Hot Patty Magazine - August 2018

COLLECTIBLE POSTER flip the page

AUGUST 2018

mavs

THE maverick behind the music PAGE 5

DELTON BARRETT:

THE ALCHEMY OF PHOTOGRAPHY PAGE 20

WE THE FEW BOLD, BASS, BAND LIFE. PAGE 14

PEOPLE WHO DID THINGS ASSISTANT EDITOR RENEE CAESAR

EDITOR’S PATTY

PRODUCTION MANAGER JASPER WOLF

Dear Readers, You now belong to an elite crowd that has taken the first steps to creating a new world. Hot Patty is made by you. Without you, we have nothing to create.

Our vision aligns with that of Wakanda to ensure a world where Afrocentric people can thrive.

Take hold of your talents and confidence, and let’s create together!

Jasper Wolf Editor-In-Chief

Collectible model bahamethyst “a” highlighted PHOTOGRAPHER delton barrett ARTISTS’ CIRCLE JALAN HARRIS/LYNDERA HALL MUSICIAN FEATURE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VALLON THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY find cool events & parties thebahamasnightlife.com VAPING saves lives PLUME bahamas

contents mavs: the maverick behind the music SWIFT’S DINING GUIDE LYNDERA HALL: OUR VIBRANT HERITAGE ask a libra we the few delton barrett: the alchemy of photograpHy

THANK YOU SO MUCH! 6 8 9 13 14

food YOU SO DELICIOUS drinks the crew pub undying love & support our friends and family, and you - reading this we just love you THE ENTIRE CARIBBEAN, WEST INDIES, AFRICA, AND AFRICAN DIASPORA

20 THIS MAGAZINE IS A SUBSIDIARY OF JASPER WOLF, A REGISTERED TRADEMARK IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS. ANY AND ALL UNAUTHORISED REPUBLICATION OR SALE OF THIS WORK IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IT’S A FREE MAGAZINE. DON’T RUN OUT. |1

A | @BAHAMETHYST PHOKUS242 | PHOTOGRAPHER

|3

mavs: THE maverick behind the music

victoR johnson |MAVS FOUNDER

RENEE CAESAR | ASSISTANT EDITOR ANITA CLARE | PHOTOGRAPHER

Victor W. A. Johnson is driven, focused, wild and exuberant.

You may know him from his fire-laden performances with his band at places like The Blue Note in Baha Mar or from his annual non-profit artist showcase: MAVS. What you may not know, however, is that the degree he recently finished in college, is not in music but in digital media.

How does one of the country's most prolific young musicians end up shooting videos? It's simple really: “I could, so I did.”

Music came first. As he tells it, “My mother grew weary of collecting my pot and pan ‘drum sets’ from every nook and cranny in the house.”

So, at the age of four, he was taken to drum lessons.

Mr. Music, his first teacher, remains one of the most important influences in his life to date.

Victor has spent his life on the stage, having grown up playing in the church. It speaks to his comfort under lights that it was on that very stage that his musical genius grew. He would watch the church pianist while they practiced and whenever the instrument was available he would "tickle the ivories". His mother, ever supportive, signed him up for piano lessons, but that didn’t last. (cont’d on page 7) |5

“I could, victoR JOHNSON

so I did.�

He hated the lessons but loved the keys. So he kept banging away at them, still banging to this day, and taught himself.

The same followed with almost every instrument he came in contact with, although, regrettably, he has never found the time in his schedule to "master the triangle".

His schedule has, relegated our interview to the ride back and forth from one of his gigs. Being the carless reprobate I am, I was forced to sit through every beautiful rendition of every beautiful song.

It is not uncommon to watch Victor play a jazz standard and then hear him seamlessly and shamelessly weave in, "What If God Was One Of Us". That habit, coupled with the suit and tie juxtaposed with "Bodak Yellow" and "Man's Not Hot" may leave you feeling a bit disoriented but always delighted.

I first met Victor through his non-profit, MAVS (Musicians, Artists & Vocalists Showcase). At a time when Bahamian musicians didn't have many (read: any) major outlets for their dreams, MAVS was a beacon of hope on the horizon.

Built from the ground up on sheer optimism, MAVS now provides not only a platform for artists but consistent educational tools and workshops.

The most recent workshop connected many young locals with a Latin, Grammy-nominated artist they may never have had the opportunity to meet, much least learn from. All for the low, low price of FREE. The vision of MAVS began in 2015 with a single artist showcase. The showcase spawned workshops which then grew into the organization as it is today.

Experience MAVS on August 5th, 2018 in Pompey Square, Nassau!

Find MAVS highlights on Facebook and Instagram @MavsBahamas.

|6

“cheesy WEDDING” 2018 TELLY AWARD WINNERS L TO R | SHIRLEN GODET, JONNY CAKE, LAVADO STUBBS

THE CHEESIEST WIN JASPER WOLF| EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONCHBOY FILMS| PHOTOGRAPHER

Do you think about weddings when you think about pizza?

Delivering out-of-the-box thinking is exactly what earned Shirlen Godet, Jonny Cake and Lavado Stubbs a delicious win in the People’s Telly category of the 39th Annual Telly Awards.

Marketing professional Shirlen Godet wrote and co-directed Cheesy Wedding, powered by his passion to

develop and highlight local talent.

“Throughout my career in marketing I have made it a point to seek out and use Bahamian talent, give them a platform to showcase their talents and most importantly pay them for the full value of their work.”

The Domino’s Pizza Bahamas commercial stars recording artist Jonny Cake and comedian Timico Sawyer in a Cheesy Wedding that can be summised with ‘love at first bite’.

Shot by renowned filmmaker Lavado Stubbs, this commercial truly reflects his catchprase #MakeFilmsNotWar. Lavado thanks all the voters, cast and crew: “This #goldtelly award shows the beautiful growth of our Bahamian film and arts industry.

So many talented creatives in our beautiful small nation.”

“Honored to stand in the middle of these two,” Jonny Cake writes.

Cheesy Wedding is available on Domino’s Pizza Bahamas’ YouTube channel. |7

SWIFT’S DINING GUIDE: CONCH N’ CONE REMON SWIFT | RESIDENT FOODIE

For more Swift, visit swiftplanations.blogspot.com/ All photos are the property of Conch n Cone

Hey guys, Swift here and I have a lil’ secret to let you all in on; Conch n Cone? It’s LIT. Yes! To all my fellow gourmands, foodies and epicures out there, CONCH N CONE HAS LANDED AND IT TASTES GREAT!!

Though the concept may seem simple at a glance, conch in a waffle cone, the taste, texture and experience completely negates any notions of simplicity!

What we have here is chunks of plump, juicy crack conch, cooked to tender perfection, tossed in a sauce of your choosing and stuffed into a sweet, brittle waffle cone (or waffle bowl) then topped with their specialty dressing. Strange though it may sound, these items come together in near harmony to create a rather pleasing orchestra of flavors in your mouth.

I take a bite of the conch almost immediately, just for a taste. The sweetness of the honey hit me first, followed by the tangy zest of the sriracha, then the heat.

After sampling the conch, I took a nip at the cone. It broke off neatly with a little crunch, the sweet taste of the cone spread quickly through my mouth. I took another bite, of both conch and cone this time.

L.I.S.T.E.N. Man look, after 3 bites I started to devour that cone so fast I nearly bit my own hand! It was THAT damn good. Just reminiscing on it has my mouth watering for more.

When I was nearly done, I had a moment of sadness, and a serious deliberation within myself: to go back to work, or to go back for another cone.

YES. IT WAS THAT GOOD. Right now they are still a pop up concept, but I look forward to their growth into having a stable location!

Congratulations to Conch n Cone on their recent win of an OWN Bahamas Grant!

|8

LYNDERA HALL LYNDERA HALL: OUR VIBRANT HERITAGE JASPER WOLF | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The works on this and the following 3 pages are the intellectual property of Lyndera Hall. Work has been watermarked at the artist’s request.

Tradition is best shown in color, when it comes to the Islands of The Bahamas.

In an age when politics dominate the national conversation, it’s easy for the national identity to become lost in a myriad of comments and newsprint.

Lyndera Hall bounds colorfully out of the political arena, preferring to focus on the brightness of the Bahamian face of still life and hard work.

“Are the depths of art only explored by the bold and the daring? Will a passion so beautifully and yet skillfully crafted be buried under the rubbles of a society who is still unaware of its ins, outs and turns? My reason for pursuing art is to find the pursuit and answers for these questions.”

In her passion-fueled bid to “prove the doubters wrong”, Lyndera Hall hasn’t stopped making art since her high school days at Michael Eldon in Freeport.

“On the island of Grand Bahama the exposure of and to art was only stifled to the National Trust, and even so with this small and yet tasteful exposure, societal norms has presented a notion that art was as dead as overbeaten conch.” (cont’d on page 12) |9

LYNDERA HALL | 10

LYNDERA HALL LYNDERA HALL| “PRESERVATION”

LYNDERA HALL For commissions: Contact Lyndera Hall (242) 807-7397 lynderahall@gmail.com

After earning her degree from University of The Bahamas in Business Management, Lyndera let the art guide her to be shown at The Bahamas National Trust, ISSA WYBE with Artists’ Circle, The Heart Ball auction, with a show at NAGB this autumn.

In her piece “Preservation”, the yellow tail snapper swims in the blood of a fresh day’s catch. As with many of her vivid paintings, it is a snapshot of a moment reminiscent of her childhood.

She reflects on the days of fishing on the rocky shores of West End, Grand Bahama as elderly people were co-raising their grandchildren.

“The constant flow of fish, learning the tides of the sea and which baits to use for which fish, was a method of “Preservation” in our main staple.”

The economy of Grand Bahama and the developing nature of the creative economy in The Bahamas at large is a challenge that Lyndera welcomes.

“Art is the oxygen in my blood and I want to see if the world will allow me to breathe or cut off my oxygen supply. This is my reason for art.” | 12

RINGPLAY M LOCK| THE BAHAMAS

submit your poetry @ jasperewolf.com

ADVICE FROM A LIBRA ADVICE COLUMN Hey Libra, My girlfriend and I have been together for three years. We live together and she says she loves me. I love her too, our only problem is, her family doesn't know that she’s a lesbian. It bothers me that she hides me. I don't know if I can stand being closeted again by her. What should I do?

limits. You need to also love yourself enough to not "settle". You know the kind of freedom you desire in a relationship. There are people out there willing to give it to you. If she’s not making you happy then be happy with yourself until you meet your equal.

ASK A LIBRA

- FreeLove79

jasperewolf.com

Hey love, I believe that love is selfless. True love makes you shut out the world around you, so much so that the opinion of others don't matter.

Support her, love her and encourage her to be true to herself. Make her feel comfortable about coming out and ensure her that you wont leave her hanging if her family disowns her.

Voice your discomfort to her and set your

Libra, I have been with my son’s father for 11 years.

He is married but separated.

He told me he will get a divorce when he has enough money to. But he just moved back home with his wife to save money. I love him

but I don't know if I trust him anymore. What should I do?

- BestMom292 Baby girl, My father once told me when I was very young "a man will NEVER leave his wife". He said "don't believe the excuses he gives you, if you didn't meet him single then leave him alone." He moved back in with a woman he loved enough to marry. And let’s be honest, they loved each other so much that they got the damn government involved to say ‘you are mine and I am yours’.

I would say cut the ties and leave that married man alone. What great thing did he do to deserve the love and commitment of two women? You and your son deserve more than a man that comes and goes as he pleases. Be strong, love yourself, get your confidence up and trust me the right man will come along. | 13

WE THE FEW RENEE CAESAR| ASSISTANT EDITOR

We The Few Roger, whitni, tai

So, guys, we’re in the 21st Century! Let’s have a digital interview! What is “We The Few” about?

Roger In short, we're a punk band geared towards making noise and causing a ruckus. ‘We The Few’ was a play on words - on the number of members during conception of the band, there were only 3 of us - one short of a ‘normal’ rock band.

After a while the name started to mean more and more to us in the sense that We The Few stopped being about us, and started being more about anyone who fits the category. We The Few speaks about the small percentage of people, the freaks, geeks and of course the punks.

So which one of you is the “normal” one?

Tai “...Normal?” Is that some kind of new fruit?

LOL Okay! How did this journey start?

| 15

We The Few Roger, whitni, tai

Roger I started up ‘We The Few’ fully geared to write songs and rock it out on stage. It actually came into fruition in the late stages of the first band I was in, "Black Sheep". We did a lot of covers and that was cool.

But, I found myself starting to write more and more original songs and pitching it to the guys and not getting much traction.

After some time and much contemplation I figured I'd take the plunge into my own project. With my minimal knowledge of electric guitar, and voice that sounded like nails on chalkboard I jumped in.

Enter, “We The Few”.

Do any of you have an original song you're not in love with?

Tai You get as many bombs as you do winners, sometimes more so. There are a couple of those songs that sounded great to begin with, and you play them a little later and it either doesn't fit the style in the long run or it's just: “No. Gawd No. What were we thinking?”

What’s the story with the drummer?

| 16

We The Few Roger, whitni, tai

Roger Like I said earlier, during the conception of the band, we started out with 3 members, rhythm guitar, keyboard and drums. After a while of that not working, we lost our drummer and fell into that twilight zone where bands go when they have no percussion.

I won't get into all the weird stuff we got into over the past few months in attempts to fabricate a drummer, just know it didn't work. Recently we've been holding auditions‌ Tai *beleaguered sigh* Roger We’re still looking to bring on a full time drummer who's is at least almost as passionate about the project as we are.

You've been moving pretty quickly. How do you relax to keep from burning out?

Tai Drawing and painting mostly. I've found the best way to revitalize from the burnout of projects is to do something completely unrelated. And every so often emerge from the hermit hole to hang out with friends and remind myself of what the sun looks like.

| 17

We The Few Roger, whitni, tai

Roger Seeing the sights and taking in what's going on around us. It's been an inspiration. I'd say if anyone wanted to feel refreshed, check out any of the local forests.

Any plans for recording in the near future?

Roger Recording has been our goal for months now, and maybe it's been a blessing in disguise that we've not had a chance to yet. We've had time to find ourselves and we're still finding ourselves.

I find myself looking back and old performances and sorta cringing at what we used to be, but being very appreciative of the journey and evolution of us. We'll be 100% on a recording date when we get ourselves that drummer we're looking for, though.

Who are some of your fave local bands/artists?

Tai Definitely Foreign Sound, Pineapple Down and Matthew Pinder hold a special place in my music list.

Last question... is Whitni the quiet one?

Roger Something like that.

WE THE FEW. L - R | TAI, ROGER, WHITNI | 18

The words and works on this and the following 5 pages are the intellectual property of Delton Barrett.

DELTON BARRETT: The ALCHEMY OF PHOTOGRAPHY As a creative photographer in today's world I'm more interested in solving complex questions and resolving them through visuals.

Visuals that can then be read through objects, props, feelings, emotions and colors.

Photography is a tool, an art, a hobby, a picture or anything you want it to be. It captures anything - if you really go the extra mile in doing so. I think that's what makes it special to me, because I can save the most interesting things I see into a picture and hold it.

I can create an idea and capture it in all angles the way I imagined it to be.

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

It's an amazing invention that's so powerful in shaping the way people think. You can see all perspectives of a concept through multiple (cont’d on page 22) | 20

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

(cont’d from page 19) photographs or just in one. Looking at all the creative photographers today and comparing them to early years of photography you can see that it has evolved, without a doubt.

I believe you can tell a story with colors as easily as you can tell a story with words.

Objects in photographs give the viewer clues as to what is happening or where the photo was taken.

Props support the idea, and story.

Feelings give the photo breath so that it has life.

Emotions are the backbone for me because it's what connects everything together.

Today, it's easy to be a photographer. Anyone can take pictures to simply put it - because it's a tool anyone can use.

What distinguishes photographers apart is the way they choose to interpret their ideas/stories. And that's so important if you want to set yourself above the usual.

But, in my experience, it's always best to start from the basics and work your way up into your own style that can be distinguished. I know there's still more I can explore.

Photography is a never ending art which makes me even more curious as to what can be done with it.

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

| 22

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

DELTON BARRETT | FACEBOOK.COM/DELTONBARRETTPHOTOGRAPHY

THANK YOU Wherever you are, submit your work at jasperewolf.com sharING IS SUPPORT.