NYLON Q and A with Samantha Edwards

NYLON Q and A with the creative and talented Samantha Edwards. Sam is a MAN-NY, but gets an honorary NY-LON status, since she is not actually from London, but its sister city up north, Manchester.

Samantha came to NYC to actualize her ambition, armed with skills and talent where she landed a great gig at SKAGGS creative agency.
1. How long have you been in NYC?

Gawd, I got here in 2002 so that makes it 8 years – bloody hell that’s a small child in junior school!

2. Where do you live?

Stroller Mafia Central – aka TriBeCa
3. What brought you to NYC?

Work, work and more work. I realized that I wasn’t going to get my goal in Manchester and ya damn right I wasn’t going to move to London. (North/South Divide – whatchu know ‘bout that?)
4. What keeps you busy?

My work at GIF+D (www.thegiftd.com) and SKAGGS(www.skaggsdesign.com), my friends and loved one and my 2 year old furry beast of a dog child – Stella.
5. What do you miss about Manchester ?

Where to begin…aside from my family and friends – I miss Sausage, Chips + Curry sauce (it’s a Northern thing), Eastender’s Sunday Omnibus, patriotism without the racism, driving – GOD I MISS THAT!! Bombing it 100mph down the motorway – I miss that squillions.
6. What do you love about New York?

I love the non stop “get it” attitude that everyone brings to the table. I love the fact that “doing business” isn’t a bad thing and when it’s good – it’s always a pleasure. I love that no matter who you are – or where you’re from you can do anything you damn well want and people appreciate you for it.

In the UK I’ve always been very much aware of what I like to call ‘The Culture of Hate’. What does that mean?

Here in NY you can pretty much start your way from the bottom of the shabby scrap heap and scrape, climb, bleed, sweat and cry to get to the top – people might not necessarily hold your hand on the way up – but you’re supported and when you get there – you’re recognized and celebrated for your blood, sweat, tears and most importantly talent.

I find that in the UK, your struggle to the top is a lonely one – often prickled with “who do they think they ares” and “they’ll never make it”.

Sounds like I’m being harsh on my fellow Englishmen right? A little maybe – but I’ve experienced it first hand – granted it’ll put hairs on your chest though- hmmm maybe The Culture of Hate is a little hard and it’s just the stiff British upper lip?
7. Is there a dose of Britishness you would like to inject into NYC and what would it be?

Ok – I’m totally going to contradict myself here – see above re: Stiff British Upper Lip. Hmmmm I think sometimes people in NY could do with a dose of “it’s not that serious” – Keep Calm + Carry On!
8. What inspires you?

Everything oh and I’m going to confess here – sometimes when I’m feeling a little bit blue I’ll take a round-trip cab to Times Square and gawk at the lights or I’ll walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Just call me the OG Secret Tourist – I just walk a bit faster. Ha!
9. Complete this sentence, ‘You know you’re a New Yorker when…’

You order eggs over-easy-medium, start drinking champagne at 11am and nobody bats an eyelash. (Mimosa brunch people!)
10. Survival tip to living in New York.

(see 7) Keep Calm and Carry On.

#NYLON#NYLON QandA#samantha edwards#culture

You Know You Are a New Yorker When…

You Know You’re a New Yorker When…

 

 

After living in New York over 5 years, I consider myself a New Yorker. Being a New Yorker is an attitude, a state of mind, its how you react in situations and deal with everyday life while at the same time , keeping it moving.

To get a grip on this fast paced city of the beautiful and strange, you gotta get in where you fit in, because only the strong and tenacious survive if you want to make it.

So what makes one a New Yorker?

1. You have defining ‘only in New York’ Moments

2. You rather walk 20 blocks in the thick of summer than descend into the ‘hot as hell’ subway platform.

3. You can ride in a subway car with no air conditioning, just because there are seats available. You and the other three passengers look at each other and know you have pure grit.

4. You know where to get the best slice of pizza and argue with your friends about it

5. You know what an H&H bagel is.

6. You cringe at hearing people pronounce Houston St. like the city in Texas

7. Its pouring rain and there is one cab in sight and you are willing to step over a mother and child to grab it…yes asshole.

8. Being asked ‘What do you do? is a standard conversation opener.

9. You get annoyed at tourists because they walk too slow, or block the sidewalk.

10. The only time you look up is to check for falling ice.

11. You cross the street anywhere but on the corners, yelling at the cars for not respecting the fact.

12. You have an oversize handbag, to carry all the things you need in life for the day.

13. Nothing much impresses you any more, cos you have seen it all

14. You just get on with it, with no complaint.

15. You recognize the panhandlers on the subway, and know their routine.

16. You move up one block to steal the cab from the person waiting for it below you

17. You avoid Times Square

18. You don’t pay to go to Yoga or the Gym because you take advantage of free weekly trials and use a different name when you sign up again.

19. You pay no attention to the nice lady walking down the road having a perfectly normal conversation with herself.

20. You eat Brunch to save money because you get two meals in one.

21. You understand that the plural form of you is ‘youse’

22. Nothing is North or South, it’s Uptown or Downtown.

23. You only go out to parties during the week.

24. You know that if a parking space looks too good to be true, it is.
Feel free to add your 2 cents

The Brixton Riots

Brixton is London’s Brooklyn, Everyone knows Brixton when you mention London. For many Caribbean immigrants Brixton in South West London and Notting hill in West London, were the settling locations for the newly arrived, and black communities were soon established.

I spent my early years at 10 Glenelg Road, off Acre Lane, in Brixton and have many fond memories there, where we were one with the community.

Both Brixton and Notting hill are multi-cultural areas, bustling with characters and dignitaries and both have experienced their share of incendiary rioting in the 1980s and 1990s.

NYLON Q and A with Karley Sciortino

Q and A with Karley Sciortino a New Yorker living/squatting in London. A fearless and sassy lady, who blogs about her surroundings and the offbeat people she shares a squat with in South London.
1. How long have you been in London?

Five years
2. Where do you live?

Elephant and Castle – South4life yo
3. What brought you to London?

I originally came for six months as an exchange student, then ended up loving it so much that I just dropped out of my uni back home in New York and moved here (much to my parents’ dismay).
4. What keeps you busy?

I write a blog called Slutever, where I basically write about all the artists, fuck-ups, prostitutes, stupid junkie faggots, and punks that I live with in my South London squat, and the ins and outs of their pathetic and beautiful lives.
5. What do you miss about New York?

The food (obvs), my family, American Idol, The Jersey Shore (the MTV program—not the place, eww), frozen yogurt, American accents (this is recent), boys who are without-a-doubt straight (in London you never know—hot, but annoying on occasion), and OPRAH!!! Duh!!!

6. What do you love about London?

The endless creativity, the weirdos, the freaks, the opportunity to squat, effeminate guys, These New Puritans, the night life, Dev Patel, stuff
7. Is there a dose of New York you would like to inject into London? and what would it be?

MEXICAN FOOD WTF?!?!
8. What inspires you?

A big dick
9. Complete this sentence, ‘You know you’re a Londoner when…

…you’re famous in Japan.
10. What slang have you picked up while living in London? (Whats your new favourite word)

Obvs, mayj, hein, maybes, lolz, whatevs, totes, probs, squinx, regs, NovaRando, rando, basc… and I also tend to say “I fancy” now, rather than “I would like” or “I want to fuck.” My American friends find this really amusing.

My fave new word at the moment is Macaulay. Basc, a Macaulay is someone who is extraordinarily cool, particularly in a not-so-obvious way, i.e. “Louis Theroux is totes a Macaulay!”
11. Survival tip to living in London?

Marks and Spencers throw out lots of edible food daily. You can basically live off their trash!

For the fearless, check out her blog at: http:// slutever.blogspot.com

 

Good Bye 2009

THE YEAR THAT WAS…

2009 brought many highs, lows, blows and whoas. The biggest highlight was of course America’s first Black Mr President, Barack Obama and the biggest blow was the lost of Michael Jackson. Tiger Woods went creeping and what came out of the wood works were shocking revelations of extra extra extra marital affairs and plenty of funny late night skits, and Public Option became a buzzword.

Facebook took over the internet, with over 300 million users, that possibly include your computer illiterate grandmother who has become an over zealous user.

‘Unfriend’ became an official verb in the Oxford American Dictionary

Its been a fun year in music too, personally I have been everywhere with music this year, listening and playing lots of retro 80s soul and disco, which has influenced a lot of artists from Escort, Chromeo, Dam Funk, and Roisin Murphy as well as with fashion too.

Dubstep became a big underground favourite in the UK, while Domu quit music, Oasis split and ‘fishstick’ eating Kanye West, became the biggest douche bag for humiliating that poor little girl, Taylor Swift… ‘C’mon Son, You know that shit was stupid!

Hip hop has been kind too, with Mos Def, GhostFace and Raekwon all coming back with the raw hardcore.

Here are my top music picks of 2009 that I enjoyed, in no particular order.
Ghostface – Ghostdini wizard of poetry in Emerald city (album)
DamFunk – Toeachizown (album)
Shafiq Husayn – L’il Girl
Funkineven – You!
Theophilus London – TNT
Mos Def – The Ecstatic (album)
Phoenix – 1901
Mayer Hawthorne – Maybe So, Maybe No
GTG – Hello Miss
Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

Looking forward to the next decade of bigger and better things. I predict that independent artists will continue be on the rise, which will be great for music, and oust those cookie cutter put together studio groups and so called artists.

Looking forward to new albums from Sade,Erykah Badu, Fatima, Sia, Roisin Murphy and Amy Winehouse (cos I still like her)

Happy New Year…Bright light from a distant star…Miracles Don’t Stop!

Cuppa Tea

NYLON Q and A with Omar Dubois

Q&A with the one and only Omar Dubois: writer, music curator, brand guru and all-round creative talent with the nice-sounding last name. Omar got his start as Music Editor at TRACE Magazine and went on to write for publications that include Interview, Dazed & Confused, The Fader and The Financial Times’ How To Spend It. And then moving on to consult for several record labels (Capitol, Interscope, Star Trak, etc.) and brands that include Diesel, LVMH and Sony Pictures Classics, Omar’s back to his first love – writing. He’s presently working on “GOD MC” – a monograph on musician/cultural icon Jay-Z. It’s scheduled for release this Summer.
1. How long have you been in NYC?

I’ve been in States since 1999, but moved full-time to New York in 2003. And I might just be eternally addicted.

2. Where do you live?

In Brooklyn. This past Fall, post my sabbatical-of-sorts in Miami, I attempted to relocate to Manhattan only to be reminded of what I always knew: Brooklyn keeps on taking it! Tranquil yet agile, while only being a second or two away from Money-Making Manhattan.
3. What brought you to NYC?

The initial calling had to absolutely do with vocation. During my rather lengthy, self-imposed, gap-year exile, I figured out from my flat in West Hampstead that New York was the one city that afforded you the harmonious currency to do a myriad of things at the same time. Things that interested me: Music, Writing, Film, Creative Direction and Branding. So I figured it’d be resourceful to transfer to college (Princeton in nearby New Jersey) here first, and then make the smooth transition into the city thereafter.

4. What keeps you busy?

Too many things, actually… My plate over-runneth! I’m an avarice for ideas (and the execution of them). So one second, you might catch me pushing my pen, so to speak. And the next second, I might be curating the music agenda for a brand. Or even putting some event together… I essentially see myself as a Creative Ambassador.

5. What do you miss about London?

Very much the city itself; the physicality of London. Jermyn Street (St. James)) and Half Moon Street (Mayfair) are two of my favorite streets – for no particularly good reason. I miss the humor, for sure. I also miss the non-capitalistic context of human interaction in London – you barely ask someone what they “do” when you first meet them. And of course, I fondly much miss a good fry-up, Alpen and almost all the food in Marks & Sparks!

6. What do you love about New York?

The fact that it’s the utter embodiment of the American Dream, while being cosmopolitan as fuck. I’ve always described New York as a gymnasium: It’s not for the feckless, but if you’re willing and able to put work in, you’re bound to see more than a few good results. Opportunity truly abounds. Plus there’s much, much to do – restaurants, bars, shops, galleries, etc. The best of them are a mere stone’s throw from
everyone.

7. Is there a dose of Britishness you would like to inject into NYC and what would it be?

Maybe a minute dose of prim & proper manners!
8. What inspires you?

A: Mostly hip hop music/culture and history itself.
9. Complete this sentence, ‘You know you’re a New Yorker when…’

When very little impresses you..! (Laughs.)

10. Survival tip to living in New York.

I might just have to quote Shallah Raekwon off the purple tape on this one: “Keep your eyes open and your wallet in your front pocket!”

 

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-qou.You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do ~ Think Different.”s

This Defines New York Shitty – The city of the beautiful and strange, the the broke and fabulous, the rich and poor. Reasons to love this city I call home.

NYLON Q and A with Peter Semple

Peter Semple is a Brand Director at Anomaly, an independent advertising agency in NYC. That involves a lot of culture digesting, and when he is not reading, writing, listening to music or taking in some art, you may catch him running past you on a Manhattan sidewalk as he takes on his long-distance running.
1. How long have you been in NYC?

Since January 2008.
2. Where do you live

East Village.
3. What brought you to NYC?

I’d lived and worked in London for a number of years, and figured now it was a good time to make a change. I’ve always wanted to live in New York because a lot of the cultural things I love – primarily in music and art – have their origins in NYC. Hip Hop, graffiti culture, basketball, fashion, numerous literature and film references. The list goes on and on.
4. What keeps you busy?

Work keeps me much more busy than I’d like. But outside of that, I spend all of my time out in the city – there’s so much going on every day and every night of the week here that you’re always spoilt for choice. I’m rarely ever in my apartment for very long. Certain things I do regularly are: visit MoMA (there’s always something incredible on), go on long runs around the city, hunt down new music, drink a lot of whiskey, drink a lot of coffee, eat out, etc. And this year I’ve actually started venturing out to areas around the city or other US cities at weekends – with NY as a base it’s easy to see more of the States than I ever had done before.
5. What is the difference in strategy in advertising to the US audience vs the British audience?

Actually, a lot of the work I’ve been involved in since I moved here has been focusing on global audiences or specific overseas ones rather than the US specifically. That said, I’ve recently become responsible for a major US lifestyle/sportswear brand, so I’ve been fully engaged in Americana in that role. With the particular projects I’m currently working on, there’s a great need for deep understanding of American sports culture and how it’s evolved over the last several decades which at times proves challenging for someone who didn’t grow up here. But fundamentally, advertising strategy is about understanding the consumer mindset, consumer needs, and the market context – that’s basically true no matter where you are or what you’re working on.
6. What do you miss about London?

The most notable thing is of course friends and family, and with that the familiarity of a city you grew up in and around. Occasionally I miss the (comparatively slightly-less hectic) pace of life that London offers, but generally I figure I’ll return to that in a few years – in the meantime I’m here to experience everything I can.
7. What do you love about New York?

I always say to people that if and when I leave New York – even if at that point I feel like I’ve had my fill of it – it’ll be difficult to leave behind the convenience and accessibility of everything that the city has on offer. I don’t know if there’s another city in the world (maybe Tokyo I guess?) quite like it here. I also love the fact that almost everywhere you are in the city, it’s a place that’s somehow familiar – whether it’s been referenced in a song, or you’ve seen it in a video or a film. Every corner in New York evokes a story of some kind. And finally, contrary to popular opinion, the people here are pretty great – the English thing goes a long way over here, which I still find surprising sometimes, given how cosmopolitan this city is.
8. Is there a dose of Britishness you would like to inject into NYC and what would it be?

On a conceptual/philosophical level, not really, as I came here looking to experience something totally different to life at home. I do wish Americans could more easily grasp the English pronunciation of the name “Peter” though: the hard “t” stumps at least one person per week, so I have to slip into a faux American accent and repeat my name as “Peeder” for them to get it. That pisses me off.
9. What inspires you?

Meeting different, interesting people every day. Music – new and old. Reading. Running. The Manhattan skyline every time I come back into the city from the airport. That yellow New York light that hits the brown-brick tenement buildings on a sunny Winter afternoon. Occasionally booze.
10. Complete this sentence, ‘You know you’re a New Yorker when…’

“…leaving a party at 5am seems like a relatively early night.”
11. Survival tip to living in New York.

Never pass up an opportunity. Take the city for all that it’s worth.

I want to see you do the Migraine Skank

 

‘Migraine Skank‘ UK Funky/Grime, by Gracious K, is currently making waves in the UK Grime scene.

But this is probably the best of the bunch of ‘skank’ songs coming out every week,
like the ‘Swine Flu Skank,’ the ‘Facebook Skank,’ ‘Tribal Skank,’ Head Shoulders Knees and Toes Skank’ and the ‘Calm Down Skank,’ which are just a select few, the list goes on, with every Grime artist or whoever jumping on the Skank Bandwagon.

But whatever you think, this is what many of the youth in the UK are listening to. Yes its fun, and at the same time silly…time to switch it up now and get more creative? Enjoy