MARC
H 2014
MAGA
ZINE
ARTIST: Công Thành, Soc Trang province, Vietnam
Street Art UTOPIA
www.streetartutopia.com
WHAT THE FUNK’S INSIDE 5..................THE RUNDOWN 6.................. EDITOR’S NOTE 7................. OUTSPOKEN: Tracy L. Styles 9................. WISE’S WISE ASS WORDS OF WISDOM by Almighty Wise
13................. MYTHOLOGY: What is Love?
by Roshawn “MythMuzik” Tyler
17................. PHENOMENAL WOMAN: Photo Spread 45................. 5 THINGS DIVAS KNOW ABOUT HAPPINESS by Genese Roberson 47................ RISING WOMANHOOD & RECLAIMING FEMINISM by Anastasia Chase
49................. AN L.A. STATE OF MIND: L.atasha A.lcindor
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E EDITOR-IN-CHIEF C.E. LAWTON SENIOR EDITOR GENESE NICOLE CREATIVE DIRECTORS C.E. LAWTON & GENESE NICOLE MARCH CONTRIBUTORS DEITY “ALMIGHTY” WISE, ROSHAWN “MYTHMUZIK” TYLER, GENESE ROBERSON, ANASTASIA CHASE, TRACY L. STYLES, GLAMM ON THE GO SALON ADVERTISING info@funktheformulamag.com FUNKTHEFORMULAMAG.COM It’s the commentary of your life ... but better. Art. Culture. And Then some.
FOLLOW FUNKTHEFORMULA FACEBOOK.COM/FUNKTHEFORMULA TWITTER: @FUNKTHEFORMULA YOUTUBE.COM/FUNKTHEFORMULA INSTAGRAM: @FUNKTHEFORMULAMAG
COVER: Hip Hop Artist, L.atasha A.lcindor LEFT: Jasmine, Dancer
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EDITOR’S NOTE ... It ain’t nothin’ without a woman or a girl... Adam’s Rib. If you are a believer in the story of Adam and Eve, that is the stated birthplace of Eve. Of woman. Bred from the rib of man. Kinda cool ... Maybe a little gruesome or awkward if you think about it. But looking at the overall aspect of what is conveyed in that imagery, what is a man without his ribs? A mere shell broken. There’s only so much in this world a man can accomplish before the helpful power within a woman can come into play and ignite that balance ... Balance ... Like Yin and Yang. But as much as that story sounds nice, the undeniable reality is where man truly comes from. Women over history have been made out to be these submissive creatures only built for bearing more men, manly men, and other women that grow from girls to repeat the cycle of passive position in the wake of the world dominating and ever conquering male species. HOWEVER ... History has also shown the many women that have stood up and found themselves combatant to those social norms of who a woman is and what her role is to be in society. More than “Suzy Home-Maker” but accomplished individuals capable of performing as functional as men at many tasks, even those considered manly (ie: construction work, sports or any form of managerial position). They may be our girlfriends, wives, mothers, sisters, but they’re also our co-workers, our political leaders, freedom fighters and the like. National heroes ... WORLD heroes in the simple power of creation itself. SO much more than eye or arm candy. Trophies. They’re the strength when a man finally breaks ... The glue that puts him back together. The healers. The providers. The lovers. The fighters. They are women. Phenomenally. Phenomenal Women. And I personally love the SHIT out of ‘em! Now go ahead and turn the page, man! -C.E. Have questions, suggests, comments? Feel free to contact us: info@funktheformulamag.com
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OUTSPOKEN Your words. Your thoughts. Out loud.
Tracy L. Styles “I Remember” I remember each glance of our endless romance. First glance, you looked like my type; enthralled eyes, sweet lips, and thick in all the right places: everywhere. The third glance, you glanced back, wiping your lips of the Martini that remained. The fourth, I saw another brother running game, watching, you politely refrain. The seventh glance became a stare, moving your purse from the chair like you wanted me there. One-hundred and fortynine, we were a pair. Exclusive, I disregarded any spare. Four hundred and sixty, you’re breastfeeding our child, and nine thousand nine hundred ninety glances later, we continue this love that seems to be a fable. I’m not sure how many glances are to come, but when that time does come, hopefully your face will be the last one. Looking at you slow, remembering our endless love, then I will still glance, but it will be from above.
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Tracy L. Styles found his path early on. He fell in love with crea tin g in various mediums from instrumentation to painting and hasn’t stopped yet. Displaying his artistic intensity in 2013 marked the start of his professional career, publishing four critically acclaimed books “The Pondering” “Memoirs of a Fatherless Youth” “The Curves of my Queen” and “Her Curves and my Mustache”. He continues on his quest to be one of the most prolific and provocative creators of his time. Setting release dates for his wide ranging, vast bodies of work.
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by
the Almighty Wise
Me, a JOLLUX, TRYPALL? TILLY VALLY! I’m just JOLLUX!
I
know you’re wondering right now ... WTF did he just type?? What does that sentence above mean? Why am I reading this BS? Well, if you’re like me, a learned, intellectual who has too much time on his hands between music projects, it will get under your skin, and probably run you mad until you figure it out. But if you’re a PRONK (WEAK PERSON) you will stop reading this article. HA! ... I KNEW I LURED YOU IN WITH THIS PHLYAROLOGY (GIBBERISH)! What you are seeing in-between the words that you DO know is some outdated ENGLISH words. No, not the QUEEN’S ENGLISH per se, but just English. So humor yourself, and maybe use some of these words in front of people in order to sound brilliant, to insult your friends, or that co-worker that you can’t stand. Enjoy, you HODDYPEAKS (BLOCKHEADS)!
Example #1
I was with Joan, and she shows no ASCESIS; Joan is such a BABLATRICE, I can not believe that Joan feels any form of EADNESS. She called her husband, John a AVATROL, because he has an EMACITY for cars. But Joan didn’t stop there, because she is DIGLOT, she cursed him out in German. You’d swear the relationship is some kind of CHIROCRASY. #1 Translated: I was with Joan, and she shows no SELF-DISCIPLINE. Joan is such a TALKATIVE WOMAN, I can not believe that Joan feels any form of HAPPINESS. Sha called her husband, John a BASTARD because he has a FONDNESS for cars. But Joan didn’t stop there, because she is BILINGUAL she cursed him out in German. You would swear the relationship is some kind of GOVERNMENT RUN BY PHYSICAL FORCE. *That’s a miserable ... Woman.
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Example #2
To be JANNOCK, I was JACTANCE when we were at the LUBITORIUM. The MORATE thing to do is not to be so ORGULOUS, because there are people who are in a state of ORCAST, and are considered a POLYHISTOR.
#2 Translated: To be FAIR, I was BOASTING when we were at the SERVICE STATION. The RESPECTABLE thing to do is not to be so PROUD, because there are people who are in a state of POVERTY, and are considered WELL-LEARNED. *This is the world we live in today.
Example #3
The EPITHYMY I feel for you was due to the FLADGE that I saw you in. ICHANE! You are ILLECEBROUS, and at all cost I would continue our HOUGHMANGANDY. Your LUCULENCE had me pining for you over the next NYCHTHEMERON...
#3 Translated: The LUST I feel for you was due to the PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE I saw you in. ALAS! You are ALLURING, and at all cost I would continue our PROMISCUITY. Your BEAUTY had me pining for you over the next 24 HOURS. *Fellas, you can borrow this, my days of smooth talking women is long gone...
Example #4
As I OBAMBULATED, searching for OMBRIFUGE, SLIDIKINS...I was smitten by a CALLIPYGIAN on this QUAINTRELLE. She was LEGGIADROUS, and when I began speaking with her I was informed that she was AGAMOUS. She looked young, but she informed me that she was QUADRAGENARIAN. She also told me that she was a VISAGISTE, and has been for 15 years. After trading contact information, I was ZIRALEET, until a friend of mine who knows her informed me that she is really a DRAZEL. He told me that he was TUTOYANT with her during a PARTOUSE in the city! #4 Translated: As I WANDERED, searching for SHELTER FROM THE RAIN, AS GOD IS MY WITNESS...I was smitten by a BEAUTIFULLY SHAPED BUTTOCKS on this WELL DRESSED WOMAN. She was ELEGANT, and when I began speaking with her I was informed that she was UNMARRIED. She looked young, but she informed me that she was 40 YEARS OLD. She also told me that she was a MAKE UP ARTIST, and has been for 15 years. After trading contact information, I was JOYOUS, until a friend of mine who knows her informed me that she is really a SLUT. He told me that he was INTIMATE with her during an ORGY in the city! *Damn, thought you had wifey ma terial, huh?
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Example #5
This RAMPALLION tried to HONEYFUGLE my PELF in a HOOKUM-SNIVEY! HE tried to be OULTREPREU, but when he saw that I was not going to be LUDIBRIOUS, he begged me for IGNOSCENCY...asking that I MILCE-WITTER!
#5 Translated: This SCOUNDREL tried to CHEAT my WEALTH in a CON! HE tried to be BRAVE, but when he saw that I was not going to be THE BUTT OF HIS JOKE, he begged me for FORGIVENESS...asking that I SHOW MERCY! *“I will not tolera te no disrespect!” (Consequence voice)
Well, I’m proud of you ...You got through this! No I’m not, I am actually big-belly laughing that you wasted possibly 10-15 minutes of your life to read this. Do you feel enlightened, maybe smarter? Do you plan on using your newly acquired wordplay for good ... Or do you plan on writing the word “DRAZEL” on the wall in the bathroom with an arrow pointing to “Jane”? No, I’m not suggesting that you do something that is childish, mean, and also exhibits adult “bullying” behavior; all I’m sayin’ is ... She did sleep with the boss for that job you worked SOOO hard for! I’m just sayin’...
*This asshole did have too much time on his hands. By the way, if you noticed, he didn’t transla te the opening sentence in this column. Look it up.
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ARTIST: Rone, “Think Again”
Street Art Save My Life Facebook.com/streetartsavemylife
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MYTHOLOGY W H AT I S L O V E ? by MYTHMUZIK
Love! What is love? Love is a four letter word. Not just any four letter word, but the most powerful word used today. Words themselves are more dangerous than weapons; I mean every weapon that’s fired has to be given “The Word” or words were exchanged. Words kill people, yo! So how can Love be so deadly? No words and actions can cause someone to commit those kinda crimes, right? First, what does Love mean to you ... And what does it do? Love is a feeling, a feeling that’s indescribable. A feeling of warmth and comfort. The type of warmth that just makes your heart smile. What can Love do? Love can make you work hard. Love will make you sacrifice. Love can make you do things you never thought were possible. It changes your life for the better ... and worst. Let’s talk about Love in the past versus today. Love used to be genuine and unconditional. I grew up in an era where people loved each other so deeply, and even at a young age I was able to notice that. Looking at a woman and seeing her as a woman and not an object, for no reason at all you felt like buying her gifts or taking her out. NOT cause she requested it or you felt obligated to do it, but simply ‘cause you love her. Meeting someone and getting to know them was the way. Like actually seeing them face to face, in the same room. Talking on the phone, walking to each other’s house, playing games, movies, and so on. Sex wasn’t an issue, a man knew a woman’s worth and knew she would be worth the wait. A female also knew her own worth and the worth of a good man, so she would make sure to carry herself like a lady and made sure he knew exactly what she was about.
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Today, there are many things I can blame on relationships going sour today at rapid rates, but imma choose one. Technology. Since technology has become more advanced we no longer have to leave our house to meet someone anymore. talking on the phone has become extinct with texting. Now you can just send messages with “feelings” behind it without actual feelings at all. Social networks like Facebook and MySpace have been the source for dating for a long while. People create profiles, put up pictures and what they like and don’t like. Seems like an ok way to find someone at first. You message and email each other for days and weeks, even actually falling in love with someone in different states. Now a few years down the line, social media has become tainted; a slew of females now uses social media to expose there bodies. Men are no better, showing off material things to attract females who want a guy with money. So here’s the problem: you still have good decent people on these sites mixed in with the rotton apples. People that are in relationships can be distracted by a group a females who have no respect for themselves and get caught up in the B.S. Messaging and inboxing each other inappropriate things, sending each other pictures of body parts an what not. Meanwhile your lady or man is getting hip to the way you been acting and it’s funny. Your Facebook is open, your phone unlocked, now he or she is going through it an seeing all those disrespectful things y’all saying to one another, pictures and planning dates to meet up an have sex! The media makes it cool though, having females today thinking it’s ok to dance and shake your ass in front of a camera for the world to see. Some even do it naked. And it’s sad that these girls ages can range from 14 to 40 and at 40, STILL don’t know better. These guys out here are on the prowl, looking for these girls and want nothing from them but sex. Sad thing is that it’s apparent for the most part and females fall right in. You get dogged and wonder why this happened to you? Sweetheart you’re shaking your ass and being nasty, and you honestly don’t understand why you attract all the wrong guys?? Actually you attract the right guys according to how you display yourself as a woman.
People are getting beat up and killed over Twitter and Instagram, sending tweets and pics bragging ‘bout sleeping with another woman’s man. Guys on instagram liking all 2000 pics of a girl who shows her ass in all pictures and their girlfriends are following them and they see it. I believe technology is and will continue being the reason why relationship aren’t what they use to be. Who needs to go out and actually meet someone when you can search for a date from your phone, laptop, or tablet, or even video call a hoe while your man or women is at work slaving. So this is for the genuine decent people out there, and the bitter ones, sad ones, desperate ones, ratchets, boogerwolves an hoodboogers: Love Is not dead. It’s very much alive, it’s how you treat it and go about giving and receiving it. Love isn’t to be looked for, it is to be found. Live your life as you do everyday, go to work, go to school, take care of your house, take care of yourself and there will be that one person that sees you for the strong woman /man that you are. Stop letting the world see your body; a female body is one of man’s greatest pleasures so why give it up and tarnish its value? That man will work, run through burning walls and move mountains for a taste of your Love. So give samples, not a full plate. Fellas same rules apply but a lil different. Focus, pay attention. Be aware of these broads that are after WHAT YOU HAVE and not YOU. If you can work hard, look all dirty and have a few dollars in your pocket and still attract that one female, stick with her ... ‘Cause now you know she will be there through it all cause she loved your ass when you had nothing and smelling like spreaded buttcheeks. There is no life without love, I know this cause Love Is For Ever (L.I.F.E)
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ARTIST: HERAKUT, Frankfurt, Germany
Street Art UTOPIA
www.streetartutopia.com
This month’s photo spread was special to us. In honor of Women’s History Month, we want to showcase women of different colors and backgrounds and find out what makes them personally feel Beautiful & Womanly and highlighting some of their favorite sentimental pieces. Makeup & Hair provided by: Glamm On The Go Salon
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Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them They say they still can’t see. I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Now you understand Just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing It ought to make you proud. I say, It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need of my care, ‘Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. -The Incomparable May Angelou
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
Andrea “Pearls, satin, lace, diamonds, lingeries, fancy shoes; very old Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor. Anything that exudes life and luxury.�
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Britiney “Fashion makes me feel beautiful, along with accessories and the color of my skin.�
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
Crystal
“What makes me feel beautiful and womanly? It’s all in your hair; no matter what you have on, if your hair is on point then you’re ok.”
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Makeup: Kaylie, Glamm On The Go
Genese “My skin.”
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
Marie
“Being confident, accepting everything about myself and just being real.�
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“Being latina makes me feel like a strong, beautiful and confident woman and is what inspires me to become a reknowned film maker.�
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
Natalia M.
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Makeup: Kaylie, Glamm On The Go
Kenya “Things that people can’t see ... Like my nurturing spirit, and adaptive attitude.”
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Makeup: Kaylie, Glamm On The Go
Natalia S.
“Confidence. When you wake up and feel confident it shows and makes you look beautiful.�
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Kaylie
“Having great hair and on point makeup.”
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
Lisette “Smiling brings out my inner beauty.”
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“Getting dressed up to go out on the town with friends.”
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Makeup: Kaylie, Glamm On The Go
Naesha
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Ebony
“My lips, my eyes and my cheekbones make me feel beautiful and womanly.”
Jasmine “I feel beautiful when I can help other people feel beautiful by helping them see it within themselves.�
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Makeup: Ebony, Glamm On The Go
5Things
Divas Happiness Know About
Women everywhere are learning new ways to really be happy. And we are looking into new ways to better ourselves, for healthier relationships, better health and overall wellness. I’d like to invite you to try a few of these ideas that millions of Divas, have already incorporated into their every day lives for a stress free drama free life.
1. You have the power to choose. This means that it’s ok to change your
mind. After careful thought and consideration you find out that a situation no longer works for you, then its time to make a change. People change just like the seasons and you have the right to do so as well, without feeling guilty or remorseful.
2. It’s ok to be weak. Back in the days we were taught to be strong and
powerful to the point that we didn’t need the help of a man. We know better now a days. We need good men, just like they need good women. The fact that we need each other helps us to sustain the relationship.
3. Money can’t buy you happiness. Just like money can’t buy you love, well it can’t buy you happiness either. Happiness is not achieved through a car, a house or clothes. It comes from creating meaningful relationships within yourself and with others.
4. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. As human beings we will
face many challenges in our life time. But our challenges are what make us who we are today. Challenges become the turning point in our lives that push us to be better. Challenges help us create new stories in our lives, that actually teach us that “we have everything we need, to make it.”
5. We all have a purpose. No matter who you are and where you are from,
one thing remains true, each and every one of us has a purpose. So each day we live our lives to the fullest, knowing that each and every challenge we encounter is all a part of our beautiful success story.
Genese Roberson is Editor in Chief of Bmoredivasent.com a Lifestyle Magazine
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ARTIST: Barbara Scerbo, “Untitled”
Street Art Save My Life Facebook.com/streetartsavemylife
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d o o h n a m o W m s i n i Rising m e F g n i m i a l c e and R
hase
tasia C
s by Ana
It’s been difficult to find voices that are strong enough to echo your experience as a woman in popular culture, especially in hip hop. Beyonce’s latest release (her selftitled album), Janelle Monae’s Electric Lady and even Nicki Minaj’s latest song release, gives me hope. I don’t expect that women will take over hip hop or will even be respected as people; I’m just glad that there is some undeniable talent and strength being shown that will not be suppressed. I recently watched the TED-X talk featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adicie, one of my favorite international authors, who was featured on Beyonce’s Album on one of the most talked about songs: ***Flawless. The spoken word part of the song had lines that were taken from the aforementioned Ted talk. It was about feminism, womanhood and African Culture. Chimamanda aptly describes why so many women are ashamed to call themselves a feminist because of the negative associations with the word and how we need to reclaim it. I reluctantly fell into my acceptance of my own feminism and womanhood as I read more and more stories of women who, under the right conditions, could thrive instead of struggling to survive day by day in a world where their voices are ignored and the rules they have to follow are made by men; men that have never once considered on a large scale that the world could be different for a woman or that a woman’s idea about owning her womanhood is hers alone. 47 39
I became insatiable. I couldn’t believe that this was happening in America. I couldn’t believe, for all of our forward thinking and our liberal pride, that we were still tethered to outdated societal ideas of what a woman should be and what she can accomplish. The saddest thing was that I started to see it reflected in my own culture, my Caribbean upbringing and I was troubled. The hardest thing to do is to know better but to fall back on the lessons you learned during childhood. The older you get, you realize that patriarchy is second nature and those that benefit from it don’t want a change. Why would they? This wasn’t an issue that was on the other side of the world; it was here, in my own back yard. The only difference here is that we can talk about gender disparity and for one month, we come together to celebrate the advances women have made the same way we marginalize African Americans with a month to acknowledge their contributions to society. After watching the Ted talk, it hardened my resolve to not be part of the problem. Feminism isn’t a dirty word and I think it’s lost its true meaning because there are those who equate it with man hating and wanting to oppress men (as if). As a feminist, I want equality for men and women. The ability to express oneself, your gender, manhood/ womanhood and everything in between without having to step over someone else or stifle our own growth. It starts small. Ask questions. Be open to conversation. Recognize when as women and men we’re not shown in a positive light; women as sex objects who aspire only to get a man and men as these sex crazed animals who have no control over their passions and testosterone. If we all made small strides and we were more open to discussing these things in a safe, compassionate way, we could be free of the torment of our current societal expectations of gender. Well, maybe not us; but we set the stage for the next generation. What do you want your future to look like?
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An
State of
Mind 49
he’s Alive. Her Presentation possesses the power to exude the true essence of the Spark she has inside. When she rhymes, it’s pretty evident her aim is to not only empower but to make sure naysayers understand the Mental Fatalities she’s truly capable of on the mic. With grit, edge and passion, the exhibition of the MOMA of her mind allows for us to go to A Place where one can relate to the song of a SInner’s Blues or understand the pain of when love can truly have you Spitting Out Blood. Brooklyn bred, MC, La tasha Alcindor, a.k.a L.A., now ...k.a, L.a tasha A.lcindor, was a definite shoe-in as a musical feature for this month’s issue. In just a short amount of time, L.A. has garnered quite a resume along the winding road of the world of Hip Hop. In an ever evident male-dominated industry, it can be a painstaking task for women to show the guts they may have to stand on their own amidst the otherwise testosterone driven, more often than not blatantly (or even subconsciously) misogynistic, yet overall powerfully influentual genre of music. The current zeitgeist has shown what seems to click to the masses on a mainstream level as acceptable representations of women in Hip Hop ... Whether you like it or not (hey, it’s not so much a shot as it is an honest acknowledgement of the reality of the moment ... with ya Lookin’ Asses). The 90’s saw a major boom in variant figures of the opposite sex staking their claim as equal practitioners of a growing art form, proving that the boys aren’t the only one with lyrical prowess, stage presence and overall more than visual appeal; they weren’t just eye candy. In today’s world, the sheer number of female MC’s in the mainstream crosshairs has significantly diminished. Now, that’s not to say they don’t exist. Truth be told, for those that may not bother to do real musical research other than what the boob tube or prominant radio stations may tell them to listen to and deem as “good music,” there actually is a plethora of great female MC’s on the underground and independent circuits that are fully capable of showing up the current popular rappers in the mainstream ... Hell, even the male artists within the same circuits! Enter L.atasha A.lcindor. L.A. came to the FTF headquarters in December, on what was one of the better winter days than what we’ve seen as of late, and upon greeting there’s no denying her great energy. The mic monster with the gritty delivery that has graced stages across NY and other parts of North America over the past 2-3 years had entered the studio and shown the real deal side of a positive minded, bubbly young woman from Brooklyn. After going through outfits and shot after shot of an in-studio shoot for this issue, we were able to pick Ms. Alcindor’s brain a little about her thoughts on Hip Hop, her career and the ride it’s been thus far. Though she’s shown how well she can excel in the Hip Hop game, her beginnings weren’t necessarily Hip Hop based. She actually began writing poetry at a young age with a cousin, but found herself really enthralled around the age of 16 after the passing of a good friend of hers, who was a poet. “He made me start really looking into it. He was a huge fan of like Jadakiss and what not, and was just all into the art of Hip Hop and what it 50
really meant ... And when he passed away, I just started writing immensely; like everything, I was writing letters to God and things like that.” From there her relationship with Hip Hop started growing. She cites the Kanye West, College Dropout era as the time when she really felt inspired to push her spoken word artistry. “I was listening to a lot of his old stuff, before GOOD music even was anything, like when he was with Rhymefest and stuff. I generated this story in my mind about Hip Hop and what it means to me and made spoken word plays out of it ... From there this kid came to me and was like ‘Hey do you want to rap??’ and I was like ‘RAP?? ... I guess.’ And he hit me up for this cypher called We Got Bars. That was like my first cypher ever. From there on, people were like ‘oh, so you’re a rapper’ ... And I was like ... ‘Ok’ (laughs). And it kinda just stuck with me, like this secret thing I found within myself, and from there I became an artist. And it’s now what I love and live for.” L.A. saw the real peak of her rap vigor, during the fresh appearance of Nicki Minaj on the mainstream music scene. “In this industry, sex is a very big commodity; as soon as you show a little bit of tit it’s like ‘what up??’ Nicki Minaj was very open and ready for that. It’s reminiscent of Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown; during their era they were all about their sex and ‘this is my body and I control it and this is what I can do and how I can make you feel with my body.’ In the music you can hear it, Nicki Minaj did a lot of that in her music coming up. I feel she’s starting to realize it may not 51
have been the best thing ever to do; she’s still very raunchy, but she’s also very much like ‘I want people to like me for me now and not just for the Barbie aspect anymore.’ I think she sold because of her sex. But I think she has something else there, but you don’t know because of the mask that’s there.” I asked her if she felt this image was a deterrant to the rise of women in Hip Hop today, to which she felt the platform for the myriad of female Hip Hop artists was more of an issue rather than the imagery. “People are afraid to give us that platform, and afraid of change and to work with people.” Artists of today run the risk of career suicide when having to take matters into their own hands when it comes to building their artist brand on their own before even getting to the major leagues, considering deals won’t even be an offer unless they show and prove ... Long gone are the days of being picked up and developed into stars by the major label. “It’s a good thing because now you could create your own platform, but it’s a bad thing because the length of time to create it becomes SO frustrating to some females and you lose a LOT of talent that way ... A ton of stories are lost because of it.” There’s definite levels to Latasha Alcindor. She looks to her caribbean roots as the core of the gritty, aggressive nature behind her raps. “I’m Panamanian, Puerto Rican, Haitian and Jamaican ... so like everything about us is crazy, for the most part, so I think I get a lot of grit from that. A lot of people don’t know what my life has been 52
lot of people don’t “ Aknow what my life has been like, so they see me and think I’m some jolly happy girl and in reality I have stories for days. It’s that little thing inside of me that I can’t get out but when I’m on stage I’m able to do that; I feel like there’s a wall I’m able to break when I’m on stage and I can tell those stories.
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like, so they see me and think I’m some jolly happy girl and in reality I have stories for days. It’s that little thing inside of me that I can’t get out but when I’m on stage I’m able to do that; I feel like there’s a wall I’m able to break when I’m on stage and I can tell those stories.” It’s not so often you hear female artists outline their dealings with the Devil, so to speak, and really get reflective in their raps (though a page or 2 exists that can be taken out of the book of Jean Grae and the like); L.A. has proven herself to be one of those artists, with songs like Sinner’s Blues, touching on subjects of deceit, adultery, and the like. But where there’s fire, there’s also sun, where LA shows her versatility in expression with songs like La La Land, which brings things to a more lighter level.
As an artist, L.A. aims to express herself as just that. Very much into the spirit of self and upholding the artistic aspect of Hip Hop, she battles the artist’s burden of competing with oneself. Her worst critic at best, her focus remains within her personal bubble of constant redefinition for the sake of pushing out the distractions from what she aims to be. “I don’t even say I have a lane, I have a bridge ... And there are a bunch of trolls under my bridge (laughs). But I hate the term “competition,” I feel like there’s a throne for everybody.” Fighting through her adversity of the undeniable grind has been her biggest challenge, she mentions. “I’m a receptionist at a financial firm right now, UGH! It’s 8 hours of my day ... Thats a QUARTER OF MY LIFE everyday that you’re taking, I hope you
“ If I could have my soul reach
another soul through music, that’s what it needs to be. Music is for soul inviting and having a communication between souls. I want to be like, everytime I have a song, someone is like ‘DAMN RIGHT! I know exactly what you felt like!’ you know? That’s when you know you’re doing the right thing.
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know! (laughs) I mean the money is great, but I can’t do this for that long and I have to push myself through. That’s my biggest challenge, walking up to this job, that I call Zombie Land and really ignoring the fact that I’m in Zombie Land. It’s a blessing to have a job, don’t get me wrong, but at the same time when your heart is somewhere else and your body and mind are in different places, it’s like, dude I gotta be one right now.” 54
A way that she finds that oneness is writing rituals she performs throughout the day, including lists of what she is thankful for as well as of course getting down to the nitty and penning lyrics for the next song idea. Definitely a helpful coping mechanism between calls. (we creatives can’t help ourselves, in any instance.) The reality has come post a time she describes as “Beginners Luck” (a la The Alchemist). After gracing big stages like the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival and making appearances on MTV’s Rap Fix and in Rocawear’s “That’s Rocawear” campaign, she felt hit with the boom of a slow down after what felt like a non-stop ride. “I feel like I’m on a moving train right now ... Like, I feel like I’m sitting still but moving at the same time ... I’m still doing shows and running around. But right now, I’m in a preparation state of when somebody comes to me and is like ‘what you got for me L.A.?’ I’ll be like BOOM! ... And I feel like all of those things that have taken place have been good omens of things to come. Because it’s like if this is what my beginnings are like, my future might be ABSURD (laughs).” She cites some of her favorite lyrics coming from such Hip Hop greats as Nas with tracks like Memory Lane, Life’s a Bitch and It Ain’t Hard to Tell. Dead Man Scrolls by Saul Williams and poem crafted by Malik Yusef in Promised Land also hold lyrics dear to her heart, while Kanye West’s Spaceship holds a special place of relativity in its content (working artists are definitely waiting for their spaceship to come). As far as her own music, St. Michael hits home lyrically and A Place is one of the songs that stays on repeat, while I’m Alive stands as one of her rawest, hardest songs and anthemic to many of her fans. One of the most important things to L.A. on her musical journey is the power to touch her listeners. “If I could have my soul reach another soul through music, that’s what it needs to be. Music is for soul inviting and having a communication between souls. I want to be like, everytime I have a song, someone is like ‘DAMN RIGHT! I know exactly what you felt like!’ you know? That’s when you know you’re doing the right thing.” As motivation to others, she pushes home the idea of the law of attraction and how important it can be to think in the sense of what one may want out of life in order to make it come into fruition. Being grateful for what one has, showing gratitude and honing in on what one wants out of life is essential to personal growth. “Don’t be distracted by the asteroids; everything around you might look like it’s calamity and the worst thing ever, but in reality, there’s a reason why you’re seeing that. It’s to distract you from your higher purpose.”
soundcloud.com/ucancallmela twitter.com/ucancallmela youtube.com/ucancallmelatv Latasha Alcindor on Tumblr
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ARTIST: Telmo Miel, “Miss Mural”
Street Art Save My Life Facebook.com/streetartsavemylife
FunktheFormula, Inc. 2013