WORDSPJ Some
封面明星 - Prettyboy 做
創意總監 - Derrick Odafi & Jessica Rushforth
創意製作人 - Jessica Rushforth 和 Derrick Odafi
攝影師 - 芭芭拉普雷莫
視覺總監 - John Serunjogi
造型師 - Malcolm Yaeng
造型師助理 - Gloria Iyare
佈景設計師 - 傑西卡·拉什福斯
MUA - 祝福 Kambanga
STUDIO - 拍攝更多照片工作室
我們覺得你身上有一種好戰的光環，你認為它來自你爸爸嗎？
P：是啊，我爸爸是個硬漢，他第一次對我說我愛你是在今年。我和他的關係總是要向他證明我是值得的。在去年之前，我們已經有 5 年沒有說過話了，只是為了讓你知道他有多努力。我覺得我去年從他那裡得到了驕傲。
我談到它。我仍然做商業的東西，但我覺得人們需要聽到真實的東西。我之前在我的歌曲中提到過，我們從來沒有說過話，我經常覺得人們不會在尼日利亞音樂中談論它或說那些東西。我的父母不想讓我聽音樂，但我必須通過向上帝祈禱和工作來向他們證明我值得這樣做。
就像在你的一首歌“Deh Go Hear Weh”中一樣，你會聽到關於我的意識形態。
P：是的，就是這個想法，基本上是整個國家。你在這裡看到我的兄弟 - 指著他的經理 - 他是一個大人物，乾淨的數字音樂大亨。但是如果他穿成這樣來到尼日利亞，他們就會像這個人在做什麼，他在做欺詐嗎？因為在尼日利亞，他們只知道醫生/律師。
這就是我為之奮鬥的目標，在尼日利亞，他們並不真正尊重音樂可以帶你去哪裡的工藝。前幾天我告訴他他們只相信醫生和律師很聰明，我他媽的很聰明。
下一個問題，漂亮男孩的名字從何而來？
P：DO 是我的首字母縮寫，漂亮男孩來自我媽媽和姐姐，因為他們曾經這樣稱呼我，我也是搖滾樂的忠實粉絲，他也經常使用它。
你希望女性伴侶具備哪些特質？
P：忠誠……她只需要為某事而努力，不管是什麼，她必須對它有熱情。
紫色西裝：約翰·勞倫斯·沙利文
豹紋襯衫：Edward Crutchley
珠寶：Rathel Wolf
Prettyboy DO 的星光熠熠
就像第九期的“野火”一樣
當您想到 Afrobeats 時，尼日利亞藝術家很可能是您心目中的形象，我們知道他們擁有許多強大而有影響力的名字。開創性人物 Prettyboy DO 是當前來自非洲音樂強國的有影響力的藝術家名單中不容錯過的人物。這位出生於新澤西州的突破性藝術家提供了一種充滿活力和活力的聲音，不會讓您坐以待斃。這些聲音與他古怪的風格無縫匹配，從他在 COLORS 上的“Jungle Justice”和其他非常成功的單曲（例如“Same Energy”和“Chop Elbow”）的表演中，您可以清楚地看到這種創造力的反映。 Prettyboy DO 是一位走鋼絲的社會評論和實驗音樂的藝術家，將這些性格特徵歸功於他的環境和個人影響。 Prettyboy 本人和他的音樂一樣有趣，受 Dennis Rodman 和 Sisqo 等人的影響，他的個人風格和能量從頭到腳都與眾不同，從他五顏六色的頭髮到他富有表現力的風格感。
在他最近發布的最新項目之後，受聖經啟示錄啟發的名為“野火”的 EP； Prettyboy DO 已經能夠在 Afro-Pop 和 Rap 之間產生分歧，炫耀他的多才多藝，這使他與眾不同！被稱為 Alte 界的王者，毫不奇怪，他的影響力隨著音樂傳播，營造出迷人的氛圍。繼續他的旅程，這位歌手/說唱歌手似乎有一個明確的目標，那就是成為最偉大的人，一路上激勵人們，鋪平自己的道路。
WORDS Hiba Hassan
“音樂讓我成為一個男人。我一直熱愛音樂，即使是在孩提時代，但更喜歡音樂的時尚方面。大吉、馬斯、圖帕克…… ”
NW: You started off in photography, why do you think that was the first pillar you were drawn to?
RM: The first thing I did was styling, but as time went on I realised I was more interested in photo and capturing those moments and emotions than I was in putting the clothes together.
NW: Did you have to change any habits from working with photo and then transitioning to video?
RM: I think with video I just need to think more in motion or in movement as opposed to thinking in still because when you get used to thinking in still everything is a moment. Whereas in motion you can’t just have people standing about all the time you have to think about the movement. This led to dance-related stuff, I’ve always been interested in dance so a lot of the videos I’ve done have incorporated dance movement. I think using that in my video was kind of like a safety to me because I didn’t really have to think too much on what the video would be.
NW: Let’s talk about Hard Ears, your photography book released back in 2016, meaning ‘if you don’t hear, you will feel’, how did that fit into your life growing up?
RM: She would say it all the time growing up if we didn’t listen ha-ha. I guess I wanted to use it because through doing it [Hard Ears] I was going my own way instead of following that editorial route. I think Hard Ears will have a comeback though, maybe not in the same format but as something in my life.
That was curated in 2016, back then I was at the beginning and trying to find a space for myself, I guess it is the same thing I'm doing with this space [HOME] just a different medium. I've grown so much and learnt so much that now I look at it and think ‘this is awful’…
NW: No, really?
RM: Yes, awful. I think that's natural though like outsiders can see it with fresh eyes whereas I can only ever see the mistakes. I value it and appreciate it because I invested in myself and the things, I think are important. But what it is, the next one, whatever it will be, I know where it will be if that makes sense. I don’t think I’m interested in publishing in that format anymore, so we will see how it makes a comeback.
跳投：3 Paradis
珠寶：Rathel Wolf
帽子：卡拉
太陽鏡：造型師自備
NW: You said it came out of the frustration towards commercial and editorial industries, looking back at that now, have you seen a shift in focus in those spaces?
RM: Not really, it’s the same thing. Of course, there are more people of colour doing things, but there are still gatekeepers and we now have gatekeepers of colour which is, of course, better but still the same thing. A lot of people still get excluded, it has changed for the positive, but I don’t think the format has changed making it still the same. The power shift hasn’t really happened, and all those big titles and big publications still have the power. Until people are ok with doing other things then they will maintain that.
Of course, things have changed, the things I used to look at before I started have changed but for me is not enough.
NW: What more do you think can be done to illuminate those creatives?
RM: Going to those spaces, buying into those brands, in 10 years from now we will be the big thing but only if we support each other in growing it. I think what we need to do as a community of people of colour is really back and support each other. And also collaborating more, bringing our spaces together, and creating more of a generational power, I think it's more exciting that way.
Full Look: Richard Malone
Jewellry: Aymer Maria
這有點注定，這是一個過程，但你不知道這個過程是什麼。
P：是的，你不知道在遇到人的過程中會發現什麼。事情變大了。是上帝。這是上帝和工作。
除了音樂，你還會做哪些有創意的事情？
P：電影，我導演了很多音樂視頻。我可能會進入電影，這取決於我去那裡的雄心和意願。我真的很想現在開始。
你有造型師嗎？如果不是，它從哪裡來？
P：我只是在 Instagram 上，保存東西然後混合起來。
我們最喜歡你的項目之一是你的 2018 項目，你最喜歡創造它的時刻是什麼。
P：當我回到拉各斯時，我去了伯明翰和洛杉磯，那一次我決定放棄一個項目。然後我和我的表弟進行了一次談話，他告訴我“你必須放棄一個項目，放棄一些東西並了解你的聲音，就像你的單身人士正在流行一樣，你很興奮，但需要了解你的聲音”。太好了，一旦他說我很酷，讓我們走吧，讓我們開始吧。我有一堆我已經錄製好的音樂，去倫敦錄製 2 首歌。去拉各斯，開始和我的孩子們一起錄音，雨果，然後我們有兩個。現在我們可以舉辦一場表演了……我很生氣，我討厭行業政治，如果我們努力工作，你就能努力工作，讓我們去吧，讓我們抓住這個機會。我和我一起去參加一個表演行業 n****s tryna f**K 我很生氣。但演出結束後，我很生氣，我去了他的工作室，告訴他給我演奏一些東西，那個節拍讓我感到最快樂。拉起
“ 平等，一切都應該平等。沒有階級主義、部落主義、種族主義——沒有主義。 ”
Even though they are different industries, you can distinctively tell that they are all by Ronan Mckenzie. From the colour scheme, design, and even the titles of your work. The name Selasi, why did you want that title?
I think for me it was more of the God in Selasi is not a religious God but more about hearing myself, trusting myself, and following my intuition. When I decided that I wanted to create a brand, I wanted to be really intentional about the connotations. And the connotations of my name are, that my first name is Irish, my second name is Scottish, and Mckenzie comes directly from plantations. So, when people realise, I’m not a white guy, it is directly from slavery. I wanted to put something out there that of course acknowledges my history but something that is stronger and something that stands on its own grounds, and something that you don’t think white you think black straight away, that was really important to me.
Now that the brand is out there, and has something that is for yourself and its connotations, has it provided that fulfilment?
Definitely, and it’s like a place where I can constantly play, there is no pressure I can really do what I want. I am guarded about who I let into it, and where it’s seen who borrows it, I can take my time. Like photography is my career so I have to do strategic moves, whereas with Selasi I get to do with it what I want. And also, it provides so many more opportunities to collaborate, I’ve worked with knitwear designers, and my friends and I make pieces for myself. but for my next collection, I am doing some products so it comes away from garments and I can create a world. With a photo, the engagement can only be someone looking at it but with garments, you can create a whole experience that brings it somewhere else. It makes you feel a certain way, it is part of how we hold ourselves and how people read us, there is so much more to it.
There are so many different mediums because they all come from the same place but there are definitely levels to where I can take each one.
Tank Top: Christina Seewald
Jacket: Tokyo James
Trousers: John Lawrence Sullivan
Shoes: Ugo Paulson
Jewellry: Aymer Maria
“如果我還在做音樂，我認為自己是在尼日利亞從事音樂工作的山羊之一。”
為什麼您認為來自尼日利亞的新音樂家保持聯繫和經常合作很重要。
P：對我們來說賺錢很重要，第一。我們是同時來的，這讓我們走到了一起。我們肩負著同樣的使命，將人們與非洲音樂聯繫起來，向他們展示這是我們國家的一個新時代，我們都互相支持，也激勵著彼此和其他藝術家。
你們中的很多人現在都在發光，但有些人可能會迷失其中，那就是製作人。您經常合作的製作人有哪些？
P：Higo、DARE、Adey……很多與我合作的製作人都是我上台時遇到的，他們所說的製作人迷路或落後是真的，但這一代的製作人，他們正在為之奮鬥他們的權利......他們都太棒了，我覺得他們的名字和品牌將在全球傳播。隨著我的成長，我的人會和我一起成長。
你的另一個元素是你的視覺效果，你說你了解你的電影。告訴我們像 TSE 這樣的人以及你喜歡和他一起工作的原因。
P：我從他們開始，他們了解我的願景，不僅僅是圖片和視覺，而是一切，一切的外觀和感覺……我是我們國家的藝術鬥士，我的人民、視覺團隊、製作人都擁有那同樣的心思也為之而戰。
離我們很近的人是 Chuka Nwobi，他也和你一起工作，和他一起工作感覺如何？
他是我的兄弟，對藝術最有熱情的人之一，我認識的人中最有熱情的人之一。他是最年輕的人之一，但即便如此，我仍然和他說話。我們合作過很多項目，他在“Dey Go Hear Weh”視頻中發揮了重要作用。
你是一個很有表現力的人，你多久換一次頭髮顏色？
P：每個月
你談到製作音樂來觸及政治話題等。對你來說最重要的一些社交事情是什麼？
平等，一切都應該平等。沒有階級主義、部落主義、種族主義——沒有主義。每個人的機會均等是我最喜歡的事情。
You’ve been in this industry for 10 years now, how have you seen your career, and that selective nature grow in that decade?
It is something I have learnt, it started with shoots. I would work with stylists or a set designer and I’d get the pictures back I wouldn’t feel that it did what I intended it to do. After a while, those creatives refined and I was exposed to more people that could also refine that, which is a natural process. But also, it is also a process that happens in an industry that is rapid and quite cut-throat, for me instead of leaning into that and doing what I need to do to be an ‘it person’, it pushed me away and made me want to be in a safe space with people I love and care about. Sometimes I do feel on the sideline because of that, but on the sideline, I can really focus on what I want to do. It has an impact on my career not chasing covers and those things, but now I am doing things that I wouldn’t have been able to do at this time, I’ve taken risks and spent money but I know I want to create longevity in my work and if worse comes to worst I can always go back to mums.
Is mum okay with that?
You know, she’ll have to be cool with it! but it won’t ever happen, I take comfort in the fact that I’m willing to get there if it means I’ve tried my absolute hardest to do what I need to do, put myself on the line and I’ve really lived my life. that isn’t always the easiest road, but it is the road I need to take. I always need support and help to keep everything together; I’ve expanded my team which has been amazing sharing the process. It is scary because sometimes I don’t know how I will pay people at the end of the month, but it was necessary you can’t do it all alone.
“如果我還在做音樂，我認為自己是在尼日利亞從事音樂工作的山羊之一。”
我們看到您擁有很長的職業生涯並領導著新的藝術家。在接下來的 10 到 15 年裡，你在哪裡看到你自己和你的手藝？
P：10 年後我想在哪裡……該死，我會老[笑] 我看到不同的東西，但我認為自己是在尼日利亞在音樂上做這件事的山羊之一，如果我還在做音樂的話.如果我不是，我將擁有一位藝術家，但仍然是有史以來最偉大的藝術家之一。 10 年後我可能會拍電影。也許在我的腦海裡，我可能會試圖獲得奧斯卡獎。那時我認為自己是泰坦，一個家喻戶曉的名字——它甚至不會是我的藝名，而是我的真名。
令人驚嘆，希望製作能被世界記住的一代電影？
P：是的，只是想成為娛樂界的巨人。我不認為自己在商業上有什麼表現，但我會把手伸進去，我知道我會去拍電影。到那時，我認為我不會成為焦點，但我的電影會。
Do you feel like you’ve done what you’ve set out to do and do you self-reflect?
I do feel like I have done that, I am trying to self-reflect more and celebrate more which was my resolution this year. but if you asked me a year ago I would’ve been too busy or too stressed to have that, so I am proud of myself. I think at this point I need to help myself as much as I help others otherwise it wouldn’t work.
What is your legacy?
For me when I leave this world, I want to fulfil the peace that I’ve enjoyed in my life. so hopefully through that, those who have also enjoyed me and my work can hold that in high regard.
