The Culture Issue by FetchEdge

2 FETCHEDGE.COM MARCH 2012

Mark P: The Art of a Genius

Keep It 100

Trend Alert

Mogul X

Designer Outlook

Embrace The Brooch

Fashion Publication Collection

Pick of the Month

Death Over Designer

Fashion Forward

Madness Art

Handbook Scoob photo courtesy of Picturemane

FETCHEDGE

004

Feature

Editors Note

Forever Scoob

TABLE OF CONTENTS Conversation

Mikey Anderson Creator Of Yarnies: Struggles To Success

Yacht Island: Style Changes. Greatness Lasts Forever

Fetch Fitness with Corey Taylor

How To Listen And Appreciate Unfamiliar Music

Lady Gaga

G’Bor Brothers

Get Prissy

Dissecting Artwork Sacred Geometry

Original. Authentic. Handmade.

Feminism: A Self-Defining Experience

Politics Made Cool

From Glory To Zion

Stevie Boi

Smokey Robotics

Behind The Culture

COMMENT ON THE MAG: INFO@FETCHEDGE.COM FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @FETCHEDGE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: FETCHEDGE CREATIVE DIRECTOR : CHANNING BAILEY {@CHANNINGBAILEY} MAGAZINE DESIGNER : STALE FACE {@STALEFACE} WWW.CHANNINGBAILEY.COM | WWW.STALEFACE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: ASHANTE KIMBLE COVER CONTRIBUTION: DEONTE’ TATUM

MARCH 2012 FETCHEDGE.COM 3

Yarnies Creator Of

MIKEY ANDERSON

Struggles to Success

LL OVER CHICAGO AND EVEN IN CYNTHIA ROWLEY’S NEW YORK STORE, YARNIES ARE BEING ADOPTED, CUDDLED, AND LOVED. AFTER HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT THEM THE FETCHEDGE TEAM HAD TO FIND OUT THE CREATOR BEHIND SUCH CUTE LITTLE SILLY CHARACTERS. MIKEY ANDERSON, A 22-YEAR-OLD SENIOR AT THE SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, HAS A STORY LIKE NO OTHER. ALTHOUGH HE HAS MANY DISADVANTAGES AND A MAJOR STRUGGLE, HIS LOVE FOR HIS CRAFT AND HIS IMPECCABLE WORK ETHIC KEPT HIM AFLOAT (VERY INSPIRING)! WE HAD NO PROBLEM COMING OUT IN 15 BELOW 0 DEGREE WEATHER TO GET PERSONAL WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST RISING ARTIST AT HIS FAVORITE COFFEE SHOP IN PILSEN. MARCH 2012 FETCHEDGE.COM 7

HEY MIKEY! SO NICE TO FINALLY MEET UP WITH YOU! I KNOW YOU’RE EXT R E M E LY BUSY, SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME OUT TO MEET WITH ME. PLEASE TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND SUCH AN AMAZING CREATION. I’m from the south side of Chicago. As a little dude I always preferred crazy Nickelodeon cartoons and the Sunday comic strips to sports. One of the turning points in my life came when I briefly moved to the sub-burbs in high school. There is where I met my art teacher Mr. Moss who basically told me anything in life is possible and would always tell me I would be a famous artist someday! Looking back on it, 8 FETCHEDGE.COM MARCH 2012

my father and his siblings dropped out before entering high school. I have broken down a lot of barriers and overcame a lot in my life so far. I grew up with an extremely hard working the majority of conversations I had mother [who I know I get my strong with my teachers were on the scale work ethic from], but also and alcoof being a famous artist someday holic father. I faced problems that or being told not to doodle in math a teenager should not have had to, class. Ha-ha…. so I used my art as therapy to process these problems. Today my art YOU’RE SO FUNNY, BUT FORTUis still my therapy, its what I think NATELY THE MINDLESS HOURS about all the time, go to when I’m IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION upset, and ultimately it just makes AND THE FAITH YOUR TEACHme happy. ERS SPOKE INTO YOUR LIFE PAID OFF, RIGHT? NOW YOUR Mikey’s college matriculation IN YOUR LAST SEMESTER AT was not an easy one, when the THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAeconomy tanked his mother lost GO! everything and alcoholic father Yes, and I still cannot believe I have began drinking himself to death. made it this far. I am the first in my Living with his parents brought family to go to college, which is a a burden not only unto his fammajor accomplishment considering

ily but also to himself, the negativity clouded his ability to create. At 18 he moved out on his own will. Everything was great initially, but a year later the tank of the economy affected me as well. I lost my loan so I marched myself to the financial aid office and told them I need to be in school. The craziest part was that the woman literally told me to stop going to school and wait for Obama to fix things. I wasn’t having that so I meet with the head of the office and after numerous letters and a fist full of tears my tuition was CUT IN HALF. PERSEVERANCE AND PERSISTENCE ALWAYS GETS YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. I AM IMPRESSED BY YOUR STORY AND HARDWORK, SO IS THIS WHERE THINGS BEGAN TO TURN AROUND FOR YOU AND YOU BEGAN TO SELL YOUR YARNIES? HOW DID YOU MANAGE SELLING THEM IN CYNTHIA CROWLEY’S STORE? I was so grateful for the tuition depletion but I still had a balance so that’s when the hustling began. With no loan that meant no housing. I lived on my best friends Portia’s couch for months. I worked up to nine days in a row to make sure I would have enough money for school. Shortly after Portia moved, I moved in with my manager, sharing the couch with another girl that I worked with as well - we were just one big happy family trying to make it.

to keep going he told me I was working towards something great. I even had one classmate ask me if I was one of those kids that got a free ride to college because my work was so awesome! Within a few months of creating my Yarnies they were being sold in Quimbies comic bookstore. Cynthia Rowley’s brother bought one for her daughter, who than became obsessed with the little YaRnIe. I remember opening the e-mail from her assistant wanting twenty to sell in her shop and just yelling with Nea in shock. Before I knew it I had shipped at-least 200 for her fashion week windows. She literally created my career as an artist, by showing the possibilities of creating art for a living.

MIKEY IS A TRUE INSPIRATION AND AN EXAMPLE OF HARD I found myself obsessively mak- WORK AND PERSEVERANCE, ing these dolls “YaRnIeS”. My art HE TRULY BELIEVES IN HIS therapy professor at the time saw CRAFT AND IT IS PAYING OFF. my Yarnies and encouraged me BEFORE LEAVING WE ASKED

MIKEY WHAT WAS NEXT FOR HIM AND IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE CRAFTERS. “I’m moving to NYC to work under/with great artist and spam the stores with YaRnIe. My goal is to get those little monsters in every hand made shop there! I really think I was put on this earth to create art that people can just enjoy and spark some sort of creativity in their brains. For aspiring crafters just do it, things come together as they happen. If you truly believe in your craft and if you have ever heard Oprah talk then your dreams will come true... You will never work a day in your life.” YaRnIeS range in all shapes, sizes and colors. They range from cute little monsters wrapped in yarn, monster rings, and key chains, to fuzzy foxes. To adopt a YaRnIe and learn more about Mikey Visit yarniesluvyou.com

www.yarniesluvyou.com www.yarnies.tumblr.com a.mikey@ymail.com

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CONVERSATION

Easy Steps for Listening to Unfamiliar Music JAMIE STEINBERG

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CONVERSATION

ANY PEOPLE WRITE OFF MUSIC THEY HATE FOR REASONS OF IGNORANCE. NOW THIS CAN HAPPEN WITH ANY GENRE BUT PARTICULARLY WITH CLASSICAL. I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU “GRASSHOPPERS” GUIDANCE IN THE AREA TO NOT ONLY UNLOCK 200+ YEARS MUSIC BUT MAYBE TEACH A LITTLE BIT OF TOLERANCE FOR THE UNKNOWN.

STEP 1 \ LISTENING This sounds obvious but is crucial. I am not talking about popping the tracks onto an iPod while taking the train to work or using this music as background music to a jog in the neighborhood. To really learn to love something takes patience, which means sitting down with the intention of listening to what you are hearing. I suggest not starting off with a Gustav Mahler Symphony with its glorious 2 hours worth of movements. Try short and sweet pieces with stories (program music). Something for the non-musician would be Berlioz’s March to the Scaffold from Symphony Fantasique (4.6 minutes). From beginning to end, you hear the story of the murderous, jealous pseudo-crazed opium junky as he is marched to the guillotine in 19th century Paris. The crowds scream for more as the band marks the beginning of his end. Right before the neck tickling blade falls, you then hear the sweet melody of the lovely lady who he unrightfully murdered. BAM! The showing of the decapitated head to the barking audience. Even if the music is absolute––without a story-line––create one! The concept of absolute music is for you to feel emotion. Listen to Barber’s Adagio for Strings with the lights off. Typically people deem the piece as sorrowful, but come to your own conclusion.

STEP 2 \ MAKE IT A GAME! Lot’s of things go on into making classical music. One of the ways to get more from it would be to play “I Spy” but with your ears. Listen to a piece such as Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune (orchestra or solo piano version) and just try to see if you here things repeated. Just like anything in life, music is repetitive. Like how in a pop song or even rap songs, the chorus and bridge are repeated. Classical is no different but has more choruses and bridges and sometime they are played at the same time. Listening to J. S. Bach’s Fugue in G Minor, try and count how many times you here the beginning melody or subject. Typically, I wouldn’t recommend this until you feel comfortable identifying melodies throughout a piece only because some are overwhelmed by the repetition.

STEP 3 \ HAVE FUN! Just like how there is no one type of Jazz or Rap or Rock, classical is limitless and that’s what makes it fun. You have baroque (17th and 18th century), classical (18th century), romantic (19th century), and 20th century (I think you get it). There is also what’s going on right now. Everyone does listen to this “boring” music without knowing it. Ever watch a movie? Shutter Island is a great example of a wide range of “high art” music along with older popular tunes. Just don’t get discouraged, listen to what you want and don’t force it. To me, that is the best to keep things fun and enjoyable. I hope this will help you in enjoying that “old people’s” music more. It isn’t for everyone but there is always something positive to be said for people who try new things. Jamie Steinberg currently resides in Chicago while studying music at VanderCook College of Music. Feedback may be sent to the.jamie.steinberg@gmail.com 11 | M A RCH 2 0 12 > > TA L K TO U S @ F E T C HE D G E

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Vintage-Xchange Shop.Sell.Trade

www.vintage-xchange.com

GREAT STEALS ON VINTAGE CLOTHING

MARCH 2012 FETCHEDGE.COM 13

THE HANDBOOK

KEEPIT100|ANGELA SIMMONS&KANYE WEST Put those leggings you have to use, Pair them with shorts and boots! Check out Angela Simmonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; version of it for only $98.58!

Shirt, $14.90, No Drugs Top at Forever 21. Shorts, $19.80, Classic Destroyed Denim Shorts at Forever 21. Boots, $30.88, Buckled Strappy Platform Bototie at Go Jane. Bag, $33.00, La Scalla Woven Hobo at Bag Inc 1 4 F ETCHED GE. CO M M A RCH 2 0 12

THE HANDBOOK

KEEPIT100|ANGELA SIMMONS&KANYE WEST Kanye West pulled it off, but check out how you can get this look for less than 100 bucks!Final - $95.50!

Shirt, $49.50, Denim Western Shirt at American Eagle. Pants, $46.00, Cheap Monday Black Chinos at SSENSE 1 5 F ETCHED GE. CO M M A RCH 2 0 12

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

STYLE CHANGES. GREATNESS LAST FOREVER.

It’s time to wake up and step outside of your box. Explore, learn, and grow! Realize that bold and daring ideas exhilarate the mind. Becoming stagnant only hinders and blinds you from acknowledging your greatest potential. Yes, I know it’s cool to be apart of the “in” crowd, but that phase will soon die off. Become an innovator by stepping outside of the normal realm of thinking. It is perfectly fine to be unique. Once people see how authentic and passionate you are about your creation, they have no choice but to show respect. I encourage you to always leave your mind wondering and thriving to consume magnificent creations such as Yatch Island. Viewing the layouts of the Yachts made me believe I was in a different beautiful mysterious creative world. Nothing can equate to this luxury--this is innovation and greatness at its finest. The masterminds behind the six concepts deserve a standing ovation with a side of 1787 Chateau Lafite. Touche’ my friends! Touche’!

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The Street of Monaco is the first design proposal. The theme is based around the Mediterranean principality with the primary for being the famous grand prix circuit.

BEHIND THE CULTURE

Project Utopia is able to adapt to various environments while maintaining guest comfort. With the deployable glass canopy panels covering the interior decks, full climate control is possible, despite the geographical location and outside conditions.

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CONVERSATION

THE GAGA ALMANAC by Jamie Steinberg

he’s in every nook and cranny of the globe and probably a few dungeons. Lady Gaga is unstoppable and in 2012 things will be no different from the past––except BIGGER. The “Bad Romance” star is anything but a minimalist and neither will her upcoming tour be. Though no official announcements have been made, the wait timeis dwindling. In a recent interview with The Insider, the hit-maker has already confirmed a “more beautiful” tour and a new album on the way. The Mother Monster might have alluded to children in recent interviews, but for now that baby will be her next album. And even though her biological clock isn’t ticking, Lady Gaga is cashing in on her love life. Though known to keep celibate, the star has started seeing the “Vampire Diaries” actor Taylor Kinney. Going to other parts in the globe, the avant garde fashionista has recently mentioned on being interested in Bollywood cinema. “I recently saw a Bollywood show in Paris and my interest in India has piqued. I would like to

do a Bollywood film. I am fascinated by the dance and the clothing,” said Gaga. She might have started off the new year sharing an osculation with New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, but the new year hasn’t been quite without a hitch. So far artist Colette Maison Lumiere has accused the artist for plagiarism with the Barney’s holiday windows though nothing has legally been filed. As well as Gaga’s former assistant suing the star for unpaid overtime amounting in $400k. With 2012’s relatively easy start and large expectations, the outlook of another successful year for the “Yoü and I” songstress seems imminent. Now if only the world could seem to keep up with her!

Jamie Steinberg currently resides in Chicago as she attempts to navigate the world of music & Gaga. 2 1 | M A RCH 2 0 12 > > TA L K TO U S @ F E T C HE D G E

THE HANDBOOK

CARROT PANTS According to several sources including Stylesight, the carrot pants are an item to look out for in 2012. Among the sea of skin tight leggings and skinny jeans, the relaxed, flattering fit of carrot pants offer a happy medium. With a loose fit in the hips, tapered ankles and emphasis on front pleats and creases, carrot pants are definitely a nice change of pace. Get funky and try carrots pants with a colorful print or cuff the ankles to add visual interest to the trousers.

TRENDALERT

! WELL SUITED

Consistent with the carrot pants and moving away from such tight fitting clothes, the tuxedo suit look is a trend to try out this year. This look is an extension of the blazer craze. This is definitely a “borrow from the boys” trend with the tailored look and oversized suit jackets. Don’t be afraid to spice up the look with a funky colored jacket or accessorize with a bowtie or neck tie. This look is an extension of the blazer craze, notice how designers are moving toward a “boyfriend” fit blazer.

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Dear Haters: Take this message exactly as it’s meant: WE ARE SICK OF YOU. Pardon me in advance for my less than ladylike language, but shut the hell up. Please. We have entirely too much life to conquer, and too many amazing things to accomplish, to be forced to listen to you any longer. You’ve had your day, haters. Now stand back and watch us seize ours. See, we were raised to believe that dreams should never be deferred. They were for chasing and seizing, like fireflies on warm summer nights. If we wanted to be doctors and dancers, we could. If we wanted to be boutiqueowning vegetarian veterinarians, we could. From our days as little girls racing up and down the block in sparkly tutus and pink Nikes, we never once questioned how we would do it all and do it well. Even our young fly selves knew it was effortless. It’s not that you serve no purpose, because you do—you provide free publicity. While we’re at home with our feet up and our hair rolled, you go out into the world, gossiping us into the hearts and minds of others who otherwise could care less about us. Quite frankly, you really are a valuable resource as we build our legacies. However, your constant chatter—you know, those ignorant comments you make in public about us to distract everyone from how miserable you are—is beginning to take a toll. A lot of false information (read: rumors) originates with you, and you repeat it so often that other people have started believing it. No offense, but I can’t have anyone like that in my life. Then, after only a few, draining conversations with you, we find ourselves asking stupid questions like, “Can we do this? Do we have what it takes?” It’s funny, because despite what you believe deep down inside, we are not perfect. We occasionally suffer from a confidence crisis—and mercy on us if you just happen to be nearby when we do. We love ourselves enough to know that relationships should be encouraging, not demoralizing. And you, sorry to say, just ain’t cuttin’ it. So, good riddance for now and forever more. Don’t look back.

Jennifer Elise | Get Prissy

A LETTER TO OUR HATERS

CONVERSATION

FEMINISM A SELF-DEFINING EXPERIENCE by Ty Banks

efinitions are not quite the reality of what things really are. Consider the word feminism, the preferred definition is an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women. This defintion orginated in the 1960s. During that period women desired to be equal. Femininity was not enough to describe the nature of a woman, because without legal rights, women were continuously working to keep humanity. With every culture, a woman obtained responsibilties that men expected and needed in order to survive. In Africa, women were the traders, in which they generated the money. Women in America worked alongside men in the war to make sure they were healthy enough to participate. Today, the movement has taken a different route. Men may still have the same defintion of what they consider the roles of women to be, but that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t important, the real definition of the feminist movement comes from within the woman. What does the average woman today consider feminism to be? Maybe to take on the roles of men by working harder than her male counterparts, or raising her children alone, possibly

becoming a lesiban to exclude a man altogether. However the term has transformed through time. Feminism will always be a movement, because believe it or not a woman is second. Women represent the softer side of humanity despite how hard she works or how many times she has beaten her opposite. Today I challenge women to understand her womanhood and define it for herself. Let us no longer compare our identity from what a man represent, but from what we truly are.

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THE HANDBOOK

THEHANDBOOK VINTAGE HOMAGE

IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO THE PAST

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FETCH FITNESS COREY TAYLOR WITH

With the New Year comes one of the most cliché yet relevant resolutions: to live a healthier lifestyle. With that being ideal it was only right for us to contact Published Model Corey Taylor, a 24 year old self proclaimed fitness guru and full time personal trainer housed in Atlanta, GA. Taylor has a very inspiring story. He had always played sports. In high School he played football and he even played for Tennessee State University. During the year of 2009 he had an epiphany! Although he loved sports, his passion had transformed into the core of athleticism, FITNESS. “I have always found excitement in the challenge of pushing my body to new limits. I trust in God, believe in hard work and I advocate for nutritional and active living.” With that in his blood his plat form began. [“Be healthy, not only in body but in mind and spirit.”] He began to focus his passion working with students in his collegiate gym. He from there began to train aspiring models and athletes at local gyms.

and a full schedule, as well as helping former athletes get back in shape.

Wrapping up our interview we asked Taylor about his goals, why he does what he does, to give advice to our readers and his definition of living a life that impresses less and inspires more. Here is what he had to say:

never forget how you made them feel. Corey Taylor is not only a personal training he belongs to a boutique agency in Los Angeles. He has played small roles on shows like BET’s “The Game” and Tyler Perry’s “House Of

I love what I do because it allows me to change lives, fitness brings one closer to self, which can change a person’s whole mentality to life in a positive way, and it’s truly a rewarding experience. I had to learn at an early age that hard work beats talent, everyday, life is what you make it, it’s never fair, you can’t change your start, but your finish is always up to you.

In 2010 he founded Fitness As a Lifestyle, LLC. There he spent time training D1 athletes. As the summer approached he branched a boot camp program in Buck heads beautiful scenic parks “Pain is progress”. The camp was full of professors, nurses, soldiers and athletes pushing their body to the limit weekly.

The goals I have for myself are simple; succeed. As I’m building my brand I hope to travel the world, impacting people everywhere I go with my passion; modeling just might be the vehicle to do so. . My advice for anybody pursuing thier passion and purpose is simply this; “Jump and the net will appear” You will always hear no before yes, but every failure is a lesson, you will always have moments of doubt, but that usually comes before a positive unexpected shift in your circumstances and lastly to stay hungry and humble, complacency is death and death of ego is life.

In addition to his Pain is Progress boot camp, he is busy giving one on one trainings with single mothers helping them balance fitness

My definition of living a life that impresses less and inspires more is basing your successes soley on how they impact others. People will forget what you say but will

Payne” and also has been in music videos with artist like Big Sean, B.O.B, and The Dream. His hustle does not stop there he has been in various commercials, and have grace the cover a few magazine including “Kontrol Mag”. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COREY TAYLOR AND HIS HEALTH AND FITNESS REGIMES CHECK OUT HTTP://FAALIFESTYLE.BLOGSPOT.COM/

BEHIND THE CULTURE

G’BOR BROTHERS

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written by Nia Hatchett

BEHIND THE CULTURE

interview

oshua and Jason G’Bor are the perfect blend of culture, style, and freedom of expression. Their father is Liberian and this foundation has not only shaped them as men but as artist. The G’Bor brothers are twins that seek to incorporate their heritage and inspirations in a music genre that some have considered enroute to extinction; R&B. WHAT FUELS YOU BOTH TO PUSH IN AN INDUSTRY THAT IS NOT AS WELCOMING AS IT ONCE WAS COMPARED TO 90’S WHEN R&B WAS AT ITS PEAK? We push our music so hard because we want to change the face of music and make it what it used to be in the 80’s and the 90’s. Music is at a stand still and there is no savior that can save us from the foolishness that gets played on the radio. There is two of us,. God made two and I think that we will be the music savior. We want to be more than music, fashion, artist,. We are called to serve. Someone might be going through something and we want our music to build not destruct.

HOW IS IT HAVING YOUR BROTHER AS A GROUP MEMBER? It’s great. We are obviously twins and we are best friends. We are brothers and best friends first. The second is artist. It’s a joy and honor because you have someone who looks just like you and someone who shares the same vision, dreams, goals, and love. It is wonderful when you don’t have to worry about someone cheating you and unnecessary foolishness. He is my brother, it only makes sense.

WE HAVE HAD SO MANY DOORS CLOSED IN WHAT DOES G’BOR HAVE OUR FACES GOING ON

A MISSION THAT WE PROMOTE IS ORIGINALITY. WHAT MAKES YOUR MUSIC ORIGINAL AND YOUR FORCE IN FASHION? The originality is that our music is raw and authentic. We stand out. We use live instruments in our music. Our father was from Liberia and some of our music has some of the elements from our lineage. Once you listen to it you will see its world music.

WITH FASHION? Well we began modeling at the age of 5, our mother was a model. At 5 we did our first modeling commercial and the rest was history. When we were younger our mother had us in bright colors like pink, orange, so we have always been fashion kings. We also have our hands in styling. I Joshua style. “I got my first styling gig back in Florida styling some of the Jacksonville Jaguars players. So I have my hand in fashion.” WE WANT OUR READERS TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO GO FORTH; DESPITE NEGATIVITY ONE CAN PROSPER. WHAT PUSHES THE G’BOR TWINS TO PERSEVERE? We have had so many doors closed in our faces and heard so many no’s, but it’s that denial from which we grow. We never gave up on our dreams. We

never let anyone change our style. We always stayed true to who we are. You should never let anyone change who you are because once that is done you loose yourself. At the end of the day stay true because it will show. If you don’t stay true it will show. OUR CAMPAIGN FOR THE YEAR IS “2012: THE YEAR OF FETCHEDGE.” WHAT CAN WE EXPECT MUSICALLY FROM G’BOR THIS YEAR? We feel great about this year. Last year was a hard year for us, we lost our grandmother on thanksgiving, but towards the end of the year we started to feel like 2012 was going to be a breakout year for us. Doors have been opening and we are truly blessed and thankful. In our music we portray how we feel and what we are experiencing. It’s a mixture of world music. Its not just for America. ANY FASHION TIPS FOR THE APPROACHING SUMMER/SPRING TIME? For men and women, simple is always best. Sleek and classy, colors like electric blue for the summer. Keep it classy and sleek and you can’t go wrong. DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE YOUTH OR ANYONE WHO IS UP AND COMING? Be you and be positive. There is enough negativity in the world as it is.

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

DISSECTING ARTWORK: SACRED GEOMETRY The interest in proportions was not just for aesthetic reasons: there were also theological concerns associated with the subject. The study of mathematics may have been developed by men, but its law were believed to define the underlying structure of the universe, and so, it was concluded, must have been created by God himself. The idea, expressed in the Book of Proverbs, that God had “set a compass” on his creation led some theologians to think of him as a “divine mathematician”. He had created a world in which the sun, moon and stars rotated in perfect circles around the Earth: it was only humans, in the form of Adam and Eve, who has spoiled it. One of the reasons for creating balanced and ordered paintings and buildings was to try to restore a sense of God’s creation: the geometry and symmetry themselves contain a sense of the divine. In fact, the scale with its seven notes is created by a series of simple number ratios: this is part of the mathematical order of the universe. The fact that there were also considered to be seven heavenly bodies (in addition to the sun and the moon, only five of the planets were known) led philosophers to associate the two, giving rise to the idea of the music of the spheres: God’s perfect and harmonious universe. Seven also related to the act of creation itself, which took six days, with the seventh as a day of rest. The number seven thus acquired particular significance. It is the sum of three and four, the former being important because it is the number of the Trinity (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and the latter for many reasons, not least of which was the inclusion of four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in the New Testament. Their product is twelve, the number of the tribes of Israel, of Jesus’ apostles, and, for the matter, of the months of the year. For the medieval and Renaissance mind, this harmony was a sign of God’s presence in all things.

RHOMBICUBOCTAHEDRON an Archimedean solid with eight triangular and eighteen square faces. There are 24 identical vertices, with one triangle and three squares meeting at each Note that six of the squares only share vertices with the triangles while the other twelve share an edge.

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

PORTRAIT OF LUCA PACIOLI Here Pacioli is demonstrating an obscure aspect of Euclidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s geometry, which explains how to draw an equilateral fifteen-sided figure by drawing first an equilateral triangle, and then a pentagon. The pentago is of particular interest as the triangle made between its base and apex contains the golden ratio. The Triangular shaped formed by the figure of Pacioli exhoes the geometrical theme of the painting which is also evoked by the dodecahedron, made up of twelve pentagons, bottom right, and hanging rhombicuboctahedron, top left. FRONTISPIECE TO THEORICA MUSICE The upper left illustration depicts Jubal, the biblical father of music, and six blacksmiths with differing size hammers striking an anvil. This relates to the story that the young Pythagoras was first moved to investigate musical intervals on hearing the notes produced by different size hammers at a blacksmithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop. The upper right illustration depicts Pythagoras testing the interval of an octave between bells of size 16 and 8 and between glasses filled in the proportion 16 and 8. The lower left illustration shows Pythagoras testing intervals on a stringed instrument and the lower right illustration shows Pythagoras and his pupil Philolaus testing intervals by means of flutes.

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

ORIGINAL. AUTHENTIC. HANDMADE.

appers are evolving. Although there is a formula for lyrics that still includes the necessity to drop the “n-word” , shoutout the bad yellow-bones, and declare how closet rich one is…rappers have developed a proficiency for art collection. Legends such as Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Warhol grace the walls of their multimillion dollar homes. There seems to be a consensus going on in the rap industry that class and culture are top priorities. This idea has traveled to Leader of the New School, Drake. On “Underground Kings”, a single from his newest project “Take Care” , Drake raps, “Leather with that woodgrain, Persian rugs on wood floors.” Drake

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Source: http://www.persian-carpet.info/

written by:Vannessa Waters

duction is most common in these times. The carpets are colored by dyes made from plants,roots, and other things found in nature. It is very hard to preserve such a delicate rarity, button a key excavation the Pazryk carpet dating back to 5th century BC was discovered preserved in the grave of a Scythian prince . “The advanced weaving technique used in the Pazyryk carpet indicates a long history of evolution and experience in this art. Most experts believe that the Pazyryk carpet is a late achievement of at least one thousand years of technique evolution and history. According to this theory the art of carpetweaving in Iran is at least 3500 years

gained his respect by creating classic music, but his substantial work ethic allows for rewards of the “finer” things in life. All of the critics of his sophomore project agree that “Take Care” is the brooding, emotional story of a young man with more money, fashion, and acquaintances than he knows what to do with, but is lacking love. This is very much a reflection of his senior in the rap game, Kanye West’s “808s and Heartbreak”. Both tell of the confusion of money and power versus real relationships. How does a young man compensate? By buying things that showcase their stature, personality, and how far they have come. “He has pushed himself to get something that he has deserved” and that something is classic, beautiful, and dates back to the third to fifth centuries AD. The Parisian rug carries a history of both extraordinary craftsmanship and uniqueness which is highly sought after since mass pro-

old. The pazyruk carpet is woven with amazing technical skill. An original pazyruk carpet has two borders that are decorated with a line of horsemen: seven on each side, twentyeight in number. This number represents the number of men who carried the throne of Xerxes to Perspolis.”

BEHIND THE CULTURE

a master of weaving language and vocabulary in-between structured bars, uniquely be-speckled with personality and quality. Much like the Parisian rug, Drake wants to leave a history as an artist that is hard to preserve, master, and recreate.

While many may not know that the craft of carpet-making is Persia’s tradition and the history behind the craft shares its development and fortunes. Drake is a rapper far beyond his years and to speak of indulging in an item that carries such history and is a tremendous representation of culture and the evolution of art , speaks volumes about who he is as an artist. He is known as a wordsmith, M A RCH 2 0 12 FETCHE D G E . C OM 3 5

THE HANDBOOK

MOGUL X

ACCORDING TO WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY THE TERM “MOGUL” IS DEFINED AS A GREAT PERSONAGE. NOW LETS BREAK THIS WORD DOWN A LITTLE MORE ,SHALL WE?

BREAKDOWN Great has many definitions, such as notably large in size, and of a kind characterized by relative largeness. Personage is a human individual of rank, note, or distinction. Now, let’s stop right here and take this all in (Inhale…Exhale).

Now that we got those definitions out of the way, be assured that the fashion moguls named are appropriate fits. They have the competence of expanding the fashion world in various unique ways. I think it is fare to call them “The Elite.”

From creating “the little black dress”, to being a hip-hop icon, to a young editor of a well-known magazine, there is no doubt that we all have been greatly influenced by their contribution to the wonderful world of fashion.

GABRIELLE BONHEUR “COCO” CHANEL

gained the name “Coco” while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France. DOB: August 19, 1883 Latest Collection: Spring 2012 (pictures: vogue.com) Fact: Coco Chanel’s vision was to replace such opulent, ‘sexy’ pieces with items which conveyed casual elegance.

MARK JACOBS

DOB:April 9, 1963 Place of Birth: New York City, New York Labels: Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs Latest Collection: Spring 2012 Ready To Wear Fact: Jacobs designed and sold his first line of handknit sweaters around the age of 15. He also designed his first collection for Reuben Thomas, Inc., under the Sketchbook label.

RACHEL ZOE ROSENZWEIG

DOB: September 1, 1971 Place of Birth: New York City, New York Label: Rachel Zoe Latest Collection: Spring 2012 Ready-ToWear Fact: One of the pioneer of the ‘boho chic’ look that consists of oversized jewelry, loose-fitting dresses and shirts, paired with a slim frame.

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CHANEL RACHEL ZOE MARC JACOBS DW VERSACE TORY BURCH

THE HANDBOOK

KANYE WEST

DOB: June 8, 1977 Place of Birth: Chicago, IL Label: Kanye West (Dw) First Collection: Spring 2012 Ready To Wear Fact: West started the “Kanye West Foundation” in Chicago in 2003. It is focused on helping Latino and African American children stay in school and to get a proper education through grade school, high school, and college. The foundation also helps children to stay in high school by finding a path through music. West has contributed over $500,000 to his foundation.

TORY (BURCH)

DOB: June 17, 1966 Place of Birth: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Label: Tory Burch Latest Collection: -Fact: When she first began her fashion label in February 2004, Oprah Winfrey endorsed her the following year.

GIANNI VERSACE

DOB: December 2, 1946 Label: Versace: Latest Collection:Spring 2012 Ready-To-Wear Fact: Versace was murdered at his Miami beach home July 15, 2007.

DESIGN YOUR OWN Practice sketching fabric in still-life creations. Good fashion sketches capture the movement and drape of the fabric on the body, and even though it may seem tedious, taking a hint from the old masters of drawing is invaluable. Try arranging cloth in different ways on a tabletop and become practiced at drawing the folds and contours.

Study the way clothes are constructed. Sewing patterns contain two types of illustrations--a depiction of the way the completed garment will look and a flat, two-dimensional schematic of each piece with details on its construction. If you understand the different components that go into construction of a button-up shirt, for example, you’ll be able to better visualize how to sketch it.

Look at fashion magazines to see the multitude of ways clothes can be designed and worn. Trace body and garment shapes from magazine photos as a common way to build sketching confidence if you are a beginner. Find a photo of a garment similar to the one you would like to draw, and trace the outline of the body and garment onto a piece of sketch paper.

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Practice sketching fabric in still-life creations. Good fashion sketches capture the movement and drape of the fabric on the body, and even though it may seem tedious, taking a hint from the old masters of drawing is invaluable. Try arranging cloth in different ways on a tabletop and become practiced at drawing the folds and contours.

BEHIND THE CULTURE

FROM GLORY TO ZION

“GOD MAKES NO MISTAKES, I MADE A FEW,” – JAY-Z (GLORY) written by MICHAEL TONGE

ne of the most amazing things about this gift called life are the different paths we all take through it, and how we come into contact with one another in such seemingly coincidental ways. There is no cookie cutter template on how to be who we are, or fulfill whatever purpose (regardless of religious affiliation) we were put here to accomplish. Out of the billions of people that have lived and died, we’ve all been created originals. Original beings, made to carry out some task or combination of many tasks. One quote that has always inspired me to press forward with purpose goes as follows, “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” - William James

ever read this magazine combined, but yeah) “A younger, smarter, faster me.” There’s a lot of buzz around Jay’s new track and some are claiming that this verbal testament to his newborn daughter will encourage future fathers to raise their own. As you know, none of us Black kids have fathers… -__-. “Boo hoo, sad story, Black American Dad story.”

All of us leave our own mark on the universe, leaving a legacy behind- whether consciously or not. What better way to leave a legacy, literally and figuratively, than to give the gift of life? To be able to show someone the ropes, and give them the privilege of hindsight, in hopes they don’t make the same missteps you did. Like Jay-Z says in “Glory” (which by the way features Blue Ivy Carter … -__an infant that has more money than everyone who will

It’s true that the black familial unit has struggled in America since slavery, however I feel as though many

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of us are conscious of the problems, but can we change our society on an individual basis, with baby steps? It’s not going to be a pop culture icon that reverses the plight of black love. Jay-Z’s song doesn’t inspire me to want to become a great father because Jay-Z is now a dad. But more so because one day I hope that I can feel those emotions of joy he’s speaking about on this track. One of the most important aspects of “Glory” is that he doesn’t try to paint a fairytale portrait. We all have our struggles, and nothing is perfect. “Last time the miscarriage was so tragic, we was afraid you’d disappear, but nah baby you magic.” Jay-Z is not the first entertainer to write about the joys or mysteries of parenthood. While other black men have indeed written odes to their offspring (i.e Tupac, and Will Smith) a song that moves me the most as a black man, is actually by a woman. “Unsure of what the balance held, I touched my belly overwhelmed, by what I had chosen to perform,” Lauryn Hill (To Zion). Lauryn Hill pours her heart out in the song to her son, Zion; I can’t help but think about how much my mother and father had to go through just to get me here. When I think of all the obstacles and misfortunes that were overcome for each of us to get here, it pains me to consider how we’re demeaning these victories when we tear each other down. Until we can love our people, family ties will always suffer. By no means am I thinking of some utopian world in which we are all groovy hippies bubbling with love, but it will take compassion on our part to change our situation.

A Jay line from Watch the Throne that sticks out to me the most comes from, “A New Day” featuring Kanye. “If the day comes I only see him on the weekend, I just pray we was in love on the night we conceived him.” Of course Hov wrote this before his daughter was actually born, but I dig this line because it acknowledges that just because the love may fade, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t real. Until we respect and admire black women as our women, there will always be a scarcity of proud fathers. As men we have to recognize that these women – we’re interacting and being intimate with, regardless of their issues – are someone’s daughter. We all have our own motives so this is easier said than done of course, but if you really want to make a difference it has to start within. Whereas men have to realize that this woman may be someone’s “Blue Ivy”, women have to also respect that these men have struggles of their own. A lot of that empathy goes out of the window as males are expected to subscribe to preexisting cultural positions. Both counterparts in a relationship, whether as parents or lovers have to be equally strong for one another, making sacrifices to find this common ground will be what moves us forward.

“LIFE IS A GIFT LOVE, OPEN IT UP.” M A RCH 2 0 12 FETCHE D G E . C OM 3 9

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DESIGNER NANETTE LEPORE OUTLOOK SPRING 2012 Nanette Lepore presented her Spring 2012 collection full of neon brights. Her collection was definitely like no other. The previous year the collection was mostly white and neutrals. It was nice to see designer Nanette brighten up the runway with such fun colors. Models strutted in neon colors from head to toe, accessories included. The main colors used throughout the collection were, yellow, tangerine, and pink. Designer Lepore used 50’s inspired silhouettes that were very feminine and soft. Some of the feminine looks included flowy lace dresses and crop tops and dainty full skirts. Nanette Lepore also include more sportier pieces. A sequined windbreaker , which was inspired by recent exhibition was the talk of the collection. Other sporty looks were, a lilac tank dress in a standout scuba fabric. The bodice featured hot pink seams. Whether you thought the colors were too strong and abrasive or smart, the collection’s palette is sure to spring’s most wearable trend. Nanette Lepore’s collection is springs breath of fresh air with it’s delicate,sporty shapes, stripes, and bold colors.

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C E ’ L I N E

SPRING 2012 DESIGNER OUTLOOK

Phoebe Philo made her debut at Ce’line two years ago. Since then, her designs have become the most talked about amongst the fashion industry. Every celebrity wants to be seen in Ce’line, the brand can be recognized instantly within editorials. Spring 2012 RTW collection was shown during Paris Fashion Week. The spring collection received rave reviews from fans and critics. This new collection was far away from the usual slim and sleek, for spring everything was sculptural. Taking a look at some of the runway looks, Philo was very inspired by 50’s and 60’s silhouettes. Even though the collection was inspired by such vintage eras, the pieces still looked modern. Certain shapes like the peplum, or basque as Philo called it, was used around the hips. Often a wide belt was used to create that similar shape at the top. A-line skirts were paired with leather tees, and wide leg trousers were paired with shirts that emphasized a waist. The jackets were lined with several pleats and ruffles. The line represented elegance and chic. Philo kept the colors streamlined, no extravagent prints or crazy detailing. The spring collection consisted of a color palette that every women could feel comfortable wearing. Black and white, then some jewel tones such as emerald and ruby. Celine spring RTW 2012 was full of the minimalism touch and volume. The collection of chunky platform heels and cuffs were also collection standouts. Celine continues to be the fashion enthusiast favorite , whether it sleek and streamline, or voluminous and chic.

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EMBRACE THE BROOCH

HERE HAS BEEN A VARIETY OF PEOPLE INCORPORATING BROOCHES INTO THEIR WARDROBE (RAISES HAND) AND I DON’T BLAME THEM AT ALL. THEY ENHANCE A SIMPLE WARDROBE INSTANTANEOUSLY, WHILE ADDING A BIT OF ELEGANCE. DID YOU KNOW THAT A BROOCH IS ALSO CALLED A FIBULAE? A FIBULAE IS A BROOCH MADE POPULAR BY ROMAN MILITARY CAMPAIGNS. EACH CONSISTS OF A BODY, PIN, AND A CATCH. MOST OF THE FIBULAE’S WERE PLACED AND FOUND ON BARBARIAN BURIAL SITES. THIS SEEMS A BIT ODD, BUT ACTUALLY PROVIDES VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY BEHIND BARBARIANS. THEIR DIVERSE ETHNIC GROUPS WERE ALWAYS BORROWING FROM EACH OTHER AND PUTTING THEIR OWN SPINS ON THINGS. SORT OF SOUNDS LIKE A CLOSE FRIEND THAT ALWAYS BORROWS

YOUR CLOTHES AND NEVER RETURNS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE. LETS JUST SAY THE BARBARIANS ACQUIRED INSPIRATION FROM OTHER CULTURES. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE CULTURED NOW-A-DAYS. BROOCHES HAVE DISTINCT DESIGNS AND FASTENING MECHANISMS. “ANNULAR” IS A TYPE OF BROOCH THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BOW SHAPE; IT IS ROUND. ADDITIONALLY, “PEN ANNULAR” PIN WAS DEVELOPED BY THE CELTS AND HAD A GAP IN THE RING. THE “SAFETYPIN” FORM IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH AND WEAR TODAY. THE DIFFERENT DESIGNS MAKE IT EASIER FOR ANYONE TO INCORPORATE BROOCHES INTO THEIR WARDROBE. THEY DO NOT DISCRIMINATE EITHER. THE BEST THING IS THAT THEY ARE UNISEX. ANY GENDER COULD ROCK THIS ACCESSORY; JUST ADD YOUR OWN “SWAG” INTO IT. SO WHEN YOU NEED

A TOUCH OF PIZAZ TO YOUR WARDROBE, JUST ATTACH A SIMPLE BROOCH TO THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR BLAZER OR SHIRT. YOU ARE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY I’M GIVING YOU THIS HISTORY LESSON. WELL, STOP WONDERING AND EMBRACE IT. IT IS VITAL TO UNDERSTAND AND LOVE EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT YOU CHERISH. FOR ONE, IT WILL ENHANCE YOUR INTELLIGENCE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE A BETTER APPRECIATION OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. EVEN SOMETHING SO SMALL AS A BROOCH HAS A BEGINNING.

MEN, A BROOCH IS A MUST HAVE FOR A SUIT!

PRIMALOT SPIDER CLOCK BROOCH WITH INTEGRATED COLOR CHANGES

MASK BROOCH $28.00 TRIANGLE EYE BROOCH $20.00 ROUND OLD COMPASS BROOCH $18.00 www.topshop.com

Versace Men 2012 Fall/Winter Collection incorporated brooches.

SWAN BROOCH $8.80 www.Forever21.com

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I DON’T REALLY HAVE ALTER EGOS, I’M JUST CRAZY.

P MARK

MARCH 2012 FETCHEDGE.COM 45

ark, it has been great to watch your growth within your artwork. FetchEdge has always been a fan! It is such a pleasure to sit down with you and learn more about your artistic journey.

with friends, I would draw a lot and I also played the trumpet the majority of my younger days. I really GIVE SOME BACKGROUND ON picked up YOUR ARTWORK… WHAT WAS drawing from THE THINKING BEHIND START- a cousin of mine who was a great ING YOUR WALL ART? artist, but NEVER had the time to The story behind my wall, it all draw me stuff. One day I just said started when I found out that I f*** it, I’ll learn to do it myself. could do it. I recently moved into my new place and one of the WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF managers of the complex told me ART YOU CREATED? WHAT AGE? I could do whatever I wanted on Man, this is crazy but I rememthose walls…as long as it comes ber exactly my first “art” that got off (lol). So from there I started doodling on ‘em. I eventually let a friend of mine draw on the wall…she was sad and I figured that would cheer her up.

myself. From there I would help decorate things in the school and since I had this great drawing of this dinosaur that everyone believed I drew, I had to learn and I had to learn fast in order to keep up this façade….quite ironic how it ended up being one of my favorite hobbies.

OKAY, SO WE SEE YOU USE APPLE PRODUCTS. I THINK IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT STEVE JOBS CHANGED THE TECHNOLOGY WORLD FOR THE BETTER. WITH TECHNOLOGY BEING SO ADI KNOW YOU ARE FROM VANCED, HOW DOES THAT MILWAUKEE. DESCRIBE PLAY A PART IN YOUR ARTHOW BEING RAISED WORK? THERE CONTRIBUTES TO I love Apple products simYOUR ARTWORK. ply because of the story and I come from a very cultured background. My parents always other’s attention. In 1st Grade I the genius behind Steve Jobs. had me around music and art, brought a drawing of a tyranno- Jobs wanted to “put a dent in the but they also often stressed that saurs rex to school, and the class- universe” and that phrase alone I can do anything I put my mind room went nuts! Lol, little did they adds so much to my creativity. to. Outside of everyday playing know I traced the picture of the I argue that his philosophies of in the backyard and in the alley dinosaur, but I always kept that to life are admirable, and without

and missed some bullets” and is written by Cudi. But man, in my life I’ve skipped out on death a couple of times. Couple car accidents and then some random health issues, but I can say that I’ve missed a couple bullets. I used to be so caught up in shit like weed, alcohol, partying, etc…that I truly could’ve spiraled out of control. That’s life though, you live and you learn -- just make sure you remember what you learn so you can continue to grow. I have overcome many obstacles and I will make it through the ones already lined up on my road to happiness. “I’ll be fine once I get it….I’ll be good” (Cudi)

him and these technological/innovative advances where would the world be today? I think it is so important to have something to leave the earth once WHO IS “THE RAGER”? IS THIS YOUR ALTER EGO? you physical no longer remain…so while I’m here, The Rager, it’s just some Cudi shit that I use – that’s all. I’m constantly planning for that day. WE SEE YOU HAVE KANYE, TUPAC, AND CUDI DISPLAYED ON YOUR WALL. HOW HAVE THESE PEOPLE IMPACTED YOU AND THE WORLD? Tupac Shakur and Kanye West are one of the most powerful, inspirational men that my generation has seen; but past my generation, these men are some of the “philosopher kings” of our culture. They are not only “rappers” they have some how managed to transcend past that definition. I admire true artists. Regarding Kid Cudi, he truly speaks about what I have gone through in my life. When I listen to his songs and his lyrics I am placed in a totally different state. I argue that he is one of the most creative artists that Hip Hop has ever seen, but what I admire most is that he cannot be placed in a box. He pushes creativity to its limit and that is amazing to me. YOUR ART TELLS A STORY, WHAT ARE YOUR BEST STORIES? Best stories? I could honestly go on for days lol…but in reality, my best story will be the story of my life – whenever I die, my life will be the greatest story ever told. IF I FALL.IF I DIE. KNOW I LIVED”--- EXPLAIN WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS TO YOU. The actual lyric is “if I fall, if I die/know I’ve lived

TALK ABOUT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN ART AND FASHION. DOES FASHION INSPIRE ANY OF YOUR WORK? Fashion is art, and those who treat it as an art usually find success. Many people try to hard to re-create what’s already “hot”, but a smart person will take what’s hot and add their own art, their own creativity to it – ultimately making a better product. Fashion doesn’t really inspire too much of my art, but some of my art could be fashion…if that makes any sense. WHAT ARE YOUR ULTIMATE GOALS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR ARTWORK? WHAT’S NEXT FOR MARK P.? My ultimate goal – not only for my artwork – but in general is to have so much stuff left behind after I die that I’ll need my own museum or something. But the museum will have like 50 different exhibits because I do so much. I want to do so much and the only thing that can stop me is myself… So when asked, “what’s next for you” I simply reply, “good question”

MARCH 2012 FETCHEDGE.COM 47

FETCHEDGE.COM

EDITORS NOTE

e are in the stages where the next few years will shape our entire lives. We are learning there is a thin line between reaching your dreams and allowing them to quickly dwindle away. We often do not know our own minds, struggling to understand why we did what we did in the past and what it is that we really want for the future. Some of our thoughts are subconscious, affecting our conscious thoughts without knowing it. Other times we distract ourselves when submerged thoughts break through the surface, an effort to hide those thoughts from ourselves. If we struggle to understand ourselves, how can we expect to change the world? Today, you must grasp every great vision. Let nothing halt you from achieving substantial growth. Put your faith to the test and allow God to display his power through you. Even if you find yourself backed into a corner, please do not forget your faith and understanding of his everlasting love. Many people fail this test, but the few who pass become fully aware of his power, then that power begins to manifest and great new beginnings occur. But please understand that you have to be able to focus on yourself before greatness occurs. When focusing on yourself, look deep within and find who you truly are. Leave all negativity and opinions at the door and force yourself to know every aspect of yourself. We challenge you to make a list of your good and bad qualities. Draw a line down the center of your paper, creating two columns for ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’, and begin to list each quality. After you do this, make it a goal to scratch each bad quality off, while enhancing each good quality. This will take time, but remember that everything is possible. To learn you must discipline yourself. We remind ourselves of this daily. Find an accountability partner that will offer support in your growth. Let us know how it goes! Impress less. Inspire more. Love, Ashley Curtis & Carlisa Pridgen 4 8 | M A R C H 201 2

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FASHION

PUBLICATION COLLECTION

f you call yourself a “Fashionista”, “Fashion Head”, or just a person that enjoys to look and feel great, then you must add these books to your collection. If you are an aspiring fashion designer, stylist, or anything of that realm, you must continuously practice your craft. This collection of book will inform you of the logistics of the great and evolving world of fashion. With these books, your fashion career will be off to an amazing start. 1. THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF STYLE Nina Garcia Although her image as a judge on Project Runway may be as a rough and stuffy fashion snob, this book portrays Nina Garcia in a totally different light. Its easier to understand someone if you know their story from the beginning and she presents her fashion story from her early years in Columbia,

having a mother obssed with fashion and beauty and being inspired by the effortless perfectly dressed women she grew up around. In this book Garcia encourages readers not to follow rules but to focus on style. “Confidence is your best accessory. Style is a matter of finding out who you are and who you want to be in the world.Inspire yourself? This is a great read for any individual that is nervous about expressing themselves through fashion. $12.00 3. THE SARTORIALIST Scott Schuman Scott Schuman has almost single handedley turned photo blogging into an art form. His amazing shots of impeccably dressed, ordinary people as spun off countless blogs and turned Americas eye back to the streets which are the original birthplace of fashion. This book is an amazing collection of his favorite shots from around the world. The importance of The

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Satorialist’s work is that it recognizes originals in a world full of copies. Designers and the rest of mainstream fashion world is inspired by these anonymous passersby, whose eccentricities are unfortunately turned into trend once they hit the runway. 4. HELMET NEWTON: POLAROIDS Helmut Newton Polaroids is a collection of legendary photographer Helmut Newton’s test polaroids. Newton is known best for his work with French Vogue, and incredibly original take to shooting fashion. Photographers will appreciate this book because it takes a look back at the time before digital photography, where instant polaroids helped a photographer to check lighting,settings etc. before shoot-

ing on film. The collection of polariods put together by Newton’s widow June captures the

THE HANDBOOK

essence of a photographer known to be bold,erotic, abstract and innovative to the world of Fashion photography. 5. STYLE Lauren Conrad Famous for time on MTV’s Laguna Beach and The Hills, Lauren Conrad is also well known for her effortlessly chic, and classic approach to style. “Style” offers tips on creating your own unique look,vintage shopping, and dressing for any occasion. There are also various suggestions and options for hair and makeup as well. This book is great for a girl looking to recreate that simplistic style that Conrad is known for but watch out for the price tag. The styling options in the book come with some steep prictags and if you are a fashionista on the budget, its best you take the great advice the book offers but look for the look for less. 6. EFFORTLESS STYLE June Ambrose June Ambrose is a legendary celebrity stylist who has been on the forefront of

trendsetting. Throughout the 90s Ambrose styles was responsible for styling some of the most groundbreaking hip hop videos and in turn generated many fashion trends. Ambrose is all about creating a signature style, which she does for all of her clients and she brings you a step by step guide to doing this for yourself. “Effortless Style” gives the keys to creating a basic wardrobe, and defining your own style that can be adapted to any scenario. This book is also great for those interested in a career in Image Consulting as Ambrose presents a guide to building style confidence and tailoring a look to a potential client’s needs. 7. THE LUCK GUIDE TO MASTERING ANY STYLE: HOW TO WEAR ICONIC LOOKS AND MAKE THEM YOUR OWN Kim France & Andrea Linett This is an amazing book. Amazing because it is unlike any other “howto” fashion guide on the market. This guide to fashion presents it from an Iconic Style standpoint. Although fashion as changed tremendously throughout the years there are still those classic styles that

have remained. Guides to achieving Euro Chic,California Casual,Rock & Roll, Posh Ecelctic,Mod,American Classic,Bombshell,Arty

Slick,Bohemian, and Gamine styles are all found in the book, along with a style icon such as Jackie O or Twiggy that representing the category her style falls under, keep wardrobe pieces, and a personal account of an everyday woman looking to achieve these looks. Of course true fashionistas know not to characterize themselves in to one style but this book teaches you how to achieve consistency in your wardrobe and the opportunity to be inspired by all of the various style categories.

FASHION FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @FETCHEDGE

PUBLICATION COLLECTION

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PICK OF THE

SEASON

FEMALE 8

16 18 14 5

2 4 17 11

12 01 Passport case $12.99 MODCLOTH.COM 02 Circle scarf $19.99 03 Sassy tassel backpack $307.99 04 Royal blush earrings $16.99 05 Pictured in paris ring $17.99 KEYSHIA DIOR LIPSTICK 06 Red roses lipstick $14.99 07 Doc Marten Boot $150.00 08 ‘Stella’ Black Polka Dot Mesh Bodycon Dress $160.00 09 Pavon Ruffle Tube Dress $101 10 Tropical Leaf Bomb Jacket $84.00 KARMALOOP.COM 11 Lomography: The Fisheye2 I <3 You Camera. $79.00 AMAZON 12 Big K.R.I.T. “4Ever N A Day LIVEMIXTAPES.COM 13 Reality TV series: Klhoe and Lamar 14 Gabbi Metal Toecap Points $100 TOPSHOP.COM 15 Fluid Tapered Trouser $70 TOPSHOP.COM 16 Teal Satin Bow Umbrella $30 TOPSHOP.COM 17 Geo Scarf Print Tee $38 18 Drop Back Checked Shirt $58 19 MOTO Stripe Jamie Jeans $90 01 LRG Pressure Grey Beanie. $21.95 ZUMIEZ 02 Boobie bracelet $3.95 03 Diamond Supply snapback $39.95 KARMALOOP. COM 04 Jed Clothing, checkered scarf. $36.00 05 LRG Core collection towel. $45.00 06 MollaSpace: The PiiiiG Bank in Black. $18.00 07 RVCA track jacket. $95.00 TOPMAN.COM 08 Peoples Market Skinny Shorts $74 09 Back coated twister jeans. $40 10 Burberry Multi Leather Wrap Watch $500 11. Grey Marl Photo Print Sweatshirt $55 12 Black textured bow tie. $8.00 13 Young Jeezy’s TM:103 Album. $13.99 14 L’Homme Yves Saint Laurent Cologne $77 15 All-Son Canvas Rucksack $39 16 Woah! Stripe Sock $8 17 O’Hanion Mills Moccassin $28 18 White Great Britain Flag $28 TOPMAN.COM 19 Dark Port Stretch Skinny Chinos $55 TOPMAN.COM

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PICK OF THE

SEASON MALE

13 14

15 12

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VANNESSA WATERS

DEATH OVER DESIGNER

n his song “Nobody’s Perfect” rapper J.Cole speaks on the sad reality of our generation; “They killin niggas for J’s that’s death over designer. Death over designer. Is it that serious.? During Michael Jordan’s heyday the Air Jordans were the most coveted sneakers on the market, and throughout the 90s there were tremendous amounts of reports of young people killing and robbing each other over these shoes. Throughout the 2000s collectors and Jordan fanatics still lined up for the shoes but the killings seemed to have ceased. Unfortunately with the release of retro versions and re-imaginations of some of the most famous Air Jordans ,the violence that plagued the 90s has reemerged and recently resulted in the deaths and stabbings of many young adults after the release of the Air Jordan Concords. In Seattle there were reports of pepper spray being used on customers who fought at a shopping center. Countless others were arrested for fights and robberies around the United States surrounding the release of the Concords. In the DMV area (D.C. , Maryland,Virginia) another shoe is causing the same melee and violence as the Jordan, the $200 Nike Foamposite. 21 year old Leonard Smith-Matthews was killed defending a friend in a brawl over the sneakers in summer of 2011. SmithMatthews along with three others were stabbed during the brawl which occured on a Thursday and there are reports that the trails of their blood were still visible on Friday. It is incredibley sad and

unspeakable that a promising young life had to end over a pair of shoes, which as speculation would suggest were produced for close to $10 while they hold a whopping $200 pricetag. It is important to take the deaths and violent acts that occur in the name of fashion as a reason to look deeper into the black

I step over piranhes, death over dishonor, they killin’ n**gas for J’s - that’s death over designer. -J. Cole community’s infatuation designer labels and the need to broadcast wealth through material possessions. Obviously that need to own such status items surpasses the moral responsibility of being our brothers keeper. It is hard to imagine how good anyone could feel literally walking around in a dead man’s shoes, and even harder to imagine that African Americans have no problem killing each other over material things. Financial irresponsibility is the big elephant in the room even when it comes to the most educated and successful African Americans versus their white counterparts. It has not been until recent years where the black mogul has emerged in society.Individuals like Jay-Z and P.Diddy have put their money into various business ventures and can sit back and watch it grow. African Americans are finally 54 FETCHED GE. CO M M A RCH 2 0 12

getting hip to what their whitecounterparts have seemingly known all along. Pay yourself first, and know the difference between an assest and a liability. Its always taboo to bring race into issues such as this but it is a reality that there is a difference between how white individuals who are the prodominately rich think about money and the way African Americans who are predominately poor and/ or middle class do. African Americans believe that the more status items you have the richer you appear, while whites seemingly have always acknowledged the true power of a dollar in the bank gaining interest. Think about how the value of those Concords or Foamposites that you paid $200 depreciates as soon as you put them on your feet before the next release date of that new color that you just have to have. Consider all the lives lost and the hurt and pain that has been caused all in the name of fashion. We as a people can do better. If that money is truly burning a hole in your pocket, go do something positive with it , and if all else fails...Put it in the bank!

PAY IT FORWARD TRIBUTE TO AN ICON, FROM A FAN Gionni Carr

Life is a blessing; a gift from God that is sometimes taken for granted. With each day that passes, people are born onto this earth, and people are called home. Some you may know, many you never knew existed. It is my belief that if a person passes away, you should honor their memory by living out their dream and by doing good works to keep their spirit alive. I remember that Saturday, February 18th pretty well. I did a lot of work musically, then went to the gym for the latter half of the day and worked out with my best friend/brother Dennis. When we left the gym that night, I’m listening to my radio (tuned in to 101.1 of course), but the vibe is very different. They are talking about the man “Scooby” as if something happened to him. I had to turn the radio up to make sure I was hearing it correctly. Eventually, DJ Crisis stated that he would miss his brother Scooby. That statement right there confirmed the worse. The world had lost not only a great on-air personality, not only a great role model for the community; but the world had lost a great man of God, inclusive of every powerful word you can imagine to describe the impactful life that he lived. For those that don’t know me, I’m a straight-forward guy, so I won’t sit here and try to make it seem like that he and I were the best of friends because that wouldn’t be the truth. In fact, I probably only seen/conversed with Scooby twice in my entire life. What I can say is that both encounters were very pleasant and even though he was a local legend, he had a humble and genuine spirit. I, like most, have been listening to the Dolewite and Scooby show since it first aired over ten years ago. 101.1 The Beat brought a new urban flavor to Nashville that, at the time, only had one other urban radio station. The dynamic duo came to Nashville and, need I say, became the unofficial mayors of this town! They were everywhere and anywhere, doing any and everything to represent our city! Listening to them every day, even if you never saw them a day in your life, made you feel like you knew them personally. Scooby probably has the most infamous tag line you can think of, that high-pitched voice yelling out “Scoooooooby!” Unfortunately, I didn’t find out about the candlelight vigil that was held outside of the radio on the night that he passed until the day after it happened. I watched the video of it and the word “Powerful,” would be a mild understatement.

You felt the energy, the passion, and most of all; you felt the genuine love that everyone had for him. There was not a dry eye in sight, and if you never heard of him before then, you could tell this was a man that had a positive impact on the lives many. At 101.1 The Beat, he held the official titles of Music Director and Public Service Director; but unofficially, he held several more titles that enabled him to become such an influential and positive part of our community. I had the opportunity to attend the Memorial

Service for Curtis ‘Scooby’ Senior, held at Mt. Zion church on February 27th, 2012. It was a packed house full of his family, friends, and people like me who may not have known him personally, but flat out had the utmost respect for his work ethic and for what he did for our city. The program was carried out in a very professional manner, full of tributes and musical selections that really articulated how great of a person he was. The most powerful moment of the evening for me didn’t come from Bishop Walker’s message; rather it came from his brother/partner Dolewite. And when I say powerful, I don’t mean like it made me feel good at the moment and was forgotten about the next day; I really mean “Powerful,” as in this is going to be my new outlook on life. Dolewite went up to the microphone and proceeded to talk about a movie that I’ve never seen called Pay It Forward. He used the title of that movie to articulate how Scooby lived his life. He stated how Ms. Swanigan and Scooby would be in the drive-thru at a local fast food restaurant, and not only would they pay for their food, but they also would pay for the food of the car behind them. I got to thinking about that and was like, wow! That statement alone let me know the content of Scooby’s character. The

people in the car behind him will never know it was him that paid for their food, which is a clear indication that he didn’t do good deeds for recognition; rather it was the spirit of the lord in his heart allowing him to be a blessing towards someone else. Dolewite went on to elaborate on what Pay it Forward actually meant. Far too often in life, we as people always seek something in return for rendering our services. There is always the greed and selfishness of that unwritten law which states “What do I get out of it,” that prevents us from understanding the true purpose of life. Imagine every good deed you perform as a deposit into your bank account. The logic that we apply far too often is that for every deposit (good deed) we make, we are EXPECTING to be able to “Withdraw” something in return. But what if people just made daily deposits in their “Good Deeds” account and just left them there? If everyone just started lending a helping hand to others, not expecting anything in return, can you imagine how much interest would be collected! You see what I learned from listening to Dolewite speak on the life of Scooby was that plentiful harvests come to those that sew good seeds. In our great city of Nashville and around the world, we have far too many people who carry the mentality that they are “Too Good” or “Too Established,” to give back. If Scooby, being the local legend that he was, kept a humble spirit and found the time to be a blessing to others, what is stopping us from following his great lead? The moral of the story is, just Pay It Forward. Keep investing good deeds and actions into others not expecting anything in return. If no one else is aware of what you do, God is and the interest that he pays is far greater than anything you can imagine! So to you Scooby, I humbly am appreciative for the positive examples that you set, and for the life that you lived. As an aspiring musician, I admired your grind and learned from you doing things “the right way.” It says a lot about a man that can have such a big impact on a person’s life, even after they have left this earth. On behalf of FetchEdge Magazine, myself, and everyone out there that you had a positive influence on, we humbly thank and salute you! Scooby, the legend who taught us all to PAY IT FORWARD, you are now with God, but your spirit and teachings are still among us. Thank You.

SCOOBY TRIBUTE SONG

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STEVIE BOI

THEY SAY THE EYES ARE THE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL… THE SOUL IS WHERE CREATIVITY AND AMBITION LIES. WELL FOR SURE FE KNOWS THAT THIS LIES IN A YOUNG DESIGNER BY THE NAME OF STEVIE... STEVIE BOI THAT IS, THE CREATOR OF SB SHADES. HIS ORIGINALITY HAS EVEN CAPTURED THE EYES OF THE INDUSTRY’S MOST NOTABLE FASHIONISTA’S SUCH AS LADY GAGA, RIHANNA, BEYONCÉ, TEYANNA TAYLOR, TEAIRRA MARI, ESTER DEAN, B-SCOTT, AND MANY MORE. TO HAVE A VISION AND SEE IT COME TO REALITY BEYOND YOUR DREAMS… FE KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT AND CAN SAY THAT STEVIE BOI EMBODIES THAT SAME PASSION IN HIS EYEWEAR DESIGNS. WE ARE VERY THRILLED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK HIM A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS START AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR HIM AND SB SHADES!

YOU SEEM VERY VERSATILE WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM? I am originally from Augusta Georgia but raised mostly overseas in Germany. TELL US WHERE DID YOUR

CREATION COME FROM TO START SBSHADES? WAS IT SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO? In 2009 I started SBshades, it was really random, I’m still baffled at how I had a vision and executed it into fashion. I remember just having a vision of a mask and next thing you know I created eyewear. WHAT OTHER TYPES OF ACCESSORIES OR APPAREL WOULD YOU WANT TO BRAND SB WITH? My headpieces. Currently for fashion week I’m designing a lot of head Pieces it will DEFINITLEY be the talk of the town. BEING THAT YOU ARE SO YOUNG WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG ASPIRING DESIGNERS? Please young designers, save your money and be original. It pays to be the best at what you do, but it pays even more if you’re the first to do it. AS FAR AS THE CREATION OF YOUR SHADES, DO YOU CREATE BY HAND STILL LIKE A DISPLAY

BEHIND THE CULTURE WHO IS STEVIE BOI

Stevie Boi is a celebrity eyewear designer & stylist! If fashion is a true reflection of adaptation, than StevieBoi proves to be a timeless emblem of trend. With retrospect and illusion, Stevie Boi has infused futuristic elements with geometrical lines that redefine alternative style.

FOR YOUR MANUFACTURER TO SEE AND CREATE FROM, OR DO YOU JUST EXPRESS YOUR IDEAS AND LET THEM CREATE? I create by hand and have a manufactor. It’s more of a 80/20 ratio. I love designing everything by hand, but it gets exhausting especially doing 100+ shades a day. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE THAT YOU’VE CREATED THUS FAR? “Coexist” and it’s my oat successfull one, featured in a vogue magazine’s over 6 times. YOU HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS AND VERY IMAGINABLE CREATIVITY. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND SBSHADES? What’s next is a luxury eyewear line for major retail outlets, I’m excited to step up to another market and portray my take on fashion within the mainstream world.

The line, TOxic, which launched in 2007 is totally owned and operated by Stevie Boi himself and champions supernatural innovation with eclectic remixes of alter personas. Never to be duplicated the designs embody individuality, gaining the attention of a huge demographic uninterested in being anything less than themselves. From the edgy accessory line, the signature galactic shades and intermingling of clashing looks, Stevie Boi designs stand alone in a world where imitation is imminent. Already embraced by the Pop & Urban setters, Stevie Boi designs have been worn by the likes of Teyanna Taylor ,Trina, Yung Joc , Tieraa Marie, Lisa Raye, Meagan Good , Columbus Short, Ester Dean, B-Scott, Michelle Rodriguez , RosaAcosta , MarcusPaulk , Rasheeda, Kandi, Dawn Richards, (DirtyMoney) kandi burruss , paulacampell , youngB , Tila Tequila ,New boyz, Tiffany Evans, Eva Marcille Pigford, JOJO ,Rye Rye ,D woods ,Eletrick Red, and Angel Lola Luv. Stevie Boi apparel was sold alongside Bluecotton.com and proved to once again be accepted as the unrivaled model of futuristic expression. Citing the fluidity of art as his inspiration, Stevie Boi reminds us that; to a true innovator, there is no limit to what-and how-one can create. STEVIEBOI.COM INFO@STEVIEBOI.COM TWITTER.COM/SBSHADES

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BEHIND THE CULTURE

SMOKEY “I going high but slowing it down I’m floating high with the Smokiest sounds I’m going high but slowing it down I’m floating high...” you want to know where these lines came from right? ! these are the original lyrics from their song” give it all away” you caught that bliss the good music that puts you in your own zone and nobody can identify with that feeling but you that’s exactly the feeling you will get listening to a Smokey robotic song. Smokey robotics brings forth passion, love, creativity, celebration and most of all “superfuture” music! FE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CATCHING UP WITH THEM TO DISCUSS THE BIRTH OF THE BAND, THEIR MUSIC, THEIR UPCOMING WORKS, AND MORE….

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SO YOU GUYS ARE MORE THAN A BAND. WHAT TYPE OF CHEMISTRY DO YOU ALL BRING INDIVIDUALLY TO BRING OUT THE UNIQUENESS OF THE BAND? Father Dude It takes a certain amount of self-awareness. We have enough faith in what we do individually to know what a song may or may not deserve. To put it simply, we trust each other creatively. I’ll bring out certain Pop/R&B elements that I grew up on. Throw in

ROBOTIC some occasional Zappa-like weirdness and Mike Pattoninspired noises and I’m done. Honestly, we really do inspire each other. Konrad OldMoney We come from completely different scenes in the music industry, so together we end up reflecting on each other in different ways and challenge one another to be better and more creative. In the group I focus mainly on production and tend to produce the more obscure sounding beats, focusing on

dance and pulling influence from Dancehall/ Kuduro music, 80’s electro and pop/ hiphop. !llmind When we get in the studio to create, things happen organically. We’re not in there necessarily planning out the type of music we want to make, we just go with what we feel at that moment. The 4 of us bring something different to the table, so it’s interesting every single time. Seer For me I like to channel

melodies and ideas fairly spontaneously. Then I sit back and integrate them into the beautiful rhythmic and melodic webs my brothers spin.

Seer The past of music is a trampoline, we are the present and the superfuture is the gymnastic flips we execute when creating.

WHEN DID YOU GUYS OFFICIALLY BECOME SMOKEY ROBOTIC AND WHERE DID THIS NAME ORIGINATE FROM?

BESIDES BEING THE REPRESENTATION OF SMOKEY ROBOTIC WHAT ELSE DOES SMOKEY ROBOTIC REPRESENT?

Father Dude Seer and I were making a song (what would later become the Smokey Robotic theme song) and he appeared. Sounds ridiculous cause it was. Konrad OldMoney About a year and a half ago, and the name originated from the one who brought us together. Smokey Robotic. !llmind What they said. Seer As FD said the two-foot little guy literally appeared to us while making music. Fate, destiny, something greater than us to say the least. YOUR GENRE OF MUSIC IS KNOWN AS “SUPERFUTURE” ! WHAT COMPONENTS WOULD YOU GUYS SAY MAKES ONE SUPERFUTURE? Father Dude I used to explain it as “a blend of Hip Hop/Pop/Electronic and R&B” but now I just stand on my hands when asked. And I’m really bad at standing on my hands. Konrad OldMoney Well, you need a dash of funk, mixed with crazy fly visions, you let it sit on the ol’ stove and come to a boil... once an unmeasured amount of time goes by you then let the almost superfuture chill on the local music market, and serve according to demand. !llmind The fact that we create music, tapping into the higher energies of the universe, makes it superfuture.

BEHIND THE CULTURE

Father Dude Microcosmic madness. Konrad OldMoney Love ,women, beauty, music. !llmind Unity. Seer The perfect balance of reality and no reality. HOW WAS THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH KOREAN HIP HOP ICONS YOON MI RAE AND TIGER JK? Father Dude It was a pleasure and quite the surprise when Smokey set it up. They are incredibly humble and I am super proud of what we’ve done... so far. Konrad OldMoney They’re really talented , hard working people with a very fast turnaround. we had a lot of fun working on the song with them. !llmind It was an absolute pleasure. They are also some of the coolest people on Earth. Seer It was an honor. Can’t wait to go to Korea with Pier Pictures and create some real crazy magic. WHERE DOES SMOKEY ROBOTIC GET INSPIRATION FROM? Father Dude You’d have to ask him. Konrad OldMoney Astronaut Queens.

!llmind A higher being. Seer The outer world but more so his own heart. WE NOTICE ALSO THAT SMOKEY ROBOTIC BRINGS A LOT OF ART AND CREATIVITY. WHAT ELSE DO YOU ALL WANT PEOPLE TO GET FROM YOUR MUSIC? Father Dude I have no intentions about how this music is perceived. I think it speaks for itself. Art isn’t about convincing, it’s about connecting and relating. Konrad OldMoney We don’t need much to do a lot. And artists owe it to themselves as well as their fans, to not follow in the typical cookie cutter template of what “works” and what doesn’t. !llmind: We want our music to make people happy. Period. Seer If anything I hope the music inspires people to realize with the power of discipline and your imagination you can do whatever you feel. THOSE SMOKEY ROBOTIC BEAR HEADS THAT YOU ALL WEAR ARE REALLY DIFFERENT DO YOU EACH

HAVE ONE? AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU WEAR THEM FOR SHOWS? Father Dude You think I need another mohawk? Nope, don’t wear one. Konrad OldMoney We do not wear them ourselves. Smokey riders do. Seer The masks are metaphors. My face is a mask so I do not wear them unless I’m going to the bodega to buy BoxWaterIsBetter. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NEXT FROM SMOKEY ROBOTIC? Father Dude To drown you in the Smoke Flood of 2012... Konrad OldMoney Lots of superfuture funk and movement, and about 50 + songs released by mid march. starting off with the Smoke Flood EP, which comes in five parts. Also, the usual... lots of videos and art. keep up! !llmind What they said. Massive amounts of thangs. Seer Crystal waves of smokiness. GREAT!

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storm was blowing in from the gulf, threating a no-name bar a somewhere along a dirt road in Mississippi. It was here, almost 40nyears ago, that something strange and unusual happened. The story goes that a woman so shockingly beautiful walked into the bar, causing the bartender to stutter and shake as he poured her a shot. The locals sat in awe, parting in silence as she made her way to the old wurlitzer juke box that had been dark and still for years. They say she put in a coin and at that same moment a flash of lightening came through

the door. The juke box lit up and Al Green’s “simply beautiful” came pouring out. She didn’t seem surprised, not even a two-foot robot named smokey blew right out of the juke box flashing lights and stood beside her. She took his hand and they left. No one dared to follow them as the juke box fell silent again. And that was it… forty years passed by like it never happened like they fell off the earth. until now... smokey robotic is not a band. They are an all-star crew of NYC and Vanouver –based

SEER | writer, vocals Born in London, the son of two writers, Seer has been recording since age 11. New York is his home. He graduated from the New School for creative writing and at 21, was signed to EMI publishing, the largest music publisher in the world. Seer is a madman, a poet, and a creative writer, singer, and rapper. It’s no surprise that he is also addicted to Kurt Vonnegut novels. FATHER DUDE | writer, vocals, producer, engineer From a cappella to the drums, Jazz and R&B to Progressive Rock and Metal, Father Dude is a fully-versed musician with skills that have landed him and those he’s worked with performances on FUSE television and the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B awards. Whether solo or with a group, Father Dude brings his soulful sound and pop sensibilities to complete the package. This time, he is the finishing touch to one of music’s strongest songwriting/production teams, Smokey Robotic. KONRAD OLD MONEY | producer, vocals, engineer,

graphic artist

Konrad Old Money, has been described as having a dynamic, diasporic sound. He blends influences of Global

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musicians who are breaking new ground, creating a genre of music they call “superfuture.” What’s the definition? It’s when you push your dreams and make the best of living.

Bass, Soul, Dancehall, Polish Folk, Hip-Hop, and Electronica to stretch the limits of new age music. He has worked with Afrikan Boy, Redman, Das Racist, Skyzoo, Tigarah, Eek-amouse, Drunken Tiger and Yoon Mirae. His music often hits top chart spots on Hypem.com and gets played by forwardthinking selectors of the world. Commercially, he has appeared on soundtracks for EA sports alongside artists such as the roots, NERD, aloe blacc, Black Keys, and Atmosphere. !LLMIND | producer, engineer !llmind participated in Beat Society, competing against well-known acts like Kanye West and Just Blaze. He’s created music for underground artists such as Little Brother, Boot Camp Clik, and Akrobatik. His client list of mainstream artists include: 50 Cent, Eminem, Redman, Scarface, LL Cool J, Talib Kweli and others. Currently, he is an instructor at the Clive Davis Department Of Recorded Music at NYU for a program called “Future Music Moguls.” www.smokeyrobotic.com Twitter:@SmokeyRobotic YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/SmokeyRobotic Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/smokeyrobotic

ROBOTIC

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POLITICS MADE COOL The hot topic as of late is the Republican Presidential Primary. Basically, it is an all out “War” amongst 4 candidates in the Republican Party all fighting to be the Grand Old Party (GOP) nominee to face off against President Obama in the November Presidential election. The candidates include: Mitt Romney (former Massachusetts Governor), Rick Santorum (Former Senator), Congressman Ron Paul, and Newt Gingrich (former House Speaker). In this article, I will give you a little information on each candidate and provide you with a summary of their political ideology.

MITT ROMNEY Born in Detroit in 1947, Romney makes the argument the he’s a “Washington Outsider.” He built his fortune in the private sector and truth be told, is an established businessman. He is the wealthiest of all the candidates (and also the last, and most reluctant to release his taxes) earning over $42 million in the past two years! The guy is a walking bank to say the least. What really makes me cringe about this guy is that you will hear him say over and over in his debates that he is the candidate that is the “most relatable” to the American people. He gloats about not being a product of Washington and being from the “Real Streets of America” and not being another “Washington Politician.” Am I like the only one who calls BS on this guy’s mentality? To me, he is the perfect representation of the Republican Party; he personifies how out of touch they are with the American people and how they live in this fictitious bubble. He was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and by the end of his term in 2007; the state had $2 billion in its rainy day fund. He takes credit for balancing the state budget, creating jobs, etc; but his most talked about accomplishment was his healthcare insurance reform coined “RomneyCare.” Just to give you the key points; RomneyCare was enacted in 2006 and it mandated that almost all residents of Massachusetts obtain a state-governmentregulated minimum level of healthcare insurance coverage. And for those citizens below the federal poverty level that were not eligible for Medicaid, free healthcare insurance was provided. Now peep this…Romney, along with all the other Republicans are 1,000% against what they call “ObamaCare,” which requires Americans to have some form of health insurance by 2014 or be fined by the federal government. Basically, Obama is pushing

for all Americans to be insured. Now guess where Obama got the model, if you guessed Mitt Romney…go buy yourself a drink and put it on my tab lol. Romney’s fellow GOP opponents have used this situation to attack him and it makes a lot of sense. How can he fight the President on the issue of healthcare, when he did nearly the exact same thing while he was Governor; which brings me to the other reason I don’t like Romney, he’s a “Flip-Flopper.” He has repeatedly changed his political position on several issues according to the campaign he’s running at the time. This is why he’s having so much difficulty winning over his own party; they flat out just don’t like, nor do they trust the guy. The conservatives don’t really view Romney as being conservative enough for them. On the March 6th Super Tuesday Election, Romney won 6 out of 10 states (Virginia, Ohio, Vermont, Idaho, Alaska, and Massachusetts); he currently has approximately 401 delegates out of the 1,144 needed to win the GOP nomination.

RICK SANTORUM Former U.S. Senator representing Pennsylvania, he deems himself as a social conservative and the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. Currently, he poses the biggest threat to Romney’s run for the nomination because Santorum has a very strong following amongst Evangelicals and those who flat out don’t want Romney to be the nominee. Santorum is a very religious type of guy (which I can groove to) as well as being a family man. I actually don’t dislike the guy; just some of his views are a tad bit radical. He strongly opposes same sex marriage and birth control, he supports earmarks, he supported the No

Child Left Behind initiative which was an utter fail, but I won’t get started on that because it really upsets me; well maybe I will just a little bit. No Child Left Behind should have been named “Teach kids how to pass a standardize test so that we can get more money from the government.” It’s ridiculous how so many teachers, principals, and school districts were able to pimp the government out of money all at the expense of educationally crippling so many students. Several schools and teachers manipulated student test scores and/ or just passed them for the sake of meeting requirements. Newsflash, you teach students to expand their knowledge and to help them develop, not for money. **Takes deep breath** now back to Santorum. He does really well in the debates in my opinion. He wants to cut spending and create a balanced budget (nothing wrong with that). But, his downfall is that he can’t garner the support of women because of his sometimes harsh, inconsiderate tone towards social issues that women voters pay attention to. On the March 6th Super Tuesday Election, Santorum won 3 out of 10 states (Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Dakota); he currently has approximately 160 delegates out of the 1,144 needed to win the GOP nomination.

NEWT GINGRICH Newt is probably the most interesting out of all of the candidates. Hmmm, where shall I start? He was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-1999 (where he

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was pressured to resign by his Republican colleagues), he has been married 3 times and divorced twice. Check this out. He left his first wife after having an ongoing affair with a woman (9 years younger), who eventually became his second wife. Then, he divorced his second wife after having an ongoing affair with a woman (this time 23 years younger), who eventually became his 3rd and current wife. Yeah, the guy apparently is monogamously challenged and has a problem following traditional marriage principles, but he doesn’t seem to have a problem spittin’ game to a young girl lol. Yeah, so I’m not really going to go into Newt’s political views because they tend to change a lot. He was a front runner at one point during this race, but hey, so was Herman Cain so that doesn’t say very much about being a front runner in the GOP race! At this point, he is pretty much irrelevant and only able to stay in the race because he has a strong financial backing from his Super Pac, well one person in particular, Sheldon Adelson, billionaire casino owner who has donated almost $21 million to Newt’s Super Pac. Before I jump back to the Newtster, do you know this guy Sheldon Adelson is estimated to make $3.3 million an hour! Is that like even possible! With that type of money, you could literally work 8-5 and retire off of one day’s salary and still be in the top tier of wealthy Americans! Ok back to Newt, yeah he is pretty much the most racist candidate in the race. He wants to abolish welfare and government aid and thinks that Black and Latino kids should spend part of their school day cleaning toilets to earn income; no for real he said that! So for these reasons and many more, he obviously won’t be the Republican nominee but I must say that he is doing a great job as playing “The Spoiler” for Rick Santorum by taking votes away from his base. Just like Rush Limbaugh, the Newtster will always say or do something that will make headlines for its ignorance. So with that in mind, I say let him run for entertainment value! On the March 6th Super Tuesday Election, Newt won his home state of Georgia and he currently has approximately 110 delegates out of the 1,144 needed to win the GOP nomination.

RON PAUL If you ask me, Ron Paul is the most dangerous candidate Obama would have to run against; mainly because he has the most common sense and is able to relate to the average American. But he won’t win the nomination. His stances on many issues are not conservative enough to get him the Republican

POLITICS MADE COOL

support he needs to win. The interesting part is that he does very well with younger voters and is probably the most popular amongst the college crowd. His views are not that bad actually. He feels that government should play a smaller role and let the states and the people decide what’s best for them, instead of the institution of government making all the decisions. He believes that we shouldn’t be sending American troops overseas to die for wars that we shouldn’t be involved with in the first place. He is a strong advocate for following the constitution and protecting civil liberties afforded to every citizen of this nation. Listed below are additional political pledges that he bases his movement around: • He wants to cut $1 trillion in spending his first year in office • Abolish entitlement programs such as Medicaid and Welfare and leave it up to the states to regulate and solve their unique issues • He plans to cut wasting government spending including perks, wasteful travel expenses, and excessive pay. • He pledges to cut the corporate tax rate to 15% in order to make America more competitive in the global marketplace The coolest thing I’ve noticed about Ron Paul is that he doesn’t play into Washington politics as much as the other candidates. He’s a straight shooter, common sense type of guy and he speaks the language of the average American. Although he does want to extend the Bush tax cuts (which I absolutely disagree with…the rich should pay their fair share just like everyone else), he did say if he became President, he would take a salary of $39,336. That salary is approximately equal to the median personal income of the average American worker. I think that within itself proves that he is more in touch with the average American and doesn’t view himself as a part of the Washington elite. Ron Paul won no states On the March 6th Super Tuesday Election and he currently has approximately 60 delegates out of the 1,144 needed to win the GOP nomination. Another element to consider about the GOP Presidential Race is that it is dragging out entirely too long. With 4 candidates flat out tearing each other apart in the media, President Obama is sitting back with a bowl of popcorn and a coke enjoying every moment of it! The Republican Party will increasingly become more divided the longer this

GOP race plays out; furthermore, the candidates are shelling out so much money trying to beat each other, that it will be a tough task to generate even more money to campaign against President Obama. According to a CNN independent review, President Obama is raising more money than all of the GOP candidates combined; and considering that all he has to do is use the Republican’s own attack ads against whoever wins the nomination and that the economy is showing positive growth, his path to re-election is looking rather bright. In conclusion, what really scares me about the Republican Party is that they whole-heartedly believe they are in tune with America. If you just listen to some of the stuff they say on the national stage, you literally will stare at the TV in awe like…”did this (blank) (blank) really just say that in real life?” From Gingrich suggesting that black and Latino inner city kids should spend a part of their school day working cleaning toilets and doing janitorial duties so they can earn income and learn necessary skills for survival (yes this dude said that and click this YouTube link if you don’t believe me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc7 byJV0jVY&feature=related ); to him calling Obama a “Food Stamp President,” and him calling Spanish “The language of the ghetto.” I mean this guy is a trip! Romney isn’t too far behind, stating that he is not concerned about the poor because they have a “safety net.” Better yet, how about Rush Limbaugh, a famous conservative talk show host, calling a Georgetown female Law student a “slut” and a “prostitute,” all because she believes that contraceptives should be covered by private insurance plans. If you listen to everything else he said about her over that 3 day period before he finally apologized, calling her a slut/ prostitute was one of the nicer comments he made. That situation really made me laugh; not because what he said was funny (it was the complete opposite, very disrespectful), but rather because it just completely amazes me how some of these guys can be so disrespectful and racist and yet, they are the faces of the Republican Party and use this nonsense to stir up their base. I challenge you to watch CNN for one day. You too will agree that the GOP Presidential Election is the best reality TV series on cable! Full of drama, lies, bickering, slandering, and every element that will make you tune in to the next episode lol. Until next time my friends, stay blessed and be encouraged. Be easy and grind hard!

GIONNI CARR @gionni_carr

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FF LAURA KATHLEEN PLANCK, 26, TRIED OUT FOR LIFETIME’S PROJECT RUNWAY FOUR TIMES AFTER GRADUATING FROM WKU WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN DESIGN, MERCHANDISING AND TEXTILES IN 2007

Fashion Forward

“EVERY TIME I went and tried out i made it through the rounds of talent and judging your clothing,” Planck said. “I feel that it always came down to being right for a certain personality.” For the determined St. Louis native, the fourth time her personality was the charm and helped earn her a top five finish on Project Runway, where designers compete against each other in a series of challenges. “I’ve always been blunt and I never beat around the bush,” she said. Newport graduate Angie Tevis said Planck’s energetic and sassy personality made them instant best friends in college. “We got really close as roommates, because she was just a really loyal good friend,” Tevis said. The pair met when they pledged Kappa Delta their freshman year. Tevis said her former roommate was opinionated, but also caring. “She’d be like ‘Are you going to wear that?’ and then style me and do my hair,” Tevis said. “I learned a lot about fashion living with her.” Planck even got some flak and side eyes for some of the outfits she wore. “She had tons of supporters, but she had haters also,” Tevis said. Cindy Jones, a consumer and family sciences instructor at WKU, noticed Planck’s passion in a problem solving

Photo by Ariana McLaughlin

class. Jones gave Planck and other students T-shirts, scissors and pins to create an original garment. Laura constructed 50 different designs and hired a photographer to take pictures for her portfolio. “Laura’s one of those students who always did a little more than she was asked,” Jones said. While balancing cheerleading, Planck designed costumes for Spring Sing

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and attended Accademia Italiana, a design school in Florence, Italy. Planck said she couldn’t pass on the opportunity to study abroad. “I wanted to be around people who wanted it as much as I did,” she said. She also interned with New York handbag designer Jean Claude Mastroianni and landed a position in Texas as an event coordinator/executive with Target. However, Planck wasn’t gratified in the

direction of her budding career. “It just wasn’t for me,” she said. “I told myself, ‘You need to start your own label now.’” At the age of 24, Planck headed home to establish her brand and build up her clientele. She called all the fashion editors in St. Louis and sent them her portfolio. Under her self-titled label, “Laura Kathleen,” she designed custom dresses for family friends and showcased her ready-to-wear line at St. Louis Fashion Week. Jones and several students attended her first runway show, which Planck said she was both honored and nervous. “It’s just really exciting to see a student that you had be involved and passionate in something you love, too,” Jones said. On Project Runway, Planck made it to the final five contestants and showcased her collection at New York Fashion Week, which she said she designed on emotion.

She said being on the show gave her a stronger sense of her aesthetic. “I’m more confident about my brand and who I’m designing for,” Planck said. Jones thought her New York Fashion Week collection was spectacular and well constructed. Planck’s style is dressy and feminine, which Jones said she could relate to. Tevis said the style is young and fresh, but also classy and multidimensional. “She’s truly an artist,” Tevis said. “I know when she’s creating something, she’s envisioning how it would look on her and appeal to women.” Professors and students anticipated Project Runway each week to cheer on Planck. Faculty updated a display of “LK designs” on the third floor of Academic Complex. Jones said although she feels like a “proud mama,” she can’t take any credit for her success. “I think it proves that there are just as many pro players in small schools,” Jones said. “You can’t teach passion

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- either you have it or you don’t, and she’s found her niche.” Planck said she gained the confidence and friendships she needed while at WKU. “Being at WKU doesn’t mean that you can’t work for a good label or start your own. It’s just hard work,” she said. “I wouldn’t trade WKU for any other school.” Planck viewed Project Runway as an opportunity to grow. She reached a larger market by selling garments on her website,laurakathleen.com She hopes to become a household brand and possibly open a store in Bowling Green for students. Although Project Runway helped gain her fame, Planck doesn’t want the show to overshadow her brand. “With reality shows, people get so caught up in seeing the person,” she said. “With Project Runway, I hope people can remember me for the fabulous clothes and not my face.” LAURAKATHLEEN.COM

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Madness is

ARLIER THIS YEAR I SAT DOWN WITH Nashville‘s punk inspired designer Emily Swinson. We met at Fido, a small urban café located on 21st street. We sat outside in the beautiful October weather as we chatted about her fashion love child Madness Is. “Everything is better with studs”! , says edgy designer Emily Swinson. “I always loved cutting up shirts and studded hats and other things. I always knew I wanted to design”. Emily started Madness Is Clothing six years ago in college. She tells us she has always had a “passion for fashion”. Dreaming of her own store, she enter college as a Entrepreneurship major.

is born and thriving. Inspired by graphic neon pop art clothing, she designs t-shirts and other items. She says “I wanted every shirt to have that certain pop art feel. I loved taking old vintage t-shirts and twisting them into

Now years later, Madness Is Clothing , 68 FETCHED GE. CO M M A RCH 2 0 12

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something new and chaotic“. She explains that every design she creates is for a basic love of clothing. She wants every one of her customers to enjoy getting dressed just as much as she does. “People should have fun wearing clothes”. A Madness is customer is edgy and unconventional, someone who loves to stand out and wants to be just a little different from everybody else. This person could be in their teens to their early or late thirties. She offers items such as hats, hoodies, and t-shirts. When asked about the source of her inspiration she says, I get most of my inspiration from blogs and also at night time when I’m going to bed. When

im laying there I have so much tine to think”! She tells us ,“It helps, even though I forget most of them by morning“, she laughs. Emily also talks about how hard it was to begin her business fresh out of college. She says, “Its definitely has been a process, taking care of the business essentials of my brand was hardest thing to accomplish, seeing that I was totally blind to that sort of thing”. “All the licensing, taxes, international shipping, and customer service problems were a pain”. But she says she has got along fine, even though she had to sometimes borrow from own personal checks. Now-a-days she says ,“I have learned some things, but I

don’t believe im totally there yet, my biggest problem now is finding the time to fit everything in”, she laughs. I asked Emily about her favorite item in her closet and she says” its definitely my studded leather jacket”. She further explains, “ I can wear it with anything, I just throw it on and make my way out the door”. “I also have a secret passion for shoes”, she tells us, “ I wish I could design shoes, I love them. Sometimes I find myself buying shoes I never wear”. Her favorite accessory is jewelry in which she wants to share that passion with everyone because will soon start to design a jewelry line. The line will showcase pieces that display the same edgy appeal as her clothing. If you are interested in purchasing some Madness is clothing, Emily has her clothing in two brick and mortar stores in Nashville. Posh, which is located in the West End area and the Nashville Clothing Company which is located at the Icon in the Gulch. She also has a website called, www. madnessisthisclothing.com, where all her available designs can be viewed and purchased.

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