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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
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On the Cover EARTHGANG Words By KEYAIRA KELLY Photography By ANDRE PERRY Fashion RAVEN ROBERTS Fashion assistant by TERENCE B. MCNEALY
Publisher/Editor-In-Chief DéVon Christopher Johnson
Head of Content EIC Bombshell by BLEU Ebony Allison
Editor-at-Large Darius Baptist
Art Direction & Design Vee Banionis
Editor-at-Large Darius Baptist
UK Fashion Editor Sean Azeez
East Coast Fashion Editor Raven Roberts
West Coast Fashion Editor
Copy Editor Trevoy Ross
Contributing Writers
Keyaira Kelly, Bee Quammie, Chevy Wolf, Elysia Tanswell, Emilie Marie Breslin, Erica Garner, Jamie Siebrase, Shanelle Harris, Tyrus Townsend
Contributing Photographers
Andre Perry, Andrew Hart, Chevy Wolf, Khrystian McCalister, Ricardo Nelson, Wes Love
Interns:
Claire Concannon, Jamie Rollo, Victoria Mickens
Editorial Contributors
Merilee Kern, Kishon Springer, Sigourney Salley, London Burns, Matia Peebles
Douglas Hickman
Fashion Market & Production
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Johana Lopez
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Bleulife Media & Entertainment Inc. | 140 West Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10007 | E-Mail: info@bleulife.com | Online: bleulife.com Printed in Canada. Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists, feature writers or other contributors are not necessarily the opinions of Bleu Magazine or its staff. All advertisements, photographs, text or illustrations are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to have secured proper consent for the use thereof. Bleu Magazine shall not be held responsible for any errors, loss, expense or liabilities on advertisements accepted after the deadline. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or advertisement in Bleu Magazine is not to be constructed as an indication of sexual orientation of such persons, advertiser or organization. Partial or complete reproduction of an advertisement, news article, feature or photograph from Bleu Magazine is strictly prohibited as Bleu Magazine is a registered trademark. A $25 or 1.5% (whichever is greater) fee will be charged for all NSF checks. All rights reserved.
What is happening here Something’s going on that’s not quite clear Somebody turn on the lights We’re gonna have a party It’s starting tonight Oh, what a feeling When we’re dancing on the ceiling Oh, what a feeling When we’re dancing on the ceiling The room is hot and that’s good Some of my friends came by from the neighborhood The people startin’ a climb the walls Ooh it looks like everybody is having a ball
Lionel Richie, “DANCING ON THE CEILING”
Believing we can fly, dancing on the ceiling and touching the sky are easily dismissed as whimsical song lyrics or childhood fantasies portrayed in cheesy music videos. But if imagining the impossible, or what seems unattainable to some, didn’t happen where would we be as a society? We need dreamers, thinkers and doers to work in concert to push the limits of the human experience beyond what we can imagine today and into the vast world of an unknown future. Creativity should never be limited to whether or not it can be actualized instantaneously. Each year we do the Creative Issue of BLEU to celebrate the diversity of what the word means and what it could mean if we let go of our human instinct to conform. Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and every other person we lift up as the “great innovators” were no different than any of you reading this issue or featured in this issue. They found solutions to problems they first came up with in their imagination. They started at the end and figured out how to get there along the way. They’re called geniuses. Truth is they were just creatives looking to prove a point. A free mind is nirvana. Live your dreams in real time. Imagine it forward regardless of the naysayers and obstacles. And as always, sit back, relax and enjoy your issue of BLEU.
DéVon Christopher Johnson Founder And Group Publisher
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C O N T R I B U TO R S
ANDRE PERRY
Lifestyle photographer enthusiast Andre L. Perry embraced his visual style as a much-needed creative outlet to cope with his depression. His work is driven by moments that feel organic and emotions that are honest. His images are known for their vibrant light, whimsy, playfulness and spontaneity. Today, he remains inspired by his travels, his skateboard and his strong belief that life happens outside the studio.
Raven Roberts is a New York fashion stylist with an affinity for vintage fashion. She is always on the hunt for a fierce look to create the perfect mood for her shoots, clients and herself. She’s a vegan-adjacent foodie with a love for baked goods. You may have also spotted her in a commercial or two.
K E YA I R A K E L LY
ANDREW HART
Keyaira Kelly is a writer, producer, speaker and poet living and loving in Brooklyn, New York. Keyaira’s bylines are scattered across the web and in print, covering the culture, women’s issues, the latest water cooler gossip and modernday sex and love.
Andrew “ANDEE” Gowdy-Hart, Direct Focus Films LLC’s Head Photographer is a Newark, New Jersey native that has a direct focus on using his talents for capturing events. Andee got his start shooting Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, and music videos for up and coming artists and most notably the NBA Draft.
DANIEL IGBINYEMI
WES LOVE
After graduating in photography in 2013 London based photographer Daniel Igbinyemi, spent several years in and out of photography due to finance and confidence issues. However during the past 24 months he has been working hard on different lighting techniques and styles birthing several strong editorials in Noctis, THRDS Online and Institute Magazine. Also taking note on how important marketing is, he’s kept his viewers in the loop by releasing behind the scenes content to give an insight on how he creates.
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Wes Love is the Chief Operating Officer of AmeriKan Dreamin’ Clothing Company. As a graphic designer, and head of Wes Love Productions he has worked with many of the elite indie contributors to Hip Hop and the entertainment industry as a whole providing services in Videography, Audio Engineering, Production, and Photography. His half a decade of work has allowed his easy transition into the fabric of the Big Apple scene, migrating from his hometown of Newport News, Virginia. Now a resident of East New York, Brooklyn, he is one of the leading entrepreneurs on the urban chic fashion scene and is steady at work on the Spring 2019 launch for AmeriKan Dreamin.
BLEUMAGAZINE.COM @BLEUMAGAZINE
Issue 57
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While everyone is looking to Millennials for the next groundbreaking fashion trends, Gen Z may actually be light years ahead. Sneaker collector Brandon Edgerson has his finger on the pulse of exclusive footwear.
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Air Max 97 Off-White Black $695
Off-White x Air Jordan 1 “UNC” $790
Air Jordan 12 Retro “Wings” $440 24
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HERE ARE A FEW EXERCISES TO CONSIDER. Squats
Photography By KHRYSTIAN MCCALISTER
DON’T JOIN THE LOLLIPOP GANG Our Fitness expert Daries Lindsay shows us how to get through one of the least favorite days of your workout routine.
This exercise is king for legs because they work so many muscles.They even help with muscle groups that aren’t associated with the legs. You definitely want to do this exercise first, or else you may be too tired to do the big weights. How To Do It
Stand with the bar on your upper-back, and your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down by pushing your knees to the side while moving hips back. Break parallel by squatting down until your hips are lower than your knees. Squat back up while keeping your knees out and chest up. Stand with your hips and knees locked at the top.
Deadlifts
No one likes #Legday. No one. If you say you do - you’re lying. They have a meme to shame people into working on their legs. The Urban dictionary has an array of hilarious definitions for the term. Here are a few of our favorite. Leg Day = A day in which you work out the lower half of your body until you cry blood, it is the ultimate way of proving that there is no God. Larry Gigglefest Leg Day = Traditionally known as rest day/ modernly known as arm day. -Paul Lee
This exercise also caters to the entire frame. You will definitely increase your strength capacity with this exercise in your bag of tricks. How To Do It
Stand with your midfoot under the barbell. Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back. Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight.
Dumbbell Lunge Lunges work out several parts of the body from glutes to thighs to legs which is why it’s back on our list. How To Do It
Yes, taking leg day is serious. And yes you may not be able to get out of the bed the next day, or end up in a pool of your own vomit. It’s okay. You will rock when summer shows its face again. Mr. Lindsay has some advice to make this part of your training a little simpler saying, “You can do squats, lunges, and leg-lifts in order to have stronger legs and build definition. Also, reverse the variation of lunges for better results.”
Stand with your midsection upright holding two dumbbells in your hands by your sides. Step forward with your right leg about two feet. Keep other foot stationary behind you and lower your upper body down, while keeping the torso upright and maintaining balance. Inhale as you go down. Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to the starting position as you exhale. Repeat the movement for desired repetitions and then switch to other leg.
Leg Press This exercise is very close to squats as it exercises a lot of the same muscles. However, you can use the leg press to get at those often ignored areas like the outer thigh. How To Do It
Sit on the machine with head and back resting on padding. Put feet on footplate about hip-width apart. Heels should be flat. Legs shoulds form a 90 degree angle at the knee. Make sure you have proper alignment as you press. Always use handle assists and don’t place hands on the knees.
Leg Day = A day in which you work out the lower half of your body until you cry blood, it is the ultimate way of proving that there is no God LARRY GIGGLEFEST
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What is BIKTARVY®? BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about BIKTARVY? BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects: } Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking BIKTARVY, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
Who should not take BIKTARVY? Do not take BIKTARVY if you take: } dofetilide } rifampin } any other medicines to treat HIV-1
What are the other possible side effects of BIKTARVY? Serious side effects of BIKTARVY may also include: } Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. } Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. } Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death.
} Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (5%), and headache (5%). Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking BIKTARVY? } All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. } All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements. BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all of your other medicines. } If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. } If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.
Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the following page.
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Get HIV support by downloading a free app at MyDailyCharge.com
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
KEEP PUSHING.
Because HIV doesn’t change who you are. BIKTARVY is a 1-pill, once-a-day complete HIV-1 treatment for adults who are either new to treatment or whose healthcare provider determines they can replace their current HIV-1 medicines with BIKTARVY.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. BIKTARVY.COM
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