picture for such provocation- the provocation that LA group Zig Zags spearheaded over a nine month period. Produced by Ty Segall, the album is a defibrillator to contemporary rock and roll. With an ample amount of time listening to artists like Iggy Pop and New Wave British Heavy Metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, the inspiration seeped through on their new record. Along with the obvious fact that In the Red was recorded present day, one must come to appreciate the fusing classic sound with new age charisma. It’s like seeing Dazed and Confused for the first time, joy riding and smashing mailboxes, or riding the pink elephant in the room. The roughly 31 minute album brings forth a pleasure in power and autonomous rage. When asked by Segall to record at least four to five tracks in a month, the boys jumped head first and recorded the first four to five songs within the hour, trying to give the live energy they dished at their shows onto their debut album. The final product ended up being an upshot of proto punk with the technical intricacies and lyrics reminiscent of exemplar metal groups like Iron Maiden.

84 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

A few years back, their record label Addict Records was celebrating their tenth anniversary by releasing singles of covers performed by their artists. Zig Zags was attempting to cover Betty Davis’ “If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up”, but realized they needed someone else more fitting to do the vocals. The label asked the trio who they wanted to do the vocals for the song and they jokingly suggested Iggy Pop, not knowing the possibility. A few days later the band traveled down to Miami and recorded the song. “He was one of, if not the most professional guy we’ve ever worked with. It was a dream come true,” said Zig Zags’ bassist Patrick. A dream come true for sure. And now with an album complete, and a track with a legend- the boys have many more dreams to fulfill. They hope to one day to open up for those New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands. More grasped goals include summer touring. The band recently signed with Nash Booking Agency and are looking to do dates during the summer with Ty Segall. By the fall they’re hoping for Europe- looking to play with a few of their other musical crony’s. With quite the future, the LA trio definitely won’t be left in the darkor in the red.

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

http://athensnewren.com/

86 Athens: New Renaissance Magazine

Athens: New Renaissance Magazine