THE SELEKTION ISSUE 2 DIGITAL

THIS IS ISSUE 2 OF THE SELEKTION MAGAZINE. ISSUE 2 HAS BEEN CREATED DURING MARCH- JULY 2021, A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE HAVE SEEN MASS PROTESTING, RAMPANT INEQUALITY AND THREATS TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.

IN THIS ISSUE WE AIM TO CHALLENGE PERCEPTIONS AND EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY TO BE THE DIFFERENCE THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

What does Cali Po stand for?

Cali Po stands for the universal acceptance of the whole plant, and the lifestyle and culture that it has bought into the world.

How was the Cali Po strain created?

The creation of Cali Po was purely an act of the Most High, love, and creation. My friend gifted me a seed that was cross-pollinated unknowingly and the result was Cali Po. The aroma was of tropical oranges from a rainforest. at the time we were aware of Instagram and the growing brand possibilities shown by people such as Berner and Sherbinski. Being in the industry for quite a while, I was aware of how different, unique and amazing this powerhouse strain would be.

How have you found working with music royalty so far on your journey?

Coming out of the UK, it has been a great honour and blessing to be around such amazing talents that have inspired and influenced the Cali Po movement in such positive ways. I feel truly honoured. The greatest thing I’d say in meeting these talents is actually getting to know them personally and seeing them get creative in their own environment, understanding, appreciating and being a part of their journey.

What does a typical 420 look like for the Cartel and what does it represent?

420 for us is about unity and appreciation for the plant. So wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we make sure we hold a moment of praises and respects and give thanks to the Most High, the fallen supporters and advocates on this journey, those that have been prosecuted, put in prison and even killed standing for the beneficial uses of cannabis. That being said, we always light up a big fire in reverence.

What UK musicians are you personally listening to the most right now?

In the UK there’s so much amazing talent, a lot that I am yet to hear.

Personally, I find great pleasure in listening to artists that I get the opportunity to see create their music, it gives me a connection and an affinity with the tracks that they designed. Sometimes I have an input in some of the lyrics and naturally the presence of Cali Po being in the studio at the time always influences the process. I really like listening to music of artists that I have a connection with such as Cali P, Giggs, Pa Salieu and Greentea Peng- all in their individual ways I believe they are totally unique and have amazing pieces of art.

Cali Po rolling paper of choice?

My choice of rolling papers right now are VIBES organic hemp rolling papers introduced to me by my brother The Real Smoke 4 Life and Uncle Kush when they visited the UK. I really think it’s those papers, not only for the quality but for the person that represents them being Berner- he's someone I appreciate, support and have been inspired from so it’s an honour to support something he’s been doing.

When do you think we will see the full potential of cannabis harnessed in the UK through its wide range of medical applications?

It's only a matter of time for us to see the wider use and more open use of cannabis in the UK. Currently it serves a great healing power for so many people that I meet on a day-to-day journey, from people who can’t sleep or don’t have an appetite, to more serious problems like having depression, Epilepsy and MS. I believe that prohibition of cannabis in the UK will soon be over and like we’ve already seen with some being prescribed it in the UK, and in the light of New York legalising, I really do believe the UK will be one of the next countries, in the next 2-3 years that will decriminalise or at least become a lot more open in regulations. This is why I believe it’s important for brands like ourselves, Herbman Hustlin, Dank of England and Stoned Island, as well as genuine industry changing champions like Max White who have revolutionised the possibilities and opportunities in cannabis in Europe, to stay motivated and ensure the people are truly represented on this journey.

How did you come up with the unique merch box design?

Being a creative person I always thought to think out of the boxexcuse the pun.

What are your goals going forward and what motivates you?

I do what I do through the powers of the Most High, through good people, and through good vibes. My goal in life is to live a simple life with my family and the people around me, however there are a lot of injustices in the world, that if I could be in a position to, I would contribute to bring more peace and justice to the Earth. Our goal is to continue to be the number one European cannabis lifestyle brand and continue to get our reach out to as many people as possible, sharing not only the amazing strain that will be available in legal countries, but also the whole lifestyle, the whole culture that comes with it- trying to spread positivity and a better understanding of ourselves and the plant.

I want to give thanks and praises to the Most High, without him nothing would be possible; give thanks for the vehicle that we have to go through and go forward and try to make good out of our manifestations. I want to thank every single member of the Cali Po crew and every single person good and badmind who puts their energy towards this- it’s all reciprocated and turned into a positive force that serves the universe.

I got to big up my bros, Man Like T, Cali Po Face- foundational and instrumental members in this Cali Po movement. Without my bros it would be a totally different journey.

@man_like_t

@cali_po_spirit_lee

@calipo_face

10 Minutes

with Joe Embrey

P h o t o g r a p h y

b y

@ a g a i n _ b m x

Serving the action sports communities around Bury St Edmunds for many years, Hardcore Hobbies was one of your previous sponsors and a shop I frequented before it closed. What are your thoughts on mail order BMX companies bringing about the demise of independent shops? Is the mail order model a predatory business tactic or is it natural progression as we grow into an increasingly digital society?

It’s a hard one because I get that things have changed, but, for me personally it’s a no-brainer to support your local shops, why wouldn't you? If you BMX, skate or whatever it may be, your first port of call should be your local shop because you will be buying products from people that have skin in the game, they do it because they love it, not because they will make lots of money from it and I think when it comes to something like riding bikes where it’s such a community and lifestyle oriented thing, why would you not want to buy bikes and parts from somewhere that is going to give back to the local scene, throw events, support local riders through opportunities like sponsors and even provide a place to hang out with friends- why wouldn't you gravitate towards your local shop?! I’ve been so fortunate to grow up in a town where the local shop has changed the whole climate of the scene and community.

FBM recently stopped production of their hardgoods.

What are your thoughts on the legacy left behind and what are your best memories?

When Ian gave me the chance to ride for FBM that was one of the biggest moments of my life. Going on from there, to go on all the trips, including the ‘Made in America’ tour and meeting all the team- I can’t put it into words really! It was like a dream come true to meet all the guys. In terms of FBM stopping the production of their hardgoods, that decision was incredibly difficult for everyone involved but it was coming for a while.

The decision was made quite a while before it was officially announced and it was probably the best thing for FBM because I don’t think the business model that they had was sustainable. I think FBM was always more of an idea and about the people, the events they did and the community than it was the actual physical product. That being said, I came into the FBM community very late and what they did to build up to their standing in the wider BMX community is something I can’t really comment on as I’m only a small part of it. I’m stoked on what Crandell is doing with his Drop-In Coffee and Rad Shareanything that guy puts his mind to, you know it will be amazing. I have nothing but good things to say about FBM.

Balancing BMX and work life?

I work in the NHS and I am a CBT therapist (cognitive behavioural therapist) so I deal with a lot of common mental health conditions.

Obviously since the coronavirus we’ve seen a massive increase in referrals, it's been really busy this year, I’ve been working long hours.

I've also trained as a vaccinator to help people with needle phobias to have the vaccine. So it’s been busy, but I've worked for the NHS for over ten years. The NHS is the best thing about our country. I get a decent holiday from work due to the stressful nature of the job, so I've always been able to find time to ride and go on trips which has been a real bonus. Because CBT is about looking at how your thoughts can influence you, it works best when people are flexible in their thinking. I know it sounds weird but I think CBT mirrors what BMX does;, going on trips, being in weird situations riding street, being with your friends and just having to deal with stuff as it happens, I think it mirrors the principles of CBT. Having a flexible approach to thinking is what helps me balance work and BMX- there's lots of parallels. It goes without saying that if I don't ride I’m more stressed out at work, but I love my job and the fact I can ride alongside it.

What are your thoughts on the state of affairs with privatisation throughout the NHS being normalised?

With the NHS being sold off and privatised, I've kind of witnessed it first hand. I used to work for drug and alcohol services and I worked for an NHS drug and alcohol service that got taken over by a third party company.

It was one of the most stressful things ever, privatisation of the NHS is not going to be a good thing, I’m sure a lot of my colleagues would agree with that. Unfortunately, in drug services people die as a result of privatisation because their cases often aren’t being handed over properly, patients are having less appointments, less people seeing them, so I can’t see it being a good thing at all. I would hope to think most riders, especially if they’ve travelled to places like the US will know that our health service is fucking incredible and I’d like to think as a whole the community appreciates the NHS. I broke my leg last September and I can’t even begin to say how well I was treated, it was incredible.

Do music and BMX go hand in hand?

Music has always been a big part of my life, it has gone hand in hand with BMX to me.

I have played in quite a few bands over the years and our town that we grew up in (Bury St. Edmund’s) had a good music scene which led us to find out about bands mainly in the hardcore and metalcore scene.

What is your favourite style of BMX riding?

I love to watch people with different styles approach things in different ways, and that can include trick riding or street riding. I ride with a group of friends that have a range of styles so I appreciate them all.

I grew up in Bury St. Edmunds, we had big wooden ramps, a lot of salty older locals that showed us the way of "You need to learn to table or turndown before you do anything else", but then we found our own way.

We would watch Road Fools but the newer Road Fools, 10-11 onwards, riders like KC Badger and Chase Hawk, videos like Shutter Speed, V Club, the Empire DVDs, those kinds of things…

I suppose the older you get you know what you like, but that being said I'm increasingly enjoying riding street and watching good street riding.

@joeebmx

@unitedbikeco @bicycleunion

@fbmbikecompany @voltbmxlondon @4downdistro @again_bmx

@THEGRADEBOX

ILLUSTRATION BY @MEESTERLAND

Photography: @chedwardphoto

Skaters: @curbdust, @tomarnoldphoto, @mitchg0ugh, @wamesjixey.

Often overlooked,

and yet still such a pillar

in the South Wales Skate scene.

Cwmbran is a real melting pot of styles.

- Chester Rowles

For my second to last question, I wanted to go back and talk seriously about Ali’s most recent track titled 'Island', which is one of the most compelling and brutal tracks that Ali has put out to date. “For the readers who haven’t heard it yet, could you explain the tune and the headspace that you were in at the time you penned it?”

Ali went on to confirm, “Out of the five tunes that I’ve put out so far, it’s the most serious one I’ve made. I wrote it when I got to Ukraine- it is what it is on the tin.

Everyone feels a certain way when it comes to what’s going on, me being who I am, with my heritage, with my background, I’m just giving my perspective on a topic that is affecting many different people in different ways. My main goal of that song was essentially, if I can make that target person from that song think a little bit differently, or re-think the way they think, then my job is done.” After which, Ali conveyed, “The message I was really trying to get across was that it isn’t just your normal geezer in the pub, or the hooligans, it’s in every class, it’s not even just a skin colour thing, it’s actually much deeper than that.” Ali then spoke about his experience growing up in the UK and how growing up in East London but being from Iran meant that he never felt that he actually fitted in. Having issues when he was growing up rooted his thoughts and his feelings, which Ali would ultimately hold closely, until deciding to create 'Island'. If you were to go and listen to the track, and then return to this interview, you would understand that this isn’t an ordinary song, this is a reflection of Ali’s experiences, heart and soul.

To bring our chat to a terminus, I raised the question, “What advice do you have for those of us looking towards a career in music?”

As though he'd been there and done that already- like clockwork- Ali stressed, “Find a way to make a reliable income that can support you, one that doesn’t rely on you making it in music. Not selling drugs.

Legally find something to give you enough time to create music and you make the best music you can make.

Don’t have it in your head that it’s about making it big in music- make it just because you want to create it and you will have more chances of making it. The minute you put the idea of making it big before the idea of making what you love- you won’t make it."

A conversation with

@b.a.zzz

@aliblablablablabla

Charley Kempster catches up with Gabe Njie

@chd_rwstrn, @d.rhys.e Photography:

A drab, damp and frankly dismal morning. It’s meant to be approaching summer yet the fog when I breathe is lingering so profusely…. It’s Gabe’s day off so we really have no choice but to proceed, balls to the wall as they say, through the all round uninviting UK weather. Knowing we will get the chance to see a top tier woodpusher like Gabe tearing it up at one of the UK's premier skateparks will make our perilous journey from Sheff to Manny all the more worthwhile and so we must carry on with our journey, on this train that reeks of piss and Frosty Jacks.

We get to Graystone and are instantly blown away by the scale of the project.

The planning team killed it… In the distance a wild Gabe Njie appears mid air, powering towards us in what some may call the steeziest of attire.

My name's Gabe, I’m 24.

I’m a skate and roller snowboard coach in Manchester at Graystone, originally from Stourbridge, big up Stourbridge…

I shoot videos, editing as well, act and do promotional

and Instagram stuff- a bit of everything.

So with everything going on right now, it’s been weird.

My coaching has been heavily affected by it because I’m not doing group lessons at the minute, it’s all one-to-ones and obviously we’ve got to wear a mask and skating while you’ve got a mask on is something else.

It’s not ideal.

But yeah, things are slowly starting to get back together.

We’re slowly starting to do a few group lessons again, we’re getting more of a sense of normality now which is good. It’s been a long time coming.

What types of people do you typically teach at Graystonegot any stories to tell?

Working at a skatepark sounds like a dream job to many of our readers- is this the case?

Anyone and everyone. It's mostly kids between the ages of 7 to 13, but my youngest client is 2 and my oldest is about 55! Like I say though man, we teach anybody. Lily Rice, a wheelchair motocross (WCMX) athlete, comes quite a lot, we’ve made it completely accessible for people who need it, plus with the big roll in we have it’s a perfect opportunity for WCMX riders to get some air.

We have a massive foam pit too. The roll-in is big enough so if you’re in a wheelchair you can get enough speed to actually get quite a few feet in the air- I’m stoked to see more WCMX athletes.

Yeh.. and no. I’m glad I get to skate every day, and get paid for that, but my long term goal is to work within the film industry. I want to take my videography to the next level, make some cool films and documentaries.

But yeah, my job is fulfilling, it’s just like, being able to give other people the feeling that I got from skating when I first started: the excitement, learning about the culture. I’ve skated since I was 5 years old and I remember being completely engrossed in the culture when I was learning, so being able to tell these kids what skate videos, brands to check out, then seeing them come back stoked- it’s sick. I love seeing the smiles man, honestly it’s the best part.

Health and safety wise, everybody under 16 has to wear a helmet, but apart from that it’s pretty standard stuff… One of the first things we teach beginners is how to fall. A lot of the time they roll off their board with their arms straight and that’s how we break wrists and stuff. So, we teach them to curl up and how to fall properly so like risk prevention stuff, but obviously it’s a skatepark, people get hurt all the time.

The amount of people who come through Graystone is insane, we just had this Red Bull physio guy set up an office. He brings in a load of high-end Red Bull athletes so seeing all those guys and girls coming through the park is sick. I’ve had a few videos with Billy Morgan- he’s an Olympic bronze medallist.

Funnily enough, I see Bez from the Happy Mondays loads, he brings his kid on his scooter.

He’s sound man.

So what was this Bob's Burgers event we seen at Graystone a few weeks back?

So DC and Bob's Burgers did a collab to put out some shoes and some apparel. Someone from DC organized a contest, they had this American school bus converted into a kitchen and they were selling burgers, well I say selling, they were just giving them out- I took about 4. The contest was good, it wasn’t a serious thing, more like a skate jam. They just had a bunch of people and if you did a cool trick they gave you some gear. I did a handrail trick and got some shoes, ended up leaving with some jeans too.

Tell us a bit about the creative projects you’ve been working on.

So I shoot mostly music videos at the minute, a few documentaries here and there- I actually shot a video for the NHS and the COVID vaccine, that was cool.

I act where I can, present sometimes…

Oh, I started a creative collective with a few friends… It's called Et Ala space where anybody within a creative industry can come and we will promote and support them. We’re also doing our own thing, making skate videos, making clothes, making music videos, doing graphic design work. We are currently organising some events at a pub in Manchester…

You guys should check it out! It’s all in-house, we have videographers, designers, photographers, pretty much all the contacts. We want to broaden our horizons.

Just wanted to end by asking what creatives we should be looking out for in Manchester right now?

So music, @diminutivearthur is the first name that comes to mind, @lowfly47 makes really cool beats, there’s two dudes I know from the Canary Islands that are killing it: @hydrologikk and @spookyphantom, both really good rappers. Skate-wise, there’s a bunch of young skating kids coming and killing it right now like @leoturnerrrr, @mollie.seed_skates and @tomkskater.

Shoutout to @graystoneactionsports, @et_al_studios, @broclothing, Mom, Dad, Nan and my brothers.

Kris Bunnage

St Neots DIY Spot

Words- @wijswords

Illustrations- @arijonesy

nothing to see here knee deep

in a red wine blood bath on the steps

of your childhood home streetlights clock off

the same ones you chased spat at and swarmed

hours and years before your pill box flat is two stops

through all you prove to know

but it's the same time tomorrow and you’re back with those few rolling up old scars to a boom bap beat there’s the bridge

where you cut your teeth love biting the bullet packs of gulls

battle tired fights personal use

kept personal

you drive home

down the wrong side of memory lane re-running

over roadkill you play chicken

Why Are Free Festivals More Fun?

by James Wijesinghe

Festivals are sick from a punter’s perspective. But if you go behind the scenes, working within the extensive festival family, then there’s even more to explore...

Here’s why volunteering at festis is the way forward. Although, these perks are dependent on the company you join. Bear in mind that some crews require you to work shifts during the festival while others operate outside of music hours. Wristband gang.

Free ticket With festival costs climbing each year, who could say no to free entry? Even if tickets are sold out you can still get in via the volunteering route. You may have to pay a deposit at ticket cost but it’s always refundable if you hit your shifts. Free tickets mean more money for other things. Spend wisely.

Wristband As well as a hi-vis, your staff wristband is an essential access-allareas skeleton key. From boujee backstage facilities to shortcuts and staff bars, waving your wristband will get you in all of the best places.

Bumping into artists is normal, as are lifts on staff buggies and bypassing queues.

Entrance The journey into a festival is often nail-biting, butt-clenching work.

You queue for hours drinking through your resources, only to be turned away by the puppy in power. As volunteers you’ll miss this madness by arriving a day early and using an exclusive entrance where checks are less stringent, stressful and slow.

Camping If you don’t mind constant carnage, then standard campsites are probably fine for you. But, if you want to minimise the risk of being robbed and maximise the quality of your limited sleep, staff campsites are the ones. Secure and spacious, you might miss some chaos but at least you’ll have a tent all week.

Showers & Loos Some of you grim lot might not shower anyway, but they’re some of the greatest comedown cures. Showers are rare in regular campsites, (or at extra costs), but you’ll find plenty in the staff sections. Wash away the glitter, mud and regrets ready for another day of being a mess. Functioning loos are a plus too.

Electricity

After you’ve spent a day leaving SOS voicemails and trying to film the drop, your phone is probably dead. Rather than

forking out a mortgage to charge up one bar, many staff areas

have free charging spots and may even give out battery packs.

Festivals aren’t the places for phones but it helps to have one.

Edibles

It’s a tenner for cheesy chips that you'll drop in the mud or a

quest to the bottom of your bag for a rationed cereal bar. But with

staff perks you’ll have access to crew catering and a free meal ticket for every shift. It’s likely your company will also provide snacks and hot drinks. You’ll also befriend generous stall owners.

Staff Parties

What happens to all of the confiscated contraband? Sometimes it finds its way back into sunlight (and sinuses) via the staff

parties at the close of the festival. These might occur a day after the festival shuts for ticket holders or even on the final night. For many reasons these aren't to be missed.

Festival Family

A lot goes into building festivals with many workers staying onsite for months prior. This festival family is an integral part of what keeps these events popping and possible. Being a part of this

beautiful crew is nice enough, but as you’ll rub shoulders with vendors, security, stewards and more, the benefits are endless.

Work Experience

Lastly, if you’re wanting to bulk up your CV with customer service and event skills then volunteering at a sesh is a great

way to blag yourself into employment. Depending on the role, your weekend of festi fun could be spun into teamwork, customer service, till skills, problem solving and more.

Always party professionally.

@jamsandwij

Inspired by the likes of Latin jazz, electronic and Britney, Hannah’s music is a melting pot of both her experiences and life’s varying relationships.

Garnering support from all over the country but also across the pond, Hannah is for sure one to look out for.

@richteamami

Skater: @boredslides

Photography: @c.e.foulkes

SO…

YOU WANT A CAREER IN BMX?

BY NEIL FRASER

Age: 34

Location: North-East England (Seaham) Rides: Federal Stevie Churchill

Topic: 6 Golden Rules for Marketing Yourself for Sponsorship First off, I’m going to start this one by saying I’ve never intended to ‘market myself’ for anything really. But these ‘tips’, (if you’d like to call them that), are just to help the younger generation get a feel for the best practice when you’re putting yourself out there for sponsorship or if you’re looking to get into the BMX industry in one way or another.

In my own experience I’ve found there’s nothing better than just meeting people, whether that be at a new skatepark, street spot, jam/comp or

whatever it is. I find that generally just being yourself, having a ‘crack on’ as they say up North with people and just fuckin’ networking, (if you wanna call it that), is genuinely the best way to make friends, gain a bit of traction and maybe even influence within this sport.

I’ve been within the BMX industry now for well over 10 years and I've lost count of the number of articles I’ve written, easily in the 1000s-

Magazines we published where I’ve featured, along with many old copies, have all been kept safe and stored away, but honestly looking

back… this shit’s crazy. I’m a dad now and still ride BMX as much as I can and my 5 year old son Lukas loves it too, so that’s kinda refreshed my love for it if you feel me? I kinda fell out of love with BMX for a moment but it’s back in force and I can’t get enough now! Just out there for the kids trying to help the next generation keep the torch lit in our local scene.

That’s kind of the reason I agreed to do this article with THE SELEKTION. Not only is Will Hedges a super nice dude, I really think that it’s fantastic to see another ‘paper mag’ coming to the scene and I’ve noticed the work that Will has put in, plenty of sleepless nights and long days but what he’s been building is really exciting and new for BMX. No doubt.

Rider: Karl Southern

#1 Golden rule- Don’t be a dick.

If you’re a dick no one will like you. It’s that simple. People don’t like you if you’re arrogant, selfish, rude or obnoxious, so don’t go out there comping everyone thinking you’re the boyo. You’re not and no one will touch you with a bargepole.

If you’re a good rider and a good dude then you’re much more of a potential pick for a brand or company than Joe the local comp dog who gives sly looks to new riders at ‘his’ park and comps everyone in sight. Don’t be that guy.

#2 - Don’t be afraid to talk to people.

This basically got me to where I am today, I’ve always been a pretty vocal figure within BMX and I’ve been around since the days of Streetphire Message Board, (the real ones will know), back when there was no Facebook or decent technology for that matter!

We used to meet up with people all over the country at parks and have the sickest times riding. I actually met Cleggy who put me on to my job at Ride UK years ago through the very same message board. I’d arranged to buy a VHS camcorder he was selling with a sick fisheye lens and we met up at R-Kade Skatepark (R.I.P) to do the exchange. Me and Cleggy stayed in touch over the years and I was doing bits for Streetphire at the time, (shout out to H-Man for taking me under his wing and teaching me so much to do with the web). Cleggy poached me for Ride UK basically and the rest was history. Meeting people is key, you never know who might enter your life and become lifetime friends or what may come of it.

#3 - Speaking to the masses.

Confidence is key. I’m not the most confident person in the world when it boils down to it but public speaking is one of those things where it’s do or die. Much like BMX when you’ve got to send it or you’ll fuck yourself. Sometimes you HAVE to put yourself out of that comfort zone and just fucking go for it!

I’m not gonna lie… That shit is pretty scary at first but trust me, you’ll smash it once you get into your groove. If you’re going to be making vlogs then you’ve got time for mess-ups and can re-record, but honestly, just being yourself is the best way to go about it and act natural on camera because people will spot if you’re being fake and won’t hesitate to call you on it!

I remember going live at NASS comp a few years back on our Facebook page, it was when FB live was very new and I just thought “Fuck it!”, hit the button and went to chat with Bas Keep about his new brand (at the time). We had a chat, I kept my nerve, filmed some of his Tall Order team riders like Keiran Reilly killing it on dirt and it went down a treat! Bosses loved it, even did another one with the BQR123 lads later in the day.

#4 - Understand the scene.

Shit, I’m old-school (well mid-school to be precise) but these days I feel old as hell! So when I say that you need to “understand the scene” then I mean it coming from the perspective of someone who has been riding bikes since 44T chainrings with bash guards was the standard for riding street and your bike frame ITSELF weighed 7lbs. If you couldn’t hop bar height you were a pussy. Get it?

So yeah, understanding the roots is an absolute must. Riders like Van Homan, Edwin De La Rosa, Stevie Hamilton, Seth Kimbrough, Ruben Alcantara; these guys were some of my heroes growing up and working within the industry I had a chance to meet some of them. They always say meeting your heroes is a bad idea but I found that different with BMX. We’re all generally chill dudes who just love to ride bikes and you’ll quickly realise even if they are ‘pros’, that in the end, we are all human.

What I’m getting at here, with my old-timer incessant rambling, is that young riders could do with researching these legends, seeing where BMX came from.

Hell, go as far back as watching RAD on VHS if you can find one! There’s a website called BMXMovieDatabase I believe which has a bunch of classics on if you’re in need of a history lesson. Watching old videos may give you inspiration within your riding also, knowledge is power and all that!

#5 - Marketing trends within the BMX industry.

Marketing trends, hell I don’t even know where to start with this one to be 100% honest. If we’re talking personal marketing, as in marketing yourself, I’d suggest to ensure you have all social media channels on your phone and you’re constantly plugging away, pushing new content out there. If you’re posting new riding videos/pictures on your FB/IG or Snapchat etc., then this will obviously boost your likes/follows etc. and you’ll start to gain more traction as time goes on. On my personal account (@Sr7fraser) I was pumping out content on the regular if it was a nice sunny day and the boys were out dropping hammers I’d post some shit.

Hashtags are important too, don’t over-do it, just the right amount will help your posts get noticed from further afield and in turn will gain you more followers etc.

#6 - Putting the work in / Hard Graft pays off.

This goes without saying really… Long nights, hot summer days inside writing about BMX instead of being out there riding and having your Mrs fuming with you because you’re always working. These are definitely some of the things you’ll need to prepare yourself for if you want a job in BMX journalism and media.

I’ve tried my hand at filming/photography and I guess I’m alright, but never been ‘awesome’ at it if I’m honest. I’ve always been a bit of a wordsmith and enjoyed the English language way too much, to a point where it’s completely obsessive like learning new words and meanings. How sentences are formed and how to put your personality across within your writing without coming off sounding like a complete bellend.

This again boils down to ‘being yourself’. To any budding writer or journalist I’d certainly suggest taking a step back before you write an article and think, what would my audience want to hear? What would I want to be reading? Does this captivate my attention? What is the subject and does it need to be serious or can I ‘play about’ with it? – These are the things I consider before I sit down and smash out an article (much like this one).

Has the power of social media enabled you to reach a wider audience?

Social Media has very much widened the scope of people I can interact with and get opportunities through. It’s been great being able to reach out to people that I grew up listening to and appreciating their work whilst also getting appreciation for my work. The pandemic amplified this effect, as there hadn’t been any live stuff, people were increasingly looking to social media. As much as it’s not what I got into music for, it is fun to keep uploading clips so that people know that I can do it. I’m not in it for the money, I’m really out here making music every day, which is what I love to do. The audience I have got has been really encouraging; honest feedback about the content and lyrics, the guitar playing, it’s something that I hold dearly.

What are your thoughts on the future of music and the current royalty structures in place?

I think everything is going to change pretty quickly. The state of live music is going to be different. A lot of the big live events will come back, but the fact that people are charging for holograms and the likes tells me that things are going to be very different soon...

I think NFTs could get very interesting, especially trying to figure out where people will get their revenue from- if the royalties from things like streaming don’t improve then artists are going to start leaving streaming behind. When I was about 10 or 11, we used to have CDs, so now my generation are looking towards the new thing that we can do to keep control of our music, but still get the revenue that a major album could provide. It’s just a matter of time. The new technologies that we have are making it easier to track what royalties we have which is making things a bit more transparent with what’s going on, where the money is coming from, where it’s going…

Artists need to be reading their contracts, reading the small print, and making sure that they are happy with what they are getting. If you’ve signed something that says that someone gets 80% of the music that you make, then that’s down to you. You have to educate yourself to a stage where you can’t be manipulated. We live in an age now where all the information we need is on the internet. It’s alright for us to call for streaming services to increase royalties, but we can’t rely on streaming through somebody else’s platform, or idealise an amount that we would like to get from streaming, because often the artist has signed an agreement with them when deciding to distribute to their platform. Everyone has to realign their sights and be a bit more realistic...

How important is it for musicians to keep exploring new avenues of work for their continued growth?

I think that the more a musician can diversify their skill set, the more it will help them in the long runthat’s what I’ve found personally.

Since I have always loved a variety of genres of music, it’s been easier for me to pick and choose parts of genres that I can incorporate, and look into the techniques and history of those genres. At the end of the day, the more you can do, the better.

That isn’t to say don’t focus on what you are good at, but, if there’s a skill that you think could add to whatever you want to accomplish, it’s best to pursue it if you can make the time.

That goes for the business side also, if you see something that you think will be beneficial to your career and go down that avenue, you might be able to add something to your repertoire or act. I don’t believe in people doing things for the sake of the money, but if it’s going to advance your career and you could learn something from it, everything and anything you can do to advance your skill set will be good.

If you could tell your younger self some advice what would it be?

I would tell my younger self, "Don’t let the ways other people affect your life turn into ways that you affect other people’s lives." So, effectively, when people do wrong, people talk about forgiveness. But for me, it’s for yourself as well: you have to forgive people so that you aren’t burdened by resentment. That’s the main advice that I’d give myself because I spent a lot of time being reactive to the ways that other people affected me.

Where is your favourite place?

My favourite place in the world would have to be the Grand Canyon. I went there when I lived in America, the whole thing was mad. When you’re there and you’re looking out, you understand how fickle a single person's existence can be if you don’t make an impact. The canyon is a naturally occurring thing, a sight to behold, the impact that a million people could have would not be the same as the canyon.

Now that restrictions have started to ease is there anywhere you are dying to visit?

I’d like to go to Okinawa, because there’s lots of rich history there about an off-branch of the Japanese culture, with a lot of cultural enrichment to offer. Obviously the scenery would be great, but loads of huge things that have impacted the world have come from Okinawa… I believe it’s also a Blue Zone, so lots of people there live over the age of 100. They attribute it to the climate and diet. I'd love to meet people over there and see what their outlook on life is because it must be so different.

Do you have any records out soon?

I’m currently in the process of writing an album, hopefully to be released late summer- I’m looking to get some good features on there. I can’t really say too much about it yet! I’ve also been working on features for other people that will be coming out in the next few months… keep your eyes peeled for all that!

Musicology Freestyle

@lewis_woods_photography

Rider: @magill_jack

Millie Mountain

Talks Music, Motivation & The Mouse Outfit collab

How did you first get into music?

Well I’ve always known to love music, it wasn’t really a conscious decision I made getting into it, more something that has lived with me as long as I can remember. I always got involved with anything musical throughout primary and secondary school, performing at all the school concerts, being a part of the choirs, making a band. It took me a while working out my definitive sound, I like to see myself as being versatile, able to make lots of different sounds to cater for different people rather than creating any musical boundaries there. I’ve performed on stage from a young age, for both music and dramathe thrill of performing in front of so many people is something I crave.

How do you stay inspired in your day to day life?

I allow experiences to guide me, emotion to just flow through me, understanding the root of my thoughts and feelings.

My family and friends inspire me, love inspires me. I find that I’m very rarely uninspired, inspiration is everywhere. I just try to transcribe it the best that I can, from what is going on inside my head, to the paper. It’s so relieving putting it all down, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

What about your music how do you gain motivation?

Some days I wake up feeling demotivated, sometimes it takes great effort trying to do even the smallest things. But I always get stuff done, even if I go one day without having done any music, or having created something artistically, I’ll feel bad like I’m wasting time. But this is all a part of the process, it’s equally important to allow yourself that rest time as well as constantly grinding, or else your mental health will be impacted. I make myself motivated, always, it’s all about mindset and if you want to get something done badly enough, you’ll make it happen.

If you had to pick a top three favourite artists who would you pick and why?

My top three would be Erykah Badu because she’s a queen, her sound resonates deeply and her music inspires my sound. I appreciate her versatility, whilst maintaining her core vibe and having such a positive outlook and energy. Stevie Wonder would be another great artist who definitely deserves the recognition he has acclaimed, having done it from such a young age and really having a great feel for the music, with such creative flair and beautiful vocals.

He is an inspiration lyrically too being an all round incredible, down to Earth artist. My third would have to be Bob Marley because we can all agree his impact around the world has been one of the greatest of all time, spreading love and positivity wherever his music is played and bringing with it a feeling of hope.

There really are so many artists that I could name who I get inspiration from but it would be endless.

What challenges have you encountered so far in your journey in the music industry?

Luckily, I haven’t really come across lots of challenges in the industry so far. I would say the main one for me would be having to pay for all the projects out of my own pocket. I’m working a side job so I can afford everything necessary but it really is so expensive starting up as an independent artist and you really have to invest a lot of money into it at first. You’ve got to be willing to sacrifice a lot for what you want to do, not just money but time too. I will continue putting my all into my music as it’s something I want to carry on doing and have a lot of faith in.

Knowing that The Mouse Outfit are responsible for creating legends in the music scene such as Black Josh it must have been pretty awesome to work with them.

What’s the story behind your collaboration, how did it happen?

So we got the collaboration as Adam (Gemini Candid) went to university in Manchester for a bit which is where he met Chini, the founder of The Mouse Outfit and they kept in contact from there.

He sent us through a bunch of beats and we started writing to one that stood out to us, it just flowed from there. The process was a fun one, we recorded it in our bedroom, with a basic mic at the time. Chini managed to clean it up so it sounded quality

Aside from the big names that you have worked with such as The Mouse Outfit, are there any unsung heroes that have helped you get to where you are today?

To be honest I’m still working my way up but I’ve been doing a lot of collaborations with different artists and we’re all helping each other out and supporting out here. So many people have helped me get to where I am and have supported me throughout my journey, helping me become who I am now, they know who they are.

What are your plans for the coming months in terms of releases and events?

I’ve got lots of projects I’m working on so it’s just a matter of time before getting them all out now. As for visuals, I’ve got a couple surprises coming for everyone very soon so keep watching my socials which is where I’ll be posting any new releases!

@millie_mountain

Ready the Riot Act

My favourite kind of tea begins with a 'P' and ends with so many hungry families,

Leagues of fees lauding over the under, money hoarding mongers lay dread in silver lined beds; destiny's silence dressed and ready for death.

Farce-roots spread like wild mire; met with sparse disputes over liars abstruse.

While wanes of refuse streak panes Syracuse, leaking bane as summer solstice speech feigns, And jilted cranes taunt the insane to hasten the basins of dust to rust in fame; shame painting guilt built by this hell-scape a-tilt.

Grow to wilt at the sight of poised hilt, out cuts a knife at the trite 9 to 5 life for weakened bliss.

In sickness and in health, secretary caped to creep reaper clad in matronly rags, violent stealth hushed in lungful drags.

Cliff side crags crumbled into view in lieu of private property rule; the sinew tied to skeletal pew, And soon, you chew out the migrant few viewed vagrant for eschewing the rough of your cosmo-borough pitched fragrant.

Moral districts stand vacant while banking sectors sidle idly by, vying for lines of lies 'surmised'.

A snorted reprise gagged into surprise, as subtle demise rests sagged eyes on the doorsteps at the behest of curbed contest, Almost as depressed as the dread, dragging it's dead beat creps to clock-in at the steps of the stock exchange.

To exorcise change from ex nihilo hell bent estrangement, for nigh is the high of our exhalant low; So man’s vehement blow flows from his left hand and into his grave below.

Leia Newland @hauntolorgy

Riding Waves by CW Jones

Yeah man...

The world is caving in once again, it should feel negative? But it doesn’t, it feels almost rewarding!?

Let’s go, buckle up, we’re spending a week in bed.

Nah I’m not joking, we’re spending a week in bed.

Why? Why not...

I’m yet to find a position more comfortable in life than being horizontal?

But that can only last for so long.

Which brings me to the horrible task of...

Enjoying Life.

See, when I look back, my most memorable and rewarding moments are usually comprised of me being well out of my comfort zone, so why am I so addicted to this bed?

Life doesn’t have to be about enjoying life.

What if I enjoy hating life?

It’s addiction really isn’t it.

Just another addiction that I bow down to on a regular basis.

I’m not trying to tell you anything here, I’m quite literally wasting the paper this is written on.

Just laying in my bed.

I’m unwell again.

And so are you.

I’m CW Jones.

And so are you.

As-salamu alaykum

ALTER EGOS BY LIABILITY JONES

Hip hop has a long-standing love of aliases and alter egos, much like it has with wrestling. Aside from the fact most rappers' names are aliases themselves, (I know. I thought Killa Sin was his legal name too), some rappers like to add even more.

Kool Keith had Dr. Octagon, Tupac had Makaveli, Del tha Funkee Homosapian had Deltron 3030.

It’s a chance for an artist to turn their personality up a notch, becoming even more of a ramped up character.

It’s an opportunity to try out new things and experiment without completely having to marry yourself to the new style.

With the likes of Redman’s Sooperman Luva, Redman pops in every album to tell the tales of a fucked up superhero with a supersized libido.

RZA’s Bobby Digital was a chance for the Wu-Tang abbot to do a series far different sonically from what he was making in the Wu. Not that they're the only ones in the Wu with alter egos, it would take twelve days to write about all of them.

Hell, Eminem could possibly have still been a mid level rapper if he never twigged onto Slim Shady- he was the perfect cartoon for the South Park generation.

MF DOOM aka Victor Vaughan (RIP) was alter egos and comic book mystery 'til the day he died.

He crafted his supervillain persona allowing him to stay enigmatic at all times.

CASisDEAD demonstrates a similar approach to DOOM but less comicbook supervillain and more slasher movie trapper.

Now with the proliferation of drill, everybody is in a mask and nobody knows who anyone really is, although I don’t know how much of that is to create a character, not to avoid prosecution.

Alter egos are cool… Maybe you should try one.

Who influences your approach to music?

Kao: My influence is the holy trinity: Redman, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Batman.

I think that they pretty much speak for themselves…

Redman- because he’s the god of rapping.

Stone Cold Steve Austin- the god of badass.

Batman- because he rules the night.

USER SUBMITTED QUESTIONS USER SUBMITTED

QUESTIONS WITH KAO & CACTUS CORINO

Cactus: I think the person that influenced me most was Rakim. I guess some of the UK guys, High Focus Records, kind of inspired me not to rely on a style more popular in the UK like drill or grime and to focus on what I enjoyed more.

What is the recipe for a 10/10 meal deal?

Kao: Ite, see, there is no best meal deal combo because Tesco is dead to me. They had me enter a goddamn meal deal competition on Twitter to get a free meal deal, only to change the terms and conditions afterwards and refuse me my meal deal! So Tesco, if you’re reading this, you’re dead to me! I’d love to answer this if Tesco hadn’t burned me!

Cactus: The Thai sweet chilli crisps, the Naked Smoothie for surebut all their sandwiches are shit so... the BBQ chicken maybe?!

Favourite producer to work with?

Cactus: Kuku. I’d also like to give a shout-out to Titan, dudes a beast. But yeah, Kuku’s helped me out the most, dudes a real OG.

Kao: Yeah, of course, Kuku is the dopest motherfucker to work with.

When he’s engineering it’s always a vibe, there are so many bangers coming in the future with him.

Thoughts on the current UK music climate?

Cactus: It's easier to access than ever before.

You’ve got Knucks, DC, Loyle Carner, Sam Wise, Dream McClean… It’s really just booming with talent. You’ve got so many underground artists, and in general it’s just poppingthe UK’s collective sound is reverbing around the world.

What projects are you working on currently?

Cactus: We have the first single 'Ridiculous' from my EP on the way. The EP is something that I’ve been working on for years but the single is something that I've been working on since I was 10 years old- 12 years in the making. 'Escapism' the EP is coming out in June and after that there will be a steady stream of singles and videos coming out, hopefully, on Loudhouse with HoneyJD.

Kao: Shout outs to JD. I’ve got a couple new singles coming, one with Verb T. I got a track produced by Beat Butcher coming soon and I got the Liability Jones EP coming…

Cactus: Further in the distance, we have DJ Kuku dropping his beat tape and after that somewhere in the spectrum we have Dudleyville coming out which is going to be collaboration EP/album.

Check out Kao & Cactus Corino's latest music

Kao: Shout outs to Musicology, we have a freestyle dropping on their channel.

Cactus: I have a freestyle from their channel that is going to be dropped exclusively on my Instagram.

Ritual is a clothing company and collective of street skaters based in Leeds. Skater owned, and born out of a desire to create environmentally friendly clothing for skateboarding.

Our art direction takes inspiration from 90s video games, sportswear, mythology and fantasy.

We endeavour to support our local skate community through promoting positivity and the overall values of skateboarding, and of course, we sort our locals out with clothing and boards!

The team is made up of a bunch of underdog rippers, who each bring their own style and unique approach to skating. Most can normally be found charging around Leeds City Centre's many banks, ledges, stairs and carparks.

Our company is very conscious about our environmental impact, so we strive to always use quality, organic materials and garments sourced in the U.K only.

All of our packaging is also recyclable and made out of recycled materials.

Making waves in '21 and beyond. @ritualskateboards

Check out the Ritual Skateboards website above

"Repose; a state of rest, sleep, or tranquillity.”

Repose is something we decided to create as a space to collect and share our memories of good times and the journey that comes along with riding these kids' bikes we call BMX.

Home for everyone started in Oxford, we’e talking 2011. It's crazy to think it’s been a decade.

A lot of our footage normally gets put into a video series called 'MANDEM'.

All our videos are on Vimeo and Instagram (@reposebrand)

Isabel Alderton (@issylucydesign) believes that graphic design is more than simply an expression of the aesthetic, but can serve a functional, political and social role.

Issy uses everyday visual language and satire to engage wider audiences with political subjects and facilitate a conversation.

Issy is part of Sheffield based collective SLAC (Sunday League Art Club.)

Follow @slac.sheff for future updates on exhibitions and events.