Philly stylists look back at boldest (and tackiest) suits from the 2003 NBA Draft

A lot has changed in the NBA over the last two decades.

There’s no longer a team in Seattle, despite the outcry from grieving Supersonic fans. A generation of “big men” have morphed into position-less perimeter threats, and the Denver Nuggets are NBA champions for the first time in franchise history. Oh, and there’s a new all-time leading scorer in LeBron James, who passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record back in February.

In the past 20 years, records have been shattered, new superstars have emerged, and college prospects are landing million-dollar brand deals before stepping into an NBA arena. But the hype around the NBA draft has remained. And on Monday, it will be 20 years since James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade’s names were called on draft night.

The 2003 NBA Draft is considered one of the greatest draft classes in league history. Not only were there four future Hall of Famers picked in the first five slots, but All-Star players Chris Kaman, Josh Howard, David West, Kyle Korver, and Mo Williams were also among the crop. But for all its glory, fans are convinced the ‘03 class is the worst-dressed group ever seen on draft night.

From the mountainous shoulder pads, overly buttoned suit jackets, curtain-length pants, and bulky silhouettes, Philly style blogger Sabir Peele said that year’s draft reminds him of Sunday service in the 1990s.

“The suits looked okay, but they had 16 buttons and a regular shirt collar on their jacket,” Peele said. “It was like people were dressing for what their perceived size was or something their grandfather might have worn, but not for their actual body. I don’t know who let them walk out the door thinking this was hot.”

While some fashion choices appeared inexcusable, Peele said, there were other layers worth considering: Hip-hop had a big influence in fashion during that era, and the presence of social media was largely nonexistent at the time. Neither Facebook, Twitter or Instagram existed in 2003, which likely forced the incoming rookies to rely on family members or friends for guidance. The result: “Just some big a** clothes.”

“Some of it has future application, but in terms of the actual design and cyclical-ness of the fashion, I don’t think this is going to come back,” Peele said. “Back then, there was no silhouette or shape.”

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Wade said players like Allen Iverson influenced his decision on draft night. “At the time, hip-hop culture was baggy jeans, Sean John jeans, hats to the side — that was the Allen Iverson culture,” the former Miami Heat star said. “That’s where the NBA was when we first got in.”

Even No. 10 pick Jarvis Hayes, who Peele said was dressed like a Baptist deacon, regretted the size of his draft suit. “It was the baggy suit era,” he told Bleacher Report. “I got (my suit) from a close family friend out in Georgia. I doubt if they’re still in business now if they’re still making suits like that. You wouldn’t catch me dead in a suit that size.”

Philly stylist Wayne Glassman, who owns Wayne Edwards Workshop, said the relaxed tailoring of the early 2000s was vastly different from the stylings of today, which favor more cropped, form-fitting looks with softer, more complementary colors.

“The players were just following the trends at the time,” Glassman said. “They had wide lapels with lower gorges. The pants were high-waisted, which allowed for a lot of drape, and there was fullness throughout the entire silhouette. Compared to today’s silhouettes, the trim is so much nicer.”

Looking back, Glassman said it’s easy to laugh at the suits worn by James and Anthony, but he’s seen younger athletes like Trae Young make similarly head-scratching fashion choices for the draft. “When he got drafted, (Young) wore a suit with cropped pants I’m not sure came down below his knees,” Glassman said. “He had on leather shoes and no socks.”

Glassman said certain athletes dress on the “costumey” side, while others take calculated risks to stand out. Then there are players and ex-hoopers who completely abandon the rules of fashion, he said.

Trae Young and his younger brother, Timothy, sporting their matching suits! #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/t3xt0ccQVJ

— NBA (@NBA) June 21, 2018

“Guys like Reggie Miller are pretty dapper, but if you look at someone like Charles Barkley, apparently others don’t care,” Glassman said. “Even sports broadcasters like Jeff Van Gundy, his suits look terrible. It’s really up to these athletes to put in the effort.”

With the presence of social media, and the popularity of tunnel walk photo ops, Peele said more athletes are leveling up their fashion sense. Instead of hiding their physiques under oversized jackets and lengthy trousers, players are opting for more natural-fitting garments. Some still pull out traditional suits, but the “blazer 2.0″ has become a more popular choice, he said.

“More guys want to be known as the ‘well-dressed athlete,’” Peele said. “Some come out suited, but others don’t want to be buttoned up, so they’re not wearing ties anymore. They’re thinking, ‘How can I flex and show that I’m still put together.’ I feel like that has become the thing.”

Players are trading in classic suit pieces for tailored pants and trucker jackets, and exchanging neckties for flashy necklaces and diamond-studded pendants. And as cyclical as the fashion industry can be, Peele doesn’t see the parachute suit pants or six-button jackets making a return.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

New Balance Basketball Stars Tyrese Maxey, Zach LaVine, and Dejounte Murray Talk Street Ball Origins

From its inception to today’s game, generations of basketball stars have conjured their hoop dreams on neighborhood blacktops, rec center gym floors, and makeshift home courts. Others made their name in different sports before discovering their on-court talents during gritty pickup games and street ball tournaments.

Those moments on the hardwood or cement floors defined their future play styles. They learned how to flick their wrist on their jump shots; kiss the top of the backboard on reverse layups, dunk over contested hands, and meld their skills and passions together to create their legacy – the same tireless pursuit of perfection that  New Balance has applied to decades in the footwear game.

Since 1906, New Balance has focused on being makers rather than marketers. They’ve  prioritized craftsmanship and impact over hollow accolades and fleeting moments of recognition and engagement. With the quality of its products, materials and partnerships, the brand has established an independent voice in the conversation of sports and culture, while inspiring a growing community of patrons proudly donning the letter “N” on their kicks. 

From the playground to arenas, big-name talents like Tyrese Maxey, Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray have been drawn to the New Balance brand and its connection to street basketball culture. These hoopers talked to Complex about their early experiences on their hometown courts and how those memories inspired their game and style today. 

Tyrese Maxey

Getty Images

Before Tyrese Maxey became a first-round draft pick, the Dallas native was outplaying hoopers his own age. He was running the baselines as early as 4 years old, and there wasn’t a place in the world with a ball and a hoop he didn’t want to showcase his basketball talents. “My father was a head boys’ basketball coach, and I would go to practice with him and play. If I couldn’t go with him, I would go to the park in my neighborhood and play or force my uncle to play with me,” he says. 

Under his father and uncle’s wing, he began learning the nuances of the game, and the two men shaped Maxey’s fast-paced and creative playmaking style and instilled his confidence off the court. That growing conviction allowed him to embrace the resistance of elevated competition, and it opened his mind to the benefits of street and recreational ball. “Pickup games and structure-free basketball teach you how to improvise and give you a better feel for the game,” Maxey says. “Pickup games bring out a different level of competition; guys are going at you, and they have much to prove.” 

Now, the 22-year-old scorer wants to give aspiring hoopers in Philly the same experience he had in his youth. By pouring into the city’s parks and recreational centers, he feels it will increase community engagement, round out young players’ games and inspire others to capture the grit and relentless attitude he adopted on Dallas’ outdoor courts. “It’s extremely important; it’s the blueprint of basketball; it connects you with the people from all walks of life within the basketball community,” the University of Kentucky product says. “It builds a different layer of toughness. I’ve recently started to connect with some of the public park leagues here in Philadelphia; I’m looking forward to working with them and seeing what I can do to help push and keep the culture moving forward.”

Dejounte Murray

Basketball always came easy to Dejounte Murray. He dropped 35 points in his first rec league game, and did so well, he was convinced the rims were too low. Fortunately, he was wrong, and that day foreshadowed his future career as a professional athlete. 

Like Maxey, the Seattle native’s coronation into the sport was through his uncles, who made a hoop out of laundry baskets to play basketball indoors. Outside the house, Murray says they played on two hoops with missing backboards, and he followed his uncles wherever else they spotted a suitable court and competition. “I played everywhere my uncles played, which was our house, school, churches, and local outside courts,” Murray says. 

By competing in outdoor pickup games and rec leagues, the former University of Washington star found his love for organized ball and street hoops, and recognized the need for both forums. Murray said it toughens the skin of players. “Streetball is so important because it allows you to fall in love with the game of basketball, hooping freely and competing harder than ever, so I definitely believe it’s really important and it produces the best hoopers,” he says.

Between pro ball and streetball, Murray almost prefers the freedom he felt on the playgrounds and rec gyms he played on as a kid. The 26-year-old defensive stopper says he’s excited to see the best streetballers between Seattle and Atlanta, and his plans to return to the blacktop might be in the cards this off-season. “Streetball is the real deal. I prefer that hoop more than anything, and the league is the league; [it] turned my dreams into reality, and [me] proudly representing my family,” he continues. “In the off-season, I’m training and playing with my teammates at our practice facility and even outside too. But sooner rather than later, I want to take my 5 and go play against some of the local best in Seattle and Atlanta.”

Zach LaVine

For player Zach LaVine, his early streetball days didn’t begin on an actual street. In fact, not even above ground. Instead of a nearby park, rec center, church or playground, his professional athlete aspirations first bloomed in the basement of his childhood home. Before the high-flying scorer was in Pre-K, his dad set up a hoop and backboard inside the underground space. 

From an early age, the two-guard was destined for a career in sports. His mom was a softball player in college and his dad played football professionally as a linebacker. But after trying his hand at different sports, basketball quickly rose up the leaderboard, and he traveled wherever his newfound passion took him. “I played everywhere, from local parks and rec centers to high school tournaments,” the two-time All Star says. “On weekends my mom, dad, and sister would drive around looking for different parks that had different nets and rim heights.”

As he traveled around and beyond the suburb of Renton, Washington, LaVine said the experiences sharpened his game and focus, and prepared him for the physicality he would later face in his college and pro career. “Whenever you’re a young athlete, it’s good to learn how to compete in a team sport; It teaches leadership, toughness, and sportsmanship,”“ he says.

LaVine said the playground and local rec centers are where the game feels the purist, so it’s no surprise most players cite their hometown courts as the place they found their passion for basketball. Some of his fondest memories were playing alongside his dad in pick up games, who would elevate over YMCA hoopers long before LaVine was posterizing power forwards and centers. Looking back, the former UCLA standout says those experiences are valuable for any young basketball player. There are people of all different sizes and various skills when playing pickup games. Not only did that enhance the versatility of my game, but it taught me always to stay ready,”LaVine says. 

– COMPLEX for New Balance

6lack Feels Good To Be Back In Motion

In the five years since his last album, 6lack has been on a voyage of rediscovery. While hits like “Ex Calling” and “Prblms” established his penchant for moody and atmospheric tales of heartbreak and loss over mid-tempo jams, the East Atlanta artist has taken on a new creative direction.

Veering from his grayscale vocals and mellow-tone raps, his new album, Since I Have a Lover, unlocks a chamber of new inspiration both musically and on his own personal journey.

“Time has been a little bit of a loop,” 6lack tells MTV News over Zoom. “It was a lot to learn. It was a lot to handle in my personal life. It was a lot to mature and grow from. And I think that the weight of having people waiting on you is something that you can't really ignore. It's not like it doesn't exist, so it feels great to have that weight off and to just be back in motion.”

On Since I Have a Lover, the airy vocals of the artist, born Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr., float over breezy, pop and acoustic-driven instrumentation on “Chasing Feeling” and “Wunna Dem,” and 6lack flirts with dance (“Temporary”) and wallows with Caribbean, beach-front tunes on “Decatur,” allowing his artistry to roam free.

“I think it's been super important to grow in between each project, and not even just musically, but personally,” he said, referencing the “moody” tenor of his 2016 debut, Free 6lack. “It felt like somebody trying to figure their way out of the situation, and East Atlanta Love Letter started to peek at where we could go with it within the realms of R&B. I think this album production-wise allowed me to express every feeling that I feel. Some days I might feel more pop or [alternative], and some days I might feel more traditional R&B or rap. It varies and it kind of plays to how relationships vary — everything isn't just one feeling or one color.”

The 19-track offering is an exercise of 6lack’s versatility. He melds inklings of his Atlanta trap roots with guitar-strumming and flowy tracks, all revolving around themes of self-healing (“Spirited Away”), positivity, and the mystifying powers of love on “Preach” and “SIHAL.”

For 6lack, this new direction was a “gradual blossom.” While there were cookie crumbs on 2020’s 6pc Hot EP that pointed to this more immersive effort, the Baltimore-born artist said the new album’s title, partly inspired by his relationship with R&B singer Quin, helped spark a new flame. It also drove him to create an open letter to his fans, which he hopes answer the questions that have loomed in his musical absence.

“I feel like the title more than anything it’s a response,” 6lack said. “It kind of serves to answer every question. Like, ‘Where have you been? What have you been doing? What's the theme? What's been inspiring you the most? Why haven't you been outside?’ Any question that you could possibly ask me, I think ties back to the title Since I Have a Lover. Having to be accountable for yourself is one thing, but having somebody next to you who can really look at you and see you for what you do right and what you don't do right and tell you just a hundred percent straight up, that helped me really hone in on where I wanted to be in my personal life and where I wanted to be creatively. It was like, ‘OK, I got to get my shit together. And once my shit is together in my personal life, then I know that will help inspire what I make music-wise.’”

But the shift was no easy feat. To embrace his new sound, he had to let go of the sorrow, regret, and heartache he internalized for Free 6lack and his romantic skepticism and stories of failed love quests that bled into his second effort. Once those thoughts were steered, once he focused on the treasures of his newfound relationship, and once he waived his past transgressions and mental blocks, 6lack sank into a new music-making paradigm, and the album poured out and turned into sonic gold. On “Spirited Away,” he says: “You know I got my vices, on the real / No, I ain't always nice, but I’m always real / It’s gonna take me some time to break off my pride / But I’m learning to show up, learning to slow up.”

“The process was only hard when I was resistant to change and to acknowledge that my life is different now,” he said, referencing how he’s stopped letting others’ perception define his personal and artistic growth. “I’m not sulking, I’m not depressed, and I’m not going through what I went through in 2016. If you even try to start a song that way, you might as well stop because that's just not it. And if you continue, that's what we call perpetrating, and I'm not here to portray anything for a specific award or category. I just want to make what's true to me.”

6lack’s sonic transformation was one he felt both he and his fans needed. In a world where negativity draws headlines and tilts the algorithm on its scale, the 30-year-old artist said it’s his responsibility to share notes of positivity. And on Since I Have a Lover, he never falls short of his mission.

On “Preach,” he raps: “Who am I to capitalize without giving back? / We all human but I can’t go a day not feeling Black / I made my money, but to my audience, I’m still attached / It’s like I know the whole world just wants that feeling back.”

“I think that the toxic theme has been populated and I think that it is honestly a lot easier to pull from depression, from heartbreak and breakups. And to me, that's easy,” he said. “It's harder to talk about good things. It's harder to make that translate or resonate with people. It is harder to make that sound cool. The world is only getting crazier, so if I can be at least a portion of the good that's coming out, then that's my job.”

His exploration doesn’t end with SIHAL. Along with feeding his current inspirations, the “Float” artist plans to collaborate with Quin, the very lover that inspired the new album title, and possibly lock in with Spillage Village group-mate JID for an upcoming collab project.

“I'm just going with the process, but I hope it continues to be something different,” he said. “I don't ever want to make the same album twice. I don't want to be in the same bag twice. I'm not telling the same story twice. There will never be a Free 6lack 2 unless I end up in a situation that puts me there, and let’s hope I don’t have to because that’s not what we’re looking forward to at all.”

– MTV News

Breaking barriers and opening doors: Philly artists are finding new spaces to showcase their creations

Few spaces are as essential to Philly arts as the city’s history-rich museums and art galleries. The institutions house some of the most prized artifacts and antiquities in the country, and serve as a domain for unknown artists to become international fixtures.

But for Lauren Fiasconaro and other Philly-based creatives, the barrier to entry is often too steep, forcing many artists to turn to local cafés, restaurants, bars, and other alternative spaces to showcase their artwork.

“This is definitely something that’s been cropping up more and more,” said Fiasconaro, 30, who’s currently displaying her cyanotype photography at Northern Liberties’ Mammoth Coffee. “More than half of my ideas came from seeing artwork in places that I wasn’t expecting, and there’s some amazing work in places and venues you wouldn’t expect.”

Philly sculptor Jonathan Santoro, 39, said local artists have taken matters into their own hands.

“Groups of artists are growing tired of white cube galleries and rejecting the status quo while being intentionally anti-commercial,” he said. “More artists are taking the reins and displaying their artwork how they want.”

Rather than wait for spots to open at established art institutions, artist Sue Moerder began hosting small showcases in hair salons, restaurants, bars, and even pet shops under the group philacitywithart. She started the 500-member Facebook page to forge more opportunities for local artists to display and sell their work without having to jump through hoops to get into galleries and museums.

Moerder, who makes sculptures from animal skulls, said the city is flooded with local talent, but the exclusivity of certain spaces has led many artists to seek other ways to sell their work and make ends meet.

“Galleries are great, but they’re very hard to get into,” Moerder, 62, said. “I think one of the harsh realities of being an artist in Philadelphia is that many people can’t survive solely doing their art. Most have to work to support it, which is a shame because there are too many talented artists. And when you’re exhausted and you’re mentally drained, it’s hard to create. It’s frustrating.”

Recognizing the shortage of accessible art spaces, Gleaner’s Cafe owner Stephen Hencheck fills the shop’s walls with the work of local artists as a way to spotlight the city’s talent and build the confidence of newer creatives hesitant to display their designs.

With the cafe’s name partially inspired by Jean-François Millet’s painting The Gleaners, Hencheck said the decision to add these works was an important one. Not only has the move drawn more eyes to local artwork, it’s helped struggling artists fully profit from their creations, rather than fight for higher commission splits in more traditional spaces.

Hencheck allows creatives to fully profit from their work, while more notable galleries have commission splits that teeter between 30% and 50%, he said.

“We just try to keep a starving artist from starving so we can look at their work,” Hencheck, 44, said.

“If your business is your community, you should make it your business to support that community. That doesn’t apply to everyone, and it doesn’t have to. If creativity and culture are what you believe your base is and what makes the neighborhood your business is in, why wouldn’t you try to support that?”

Through partnerships with nearby galleries, the Fitler Club is combining the influence and resources of established spaces to fuel its own alternative venue.

The urban social club has Philly-made pieces throughout its center, a move Visual Arts Director Tricia Maloney said has connected the club’s members to the city’s creative forces, and given more local artists a platform to spread their wings.

“Our hope is that there may be a lower barrier to entry to engage with the art in a place like the Fitler Club,” Maloney, 41, said. “It’s not a gallery — we tried to take that intimidation factor out of the equation, even to the extent that I coordinate the program and I don’t have an arts background. It’s really about relationship building.”

Fitler Club cofounder Michael Forman said the addition of alternative art spaces doesn’t diminish the importance of established art institutions in Philly. It’s an added way to support local creatives and place a brighter spotlight on the work they produce.

Along with the Gleaner’s Cafe and Fitler Club, Fiasconaro said venues and organizations like Persimmon Coffee, Underground Concepts, and Feminist Flea are opening doors for artists in the LGBTQ and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as others that have been marginalized by their race, ethnicity, sexuality, and identity.

Having these spaces, Fiasconaro said, is key to a more inclusive and well-rounded arts scene.

“Historically, gallery spaces are and can be very inaccessible for a lot of people,” she said. “I have definitely encountered that as well. But I’m seeing more inclusivity in this trend of alternative spaces, which is amazing. It’s been a long time coming.”

Fiasconaro is hopeful more opportunities for artists of all creeds will open up in museums and galleries. And as Philly creatives continue to carve out nontraditional platforms, the artists and businesses receive the support they deserve.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Resetting the metronome: Philly beatmakers build community through monthly meet-ups

Dan Brightcliffe knows the isolation of beatmaking. All the hours spent fixed to an MPC drum machine or needling through sample packages on a laptop can be grim even for the most withdrawn of producers.

To forge a culture of collaboration, Brightcliffe, 33, and fellow producer Quinton “Q No Rap Name” Johnson, 30, host Flipabeatclub, a monthly beatmaking event that is generating buzz and building community in Philly’s music scene.

Since August, Johnson and Brightcliffe have drawn producers to Cratediggaz Records to create hip-hop, house, and electronic beats in tandem. Some dig into their vinyl collection, and others use computer programs or phone apps, but what brings them together is their love of beatmaking and eagerness to connect.

Philly’s FABC looks to reset the metronome by bridging the gap between artists and producers, and expanding the club’s reach beyond the city’s borders.

“There really hasn’t been much of an outlet for people who make sample-based music,” said Brightcliffe, who produces under the name “Philth Spector.” “It seems like there’s a slight disconnect between the people who make beats and the people who rap, which is one of our goals outside of just giving producers a platform and a network to create.”

Dan “Philth Spector” Brightcliffe (standing far right) checks the progress of the beatmakers during the Flipabeatclub monthly beatmaking event at Cratediggaz Records, 711 S 4th St., Phila., Pa. on Fri., Jan. 20, 2023.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Producer Matt “$LiMs” Leahey, who has been a part of the Philly club since its inception, said FABC is etching a path for beatmakers who create boom-bap and lo-fi tracks, and veer away from the trap-heavy sound of mainstream rap. The monthly meetups are also big for Philly rappers, many of whom haven’t caught the same gleam as artists in other cities with hip-hop influence.

“I think [FABC is] really important because Philly doesn’t have much of a hip-hop scene in the same way that Atlanta, New York, or L.A. [does],” Leahey, 21, said. “Most rappers in Philly that I’ve seen come up in the last decade — except for superstars like Lil Uzi Vert, Meek Mill, and others — don’t really break out of Philly.”

Leahey said the same problem goes for the local beat scene. But with the presence of FABC, he’s confident things will turn around.

Bob Fisk, who owns Cratediggaz, said FABC is the grounds from which producers can perfect their craft and form connections with Philly rappers, songwriters, and singers. And in time, breathe new life into the city’s soundscape.

“There’s so much talent in the city, it’s crazy,” Fisk, 39, said. “There’s always been the existence of it. New York had the clubs, but we always had the talent.”

At each meetup, club members craft a beat from a chosen sample, then play their records on a Zoom call with FABC chapters in L.A., Toronto, D.C., and Sacramento. And at the end of each month, their beats are packaged as a compilation and released on Bandcamp.

The Sacramento club is helmed by FABC founders Donell McGary and Armando Montesinos, better known as “Dibia$e” and “Mon$rock,” who started the beatmaking network in November 2021.

Back then, only a handful of creatives met at Sacramento record store Twelves Wax for a session. But after a surge in COVID-19 cases, McGary and Montesinos moved the sessions to Zoom, which quickly drew in viewers like Brightcliffe and others from countries as far as Tasmania and Turkey.

“Being a hip-hop producer has always been guarded, like you don’t share your secrets,” said Montesinos, 43. “But it’s important to spread love, connect with people, and have those interactions.”

One of the club’s original members was Johnson, a Dallas native, who used to drive from Vallejo to Sacramento to make beats alongside McGary and Montesinos when he lived in the Bay Area. Before he moved back to Philly, Johnson talked to Montesinos about bringing the FABC brand to the East Coast.

Quinton “Q” Johnson of Phila. (right) gets Gregory Bissell of Phila. set up so he can broadcast his beat during the Flipabeatclub monthly beatmaking event at Cratediggaz Records, 711 S 4th St., Phila., Pa. on Fri., Jan. 20, 2023.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Johnson, unsure of the new chapter’s direction, met Brightcliffe at the first event in Philly, and brought him on as a cohost. Inspired by the Sacramento club’s success, Johnson wants to bring Philly’s beatmaking sessions to a live audience.

“They built like a Wu-Tang of beatmakers out there,” the Mount Airy resident said. “I don’t know if it was planned this way, but now they have built up a lineup if they ever want to do a show … Our plan is to do something similar.”

Philly FABC member Gregory Bissell, 29, said he saw the chapter’s growth in attendance and impact after just three meetups.

The Louisville, Ky., native, who started making beats in 2020 to pass the time in quarantine, said the club’s beatmakers have already collaborated on shows with local artists. And with more members, showcases, and meetups outside Cratediggaz, he believes the music scene can reach new heights.

As FABC looks to stretch its reach even further, McGary, 46, said Brightcliffe, Johnson, and other chapter leaders just need to stay the course.

“There’s a five-year plan,” he said. “If we do this, and we do it well for the next five years, it will do wonders. It’s only going to magnify.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

No fade on prices: Why Philly barbers are charging $100 and up for haircuts

Kenneth Carruth IV, the North Philly native known as The4thKen on social media, has made waves (literally) with his haircut tutorials and videos. The 20-year-old barber has amassed more than 1.8 million likes on TikTok, with his biggest video reaching over 2 million views. But it’s not always his clean lines and tight fades that are attracting attention.

In one video, Carruth showed off a mid-fade and noted, “My client paid me $80 for this haircut.” Other videos list prices well above $100. While some viewers were in favor of the price tag, others called the haircut a “scam” and wrote how their barber could do the same job for $15.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Carruth also charged $15 per head. But with more demand, and the rising cost of running a business, he had to raise his rates.

“I feel like pre-pandemic, barbers were undervalued,” Carruth said. “Now, barbers are starting to realize their worth and see that it’s not just about the cut. You’re providing an experience.”

And he isn’t alone.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, haircut prices rose 6.8% in November 2022 from the same time a year before, which is the largest annual increase since the fact-finding agency started tracking the category. Men — who are used to paying with a single bill for their cuts — are noticing.

In the past, local barbers engaged in price wars with neighboring shops to have an edge on clientele. If one shop offered cuts for $20, another would offer them for $15. But the pandemic crippled small-business owners, said Damon Dorsey, 61, president of the American Barber Association. Barbers and other service workers were among the hardest hit.

To stay afloat, many chose to raise their rates.

Southwest Philly barber Nicky Prosseda, 40, said the seismic blow of the pandemic also inspired barbers to sharpen their business practices.

From the mid-20th century to recent years, Prosseda said, barbers enjoyed the benefits of cash-in-hand transactions and tax-free loopholes. But as the industry evolved, the slow rise in haircut prices didn’t match the hikes in beauty product prices, booth rentals, and Venmo and CashApp fees. And for many, it made barbering unlivable as a primary income source.

Prosseda, who charges $75 a cut, is the director of Philly’s Modern Male Barber Academy. “I truly believe that there’s this kind of pain for the sins of our forefather barbers and the past owners,” he said. “They didn’t teach us the best things in the industry, so you pass it down.”

Based on data collected in May 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that most barber salaries range between $22,430 and $53,260. Prosseda said that may be barbers’ reported income, but a lot have been making $50,000 to $100,000 for years. And with even more resources at their disposal, he estimates they will start to rack in upward of $150,000 per year going forward.

Along with better business practices, Dorsey said, barbers are now able to leverage their social media presence to draw in more clients willing to pay top dollar. Apps like Booksy and StyleSeat help barbers manage customer information and schedule haircuts. Barbers like Carruth have used them to expand their brands beyond their corner or neighborhood.

By building his social media brand, Carruth was able to open his own barber studio in Kensington. After turning his social media followers into loyal clients, he saved enough money to get a business license and land the small commercial space in August 2021.

“I know a lot of barbers that are great at cutting hair, but they suck at running a business,” Carruth said. “And with that, you can’t charge what you want because you’re just going purely off skill.”

While most of his clients understand his raised prices, West Philly barber Jalen Thompson, 23, said he’s had customers leave to look for lower rates. Thompson, who charges $45 to $75 for haircuts and more than $120 for house calls, is comfortable with that risk.

“We stopped being hustlers and turned into CEOs,” he said. “I became a barber because I love cutting hair, but I also knew how much money there was to be made in this industry. ... There’s an opportunity to retire early and really enjoy life and take on other business ventures.” Prosseda agrees that it’s allowed him and others to live a better, more balanced life.

“A barber’s career is not one of mental easiness or physical, so you have to raise the prices for the barber to have a work-life balance where you can put your kid on the bus, and go be the coach to your son’s football team, or whatever it is. You have to raise the prices in order for that to happen.”

The fruits of the industry, Carruth said, are enjoyed by barbers who learn how to adapt. Along with cutting different hair textures and embracing products like semi-permanent dye, man weaves, and other enhancements, it’s important to provide other services like hair washes, snacks, TV, and WiFi.

“There’s a lot of older barbers that are stuck in their ways that refuse to change, and unfortunately, they’re more than likely gonna get left behind,” he said.

Overbrook resident Ian Watson, who’s been a client of Carruth’s for nearly a year, said customers are willing to pay for the right experience.

“Depending on the quality of the cuts and the level of professionalism, people will pay to avoid the stereotypical barber,” Watson said. “I say it’s worth it.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Visual Artist Joshua Vides Discusses Creative Collaboration with GilletteLabs

Joshua Vides is a creative marvel in true form. 

Having lent his artistic powers to design products for brands like New Balance, BMW, Converse, Fendi, Puma and others, the California-based creative director is never short on innovation. For more than a decade, Vides has fused his passion for streetwear and graffiti and poured it into his craft. His production studio Reality to Idea has served as the perfect incubator for his footwear and apparel designs, sketch artwork and other creations to take shape. 

Before becoming a premiere name in streetwear and design, Vides worked for The Hundreds, SSUR, The Seventh Letter and ComplexCon as a designer, salesman and marketing manager in 2009. Around the same time, he founded the streetwear brand CLSC, a $500 project that later became a global entity with 400 retailers and a storefront on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. 

Vides decided to step away from CLSC in April 2017 and used the brand’s success as momentum to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. Vides launched Reality to Idea in January 2018, and the design studio and production house has been a platform for him to explore his love for black and white monochromatic mediums and spread his wings artistically. Whether designing sneakers and apparel pieces, customizing iconic BMW silhouettes or putting on limited edition art exhibits, Vides has shown no signs of slowing up. And his recent collaboration with Gillette at this year’s ComplexCon is proof. 

The brand’s design and innovation hub, GilletteLabs, and Reality to Idea came together for an activation booth that offered an interactive look at the shaving experience. The Reality To Idea-designed booth highlighted GilletteLabs’ latest innovation, GilletteLabs with Exfoliating Bar, a razor that combines shaving and exfoliation technology. And as a continuation of the partnership and a testament to Vides’ versatility, he customized cleats for NFL Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mac Jones for the My Cause My Cleats program. The two football stars wore the cleats during the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills matchup on Dec. 1.

For Vides, the GilletteLabs collaboration, and others he’s stirred over the years, was a chance to embrace his own creative instincts and showcase the power art contains. “As a visual artist, I find collaborations to be an avenue of self-expression on different mediums and products,” Vides explained to Complex. “Showing off how anything can really become a canvas and art Itself.”

Complex recently caught up with Vides to talk about his artistic inspirations, the details of his creative process and how art can be a tool for philanthropy. 

(The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.) 

COMPLEX: How was it designing the GilletteLabs activation booth at ComplexCon?

Joshua Vides: ComplexCon is always something I enjoy being a part of. Reality To Idea was excited to partner with Gillette because it’s an iconic brand that most men have used since they first started shaving. They gave Reality To Idea the creative space to help bring their GilletteLabs brand to ComplexCon attendees in an innovative and authentic way. It was a great experience bringing the GilletteLabs booth to life, and everyone at ComplexCon had a great time with the photo booth and shaves with the Gillette Barbers.

How did the collaboration between your company Reality to Idea and GilletteLabs come together?

The collaboration really came together through the common mission that we share. At Reality to Idea, we are always looking for new ways to be at the forefront of culture and innovation. When GilletteLabs approached us to showcase their latest innovation of GilletteLabs with Exfoliating Bar, we knew it would be a cool partnership.

You’ve partnered with some of the biggest brands in the world – Fendi, MLB, New Balance and others – but what about this project piqued your interest?

I’ve been lucky to partner with so many celebrated brands. In the men’s grooming space, Gillette is often viewed as synonymous with the category, so when I was approached, I saw it as an opportunity to bring my skill set to another brand that has an incredible legacy and continues to create innovative products.

What was the inspiration behind the design of the activation?

We wanted the design of the booth to remind people of a barbershop, with a Reality to Idea spin. We used our signature black and white color scheme and added pops of bright green, which is an ode to the exfoliating bar on the GilletteLabs razor and packaging. Gillette wanted to do something completely different than last year’s ComplexCon booth, but (the brand) still wanted to emphasize the unique experience that the barbershop provides.

Could you detail what the creative process was like? Were there any challenges along the way?

I think there are always some unique challenges that present themselves when working with new products, especially when it comes to designing on such a large scale. It was important the GilletteLabs booth and the design of the smaller original pieces we made for the gallery all worked well together in the space.

You designed the cleats of NFL Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mac Jones ahead of the  New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills game on Dec. 1. How was that experience?

I always enjoy working on shoe projects and collaborations. I have been painting on shoes since high school, so for me, it really feels like second nature. It was awesome to get connected with Josh Allen and Mac Jones, who are Gillette athletes, to work on their My Cause My Cleats cleat designs. I wanted to make sure they felt the design reflected the charities they are both representing – Mac Jones with Boys & Girls Club of America and Josh Allen with the Patricia Allen Fund. I was so happy to play a part.

The designed cleats are being auctioned off and the proceeds will go to charity as part of the My Cause My Cleats campaign. Talk about how important it is for you and other artists to be a part of these kinds of initiatives.

It’s important to me to find ways to give back through my work, and team up with partners who do the same. As an artist, I’m able to showcase the power of art to all different audiences, including through the cleat designs for Allen and Jones. I’m excited to see what the winning bid is for both sets of autographed cleats. Gillette and I will also be matching the donations from the online auction.

Bid on Mac Jones “My Cause My Cleats” Cleats here and Josh Allen’s “My Cause My Cleats” Cleats here.

— Complex

Community Vegan makes veganism accessible for all through familiar, savory bites

On the corner of East 11th and Lydia streets, the sweet aroma of Community Vegan’s savory bites draws onlookers and customers to the bustling food truck.

The micro-eatery has become a popular food spot in the East Austin Cultural District with dishes such as oyster mushroom wing baskets, beer-battered cauliflower chicken sandwiches, avocado bites and the truck's signature Vegan Lickin' Good Buckets.

Nearly every meal is crafted by co-owners and vegan cooks Marlon Rison and Ericka Dotson, who shape the restaurant’s flavorful dishes to satisfy cravings for nachos, chocolate milkshakes, southern fried chicken pieces and other popular items.

“It’s all about flavor, right? I know we’re bringing that to the block,” Rison said.

As the Community Vegan name spreads through the city's dining scene, Rison's face grows more familiar, too. Inspired by the logos of KFC, Wendys and other food chains, his radiant smile is at the center of the food truck's sign and its branded products. But beyond the logo, Rison's magnetic energy is the heart and soul of the East Austin operation that opened in September 2021. 

Along with its brunch and main menu items, Community Vegan also offers raw, wildcrafted sea moss packages from Dotson's company, Lott’s Herbs & Remedies; Dotson is a certified herbalist. Sea moss is a species of red algae that grows on coastlines across North America, the British Isles and continental Europe. Advocates say when it's consumed in supplement form, it can help improve heart and gut health and strengthen the immune system.

After seeing an advertisement for Community Vegan, North Austin resident Jai'Sun Alexander stopped by the food trailer in March and since has become a loyal customer because of the eatery's variety and Rison's personal touch.

"(Rison) does a really amazing job at engaging with all of his customers, whether they're first-timers, regulars or whoever," Alexander said. "He makes sure everybody's enjoying themselves or enjoying the food and enjoying the atmosphere. He does a really great job at making great food and making an even greater experience out of it."

Success is still a surprise for Rison. 

“We didn’t expect to create a product and service that could grow into this,” he said. “Like yo, let’s pay these bills and have some fun and be responsible. But fortunately, we’ve been able to do more than that.”

Despite the focus on vegan and herbal options, Rison said they are not trying to convert non-vegans to a meat-free lifestyle with Community Vegan. Only about a third of their customers are vegan, Rison said, and the goal is to broaden the minds of patrons by introducing a veggie-based substitute for the foods they already enjoy, including menu items such as Crab Cake Totchos, "I Used To Eat Fish" Filet Sandwich and Chilli Cheeze Fries.

"By no means are we ‘diet food’ and we don't even put it out there," Rison said. "For us, what we want to do is expose as many people as possible to vegetables, and if that means making it comfortable, we'll make it easier to digest."

Community Vegan co-owners wants to inspire others

Before opening Community Vegan, Rison was a radio host in Dallas and weighed upwards of 360 pounds. As a former powerlifter, he ate chicken, fish and turkey constantly throughout the week and consumed 350-400 grams of protein daily. He quit eating beef in 2004 and pork over 30 years ago, and he decided to make a complete switch to veganism after watching the documentary “What The Health” on Netflix in 2017. 

The film, which focuses on the role of food in health, inspired Rison to take his health into his own hands. He altered his diet – cutting out all meats and processed foods – and dropped 140 pounds in the process. 

Under the “Plantbased G” name, Rison started to share his health journey at speaking engagements and posted vegan recipes and cooking demos on his Instagram page. After seeing his audience grow on social media, Dotson encouraged Rison to write a digital cookbook filled with his top recipes.

In 2020, Rison released “The Quarantine 15,” an e-book filled with 15 (plus one bonus) vegan recipes curated by the Victoria-native.

Rison said he was driven to share his passion for plant-based foods and to encourage other people of color to pursue healthier diets, especially people susceptible to high cholesterol, heart disease and other serious health issues.

“We’ve got some of the worst health out of any of the groups that are out there, and it’s because of what we eat and we’re trying to change that tradition in terms of what we eat and how we eat it,” Rison said. “We want to make sure we give (patrons) options that are veggie-based and healthier for you, and hopefully, that will kind of change the way they approach food.”

Months after the release of the ebook, Dotson and Rison started thinking about opening their own restaurant.

Rethinking his life's path during the pandemic

While Rison enjoyed a career in radio, he said time spent in lockdown made him re-evaluate his life’s purpose. Instead of working for a corporate brand, he wanted to pursue something that added to his family’s legacy, and establishing a restaurant was at the top of his list. 

“For me, I said I have to be more responsible for taking care of myself, my family and my loved ones,” Rison said. “(Dotson) was still hitting me with the idea of the food truck thing, and then I said to myself, you know what, that might be the move for me to take control of my future, my destiny and build something that I can pass down to my kids and grandkids.”

Rison didn’t know whether it would be a traditional brick and mortar space or food trailer, and the only commercial dining experience he had before Community Vegan was as a cook at Popeyes at age 16. Dotson, a native Austinite, saw the potential in a mobile vegan restaurant in the central Texas city. 

The couple scoured the web and saw a listing on Craigslist for a 1973 Winnebago Chieftain in San Angelo. They drove three hours out to the seller, who was willing to lower the price of the rugged 27-foot-long RV once he heard their plans to open a restaurant.

They towed the RV to Austin and spent 10 months and thousands of dollars to gut the worn trailer and replace decades-old appliances. Once the kitchen and other items were installed, Rison and Dotson commissioned local artist Andrew Horner, known as APSE, of the ColorCartelto give the food truck its signature coat and began taking their first orders for food.

To find a home for Community Vegan, Rison and Dotson also reached out to Stuart King, president of King-Tears Mortuary on East 12th Street, who referred them to Austin Revitalization Authority President and CEO Gregory Smith. He directed the two co-owners to the Lydia food truck park.

"We knew we could thrive in the East Austin Cultural District while securing the presence of a Black business on the block," Rison said.

Sharing East Austin’s history, reclaiming the district’s influence

Dotson, the great-granddaughter of Ira Lott and Viola Madison Lott, who built a thriving lumber and housing business in the area, said there’s no better corner for the food truck.

Growing up in East Austin and Round Rock, Dotson said it was an area she used to speed past, as crime was an all too familiar occurrence during the 1970s and 1980s. But she said East Austin also was a community filled with Black and Latino-owned businesses and cultural happenings that reflect the area’s rich history. 

Over the decades, the character of East Austin has transformed dramatically as high dollar residential and commercial real estate companies razed old buildings, priced out longtime residents and crippled the traditionally Black community's past influence.

With Community Vegan’s placement, Dotson said she wants to reclaim the district’s cultural roots and remind folks of the area’s origins. 

“With us being planted here, we can share the story about what was here,” Dotson said. “At one time, it was a happy time. My mom would talk about the time there was a theater down here, and they would all take the bus down and go shopping and all sorts of things. But it’s turned into something very different. So, it’s time to turn over the lead, but with us included. It’s important our faces are here.”

Plans to open second food truck, vegan grocery store

After a year in business with the food truck, Dotson and Rison said the next step is to expand. The duo is working on putting together a second food truck in the fall that is drivable and can directly serve patrons in all corners of the city.

As far as big picture goals, Rison said he's thinking about building a Community Vegan grocery store somewhere in the East Austin Cultural District. That way, more people of color will have access to vegan ingredients and herbal supplies. 

Rison's hope is that Community Vegan becomes a national brand. But right now, he said his focus is to continue advocating for healthier lifestyles and continue putting smiles on the faces of the customers and community members who support the business. 

“We got to represent the block and say thank you,” Rison said. “This is our opportunity to say thank you every day. With every meal, we show our appreciation.”

— Austin American-Statesman

For The Record: How Clipse’s 'Lord Willin'' Established Virginia’s Foothold In Rap

On their 2002 debut album 'Lord Willin',' Clipse’s drug-slinging rhymes and the Neptunes’ pop-centric production established Virginia’s foothold on street rap.

As rap moved into the new millennia, the industry abandoned the antiquities of its past and widened the margins, drawing in musical talents from all corners and elevating them to astronomical heights. Street rap duo Clipse was instrumental in the geographical shift, with 2002’s Lord Willin' establishing Virginia’s foothold on coke rap and a new era of lyrical titans.

By the early 2000s, hip-hop’s maturation was in full swing: Atlanta was building towards its future reign, the boom of Houston’s hip-hop scene was on the horizon, and Virginia’s spotlight grew brighter over the decade as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes crafted the era’s most innovative sounds. 

While Timbo went on to guide the careers of Ginuwine, Aaliyah and Missy Elliot, local legend Teddy Riley brought Pharrell and Hugo under his wing. As the Neptunes, the two produced records for the likes of  Ma$e, N.O.R.E. and R&B groups SWV and Total. Eventually, the duo revisited their relationship with two childhood friends who would later chronicle their hometown’s booming drug trade under the moniker Clipse. 

Virginia-based MCs and brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton aspired to leave a life of selling drugs in favor of cooking up hit records. With the help of Pharrell, Clipse signed to Elektra Records in 1998, and by the next year, had an album, Exclusive Audio Footage, ready to hit retail stores. 

"That album was nothing more than friends together doing something they love," Pusha explained in a 2002 interview with XXL. "No outside interference, no arguing. It was all happy times."

Despite a record slated for a 1999 release date, the group’s triumph was short-lived. The album’s lead single, "The Funeral," failed to make a mark outside of Virginia radio, and the project was shelved. While the album was heavily bootlegged for years — and mysteriously released on streaming platforms this May — the two brothers were dropped from the label.

"I’m gonna tell you who was disappointed the most," Pusha recounted to XXL. "That was Pharrell. He was like real hyped about working with [established artists] but he’s always been like, ‘Yo, we gotta show them how we do it.’"

Determined to shepherd their career success, Pharrell build up enough cache to establish Star Track Entertainment with Arista Records in 2001. He brought No Malice and Pusha in as the imprint’s first signees and released their debut album, Lord Willin’, on Aug. 20, 2002. 

Boasting guest spots from heavyweights like Jermaine Dupri, Jadakiss, Styles P, Faith Evans, Fabolous and others, Lord Willin is a mesmerizing journey through the Thortons' roots in the Indian Lakes section of Virginia Beach —  an environment that fed their hunger for life’s treasures and fueled their rap careers. 

"It was really about establishing identity, and, like, putting our flag in the ground," Pusha recalled in a 2012 interview with Life +Times. "We basically wanted people to understand and know where we were coming from — no one had ever seen this side of Virginia before. We knew that this music was a bit newer."

The Clipse were outside of what the Neptunes were doing, Pusha continued. "This was at a time when Pharrell was hot, the Neptunes were hot. He was on every hook from Nelly to Mystikal, everybody" and is the first voice on "Grindin'." "The intro…basically set the tone for all of those maneuvers and moves. It was just like, 'This is what we are, we’re different. This is the streets, this is Virginia, this is new, this is risk-taking.' Playas, we ain’t the same. You know."

Led by street anthem "Grindin’" and radio smash "When The Last Time," the album is laced with sooty tales about the duo’s drug-and-gun dealings and the glamorized corruption of their past hustle  ("Virginia"), a lifestyle sown from the pillars of their own family tree. On the LP’s "Intro" No Malice raps, "Scouts honor, started with my grandmama / Who distributed yay she had flown in from the Bahamas."

All 13 tracks are produced by The Neptunes, who were at the peak of their powers and fresh off collaborations with Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Usher and other artists. The Clipse meld their minimalistic and radio-seeking production with the rawness of No Malice and Pusha’s coke-slinging rhymes on "Cot Damn" and "Gangster Lean."

Along with the riches of big-time dealing on "Let’s Talk About It," No Malice offered a sign of empathy on "I’m Not You," rapping, "To feed poison to those who could very well be my kin / But where there’s demand, someone will supply / So I feed them their needs at the same time cry / Yes it pains me to see them need this / All of them lost souls and I’m their Jesus."

The production of Lord Willin’ doesn’t always match the gravity of No Malice and Pusha’s mountainous themes and enthralling anecdotes, with the pop-ish sounds of songs like "Young Boy" muffling the accounts of their upbringing. But by all measures, the Clipse’s debut placed the military town and tourist city on the hip-hop map — a foray that was driven by the duo’s vivid lyrics and the Neptunes’ generally immersive production.

Clipse’s first full-length showing landed at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and sold 122,000 units in its first week of release. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on Oct. 1, 2002, and sold upwards of 950,000 copies as of December 2009, according to Nielsen Soundscan. In validating its classic status, Rolling Stone also ranked the album No. 12 on its 100 Best Debut Albums of All-Time list. 

Lord Willin’ sparked Clipse’s continued success and popularity. Their 2006 follow-up Hell Hath No Fury is now a classic, while the We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series with Re-Up Gang members and Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and Sandman is beloved. But in the years since No Malice and Pusha’s third outing, Til The Casket Drops,in 2009, their musical paths couldn’t have grown more detached.

While Pusha has built a stellar solo career with the same coke raps and command he came to the game with, No Malice found solace in his faith. He distanced himself from the rap industry and altered his former moniker "Malice" on Twitter back in 2012.

"Can you imagine how many people went to jail listening to things that I said? Forget everybody else and other rappers and other groups, think about how many times people got pulled over, went to jail (and) my record playing in the car," No Malice told Vlad TV in 2017. "Think about how many times somebody’s head was blown out, and the theme music is still playing."

The brothers have collaborated sparingly over the years, with the group coming together for Pusha’s "I Pray For You," Kanye’s "Use This Gospel" and on the I Know Nigo! compilation cut "Punch Bowl." Every time the duo reunites, fans clamor for another classic from the group, including King Push, who, admittedly, is just as uncertain as the public. 

"I talked to him this morning and he was like, ‘Yo, I’m hearing what people saying,’ but he’s not committing," the "Diet Coke" rapper told The Breakfast Club in April. "Regardless of whatever perspective he wants to attack it from, me and him are creative enough to definitely make it work. That’s not an issue, it’s just him and what does he want to do."

It's been two decades since the release of Lord Willin', but the album has only appreciated in the years since No Malice and Pusha first put the city of Virginia Beach on their backs. While the older Thorton has squared his focus on his spirituality, and Pusha has forged a path as the "Martin Scorsese of street rap," their contributions will remain linked and their legacies forever immortalized.

– The Recording Academy/GRAMMY.com

Beyoncé’s Biggest Sonic Pivot Yet Finds Inspiration In The Past

From the moment Beyoncé announced her seventh studio album, Renaissance, in June, the Grammy-dominating artist sent the Beyhive into hysteria as the fandom clung to every sign pointing to the project’s new sonic and artistic directions. With the release of lead single “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé strayed away from her signature surprise-LP motif, opting for a standard rollout for the long-awaited project that included an internet-shattering British Vogue spread, mysterious box sets, and an open letter published to her website that detailed the gravity of the new release.

Renaissance is Beyoncé’s first solo album since the cultural and visual landmark Lemonade in 2016 and follows the 40-track compilation Homecoming: The Live Album and the soundtrack record The Lion King: The Gift in 2019. She revealed that the July 29 arrival of Renaissance came after three years of recording during the pandemic, a moment of stillness that she “found to be the most creative.”

“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” she wrote in the letter, which went live the day of the project’s release. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world.

Beyoncé dedicated the album to her Uncle Jonny, whom she described as her “godmother” and the person who introduced her to the vibrance of dance music and the transcendent spirit of Black and Latinx queer culture that she captures in Renaissance. She also paid homage to the “pioneers who originate culture… the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long.” On “Pure/Honey,” Beyoncé samples the hit songs of New York club icons Kevin Aviance (1996’s “Cunty”) and the late Moi Renee (1992’s “Miss Honey”). She also enlists Nigerian superstar Tems, Jamaica-born rapper Beam, and “Slave to the Rhythm” singer Grace Jones, gifting fans with an electrifying step into dance music that roars with an ultra-femme and self-empowering energy.

While fans and critics praise Beyoncé’s spotlight on legendary dance songs and artists, there’s been controversy surrounding writing credits and samples on Renaissance — a reality when honoring the greats of any musical past by including their work. The singer removed an interpolation of Kelis’s 2003 hit “Milkshake” from “Energy” after Kelis posted a series of Instagram videos and comments saying she was unaware the song would be sampled on Renaissance. Beyonce also changed a line on “Heated” to remove a term that’s considered ableist.

The album — which boasts credits from heavy-hitters like The-Dream, Syd, Honey Dijon, Hit-Boy, and others — is lush with dazzling grooves and a liveliness made for the enchanting dance floors of the clubs, ballrooms, and kiki houses to which Beyoncé pays homage in what is only the first act of a forthcoming trilogy. Little is known about the two future albums, but Variety reported one or both will feature country-leaning tracks, and many fans predict a further descent into dance music or a return to her R&B and pop roots.

The momentum surrounding Renaissance was nearly squandered when the album leaked online two days before last Friday’s release, but the Beyhive remained patient, awaiting its official drop, and have since basked in the project’s house, disco, Afrobeat, electronic, and techno-driven sounds.

Had to re listen to Beyoncé Renaissance…From the Album title i expected a project w/ in-depth story telling though it’s only act i of a trilogy & w/ great assumption she giving a play theme,so act ii should be story/climax & act iii would be the resolution. https://t.co/zRAvUDM2F4

— SaintRoyll⚜️ (@SaintRayon) July 31, 2022

Renaissance is Beyoncé’s first full venture into dance music and arguably the biggest sonic pivot she’s taken in her career. Inspired by the legacies of disco queens Donna Summer, Robin S., and Teena Marie, Beyoncé conjures hip-swinging tracks like “Cozy,” “Virgo’s Groove,” and “Move.” She pierces the sharp riffs and sensual euphony of “Plastic off the Sofa” with ballad-level vocals.

While the creative direction of Renaissance seems novel for Queen Bey, a few songs in her catalog may have hinted at the eventual artistic shift. They aren’t as bold as her recent effort, but “Blow” and “Haunted” from her 2013 eponymous album have inklings of dance and techno tucked in the background. Featuring production and writing credits from Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, J-Roc, James Fauntleroy, and Justin Timberlake, “Blow” is emblazoned with a funk and disco flare later heard on the new album’s “Summer Renaissance” and “Cuff It.” “Blow” even managed to peak at No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Songs chart in 2014.

The songwriter behind “Haunted,” New York musician Boots, said the song was partly inspired by the music of Aphex Twin, who’s known for his ambient and techno styles. The song has a largely minimalistic composition, but its more upbeat moments hint at an atmospheric and darkened electronic sound later explored on the pulsating and thudding “Heated.”

There are other parallels to dance music within Bey’s oeuvre before Renaissance, like the techno-inspired “Radio” and “Naughty Girl,” which interpolated Summer’s 1975 classic “Love to Love You Baby.” Those records illuminated what was to come from the artist, and the direction of Renaissance is in line with the 28-time Grammy winner’s desire to explore exciting new creative passages.

With Beyoncé and Lemonade, the Houston-born singer-songwriter inspired other artists to seek new visual bounds and abandon the age-old album rollout for the wonderment of a surprise drop. She centered her music and 2018 performance at Coachella, later dubbed “Beychella” by fans, on the culture of historically Black colleges and universities, incorporating a marching band, J-setting choreography, and a step show.

Before then, Bey and her hubby, Jay-Z, released the collaborative album Everything Is Love in 2018, with the duo clearing out the Louvre in Paris to film the music video for lead single “Apeshit.” Beyoncé later followed that up with The Lion King: The Gift as well as the 2020 musical film and visual album Black Is King, which saw her step into the world of Afrobeats with “Find Your Way Back,” “Already,” and the Saint Jhn, WizKid, and Blue Ivy-assisted “Brown Skin Girl.”

In all its glory, Renaissance stands on its own as an alluringly fresh artistic dive for the legendary pop star, and its projected (and unsurprising) success is a testament to how well she’s maneuvered creatively. The album is expected to take the No. 1 Billboard spot in its first week. The new dance-forward release has further cemented Beyoncé’s place as an international fixture and luminary artist, and with two other installments reportedly in the works, there may be more achievements to come.

– MTV News

A passion forged: Founder of Austin Warrior Arts shares love for martial arts

At 9 years old, Da'Mon Stith knew his life's purpose. He was going to be a ninja, and there wasn't an invading kick, sword or blade powerful enough to stop him. 

When Stith was 8, his father gave him a toy sword with a bright red ruby on its hilt and a streak of jewels that led to the plastic white blade. It was about as sharp as a cafeteria spork, but once he got his hands on the flimsy dagger, no other toy in his collection mattered and his young, swirling mind was fixated on the world of martial arts. 

What was once a young boy's dream has grown into a lifelong passion, and Stith has explored every corner of it through his practice, his teachings and his own armory. He discovered his true identity in the process.

Growing up with Bruce Lee and Taimak as idols

Before then, Stith idolized martial arts legends and movie stars like Bruce Lee, whose high-flying kicks, rapid strikes and cosmic-level charisma drew the young padawan in. He imitated Lee's moves and tried his best to embody his effortless swag. 

Stith's obsession with martial arts culture grew once he started studying karate at age 9. But with his passion came confusion and, for a time, a sense of self-loathing and displacement. As he was going deeper into East Asian art forms, he was unknowingly pulling away from a culture of his own. 

Without any notable Black martial artists in movies or on TV screens during the era, Stith said he clung to the Asian actors of classic action films and shows of the 1970s and '80s.

"I would tell my mom and other people I was Asian, and I don't look any part of Asian," Stith said. "It was different, but things happen in pieces and in stages. When I found my inner-self, it was like holding my breath for a long time and finally being able to breathe."

It wasn't until Stith saw 1985's "The Last Dragon," which starred Taimak as Leroy Green (or Bruce Leroy), that the 11-year-old Austin native saw a martial arts hero that looked like him and shared his affinity for the combative arts. 

Taimak's Bruce Leroy character became a figure of inspiration for Stith, who started studying karate more intensely when his family moved to Okinawa, Japan, for his stepfather's job on a military base. Okinawa — the birthplace of karate — is also where Stith first recognized African history as his second passion, a discovery that later led to a 25-year career of teaching and practicing African martial arts. 

Through the teachings of his eighth-grade teacher Ms. Gross, Stith learned about the kings and queens of ancient Egypt and the leaders of African empires who ruled the continent and conquered neighboring lands. 

Stith discovered his love for capoeira, African warrior tradition

Stith was struck by his teacher's history lessons, and he started researching warrior traditions rooted in Africa and throughout the diaspora. His curiosity grew after he was introduced to capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that was created by enslaved Africans in the South American country in the early 16th century. 

Stith, who was studying Jeet Kune Do at the time, began studying capoeira after watching the 1993 film "Only the Strong."

As with "The Last Dragon," Stith was enraptured by the sweeping movements and high-flying kicks in the movie. But more anything, he was drawn to the art form's ties to Western and Central African culture.

"People who looked like me were doing a martial art that I felt I had a kinship to," Stith said. "It wasn't based in Asia or Europe, it was an art form that was very Black and African in its presentation and it filled that void for me.

"I didn't understand the art. I just heard the music and saw the movement and it connected with me."

After moving back to Austin at age 17, he became a capoeirista and began studying the movements of Detroit-based martial artist Kilindi Iyi. He saw an advertisement for $80 worth of Iyi's videos in Black Belt Magazine and watched his instructional tapes for hours on end.

From there, Stith adopted Iyi's deceptive kicks, Zulu and Egyptian stick fighting techniques and sweeping takedowns from historical African martial arts and incorporated them into his form of capoeira. 

Stith said the art form opened up his stiff frame, allowing him to enter a state of free flow he never experienced in other disciplines. But capoeira also debunked the thought that African people willingly gave up their bodies, their names and their cultures during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

He began practicing and teaching his own style of the historic art form

As he dove further into African history and martial arts, Stith recognized how many Black men and women fought to obtain their freedom and retain their heritage, often times using the combat skills they learned as warriors of battle. 

"What we're told is they brought us over, we were slaves and lost everything, but capoeira shows that we resisted what was happening to us by taking up arms and passing on our DNA and culture," he said."We tried to retain what we had in this motherland to the new land, which would become the breeding ground for new martial arts found in the diaspora."

By 1997, Stith was teaching to students capoeira da rua, or capoeira of the streets, which is a more practical form of the Afro-Brazilian style that he and his training partners developed in Austin. 

Stith started teaching alongside other martial artists at various sites around town and on the University of Texas campus, including the Anna Hiss Gymnasium and an undisclosed space they nicknamed "The Boiler Room" that a faculty member opened up for his group.

He taught students of all ages and backgrounds the footwork, bladed weaponry, counter and defensive strikes of capoeira. And ever since then, Stith has dedicated his life to teaching the art form. 

"I felt I had a purpose and a destination I was heading toward," he said. "I'm the best when I'm doing teaching and sharing my practice. Seeing them grow, being a part of their lives and giving them a piece of their culture makes me feel good." 

Stith began making the weapons he spent years wielding

In 2012, Stith formed the Guild of the Silent Sword, which includes his group of students and experienced capoeiristas. Even before then, he and fellow capoeira practitioner Jeffrey DaShade Johnson started making African weapons under the Street Forge Armory name. 

At first, the duo wanted other companies to make their weapons, but when they saw how costly it would be, they started crafting them on their own.

Stith and Johnson make sickle swords, short and long takoubas, filipino swords, nimcha sabre and other items under the armory brand inside of Co.lab, a creative space that's free for residents of color. They have shipped custom pieces across the country and as far as Australia and Germany, with items priced between $30-65. 

"I love using swords, and now we have the ability to create and make these instruments that can be used for destruction but also require skill, math and science," Stith said. "It's a good feeling to have a skill nobody can take from you. As long as I have access to material and tools, I can provide for my family and there's something very empowering about that."

While the brand has been official for some time, Johnson said Street Forge Armory really got its start when he and Stith were kids.

When Johnson was 9 years old, he also idolized the martial arts icons of the time and began making his own swords from hacksaw, duct tape, hammers and a screwdriver as a chisel. In Japan, Stith created his own weapons by hammering down old golf clubs and shaving them down into make-shift katana swords. 

The two Austinites didn't know each other then, but their passions would bring them together in 1999. Johnson trained under Stith and years later he decided to go into business with him, hoping to enlighten others with the skills that come with capoeira and the confidence that sprouts from the knowledge. 

"What we're finding is people want to be more healthy and more confident in themselves, but when they go to a mixed martial arts gym, they don't see people like them, or the people that look like them don't identify or think like them," Johnson said. "We're trying to make it accessible to everybody in the community."

While Johnson was aware of the martial arts rooted in Africa and the diaspora, he said there are few people as well-versed on the history and are able to pass it on to students as seamlessly as Stith. 

'It's honestly been a healing space for me'

Four days a week, Stith teaches hand-to-hand combat and stick and sword training to students as young as 8 at his Austin Warrior Arts studio at 9705 Burnet Road. On Saturdays, the groups meet at Mueller Park to trade friendly blows with Ancient Egyptian, Ethiopian and North African weapons. 

Student Natalie Joy, whose been working under Stith for a year, said she's found community in a city she's long felt isolated, especially in the martial arts world. 

"It's honestly been a healing space for me," Joy said. "I've always loved martial arts, but I always felt in those spaces kind of 'othered.' But in this space, I feel very included and very accepted. It is healing to do something that my ancestors did way back, and another way I can connect with them and that's very important and impactful for me."

Beyond learning the combative stances, student Erika Crespo said Stith has lifted her confidence and opened her heart at times when she's needed it most. 

"Coming to these classes has helped me learn how to get close to somebody and trust them," Crespo said. "When you come from a trauma history or you're anti-social, you don't get close to people. But in this case, I had to learn how to go with the flow and trust that I don't react too much out of fear or anxiety. I'm really doing something that's making me feel whole and it's been a hard but really beautiful journey."

In continuing his practices and weapon-making, Stith's dreams as a ninja have taken shape in other ways. While he's far from an agent of espionage, he's dedicated his life to education and craftsmanship, and he's looking to amplify everything with the opening of his own studio.

Having taught at local schools, community center, daycares, fitness centers and other spaces for 25 years, Stith said having a place fully dedicated has been his ultimate goal, and he's been living it for the past three months. 

Stith said he has the studio, but they need help keeping the doors open until they can build up their student base, so he and the Austin Warrior Arts team started a GoFundMe  to help pay for the space's rent. 

So far, the group has reached $9,115 of the $12,000 goal from current and former students of Stith and community members, which Stith said is a testament to the support and importance of African martial arts and history. 

"It's like mind-blowing to be honest," Stith said. "I can't describe what it feels like having this space and knowing it's dedicated solely to this is really humbling."

– Austin 360