FALL 2013 - MUSIC ISSUE
IN THE STUDIO WITH
SOUTHSIDE JAKE THE LIMITED CELEBRATES
50 YEARS
the man behind
johnny cash HALFSTACK VISITS THE PAPERCROWN GALLERY
STREET STYLE
WITH ANNA HOVET MACY’S GLAMORAMA
URBAN MUSIC AWARDS MEET THE BERETS
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS
MUSIC FESTIVAL MEET JANUARY FIRST SAVING PETS WITH MUSIC Halfstackmag.com
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
MUSIC MUSTS
20 MEET THE BERETS 41 FALL ALBUM SELECTS
IN EVERY ISSUE
04 EDITOR’S LETTER 06 MEET THE TEAM MUSIC GUIDE
10 GRAMAPHONE RECORDS 12 SAVING PETS WITH MUSIC 14 AUSTIN CITY LIMITS FEST
18 THE URBAN MUSIC AWARDS 2
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43 AUTUMN CONCERTS THE SPOTLIGHT
46 HELENJEAN 48
GENTS FOR MEN FASHION & LIFESTYLE
64 THE LIMITED 50 YRS 68 WTF?! CELEB MODA
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H&M RUNWAY SELECTS
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FALL MENSWEAR
FEATURES > SOUTHSIDE JAKE
PAGE 24 BEHIND THE LEGEND
PAGE 174 STREETSTYLE W/ ANNA HOVET
PAGE 83 GRAMAPHONE RECORDS
PAGE 58 PAPER CROWN GALLERY
PAGE 114
70 MEET MAVEN
150 SKALA ACCESSORIES GROOMING
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JACKIE SILVER
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MERRELL HOLLIS HEALTH GUIDE
134 MEET JANUARY 168 COACH UP!
EDITORS LAST LOOK
174
MY FATHER
181 BACK TO COOL Halfstackmag.com
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editor’s letter
Welcome to the Fall 2013 - Annual Music Issue , Halfstackers! I can’t believe that summer flew by so quickly. As much as I am sad to let the long days of summer go; I’m incredibly excited about what fall holds for me, the team, my friends and family. Fall always represents a season of change for me. As Halfstack continues to grow, we are seeing change all around us. New faces, new roles, new relationships and of course new readers! I’d like to extend a hand and welcome anyone who is just stumbling upon us for the first time and offer a gratuitous thank you for those of you readers who continue to return to read the content that we put together for you. As always, I want to quickly thank the team who works tirelessly alongside me to organize, execute and release each issue. Take a minute to learn who they are on the extended family page and visit our website: www.halfstackmag.com and click on “team” to learn more about each of them. This issue is dedicated to the amazing Chicago music industry and music in general. We have an underground street style vibe to our music and fashion editorials that I’m sure you will all enjoy.
JENNIFER M. VEGUILLA - EDITOR IN CHIEF & HER DAUGHTERS SOPHIA & BELLA
Each fall Halfstack makes it a point to shoot a great rising independent artist. Last year we featured “Lights Alive” and this issue, the talent is ever present in our latest feature: Southside Jake. If you are a fan of hip hop and a fan of classic rock, Halfstack is so excited to share this budding star who has an amazing lyrical ability. His verses are more than skin deep and he explores the troubling and relatable issues that the people of Chicago need, want and deserve to hear about. Check him and his story out on page 24. This issue also highlights some new artists on the indie scene - The Berets - along with a great piece by our newest e-intern,
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Cheyenne, showcasing “Austin City Limits Music Festival” and her amazing writing skills. The music articles in this issue are abundant. So, get lost in them, but don’t forget to check out everything else! This is our largest issue to date. We continue to push the fashion envelope with our Anna Hovet fashion feature (pg. 72) that we shot in Gramaphone Records (a Chicago landmark record store that is continuing to thrive despite the onset of the digital industry). Anna Hovet is an indie designer that has truly made Chicago her home and continues to push for recognition of Chicago’s ever present fashion industry. As a Macy’s Incubator Program alum, her business sense is as on game as her fashion sensibilities. It’s no surprise she has continued to see success. We are so grateful to continue to share the wonderful talent that we find in Chicago with the world. We hope this issue continues to inspire you and give you direction as you all pursue your dreams. Take a moment to visit our site www. halfstackmag.com after you read this issue to check out our behind the scenes video of our fashion shoot. In this Digital Age, it can be hard to connect with the people behind the words and images you see online, but we hope the video gives you some insight to who we are as a team. Continue to chase your dreams readers, we’ll see you again in the winter! If you can’t wait to connect with us, then make sure you visit our blog and social media pages to keep up with all of the happenings right here at Halfstack.
As always, we appreciate you! Till Next Time,
-Jenny
JENNIFER M. LEZAN - EDITOR IN CHIEF
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jennifer veguilla eic & creative dir. @ chicLezan
mariana quaranta fashion director @ missmarc40
kate roth fashion director @ halfstackmag
PHOTOGRAPHY stephanie battista lead photographer
laura lopez lead photographer
& Jr. Art Director
pickapose photography
jennifer pontrelli sales & pr director
sophia sanchez digital content director & editor
ADMINISTRATIVE
meet the 6
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team
KALI KOLLER Graphic Designer & Creative
STELLA ESTRELLA Beauty queen, mommy, fashionista & blogger.
JEROME THOMAS Music lover & Proud Daddy!
DANIELLE PULAK Beauty know it all, fashion diva to the max.
JUSTIN WILHOIT Nutiritionist, trainer & Health Nut!
Heather Blazek Writer & Designer Extraordinaire
HEATHER DAVIS
TERESA ESPINOZA
BRITTANY JORGENSEN
Fashionista & blogger
Chi-town fashionista & style maven
EXTENDED FAMILY
Fashion enthusiast & talented graphic designer
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PAPERCROWN GALLERY CHECK US OUT ONLINE AT: WWW.PAPERCROWNGALLERY.COM
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@HALFSTACKMAG
DO YOU INSTAGRAM? FOLLOW US & GET AN INSIDERS VIEW! Halfstackmag.com
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A CHICAGO LANDMARK WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER M. VEGUILLA LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER M. VEGUILLA
In the height of the digital music industry, a small shop stands alone – mighty and still in business - despite the fact that analog music sales have declined drastically over the last 10 years. That shop is Gramaphone Records. The store has been around since 1969 and the current owners took over the shop right before the economic downturn in 2008. To say they’ve been on a rollercoaster ride of education is an understatement. The team has learned to change how they buy and sell music in a brick and mortar setting and has made it a point to incorporate a digital aspect to their core business. With combined strengths of business savvy, tech savvy and strong customer service, it makes sense that the shop is continuing to thrive. The store caters to a niche market and is known for house and techno and as the place to find local hip hop artist cuts. The market that
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Gramaphone caters to is well informed and are looking for the quality that one gets from analog music and due to this, the store is continuing to thrive. They showcase vintage vinyl’s and are one the only places you can go to find vinyl in tip top shape. Whatever they are not selling in store, you can find online in their discogs.com shop (think e-bay, but for music). When asked what was in store for the next 5 years, Gramaphone is looking to grow both in store and online. They are also launching an indie label that is set to go live September/October 2013. With this new venture, they will continue to showcase local artists and genres ranging from house, to techno to hip hop. The shop will continue to showcase local bands, DJs and musicians during their Thursday events and hopes to continue to push for the evolution of the music industry while still maintaining their analog roots.
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PHOTO BY: STEPHANIE BATTISTA
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SAVING PETS WITH MUSIC This description… Imagine a life confined to a small, cold, dark cage. Imagine never having the opportunity to step out for a quick walk or a stretch of the legs. Imagine being riddled with illness due to malnutrition, a life with zero socialization; a life full of so much loneliness and neglect that you’ve become terrified of people. Imagine a life whose entire worth is measured in only one way; your ability to reproduce.
How One Woman Is Making A Difference
WRITTEN BY: SOPHIA SANCHEZ LAYOUT BY: JENNIFER VEGUILLA
DAHNA BENDER FOR MILLDOGRESCUE.COM
The life of a typical
commercial breeding animal.
Most of you have heard the term puppy mill. And most of you have made the connection that puppy mills, for lack of a better term, are bad. But do you know why? Envision a farm full of livestock. And envision how those animals are kept before being slaughtered to distribute to the food industry. They are given a number instead of a name; forced to sleep in foul smelling barns, grazing until some person decides their time has expired. The health and welfare of these animals takes a back seat to increasing profit. Does it seem too farfetched? Not quite…. That puppy you bought last month from the pet store down the street? Chances are, his mom lives the life just described. A commercial breeding farm is governed under the same arm of the law as livestock. With few and very lenient laws in place to protect these animals, their lives are seen as nothing more than a means to an end. Forced to breed every time she is in heat, a commercial breeding dog could have given
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birth to ten litters at the mere age of five. It’s not uncommon that these animals are treated so badly that they develop physical health defects – decaying jaws, swollen paws, ear infections, dehydration and even blindness. And when their breeding life has run its course, they are often auctioned off for mere pennies or even worse, taken out back and killed. No guilt, no compassion; just another day in the life of a commercial breeder. This is legal.
Dahna Bender, a Long Island resident, was stuck in traffic one day when she saw picketers standing outside a pet store. She pulled over to find out what the cause was and in that moment she realized, she was exactly where she was supposed to be. This is where her journey began… Knowing she couldn’t sit back and let thousands of defenseless animals fall victim to the hands of commercial breeders, that gnawing feeling that she needed to help, would just not dissipate. But how could one woman help make a difference? Bender has been given a gift. The gift of a beautiful singing voice. And through this gift, she intends to help put a stop to the ugly business of commercial dog breeding. Bender has partnered with the National Mill Dog Rescue (www.milldogrescue.org) for the release of her first album, “Christmas, Giving of the Heart,” in which all of the profits will go to the efforts of the National Mill Dog Rescue, which is to not only put a stop to puppy mills, but to rescue as many of the breeding dogs as possible, rehabilitate them and find them their forever homes. “I’m not an artist. I have a talent and I’m using that talent as a vehicle to bring funds to this organization. The project is for the organization. I do not intend to become an artist or make money off of this. I believe in what this organization is doing and my mission is to help create awareness.” Having had the chance to sit down with Bender, Halfstack learned firsthand what it truly meant to her to get involved. “Having grown up with a blind father, we always had dogs growing up. ‘Seeing’ people (people with sight) don’t realize what the power of touch can do for a person. We seek it out without even realizing it. For a blind man, touch is everything. And it’s almost as if animals can sense that.” With philanthropy and the fight for animal rights being the driving force in Bender’s life, she is
leveraging her talent as a singer to benefit those who have devoted their lives to saving animals nationwide. The National Mill Dog Rescue has rescued and rehabilitated over 8,000 dogs since it was founded in 2007, and those numbers continue to soar with every passing day. “Why Christmas? Because, Christmas is a beautiful time of year that everybody can relate to. I hope to do this every single year for as long as possible.” Did you know that every year, retail pet stores across America sell over 500,000 dogs, most of which come from puppy mills; while five to seven million dogs enter shelters? Please help put a stop to commercial dog breeding and buy Bender’s album today. Her rich & melodic voice, in conjunction with the beauty of Christmas carols, are sure to inspire you to want to help make a difference! You can find it on Itunes or buy it directly from her website at www.dahnabender.com.
For more information pertaining to this cause, please visit www.dahnabender.com to make a direct donation, please visit http://www.milldogrescue.org/. Like Dahna Bender on Facebook – www.facebook. com/dahnabender
“
I believe in what this organization is doing and my mission is to help create awareness.
”
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Ladies AND GENTS Please welcome, from San Antonio, Texas...
q
The folks at Halfstack Magazine are still shocked daily by the success of our growing business. When Jenny, Kate, & Mariana founded the magazine in March of 2012, they never imagined that in less than two years time, they’d be surrounded by a growing team of over 20 ingeniously creative individuals. From the brands, writers, & photographers to the creatives & graphic designers, each day we are blown away a little more by the talent that continues to pour out! With a growing brand, comes more responsibility & a lot more work. Sooo… Over the Summer, Halfstack Magazine held it’s very first creative writing contest. The prize? The chance to intern for us, & the winning article to be featured in our Fall 2013 issue. Let me just say…. People have a hard time following instructions (haha). Weeding through some very bizarre entries… including one about the existence of Bigfoot; I stumbled across a few that were quite terrific. One in particular was written by a young woman by the name of Cheyenne Hendricks.; an 18 year old high school student with a prominent philanthropic background & a passion for writing.This San Antonio resident blew me away! The maturity in her writing & the fluidity of her words, it was as if each sentence came together like the lyrics to a song. Quite frankly, a talent I’ve rarely seen in other’s her age. I’ll be honest in admitting that her age concerned me a bit. Would she be able to handle the time commitment & the pressure of working under tight deadlines? But in the end, it all came down to one key factor. She is talented. I’d be an idiot to pass up the opportunity to help her grow within this field. And hey, if she teaches me. a few things in the process, then I’d say it was a good day! So, without further ado, please help me welcome Cheyenne Hendricks, the newest Blogging Intern & Winner of Halfstack’s first ever Writing Contest! In her winning submission, she shares with you the details of a true Texas Gem and nationally renowned venue, Austin City Limits Music Festival. -Sophia Sanchez Director of Digital Content Halfstack Magazine
Cheyenne Hendricks
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City Limits
b Austin
Music Festival Written By: Cheyenne Hendricks
AUSTIN, THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
and the crown jewel of Texas, is home to one of America’s most vibrant music venues available, Austin City Limits. The popular music program, featured on PBS for over thirty seven years, is filmed in Austin where there are weekly events showcasing musicians of all genres. Every weekend, the neon city comes alive with the rhythmic beat of Austin’s heart as the locals pour into the Moody Theater to be entertained by dazzling acts and talented musicians. From budding artists to big name bands, this spectacular scene has it all! Not only is it the longest running concert music program on American television, but it has become so popular that it inspired the creation of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual celebration of music and art held in Zilker Park. This nationwide, cultural phenomenon captivates nearly 230,000 roaring fans over its three day course each year. Due to its exponential growth in popularity, the 2013 festival will be held over the course of two three-day weekends, rather than one. The festival is a musical amusement park which presents a myriad of artists, genres, and events! It is one of the most popular music festivals in the United States and has attracted many of the greatest names in music including Stevie Wonder, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, and Kanye West.
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Photo courtesy of Austin City Limits Instagram Page This year, it kicks off with a scintillating performance by international superstar Lionel Richie! During its duration, there will be multiple games, events, and food provided for the fans. Everyone who has attended leaves wanting more! It is packed with an energetic atmosphere which welcomes people of all ages. Children ten and under get in free, and there is a kid’s tent which offers family friendly games and entertainment. There are also multiple beer vendors and tents to supply the adult crowd with cold beer, dancing, delicious food, free sunscreen, and complimentary ice water! This October, Kings of Leon, Jimmy Eat World, Fun., and many more will be peppering this festival with the music America loves! Not to mention, there will be a plethora of local art exhibited throughout the festival grounds. With over forty vendors, there are arts, crafts, jewelry and all kinds of nifty merchandise available for purchase each day! Every year people are eager to buy hand-made art which can easily be shipped directly to
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their home via USPS. This convenient service allows customers to enjoy the festival without having to carry around their new treasure, but this isn’t the only accommodation for the customers There are four hundred buses which provide free shuttle service to and from the concerts, art market, and food vendors. Come experience the best of every musical genre available, or come just to enjoy the upbeat environment and tasty local cuisine!
Kings of Leon JIMMY EAT WORLD
M
LIONEL RICHIE
Not only do people come to enjoy the music, but this festival has some of the most unique, signature eats in the state! Austin City Limits Music Festival offers both vegetarian and gluten free options which stretch far from the typical festival food. Foodies are encouraged to try some of the quirky favorites like Salt Lick Barbecue, Truffle Oil Fries covered in Parmesan, and Guinness Steak and Potato Pie! This place has more than thirty food vendors which serve enticing treats all day! The festival has everything from music and entertainment to food and football, yet on top of all that, it still remains one of the cleanest and most charitable concert events in America.
It offers a warm sense of Southern hospitality with thrilling entertainment, unique art, incredible food, and priceless environmental efforts. It has become a staple in American culture; it has the eclectic variety which attracts audiences from around the globe and the eccentric charm that keeps Austin weird! People of any age can come to enjoy the bustling excitement or just sit back in a lawn chair and relax. The wide variety of music combined with the festival’s picturesque park setting make for a magical, musical experience that you won’t want to miss!
Tickets are still available for this upcoming October fesAustin City Limits Music Festival is regarded as one of tival. For more information go to www.aclfestival.com the most environmentally friendly concerts in the coun- www.facebook.com/aclfestival try. Free “Rock & Recycle” T-shirts are given away to Instagram - @aclfestival all its attendants who collect and recycle bags of cans, Twitter - @aclfestival cartons, and glass bottles. Because of the festival’s efforts, the 46 acre fields of Zilker Park remain trash free. The festival also supports multiple charities. This year, the festival will host the “Art that Feeds” food drive for the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. Patrons who bring ten or more non-perishable food items will be rewarded with a free poster by Anthem Branding and the satisfaction of knowing that they helped people in need. Other charities which help fight cancer, conserve and protect water sources, provide teen out reach programs, and more will be featured at the concert. This is a festival which gives back to the community in every way. They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and Austin City Limits Music Festival is no exception!
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Urban music
awards Written By: Jerome Thomas
Have you ever put in a lot of work into something and felt that nobody recognized the time and effort you put into it? The music industry has a way of doing that to a person; but thanks to VA Production and Dianna”Mz D” Fourte, you don’t have to feel that way. Halfstack Magazine had the pleasure of attending the 5th Annual Midwest Urban Music Awards 2 day event held at the Genesis Convention Center in Gary, IL and the Olympic Theater Cicero, IL. This event allows artists, djs, record labels, and more to come out under one roof to celebrate urban music. Currently the Chicagoland area is one of the top hot spots where music is being born. So what better way to show love to all hardworking artists who are making their own names? The5thAnuual Midwest Urban Music Award was started to showcase our local artists and their talents. The event
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was supported by many companies in the area; MPact Public Relation, Divine Diva,5th Ave Boutique, Blok Club, D.U.B. L.I.F.E. ENTand Out the Box. The first day was the Rappers Ball and Convention. Starting off the event, they pulled out the red carpet out for all of the artists and most of the artists were interviewed on their way into the event. There werea lot of local artist out for the event; CHI-P, YS4L, Chella H, and Killa Clint. A few artists came all the way from Little Rock to attend. Tha Real Undaground Radio Show on KABF 88.3FM came all the way to Chicago to make the event. Pink McCoy with the Source Magazine attended the event. One the biggest name at the event was Bo Deal. Bo Deal is an artist from Chicago who signed with WakaFlockaBrickSquad
Monopoly. He brought has Killa Klan team with him for the event. Once you got inside, they had DJs playing all kinds of local music.Chi Blizz from Power 92.3 hosted the event.A hand full of artist performed on the first day. Bo Deal performed some hits and brought one of his artists, P. Rico, to join the show. Currently, Bo Deal’s song “We don’t run from drama” has over eleven million hits on WSHH. The show was not just music but there was also great fashion at the Midwest Urban Music Awards. Everybody came dressed to impress. There were models hitting the stage during performances to display new fashion in the urban community. The models were wearing the best style of shoe for the event. The best shoes were light up heels by a
local designer. The second day of the event was the Midwest Urban Music Award Ceremony in Cicero, IL. It was a beautiful day for all of the artists who’d been doing shows, mixtapes and events throughout the year. There were more performances, however the sole purpose of this event was to recognize local artists for their hard work and talent. One of that artist which has been featured by Halfstack Magazine, CHI-P, won two awards this year. This event is what Chicago artists need to stay focused and to know they are loved by the city, friends and other local artists.
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The Berets WRITTEN BY: JEROME THOMAS Written By: Jorome Thomas LAYOUT BY: KATE ROTH
alfstack loves to be out and about meeting new artist chasing their dream. We were out at an show and met this wonderful group call the The Be rets. I had a chance to hear the band perform in a live personal setting in Downtown Chicago. They play their song “Shadows”, which became one of my favorite songs. I was drawn in by the unique and took some time to speak to the band. The Berets is comprised of Graham Henderson on Guitar/ Vocals and Lauren Serra on vocals. Graham is a recent student at Loyola Chicago majoring in communications and alien studies. As a musician, he has been in many bands including Peach Orchard and Starbeast. In his free time, Graham can be found acting or drawing cartoons on his Nintendo DS. Graham’s Bertlien Art Prints sell online for seven dollars featuring original art on www.beretsband.com. Lauren is a recent graduate from Loyola Chicago, majoring in theatre and dance. Outside of The Berets, Lauren can be found performing in musical theatre productions around the Chicago area. Lauren has been
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in theatre show like “Annie Get Your Gun, Pippin, Into the Woods, Little Women the Musical, and Joseph/the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. She also is an amazing choreographer who did show like The Electric Baby, Seussical the Musical, and Wolf Den Swing Dance. She is currently finishing up a show called “Cabaret”, where she was a Kit Kat girl.
name out and doing performs all over the city. On July 23, The Berets were happy to announce they have been recently hired as musicians for Potbelly Sandwich Works located in the Old Orchard Mall! They played at the North Shore Festival of Art. There most recent event was playing at the Sip & Shop event representing Potbelly Music. The band has been posting videos on Youtube and you can subscribe to them. They also Why is their background important, because it’s all just open their SHOP page available with merchandise, about Chicago from theatre, art, and music. They are music, and magic on their website. Plan on hearing Chicago. After putting these great minds together you more about The Berets in the Chicago music indushave The Berets. They perform a lot of acoustic melotry scene. They are already looking forward to move dies. This allows you to hear the great voice when they show and event to showcase their talent. Halfstack will perform. Their music range from talking about love, be here to watch them grow, fly and follow their on shadows, and true meanings for the heart. Graham the journey to the top. play the guitar with Lauren light opera tune has made the style a great combo. If I had to compare them to www.beretsband.com a current band it would be John Meyers with Ingrid http://laurenserra.com/Lauren_Serra/Home.html Michael. https://twitter.com/ThisIsLauren Over this summer the band has play at a number of locations. As a new band to it is important to get your
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