DOGSTAR

THEY ARE BACK W ITH VENGEANCE

10

FUSION MAGAZINE

P E R S P IC IA T IS U N D E O M N IS IS T E N A T U S TEAM JERRY CORIA RIE YAMADA MONICA MAY RACHEL PETERSON LUNA STEVENS RACHEL BECK

JAMES CUEVAS MATT SHULTZ AMANDA HARDY ADAM WARREN RICHARD CHANVEZ MIZUKI KURWA

CHIEF EDITOR JERRY

CORIA

MARKETING JOEY MACLAREN MIKE ROGERS

CINDY MENDEZ LARA ROLLINS

CONTACTS EMAIL

INFO@FUSIONTVMEDIA.COM

10 JAN / FEB ISSUE 2024

E X C L U S IV E

W IT H

G A C K T

Here we present Gackt, who is making his debut in the Western world, and learn more about his acting, producing, and musical careers. Is the next step to get into the Hollywood scene? In this exclusive interview, we discussed and got candid with the superstar legend staright from Japan.

DUA LIPA & HOLLYWOOD

40

The incredibly gifted Platinum musician Dua Lipa opens up about her thoughts and feelings about beginning a Hollywood film and her future plans as she makes her Hollywood debut.

S N O O P

D O G G

42

Snoop Dogg discusses his latest film in detail, including what the audience should know and why they should watch it

PARIS FASHION WEEK

46

Whether you’re looking for the latest trends, the greatest designs, or even some shocking ones, you’ll find them all at Paris Fashion Week.

24

UP CLOSE WITH

DOGSTAR FEATURED 04 A R T I S T S

S P O T L IG H T

This month’s talent Spotlight includes one incredible music talent to keep an eye on.

02 T H E

B E S T IN

M U S IC

Here are the top 40 songs of 2024. At this point, it is available, and we will provide you with the top musicians and what to watch out for.

DUA LIPA HOUDINI

Dua lipa sounds never keep stoping and now with her fresh new song from the Barbie Soundtrack Something about Dua Lipa’s music captivates me, and this new tune from the Barbie soundtrack showcases her signature blend of sexiness and pop perfection. You’ll want to play this song over and over again.

MILEY CYRUS

LOWERS

The song’s incredible popularity with streaming services and digital downloads demonstrates its indisputable commercial viability. There have been 178 million streams and 87,000 purchases of Cyrus’s hit in the United Kingdom. The song has become the year’s most popular in both streaming and downloads.

OUR PICKS

MUSIC YOU NEED

TAYLOR SWIFT CRUEL SUMMER

OLIVIA RODRIGO VAMPIRE

SELENA GOMEZ CALM DOWN

DAVID GUETTA

BABY DONT HURT ME

DOLLY AVE

AUTHOR JE R R Y C O R I A PHOTOGRAPHY: JE R R Y C O R I A

A NEW MUSIC

NEW TASTE

MONTHS ARTIST SPOTLIGHT THIS F usion: Please talk about yourself and introduce yourself.

of this world. I always sang privately.

Songwriting was my first medium of expression during my formative years.

FUSION: Please talk about yourself and introduce yourself.

I would write songs and melodies and sing them to those closest to me. My weakness was how prevalent my performance anxiety was. My body would shake, my voice would tremble, and I almost gave into the fear.

DOLLY: My name is Dolly Ave and I am a Vietnamese American musician based in Los Angeles, California. My music genre leans heavily into alternative, indie, and pop.

FUSION: Talk about how you got started in the music scene?

DOLLY: My pursuit in photography elevated my presence and understanding of the music scene. I was living in Chicago during my studies where the music was so rich and diverse.

Everyday I was inspired to capture the artists, events, and festivals. These opportunities led to capturing album covers, promos, music videos which made me more addicted to being a part

Surprisingly my love for music was so great I decided to attack the fear and pursue it rather than let it define me.

While I would capture artists during their process it was a great learning experience for me. This is what branding is, this is how they warm up, this is how they share music… etc.

I absorbed all of this information and wrote my own music on the side.

Around the time I made the leap to move to Los Angeles, California was when I felt confident to start sharing my music publicly. That was where my artist journey began.

FUSION: What has been a major challenge for you this year and how did you overcome this?

DOLLY: Being an independent artist comes with its battles. The biggest challenge would be rejection and persevering. There are a lot of no’s and it tests your faith in yourself, your craft, and your team. Every artist goes through this self hatred process.

We struggle with our own expectations and the pressure of other’s expectations. I thankfully have a wonderful manager, Richard. He keeps me grounded and constantly inspired.

It’s important to have a good support system. I am also very fortunate to have good friends in the creative space as my sounding board to keep me focused when I start to stray. If I had given up during the first sign of trouble, I would never have gotten to see what magic looks like.

Ph ot o b y J erry C oria

Being an independent artist comes with its battles. The biggest challenge would be rejection and persevering. There are a lot of no’s and it tests your faith in yourself, your craft, and your team.

Every artist goes through this self hatred process.

DOLLY AVE I can’t believe the opportunities that I have experienced in my short journey as a musician. One of my most memorable moments would be performing at SXSW, a personal bucket list goal for me.

There are a lot of other hurdles that come with being independent and that means you wear a million hats to get the job done since resources are limited. Overcoming this was all trial and error.

It was important for me to frame my mind that this should be taken as a start up rather than put so much pressure on myself creatively.

A startup takes time, takes money, takes testing things out, and progresses through the trials and tribulations. I am honestly at the best stage of this journey right now which is just good old fashioned trusting

my instincts. It’s difficult to do that when you’re brand new and have so many opinions and eyes on you. I’m finally comfortable with the challenge and it’s a world of difference where I am now. The only challenge I have now is wishing I had more than twenty four hours in a day because of how much I want to be engulfed in this wonderful creative world at every waking second.

FUSION: What do you love about music, and what inspires you?

DOLLY: This is such a difficult question for me to answer because some of it is unexplainable. I know that music gives me purpose, it allows me to express myself, and it’s a beautiful way of connecting with others.

I was crippled in shyness and introversion as I mentioned earlier which

only made articulating my feelings complicated. Writing a letter was easier than saying it out loud.

Singing about it was strangely less vulnerable for me but allowed me freedom to express myself. What inspires me about music is that it’s a strange phenomenon. Songs, words, chords, melodies begin as nothing and magically becomes something you can share with the world.

That’s what I love about the entirety of music from writing to performing.

I’m constantly learning about myself and learning how it can also move people to learn about themselves.

FUSION: Talk about your music career and how your journey has been?

I also love that there is more genre bending music. The lines are all blurred.

The more important change is that international music is just as successful as English speaking music.

DOLLY: The wonderful thing about the path to art is there’s no particular roadmap. It’s unique to each individual. That was something I had to come to terms with. I would like to say my career is slow and steady building one brick by brick at a time.

The funny thing is some would say my career is shaping surprisingly faster than usual considering how “late” I started this journey. For me, I am just taking it a day at a time. There are so many surprises with each new milestone. While it might be ideal to have an overnight hit, or crazy fame now - there is something sweet and satisfying about putting all my blood, sweat, and tears into this and having success come through persistence.

FUSION: How do you see music from today vs from before?

DOLLY: Music is more accessible in my opinion. Before there were specific paths you needed to take such as playing the right venue, being featured in the right article, possessing a certain look, and being signed to the right label. The internet opened the world of music up to anybody.

Undiscovered talent could be found anywhere in the world. Someone who lives in a remote village can be seen and heard. You could make music in your bedroom. It’s a time where there’s no predictability which absolutely changed the game.

I also love that there is more genre bending music. The lines are all blurred. The more important change is that international music is just as successful as English speaking music.

As an artist you no longer need to worry about breaking through in America. It’s really exciting to see. The internet allowed me a way to reach parts of the world that I would not have known possible. I can’t believe the music I made is resonating with Asia, Germany, Australia, and more.

When I performed in Vietnam it didn’t matter where I was from and what I was saying. Music has no language barriers.

FUSION: What are you currently working on now?

DOLLY: It’s going to be a busy year of performing. We’re gearing up for shows and I’m so stoked! While I love being in the studio and writing new music, there’s no joy that comes close to live music for me. There will be local shows and festivals but we’re building some special ones out of the country. Outside of that I’m working on several collections of music. It took me some time to grow into my voice in the literal and conceptual sense. I am really happy with what I’m making and I’m taking my time with every small detail of the process.

FUSION: Talk about your latest music and what songs are you currently promoting?

DOLLY: I just released my debut album which consisted of eleven songs. It was the result of the pandemic, the death of my mother, and transitioning from a photographer into a musician.

It was a labor of love for two years and now that it’s out we’re just giving each song a chance to continue to reach new eyes and ears. While some artists generally go single after single after album after album - for me I want to keep working this album.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

I worked with some incredible talent on this project and I want to continue to give it the best shot even as I release new music. There’s eleven songs I get to reimagine on stage which is the fun part. Every season or new audience member will resonate with a new song each time. Those who picked a favorite song will eventually learn to love the other ones through new ways I sing, new context to the songs, and more. There are countless people to expose your old music to, not just the new ones.

FUSION: Where did the name Dolly Ave come from?

PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

I was about thirteen when I decided I wanted to be

I had read that J.K Rowling used this name to hide

called, “Dolly Ave.” I am not sure what overcame me

her gender in the literature world to offset potential

with this thought at the time, but I was adamant on

sexist bias to reading her work. It was also at the

reinventing myself. I loved that it not only had a ring

same time an artist I was a big fan of “Tim Atlas”

to it but “avenue” was a creative path with multiple

had changed his name from his legal name.

outcomes. I dropped “Avenue” to “Ave” shorter after reading about different startup names losing the

All of these things were a perfect storm to get my

word “the” before it.

thirteen year old mind to get her gears turning.

Fun fact, years later, Tim Atlas and I would write

I had more than one reason to want to reinvent

and release a song together. A funny and strange

myself. I moved quite a lot growing up which

coincidence if you ask me. I’ve had this name ever

exposed me to discrimination, bullying, and using my

since.

biological Vietnamese last name as a way to mock me due to their lack of ability to pronounce the

FUSION: Are there any artists you wish to

name. It was also a creative choice.

collaborate with in the future?

DOLLY: I am open to collaborations if the right project or song comes along. It’s important for the circumstances to make sense rather than forcing it. Currently I don’t have anyone on my radar. I’m sure that will change as I continue to write new material.

FUSION: What is your motivation as a songwriter and music artist?

DOLLY: My motivation is to connect with others through music and songwriting.

I love hearing stories from people who listened to my music and it impacted their lives. I love that they see someone that looks like them perform on stage and it gives them courage to pursue their dreams. I love hearing that my loss helped others grieve with the loss of their loved ones. All of these scenarios motivate me to continue further. It’s also for myself that everyday I continue to want to design the life that I envisioned as a young girl. I’m motivated by that young girl to keep going.

FUSION: How would you describe the music that you typically create?

DOLLY: The music is introspective.

Sonically, I enjoy stacking harmonies and having moments in the music for longer instrumental breaks. I’m not too concerned about the genre of music I make when I’m in the studio, but I do overthink a lot about what I am saying.

The lyrics are important to me.

If I had to shape the music in a box it does lean in the pop, alternative, and indie soundscape. This all makes sense based on what I grew up listening to and the places I’ve lived. I listened to anything and everything so the melting pot of sounds somehow turned into Dolly Ave. I’m having fun with it and constantly experimenting in new directions.

Sometimes it’s a hit and most times it’s a miss, and that’s the beauty of releasing music. It represents where you were in life but not where you’re headed. It may change by the time this interview comes out!

FUSION: Where have you performed?

What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?

DOLLY: I have performed in various venues across the country. My debut album was the main focus for the year and so moving forward it’ll be to perform as much as possible. My favorites would have to be the Monsoon Festival in Ha Noi, Vietnam. We performed for over 10,000 people all of my original songs as a full band.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

It was such an exhilarating and joyful experience. I’m excited for what’s to come. The bar keeps getting higher I suppose. I do have many shows for this year. I am unable to announce them yet, but I look forward to performing for everyone.

FUSION: What is your favorite song to perform?

DOLLY: The songs fluctuate each performance but it is “Honda.” It was the last song I wrote on the album and it’s really fun and theatrical. Everyone who has been to a show knows the big breakdown at the end is one of my favorite moments when performing the song. Another one would be “So Called Friend.” It’s angsty and doesn’t take myself too seriously.

FUSION: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

DOLLY: I have a strong belief that musicians, songwriters, producers should have the same protection and pay as any other industry. and pay as any other industry. The music industry has a lot of wealth to share and our infrastructure is weak. There are crazy contracts that artists are bound to that take away their creative rights, large

percentages of work they created, and trap them for decades. Streaming platforms and most festivals do not pay artists enough money to keep their lights on. There needs to be a better way.

FUSION: Talk about your experience and your trips to Japan.

What inspired you when you went to Japan ?

DOLLY: I was fully immersed in Japanese culture while staying there. It is so lively, beautiful, a constant source of inspiration. The food is delicious, healthy, adventurous - and the population is massive which keeps you stimulated. I was most inspired by walking around and people watching. Every alley leads me to a new adventure and I love how kind and polite everyone comes across in Japan. I was surprised that fashion was another aspect that I took away from the trip. I returned energized. Everyone should go to Japan at least once in their lives.

FUSION: Talk about the What is your creative process in making music is like?

DOLLY: My creative process starts with a topic I want to elaborate on. On rare occasions the melody drives the session, but the concept helps me. My favorite method is to just turn the mic on and sing to a random riff we wrote and let that guide the rest of the song. I don’t have one perfect method of music making, it’s different with each session and producer, but right now it’s been fun to turn on the mic and discover in real time. I recently trapped myself in a cabin for three days to write with just myself and an instrument. That was a fun creative task. I made one of my new favorite songs for the new album through that process and my producers and I recreated it in the studio. When I was younger I would start off writing full poems and turning them into songs. I haven’t done that in a while, but there are so many ways to get your creative ideas out.

F

usion: First, for the viewers that do not know who you are, can you please share a little introduction about yourself?

GACKT: I’m GACKT, I’m a singer, an actor and a producer. I’m a jack of all trades Fusion: You started in the music industry in the early 90’s with Malice Mizer, a visual kei group and after that, you

went solo. At that time, how were you feeling about music?

GACKT: To be honest, there is not that much difference in how I feel when I’m in a band and when I’m solo. But it’s true, how I express my music has changed. When it comes to the band, the main thing is to show our best performance, as a whole. When I’m solo, how I play is a key factor in how I

bring the audience into my world. Either way, my feelings towards the stage performance don’t change at all.

Fusion: Talk about your feelings about music back then vs. music now.

GACKT: My feelings about music haven’t changed, but my main concern is how musicians are affected in this day and

UP CLOSE WITH

GACKT AUTHOR: RIE YAMADA PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

age. In the past, CD marketing was the main revenue for musicians, but CD sales have gone down, and people downloading digital music and streaming has now become the main focus. I think there are a lot of people who have been affected by the music marketing shift to downloading and streaming. Personally, I don’t really pay attention to the difference in innovation of the marketing sales methods between now and then. I think it’s important to carry out my musical expression through creating music FUSION: As a musician and producer, learning more and more about the entertainment industry has made you very open minded about music.

What were the turning points in your life where you really started to appreciate music on a deeper level?

deliver my heart through my songs, not only am I simply talking about skills as a musician, I’ve started thinking about making it my and my band’s mission to knock people off their feet with my songs.

Every year, I do a charity concert and sing songs at a graduation ceremony in front of 200-300 students at junior high schools and high schools. At the same time, I think we, as stage performers, have to realize that our songs give opportunities to encourage the younger generations and make them realize their dreams when they see our shows. I only get to do this school charity concert once a year, but I want to keep doing this every graduation season.

FUSION: As a musician and producer, what have been your major challenges that you’ve faced and how did you overcome those obstacles?

GACKT: I’ve been playing music since I was three.

Actually, that was when I started out as a vocalist.

Around that time, I began to think how to deliver my music to all those people who listen to it. There are literally people who get knocked down when they listen to my songs during live performances. I feel the music has a real stunning power, and I realize that my songs and music can be sources of motivation in their lives. To

PHOTOGRAPHY: JERRY CORIA

ACTOR, PRODUCER, MUSIC ARTIST THE JACK OF ALL TRADES, THERE IS NOTHING GACKT CAN’T DO. He WAS BORN TO ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE THE YOUTH AS WELL AS ANYONE THAT BECOMES A FAN, AND THERE IS MORE TO COME. GACKT: I’ve been searching for how to express my music; my style when I perform solo vs. where I was with the band. My style of stage performance is different from other artists, it was not easy until I structured my style on stage.

At the beginning, I learned through trial and error, but I kept moving forward until I reached my goal of doing a live performance style called, ‘visual live,’ which is composed of all those images, stories and music stages altogether. It took such a long time for me to see my vision clearly and be able to make it a reality. We live only once, and we cannot take back time, once the

moment is gone. Instead of being at a standstill to figure out what I want to do or who I am, I keep moving forward, while learning through trial and error. Of course, we will probably make mistakes many times during the process, but we keep going, not being afraid to fail.

We’re gonna see more clearly what we are looking for, what we wanna do and what our dreams are. Meantime, we might have struggled during the process, but we don’t give up on our dreams, we keep doing what we want once we decide to do something.

FUSION: You have made so many albums, maybe this may be a very difficult question but if you had to choose one of those albums to be number one, which album would it be and why?

GACKT: Any albums I produced were coming from each era where I struggled. It’s difficult for me to choose which album is the best.

However, regarding the album called, “Last Moon”, it was a live show where I felt that I was able to deliver a complete version of what a visual live show is, in a sense.

After all, I feel even more attached to the music from that time, than from other albums. Music always has a theme, so I call that Zipang Rock. The culture of rock that I want to create came from Europe and the United States, so I wondered what kind of musical expression we could create, and what kind of sound only I could create, and I wanted to make something called Zipang Rock.

Japanese instruments include musical instruments of Asia, but if you overdo the approach and melody of those instruments, the whole thing becomes very lame. I had been trying to fuse those Japanese instruments with Rock music.

I feel like I was finally able to capture this sound on this album, although it’s not all of it. The album called, “Last Moon,” is very deep and meaningful for me.

FUSION: For us back in America, Tower Records used to be the place to hang out and listen to music and get influenced and be introduced to new music. When you were younger, how did you get introduced to music and how do you stay aware and surrounded with so much great music out there today?

GACKT: When I discovered music, ever since I can remember, I had always been into classical music and lived in the classical world, such as Debussy and Chopin. I was seriously into classical music. I came into rock music when I was in my late teens, and I was still a drummer then. I was influenced by the world-famous metal bands at the time. When I asked myself which kind of music I wanted to do, especially when I switched from drums to vocals, I realized that there was a big difference between the music I liked and the music I wanted to do. So, I started creating my own music.

FUSION: As a solo artist, you have done so much creative work. How do you still inspire and how do you keep pushing the evolution in creating great music for the world?

EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES we will probably make mistakes many times during the process,

but we keep going, not being afraid to fail.

GACKT

GACKT: I don’t really get inspired by listening to other art-

FUSION: Please talk about MOON SAGA. You have many

ist’s music, but when I do listen to it, I tend to be influ-

projects but this one is very different and it stands out a

enced by it, that’s why I don’t really listen to the songs of

lot. I understand the MOON SAGA is a lifelong project for

other artists. If I listen to music, it’s mostly to old songs and

you, can you please share more about this project?

classical music, because that’s what I listen to on a daily basis. Mostly, my inspiration comes from various sensations

GACKT: Originally, when I started the band, and even after

such as walking around town, or spending time in nature.

I went solo, I always wanted to do something that combines storytelling and live stage performances, I was always

I get the sensations especially when I spend time surround-

writing those stories. When I thought about what it would

ed by nature, and I think this is our job as musicians, to

be like for me to express myself as a solo artist, I decided

transform these feelings into notes and create music from

that the sensibilities or sensations that I had cultivated up

those sensations. I am not interested in following trends.

until now would be the main focus of my story. In my story,

Trends always fade away at some point, and the most

there are no human beings, but we see human’s foolish-

important thing for me is to find an opportunity to create

ness, sadness, beauty, kindness, and fragility through non-

my own original songs, so I personally focus on my music

human beings. I am always expressing what is important in

itself. When I say that I’m inspired by something, I think it’s

this life and what is important as a person. The main focus

mostly the sounds that exist in the natural world, or atmo-

of MOON SAGA is the existence of vampires, and we go back

sphere, or something I feel from the atmosphere.

to the places of the past, like Old Europe, the modern era,

the near future, etc. Demonic beings exist in Japan, and I thought that those demons could be portrayed in a beautiful way, so I started writing about the story prior to the Kamakura era period in Japan and its historical background. MOON SAGA’s story begins from ancient history, moving into the modern era. I had been writing the story going backward from the near future to the modern era, and moving to the medieval period, then to the Kamakura era which was around the year 1200. This time, I was trying to figure out different ways of expressing my performances, like I wanted to express myself on stage, and I also wanted to express my music in a way that the music and the performance fused or linked together.

That is the story of MOON SAGA, and after all, visual live performance is not just a fusion of music and images, but it is like watching a movie and then suddenly it becomes a stage show. I guess I could say it’s like a transition from the stage to the show. Then it transitions again, to images from the stage and it repeats over and over. This world vision is very interesting to the audience. It also feels like it jumped off the screen, and I think that’s what became known as Last Visual Live.

FUSION: When you are on stage, and as a performer what is something that you still love when doing live shows for the fans?

GACKT: I think there are a lot of hard, difficult, and challenging things in our daily lives. However, when my fans come to see my live show, with all their emotions, my live venues become places where people want to return to, and when people do just that, they can leave all the emotions that they have been dealing with at the door. I feel that I wanted to create a place where people could go and let go, and that is how I felt when I performed on stage.

FUSION: Not only have you created

express myself. Thus, expanding my

for me to focus on being a particular

so much music that the world can

repertoire. I’m building my expression

way in Hollywood, because there are

appreciate, but you have also done a

skills one by one, and also discovering

many other places for me to express

lot of movies and tv shows that talk

a new way to act.

myself. However, if there are many

about the other side of the industry.

other places in many different coun-

What got you interested in starting

FUSION: Many actors in Hollywood

tries for me to do just that, I should

acting?

not only do acting in films but also do

do my music overseas as well.

many Broadway shows and I know GACKT: Basically, when I’m singing a

you have done theater. Is there any

I take this opportunity in a fairly

song, in my case, I feel like it’s very

challenge for you as an actor that

neutral way. In the past, I was think-

close to acting, like being a character

you feel like you want to do more

ing, “Let’s go abroad!”. But now, I

in a song and conveying that char-

that you haven’t done yet?

think that if there is a place for me

acter’s feelings. I simply feel that

to express myself, and if there are

we speak different languages, and

GACKT: Actually, when I started

people waiting for me, then I will try

I thought, if you are a singer, you

working in Hollywood, I was in a

to see what I can do for them.

would understand that you could also

lot of trouble, so I had to pause my

act. So, I started acting as a way to

activities there. It was not necessary

FUSION: You have a new film that is coming out soon in Japan. Can you talk about this and how you got involved in this film? I think many viewers are big fans of the work that you’ve done in the voice over world.

What proper training do you get when doing voice over? This level of experience requires a lot of attention to detail, so how do you stay focused through it all?

GACKT: The new film is based on an anime, and there were many reasons behind why I decided to play a role in this film. The biggest reason was that I was a fan of this anime and I am also a big fan of the author. This author selected me for the role, and if he was willing to work with me, I replied back to him, “Let’s do it.” Then I dove into the work on the movie.

Of course, I do some training to stay in shape, because I want to keep my body strong enough to withstand the whole live concert, and also express my music on stage rather than training to maintain my vocals. The most important thing for me is to make sure I do my training at a certain level e ve r y da y , i n or de r t o ke e p m y p hys i c a l s t r e ngt h. I f I onl y pr a c t i c e s i ngi ng a nd my muscle strength starts to decline, I may find that it’s like, ‘the tail wagging the dog,’ my body wouldn’t be strong enough to express my skills. So, I think the most important thing in my daily training is how I strengthen my body so that it will serve as a great foundation for my performance.

FUSION: In America, when someone has experience in the entertainment industry in all different levels such as music, acting, theater and voice over work, we call them “the jack of all trades.” Was this something you thought about from the very beginning or did this just happen by chance?

GACKT: In the first place, singing is a form of self-expression, and other forms of expression also come from within me, so there aren’t really any boundaries to me between singing and acting.

It might be that I started to do various things to show my fans what it means to take on a challenge.

FUSION: What is your hope for the future of young kids in Japan, and what do you wish to accomplish to help the kids achieve their dreams?

GACKT: It seems like Japan is a convenient and favorable country, but in reality, there are not many places to learn how to live life here. Nobody really teaches you what it takes to make your dreams come true. So, I’ve tried to make it clear to my fans that you are not only having your dreams but also making those dreams come true, through observing my life’s work.

The reason why I want to deliver this message to my fans is that your dreams literally come true, and what I am doing is a proof of that. Of course, I think that it depends on the person’s efforts, and the magnitude of the results will vary from person to person, but I continue to convey that there is nothing you can’t do.

So, no matter how difficult you think it is, no matter how impossible it may be to you, I would like to show my fans the meaning of not giving up and continuing to take on those challenges.

When trying to accomplish something, there are many obstacles. In reality, these obstacles are not so much big challenges or walls that stand in front of you, but rather the obstacles you face are your closest friends and family.

People often give up on their dreams because they are told to by the most significant people around them, such as their closest friends and people who they’ve known for a long time.

I think there are many people who just give up their dreams because people around them tell them that it is impossible or that they should just stop.

But we only live once, and if there is something we want to do, even if someone around us rejects it, at the very least we have to believe in ourselves.

So, when we give up, quit, or change our path, we don’t think it’s because someone told us to, or because we were influenced by someone else.

So, people should take action based on what they decide for themselves, and consequences should be based on their own judgment. So, if you believe in yourself, and try to get a certain result, you know that it won’t come easily, and you have to do it desperately to get to the point where you’re willing to give up if you can’t get it.

But I personally think that if we keep trying it over and over, eventually we will be able to obtain something important.

FUSION: Talk about the charity work that you do for the high school students, how did that all come about?

GACKT: I am involved in other activities such as charity and volunteering, but I don’t really want to show what I am involved with to the public these days.

In the past, I used to tell people what I was doing because I was hoping there would be an increase in the number of people who do charity and volunteering like me, when I was sharing my experiences. But lately, I’ve become much more aware that people will do it without me telling them to do it, and some people will do it and others won’t even if I tell them to.

So, I’m going to do what I wanna do, and I’m going to do what I can do, instead of telling people to do something. It is the same as the graduation ceremonies; many people ask me for the various reasons why I choose to do them, and there are many reasons for that. But the main reason why I’m doing them is because I simply want to. That’s all. That’s the answer and I think it’s not necessary to have other answers, either.

FUSION: To take this kind of challenge in going to graduations and charities to inspire and encourage kids, how do you get the energy to give the energy to the students?

GACKT: I think it’s a good event to deliver my songs and those songs touch people’s hearts, and actually the audience reminds me of the meanings of those songs, and that comes back to me directly.

and results they want, but I’ve been providing this charity concert for 10 years or more, and it would make me realize that what I have been doing with this concert was meaningful to the graduates.

The graduation ceremonies are a place that makes me feel how important it is to lift people up. There are also children who are not my fans, and by delivering a surprise performance and bringing excitement to them, I hope to give them courage, lift them up, and give them a sense of what it means to take on challenges.

If I happen to meet some of the graduates by chance in the future, I’m sure they’ll have some accomplishments, and if those graduates tell me that my charity concert pushed them forward at the time, and it was a big reason why they were able to make it that far, I would be very grateful for those moments with the graduates.

Whenever I’m able to do that, I am happy. I am also happy if they take a step forward and do what they want to do in their lives, and they don’t worry about something holding them back. I don’t think all graduates will be able to get the outcome

After all, especially when we’re young, it’s hard to take one step forward. But if we can move forward because someone gives us a little bit of encouragement, then I think I can tell there’s meaning to my charity concerts to the graduates.

FUSION: What’s next for you, what can viewers expect from you that you will be working on?

GACKT: This is the same as live performances, but I’m also working on another movie, and I think I’ll be able to deliver excitement as an actor in other movie.

I can’t tell you the title yet but please look forward to it!

FUSION: We are proud to select you as the front cover for FUSION magazine, what are your thoughts on this as this is the debut appearance in which fans can get a closer look at you and what you do, how do you feel about being on the front cover?

And finally, what message do you want to say to all the fans out there that are watching and reading FUSION magazines?

GACKT: I would be more than happy to have an opportunity to deliver even a little bit of information to my fans who are waiting for me all over the world, and it would make me happy if after reading FUSION magazine, readers and viewers realize that I would love to come to see them in their countries.

GACKT Presents: The Limited Edition GACKT Magazine.

We have put together a limited edition magazine that delves into his career, life as a musician and actor, and a bit about his personal life so you can learn more about him and see what this Legendary Artist has planned for his American debut.

I want to deliver this message to my fans. Your dreams literally come true, and what I am doing is a proof of that.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Brian Bowen

DOGSTAR

THE BAND IS BACK! NEW ALBUM PLUS MORE AUTHOR JERRY CORIA | LIVE PHOTOS JERRY CORIA | LIVE PHOTOS ALLAN ABANI

Ph ot og rap h y : J erry C oria

D

ogstar is a Los Angeles alternative rock band that shot to fame in the mid-1990s, with actor Keanu Reeves who plays bass and Bret Domrosewho plays gutair and Vocals and finally with Robert Mailhousewho plays Drums for the group. The band routinely took their post-grunge/alt-pop hybrid on the road, playing to sold-out crowds across Asia, Europe, and North America. Before breaking up in 2002, the band recorded two albums, 1996's Our Little Visionary and 2000's Happy Ending.

Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees was Dogstar's third studio album, released in 2023 after the band reunited after a twenty-year hiatus.

They recently came back with a big tour across the United States and Japan, and we were given the opportunity to speak with the band in an exclusive interview in which they discussed their latest album, music, and pure rock and roll.

FUSION: You formed back in the early 90’s and now you have decided to come back you and currently you are on tour back in Japan so how does it feel being back on the road?

DOGSTAR: you know being back in the road is amazing so great to be back in Japan so many good memories that we forgot about. Coming back here we remember how nice the people are and how great the food is and beautiful. Everything is amazing and we are just we're having a great time.

FUSION: Let's discuss a little bit about the band's decision to return, and what memories you had before when you were in the early 1990s, vs what memories you want to make now that you're on tour?.

DOGSTAR: Well, I think playing in Japan is incredible because the venues are always fun and the sound is always good and the crowd gets it, and it's also fun for us after the shows to share meals and go out together and I think it brings back a lot of memories, and it's just so lovely for us with the whole experience is just incredible to be in Japan.

I N N ON M OL L I S S OD AL E S PU RU S .

I C I E D API BU S A.

Photos by: Ross Halfin

DOGSTAR:Keanu (Ba.): Creating new memories and we're playing our album that's coming out in October and bringing new music. You know, I think it's nice sharing the evolution of the band through the music that we're making.

DOGSTAR: Robert (Dr.) : I think this is the first time we have played most of the new album overseas, and I think Japan is the perfect place to do that.

FUSION: Keanu I was wondering, given the likely evolution of your tastes and influences since you began making music, who served as early inspirations for you, and who serves as current inspirations?

DOGSTAR: Keanu (Ba.): I don't know. Growing up, I guess the inspiration came from when I was listening to music and always listened to the bass lines for some reason.I guess it's something that I wanted to try and do, and I still do that you know. I guess my inspiration is rock 'n' roll and whatever that sounds like and whatever looks good on the bass that is my inspiration FN*** Rock ‘n’ Roll man, to me that is awesome.

DOGSTAR: Bret (Vol./Gt.): I was primarily influenced by singer-songwriters when it came to music, and I've always been more interested in the songs themselves than in the musicians who perform them. I've always been curious about whether the singer who sings the song when I am hearing it was believable on what they were singing, and to this day, I'm always on the lookout for authenticity in the vocal performances of the artists I listen to. That's what really gets to my heart.

DOGSTAR: Robert (Dr.): I mean every day it seems to be different. You can ask me that question every day and I’d give you a different answer but looking back on my inspiration starting out, I had older sisters so for me I'd get them to hand me down records – and my sisters are six years older than me -- so I got everything from the likes of The Beatles and The Stones and everything that was happening when they were younger. So I think I was influenced by a lot of British music, and then a lot of Motown stuff, and that was in at the time. That’s what I feel was part of my inspiration.

FUSION: Talk about the two most recent songs you guys just released now and what was the story behind making the songs DOGSTAR: Bret: "Everything Turns Around" is a very feel good, happy song meant to inspire hope that if you're having a dark day, to just hang in there because it's going to get better.

And that goes for relationships as well, as you know it could be anything you can relate to in your life -- it could be your lover, or it can be about your work, it could be anything that you translate this song to be. Everyone can relate to this song whether you need a lift to make your day go better, so that's kind of the sentiment behind that song. It's just to try to give everybody a little summer sunshine and a keep your chin up kind of vibe.The song "Breach" is kind of the opposite of that, it’s a story of a person who doesn't want to let anybody in and they're very closed off, and then being loved and finally realizing that that person's going to get in whether you let them in

or not so they're breaching the wall that that the character has put up.

FUSION: How would you characterize “cool Japan,” both individually and collectively?

DOGSTAR: Keanu (Ba.): I think we've been hearing about this ‘cool Japan’ for a bit and our experience with the audience, which is the passion for whatever people love, it feels like the Japanese culture just has a passion. I think it's cool. I mean it's not the only story, of course, but I think for us it would come across as just passionate, nice and polite.

DOGSTAR: Bret (Vol./Gt.): What makes Japan cool to me is similar to what Keanu just said, it’s the kindness that people display towards each other even in big cities. In the United States, in Los Angeles where we live, you don't always see that as much and it's very refreshing and it fills my heart to see that even in a large city like Tokyo or Osaka or even Nagoya. I like that people are still very courteous and it's an example for the rest of the world.

DOGSTAR: Robert (Dr.): Yeah, I agree. I always feel like a better person when I leave Japan, you know! It’s just meeting people and the way they feel, and everything about Japan is so cool.There's a mode of excellence here, and everything about the culture -- whether it's art or the economy -- it's just the way things are built, and what they make, and the food, and passion, and drink, and music. So you know, Japan totally has a unique style. There’s always been that striving for excellence, and along with that there's this relaxed sort of feeling that I get when I meet the Japanese people. You can feel it when you're playing live on stage, you know? They listen. It's a different kind of energy in Japan. When I'm playing shows I feel like I'm going to a recording studio, and it puts me on my game more. I feel like I owe it to give them my very best to not slack off or anything because they’re expecting something at a different level, you know, the experience here is priceless.

FUSION: Music has evolved so much from the 90's to now, what are your feelings from back then to now and what are you reminiscing about or wish you could bring back then vs now?

F D

Ph ot og rap h y : Al l an Ab ani

PHOTO BY: J erry C oria

PHOTO BY: Al l an Bani

PHOTO BY: J erry C oria

I FEEL OUR MUSIC DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME SONG SYNDROME WE HAVE DIFFERENT INFLUENCES

DOGSTAR: Keanu (Ba.):) I think with the music that we've been creating, we're sharing so many of the influences in each song, you know?I feel like our music doesn't have the same song syndrome in the sense that we have different influences, like for example, if you listen to song "Sleep" and then listen to the song called "Glimmer," the styles and influences in those music are all different -- the music that I believe we are making our own matriculating in with Dogstar, to try and answer your question in terms of the past and then in the present. I think even though there's a lot of music, which is cool, just the way that you can access music now is interesting; that the variety you can get exposed to so easily, I think it's really exciting and great. That’s kind of part of what we’re doing, which is amazing.

FUSION: What do you want viewers to know about the album that was release this past October and what is the feelings that you like to share with the viewers DOGSTAR: Bret (Vol./Gt.): I think, as Keanu mentioned, there are a lot of flavors on this album. If you like music, you won't be bored. With each song, there are a few that sound similar, but for the most part they are a departure from the one before it. And there is a story that the album tells.

We never really had that in the past I don't think, so we're very excited about this for that reason, which is just you know every song is different.

Photo

a hy: Ross Halfin

FUSION: Your performance in Japan was outstanding. What can we expect for the rest of the leg of the tour?, you're off to the rest of the tour. My question is, what was the feeling behind doing shows in Japan and then moving back to the States? Is there anything you'd like to share with the decision to pick up only the Japan tour?

DOGSTAR: Keanu (Ba.): Well, we started in the States and then we came to Japan and now we're going back.

We're really kind of committing to being a FN**** touring rock band.

DOGSTAR: Bret (Vol./Gt.): Yeah, we go where they invite us.

DOGSTAR: Robert (Dr.): We had a window where they invited us and we just filled it and booked it to perform in Japan.

I think the touch more on the altitude that would expect with that as well. I think it's a different sound. Our other records had a certain sound and I think this one is a deeper, lusher sort of sound and it's very pleasant to listen to. I think people will enjoy that. Our producer

David Trumfio did a really good job capturing it and helping us create something.

FUSION: I'm a product of the '90s, so I grew up on punk and rock 'n' roll. I'm curious as to who your top three punk rock and rock band influences were.

DOGSTAR: Keanu (Ba.): We can start with Minor Threat, The Exploited, and I mean there's Discharge too, which is like if you take The Exploited and Discharge counts sure OK. Everyone but you thinks that OK I don't think it is but I'll take the Ramones I mean when they when they came out they know there was nothing else like it right and then Ph ot og rap h y : J erry C oria

DOGSTAR: Bret (Vol./Gt.) : I believe punk rock is like Hüsker Dü. Is that not punk rock? It is to me, and as a child growing up in the suburbs, that's punk rock right there! That plus, in terms of rock, it's not much of a segue, but I love U2 and I love Elton John, and if you squish all of that together, you get a tiny bit of Dogstar right there ha-ha.

DOGSTAR:Robert (Dr.): Iggy and The Stooges, I think that I love that for punk rock, and I love The Buzzcocks but I don't know if that's punk or post punk? I was more of a post punk guy like The Clash and all that stuff, but of course, you know, The Sex Pistols and The Ramones and stuff like that. I love that kind of music, but I think punk might have been more of a fashion thing.

FUSION: I think it’s more of an attitude

DOGSTAR: Robert (Dr.): Well yeah that’s true, it's more of an attitude and definitely The Clash with London Calling. London Calling, right, but it's kind of Malcolm McLaren. It kind of started out as all those labels. Iit’s funny aren't they, but I felt back then that there's a style, and then there's a thing called post punk and who came up with that? but then again though some of those bands that I followed back then, and I love a lot of post punk

Ph ot og rap h y : J erry C oria

PHOTO BY: Branno K ent

PHOTO BY: Branno K ent

PHOTO BY: Branno K ent

PHOTO BY: J erry C oria

FUSION: Finally for all the readers what message do you want to say and what would you like them to know ay last comments?

DOGSTAR: Keanu: Thanks for spending some time with us and we love to have you listen to our new music that is out now in OCT and we love to come back to Japan and perform again!

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feelings. I never realized how much I missed bands like these until I heard their music again after a long hiatus.

When I was younger, I frequented the Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard to discover new music.

--FUSION's Chief in editor notes-They are now returning with a major tour throughout the United States, and we had the honor of doing an exclusive interview with the band. Remember to check out the new album release Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, as I believe you will all like it.

There are 12 new songs on their third studio album, "Somewhere Between the Powerlines and Palm Trees," and hearing them again brought back a lot of good

They put out the record on their own label, Dillon Street Records.

Since Happy Ending (2000) and their reunification in 2023, this is their first album. To promote it, the song "Everything Turns Around" was released.

Many fans were sad when the band broke up in 2002. It was their final performance in Japan for quite some time, and In the end, destiny had different plans for DOgstar, and they would end up getting back together.

The lockdowns prevented them from spending much time together outside, despite the fact that they had been in continuous contact and had frequent jam sessions. There was a marathon session when "Somewhere Between the Powerlines and Palm Trees" was composed. The band's hunger to go back on stage was a major motivating factor.

Bands like Dogstar make me nostalgic for the days when I could spend hours at tower records' Sunset location listening to live music and discovering exciting new acts. The new Dogstar album gives me this sensation, and I suggest it to anybody who likes true rock and roll.

Bands like Dogstar make me feel nostalgic on the days when you would go watch a good rock band at the sunset strip in hollywood

Ph ot og rap h y : J erry C oria

It's been so long since Dogstar's first album that it seems like a lifetime ago. It all started in the early 1990s, when bands began playing on the Sunset Strip, which is a stretch of Sunset Blvd that passes through the city of West Hollywood. There used to be a lot of different kinds of events on the Sunset Strip, including venues like the Viper Room, Whiskey A Go Go, House of Blues, Key Club, and the Roxy, which gives me a lot of good memories. Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees is a good post-grunge album that they released to make up for lost time.

Witnessing Dogstar live will bring back fond memories of the classic rock 'n' roll era and will undoubtedly arouse feelings of appreciation for quality music. The division of labor between drummer Mailhouse, guitarist/vocalist Domrose, and bassist Reeves is largely responsible for the band's post-grunge, alt-rock sound.

Dogstar songs that get a lot of attention, like How the Story Ends, frequently include bass lines as their base. The chorus, which is otherwise lacking in melody, opens with a simple string chord. The group switches between performing more conventional alt-rock and rapid fire.

This is a fantastic comeback, a shot through the fog of nostalgia the band's breakup produced.

SEEING DOGSTAR PERFORM LIVE WILL LEAVING YOU REMINISING FOR GOOD OLD ROCK N ROLL

D O W N T H E M E M O R Y L A N E

Choruses like "Everything Turns Around" are brilliant and filled with so many positive vibes that you can't help but keep listening. They leave you with a sense of wanting more, or if you are like me, you will want to hear these songs on repeat. Still, you can hear the postgrunge influence in tracks like "Overhang." A strong reverberation from a garage recording can be heard; it gives the roots back to their 2004 album Happy Ending. We must not forget that the deep connection between the bands dates back over four decades.

The album's midsection is solid rock. throwback that demonstrates the band's development. Dogstar does a wonderful job of delivering on their promise of a nice breeze, leaving listeners satisfied with their music tunes.

Even if you're just listening to songs like "Sunrise" and "Overhang," you have to respect the band's dedication to making music because of songs like that. All music lovers who love rock music will enjoy the sounds and rhythms, and as Keanue Reeves put it in our interview: Ph ot og rap h y : J erry C oria

Even while he gets inspiration and admiration for music simply by listening to the instruments, radio-swinging hits like "Lily" serve as a constant reminder of the band's ethereal vibe. Songs like "Lust" have a tempo that probably takes listeners back to the mid-1990s, when post-grunge musicians were more popular. Dogstar continues to have the best coordination between the chorus and verses of the song.

Sleep and Upside make an effort to keep their musical orientation constant.

The public's admiration of veteran performers' music coincides with this band's

comeback. These days, it seems like everyone is making a splash, including the Stones, U2, Metallica, Clapton, and Elton John. You could start to wonder if the album's penultimate track, Breach, sets the tone for the remaining tracks when you listen to it. It's distinct from the rest of the record; it sounds like early Dogstar and is simple and catchy.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Al l an Bani

DUA

Lipa

FUSION: How does it feel to be at the world premiere for Argylle?

Dua Lipa: I’m so happy to be here and so happy to see you. I mean, what an incredible cast we have here in Argyle.

Fusion: Talk to me about being part of Matthew Vaughn’s universe. What was it like working with him?

Dua Lipa, oh, it’s just amazing.

I mean, I’m such a fan of Matthew’s work, and when I got the call to do this, I was just so surprised and excited, and I’m just so grateful for the experience.

I think Matthew and his ideas just completely exceed all your expectations. You think you know what’s going to happen, and then it just completely flips the script, and I think also what I love is just how generous he was with all his advice and just sitting down and explaining to me the different ways on how to get a better performance out of myself, so I just love the experience. It’s my first time doing anything like this, so I’m super grateful to Matthew for giving me this opportunity, and I’m excited for everyone to see this amazing film.

L IA T O B Y /G E T T Y IM A G E S E N T E R T A IN M E N T /G E T T Y IM A G E S

We are very lucky we have seen the screening, and it is so much fun. I don’t know if you saw it, but it has an action pack with all Mega Stars.

Dua Lipa: It’s action-packed.

Yes, nonstop, stop action packed.

This is your very first film, and we know you’ve been in Barbie, but you filmed this first. How was the feeling going through this?

L IA T O B Y /G E T T Y /G E T T Y IM A G E S

Dua Lipa was nerve-wracking, but it was exciting, and all the adrenaline was just like keeping me going, and I just had a blast. I loved working with everyone, like it was amazing, and Henry, John, and Ariana, everybody was just so lovely and generous, and just, I don’t know, I feel like they held my hand throughout it.

I think you did a very awesome job for being your first film, and I was just so impressed with the work you did.

Talk to me about being here on this yellow carpet and seeing that all the fans are here to see you today.

L IA T O B Y /G E T T Y G E T T Y IM A G E S

It’s really amazing, and I’m so happy that Argyle is finally coming out. We’ve been working on it well; we worked on it about two years ago now, so it feels very exciting and nice to celebrate it here, and I’m excited to be reunited with the whole cast, so yeah, really fun.

With everyone here watching, we also have people all around the world watching. Do you want to say to those who haven’t seen the film why they should see this film?

Dua Lipa: Amazing I mean, the cast was incredible; to be a part of such an insane cast, and guys, please go watch this film. It’s thrilling, it’s exciting. It’s fun; it’s action-packed. Just when you think that you know what’s happening, you have no idea, It’s a lot of fun and I think you guys are just going to love it. @ H E N R Y N IC H O L L S

In her acting debut, Dua Lipa will be appearing alongside a star-studded cast.

SNOOP D O G G

FUSION: Talk a little bit about underdogs and how you decided to move on to this role ?

Snoop: Underdogs is the story of an athlete who was Once upon a time, one of the greatest athletes in his mind was forced to go back to his old neighborhood and, you know, find his way again and tap into who he is rather than who he thought he was, and it‘s a learning lesson. it‘s a It‘s a journey where you know someone‘s career, someone‘s past, and someone‘s future.

At the same time, you know engaging with old friends and new friends through the kids through the relationship that I had with my partner Kareem and the relationship I had with my girl Cherise, just sparking up old flames, and you know being able to go back and see my coach to give me the spirit of being who I‘m supposed to be because at times my character gets lost within the idea

of him being a superstar and being a regular human being.

FUSION: Lets dive more on your character Snoop: Jason Jennings is the greatest ever walk on grass please fly flamboyant there‘s a winner sore loser he‘s ******* so we don‘t we don‘t really mix and match like that the only thing that we similar at is probably we look alike Fusion: Talk more on how this story was develop and the inspiration Snoop: and we brought in great riders to take my story and my idea, and we brought in some kids from my Football League to help us pattern and shape the story, and then we brought in real people who could help this become a real movie,

not just you know something that‘s like a Saturday afternoon special, we want this to hit it hard in the heart for people to really understand that this is something that I treasure.

This is like one of my babies. You know, I‘m saying to be able to present this motion picture and to be able to present it with a great director and a great film company.

Fusion: Talk to me more about your football League Snoop: Snoopy Football League was created in 2005 we‘ve done a lot of great works in the community we‘ve sent a lot of kids to high school to graduate a lot of kids to Division One colleges and then all over colleges to graduate we

sent a lot of kids to the NFL we got rose scholars lawyers firemen police chiefs like we‘ve done a lot of great work in the community from a Football League that started you know over 15 years ago now we‘re in the great space and then like three or four years ago we started the Snoop youth special stars where we deal with kids with disabilities and special

needs so now we‘re complementing all of the kids we‘re not missing and we‘re not leaving no kid behind so we got the kids that are athletic and then we got the special needs kids and just the culmination of who I am as far as like I love to give back and I love to be a part of these kids life because i‘m the biggest in the room

Fusion: This movie must mean a lot to you specially since you coach team’s before and not just on the big screen Snoop: Yeah, I believe the other dogs are like a team that I coach. Once upon a time, I’ve coached a lot of teams that were just great and they were superlative and they just outmatched everybody and then recently I coached a couple of underdog teams that weren’t expected to do much kids never knew how to play football this was their first year and then we grew over a time period of me becoming a better coach than becoming better players I’m learning from them learning from me and then eventually these kids end up winning the championship.

Fusion: Talk about the films community aspect Snoop: I think this movie This movie right here is a community rebuilder. It will help build the community to show that this is the way the community is supposed to be.

Everybody’s looking out for each other.

We’re supposed to cater to and make sure that we all are accompanying each other and supporting each other.

And that’s what this story is mainly about. It’s about a successful athlete who made it, but he moved away from his hood, but now he’s forced to go back, and he’s finding out that he never left, but at the same time, the people from the hood have always had his back, and this is going to help him become the real person that he’s supposed to be and not the superstar.

Fusion: Talk about your Character Jaycen and the relationship with Kareem Snoop: Jaycen & Kareem Kareem was one of Jason’s

childhood friends; they used to spend the night together, play football together, and basically do everything together, but Jason chose another path in terms of athletics, schools, and education, and Kareem chose his path, but it never stopped them from being friends because it took one on a different journey, and now that they’re back together again, Kareem is still in the mind state of we’re still kids, we’re still buddies from elementary school.

Fusion: What was it like working with Charles Stone?

Snoop: Working with Charles Stone—let me tell you, I was honored to work with him. One of my favorite movies is “Paid in Full,” and when I found out that that’s the movie that he directed, I was like, Oh, I gotta work with him. so I’m expecting some gangster **** but then I’m like OK this movie ain’t that so when we get to the point of actually shooting the movie I’m noticing how he’s like every time we shoot he’ll come over to me and you’ll talk to me and he gives me information and direction on how the scene could be better or how I could do it in a different way and that’s what I thrive for that’s what I long for as an actor I longed for a director to actually direct me and not just feel like OK he’s got it we can now say it this way no think about this when you do it put a little bit of this in there no come in hot no think about it before you do this turn this way like that’s the part of an actor that I’ve always dreamed of having a great director to direct me that’s what I’m getting in this movie right now I’m getting great direction. Hopefully it looks as good as it feels, you know, to where people

can enjoy this **** the way I’ve been enjoying myself as the lead in this book.

Fusion: Talk about the Comedy on this film Snoop: The comedy in this movie is this rollercoaster because it’s not typical; it’s not your typical urban comedy. You know, you’re dealing with kids, you’re dealing with all different races, and you’re dealing with different genres.

So we wanted to make sure that we hit all of the angles that come with Snow Dog right because Snoop Dogg is the star, so when you think of the star, you think about OK, who is playing Jason Jennings? He has to bring a little bit of Snoop Dogg to Jason Jennings, so this will enable me to captivate and cultivate the whole audience at the same time we’re doing my thing under the Jason Jennings Monica.

Fusion: what was it like working with the Child actors on this film Snoop: this is like some real deal what I love dealing with like kids who experience wanting to be grown but the adult gives them enough room to hang themselves and then he puts them back in their place that’s the way I grew up like I couldn’t cuss around my mother but my uncles I can cuss like around them you know I’m saying so was like certain things I can get away with and I feel like this movie is so perfect for that because it enables these kids to be real Fusion: what do you want the audiences to take away from this film ?

Snoop: I think the growth to watch this character grow on screen to watch the kids grow on screen the watch the relationship grow with like just to just to see things come together like it’s beautiful when you can watch a movie unfold right before your eyes and see the magic happen and just to see all the beautiful things that we thought that could happen when we created this movie when we put it on paper when we had the table read when we did the screen test and to actually shooting it like that’s the beauty of it all Fusion: How was the chemistry with the cast and crew like?

Snoop: Working with the rest of the cast well tika is my friend that’s my home girl she’s been my home girl for a while boom Mike Epps made him back in the days my homeboy George Lopez back in the day so when we time to do this movie and it’s casting you know certain names pop up I naturally just say oh that’s his role ohh that’s her role and when they do the screen test and do the reading with me it’s right out the park because you could feel the chemistry so to be able to work with your friends and know that they’re professional and they have a resume and they’re really great at what they do makes me better Fusion: and what about the tone of this film ?

Snoop: I think the tone is necessary with the world that we are living in right now is so much drama, negativity, and bad energy, this is a great energy movie, it has a little bit of those elements that you want to see, you want to root for the underdog, you want to see family come together, you want to see an argument come to an end, you want to see resolution, and you want to see all of the great things that can happen in life, and I think this movie gives you that.

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FASHION Paris Fashion week 2024 to The best in Fashion

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GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVÉ / GWYNETH PALTROW WATCHED THE GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVÉ SHOW WEARING A SILK BUTTON-UP JACKET AND BLACK TROUSERS. PASC AL LE SEGRETAIN//GETTY IMAGES

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OD ER N SEXY MCLOTHES &

FASHION-FRANCE-RAHULMISHRA GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images

PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN GETTY IMAGES

FENDI FASHION SHOW South Korean actress Hyeko Song, businessman Michael Burke and Zendaya joined them in the front row.

JULIEN FOURNIÉ HAUTE COUTURE SPRING/SUMMER GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT, AFP Via Getty Images