blacknation magazine i issue 1 i feb 15

2 BLACK NATION MAGAZINE

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Blacknation (BN) Magazine is a division of an online digital media platform brought to you by BlacknationMedia PTY, Ltd.

This consists of a successful Multi-Channel Network, that also includes other platforms like Blacknation Youth Consultants, Blacknation Television, Blacknation Music and Blacknation Photography.

After working in the online industry for a number of years, it became apparent that people are unaware that there is more involved in South African black youth culture; some of this talent

struggles to surface and this needed to change, and so, Blacknation Magazine was born.

THE TEAM

FOUNDING PUBLISHER/ CEOANDREW SIMELANE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFLETHABO AFRIKA BOGATSU

CO-FOUNDER/ CREATIVE DIRECTORTHULASIZWE SIMELANE

STYLE KENEILWE MOTHOA (NEI NEI)

SHELLEY MOKOENA

VIDEOGRAPHERS BIG CITY LIFE TUBE

THULASIZWE SIMELANEKATLEGO BODIBE

POST PRODUCTIONKATLEGO BODIBE

ANDREW SIMELANE

WRITERSLETHABO AFRIKA BOGATSU

CHARLES J MUKEMBEWILLIAM OSEI-APPIAH

KENEILWE MOTHOA (NEI NEI)SHELLEY MOKOENAANDREW SIMELANE

Q ON VOCALS

PHOTOGRAPHERSNZOLO EZEE BIDLA

MOLOTI MDLULI

MARKETING/ PR/ SOCIAL MADIAKABELO SESHIBE

VISUAL COMMUNICATION ARCHITECH/ BRAND MANEGERSHARP-LEE MTHIMKULU (LEETCHISAN)

CONTRIBUTORS/ ILLUSTRATORSRENDANI MISSBLACDROPP

THAPELO GRIMMZ ALOYSIUS KEETILE

BN Magazine is a youth movement with a difference. Not only do we bring you the latest features and columns about new and existing black talent, we bring you the creative individuals that are involved in moulding the South African black youth culture that we see and experience everyday. Each issue is centred around a theme, anything from fresh talent, topical news, art, film, music,

photography, technology and more.

[email protected]

JoziHub, 2nd Floor44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark

Johannesburg, 2092South Africa


MUSIC VIDEO OUT SOON...boyznbucks.tumblr.com

BLACK NATION MAGAZINE 9

SOCIAL MEDIA

To our online followers, Black Nation Magazine would like to thank you all for your support and loyalty. Our content is for the youth by the youth.

WE ARE THE POPLICIAL GENERATION.

POSTS & TWEETS


12EDITORS NOTE Being Black

14THE BLACK REPORT Afrophobia

19CREATIVE SELF-STATERS Between 5 and 10

20PHOTOGRAPHY CrazySexyCool Denise

24MUSIC Blowing Up

27FILM Hear Me Move

CONTENT


28FASHION

The “cropped” Flared Pant

30ART

FUCK HAND OUTS/‘No Hand Show’ Series

by Studio Leetchi

32TECH BUYERS’ GUIDE

Tech you need to upgrade in 2015

34INSPIRATION

Supreme Being

36EVENTS

Vmswenko Pop Up MarketArt is Currency

TURN’T UP

40STYLE VISION

STR CRD 2014

Wits Oweek

CONTENT


For far too long stories have been told about us; negative stories of oppression, unemployment, crime, poverty, sickness. The black condition has been defined by those who aren’t even black. Or by those who want to profit from blackness by selling us some product that has nothing to do with who we are, what we are about, where we come from and where we’re going.

IT’S TIME FOR US TO OWN OUR OWN STORIES AND TELL THEM IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY WE KNOW HOW. And please don’t make the mistake of assuming that when we speak of being black, we speak only of race. Blackness is so much more than just the colour of our skin. Blacknation is beyond race. Blackness is all encompassing. Black is proud. Black is confident. It’s so many things that far go beyond just the colour of one’s skin or where they live or what language they speak.

Blackness is in a constant state of change. What it meant yesterday is not what it means today. As the world changes, so does the definition of black.

For example the term “nigger/nigga” which originates from Latin, was initially used to describe black African Slaves based on the colour of their skin, quickly turned into a derogatory and oppressive term used to describe black people (and sometimes other people of colour/non-whites). The word “nigga” has been ameliorated. People around the world, regardless of race, class or creed, use it as a term of endearment to express camaraderie, for example “That’s my nigga, he always has my back, I love him like a brother.”

EDITOR’S NOTEWRITER: LETHABO AFRIKA BOGATSUILLUSTRATIONS: RENDANI MISSBLACDROPP X STUDIO LEETCHI


Unfortunately the term “nigga” and it’s South African equivalent “kaffir” (which has a more interesting etymology), still holds some very serious negative connotations, for example; “This is a civilised establishment, you cannot act like a kaffir here!”

Thanks to generations before, those who fought, were exiled and lost their lives in the quest for freedom and equality, a constitutional right that we now enjoy, we now have the opportunity to define our own reality. Finally, we as Blacknation have the opportunity and freedom to tell our own stories, to express and reflect our own truths.

This freedom was not free, it did not come cheap. Therefore we owe it to those who came before us and those who will come after us, to take this freedom and be responsible. It should be our responsibility as young people with a voice and a platform such as our own to, use our freedom to (re)defining blackness and showing the world who we are as young black South Africans.

REFLECTION IS IMPORTANT IN PROGRESSIONOur democracy is still very young, so freedom and equality are fairly new concepts. South Africans are still getting accustomed to freedom, even after 21 years, we still have a very long way towards that utopic “rainbow nation”, where we all enjoy freedom and equality in all its forms. As young black South Africans, who have NO to very little first-hand experience of life before democracy but are deeply and fully aware of our residual inequality, we understand our past and we are grateful for those who have made the equality and freedom we now enjoy possible. Having said this, we’d like to express that we are moving on. Blacknation is progressive. We talk about our past not because we want to but because we must, in order for us to know who we are and where we going, reflection is important in progression. We don’t believe in dwelling too much in the past and things we cannot change, but rather in accepting them and taking charge and change of the things we can which is the present and the future.

BLACK IS NOT ABOUT THEN/ IT’S ABOUT RIGHT NOW, IT’S ABOUT THE FUTURE. There’s been a widely held assumption that money can’t be made and a living can’t be earned from creativity. As Blacknation we’d want to show that money can be made from being creative. Creativity can actually be a career, but that can only be done by combining business and entrepreneurial skills with creative ideas, hence creative entrepreneurship. Blacknation encourages and highlights entrepreneurship within the young black/urban creative community. We want to show that we are extremely capable and that we don’t require government hand-outs. As black people we’ve always been able to create something out of nothing to very little. We are naturally innovative. There are so many successful black creative entrepreneurs that deserve to be showcased and celebrated because they have done what history said would be impossible, we want to celebrate them and give them the opportunity to give inspire others to innovate and create.

We strongly believe in the community. Black is not selfish, it is not about you or me but rather about we/us.

We believe in harnessing the network, to achieve greatness. Success is not a one man show or solo mission, but rather a collaborative effort which is why we encourage

collaboration and sharing. Because we realise we are not alone and we cannot inspire change without the help of others, we see the importance of supporting causes and movements like our own, that are simply trying to break conception and create something better. We want to turn everyday conventions inside out, flip them upside down, view the world from different perspectives. We encourage you to participate, to tell us your story, share your opinions, your thoughts and feelings. We want to involve you in the process of redefining blackness.

BLACK IS NOT ABOUT YOU, WE HARNESS THE NETWORK, THE COMMUNITY.At Blacknation, as much as we see ourselves as a family, a collective, a movement; we also acknowledge and appreciate individuality. We realise that we are all very different, we all come from different backgrounds, have different interests and outlooks on life. We value our differences, they show us different perspectives of the world. Our differences bring us closer to realising our similarities and inspire us to see one another as fellow human beings.

Being black is not a selfish one man show, it is not a solo mission.

EDITORS NOTE

UMUNTU NGUMUNTU NGABANTUMOTHO KEMOTHO KABOTHO


THE BLACK REPORT


THE BLACK REPORT

AFROPHOBIAXenophobia

/ (noun) extreme dislike or fear of foreigners, their customs, their religions, etc.

Doing so, Mr. Zuma has just proven to the people of South Africa, African continent and the world that he does not have respect for Africans and holds the Eurocentric stereotypes commonly repeated about Africans in certain cycles

Afrophobia

/ (noun) Fear, hate, or dislike of Black Africans and Black African descendant.

There’s no such thing as xenophobia,

“In this regard, our law enforcement agencies will certainly close the net on the

foreigners in our townships a few weeks ago.”


Afrophobia, the fear of Africans, specifically black Africans.The South African government had consistently attributed such violence to general crime, “instead of recognizing it for what it is - xenophobic violence,”In light of the recent xenophobic attacks which led to widespread riots and looting of spazas/shops owned by foreign nationals in South African townships is important to highlight the much deeper underlying reality that we haven’t quite realized yet or like our President has chosen to ignore/disregard as just acts as he describes “brazen criminality which was displayed by some unruly elements against foreign nationals”. There’s no such thing as xenophobia, people are not scared of foreigners but rather Africans.

Most victims of Xenophobia are black/African immigrants, whereas their white/European counterparts are not feared but rather revered and welcomed as tourists and investors. This is evident in the recent xenophobic outbreaks in townships around the country the biggest being an incident in Snake Park, Dobsonville, where a 14 year old boy was shot dead during an attack/looting of a spaza owned by a Somalians. Based on the fact that xenophobia has in the past manifested under the guise of racism but more specifically as black on black hatred and violence amongst Africans, we can claim Xenophobia to be more like Afrophobia, the fear of Africans, specifically black Africans.

MigrationThere are different kinds of migration. There is forced migration which was epitomized by slavery and then there is voluntary migration, which is motivated by a number of reasons/factors mostly the desire to obtain better economic opportunities in order to reduce poverty and ensure a better life for dependents back home. South Africa has always had a strong history of migration, especially migrant labour. Johannesburg was built on the hard work of migrants. With the discovery of gold in Johannesburg in 1886, thousands of men (women later followed) from all over sub-Saharan Africa- Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique rushed to the city in search of better opportunity in the form of wage labour as miners.

It is quite ironic that despite South Africa, more specifically Johannesburg having such a strong history of migration, its people are still intolerant towards immigrants, specifically those from other African countries, which make up 53 percent of all immigrants in South Africa.

Even the Indian South African community is a product of migrant labour. In the 1860’s, thousands of Indians migrated to Natal to work on sugar plantations. Now centuries later, Indian South Africans are the 2nd largest population of Indians living outside of India and constitute 2.7% of the overall South African population. But they are not subject to severe prejudice and violent xenophobia attacks like black people are.

What’s even more ironic is that despite 79,2percent (41,000,938) of its population being black/African, South African citizens are more intolerant of and prejudiced against other black immigrants coming in from other African countries. This was shown in the 1998 Xenophobic incident, which saw 62 people killed, as well as ten years later in 2008 during the Xenophobic attacks in Alexandra, which saw 68 people dead.

White Foreigners versus Black ForeignersIn South Africa there are two kinds of foreigners based on psychological and physical differentiation; European foreigners and black African foreigners.

According to Stats SA, 45.6 percent of all who received temporary residence permits were from outside of Africa. Non-African immigrants who received permanent residency permits made for 46.8%, this just shows that the widely held assumption that majority of foreigners are from other African countries are entirely false.

The former is perceived in a very positive light, European immigrants are accepted as ‘tourists’ and ‘investors’ who have everything positive to offer South Africa.

In South Africa there are a number of different names for foreigners, most of which have derogatory cultural meaning, the most popular being Makwerekwere, which not only refers to a black person who can’t fluently speak any indigenous South African language, but also one who isn’t civilized, one who is barbaric and primitive like a caveman. Apparently the word Makwerekwere itself is derived from the strange “barbaric form of stuttering” onomatopoeic way in which they speak.

In comparison to white/European (or rather non-black foreigners since this includes Asians/Indians); black foreigners are rejected as ‘amakwerekweres’ and ‘amagrigamba’ who have nothing constructive to offer South Africa. Immigrants are seen as contributors to the economic problems- and social ills of the country; from drug abuse to crime, sickness and unemployment.

THE BLACK REPORTWRITER: LETHABO AFRIKA BOGATSU

ILLUSTRATION: THAPELO GRIMMZ ALOYSIUS KEETILECOLOURIST: STUDIO LEETCHI

THE INTENSE FEAR AND/OR HATRED OF AFRICAN PEOPLE


Why do we South Africans look at black foreigners/immigrants as a threat to the interests of citizens and/or takers of jobs, bringers of crime and consumers of scarce resources and completely undervaluing their potential instead of seeing them as contributors to the development of a better South Africa and Africa as a whole, like we do their white European counterparts?

THE BLACK REPORT

Black on BlackWhile Xenophobia is defined as the unreasonable fear/hatred of foreigners, Xenophobia is actually more a form of racism, specifically Afrophobia- the fear/hatred of Africans, because as we have seen here in South Africa Xenophobia manifests itself as black on black violence.

The New Racism is racism practised by people of the same race against each other. In simple terms, it refers to black on black discrimination. This kind of discrimination is not always based solely on skin colour but on differences in culture, nationality, language, dress, habits and ethnicity. This kind of specific kind of racism/prejudice stemming from the perception of the other being socially and culturally inferior. It is our cultural differences-language, accents, customs and traditions, which are only further deepened by social and economic inequalities and frustrations that are at the source of this kind of “New racism”.

Instead of looking at foreigners/migrants as “a threat to the interests of citizens, as takers of jobs, bringers of crime, consumers of scarce resources and drainers of wealth” and completely undervaluing their potential, we should see them as contributors to the development of a better South Africa and Africa as a whole.


You’re black like who?In the xenophobic attacks of 2008, 21 out of the 62 people killed were actually South African citizens who were wrongfully ‘accused’ of being foreigners and were subsequently killed because of it.

It’s not just your passport (or lack thereof) that suggests whether you’re an (illegal) immigrant or citizen but also the colour/complexion of your skin to and the features of your face.

As Andile Mngxitama once said in article about Afrophobia,“blacks are illegal by mere appearance and the blacker you are, the more likely you are to be in danger of being arrested or threatened with deportation.” I’ve been told on numerous occasions that I look ‘too much like an African’, with my big bold facial features which all sit on a face that is on far end of a yellow bone, that I definitely can’t be from South Africa. I carry my ID around, to prove them wrong and shut them up, but also because I kinda feel safer knowing I can pop it out if I’m ever accused of being an illegal immigrant. As ridicualous as it seems, it has and continues to happen often, where innocent people are falsely accused and arrested for being illegal immigrants. It happened to Tito Mboweni’s son a few years back when he was travelling to Sandton in a taxi and it got pulled over at a road block, a police officer opened the passenger’s door, looked into the taxi as if doing a head-count and said to him ‘You! Come out’,” and continued “You’re a foreigner here, and as you don’t have a passport, we’re going to deport you. You’re under arrest!” It’s like we’re forced to carry ID’s around as if their dom passes. New age racism?

This incident raises the question, if Mboweni had been lighter in complexion or white, would this have happened to him? Most probably not.

This further proves that Xenophobia is actually another form of racism even negrophobia- the fear of black people, which has very little do with whether or not you’re from within the borders of South Africa, but rather stems from the hatred of the colour/shade of your skin, the language you speak (or in my case don’t speak).

Is it because we’ve always put such importance on selective ordering and grouping, which isn’t necessarily something synonymous with the segregation laws of Apartheid, but rather has long been a part of African culture. We’ve always liked to order and group ourselves in terms of culture, language, tribe, while this is a wonderful thing that makes us unique as (South) Africans, it is also what separates us. Zulus versus Xhosas, Tswanas versus Sothos, Vendas versus Shangaans/Tsongas, Igbo versus Yoruba, Tutsis and Hutus… This kind of counterproductive, anti-progressive selective ordering is almost like a self-loathing and inverted racism which dates back even before colonisation, slavery and Apartheid.

Right now, we as South Africans look at Africa with an attitude of disdain, we regard our fellow Africans as inferior to our brothers and sisters, we even deny that they are our brothers and sisters. I often wonder what it will be like in a few decades. Is there any hope for that idealistic dream of USA- United States Of Africa or will we as South Africans be turning on each other in a civil war, just as the ANC and the IFP did during pre the 94’ democratic elections (but this time without the underhanded influence of the white minority).

THE BLACK REPORT


CREATIVE SELF-STATERS

BETWEEN 10 AND 5 HARNESSES THE SOUTH AFRICAN CREATIVE CULTUREDigital publishing company Between 10and5 publishes a daily website at 10and5.com that serves as a curated online showcase of the best that the South African creative industry has to offer across a broad range of categories: graphic design, advertising, illustration, art, fashion, film, photography and music.

The agency only cover creative work made in South Africa or by South Africans.They publish daily stories; written and video interviews with artists, designers and creative entrepreneurs; original content series – weekly, monthly and annual; and branded content campaigns together with brand partners.

Some of the categories includes Fresh Meat, Young South Africa, Creative Women, Out of Office, Made In, Self-Starters, My Day Job, #NowPlaying, Oh WOW and Wishlist.

Between 10and5 hosts regular real world events in the form of exhibitions, art sales, film screenings, and creative talks under the name Show & Tell. Additionally, they also produce commissioned content campaigns for syndication on other publishing platforms and commissions artists to do exciting work with brands.check out the showcase at 10and5.com

BETWEEN 10 AND 5

CRAZYSEXYCOOL


DENISE ZIMBA

PHOTOGRAPHY

CrazySEXYCool are the few words to describe Miss Denise Zimba. We were all first introduced to her on the reality show Fly Chix. And since branching out from the show and the girl group, she has gracefully moved on to greener and exciting pastures, such as becoming one of the most entertaining presenters on Vuzutv. Denise added actress to her resume recently, starring in Generations as the “mischievous and unpredictable”, Mary. Lately, she is pursuing her solo music career – with the release of her two singles “Who are we” and “Change My World”.

Since the age of 13, she had already known that the entertainment industry was her calling. “The passion and the love for what I do is where I get the energy from. I’m obsessed with dancing, singing and acting”, she says in an interview with Sync in Tune with Q on Blacknation TV.

A strong believer in being yourself; which we have all seen on Vuzu, Denise has carried herself in an assertive manner throughout her career. Proving that if you are passionate about your aspirations, you have to work hard and simultaneously being fulfilled in the pursuit of success.

When she left the Fly Chix, she sought out to make her music career a success. With opportunities in presenting and acting, it allowed her to become a familiar face to the South African audience. This year is proving to be the year of Denise, the musician. She aims to enhance and innovate herself in this regard. She follows on the footsteps of the likes of Beyonce, she calls her a real influencer. She disregards all the stereotypes that have somewhat diluted the artist formation in South Africa today- such as how most females are only recognized if they are house music vocalists.

With her unique pop sound in which she aims to help refine the South African scene and she dares to be “the outcast”.Blacknation TV had the opportunity to documents the Behind the Scenes (Music Video) of her new single “Change My World”, where the crew got to witness

WRITER : KABELO SESHIBESTYLING: PRIME OBSESSION x SASH SASH

PHOTOGRAPHY: NZOLO EZEE BIDLA


PHOTOGRAPHY

her hands on work ethic, motivation and directorial role. The single is about how we go through various situations in life and the perceptions we have on life experiences.

A truly remarkable, articulate and an interesting character...That is how some of her friends and fans describe her. Denise preaches the importance of having industry knowledge and know how.

Denise started rapping before really finding and exploring her singing voice.

Birthday: 10 November 1988

Graduated from: TUT in 2010 with a Musical Theatre Diploma

You didnt know: She has played Princess Jasmine in a theatrical production

We didnt know: She started writing her own music at the age of 13

What you can anticipate from this promising multi-talented character is far beyond what you can imagine. It is certain that she will continue to thrill us on the screen. Check her out on Blacknation TV and VuzuTV.


MUSIC

BLOWING UPMusicians to look out for in 2015.Roaming around in these new artistic and creative spaces, I’ve come across the phrase “blowing up” quite a lot. “My nigg’ you’re going to blow up soon, man!”, “Ey yoh! That dude is about to blow up really soon bra, don’t sleep on him!” “You stay blowing up on these streets.” This phrase, “blowing up” fascinated me because I kept asking myself “what is this blowing up everyone speaks of” and started to really engage and immersing myself in these streets/circles to better understand what it meant and what it took to blow up.

I see now that South African music has officially “blown up” in its own right, and South African musicians are no longer playing second fiddle and following conventional music trends, but are rather on the main stage, redefining and creating their own unique sound. They are expressing a much deeper and freer truth, and coming up with fresh music and art that continues to impress a global audience. South African musicians are now far better empowered and exposed, and this isn’t through “turning up” or faking their way into the conventional “cool kid club”, where numbers of record sales are high and radio airplay is constant. They are truly blowing up in their own right and deserve an incredible amount of support from the locl market.

HERE ARE TOP 3 MUSIC BRANDS YOU SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO “BLOWING UP”

Mashayabhuqe Kamamba Anyone who has had the privilege of crossing paths with Mashaya, can definitely attest to his infectious energy, he is one crazy soul. He is a digital maskandi artist, who hails all the way from KZN, eMandeni. His energy alone is just one of the things that puts him at a level higher than that of others in the local music scene. When we first encountered his music, the vibrancy of this artist was really overwheling. IMashayabhuqe KaMamba brings forth an indigenous identity and merges it with our modern new age cool to create, and inspire a whole new culture and generation. It’s refreshing to know knowledgeable he is on art history, South African indigenous history and the ideals of what will move this country’s art industry forward. His latest EP offering “The Black Excellence Show” offers a strong story line and gives insight into his own experiences. Digital Mas’kandi is Mashaya’s, he has coined it and brought it to life in ways that truly resemble the home grown contemporary modern art. He is definitely a legend in the making.

The black excellence show on Soundcloud

WRITER: Q ON VOCALS


MUSIC

8 Bars ShortThis South African outfit features a vocal and guitar duo, Itai Hakim and Pelonomi Moiloa, with an eclectic sound. Writing about this duo is actually quite a nostalgic trip down memory lane, because they are both products of the budding wits talent dividion. At WITS you’d find these two at the most random places bonding over take away coffees and their guitars, harmonizing as if there wasn’t a rehearsal going on, or even lectures for that matter. What was definitely evident when watching them from a distance was their chemistry and effortless harmony, so their partnership with Motif Records would come as no surprise because not only are they consistent with their craft, but they perfect a sound which forces you to live out a different reality for a couple of minutes while listening to them. Their sound can be a fusion of native jazz with alternative and country elements. This universal sound would attract a substantial nichewhere ever igets distributed. Having watched this band grow right in front of our own eyes. we can vouch for a bright and global future for them. The real “blow up”.

8barshort on Soundcloud

FOR THE LATEST IN ALTERNATIVE MUSIC

SYNC IN TUNE WITH Q WEDNESDAYS 16:00


Lemapi Entertainment

Lemampi Entertainment is not just a hip hop outfit. This four piece crew includes Teeza, Krayze, Scarra and 3Two1 from Pretoria, The 012. What stands out about these guys is their ability to remain consistent and maintain a competitive edge whilst living in a relaxed city.. It could be argued that Pretoria lacks the level of urgency that we’ve come to equate with hustling and making your dreams come true in an energetic city like Johannesburg. Despite being from and based in Pretoria, these guys represent Pretoria positively but also consistently hard to maintain a specific and unique sound without fail. Their content is sound and crisp, their consistency is on point. The crew is also disciplined and focussed on the bigger picture which goes beyong money, girls and popularity - this is what makes them a strong brand and one you should definitely be on the lookout for.

lemapi_Entertainment on Soundcloud


KABELO

W

APPARELL // CANVAS SNEAKERS// SILKSCREEN/DIGITAL PRINTS // MUSIC VIDEOS// WEB DESIGN// ANIMATION // MUSIC //

www.grimetownsa.com


KABELO

W

FILM

HEAR ME MOVE Muzi is a mild mannered accounting student at a Johannesburg college. The son of a famous township pantsula dancer, he promised his mother to give up dancing after his father was murdered years ago at a street dance What Muzi doesn’t know is that his father’s death was not as everyone believed it to be. When his father’s former dance partner approaches Muzi to join his crew, “Sbujwa Nation”, Muzi has to choose between finding out the truth about his father’s death or disappointing his mother. What he doesn’t realize is that by joining “Sbujwa Nation”, he will make himself mortal enemies with Prince, the former leader of “Sbujwa Nation” who starts his own rival dance crew called “Ambi$hN”.

Muzi finds that fitting into a crew isn’t as easy as he thought it was. After years and years of being a solo dancer, he has to learn to work within a team.

Meanwhile, Prince is garnering support throughout the dance community by upstaging “Sbujwa Nation” whenever he can and making “Ambi$hn” a household name. He becomes an overnight success when he espouses the skhotane values of lavish living and splashing money, garnering a lot of support ahead of the big dance competition that everyone is working towards, named “Hear ME Move.”

Muzi has to dig deep and come up with something that the crowds have never seen before, while at the same time fighting to keep the crew together in the face of backstabbing, jealousy and his budding romance with Khanyi, the stunningly beautiful girl in “Sbujwa Nation” and Muzi’s school mate in college. Eventually he finds an old VHS tape that his father left him before he died, and that proves to be the game changer.

HEARMEMOVE.COM

SOUTH AFRICAN DANCE MOVE


THE “CROPPED” FLARED PANT

FASHION

We all know that looking for the perfect pant to suite your unique personality can be an endless mission, whether its bootleg, skinny fit or flared leg; these styles can either work for you or work against you.This is a new year with new beginnings and new fashion trends. There is a huge transition from the skinny fit to the favoured wider cut leg; this has been a rather slow transition but one we encourage. The flared pant also known as the bell-bottom or the Bermuda has simmered its way into men’s fashion, bringing back the timeless hippie look in a more contemporary way, this new cropped and flared pant requires willingness for change and an open mind.

The “new” pant has a certain kick to it, a unique aesthetic. It is cropped right above the skinniest part of the leg, the ankle, to create an awkwardly flared look, that is sure to make you look effortlessly chic like you travelled back in time with a first class ticket. This trend has been seen on various runways for spring/summer collections such as Mui Mui, Chanel and The Row to name a few.

This style will give you a sense of youthfulness which is slightly different from the maturity of the longer length flared pant. It is a timeless piece that was cut and transformed to create a more refined feel to it; it still remains classy. There are various style icons that pop up when you think of the flared pant such as Jackie O, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, these women embraced fashion, they wore fashion and fashion didn’t wear them, they defined fashion. One should wear this pant like they own the world, as if their lives depended on it; it is for the fearless, for the fashion lover.

This is not an easy style to pull off, confidence is what’s needed. At first one will be afraid to try this new style because of the hem line and the wide spread leg, but best believe you will be looking chic and cool and incredibly stylish. You might be thinking will it suite my body shape, well the truth is that it is not for everyone. Not everything that is made will suite everyone, whether tall and skinny, short and curvy, find the pant that you can rock out and feel confident in.

WRITERS: KENEILWE MOTHOA & SHELLEY MOKOENAIMAGES: ZARA.COM

THE “NEW” PANT HAS A CERTAIN KICK TO IT, A UNIQUE AESTHETIC


FASHION

Here are a few tips for wearing the Cropped flared pant:

THE HEM Probably the most crucial part of the pant, it is what makes this pant what it is, so the crop of the pant should be intentional looking, it has to hit above the ankle.

A GOOD SHOEShoes are like the heaven of an outfit, they give a certain aesthetic to an outfit, so be sure to choose the right shoe.

This pant will look incredible with a chunky block heel, get the most severe block heel you can find, one that will grab attention and you will be ready to step out. The pant also works with flats like your slides as well as brogues.

KEEP YOU PROPORTIONS RIGHTOk good people, here’s the deal; you cannot be wearing a flared pant and a top with flared arm. That is a fashion felony! Try a fitted cropped jacket or a top (not too tight).

ENJOY THE TRENDDon’t think about it too much. This is fashion. Your parents have done it, and you can too. This pant is a way to explore new fabrics, textures and prints, mix and match prints; pair prints with solids, dress it up or dress it down, this flared cropped pant can go from work to casual, to cocktail too, so have no fear the new pant is here.

FOR THE LATEST IN ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DECOR AND FASHISION

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ART


ARTILLUSTRATION: STUDIO LEETCHI

ART

BLACK NATION MAGAZINE 31 BLACK NATION MAGAZINE 31

ART


TECH BUYERS’ GUIDE

TECH YOU NEED TO UPGRADE IN 2015

Year after year, digital devices seem to get smarter but not always enough to justify replacing our trusty gizmos. This year, there are three essential technologies worth upgrading this year. “There are some real no-brainers that people should upgrade in 2015,” said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.

Most installed home routers today were designed to handle three simultaneous connections, each providing up to 1mbps internet line, he said. “With the addition of phones, tablets, streaming services, wireless speakers and thermostats, the number of devices connecting to home routers is skyrocketing.” Each household in the on average operates eight connected devices, according Martin Garner, analyst at CCS Insight, who sees “Connected Home” and “Internet of Everything” gaining massive momentum in

WRITER: KEN KAPLANIMAGES: INTEL.CO.ZA

ANALYSTS EXPLAIN WHY ADVANCES IN WIRELESS ROUTER AND BUILT-IN CAMERA TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE A BIG DEAL THIS YEAR.


TECH BUYERS

2015. All of this requires a router or gateway to connect to the internet. “Most routers in world today need to be replaced,” he said. They’re overloaded with more devices than ever before, but new routers are built with better technologies that can take advantage of higher download and upload speeds being offered by many internet services providers.

New wireless routers are built with technology called 802.11ac, which is three times faster and more stable than the now outdated 802.11bgn wireless technology. Also called 5G Wi-Fi, 802.11ac was introduced in 2012 and provides up to 1733Mbps of wireless connection speed. It works with new and older Wi-Fi equipped devices. “A router is something that you buy when you absolutely have to, and we often get something on the low end that just works,” he said. That needs to change.

“Spend as much as you can reasonably you can afford otherwise it’s like buying a car and not paying attention to the engine,” said Garner. Having a new modem can lead to a much better system overall, said Garner, because they are smarter and provide quality services by giving the optimal connect speed to particular devices. They can watch how each app loads and tune for best overall performance. “Some even have cloud services behind them for storage and accessing with different devices,” he said.

He recently bought the Netgear R700, which is a dual-band router that PC Magazinecalled “one of the top 802.11ac routers currently on the market for heavy-duty throughput tasks.” As of late December, it was selling for about $190.

Negear’s R8000 is among the top-of-the-line modems built to handle many devices at once. As of late December was priced at about $280. It’s designed to handle multiple devices on one network. It puts out a tri-band of Wi-Fi rays designed to give older devices 2.4Ghz connection that reach up to 600Mbps speeds. There is also a 5Ghz ray reaching speeds of up to 1.3Gbps for dual-band devices and third ray for 5 GHz for new dual-band AC Wi-Fi devices, which can also reach data speeds of up to 1.3 GHz.

Garner expects to see 900 different networking gear companies showing off new routers at the year-starting 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show, more than past years. The other technology that could spur desires for device upgrades focuses on built-in cameras that are bringing human vision to laptops and even tablets and All-in-One PCs.

Camera tech is evolving beyond the race for more megapixels into the world of 3D, said Wood. “It’s not just a camera anymore; it’s another sensor,” he said. “These technologies have the capability to really advance the experience you can get.” These cameras provide enhanced photography capabilities such as focus changing and the ability to measure heights and distances unlike today’s built-in cameras, said Wood.

“Dell Venue 8 tablets will let you use the camera to measure things so you can see if a couch can fit into a particular room.” Growing consumer interest in 3D printing means these devices can be used to create 3D renderings that can be printed out. These 3D cameras may be one reason to upgrade an old laptop, but Moorhead points out another. “If your PC is three to four years old, you should seriously consider upgrading,” he said.

“That next notebook could be two to three-times more powerful, depending on the workload. It could be 40 percent thinner, half the weight with twice the battery life and could convert into a large tablet. That’s a powerful value proposition.”


INSPIRATION

SUPREME BEINGWRITER: CHARLES J MUKEMBEILLUSTRATION: STUDIO LEETCHI

My understanding of life and how I see things has recently skyrocketed to the extreme because last year I came to the realization that I was created for dominion, you were created for dominion and we all were created for dominion. We were made to dominate on earth. Most of you use the word “dominion “often and maybe you have read it and heard of it in church but let me explain what it means to dominate.When God created the earth, the first blessing he declared upon man in Genesis 1:25, was “be fruitful, multiply, subdue and have dominion over the earth”. This mean that you were created to dominate everything on earth, every situation, every problem and every circumstance. You were born to have dominion and dominate everything in your life meaning that nothing in your life or on earth can dominate you. You are the dominator on earth through God, you have dominion power within you. This year I want you to think as a dominator in your mind, your thoughts, your actions and dreams. Think dominion, act with dominion and expect dominion in every area and aspect of your life.

The synonym of dominion is power and that what you were created to have, power and to desire power and that’s why you desire to be powerful all the time and you want to be around people who have power. Power gives you the influence to control your environment, to do what you want, live where you want and do what you want. Power is the reason why we all want to be rich, it’s not just about having money but about possessing power.

The main reason why we want to be rich is we want power to influence our environment and control our

environment. So in essence, it’s ok to want power because you were created for it, it’s a natural desire to want power because our destiny is Kingdom dominion. The whole world wants power, we all want to be in charge, we all want to lead, we all want to be kings and wealthy

Remember you either dominate or you will be dominated. We are created by the same God, we all want the same thing and we all have common desires to have power and dominate.

Twitter: @MMMMUKEMBE Kingdom Thinkers Revolution.


EVENTS

VMSWENKO POP UP MARKET BY STYLA GANGVmswenko Pop Up Market at Wits O-Week. All things fashion with local brands such as Butan, 5th Avenue, S.G.O.D and 2Bop. Trends ranging from bucket hats to five panels, snapbacks to throwback tees. Styla Gang holding it down on the street fashion scene. #GETWITUSGETWITIT.


Hosted at JoziHub in Milpark.he exhibition was aimed at illustrating that Art is found in all thing and it can be extracted from jewellery. Additionally, the exhibition was focused on promoting the collaboration of visual art and jewellery.

Visual artists got an opportunity to showcase their own interpretation of various jewellery pieces from SII, Style Is InCalculable. Art Is Currency showcased SIIC from a different perspective. The eye of the visual artist.

SIIC’S ART IS CURRENCY EXHIBITION

EVENTS

DISCOVER NEW TALENTS, FROM MUSICIANS TO DESIGNERS, INNOVATORS & MORE

FASTENERS TUESDAYS 16:00



TURN’T UP at Zen in Maboneng, JHBLong story short, it did. And what started off as a launch turned into the #TurnUp of the year thus far! DJ Speedsta, Kenzhero, Vardz, C-live and Boyzbucks headlining the show, all under the baddest tag team on these streets Hype x Hunters Extreme, ‘epic’ doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Tune into Sync In Tune on Blacknation TV for more www.youtube.com/youthcontent

HYPE MAGAZINE X HUNTERS EXTREME

EVENTS

C O L L A B O R A T I O Nstraatmate-egoli.tumblr.com

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STYLE VISION

This is a collaboration between Stylista and Blacknation Photography. STR.CRD 14 saw a lot of stylish Jo’burgers pulling out all the fashion stops.

STR CRD 2014

STYLE VISION


STYLE VISION

WITS OWEEK 2015

STYLE VISION

This week at Wits O-WEEK, fashion lovers came out showcasing their fashion flair at the at Vmswenko Pop Up Market.

TECH BUYERS

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