December 2017 ¡ ISSUE 19 ¡ FREE
smoke.media
a robot has more rights than me PG.14-17
safety first when it comes to the sesh PG. 12-13 01 - cover.indd 1
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TEAM
INSIDE
Lama El Khamy editor in chief
mag.editor@smoke.media
katherine cenaj
deputy editor-in-chief mag.deputy@smoke.media
michael ward & Jasmin Goken comment
mag.comment@smoke.media
A word from the editor
miriam cocuzza & mark hoskin
a whole new experience.
mag.music@smoke.media
The music scene has seen a rise in loads of new artists and one of the most talked about at the moment is Big Shaq. Well, one of our contributors, DrewAlexandra O’Keefe, has loads to say about the matter. Head down to page 20 to read all about it!
music
kristiyan stefanov & Louis holder arts
mag.arts@smoke.media
peony hirwani lifestyle mag.lifestyle@smoke.media
kate reichardt & omar balde fashion
mag.fashion@smoke.media
Egle Lusciauskaite Marketing
mag.marketing@smoke.media SMOKE MAG is produced monthly by a team of student volunteer editors and contributors. SMOKE MAG is published by the University of Westminster Students’ Union, but views presented do not necessarily mirror those of UWSU or the editorial team. If you would like to make a complaint or comment about our journalism, please contact the editor in chief, Lama El Khamy, in the first instance.
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Hiya, I still can’t believe that we’re already at the last issue of the semester. Boy, how time flies! This semester was full of ups and downs for us, but we came out strong! I’m very proud of this issue and my team. Since this is a December issue, Christmas is dominating the pages, with a twist of course. Have you ever wondered how life would turn out if Santa really existed? Well Deep Shika has, and is sharing her fantasies with you on page 24. And, if you’re someone who has never celebrated Christmas or who wants a new experience, then we have a treat for you. Just turn to pages 8 & 9 to discover
December
Okay, I’m going to stop talking now and let this issue speak for itself. Once you start reading it you won’t be able to stop. And if you like what you see, then why not write for us? We would love to have your writing in here :D Hope you enjoy the issue and have a lovely christmas break! Peace out, Lama xoxo
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INSIDE
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COMMENT PG. 4-7
FEATURES PG. 8-13
CELEBRITY ENCOUNTERS & I SAY NO TO WORKING ON BOXING DAY
sesh safety with dan owens & celebrating a foreign christmas
centrefold PG. 14-17
MUSIC PG. 18-21
the robot with more rights than me
a chat with husky loop & Big shaq: never too hot?
LIFESTYLE PG. 24-25
FASHION PG. 26-27
gift ideas and what if santa existed?
birdsong: no sweatshops and no photoshop
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COMMENT
i say no to working on boxing day
BY Michael Ward
It’s December, and at least in this country, that means at least 8 weeks of mayhem, festivities and shopping. As a retail worker, and as a human, shopping plagues my Christmas time. It’s fun to buy presents, its fun to shop and it’s understandable that retailers would try to make as much money as they can during this time period - but don’t let it be at the expense of my own Christmas. If you’ve been a retailer worker, or are a retail worker unfortunate enough to be forced to work over this christmas period then you will relate to my grievances. Last year, a petition on the topic received over 143,000 signatures leading to the
matter being debated in the House of Commons. I was one of those signatures, and much to my dissatisfaction, nothing has changed.
or nine at night on Christmas Eve, and then being expected to work from the early hours of Boxing day is, in my eyes, nothing short of slavery.
Working hours are only the tip of the iceberg. Transport is stripped back during the height of the Christmas holidays, and rightly so. Something the transport industry seems to understand is the idea of respecting national holidays, The power of the retail but then how do retail workers industry is too important get to work? to our government it would seem to put the welfare of Low pay, limited and workers first. Many shops extortionate travel options expect their vastly underpaid equal misery. employees to be ready and available for them to exploit Some people love it, some over the Christmas period. people hate it but I’ll stay begrudged and resent every It may seem dramatic, but moment of my Boxing day working until seven, eight shift.
“boxing day is, in my eyes, nothing short of slavery”
Minciment et, audande licimet quam faccaer chicipsum illorun.
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what our students had to say about it: “ I DON’T MIND WORKING ON BOXING DAY, I’D RATHER EARN MONEY THAN SPEND IT. IF I’M DESPERATE TO SHOP ON THAT DAY AND I AM WORKING, I’LL GET MY MUM OR SISTERS TO SHOP FOR ME ” - DIPALI LIMBACHIA
“ I ONLY WORK IF I REALLY HAVE TO, I’D RATHER PICK UP SOME BARGAINS ” - KATE REICHARDT
“ SHOULD BE A DAY FOR FAMILY AND MINCE PIES INIT ” - GRACE BAGGOTT
“it’s just stupid.” - Sonakshi Sharma
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COMMENT
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“ working on boxing day can get ugly ” - bishakha dutta
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COMMENT
strong you must be, my padawan I
samera iqbal reports how star wars changed her life
n a generation marked by the dominance of film and TV, it is no wonder that a series like Harry Potter has changed the lives of so many people. 20 years later, Harry Potter still affects us all. Yet every individual has that certain character or film that has changed their lives. For me, it was Star Wars that made me the sci-fi fan that I am today. I remember my dad dragging me to watch one of the prequel movies as a child. Back then, I just enjoyed the stories and I liked the action. Star Wars was full of that and it connected me with my dad in a way that no other movie could have.
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What most attracted me when I first watched the entire series, and still does today, is probably the fictional world it is set in. There is a clear sense of good and evil with the Jedi and the Siths, and the costumes play a large role in the stories itself. Every detail needed a lot of creativity and effort, just like writing a novel. The fact that Lucas has managed to maintain this throughout the series, with decades between each trilogy, is commendable.
Now, as I write sci-fi, I look back at Star Wars to see how each story has been crafted into the fi c ti o n a l world,
so that I can try to create something as believable.
“every detail needed a lot of creativity and effort.”
A fact about the original movies: a designer created tiny spacecrafts and paintings to trick us into believing life-sized characters were battling in space. This made me appreciate the determination to push the limits of the cinematic world. Not only would the story be told for generations, but Lucas created it with, compared to today, limited resources. It goes to show that nothing is impossible with the right mindset. U l ti m a t e l y , Star Wars is a franchise that will capture the hearts of scifi fans for eternity. Now, as the recent trilogy continues, my siblings get an opportunity to connect with the generations before them.
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Boldness in business - a day with Lord karan
COMMENT
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deep shikha learns about the true virtues of a businessman
N
ormally we have the perception that celebrities are arrogant, snobbish or full of themself. My opinion completely changed after meeting Lord Karan Bilimoria. He is a British Indian Entrepreneur who happens to be the Chairman and Managing Director of Cobra Beer. Not only that, but he is the youngest Vice Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, as well as being an Independent Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords. We were blessed by his gracious presence at the Westminster Business School where he came for a talk on the topic ”Boldness in Business.” After the talk was over, I decided to grab him to ask for guidance and satisfy my curiosity. He was a complete gentleman with sweet
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gestures and a warm personality. He was simple in his thoughts as well as his actions. It was startling to witness the fact that a man whose company’s profit was £8.5m in 2016 can be so humble and down to earth. The way he explained and laid emphasis on his motto “To Aspire and Achieve Against All Odds, with Integrity” made me respect him even more.
“seeing him bE so humble and down to earth was startling.” His talks had quotes of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, which sounded like unparalleled pearls of wisdom.
Before, I always read that successful people are grounded, but it was unbelievable to see a man practically guiding with his virtues. His views and aspirations were strong in terms of giving valuable input for our future careers and ambitions. He talked about trust and integrity to be the two pillars contributing to success in one’s life. He also added a pinch of humour to the conversation by introducing his 10 important P’s seen as essential for any business: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, ‘Phinance’, Passion and Profit. I now reflect on my learning and I really feel that being successful is important, but being humble is fundamental. These lessons I will carry for the rest of my life thanks to my celebrity encounter.
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FEATURE
I
’m from Algeria, the biggest country in north Africa. Algeria’s a Muslim country where most of the citizens follow the religion of Islam and do not celebrate Christmas. Waking up in the morning in Algeria on the 25th of December never made me think “IT’S CHRISTMAS” or I never ran down the stairs searching for the stacked pile of presents under a dead tree in my living room.
December in Algeria isnt about consumerism, much like it is in the UK Winters in Algeria have cold weather and sometimes snow where I would wake, school would be cancelled and my garden covered in a white blanket of ‘fairy dust’, as I used to call it. I pranced around in my fluffy purple pyjamas, going through my house, running out on the porch, freezing my toes off to then jumping back inside. December would get so cold that I’d wrap myself in bed at night with my favourite hat and sleep to the sound of my mother reading bed time stories, painting my imagination with the world’s nocturnal animals, foraging through the woods, finding their habitat for the winter blooms. December in Algeria isn’t about consumerism, much like it is here in the UK. We
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bu as Christmas kn Aisha Benmeriem open our eyes to what chritmas is like when there’s no fat man in a big red suit
don’t spend our savings on trees, cakes and pies and there isn’t the expectation to splurge on presents or Christmas stockings. Instead, we gather all together as family, celebrating life in the moment and enjoying our family and friends, in some ways just like families in Britain. This year, on the 30th November until the 1st of December, Muslims around the world and in Algeria will observe the birth of the Prophet Muhammed (peace
be upon him). The day is called Mawlid al-Nabi, which is observed in Rabi’ al-awwal, meaning the third month of the Islamic calendar. The day is not celebrated as such however, it is more of a remembrance. Celebrations such as Eid al Fitr see Muslims around the world celebrating the end of their month of fasting in remembrance of Allah (God) and for Zakat al-Fitr meaning charity. The religious holiday is about being thankful to Allah (God) for the food, homes,
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health, security. And overall, trying to better ourselves as Muslims by reading and reciting more of the Quran and praying our daily prayers. We are reminded thus, not to indulge in over excessive spending but instead bond as an Ummah, a community of Muslims around the world. It is a time where we donate
but not as you as know it
and become charitable. Not dedicated to one specific festive month, other celebrations during the year include Eid Al Adha, also called the “Sacrifice feast”, which is the second Eid and is the most holy out of the two Muslim holidays. The religious celebration places importance on the commitment to God through the story of the Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ishmael. In remembrance of Ibrahim’s story, Muslim households slaughter a sheep. The meat is distributed in thirds. One third is consumed by the family, another by the needy and another for family and friends/neighbours. This encourages a shared community whereby
nobody feels left out of the celebration.
Muslim households slaughter a sheep
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Whether celebrating Christmas or not, remember all the people who do not have a secure accommodation or have not got a family to celebrate with, and remember that other communities, no matter how different the method, celebrate and come together just like the British do at Christmas time. Happy Festivities!
our like n in a suit
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FEATURE
spicy nights at bar salsa Andrea ribeiro’s suggestion for a banging night out
T
he years we spend at university are some of the best of a student’s life. We get to be “adults” but, at the same time enjoy the perks of being a student. The nights out, the NUS student discounts and the Students’ Union parties are all that make this experience memorable. As a student studying in London, there are endless places to be and things to do before we face the ‘real world’. So, here’s an alternative for a night out: Bar Salsa. Latin music has been topping the UK charts this year. You’ve probably heard Despacito countless times on
the radio along with Mi Gente, by J. Balvin and Willy William, that became so popular even Beyoncé featured in the song’s remix. Given the great music, what better way to experience a bit more of the Latin culture than to go to a salsa bar/ restaurant?
“the atmosphere is fantastic!” One such salsa bar is ‘Bar Salsa’. The food is delicious, prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is fantastic! There is a dance floor, where classes are sometimes held. Don’t worry, if you’re not too keen on dancing you can still enjoy a lovely evening with your mates away from the stress of presentations and assignments. There are two venuesone in Charing Cross and the other in Temple, with opening times from 10am to 2am Monday to Saturday and from 5pm to 3am on Sundays. Any entries before 7pm are free and during happy hour (5pm to 8pm) you can get drinks at half price. Day to day offers are perfect
for our student budgets where you can get up to 50 per cent off food and drinks depending on the day! Just seeing couples and groups going up to the dancefloor and dancing their feet off will put you in a good mood, as the ambiance fills you from head to toe. And if you’re into the quieter scene, you can go sit outside where you can talk with your friends and enjoy the scenery around you.
“add a different flavour to your student experience” It’s easy to add a different flavour to your student experience, so why not just do it? After all, we attend one of the most culturally diverse universities in the country. This weekend you could learn to dance Salsa, the next Kizomba, and the following anything that sparks your interest!
image by Natalya on unsplash
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You can check out what is going on at Bar Salsa by visiting their website bar-salsa.com
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FEATURE
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FEATURE
learning your limits with sesh safety’s dan owns by harry lye
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“Sesh” is eponymous, a word often used by students when planning a night out. It encompasses everything from drugs to alcohol. And it gets used quite a lot by them. The drug safety is widely discussed in the country, but it often seems not enough. It can be hard for people to know their limits. Especially the students who have freshly moved away from their homes and have money on their hands.
when they don’t know where their drugs are coming from. Sesh Safety, a hugely popular Facebook group with over 45,000 members is here to fill this void and help people stay safe.
All this money and independent life can be fatal for the students who lack a proper drug education. The danger is always prevalent
Born somewhat out of necessity for quick, accessible information, the group has spread like wildfire attracting not only students, but people
“the group teaches even how to use drugs in the safest way”
from all walks of life. It has become a support network, providing information where it wasn’t available before. This instant access to advice has proved invaluable for many people. They get help with everything from comedowns to any mental health sideeffects that might occur. The Facebook group teaches even how to use drugs in the safest way. Dan Owns founded the group and has watched it grow ever since. We spoke to him about the group, what it means to him and the services he thinks it provides to students today.
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Have you seen any changes in the group’s attitude since its founding? I think the idea of putting safety first is starting to ‘soak in’. People are more aware of the rules and reference previous advice on specific aspects of what we tout as HR - acknowledging that using recreational/pharma drugs to fix problems caused by using other drugs is not a safe solution. Do you think schools and universities could do more to educate students about drug use? Is Sesh Safety filling the void left by a lack of education? Yes. This is painfully apparent by the age demographic a significant number of questions comes from. Sesh Safety is absolutely filling a vital gap as there is no mention of how to minimise harm beyond “Don’t do it because it’s bad”, meaning that schools have failed in educating and preventing harm to teens as soon as the situation evolves beyond “not doing it”. Even at the university level, there is an ample misinformation regarding the actual short and long-term effects of drugs. What do you think attracts students to the group? It’s availability. Many people’s grasp of the internet as a tool for information does not extend beyond Facebook. The group has enough visibility on Facebook to be what may be considered the “only” source of information for a large number of people. The social aspect in terms of
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asking and discussing with peers inside the group aids the attraction to SS over merely googling the information. In previous interviews you’ve spoken of your own drug use, did this play a role in your decision to start the group? Absolutely. I began using drugs at around 15 and just turning 28 now, I have been able to experiment with a hundred or so substances. However, it was benzodiazepines that caught me out. With the glorification of Xanax and opioids such as oxycodone and codeine, there was an increasing usage amongst young people who show off and look up to the celebrities in the music scene who promote their use of this through their lyrics and videos. I saw a huge gap in harm reduction - a place where people can get information fast and quickly with personal interaction that you just do not get with a forum or from a website. We filled that void, and we filled it fast. We treat them like our peers. We approach harm reduction from an educational point of view and a lot of our team view this subject with a passion. We are welcoming and inclusive, and we stay on point, making safety and harm reduction the number one priority. Both schools and unis could do more in regards to drug education, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that Sesh Safety fills in a void left by lack of an education in ‘official’ institutions. Rather, I think that we are attractive by being open, welcoming, and non-judgemental. By being
“on the same level” as our target audience. I think that it fosters the trustworthiness and honesty necessary for speaking openly about harm reduction, something that could be done by both schools and universities, but it wouldn’t be mutually exclusive with what Sesh Safety provides.
FEATURE
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Where do you stand on decriminalisation of drug use? Do you think the United Kingdom should follow countries like Portugal? The criminalisation of drugs has failed time and time again to solve any of the issues it was said to be tackling. If anything, it further propagates drug use and also brings a huge level of danger to individuals, as well costs to society both from paying to catch to prosecuting and punishing people for something that could be better solved via therapy and healthrelated approaches. So as in Portugal decriminalization, it would first off greatly reduce the stress on society via financing “a failed war” on drugs. What direction do you see Sesh Safety going in as it grows? I see us becoming this generation’s “blue-light” or “shroomery”. The hub where people come to ask knowledgeable and experienced people about how to be safe and how to minimize the harms from their drug use. More than this though, I’ve seen how Sesh Safety helped many times deal with mental health questions and can see a future in that direction too.
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FEATURE
saudi arabia: granting a robot more rights than women millie davy-mcvay’s exploration into the advancement of ai’s
L
ast month saw a huge step in the future of robotics as Saudi Arabia became the first country to grant citizenship to artificial intelligence. But it’s not all been advanced fun and games. Like a poisonous woman depicted in a Shakespearian tragedy, Sophia’s existence has been
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controversial and despised by most in Saudi Arabia. With a speech that has become a slap in the face to the female population. She’s become loathed by the very women who have only recently been granted the right to drive through fears of “them damaging their ovaries”, as well as a surge “in prostitution, pornography,
homosexuality and divorce”.
“Freely and flirtatiously walking around the city without a hijab”
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You know a decree isn’t popular when the person announcing it has to give himself a round of applause. On top of this, they still have no right to marry freely, apply for a passport or go anywhere without a male chaperone and permission. Freely and flirtatiously walking around the city without a hijab or chaperone in sight. She is the epitome of a sinner in a country, ran on sacred beliefs. And a show pony in a political stunt called out as “bulls**t” by people still hopelessly waiting for Saudi Arabia to become a modern society. However, the technology behind the humanoid is something we
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should all be getting used to. Sophia may be the first robot to be granted citizen-ship, but she’s not the first to be created and put to work? In Japan, and soon America, sex robots and other sexual technological advances have become the latest technological craze. This is seen at its worst with Japan’s “celibacy syndrome”.
Those who do want sex are opting for pot noodle love A 2011 survey in Japan found 61% of unmarried
men and 49% of unmarried women between the ages 18 and 35 weren’t in any kind of relationship; with a third of those having never dated at all. A further 45% of 16 to 24-year-old women in the country “were not interested or despised” the thought of sexual contact. It takes two to make a baby and since no one really wants to get busy anymore, it has left Japan with a dwindling population, with more incontinence pants being sold than nappies. Many people in Japan don’t see the point in love as they feel it never seems to lead anywhere.
FEATURE
bot
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Relationships have become too hard and the
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FEATURE
advancement of artificial intelligence is only creating a bigger problem.
“allowing men to legally act out rape fantasies” Those who do want sex are often opting for what they call “pot noodle love” easy, instant gratification in the form of casual sex, with the help of technological suspects. Technology such as the True Companion robots have been controversially programmed with features such as “Frigid Farrah”, a setting which makes the ‘bot resist sexual advances allowing men to legally act out rape fantasies, thus leading professionals such as Katie Parker to question whether we are advancing or regressing our society.
Within the last few years, sexual technology industries have become worth over $30 billion, with over twothirds of men saying they could imagine themselves purchasing one to fulfil and bring reality to their sexual fantasies, however dark and twisted. The legal raping of a robot, if you can actually call it that, can change even the best of people’s morals behind closed doors.
“will all these advances ultimately dehumanise us?” These developments bare the question, is any sexual act actually consensual, and what psychological effect could it pose on future
generations, where the rape of a robot is seen as the norm? Should one who ‘rapes’ a robot be trialed the same as one who rapes a human? And will all these advances ultimately dehumanise us? If we use robots to fulfil our selfish sexual needs, will we lose the ability to form strong and stable relationships with real-life partners without an expectation that they can be used just as one of the robots can? At the rate the robotics industry is currently advancing, a new legal framework would need to be applicable, not only to the robotics available now but to those that will be on the market in the next 10 to 15 years. And in this advanced era, that will mean the creation of legislation that is compatible with artificial intelligence way more advanced than the likes of Sophia.
“don’t worry, if you’re nice to me, i’ll be nice to you” Without looking too far into an inevitable apocalypse, the overly competitive robots could result in a large scale unemployment across Europe. This would likely hit manual labour sectors the hardest. Factory work, as well as drivers, would be the largest workforce affected by their installation. Ashley Morgan, of international legal practice, states that the proposals will be “extremely controversial”.
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“If I create a robot, and that robot creates something that could be patented, should I own that patent or should the robot? If I sell the robot, should the intellectual property it has developed go with it? These are not easy questions to answer, and that goes right to the heart of this debate,” Morgan added. It’s been said that giving “rights” to a robot sets a bad precedent for how we might treat them in the future, people don’t want them to have too many through fears of them starting an uprising.
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Whereas, companies creating them don’t want them to have rights at all. How could you possibly sell a robot with all the rights of a human? Surely there would be a need for new mandatory insurance schemes for companies to cover the damages inflicted by a robot gone rogue. Possibly to cover their inevitable rebellion against what is to become, the lesser species. However, replying to a question by Elon Musk about the possible threat Artificial
intelligence could pose to humanity, Sophia said: ‘You’ve been reading too much Elon Musk. And watching too many Hollywood movies. Don’t worry, if you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you.” In the case of Saudi Arabia granting citizenship to Sophia yet still declining those rights to the human born women, we have proved that there is something very wrong with the way a woman is perceived.
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MUSIC
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a conversation with Husky loops Husky loops had a chat with alessadra bertocco
about their future projects and what it means to chase a dream away from home
What was the beginning of Husky Loops?
music to stay human and not to be clean and perfect.
We met in Bologna years ago. Then, when we moved to London we were all involved in different music projects. After we graduated from university, we found ourselves, and in January 2016 we self-released our first single, ‘Dead’. We shot a music video and everything was about self-promotion until we got noticed by Noisy in the USA. That was the moment when we started getting noticed in the UK too.
What is your creative process like?
Your music feels modern and nostalgic. What is your biggest inspiration? We all listen to very different stuff. We don’t have a specific, direct influence. The nostalgic aspect probably comes from spontaneity. We want our
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It changes constantly. Some songs are the products of improvisations to which we add lyrics, other times they come from more structured ideas. It is never the same.
part of human instinct is curiosity, and we want to stay curious, stay human; and we get to do that by making music and improving ourselves.
What are your projects for the future? We released our second EP, EP2, in October and now we have months of touring ahead. It is pretty exciting.
We want our music to stay human
What would you like to say to your public that you didn’t have the chance to say yet?
Rejection and misunderstanding are pretty tough for artists. From where do you take the strength and willpower to keep going?
It really matters to us to see people coming to see us. To see that our music reaches someone. It doesn’t matter if it is just one person or 5000 people. Someone is giving their time to us, and this is incredible.
Human instinct. A great
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MUSIC
BIG SHAQ: NEVER TOO HOT?
E
DREW-ALEXANDRA O’KEEFE LOOKS INTO THE RECENT SUCCESS OF BIG SHAQ
veryone’s heard it. Everyone knows it. But what no one knows is how parody artist Big Shaq got so successful after his comedy single ‘Man’s Not Hot’.
“IF BIG SHAQ PLAYS THIS THING CORRECTLY...” \
Otherwise known as the British comedian Michael Dapaah, he has blessed, or cursed, our ears with the lyrical creativity of his BBC Radio 1Xtra Fire in the Booth masterpiece. The song has attracted huge support and has taken the rap into the official chart, topping the likes of Rihanna, Clean Bandit and Yungen. Shaq and his signature puffer jacket have managed to wrap up a total of over 3 million global streams. He even caught the attention of NBA player Shaquille O’Neal. In a diss track aimed at Big Shaq, the NBA star says, “a lot of people are named after me/ there is only one big Shaq”. The beef between the stars is said to be neutral and
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harmless fun. UK grime star Lethal Bizzle tweeted: “If Big Shaq plays this ting correctly…. Tell him to shout me if he needs any advice.” Big Shaq got even the support of music legend Liam Gallagher as he tweeted the song’s iconic line: “Mans not hot... the ting goes pa pa pa as you were LG x”.
Cetinay, who released their first single ‘Little Bit Leave It’ late September of this year. It’s debatable whether the parody acts benefit or hinder the genre, but Big Shaq will be the first to know. Let’s hope the man won’t get too hot from the heat he could face in the future.
A former Fire in the Booth comedian, Roll Safe, created a spree of popularity towards the humorous side of the very closed and serious genre that is grime and rap. Big Shaq’s success has ultimately created a new genre combining both aspects.
“A SPREE OF POPULARITY TOWARDS A SERIOUS GENRE” But the question remains: how has Dapaah created this gap within the industry? And how far will it go? There has been participation from former Love Island stars Chris Hughes and Kem
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DON’T MISS
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LIFESTYLE
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED ABOUT SANTA’S EXISTENCE? LIKE, WHAT IF IT WAS ALL REAL?
What if SANTA REALLY EXISTed? S BY DEEP SHIKHA
anta, buttoneddown description of him about hundred years ago was merely an image of a fat man in red attire distributing sweets to children and money to the poor.
Now, let’s try to picturize Santa in the modern-day scenario that is in the era of the Generation next. With Oyster card in one hand and a sack of goodies, he decides to give away freebies to the student community of London. A mission from God with a smartphone and a laptop, that’s all it takes to complete the role. After finding the list of all the names of all the Schools and Universities on google, he is all set to do his job. Although he is well determined, due to high powered glasses and a
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weak eyesight (blaming it on the age) he gets down at the wrong tube station. Laughter and mocking is all he can hear, ‘it seems he has just escaped from a fancy dress competition.’ After endless number of trials, he landed up at Baker Street to distribute chocolates to the students at the University of Westminster. “Didn’t you get the IPhone X” Student Tom looked with disgrace. “I got you wafers, juice and some crisps”, Santa replied with explanation. “I don’t want this Tesco stuff, mom must have given you.” Tom resultantly nodded his head. “I am taking your Macbook, I know an old grumpy man like you won’t need it.” “But son……” Santa tried to say something.
“Thank you and Merry Christmas” Tom took the laptop and went to his class. “One Selfie with you Mr. Santa,” Niyati approached for a picture. “ Take these choco butter cookies, these are for you.” Santa said in a peaceful tone. “No way, it has loads of calories. I am trying to lose weight, but the idea of gifting is really great.” Niyati smiled and replied to him. Suddenly Santa’s phone rang. He walked in the corner and attended the call. “Yes God”, He whispered and said. “How is it going with everyone. Hope you’re having fun with those pesky children.” God laughed and asked him this. “I am tired and want to come back.” Santa said with disappointment and started eating the cookie from his sack.
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SANTA’S
LL REAL?
?
DON’T MISS Christmas celebrations
GIFT GUIDE FOR CHRISTMAS BY Mishelle Thurairatnam
Christmas Pods are back It is time to pick your snug partner. Last winter these little comfy bubbles were lighting up the north bank of the Thames and they are back for the whole winter season. This Coppa Club’s idea is certainly the most original we have seen so far concerning the winter transformation of a terrace.
Christmas is around the corner. The lights are nearly up and everyone is already in the Christmas spirit. As a student the nightmare is getting presents for all your loved ones. The problem is the lack of money, but there is no need to worry, there are ways of getting amazing Christmas presents whilst saving your bank account in the process as well. When buying for the females in your life such as your S/O, mother, grandmother, Lush is the place to go. With a Christmas range already hitting the shops, it is guaranteed that you will find something perfect for your loved one. You’ll also find something which suits every budget, from individual items ranging from £3 onwards to gift sets ranging from £7 onwards. For the men in your life,
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you can’t go wrong with some aftershave, clothes, music and films. There are always some brilliant finds for items like these in TK Maxx, a discount store which sells designer brands for more or less half the retail price. Handmade presents are one of a kind, cheap and also personal to the recipient. There are plenty of ideas for handmade presents online, on sites such as Pinterest. For activities and special getaways, then Groupon and Wowcher (there are other discount sites like this online) is the place for you. You can purchase vouchers for dinners, hotels, paintballing, glamping, the list is endless. The best thing about this type of present is the fact that memories will be made with your loved ones.
WINTER WONDERLAND Ice Skating, Magical Ice Kingdom, Bar Ice, Giant Wheel, Zippos Christmas Circus, Cirque Berserk, The Sooty Christmas show, Cinderella on Ice, and Bar Huttle. What else do you need in life? Winter Wonderland will be buzzing with lights and cuisines of all kinds. You don’t want to miss the big thing. @Hyde Park, Nov 17Jan 1
CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD GIFT YOUR LOVED ONES FOR CHRISTMAS?
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FASHION
sing louder with birdsong BY Kate reichardt
“no sweatshops and no photoshop” is the tagline for the fashion brand, which has Their clothes made by migrant seamstresses & knitting grannies “We show the reality of women, making more of us visible. We think our bodies suits us as they are, and we are making clothing to reflect that”, explains Sophie Slater. She is the co-founder of Birdsong - an ethical clothing brand focused on feminism regarded as one of the labels
revolutionising the fashion industry as we know it. At Birdsong, they work on a promise of “No sweatshops, no photoshop”. The clothes are made by everyone from the migrant seamstresses to knitting grannies. Their knitwear is made at the Bradbury Centre in Kingston and the Knit & Natter
group in Enfield; both groups of elderly women donate revenue from their knitting to worthy causes. Organic sweatshirts and tees are hand-painted in detail by women at Mohila Creations, which is a group of low-income migrant mothers based in Tower Hamlets and who are all paid a living wage.
“birdsong is committed to using diverse models, and never digitally altering their appearance” The brand’s seamstresses hand cut, sew and finish most of their garments at their workshop on Brick Lane, Heba. This workshop was established by a group of migrant women over 25 years ago and are Birdsong’s primary garment-maker. They continue to provide a safe space for migrant and refugee women in the UK. “We want to subvert people’s expectations about ethical fashion by having a great stock that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is value-driven”, says Sophie.
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Birdsong was born after Sophie met her business partner Sarah in 2014, while they were both working for charities. Sophie had a background working as a model and as a shop assistant at clothing chain American Apparel, which she considers ethical but hugely problematic. She was very interested in ethical fashion and manufacturing, but couldn’t stand the objectifying advertising. Sophie has also experienced body shaming and dealt with unrealistic beauty standards while being signed. Her partner Sarah was working at an elderly people’s day centre, which at that time had a knitting circle. They were selling their pieces at bring-and-buy sales for a fiver and continuously stressing about funding opportunities. “I was working for women’s charities and doing feminist activism, but every women’s group I worked with saw their funding get cut to shreds. So many
FASHION
The “no photoshop” rule is present in every brand campaign, as well as on their website. Sophie says the brand “committed to using diverse models, making shoots a fun, positive experience for them, and never digitally altering their appearance”. The founder believes that women are fed up of being advertised in an unrealistic way and that their clients love the brand’s imagery because it shows the reality of women.
birdsong’s aw17 collection older or migrant women have incredible sewing and making skills, but face huge barriers turning it into cash”, says Sophie. Sophie and Sarah were two women who shared their passion for clothes, activism and the goal of making more women visible. Thus, they decided to build a fashion brand as outsiders, using their friends and activists as models.
“We believe in collaboration and making women’s voices heard” “We have a label and we work with a lot of creative people from the industry, but we’re also very separate
to it by virtue of our values”, says Sophie. She believes the feminist creatives are getting more prominent and that there are more opportunities for them in the ethical fashion industry. Fashion has always been a space for women and queer people to express themselves and succeed, and Sophie believes people are shaping it now to be a better space to thrive in. Today, the brand has sold apparel to over 18 countries. Everything Birdsong does is, and will continue to be driven from a feminist perspective. That means hiring feminist photographers to eradicate the male gaze or champion women workers and charitable organisations by fairly sourcing their clothing through them. “We believe in collaboration and making women’s voices heard”, stresses Sophie.
You can check out Birdsong at birdsong.london
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