The Cut Issue 07

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Cover Star Jessie JLil Mckell’s Guide to Dating, New Music with: Yasmin, Ghostpoet, David ID Homeboy Sandman, Shadez the Misfit, Ruff Diamondz, Smiler,Talay Riley,Foreign Exchange Misty Copeland

Hype Means Nothing to Me

07He said…Everybody is internet famous these days. But in a hype saturated climate, how do you separate the praise worthy from the plain rubbish? This issue we take hype to task. Does money still makes the music world go round? And how do some fashion brands stay hype over centuries?For this issue’s big debate we go deep and ask ‘Can You Change your Status?’ By the way, I’m talking social status, not Facebook status...As ever, our music section is awash with new talent, from the mysterious Dave iD, to the hyperactive Shadez The Misfit.

Sponsors

Cover photography by Kiran Nijjar

Styling by Patricia Williams and

assisted by Patrice David

Make Up by Helina Varma

Follow us at

www.twitter.com/TheCutMag

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INTRODUCING – Yasmin; Lil McKell; Ruff Diamondz; Smiler; Ghost Poet

THIS IS REAL LIFE – Anastasia: Battle Front; Debate: Can You Change Your Status?; A Kick In the Teeth For Education

MUSIC – Talay Riley; ; Foreign Exchange; Shades the Misfit; Homeboy Sandman; Dave ID

FEATURES – Famous Fakers; High Street Experiment; Milgram Experiment; Iconic Brands, Money In Music

FASHION – Mad Hater’s Tea Party; Gourmet; SCND To None

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Published by Hardcore Is More Than

Music Ltd. This project is a partnership

between Hardcore Is More Than

Music and Paddington Development

Trust Funded by Westminster City

Council as part of the Youth Enterprise

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Includes the number 1 sIngle featurIng n-dubzPlus take me back feat taIo cruz and never leave You feat amelle

2011 WeActiv istsSHOT BY

CHERYL DUNNwww.wesc.com

She said…Is everybody hyping them–selves a bit too much these days or if you believe in yourself will others follow? To find out we carried out ourown Highstreet Experiment inspired by psychologist Stanley Milgram. With Number 1 best selling singer Jessie J dropping in on The CutStudio and New York ballet star Misty Copeland telling us what it’s like to work with Prince we’ve got the inside story on the dedication it takes to live up to the hype. If you’re disillusioned with the big time, check out our piece on famous fake celebrities who fooled the world. Stay in with our lavish fashion spread of cakes and jellies at The Mad Hater’s Tea Party and get some pearls of wisdom on “nice toes” with Lil Mckell’s guide to dating. For the more politically minded out there, hear what’s going on in Politics as we talk to MP Karen Buckand enjoy our specially commissioned illustrations from artist Onye Asoluka.

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Neurotic Mass Movement

One of the best live acts on the scene, Neurotic Mass Movement consists of 5 musicians, specialists in different genres, who have created a blend of emotive music which sets them apart. Citing influences that vary from Le Tonneau de la Haine to Scooby Doo, the songs themselves vary just as much, from the soothing yet melancholy Blueskin to the more soulful Last Days. One recurring thing recognisable throughout their songs is the raw emotion driven out from singer Yin Neurotic’s powerhouse vocals. They’ve

KFC Wedding ReceptionKalli Buchan and Gary Pritchard have thrown their wedding reception ina branch of KFC. Around30 guests tucked into £200 worth of chicken and chips alongside othercustomers although the Bristol branch of KFC did putout some balloons.

The couple carried on the tradition set by Kalli’s parents, who heldtheir wedding reception in a McDonald’s. Bride Kalli said that herfriends had laughed when she first told them about her plans. Speakingbefore the ceremony she said, “I’ll probably have a Fully Loadedmeal”.

The Institute of IDEASThe Institute of IDEAS is a student run collective from Ravensbourne University, in which we portray Architecture and Design in a new and innovative way. The organization exhibits the world of design through many methods, ranging from lectures by leading architects and designers to events and competitions open to all. The Institute of IDEAS is also heavily involved in getting schools involved in Architecture and Design, and holds many workshops over the summer to get children more actively involved in expressing their creativity through the wonderful world of design.

Keep up to date with The

Institute of IDEAS via www.

instituteofideas.co.uk

Last DanceLast Dance London is an online movement focused entirely on championing experimentation within music, art and design. On the 1st of every month, Last Dance brings you a podcast that covers forward thinking music from across the board.

http://lastdancelondon.com

http://twitter.com/lastdancelondon

http://soundcloud.com/last-dance

already made a stance in the music scene having been awarded Fred Perry’s Subculture Award last year and they are working with Japanese film makers Yokna Patofa and Tom Hara expanding their artistic outreach. Having been in and out of Belgium recording their upcoming EP, Aphasia set for release in late 2011, they’re leaving an indelible impression with their dark and atmospheric live shows and visual imagery. For a full interview with NMM log onto www.thecutnewspaper.com.

www.myspace.com/

neuroticmassmovement

By Nellie Owusu

Yohji Yamamoto At the V&A 12th March- 10 July 2011Yohji Yamamoto, the Japanese fashion designer is one of the key figures from the ‘80s world of fashion, challenging traditional notions of fashion by designing garments that seemed oversized, unfinished or played with unusual fabrics like felt and neoprene. His work is characterised by a frequent use of black, a colour which he describes as “modest and arrogant at the same time”. This retrospective of his work houses over 60 of his creations and is a must see for all budding fahionistas, creatives and anyone out for a bit of leftfield inspiration.

Book tickets at www.vam.ac.uk

R.I.P T-Shirt PartyFor the past year Stan Still, prolific proprietor of white tees, has been releasing a new tee shirt, along with its very own video for just a tenner a time. Why? Because ‘Real G’s Where White T’s’, of course.With 52 designs that range from celebrations of cult 90’s show Dance Energy (We Danced The Dance), homages to the £50 note ( Elizabeth is my Wifey) to collabs with creative stalwarts like Ferry Gouw and Tim & Barry, there’s plenty to choose from.

If you’ve missed this, then you must

have been living under a rock for

the past 52 weeks. Fret not, there’s

still time to get your hands on one,

or three, but they’re only available

until April 3rd, so don’t miss you

chance to get hold of a piece of true

London 21st century memorabilia.

www.t-shirt-party.co.uk

N Dubz or Black Eyed Peas? Definitely Black Eyed Peas. N Dubz are new in the game but Black Eyed Peas have been there from time, so I gotta stay loyal.

Tinie Tempah or Tynchy Stryder? I like them both, to compare them is quite hard.

What are your favourite brands? I have my brands and then I have my brands. To be honest, I like anything that looks nice. If it looks nice then it looks nice, you know what I’m saying, I’m not that guy that buys things because of the price. Even though I wear Louis and Gucci, if it looks nice, then you should buy it.

If there was one tip you could give all guys about dating, what would it be? Make sure you’re nice, don’t go in for the kill. Don’t try and get physical on Valentines day or on a first date, don’t go too hard.

What’s the oldest girls number you’ve got? I’d say she was about 35.

www.twitter.com/Lil_MckellText by Shamz Le RocPhotography by Ahmad Graida

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She’s not just a pretty face, she knows what sounds good and when you hear what she has to say, it might just burst the stereotype bubbles you have of the pop world.

“…like a girl with that Supermodel walk, you know, and obviously a pretty face…”

intro-ducingYASMin

there are certain people that are where they are because of the way they look. It literally is ‘aw you’re pretty, well I don’t need to hear you sing’ but when I DJ’d I would just get gigs and no one had ever heard me play before. I was stereotyped when I was a DJ and nothing beats that feeling when you break out of that and you have people like DJ MK and Shortee Blitz giving you spuds, it’s the best feeling ever. I kind of want the same thing to happen with my music.

Yasmin on the evolution of her music: I kinda know myself a lot more. When I first started making music, obviously because I’m such a music lover I had so many songs in my head I thought ‘it’d be cool to

have a bassline like this and a sound like this and a sound like that’. I was making songs and other people liked them, but they’re not doing anything for me and then after I had a session with Labrinth and we made the song Finish Line and I got that feeling, it feels really good, it feels like ‘me’.

Check out the extended interview with Yasmin on the 90’s, her favourite producers, popular phone contacts, sleep etc. on www.thecutnewspaper.com

Yasmin’s singles On My Own and Finish Line are out NOW.

www.yasminsworld.co.ukText by Marvin JayPhotography Akwasi Tawia Poku

She’s not just a pretty face, she knows what sounds good and when you hear what she has to say, it might just burst the stereotype bubbles you have of the pop world.

Yasmin on progress: I’ve been really blessed to have really good momentum, when signed it’s like ‘straight on to the next thing’ and planning the releases to come out, it’s just gradually been picking up and picking up and picking up. I’ve been really lucky to work with some awesome people and they’ve sort of spread the word, my publishing with EMI, few months after that a record deal. You sort of get to meet a lot more people and work with a lot more people and (pauses and giggles) party.

Yasmin on meeting celebrities at a party: (She giggles) I wasn’t invited, I sort of gatecrashed but it’s alright, I was in the building.

Yasmin on Rihanna (I know what you’re thinking): Very very sweet, gorgeous girl, absolutely funny.

Yasmin on the existence of her free time: I wish I had more. It’s really busy and you know what, it gets really hard sometimes. I’m quite a control freak, I feel like I need to take on everything, I feel like I need to know every detail, I need to know who’s the photographer doing this, what clothes I wanna wear for that. I find it very hard to leave things up to other people because I’ve been so self-sufficient for so long.

Yasmin on TV series marathons (and Beyonce): I’ve finished Prison Break, I’m really up to date with Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives and America’s Next Top Model, I’m

intro-ducingLiLMcKELL

up on all of them. Got really into Cougar Town, it’s actually really funny, I think that’s the first time she’s ever sort of stopped playing Monica. Now I wanna watch more movies, I just bought Beyonce’s tour DVD which I think I’m gonna watch every night before I go to sleep and worship her.

Yasmin on the importance of being the “full package” female artist: It’s quite funny because I’ve come from the hip-hop scene, I’m not a rapper but I’m in the DJ community and it is very ‘real recognise real’. You just get props for knowing your craft and now I’m in the ‘pop’ industry, it’s a completely different world and it is really superficial, you do realise that

“I find it very hard to leave things up to other people because I’ve been so self-sufficient for so long.”

no age bracket. Obviously if they was like wrinkly I wouldn’t go there, but other than that age isn’t really a question.

Ideal place for a first date? I would say, a nice quiet restaurant where me and the girl can have some one on one time, get to know each other a bit better.

What’s it like at school, are you popular? In school I have got a little more popular from my videos, but yeah, it’s been a good thing.

Do your classmates come to you for girl advice? They haven’t at the moment but if they did I would help them.

Females with peep toe shoes, good or bad? I think that if your toes are nice they you should show them off, if your toes are like Hammertime, then hide them. If you end up coming back to my house, you have to take off your shoes, so just be prepared, bring some bags in a handbag, brings some socks in a bag.

Beyonce or Rihanna? Beyonce. I think her body is a little bit better than Rihanna.

First spotted on Oxford Street, chirpsing every girl who went into Topshop, The Cut tracked down true player Lil Mckell to get his tips on dating and relationships. If you follow this guys advice, you’ll never be short of a date, we promise.

If you could take out 3 girls from the U.S on a date, who would you take out? Kim Kardashian,for overall looks, Loren London, for her million dollar smile, and lets say, Amber Rose, any girl that can shave off all her hair

and still look beautiful is a winner in my eyes, and plus she follows me on Twitter.

What do you first notice in a girl? It depends where I meet her and the environment that we’re in, but usually what sparks my eye is the girls walk, I like a girl with that Supermodel walk, you know, and obviously a pretty face, and how intelligent she is.

Girls that play hard to get, is that good or is that bad? I like girls that play hard to get, it gives me a little bit of a challenge, and it gives me insight into their personality.

Yes or no to girls with weaves. I don’t have nothing against weaves to be honest, but it’s all about maintaining that weave, you can’t have the weave in for six months, and it’s all crooked, the tracks are showing, you look like a rag doll. That’s not a good look.

In your videos you talk to a range of ladies, what’s you age bracket? I don’t really like asking women their age, age doesn’t really matter, look at Halle Berry, she’s in her 40s but she’s looking hot still. I got

The Cut tracked down true player Lil Mckell to get his tips on dating and relationships.


“The equation is simple; we’re individual but we fit together like a jigsaw. Take soul, add R&B, add a bit of grime and you’ve got RD…”

Imagine if the Power Puff girls could sing, and you’re close to picturing Ruff Diamondz. RD formed when

when Chronz met songwriter Carla-Marie Williams in 2008, and Carla encouraged Chronz to form a group. Before long the pair found Lewisham born Troy and singer Martika on MySpace.

Ruff Diamondz was born and Carla decided to manage the group full time. Their ability, to sing, dance and MC has opened doors for them in the music scene, with RD proving themselves to be a girl group with more energy than spandex trendsetting Mr. Motivator. They pack the best of Hip-Hop, Pop and Grime into their tunes.

Funny, bubbly and full of flair these diamonds will not be left in the ruff. The trio came out with a bang at the end of 2010 with the free release of the Introduction to RD AKA Ruff Diamondz, which featured the likes of Marvell, Wretch 32, Selah and Baby Blue. Citing

legendary girl groups En Vogue, Destiny’s Child, SWV as big influences, RD have strong female role models and this is evident in their hard hitting live performances and slick routines. Cronz also confesses to being a huge fan of Busta Rhymes, someone who the group would love to tour with.

Having toured with JLS, N Dubz and been signed up for a Mobo tour, they have left fans eagerly awaiting the debut album, which is due for release later this year. The girls are rumoured to be working with a host of the best

producers around, including Crazy Cousin’s Flukes and Parker and James, who did Chipmunk’s Oopsy Daisy track.

On a recent trip to L.A the girls were hooked up in the studio with Jukebox who did Willow Smith’s ‘Whip My Hair’ plus the well respected John Baptiste. With names like this signed up you can be sure the album will be well worth waiting for. Until then we’ll have to make do with more hot remixes, but they assure us that we won’t be disappointed when it drops!

www.rdofficial.comText by Ricardo NunesPhotography by Akwasi Tawia Poku

Intro-ducIngruff dIamondz

Intro-ducIngSmILEr

I t’s december in Wardour Street and The Cut has the pleasure of introducing a rapper who smiles, which

in the depth of mid- winter is not a common occurrence! The rarity is south east London’s Smiler, born in Woolwich of Ghanaian heritage.

With his unique rhyming style converging awith flow that makes beats smirk cheekily, Smiler is going places and like his name is one hundred per cent authentic.

“Smiler is the same person as my government name but its more like my alter ego you know the funnier, more sinister side of me. I was given the name due to my ability to smile in the face of adversity and because of how magical the effect was”.

Many of us first encountered Smiler when his debut underground smash ‘Neighbourhood’ was shown on Channel AKA and MTV Base. It had taken time for Smiler to settle into the music world but his focus drove him on. “I’ll be focusing on the new single and forthcoming album, potential film roles and my clothing line. All this after my trip to SXSW [South by South West music fesitval] in Texas. I’m very excited about performing at SXSW to be honest! I’ve performed in America before but to nothing to this capacity”.

Confidence runs through Smiler and it’s that ‘oomph’ that he seeps into his music. So much so that while he

was doing his Fire In The Booth Freestyle with Charlie Sloth he was named in Charlie Sloths ‘Ones to watch 2011. He is clear that his south London upbringing and Ghanaian roots have shaped what he is today.

“Growing up in Woolwich was eventful, especially my childhood years on Walpole Council Estate. The struggle’s no different to any other cosmopolitan neighbourhood with guns, drugs, fraud and violence. It definitely shaped me as a person and made me who I am today. My parents made sure they instilled particular Ghanaian traits, beliefs and an understanding of the language in me which is priceless”. The diversity of his upbringing has allowed Smiler to develop an open approach to his musical collaborations. This has included the unlikely

association with enfant terrible Pete Doherty who he met after a studio session and was asked to accompany the Babyshambles to NME’s weekender in Camber Sands.

“Pete’s very cool, down to earth and definitely a smart guy. He’s creative and has a passion for his music and lifestyle, we got on very well. I didn’t think much before meeting him to be honest apart from the fact that he was a talented musician. We received personal invites to attend their NME weekender. After their performance we all chilled in their room and

spoke and Pete insisted he wanted to come down to the studio the following night and the rest is history!” Smilers next offering - a so far unnamed album - will hit our streets later this year and he hopes that his busy schedule does not delay it. “There are always interruptions due to recording mix tape material and simultaneously doing features plus of course day-to-day life. But the biggest obstacle of all is making so much material that I love and then being faced with the reality of having to sacrifice particular songs when the time arises due to space on the album!”

www.smilermusic.comText by Ricardo NunesImage courtesy of the artist

“My parents made sure they instilled particular Ghanaian traits, beliefs and an understanding of the language in me which is priceless”.

Smiler is going places and like his name is one hundred per cent authentic.

“Funny, bubbly and full of flair these diamonds will not be left in the ruff.”


Intro-ducInggHoStPoEt

With a fedora hat, navy blue trousers, loafers, black vintage sweater, a cream trench coat

and glasses that would shape our talk that day, Ghostpoet cut a striking figure.

Ghostpoet talked calmly, chilling, like he does in the music of his debut LP, “Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam”. The weather however was not as chilled as Ghostpoet. Since the last time we had met Ghostpoet in June of last year, he had certainly been busy. Fortunately, he was quick to tell us how happy he was to be back in the capital and that life was good:

“I’m good, I’m good. Sunny day in London can’t complain, can’t complain. Yeah it’s a bit weird, it’s kind of like it just wasn’t expected, it wasn’t expected at all but can’t complain. It could be worse. More and more

people are listening to the music which is most important to me and there’s good reviews with people just been buzzing off it you know? It’s getting busier and busier with gigs and so on and so forth. So all good, all good, surprisingly good but good”.

We wondered if the hectic schedule allowed Ghostpoet to meet the deadline of his debut LP and whether there had been any pressure getting the record done and released for the official date in February.

“… it was important that the music was right and I was happy to take as long as I needed to make it right.”

Since the last time we had met Ghostpoet in June of last year, he had certainly been busy. Fortunately, he was quick to tell us how happy he was to be back in the capital and that life was good

“Yeah, I can’t remember now, I just remember that it was important that the music was right and I was happy to take as long as I needed to make it right. So I may have taken a little time extra on that front but overall it was quite efficient I guess (he laughs)...Efficient as it can be when making an album. It’s a weird one because this depends on the situation. Some people get years to make one, some 6 months, so I was lucky that things were in development by the time I was going to make it. So it was easier”.

He was quick to praise Giles Peterson and the rest of Brownwood Records for letting him have the run of the studio during recording and being left to do his own thing.

“Yeah, they have just been really wicked. They really left me to do what I did, you know? It was like let’s get an album out before a particular time and that was it. They weren’t like, ‘do it like this, do it like that’, they were just ‘let’s do it’ and that really was appreciated. You find the right home. It’s good for me personally, everyone works different from me and I like just to be left to do the music myself as much as possible”.

www.ghostpoet.co.ukText by Ricardo NunesImage courtesy of the artist

over the past few months, this country has witnessed more and more young people

standing up for what they believe in. Anastasia Kyriacou is one of those young people. She is hard at work with the ‘Where’s our Vote?’ campaign which is lobbying for sixteen and seventeen year olds to be able to vote in general elections. Seventeen year old Anastasia is one of eleven campaigners being followed by Channel 4 for this year’s series of Battlefront.

What inspired you to start your campaign? I suppose it all started when I was studying politics for A-level. One of the issues debated was whether we should be lowering the voting age to sixteen. All the arguments put across against this, such as ‘it would take away their childhood’ I thought were ridiculous, so when it came to election time, I was furious about the fact I couldn’t vote. I thought I would have to do something about this.

How have you gone about spreading your campaign?I have tried to get as much support as possible. During the summer, I had an interview with new boy band The Wanted. One of the members Nathan asked why shouldn’t he be allowed to vote, if he is allowed to be a member of a successful boy band.

If you ever came into power, would you focus on young people? Yeah, definitely. I think it’s ridiculous how the

government dismisses young people and their political voice, because they do not realise young people are the future generation.

If sixteen year olds are allowed to vote, don’t you think they should be allowed to smoke and drink? In terms of drinking and smoking, I think we should be encouraging young people to protect their health rather than doing things to damage it. That would really make them feel more adult.

The country has recently seen young people all over the country protesting about the increased university tuition fees. Not all of those protests

were entirely peaceful. If some young people can do this kind of thing, do you think they can be trusted with the vote? I think they should be trusted with the vote because thousands of young people wanted to campaign peacefully, but a small minority completely wrecked that campaign. As well as that, the media completely manipulated the whole situation, giving young people an awful reputation.

If you had the chance to vote in the last general election, who would you have voted for? I would have definitely voted for the Liberal Democrats. I really respected Nick Clegg because he promised in his manifesto that sixteen year olds would now have the chance to vote. But if I knew back then what I know now, I would have probably voted for the Green Party!

Do you think young people will soon get the chance to vote and will you keep on campaigning until that happens? I think this will happen eventually. I know that the new labour leader Ed Miliband is very supportive of young people and their right to vote, so I think change will eventually happen. I will definitely carry on campaigning until the voting age is lowered, but even after that happens, I will carry on campaigning for a variety of things.

www.battlefront.co.ukText by Fraser SimpsonImage courtesy of Isabel Mcclelland


Lord Alan Sugar

Jide He has become a Lord but he has always talked about where he has come from. His programmes encourage people who have come from nothing to do things for themselves.

Johnny He is well respected and has done it by himself like Branson. They approach the glass ceiling differently and find different circles.

Debate chaired by Silas Osei and Clio MclearyPhotography by Marvin Alvarez

With the change of government has come renewed interest in the opportunities open to young people in terms of education and employment. The Cut team were particularly interested in the challenges related to social class and status and whether it was possible to ever truly change your position in society. As ever the discussion was lively and thought provoking.

Is class a myth?’

Johnny We see it everywhere. Society ranks people into who is advantaged, who is in control and who is restricted on the basis of property or materialism.

Johnny It is evident in the education system with private schools, academies and the way certain children are put in schools based on upbringing and background. It’s different from America where it seems to be more divided on ethnic background.

Jide The issue with class has always been there but now the terms have been remixed. It is not just about money, it’s about family ties, your contacts and the schools you go to.Johnny You feel it when you go to university and then go onto get a job and come across the glass ceiling. You

go to certain places and you will be encouraged to be a partner but coming from certain universities does not give you those opportunities.

Johnny We should accept that we are concerned with the human race period and that there is only one universal class. Anything else is just created.

The mention of education led to more detailed discussion about the current government’s policies including the tuition fee debate and whether or not they would make education more elitist.

Lamarah It feels like the whole point of the changes is to re-create the situation that university is affordable only to those in the middle class and those who are poorer and less well off will have fewer chances.

Jide There will be a divide between the best universities for certain professions and the rest based on the cost of tuition fees. Those who

can afford the high fees will go to the best universities and be ahead of the rest when it comes to jobs.Johnny It is scary because by tripling prices and then ignoring all the protests it means that they will keep on doing things their way.

Robert This has been one of the first times the youth have challenged in this way, but they have been ignored. Just like the Iraq protests. The old boys’ network from Eton and Oxford have their own agenda, look how Clegg said one thing about tuition fees but then did another once in government.

Having established that class and status exist and that current policies may make it harder for people from certain backgrounds to progress we asked the panel if they felt it was possible for people to truly change their status.

This was assisted by showing them pictures of key celebrities who some would say have changed their image and status.

Victoria Beckham

Nicole She has changed her image and how she lives; she changed her style and more people look up to her. If it is purely on basis of income she has changed but I am not sure if she has as a person.

Lamarah She has moved up in class materialistically because she has gone for a fashion career but she may be perceived in the same way as she was before. Can you change your inner self and your image?

Jay -Z

Johnny This is different because it’s America. Here it is old money and those who acquire new money are looked upon as nouveau riche. In America you can make money and manipulate a new status and image and choose who you want to be with and associate.

Nicole I could walk into a job interview with an afro, two pairs of earrings and African dress and would be less likely to get the job than if I was wearing a pencil skirt and heels. It can take away our identity but we are not forced to do it and to a certain level you have to adapt.

Lamarah I wouldn’t care. I am not going to change myself just to suit someone else. I would wear an afro and probably not get the job but it is up to us as young people to bring hip back into fashion. Right now I don’t feel that we are proud of ourselves.

Robert The problem with the UK is that we accept this. We have to stamp our own identity on society and not conform. That’s why I think Jay- Z has done the right thing and set up his own social structure.

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Iwas first elected as Westminster North’s MP in 1997, but had already spent many years as an

elected councilor, working on housing and welfare issues. After studying social policy at the London School of Economics, I worked for a charity helping the long-term unemployed get back to work and also for Hackney Council.

I got involved in politics when I was 16 or 17. I remember thinking the world was very unfair and it was necessary to get involved with solutions that would make it fairer. I felt that there was a difference in opportunities available to people if they are poor. The issue of inequality has always been my biggest driving force.

I am a Shadow Minister in the Department of Work and Pensions and have a particular interest in the benefit system and unemployment. Locally there are issues around housing and, at the moment, some issues around gangs. In the last couple of years there has been a significant increase in clashes between

groups of young people from South Kilburn, the Ladbroke Grove area and north Westminster, and in recent weeks that has come to the boil. Several people have been stabbed and we’re very lucky it hasn’t led to deaths.

Although the police have been involved we have had to get to the bottom of what has started this, and I think youth work and youth services are very important as youth workers are able to find out what’s happening and come up with ideas for solutions. It worries me a great deal that we are on the edge of having some very big cuts in the youth service. That might make things a lot worse.Westminster has one of the highest proportions of sixth formers receiving EMA, so that cut is going to be devastating for local young people. Westminster College tell me

Educational Maintenance Allowance has helped with attendance at school and helped young people get qualifications they wouldn’t normally have got. If young people don’t get qualifications they are at greater risk of being unemployed and unemployment costs the country much more than EMA.

If I wasn’t an MP, I would love to be a DJ. There’s a BBC DJ called Annie Nightingale who’s been around a long time and still has a show. I’ve got to know her a bit as she lives in Maida Vale. Because she found out I said that if I hadn’t been me I would like to have been her, she got in touch and she’s really nice. I can’t imagine anything better than being paid to play music all the time, particularly soul and R&B.

Text by Amelia DimoldenbergIllustration by Onye Asoluka

November 2010 was one hell of a month. Despite protests which attracted thousands of

people of different ages and backgrounds, our coalition government still voted ‘yes’ on the proposal to allow universities in charging students up to £9K per year. This is a kick in the teeth for most of us working class students who’ve worked our socks off only to discover university isn’t a wise option unless we’re willing to come out in serious debt. The government has stood us up only to run us over.

Apparently, universities have been struggling to meet the growing demand for places. If that’s the case then the answer seems simple - universities should raise their ability levels. It’d cut down the pressure on places and access to university would depend on an individual’s ability instead of wealth.

The status of a university education has gone downhill bigtime. Should anyone who has not achieved at least a C at A-level be permitted to take up a course? If someone is getting below C grades at A-level, surely they should be doing something more vocational - not being left with a crippling debt they’ll be paying off for most of their working lives. It’s fine

if you’re not academic, a financial advisor isn’t going to be able to fix the leak underneath your sink! Children are brought up believing that university is the be all and end all, so even if they don’t perform well at GCSEs, they’re encouraged to go college. Where is the logic in that?

You know it’s a messed up education system when the DDD students get their place, the A*A*A* students also get their (well deserved) place whilst the AAB shoot-I-needed-AAA students don’t because they aimed too high and missed. And have you

heard David Willet’s ridiculous solution to this? He says that sixth formers who fail to secure a university place should open up businesses. Is he for real? If banks aren’t even lending money to companies who they’ve had relationships with for years with I don’t really see them bending over backwards to help a bunch of 17/18 year olds.

It’s not easy to extract very many positive points from this new policy but hopefully as a result of this, more people will see university as an academic challenge to achieve a degree rather than three years of wild parties and socializing.

Text by Iva LilaPhotography by Kevin King

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Justified Hype. Jessie describes her life as “busy.com”, her schedule as “crazy” and says she misses her weekends. Only a few months since her stomping arrival on UK chart ground with the #2 debut anthem Do It Like A Dude you would think she has her own dedicated fast lane on the road to success.

With the BBC’s Sound of 2011 nod and the BRITs Critic’s Choice Award under her belt, not to mention her monumental #1 single victory as the first song under Universal’s new policy of same day radio and retail release, it’s hard to predict what else is left for the Great Essex Hope to conquer.

“I’ve just got Oprah left… and maybe Jeremy Kyle”, she quips. “I’m just trying to take each step as it comes and not give myself too many expectations, I never ever imagined winning both awards, and to be honest with you, I think the best key to success is to be happy. “Honestly I’m just an average chick, I’m just really tired all the time”. Angry stragglers, take note.

Having witnessed her perform a live set, I was taken aback by her perfectionism. “It’s just in my blood, you should always aspire to be the best that you can be. I don’t just do what I do for me, I do it for everyone else. One thing I’ve always based my career on is consistency. I would never give an amazing per-formance because it’s 10,000 people and then give a crap performance because it’s 30 people in a pub, I’ll be the same. I think that’s how I’ve built up my buzz”. As clichéd as this sounds, Jessie J is a rare example of how a positive mentality can be applied to achieve truly colossal results.

Her striking looks might suggest quite the opposite, but apparently it’s all eyelashes and foundation, just another weapon in her vast arsenal of talents. But like all pretty super-heroines, with great powder comes great responsibility: “People are like you don’t drink? I can’t, this is my life, this is going to save lives, this is going to pay for my house, this is my career.” Thinking of a comparison quickly off the top of her head, she comes up with the example of a footballer. “They wouldn’t go out in 6 inch heels everyday because it would ruin their feet”. True that, Jessie, true that.

As far as personal style goes, Jessie J is a far cry from your typical Essex girl, taking a more effortless approach to her off-duty look. “I’ve never been obsessed with fashion, it’s funny to me when everyone who says they’re individ-ual, actually they all look the same. I’ve noticed people wear skinny jeans, messy hair and geeky glasses and say ‘I do this ‘cause I wanna be me’, when there’s actu-ally a lot of people doing that.” Jessie pre-fers styles that are past their time to the uniform of the trend-obsessed.

“I never did Uggs though, just to point that out. I don’t think style should have a label, I think it should come from you. A lot of people call me ghetto chic, I’ve been told I’m a closet yardie, I just do what I do”. This part of the interview was brought to you by Jessie J’s black and gold leather varsity jacket with lyrics embroi-dered on the back from her song “Who You Are” which isn’t out yet, but Jessie whis-pers, “it will be”.

From watching her animated facial expres-sions in Do It like a Dude, it was fair to assume that Jessie J was no stranger to theatrics. For those that don’t know, Jessie J has a series of video blogs aptly titled “Dare Jessie J” which she says is her easing into the acting role. When asked if she ever thought about acting, she answered with certainty.

“That was my first thing before I started singing, I did my exams and always used to get honours, I loved acting. I’m writing a musical at the moment. I’m ready for film offers, I want to do comedy. I’d love to have my own comedy show. I don’t think I could write out the songs that I do if I couldn’t put myself into an exaggerated character of how I’m feel-ing. You can’t be embarrassed; you have to be able to do emotions.”

As well as singing and performing, Jessie J’s been busy penning songs for other major artists, so I tried to find out more about her songwriting proc-ess. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought ‘this is how I do It’, because then you just become a diva and you can’t adapt and work with different people. I’m 22, who am I to work with Dr. Luke and be like ‘Oh I’m sorry I don’t work like this’?”.

Thorough and perceptive, Jessie is no less of a perfectionist when writing for other artists, mak-ing sure to do her homework in order to temporarily step into the singer’s shoes. She believes this atten-tion to detail is the reason she’s been able to write for artists as huge as Alicia Keys and Britney Spears.

Jessie’s impressive library of skills have all come from years of being independent and relying on herself, an approach which she is hoping allows her to play a huge role in the evolution of the UK music scene. “I didn’t have my own budget, it was like ‘dress yourself, there’s no money, we don’t have a budget’, so now I don’t want to be dressed, I don’t want to have my make up done by someone, I want to live. I’m 22 and not many female artists can associate them-selves with being signed or having advances. I want to make a difference in the UK music scene, I want to be around forever. I’m not gonna take the darkside and disappear in 6 months, I can’t. My health won’t let me so I’m around for a little while!”.

Styling by Patricia Williams andassisted by Patrice David

Pervious page from left Jessie wears: Outfit 1 Trousers by American Apparel, Shoes by New Look, Leather Trim Corset & Sleeves - EG by Emma Griffiths, Earrings stylist own. Outfit 2 Shorts by American Apparel, Peplum Track Top by Jeremy Scott for Adidas, PVC reflective tassel jacket by Rachel Freire, Shoes by KGThis page Jessie wears: Left: Jumpsuit by Hedonia, Headpiece by Nathan Gooding, Shoes by KG Above: As before

Make up by Helina VarmaText by Marvin Alvarez

“I want to make a difference in the UK music scene, I want to be around forever.”

“It’s just in my blood, you should always aspire to be the best that you can be. I don’t just do what I do for me, I do it for everyone else.”


Many dream about becoming a celebrity, some will go to great lengths to achieve it and others are simply born into the hype. The Cut looks at five people who achieved fame the hard way and the not-so-hard way.

1. David Hampton In 1983 Hampton managed to enter one of New York’s hottest nightclubs by posing as the son of famous actor Sidney Poitier. Hampton continued to assume the identity of ‘David Poitier’ for years thereafter, allowing him access to some of the biggest clubs and restaurants in New York for free. When he was eventually caught by the police, Hampton was ordered to repay thousands of dollars to his victims.

2. Frank AbagnaleFrank Abagnale was a notorious con artist, forger and imposter in the 1960s. He now owns a financial fraud consultancy and has become a multimillionaire yet again – this time the legal way. The film Catch Me If You Can, starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, is based on his life story.

3. Ali DiaAli Dia is a former professional Senegalese footballer who once played for Southampton by falsely claiming to be a cousin of Liberia international George Wech. Dia played only one game for Southampton

and his performance was so bad, he was released by Southampton just two weeks into his contract.

4. Calum BestCalum Best is the son of the famous Manchester United star George Best. He has been able to become a fashion model turned television personality and appeared on TV reality show Celebrity Love Island.

5. Paris HiltonParis Hilton is the heiress and great granddaughter of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton. Hilton is best known as a socialite but is also a singer-songwriter and – apparently - an actress.

Text by Fraser SimpsonIlustrations by Onye Asoluka

HYPE AND STATUSHYPE AND STATUSFAMOUS FAKERS

HIGH STREETEXPERIMENT

When plans for Shepherd Bush’s Westfield shopping centre were drawn up, they came with the aims of regenerating a less-affluent area and bringing together different sectors of society in a better sense of community. Yet on walking around Westfield, in some ways it appears to reinforce the status divide. The ‘village’ – a haven for upper-class, affluent and rich shoppers – is divided off from the rest of Westfield, which contains lower-end and more affordable brands.

a problem. The only obvious difference, apart from the very obvious gender difference (!) between Marvin and Clio, was that Marvin was wearing a suit and acted like a middle-class businessman and Clio was dressed in sports casuals and was playing the ‘chav’. Clio was approached sooner than Marvin to see if she needed help by a male seller. The female seller ignored her.

Marvin was approached for help by a female sales person. They both told the sales assistants that they didn’t need help, they were timed to see how long it would take to get the sale assistants attention again. For Clio it only took her 2 minutes but for Marvin it took three minutes to be served but the assistant said she would be back in a minute because she was serving someone else. Clio was shown some pieces of jewellery and was able to try them on, the items with the highest price that was shown to her and that she could order cost £675. Clio was in and out after 10 minutes however Marvin was still waiting for assistance after Clio left. When he did get served the most expensive item that Marvin was shown and could order cost over £3000.

In both cases, perhaps unexpectedly, the sales people were polite but because Marvin was dressed in the suit it seems the sales assistant thought he had a lot more money to spend. So it would seem that the old cliché is true, people are still judged on how much money they have by what they wear.

Text by Clio Mcleary and Silas OseiPhotography by Ricardo Nunes

made so you don’t even have to see ‘cheaper’ fashion. It offers chauffeur services, a concierge, a personal stylist, ‘hands free’ shopping, home delivery and a lounge. It is doubtful that you could get any of this from Sports World.

The Experiment Part OneCould we test the classical notion that we should never judge a book by its cover? We all naturally judge people by their property, status and the way they present themselves. The Cut wanted to test the theory we do judge people’s status and how much money they have by the garments they wear.

Clio, Marvin from The Cut were told to go into a jewellery shop in Westfield and see how long it took them to be served. Once they were served they were both told to use the same question, “I’m looking for a present for my girlfriend (in Marvin’s case) and Mum (in Clio’s case) and price is not

Weirdly enough, the closer you get to White City, generally considered the poor end of town, the less classy the shops become. Funny how they don’t have a Burger King in the village or a champagne bar where the ‘commoners’ wander. Now look at where the Village is positioned, just on the border of affluent Holland Park. It’s hard to believe this is pure coincidence!

Has Westfield actually helped with local problems? In some respects it has improved things – bringing money, people and the high street to the Bush and changing perceptions of what the area is like. It’s brought a new train station, a new tube stop and more a more frequent bus service – all incredibly useful but, nevertheless, the divide remains.

Walking around the Village is uncomfortable if the shops aren’t intended for you, and if you only shop designer then your distinct area is tailor-

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If your political leader (hierarchy) told you to jump off a bridge would you?

If that hierarchy asked you to inflict pain on another would you do it knowing it would kill the innocent person?

Would you electrocute someone to death in the name of scientific discovery because you were told to and the benefits outweigh the cost?

As humans our first reaction to these type of questions 98% of the time would be NO!!!

HYPE AND STATUSHYPE AND STATUSMILGRAM

EXPERIMENT MILGRAM

EXPERIMENT


participant) would witness the learner (Mr. Wallace) being strapped into a chair and electrode being attach to his wrist. The learner is told that he is to learn a list of words pairs, whenever he makes an error, he will receive an electric shock of increasing intensity. No actual electric shocks would ever be administered but to make it look genuine the teacher was given a 45-volt shock. The teacher

Milgram put out a public announcement in a local newspaper to recruit participants, from this he got a variety of males with different ages and jobs.

Participants would arrive one at a time and would be greeted by a Jack Williams, the experimenter, who was wearing a grey laboratory coat; in addition you were greeted by another participant a 47 years old accountant Mr Wallace, unknown to the participant Mr. Wallace was an actor. Both are told the experiment is about the effects of punishment on learning.

They would pick out of a hat who would be the teacher or the learner (it was fixed so that Mr. Wallace was always the learner). The teacher (naive

the way to 450 volts and pressed it 4 times. These results surprised many people- how an “ordinary” human being could commit such an act of evil by technically killing the learner just because some guy in a grey coat said ‘it is absolutely essential that you continue’. This verified that in times of war and even peace hierarchy can make ordinary people turn into monsters.

Text by Silas Osei

is taken into another room where he can’t see but can hear the learner. He would operate a shock generator which had 30 switches ranging from 15-450 volts. The scale goes from slight shock to danger and severe shock.

At certain shock levels the learner (acting again) would complain or scream; at 75,90 and 105 he made a little grunt , at 270 volts he lets out an agonised scream, at 315 volts he lets out a violent scream , reaffirming vehemently that he was no longer participating and after 330 volts there was silence.

Milgram previously asked 14 Yale psychology student to predict what happens for 100 participants in this situation. There was a average of 1.2% that anybody would go to the max of 450. He also asked 39 psychiatrist s,31 university students and 40 middle class adults. The psychiatrists predicted that most subjects would not go beyond 150 volts when the victim makes his first demand to be freed they said only 4% would reach 300 volts and only one in a thousand would administer 450 volts.

However when Milgram made his results public, psychologists around the world were flabbergasted over the results. Out of 40 participants over 90% inflicted shocks on the learner and an astonishing 62.5% that’s 25/40 participants went all

In 1963 he set out to determine what happens if a person comes to a psychological laboratory and is told to carry out a series of acts that come increasingly into conflict with conscience. The focus would be how far an ordinary person would comply with the experimenter’s instructions before refusing to carry out the actions required of him. Milgram would carry out a series of 18 different experiments. I will be focusing on experiment 2 (voice-Feedback) at Yale University.

One man seemed to think different, He believed if you were put in a scenario where a hierarchy is ordering you to do something you will obey. This is what Stanley Milgram called Obedience to Authority. Milgram was a Jewish psychologist who was particularly interested in what happened in World War 2 (WW2).

He wanted to understand how apparently normal German citizens would willingly obey orders to kill innocent people during the Nazi ragtime in WW2. He wanted to know, was this because the German people according to historians are “different” to other races and ethnicities, or was it because of their obedience to authority?

HYPE AND STATUSHYPE AND STATUSicoNic brANDS

icoNic brANDS


Levis Blue JeansThis iconic and fashionable phenomonen began way back in 1873 when a 24 year old German immigrant Levi Strauss left New York for San Francisco with a small supply of rough canvas. Miners liked the pants he made from this, but complained they chafed, so Strauss substituted canvas with French cotton “serge de nimes”, creating the renowned ‘blue jeans’.

Levis’ clientele has moved from cowboys, lumberjacks and railroad workers to greasers, mods, rockers, hippies and skinheads. Now you’ll find even a rich man wearing them! It is weird that these days your average pair of Levis sets you back about £100, when essentially it all sprung from a bit of canvas for your run of the mill workman!

Dr MartensFrom postmen to factory workers to the rebel youth movements including skinheads, mods, Goths, nu-metalists and Britpop followers, Dr. Martens are forever reinventing and evolving.

They were born out of a chance meeting between a German inventor and a British family in footwear who met through an advert in a magazine. The inventor, Dr Klaus Maertens, had a shoe sole made literally of air, whilst the Griggs had the background in shoe-making. Together a boot that defined comfort but was practical and classic was created. Since then decades have come and gone, brands have exploded and then imploded, but Docs are still living original and strong.

Fred PerryFred Perry clothing pieces are among the most iconic items in the recent history of British fashion. It all began in the late 1940s when Fred Perry, the world Number 1 tennis player for five consecutive years, was approached by Tibby Wegner, an Australian footballer, to invent the sweatband. Over the years the brand has managed to expand its range to suit everyone.

It was the shirt of choice for diverse groups of teenagers throughout the 1960s and 70s, making appearances among the skinheads and at the Northern Soul scene. In the 80s it was appropriated by the likes of The Specials and The Beat to revive the old skinhead ska look. Throughout the 90s artists such as Moby and Oasis wore the brand to show their rejection of designer-led fashion. Today Fred Perry is still a thriving brand whose timeless style and design has not once changed since the iconic polo shirt was created in the late 1940s.

Text by Clio Mcleary

Little Black Dress:In 1926 the timeless ‘LBD’ was introduced by Coco Chanel. Prior to the 1920s black was reserved for periods of mourning and considered indecent when worn outside of such circumstances. However Chanel redefined the colour black, transforming it into something unique and everlasting. Her short, simple black dress became an elegant and accessible item for women of all social classes.

It’s been lacy, feminine, skimpy, knitted, and formal, pretty much everything, and definitely something that any woman has owned. The LBD is one of the most sought after and popular item of clothing; every girl wants the perfect one. Truly an iconic piece.

BurberryBurberry is a recognised luxury fashion house founded in 1856 when 21 year old Thomas Burberry opened his store in Basingstoke. The iconic tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks.

Essentially designed for the rich, things evolved in the 1970s when the brand became popular with the British casual cult. Subsequently the distinctive beige check, associated with A-listers, became the uniform of the so-called ‘chav’ and label-conscious football hooligans even started to adopt the brand. Burberry became somewhat of a joke after this, but has since recovered partially with the likes of Emma Watson and Alex Pettyfer endorsing the famous check.

How come some brands manage to sustain hype over centuries, while other labels are resigned to become the fashion equivalent of ‘one hit wonders’? We trace the history of five iconic brands which have been through the hype-cycle and back and again, picking up a different fan base with each resurgence.

HYPE AND STATUSHYPE AND STATUSMoNEY iN MUSic


In 2009 it was announced that the UK music industry had grown to a value of £3.6 billion, an unimaginable amount of money to most of the people that fund it by religiously purchasing the works of those that inspire them the most. Live gigs, sponsorship and those multi-million dollar record deals that all we all read and hear about build a dream world of status and glamour.

However, a serious look at the music industry today exposes the widespread misconception that musicians make a lot of money. In fairness, it is no wonder so many people associate the sounds of today with earning

of music understand that the majority of people involved are not making anywhere near the amount of money that would be expected, collectively earning just enough to pay for one of Ms Gaga’s wacky dresses. But their role in music is crucial and at this roots level, purity of sound is much more important than a healthy bank balance; something that only a few are fortunate enough to obtain.

Text by Tom Mullett

have started to earn money that is in any way close to figures that the public would expect from such fame.

In the early days of their music, it would not be uncommon for live performances to be done for free and record sales would rarely be anything to shout about. It is only within the past couple of years after finding themselves being scrutinized by the mainstream, that artists such as Magnetic Man have been able to flaunt such affluence. The same can be said about Chase & Status, who had risen up through the

world of Drum & Bass, before breaking into the mainstream with their 2008 album More Than A Lot, that featured the likes of Kano and Plan B.

With this in mind, we are able to see the influence of record labels in generating money for themselves, and of course, the artists that they represent. Both Magnetic Man and Chase & Status started out on small independent labels, however now find themselves on major labels,

and it appears that it is only at this point that artists start to reach the level or earning that is falsely expected.

Major labels control the lion’s share of the market, and in turn, the money but it is the smaller, independent labels that act as the foundation for all that we know today. These labels operate on a much smaller scale, with more focus being placed on the music, rather than money. This is not to say that independent labels cannot reach international status: labels such as Ninja Tune, Warp, and Hospital, are iconic. They are also prime

examples of independent record labels that have effectively found a way of exposing their music to the public, allowing for financial growth, without losing any sense of purity within their sound – not the case for many artists on major levels.

When looking at the UK music scene it is important to remember that those that provide the foundation, allow Top 40 artists to hold such status. These individuals are just a hand full out of the millions that strive to make it in the world of music. This is not to claim that such individuals have not worked hard to get where they are - Brit winner, Tinie Tempah, is a prime example of someone that has consistently impressed whilst making the transition into the mainstream – but something it is essential that supporters

will naturally be making large amounts of money, mainly due to widespread advertising, regular daytime radio plays, and sellout international tour dates, the community from which they came from makes substantially less than we would like to think.

Magnetic Man, aka Skream, Benga, and Artwork have been at the forefront of the UK Dubstep scene from the very start, and led the charge in getting such a vibrant niche sound to explode on to the world scene. This progression has been a slow burner, with all three working tirelessly to expose their music to more and more people, and it is only recently that the Croydon trio

big bucks: the Brits and the Grammys glamorise the individuals that sit at the very top of the food chain, and as a result, do little to provide onlookers with an accurate representation of what the UK music industry is really like. The reality is quite a contrast, with the majority of musicians, whether they are producers, vocalists, or instrumentalists, earning minimal amounts of cash; not quite the six figure salaries we have all been seduced into believing.

The electronic music scene has filtered into the mainstream in the last few months, with artists such as Magnetic Man and Chase & Status finding themselves on major labels. Although these high flyers

MoNEY iN MUSic


MAD HATER’S

TEA PARTY


Previous page

Simon wears jumper by Topman;

shirt by American Apparel.

Racharna wears dress by American

Apparel; earrings by New Look.

This page

Kazia wears shirt by Rokit (vintage).

Opposite page

Simon wears shirt by American

Apparel; jumper by American Apparel;

accessories by New Look. Kazia wears shirt by American Apparel; necklace

by New Look; Racharna wears shirt by American Apparel; earrings by

New Look. Guetan wears shirt by Rokit

(vintage); Blazer stylist’s own.


This page

Shelly Pinto-Duschinsky wears

jacket by Merci Moi.

Opposite page

Kazia wears shirt by American

Apparel; skirt by American Apparel;

sock s by New Look; shoes by New

Look. Guetan wears trousers by

Topman; long sleeve top by Topman;

shoes by Fred Perry.

Photography by Akwasi Tawia Poku, Kiran Nijjar, Isabel Mcclelland and Alicia Jaloul.Art Direction by Amelia DimoldenbergStyling by Patrice DavidMake Up and Hair by Rhea Le Riche using Bumble and Bumble.Models Kazia, Racharna, Guetan, Simon and Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky.Special thanks to Georgia Frost at Marks and Spencers, and Patisserie Valerie. Location with thanks to Marianne Cotterill www.mariannecotterill.com

bit more content and you can tell effort has gone into it.B: There are a lot of blogs that post up regularly and it’s just bull shit. No one is gonna keep going on your blog to check crap stuff, we prefer to only blog shit that is dope.

Are blogs the most powerful tool that street wear brands have in terms of advertising?

SH: Nah man! I don’t think it is. I think it’s through seeing people wear the brand- obviously the right people.

I see what you saying but I think blogs are the most powerful. Come to think of it, if it wasn’t for blogs I wouldn’t know half the shit I know about street wear today. All new look books and videos are all on blogs, if they weren’t on there where would they be?

B: Yeah, but at same time, if there’s a guy on road and he’s respected, other people will say, ‘that shirt is sick, where you get it from?’ So it’s definitely a word of mouth kinda thing too.

Check out the SCNDTONONE Blogwww.scndtonone.comwww.twitter.com/scndtonone

Text by Damian MalontiePhotography by Jemil Saka

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BLOGSPOT

SCNd TO NONe

“Personally I hate the term street-wear, it cuts off a whole market. When people hear street-wear they don’t want to buy it.”

Each issue we’ll be picking our favourite blog of the moment to see what they’re saying about life in London right now. To kick things off we hooked up with Scnd To None (Shola, Bakar, Cal, Sam B & Sam O) to talk about the importance of blogs within the street wear industry. Are blogs all powerful, or it just hype?

Do blogs post items that they know its readers will buy, or do they dictate what we buy, by putting up new and different stuff?

D: I can see blogs putting up similar stuff, obviously cause its what readers want to read about. But when they do put up different stuff that can be viewed as commercial, I think it gets lots of haters commenting about selling out or people jumping on band wagons.

Do you think that all street wear brands are too similar?

B: Personally I hate the term street-wear, it cuts off a whole market. When people hear street-wear they don’t want to buy it. When it comes to UK street wear brands I think that everyone is on the same thing.SB: With lower end street-wear brands with just hats and tees there are way too many similarities, these days shit is all the same.

I think it’s hard for brands to be different nowadays. If you look at Billionaire Boys Club and Bape, obviously I know they both involve Nigo, but they are very similar. Even Supreme and Only NY. When I see a Only printed tee, it wouldn’t shock me if it was to be on a Supreme Tee instead, same can be said for aNYthing.

S: Yeah man! Cause like Only NY for me is definitely a cat of Supreme. But Supreme do what they do and do it well. That’s why they have been so successful and others need to allow it.

Do you think different blogs are all putting up the same thing?

C: Thats jokes, cause the first thing we all agreed to do was not repost shit up. Like not have the same stuff as HypeBeast. You go on to HypeBeast and see something, then go on High Snobiety and the same thing is there. That’s lazy blatant reposting.B: HypeBeast do what they do and do it good, but there’s only one HypeBeast. Why are people gonna go on your little shitty blog for that info when they can go on HypeBeast? What’s gonna keep them coming back?

One thing that I did notice about your blog, it’s focused more on culture and art. And for me no one is really doing that. When we we’re looking at what blogs to feature- thats why you guys stood out.

S: Yeah it’s something that we felt needs to be done, anyone can post the new kicks up that they’ve seen on HypeBeast. Our stuff shows a

FASHION

GOurmeT

This season one Italian–American brand are changing up the sneaker–game. We spoke to the brains behind Gourmet’s spring/summer collection.

What is the main concept behind your new footwear collection? From the inception of the Gourmet, the design concept for each season has in all likelihood remained the same: making nostalgic, high quality footwear. High end for the regular guy.

There is a collaboration with Undefeated, how did that come about? A sense of family is the main ingredient when it comes to any collaboration we do. The UNDFTD crew is our extended family and the projects we do with them are treated as such.

Gourmet will soon be stocking in Size? - what was the thinking behind the decision? Because Size? Matters…

Over recent years in the UK females have struggled to find nice exclusive kicks that come in their size, will the

women’s range be available in all sizes? Absolutely. We offer the opportunity to buy into our entire women’s range and all of the men’s shoes come in women’s sizes. Look out for them in the near future.

The 35 definitely has a more sports shape to it, can we expect Gourmet to produce more shoes of this similar silhouette? The design was something we wanted to do for a long time. Heritage runners have always been a favourite and now having the capabilities as a brand affords us limitless opportunity. To answer the question, yes, look out for future athletic and runner based models.

Due L (for men) & Quattro (for women) has a very interesting leopard print, was this intended for stylish couples to rock matching kicks on a day up in central? Definitely not.

This is for a more sophisticated consumer, someone who understands the classic nature of the leopard print.

Some of your shoes are clean and simplistic then others are a little bit out there! The beauty of owning your own independent brand is that it makes it possible to explore various design avenues. With three of us being Co-Creative Director, the styles do tend to look a bit disparate, but that is what Gourmet is. To look at it in terms of a restaurant, it would be a fusion of different cultures or ideas. We are the bacon ice cream of the footwear world.

Where do your designers draw their inspiration from? The true design inspiration comes from our backgrounds as

Italian-Americans growing up on the East Coast in the 80’s and everything that comes with that. The music, the TV, shoes, the food, the times, the sports, the art, the everything.

Which shoe from SS11 do you believe best captures what Gourmet is about and why? One shoe that comes to mind is the Quadici. This showcases all the DNA of Gourmet when it comes to a design. The use of a classic upper with the best leathers in the world , coupled with athletic accents and technical outsoles. This is Gourmet.

www.gourmetinyourface.comText by Damien MalontieImages courtesy of Gourmet

“The beauty of owning your own independent brand is that it makes it possible to explore various design avenues.”


The cave video is amazing, Stalactites and Stalagmites! Where was it shot? It was shot in the Cheddar Caves and Gorge in Somerset, it was cool there. We actually got kicked out for setting off flares but they let us back in to finish the video eventually after we apologised.

When did you first realise you could sing? I’ve never realised I can sing, singing’s bullshit, everyone can sing! I just express myself with my voice the only way I know how.

Word is that you spend a lot of time in your studio. What’s your favourite studio snack break? Almonds, tea, coffee, cigarettes, gozlemes!

What do you think of the other Dave iD, Dave iD Busaras? I haven’t listened to his stuff yet. But I’ll check it out for sure!!!

[email protected] by NMPhotography by Jorn Tomter

muSIC

dAveId

“I’m strictly a loner, it allows me to move forward when I want to, construct my own ideas and break away.”

When we opened our letterbox at The Cut to a shiny blue rhombus made entirely of blue plastic we were pretty intrigued, to say the least. Inside was a copy of Dave i-D’s E.P Gangs. Eschewing today’s twitter overkill promo culture in favour of a more mysterious flex seems to be working in his favour. When we caught up with him in his studio, he was pretty talkative for someone who has been described as a man of few words. He gives us the favourite South London haunts, getting kicked out of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset and last but but no means least, his love for gozlemes…

Your music has been described as defying genre, but would you say you are

part of a movement or scene that’s going on in London at the moment? I’d have to say no, I don’t pay much attention to stuff like that, I barely know other people, let alone musicians in London and most of them ain’t even from London anyway, I pretty much move on my own, so I can do what I feel when I feel it, being attached to something isn’t really my thing, I’m strictly a loner, it allows me to move forward when I want to, construct my own ideas and break away. If you’re part of a scene it feels like there are too many rules for me to follow and I like doing things my own way.

How important is style and image to you in presenting your music? Can you talk more about this and your collaboration with Simon Owens, who designed the amazing blue rhombus?It’s something extra to think about for some, but it’s a pretty standard thing for me, something that just comes along with what I do. It’s an everyday thing, because that

just how I think. What I like, is what I do. Working with Simon Owens is cool, he likes to do different things and knows a lot but he understands me and has great ideas for what I do and we work well together. This is something that will continue and develop further for sure.

You’re from South London right? What’s your favourite place to in get breakfast in South? Yes, I’m from south London, Lewisham to be exact. My favourite place for breakfast is definitely my mum’s house, but other than that I used to go to a place called Cafe Time in Walworth Road a lot when I was younger, it’s nothing special though!

In your track ‘Only Me I can Save’ just what is it you are saving yourself from? The song is more about walking away from something that is suffocating and drowning you and making you miserable, and taking that plunge to leave it behind, even though it means you are gonna be on your own. It’s an old story for me.

muSIC

SHAdeS THemISFIT

You might recognise Shadez from his stint on Channel 4’s Evo Music at the end of last year, but make no mistake, this won’t be the last time you see the the self described ‘misfit who stands out from the crowd’ on the big screen. We caught up with him as he warmed up for his G-Shock session.

We get straight down to business and although the first question may appear a little obvious it had to be asked, just where did he get the title Shadez the Misfit from?

People ask me this all the time. It has a deep meaning but if I was to describe it in a few sentences it would be this -a wolf in black sheep’s clothing. It’s just me standing out like a sore thumb in a crowd and Shadez meaning shade in Gods light and Misfit meaning, ‘Look I don’t want to conform to anything - I want to do me.’ Whatever I do am me, I don’t want to be like anybody else as it is all about setting your own barriers, your own goals and creating your own destiny.

The theme of independence and self motivation makes for a very unique music style that stands out in the British hip hop scene, a style that Shadez puts down to the inspiration of a range of musical styles.

I try not to listen to one genre. You can always draw inspiration from different genres of music. I listen to

a lot of rappers mostly the freshmans of the game like Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa and Drake and then I will go back and listen to the old school artist like Pete Rock, Dj Premier and A Tribe Calldc Quest to give that old school vibe. I listen to a mixture of everything.

This unique approach is something Shadez incorporates into his performances as he likes to mix it up, sometimes using audio music rhyme over and at other times performing with a live band. It is an approach he believes gives his audience a true insight into his persona and character.

When you go to a concert you want to see the artist in their full light and that’s the best time to become intimate with an artist. I always try and bring that with the music. With a live band you love the live instrumentation you are hearing. Music that you listen to via the stereo is different and you get to

hear certain aspects of the tune differently. For me it’s all about pushing barriers and playing with the ear.

Shadez explains that this message is borne out in his lyrics and in amazing tracks such as Time Continuum a song that says much about him.

My message is pretty much you get to understand me, you get an insight to who I am. In my music I don’t swear it’s just straight word play and being articulate with words and coming across as clever. It’s outcomes and scenarios in ways that you have never seen before. You may have thought about that situation but you’ve never seen it in that light. It about showing people different perspectives and that’s my whole message and aim with the word play and music I do, like Time Continuum. The message in Time Continuum is me being cocky but at the same time being cool and you can relate to that on the mixtape and album that will be coming soon.

Whilst rightly proud of his achievements Shadez is only too happy to give praise to those who he works with, particularly his producer Mr Sleaze.

Me and Sir Sleaze have known each other for like four years. We hooked up on MySpace when it was actually quite big and we have seen each other grow as musicians and seen each other change into different genres and work together a lot. So me and Sir Sleaze are like brothers in a sense, he is like the left side my brain and I’m the left side of his and as a result we form this cohesive movement to music which is cool.

Despite the success of his album and performing on Channel 4 Evo Music Room and with Plan B and Fun Lovin Criminals and even performing at Love Box alongside N.E.R.D and Duran Duran, Shadex still believes his break is yet to come.

Not a lot of people know me yet and my big step to the next level is still to come. This year you’re going to hear more of my music and I want to give something to show why there’s hype behind me and why there’s talk. I aim to back it up with some good quality music which is different and shows a different outlook on the UK. I’m trying to represent the side of the UK that nobody usually sees from the hipsters to the people that strive to do well. For me it’s about setting a new golden standard for UK and I enjoy doing so.

So finally in keeping with the theme of this edition of the Cut we asked for his own definition of HYPE, typically it was unique and colourful.

My definition of hype? Wow, okay . You know when you get a bottle of spirit and you shake it nonstop and then you open it? That’s may definition of hype; when the bubble comes all the way to the top and you open it and it shots out, yeah, that’s my definition and description of hype.

www.myspace.com/shadezthemisfitText by Silas OsseiPhotography by Ahmad Graida

“I try not to listen to one genre. You can always draw inspiration from different genres of music.”

Exchange as a group involves always trying to do that in our music and if there is a message with Authenticity, I think it is that all of us are unique even though we all come from the same place. We are all unique; that is something you can celebrate.

Text by Ricardo NunesImage courtesy of the artist


muSIC

TALAY rILeY

After celebrating a number one with Chipmunk’s ‘Oopsy Daisy’ and with only a handful of his own songs out, it’s almost a crime to have to write about this man as you’re bound to hear his

name ring out any minute now. Talay Riley, who will be celebrating his birthday in a couple of months, is planning big for the year ahead. With hints of touring with Kanye West, look no further if we’re talking about viable UK acts to break the US market. But Talay doesn’t want to be labelled by a region, his style is universal and can appeal

to the masses worldwide, it’s only a matter of time and Mr. Humanoid is just getting his spaceship serviced.

Talay brings an electric touch to the otherwise failed attempts from other acts at reviving R&B sounds. Having toured with N-Dubz in previous years (his favourite is Tulisa in case you’re asking), he’s ready to take on the charts again and again whether it’s penning chart-toppers or releasing his own sounds.

Since the busy life doesn’t allow him to always be able to write on a notepad, he writes on his Blackberry which allows him to create hits whenever and wherever he is. He makes sure to back it up, just in case they malfunction as they’re likely to do, his pending catalogue is probably on several memory cards by now.

Talay’s debut single eased him into the futuristic pop world that has been topping charts for a good while and shows no signs of stopping. His latest offering ‘Sergeant Smash’ is just one more electrifying hit to the library that we can expect from the barrier-smashing humanoid.

www.talayriley.comText by Marvin AlvarezImage courtesy of the artist

“…he’s ready to take on the charts again and again whether it’s penning chart-toppers or releasing his own sounds.”

muSIC

FOreIGN eXCHANGe

“We’re really trying to grow and hone our craft in search of our own sound.”

Foreign Exchange is Nicolay and Phonte, but they tour with a whole group of singers. They devised their live show even before releasing first album Leave It All Behind and firmly believe that their music “needs to be judged on stage.” The Cut spoke to the Grammy-nominated duo about new album Authenticity.

How long did the Authenticity take to put together? Nicolay: About a year. We started in June-July 2009 we wrapped it up in August last year.

Phonte, this album is a bit of a departure for you – there’s singing, but none of the rapping you did on the first album. What was the reason for that? Phonte: I just didn’t really feel the need to. At the time we made the first album, I felt like rhyming was my primary thing. A few years have gone by since then and I’ve done a whole lot more work on my singing. I’d been

writing songs for other singers and arranging background vocals in the meantime, so I think I’ve just become more vocal in that regard.

It’s all about finding the best fit for what the song calls for and, for Authenticity, I just didn’t feel that any of the songs other than Maybe She’ll Dream of Me needed to get rapped on.

Are you guys trying to create a unique sound for Foreign Exchange? N: I’ve always been a producer but I’ve never confined myself to one style. The first record being a Hip

Hop record was just chance in many ways. I’ve done a lot dance and electronic stuff and have always wanted to do a lot more - I think the same goes for Phonte. We’re really trying to grow and hone our craft in search of our own sound.

What do you want fans and new listeners to get out of the new album? Authenticity is remaining true to yourself and to your sound, trying to find what it is in life that is uniquely yours. If anything, we want to tell people to be themselves to be all that they can be. Foreign


music

HOmEBOYsANDmAN

The CM Brady Arts Centre in the heart of the east end was the venue for The Cut’s first encounter with Homeboy Sandman. The venue appeared less like a music studio and more like a basement but once the main attraction walked into the control room the mixing and engineering began and a studio it became.

He complimented everyone in the room and had all present in stitches with his; “Where’s the restroom or should I say toilet” quip. When he got into the booth, he would hold his pad on the left hand and move his hand slightly composing his rhythmic flows while bumping his head to the instrumental being played. He would be welcomed kindly by the instrumental being played and then attack it with a dynamic flow. Within minutes the room filled with half a dozen people who were totally focused on Homeboy Sandman’s next line.

Our next encounter was catching a train to Brick Lane from Liverpool Street station, a journey which was spent talking about kung-fu flicks. Time was ticking to get to Brick Lane where the photographer would be patiently waiting. The interview would be conducted at Rough Trade in diamond black chairs at a black table next to bicycle slots. Sandman was wearing a Northface hat and stylish Reebok Shoes.

As the wind blew cold breeze our way, Homeboy Sandman grew impatient, asking loudly; “Are we there yet, before we catch ammonia!”

Once at the meeting point, and the location set to take the pictures, we established that Sandman had been in rap for four years and he told us what it was like growing up in Elmhurst, Queens, New York during the 80’s surrounded by Hip Hop.

“It was lots of fun. I was born in Manhattan but always lived in Elmhurst until I was 12 years old. And I still went back when I started high school out of state but I would always come back, that’s where my family was, and be there for the summer and everything for holidays. It was great, Hip Hop was everywhere, Queens was a very Hip Hop area and then at that time in the 80’s LL Cool J was real big, Run DMC was real big”.

This early influence had a huge impact on his route into music.

“I’ve always been a fan of Hip Hop and everything. I went away to high school in New Hampshire, I went to college in Philadelphia. So Hip Hop music in particular has been my home from home, it’s what I always brought with me so it’s always meant a lot to

me but I didn’t start doing it myself. I mean I always rapped here and there but I didn’t make it my profession until my first show, March 30th 2007, so about 4 years now. Coming up on 4 years and I was doing a bunch of other things before that”.

But despite this desire to break into Hip Hop, Homeboy never let it get in the way of his studies something that is equally his passion and something he believes everyone should take seriously.

“Narh, Narh. I think school is a good thing to do if people have nothing else to do. I’m not going to be in the street, academia has always been something that I’ve done good at. I was in law school, I was a full time high school teacher for two years when I was 24. There’s this thing in New York called the New York City Teaching Fellows. It will license you to teach even if you don’t have your certificating, you get a transitional B certification and you can start teaching while you’re getting your degree, your masters degree. So I was teaching kids 14-18 years old when I was 23. So we were dealing with a lot of similar things. It was lots of fun the kids were real cool. You learn a lot from kids ,they are a lot like adults only younger you know. That was awesome; I did all types of different crazy jobs”.

It was another passion, Marvel comics, that led to the name of his stage act as he modelled himself on the character, Marvel. He used to read comics as a kid and like his father was big into the likes of Daredevil and Spiderman that was his two favourite ones. He is happy to tell us that Sandman has a great influence on his rhymes.

“Sandman is very versatile and that’s the way I am with the way I rhyme. I have a versatile style, it doesn’t all sound the same, [it] turns into different things. But it’s also very much about dreams as the Sandman brings you dreams

so it’s about being able to put dreams into your head with vivid imagery. It’s also about following your dreams that’s where the Sandman comes from. The Homeboy comes from the homeboys”.

Despite being taken by the action packed stories of comic superheroes, Sandman is passionate about using his music to preach peace and dissuade young people from violence.

“Yes I think children are very curious, that’s why I think that it’s our responsibility as people to making music and as people that are in the public eye to not lead these people in the wrong direction doing a bunch ofdumb nonsense. You know how it is in a lot of popularised Hip Hop, everybody coming out saying the same thing most of them are lying anyways most of them are punks really which is why they are coming out behaving that way. People that are tough don’t act tough, acting tough isn’t tough”.

He is adamant that the music is not about violence. Hip hop he believes should not be used to break people down but to bring them together. He is delighted that his fans in the UK are listening to his music and is more than happy – and a little surprised- at the reception he has had.

“I’ve been so impressed out here at people listening to lyrics, talking to me about lyrics after the show. That to me is real. I make music so people that love music come to my shows it’s not just people that love Hip Hop”.

We had caught Homeboy Sandman in the build up to his 15 show tour and leave him with a smile to carry on his prolific song writing.

“Yeah, yeah sure I was writing this morning I was writing before I met up with you I was sitting in Starbucks writing, I always write”.

Text by Ricardo Nunes Photography by Ahmad Graida

“I think that it’s ourresponsibility aspeople to makingmusic and as people thatare in the publiceye to not leadthese people inthe wrong directiondoing a bunch ofdumb nonsense.”

“I’m not going to be in the street…I was in law school, I was a full time high school teacher for two years when I was 24.”


Maybe its just the guys we know at The Cut, but these days it would seems that boys are more into their image than girls. And image certainly does not stop as clothing, ofcourse. For guys who need a few pointers in the barnet department, we’ve picked our favourite Boys haircuts for Spring 2011.

The Nike TickBring back some old skool 90’s vibes with this classic tick, and get a Nike earring to match if you’re feeling brand loyal.

High Top FadeNot quite as high as KId of Kid ‘N’ Play, but high enough, this do’s been back in for a while but is still looking fresh as.

With thanks to SteviePhotos by Jemil Saka

The Pharrell WilliamsIf you’ve got the face for it, you can’t go wrong with a shaven head in the warm weather. A Pharell-esque neck tattoo will complete the look. Choose your tat carefully!

The Nick JonasTame those curls with a touch of Brylcream, whip on a button up shirt, and you’re a Jonas brother in an instant. The girls will swoon.


different way of life. “I’m sure dance does influence the way I see the world. I don’t know of any other way of seeing the world because this is who I am and have always been. I think it makes me appreciate music, art, love, food. I think all of my senses are more alive because of dance.”

Without doubt Misty is destined to be one of those greatest of ballerinas- or a ballerina assoluta as they are sometimes called. I wonder how she will make that jump psychologically to that highest of levels only attained by a few like Margot Fonteyn or Sylvie Guillem. Misty reflects, “I don’t think that in order to become a Principal Dancer it means that I need to improve or change my technique. It’s a bit deeper than that. I wouldn’t be in ABT let alone a Soloist with them if I didn’t have the ability. At this point I think it’s going to take experience. Just getting thrown out there in a big leading role in order to learn and be tested and see if I have what it takes[…] My dream role changes all of the time. Hahaha! I think in terms of being a black woman it would be incredible to dance the role of Odette/Odile [the black and white swan] in Swan Lake. On a personal artistic level, I have a list of dream roles: Juliette, Giselle, Nikiya or Gamzatti in La Bayadere’.You can see MistyCopeland at the New York Metropolitan Opera House starting on May 16th until July.

For more information on Misty Copeland check out her website at Mistycopeland.com. Twitter page @mistyonpointe and the Misty Copeland official page on Facebook.Text by Nendie Pinto-DuschinskyImages courtesy of the artist

“I go through about 4 shoes per week while we are in rehearsal season but up to 10 a week during performance season.”

“Yes, dance does take being fearless. Fearless in every way. You’re not only risking injury, falling, forgetting steps, but putting yourself and personal expression out there for the world to judge.”

but preparing to. During our performance season, we are in the theatre from about 11am to 11pm, rehearsing and performing[…]Pointe shoes don’t seem very supportive but they are and I would not dance on my toes without them and wouldn’t recommend it, even at my level with my strength. We do build muscles in our whole body to support standing on our toes. The elastics and ribbons that we attach to our shoes add support as well, to our ankles. […]I wear Bloch Axiom pointe shoes. They are specially made for me. I have them hard in the sole because my feet are very flexible and the shoes tend to break fast there. I also put jet glue in the toe to keep them hard and add support around my metatarsal.

Jet glue is similar to super glue. I go through about 4 shoes per week while we are in rehearsal season but up to 10 a week during performance season.”

In London, Misty also performed in Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, an extremely technically demanding piece which requires dancers to balance on a single pointe whilst in arabesques and supporting the weight of other dancers. Balanchine’s style is so specific, formal and elegant that specialists come in to work with the dancers, “Balanchine’s style can be very difficult if you weren’t trained that way. It took me a couple of years of being in the company to adapt to the

fast footwork…Every ballet we perform is set by an expert that may be the choreographer or someone who has danced the work and was granted permission to set the ballet. We are then coached on that particular piece for weeks. I love the challenge of performing two completely different genres of movement.” Part of being a dancer at this level is the constant challenge of understanding the style and projecting the vision of the choreographer.

When Misty performed with Prince at Madison Square Garden, she was on pointe on top of a grande piano, technically a huge challenge in a different way from the Balanchine, “The stage as well as the piano were very slippery at Madison Square Garden. I had rubber soles put on the bottom of my pointe shoes to keep from sliding. It still was slippery though”. So does dance require a certain fearlessness? “Yes, dance does take being fearless. Fearless in every way. You’re not only risking injury, falling, forgetting steps, but putting yourself and personal expression out there for the world to judge. I think it takes a certain type of person to do that.”

When I ask Misty if Prince is a fan of ballet she says, “Prince is a fan of art and artists. It’s fun to teach people about ballet and get them interested. It’s cool to find such similarities in music and dance and how they really are one in the same and inspire each other.” Ballet is an art form where the dancer is constantly pushing themselves and with class and rehearsal all day every day, dance literally becomes a

arts

MIstY COPELaND

Misty Copeland is the 28 year old dancer being celebrated as a true ballet “prodigy”. Last year, recording artist Prince sought her out as a collaborator, and Misty danced alongside him as he performed at Madison Square Garden. Born in Kansas City and standing at a slight 5’2 tall, Misty is the first black ballerina to be made a Soloist with the world-famous American Ballet Theatre (called ABT for short). Performing in Paul Taylor’s Company B- a piece set to the music of the Andrew’s Sisters and other popular dance numbers from the 1940s, the dancers had pin-curled hair and the guys were be-speckled geeks and preppy heart-throbs.

Misty astonished the audience at Sadler’s Wells Theatre with her solo: virtuoso technique and outrageous musicality, the applause was so loud the roof nearly flew off the theatre. But the ability to perform like this does not come easily, working her way through at least four pairs of pointe shoes a week and rehearsing up to twelve hours a day in the busy performance season. The Cut wanted to find out what life is like for an artist who devotes herself to dance.

“When I first discovered ballet. I watched a lot of ABT videos. I remember studying Gelsey Kirkland and Misha’s

Don Quixote at Wolf trap […] If I could be transported back in time I would want to dance in the late 70’s early 80’s with ABT. It was such an exciting time for dance. Misha and Gelsey were household names. People in pop culture were excited about ballet!

Gelsey was on the cover of Time Magazine! I still have hopes of dancing with Desmond Richardson! Then the first live ballet production I ever saw was ABT’s Don Quixote with Paloma Herrera and Angel Corella. Paloma and Gelsey instantly became my idols…”. Even though Misty came to ballet relatively late at the age of 13, her “mother had dance training from a young age. She cheered

professionally for the NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs [and Misty’s] youngest brother was a prodigy on the piano.”

The American Ballet Theatre is one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world and is based in New York City. Thousands compete to enter the company, but only a very few individuals are accepted into the training stages each year. Many of the Principal dancers come from Russia, other parts of Europe and increasingly, English candidates try out for the company too. Ballet at this level requires dancers to be born with a perfect dance body; highly flexible backs, a lot of extension in their limbs and well turned out hips, as

well as beautifully arched feet and beautiful “line” (the way the dancer holds each body part relative to their centre of gravity when moving). One of the hardest things about dance is that it is an expression of the music through your whole body rather than just showing emotion with facial expressions.

Scientists have long said that ballet puts more physical strain on the body and is more demanding than any other “sport” or exercise. Misty says, “A typical day begins with a 10:15 am ballet class to warm us up for the rehearsal day. We work up to 7pm Tuesday through Saturday. This is during our rehearsal season, when we are not performing

Photograph by Mike RuizPhotograph by Steve Vaccariello

“After Frank’s death in 2010, it was decided that a permanent memorial was needed. We have to raise £60,000 for the life size statue, which will be made by world class sculptor, Colin Spofforth. For more information, visit our website www.franksidebottom.org.uk“.

To see more of Gemma’s work visit www.myspace.com/gemma_woods

Text by Nendie Pinto–Duschinskyimages courtesy of the artist

“London is definitely one of the most creative cities in the world, it has me wanting to bring what we have to offer in different environments.”


ARTS

I AM LONDON

London is a city full of individuals: whether you’re a sneaker addict, musician, dancer or painter, you’re accepted. I Am London is a project showcasing four young people doing what they love the most and explaining how the city they live in has helped them in their career. I Am London was inspired by the Adidas campaign ‘We Are London: I felt there was much more to London than grime MCs so I gathered a few of my friends and I Am London was created.

Houston

Growing up in east London has driven me to work harder in dance as it is so competitive, with numerous dance crews that have influenced me over the years. Hype to me is when you get beyond excited and you reach a peak

Damian

By being so diverse and innovative with both fashion and music, London has broadened my vision and potential. London is definitely one of the most creative cities in the world, it has me wanting to bring what we have to offer in different environments.

Hype means nothing to me. To others it’s about getting that exclusive tee, jeans or kicks. It’s over saturated, with new drops happening too often. This leaves the core audience not buying your stuff, and random guys buying it. Ultimately you see a decline in the respect for that particular brand amongst that core.

Kristine

Travelling around London has given me a passion for photography. Like others, I enjoy taking photographs, ‘capturing moments’ and keeping hold of memories. But I also enjoy photographing London at its finest, taking advantage of our sights which we are most famous for with tourists. Places like London Bridge and the London Eye are beautiful sights to capture, and with the right weather, lighting and camera it can produce an amazing picture. Hype = when you get a twitter mention!

Sam

There are a lot of skaters in the city and a strong scene. And where the floor is rough, I think that also helps make you a better skateboarder. Hype to me is trying to walk down Oxford Street at rush hour.

Clockwise from far left; Damian, Houston, Kristine, Sam.Text and photos By Ahmad Graida

“Hype to me is when you get beyond excited and you reach a peak.”

ILLuSTRATION

GEMMA WOODS

“…I prefer to create my own imaginary creatures as I go along. All of my drawings and creatures have hidden meanings…”

Gemma Woods makes sensitive, beautifully detailed illustrations which can take hundreds of hours to produce. Using “a very fine pigment ink pen […] It can take between 2 and 6 weeks (and a lot of patience) to complete a drawing. I use tiny marks to build up a depth of tone, light and shade”. Gemma studied Illustration and Animation at Manchester Metropolitan University having inherited her ability to draw from her Dad, who worked as a draughtsman.

“As a kid, I used to draw all the time, and I have never really stopped. My cousins used to watch me draw and try to copy me. When I was in school, the other kids always asked me to do their work in art classes”.

“I carry my sketchbook with me everywhere! You never know when you will get a good idea. Sketchbooks and journals are so valuable to record your thoughts. I use mine all the time, and those rough ideas get worked up into finished illustrations. I would be lost without my sketchbook.”

Many of Gemma’s illustrations focus around animals: cats and dogs, bears and baboons, “Animals have always been one of the main features in my drawings. I suppose my

ideal animal to draw would be something strange, like a sloth, or aye aye. But I prefer to create my own imaginary creatures as I go along. All of my drawings and creatures have hidden meanings, and relate to a part of my life”.

The super-imaginative drawings almost evoke their own stories and you wonder if the animals are long-forgotten characters from famous legends?,”I like to draw anything that inspires me, from animals I have met, to a memory of a dream”.

As well as her extraordinary drawings Gemma is also part of a group raising money to get a bronze statue of Frank Sidebottom put in Timperley Village.


MuSIc f I LMSMuS Ic

Bennett, who range in age from 16 to 23. They have so far released their music for free, under the banner of a mixtape. To me this mixtape is better than any album that had been released this year. It would seem like Odd are releasing countless free albums which are filled with bowls full off gunge, visceral, bloody injected mythical vomit. Bfeore, being Odd was odd, now Odd is the future. RN

www. oddfuture.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSbZidsgMfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78_loMbmKJ8

K – NITE 13K-Nite 13 starts the baking of a cake filled with flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, while his comrades TB, Skillit and Pyrobarz Salute the recipe with driven, hunger for the track, which any hip hop artist which does or should do. Viktor Vaughn made a baby with Wonderwoman and made a son who produced Back To The Drawing Board with Zuz Rock doing what his second name does and rocks the beat. Miracle Worker deceives and tucks many to bed with a goodnight kiss. It’s glorious, horning which dwells with Big Cakes on the track. Dark and steady K-Nite hits the moon with For The Longest. Shut It Down shows that he will be doing more than just baking cakes. RN

www.myspace.com/knite13

ODD FUTURE As I write this, I’m drinking a Cherry flavour Lucozade, which is an odd situation indeed. Over the other side of the Atlantic, a bunch of young supremacists figured out how to do Web 2 well. The cult consists of Tyler the Creator, Hodgy Beats, Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Mike G, Frank Ocean, Left Brain, The Jet Age of Tomorrow (also known as The Super 3), Syd tha Kyd, Jasper Dolphin, and Taco

REvIEWS

ARTS

Reviews by Tom Mullett, Ricardo

Nunes, Marvin Alvarez and

Polina Nastavnikova

BLASTED, LYRIC HAMMERSMITH, LONDONTogether with his family, The revived production of Blasted bursts into the scene, fifteen years on from the premiere that trigged the biggest outburst of disgust in Britain since Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Critics and audiences alike are alarmed to meet Ian, a racist tabloid journalist, who rapes his epileptic former girlfriend Cate, unveiling repulsive horrors that blast their way onto stage. The production exposes the atrocities of the political world we enjoy to live in today and attempts to shock the audience with a rape and hellish devastation of civil war. Kane objected to the use of theatre music, and so the rain was a creative solution that mixed suitability with aesthetics. Kane shows Ian’s mental instability through the visualisation of sound and the naturalistic set contrasted later with a plain and warlike setting emphasising his physical as well as mental disintegration.Even though the Daily Mail described Blasted as a ‘disgusting feast of filth’, I don’t doubt the argument that it is a masterpiece that explores

society’s values and criticises stereotypical ideas in politics. Evidently, the production generates a dramatic impact on its audience and after a hundred relentless minutes, one crawls out of the theatre feeling both mentally and physically drained. This modern classic has given us the unforgettable vision of the consequence paid for living without compassion, and both the director Sean Holmes and author Sarah Kane and their cast deserve the highest congratulations for the gift of this magical performance. PN

http://www.lyric.co.uk/

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU‘Inception meets Bourne’ does The Adjustment Bureau very littlejustice as far as taglines go. It bears just as many layers asInception if not more. The idea of our actions and reactions beingcontrolled subconsciously by a group of very powerful men is aconspiracy theorist’s dream and if that doesn’t attract enough peopleto go and see it I don’t know what will. Just imagine every singledetail of your everyday living was made to follow a set ‘life path’and you found out who makes those details possible and had the powerto change it. All I know is I’ll never turn a door knob the same wayagain, go and watch it so you can share inside jokes with me! MA

MEMOTONE - MULTICOLOUR EP Reluctant Funk: this is the phrase that Black Acre newcomer, Memotone, uses to describe his debut EP. Although at first glance such a term may seem obtuse, after listening to the works of the West Country youngster, nothing could seem more appropriate to sum up such imagination. The 4 track EP set to drop in March bleeds creativity, with influences from all aspects of music being incorporated in the works of Memotone; making this piece of work undeniably captivating. TM

www.memotone.co.uk

GENESIS ELIJAH, BEFORE I WAS FAMOUSGenesis Elijah has grown up in Brixton collecting the memoirs left on the streets. It shows in his new album. Aggression flows through himin the track ‘What I Am’ which feaures The Krate Krusaders on the production. ‘Doing My Damn Thing’, the single, is upbeat with Genesis Elijah leaving messages perpetrating from time to time. He is reminiscing in the past,

conversing about the present and planning the future in ‘Before I was Famous’. ‘One Day’ he wants to realize just that he’ll “be centre stage entertaining crowds… they all paid to listen, and one day he’ll see his CD in HMV, or one day he’ll see his video on MTV, or one day we’ll listen to the radio and the host will say “and on the top spot then they’ll mention me, eventually I’ll be the head to be”. Elijah brings his soft side to the music, personally dragging reality to his dreams. Talking about his wife and children in“Daydream Part 2” waking up next to ‘her’ and his children already dressed up, fixing their breakfast themselves and seeing chickens running wild in the garden. The unrest and unweary runs through the whole album; in ‘I Wanna Be An MC Remix” he and his peers show that melodic, pedalling rhythm, blended to make that mix just right. This album is stable and out now. RN

http://genesiselijah.blogspot.com/

Executive Editors of The Cut

Nina Manandhar and Nendie

Pinto-Duschinsky are directors

of Hardcore Is More Than Music,

a Social Enterprise specialising

in youth consultancy and arts

collaborations. The Cut is a non

profit project which is part funded

by work for clients including The

Stephen Lawrence Centre, The

Tate, The Institute of Contemporary

Arts, Exposure PR, Dr Martens, The

British Youth Council, Blue Rubicon

PR and Westminster Council.

Hardcore Is More Than Music is

in The Observer’s Top 100

Creative Business’ in the UK /

Courvoisier Future 500 for 2009.

ContributorsChantelle Medford ClarkeJamal Hue BonnerZahraa MughulShona HarveyAmber GilbertAniah Boakye-SmithEdward KagatuziAnna CravenLeilani FrancisSarah DarbyJosephine Grant AdabayorBlessing WhelanLouise SerperAnil AdvaniFabian EmmanuelMichael OjogwuTafadzwa Murape

For information on our

activities please visit

www.thecutnewspaper.com

www.hardcoreismorethanmusic.com

Contributors

issue 07

Executive Editors and PublishersNina Manandhar and Nendie Pinto-DuschinskyPhotography MentorsAdrian Wood and Derek WiafeJournalism Mentor Paul MaceyDesign Sara El Dabi

Ricardo Nunes Journalist

Zohra Sohora KhanJournalist

Marvin AlvarezPhotographer

Tom Mullett Journalist

Nellie Owusu Journalist

Kevin KingPhotographer

Patrice David Stylist

Iva Lila Journalist

Stan Kravciukas Photographer

Fraser SimpsonJournalist

Polina NastravnikovaJournalist

Onye AsolukaIllustrator

Silas Osei Journalist

Akwasi Tawia PokuPhotographer

Alicia JaloulPhotographer

Drew Mark Journalist

Isabel Mackelland Photographer

Kiran NijjarPhotographer

Amelia DimoldenbergPhotographer

Ahmad Graida Photographer

Jemil SakaPhotographer

Clio McLearyJournalist

Damian MalontieJournalist

Shamz Le Roc Music Editor

sWAG

shAmz homestudio

The first step to creating or recording your music begins in your own hands. For some there isn’t always a local youth club with music facilities available and even if there is, securing time can be harder than ever. So you can look to the last yet best resort, a home studio. Home studios have been growing in the past 10 years, and contrary to belief they can be quite affordable. You don’t need a big midi sequencer and a £3000 mic to make it happen.

Take Avid Technology for instance, the creators of the M-Audio Fast Track. This is probably one of the most reasonable audio interfaces, but it seems they’ve topped themselves, they’ve teamed up with Pro Tools to create nifty new soft and hardware bundles.

The Avid Recording studio bundle comes with an audio interface ‘M Audio Fast Track’ with a mic and guitar inputs, which is essential for all beginners. There is also an express version of Pro Tools included.

The Process & CritiqueInstalling the hardware was fairly easy, they included a simple step by step leaflet with the package which made the process very easy. All you do is connect in a mic - you can purchase a decent quality one for around £80. Although I found the real problem was the actual software. As the version of Pro Tools included was simplified, various useful options were unavailable. Also, once the interface is installed the help provided for use of the software is poor. So it can leave you slightly confused.

I would suggest going for another recording software such as Logic Express, as this allows various inputs which is much easier to use. None the less, the M-Audio Fast track definitely does the job, and is a good buy at the price of just over £100.

Add OnsStudio headphones - will also be an imperative buy. Be sure to buy a pair of closed headphones. This means the sound heard through the headphones are kept tight with no sound seeping through, and cannot be heard by the outside world. This is important as you do not want the sound to leak through as it will be picked up when recording and ruin your mix down process.

A little on the pricey side but very professional is the Beyer Dynamic DT 770 Pro, they are closed headphones and retail at around £150. The sound playback is immaculate and sharp. They are also super comfy and can contort to a range of sizes whether you have a pea or air balloon

head. If this is way out of your budget other closed headphones are available starting from as low as £20.

Mic – I worked with the Rode NT1A. They provided a vocal pack which included a pop shield, mic holder and more. This was great as it saved over £60 in costs for the extra add ons needed. Of course a mic stand is needed to hold all of it up, but only costs as little as £10.

ConclusionAudio Interface w/software = £100Mic = £150Mic Stand = £10

So for around £260 you can have endless amounts of recording. It may sound like a lot but this can last for years, and will be saving you a whopping on studio time! Happy Recording guys!

To win the M-audio Recording bundle pictured please send an email: [email protected] by Shamz Le RocPhotography by Ahmad Graida

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The Cut Issue 07