UPDATED: Listen to Angel Haze's Thunderous New Track, "Impossible"

July 29, 2015, 1:05 am

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After spending the past year more or less quiet, which included a public break-up with girlfriend Ireland Baldwin, Angel Haze is back with the booming new track "Impossible." With huge, anthemic hooks and Haze's signature relentless flow, the track includes a scathing indictment of  America's current nightmare that is race relations. " ("I got my middle finger up to white America for trying to whitewash my blackness.") The track is part of an upcoming project due later this year. Good to have you back, Ms. Haze.

The name of my new record is... its theme is WAR. pic.twitter.com/rSYuXimSkl

-- JULY28 (@AngelHaze) July 29, 2015

Update: Now Angel Haze has announced the title of her new album (along with what's presumably the cover art), along with its theme. We can't wait for Back to the Woods.

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Alexander Wang Is Stepping Down As Creative Director of Balenciaga

July 29, 2015, 3:45 am

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[Photo via Style.com]

After less than three years as Creative Director, Alexander Wang is officially ending his tenure at Balenciaga, WWD reports. Wang was appointed to his position after its longtime Creative Director, Nicholas Ghesquiere, ended his 15-year run at the house to helm Louis Vuitton following Marc Jacobs' departure. Sources say that Wang's upcoming Spring/Summer 2016 collection, shown this September/October during Paris Fashion Week, will be his last.

It's still unclear what's prompting this change -- and there's no word on who's being considered to replace him -- but the fashion scene is speculating that the decision to step down may have been influenced by the hectic pace of producing so many collections each year and the difficulties of growing two brands (Balenciaga as well as Wang's namesake). There were ripples as early as the beginning of June that Wang could be out after WWD reported that Kering, the parent company of Balenciaga, was still in discussions with Wang over renewing his contract. Kering is starting to vet Wang's successor and says that they're receptive to the idea of hiring a lesser-known talent, pointing to the success of Gucci's in-house appointment of Alessandro Michele following Frida Giannini's departure.

Whoever it is that takes over Wang's position, one thing is for sure: Paris better be ready for one hell of a going-away party this fall.

Miami Horror's "Cellophane" Video Is Like Watching a Montage of Stock Photos On Acid

July 29, 2015, 4:30 am

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Austalian electro band Miami Horror have a delightfully weird new video out, "Cellophane," that we're excited to be premiering right here on PAPER. The song comes off the group's sophomore album, All Possible Futures, released this past spring, and features the kind of synth-heavy house beats perfect for a BBQ in the dog days of summer. The band recorded much of the album in LA, a city that inspired them for its music scene and "the weirdness and sunshine," producer Ben Plant said in a release. And to that end, the accompanying video is pure weirdness -- like watching stock photos on acid. The clip shows a series of vignettes in white-and-pastel rooms in which limbs become excessively stretched out, so much so that a man's arm in one scene stretches over into an entirely new tableaux. Check it out above.

Miami Horror heads back to their native Australia on tour next month and you can see a complete list of dates HERE.

That Cara Delevingne Interview Is "Awkward" Because The Interviewers Are Assholes

July 29, 2015, 4:31 am

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photo by Alexa Chung

So everyone's abuzz about that "awkward"Cara Delevingne interview with Good Day Sacramento on upcoming movie Paper Towns. After watching this clip a few times all we can say is, sorry you had to deal with such assholes, Cara. After all, the anchors seem to operate on the assumption that she's a kindergartener with melted M&Ms for brains and Cara obviously isn't having it, as she visibly shuts down after the second dumbass question about "her focusing abilities" -- and it's not pretty.

Sure she gets snippy, but it's also because they end up badgering her with some really dumb, condescending questions that scream, "Oh, but do you take acting seriously? Let's make sure, because you're mostly just a model, right?" And even better, they have the gall to ask her about her not being properly "on" for this interview and then go on to scold her for not being more excited to be there, openly asking "you seem tired" -- or subtext: why aren't you performing happily for us? 

It makes me think of every time some dude tells me to smile on the street -- Cara doesn't owe you anything especially a happy smile/substantial answers if you're going to patronize her the entire time with dumb shit like "did you manage to read the book your entire movie was based on?" Not to mention the fucking cat noises they put over her still after she logged off. A+ professionals, right there.

On that note, I need to go get a Red Bull and take a little nap, because I'm done with this shit. You can watch the journalistic trainwreck below.

[h/tUproxx]

If You're Reading This It's Too Complicated: Breaking Down The Latest in Meek v. Drake

July 29, 2015, 5:04 am

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Last time we looked at the Drake-Meek Mill Twitter beef/rap beef/somewhat confusing fight over Nicki Minaj, it was relatively small in scope -- Meek accused Drake of having other people write his rhymes (which was already kind of common knowledge), said possible ghostwriter Quentin Miller had to run for the hills, and poor Nicki Minaj was caught at the center of two dudes -- a slap-fight between her current boyfriend and a man with whom she has a rather complicated personal and musical past. It's developed sufficiently now to suggest all kinds of levels of strangeness, and to require this: a full timeline of recent developments in the Great Meek Mill-Drake Battle of 2015.

Saturday, 7/25 -- Drake Drops Meek Mill Diss Track "Charged Up"
"Charged Up" premieres on the OVO Beats 1 radio show. It's a pretty much what you expect from a Drake diss track, in that it's relatively non-aggressive, sad, and has spawned a minor meme comparing Drake to a fully charged iPhone battery (and Meek to a phone about to die).

Someone wore this to the Pinkprint tour in Toronto today. pic.twitter.com/7K5e4VRCry

-- HIP HOP FACTS (@DailyRapFacts) July 29, 2015

Monday, 7/27 -- Meek Mill Ghosts on his Response Track
Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex, a New York hip-hop mainstay (for perhaps too long), has already announced his interest in the Meek-Drake beef, claiming to have the reference tracks ghostwriter Quentin Miller recorded. Flex loudly says that Meek is going to premiere his response on his show, which entices many people to listen to terrestrial radio for the first time in years. Instead, Flex loops Rihanna and Fetty Wap and becomes the subject of a vast array of jokes on the internet.

Funk Flex at HOT 97 like: "A Meek Mill diss track? Did I say something about a diss track?"pic.twitter.com/BWeKQfR8Ma

-- Racial Draft (@TheRaceDraft) July 28, 2015

Instead of taking the L, Hot 97 tries to pile on Meek, claiming he just failed to give them the track. DJ Ebro Darden complains that they just wanted to take Meek "at his word," and it is sad.

 
Later Monday Night -- Meek Screams Into His Computer
Meek claims to have dropped a response diss track called "Beautiful Night," which is just him yelling. 'Kay.

Here it gooooooooo lets get it 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/eWdMOXZrPh

-- Meek Mill (@MeekMill) July 28, 2015

Tuesday, 7/28 -- Nicki's Ex Safaree Issues a Cry For Attention
Safaree Samuels, the ex Nicki has already sufficiently clowned, attempts to enter the musical fray by, among other things, claiming that he ghostwrote swathes of The Pinkprint (notice how many of these moves are just people claiming things without showing the receipts). The track, ironically titled "Lifeline,"is very bad, but you can find it here if you are feeling particularly masochistic with regards to tertiary participants in mediocre rap beefs.

Tuesday Night -- Meek and Nicki Perform in Toronto, and it is Weird
Nicki's Pinkprint tour stops in Toronto, the city her boyfriend Meek Mill is supposedly barred from by the most badass city councillor in the game. Meek is late for his set, but eventually shows up to what appear to be light boos.

Wow they Booing him pic.twitter.com/phlQMlLHyG

-- Simone (@paradicegold) July 29, 2015

During his abbreviated set, Meek performs Yo Gotti's "Fuck You," flashing the title lyrics to the assembled crowd of teens and parents who wanted to see his girlfriend perform.

Meek might not leave Toronto alive b... pic.twitter.com/GpdFMElgZz

-- Killa Season,Trk 7 (@BigGhostLtd) July 29, 2015

Meek's choices appear increasingly confusing and opaque to a world that just wants to see him follow through on a fight he initiated in the first place. Meek and Nicki make a show of togetherness, but Drake looms over the performance.

Wednesday, 7/29 -- Drake Drops "Back to Back"
With Meek seemingly collapsing, Drake goes in for the kill with another diss track, a "freestyle" in which he addresses the situation far more aggressively, owning his role as a musical curator ("I got the Midas touch") and leaving us with classically divisive Aubrey phrases. (Like, seriously -- is "trigger fingers turn to Twitter fingers" genius, or horrible?)



And here we are. There are some other minor developments piling on the participants (like this GoFundMe campaign to help Meek finally record an actual diss track), but for now, we're left with a large number of extremely confusing choices and questions. Why hasn't Meek made an actual explicit diss track? (This is especially confusing since he is, by all accounts, a pretty good battle rapper.) Why is Drake going in so hard on Meek, when all of the laws of rap beef suggest you never, ever punch down at someone less popular than you, lest you validate them and give them unnecessary attention? How pissed is Nicki at both of these man-children?

The only plausible explanation, from where I'm sitting, is that this is all a PR campaign gone horribly wrong for a secret Drake-Meek Mill collaborative album, their own version of Watch the Throne where the throne is adorned with psychosexual post-breakup hangups and framed photos of Nicki Minaj while she rolls her eyes from the booth, where she is actually continuing to do the work being a recording artist. The cover of this album will feature Meek and Drake hugging. It will be profound.

Paul Weller On His New Record, Getting Inspiration from Happiness and Writing the Perfect Song

July 29, 2015, 5:15 am

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[Photo by Julian Broad]

Ahead of the release of Saturn's Pattern, Paul Weller told The Guardian that his twelfth solo record contained a perfect song. The third track, "Going My Way," the former Jam and Style Council frontman told the paper, was only the third perfect song he'd written in his 40 year recording career.

(The others, for those curious about such things, were 1979's "Strange Town" and "Wings of Speed," the final track off his 1995 solo masterpiece, Stanley Road.)

It's a compelling statement from the leader of two of the UK's most beloved bands of the past half-century, who has, arguably, only gotten better with age. It's also a bit of a lie -- or at the very least a stretch for a musician who doesn't mind taking the piss out of the occasional reporter.

The musician stands by the infallibility of "Going My Way," but by the time we sit down to speak at a hotel in midtown Manhattan ahead of his show at Terminal 5, the number of perfect pop masterpieces penned by Weller has ballooned to somewhere around ten. Even still, from the man who gave the world "That's Entertainment" and "Sunflower" and "A Town Called Malice" and "My Ever Changing Moods," that number seems a few dozen shy of accurate.

In an interview about the new record, you mentioned that you had written three perfect songs over the course of your career, and the third is on the new record.

Yeah, "Going My Way."

First of all, congratulations on writing a third perfect song.

Thank you.

The good news is that you didn't write all three in 1975. You've really managed to space them out.

Yeah, that would be depressing. I think probably all my life, I've always thought my best song is around the corner, regardless of what I've done and how old I am. A lot of writers have probably said the same thing, that it's still out there.

It's a nice way to look at things.

I think it carries you on a bit, yeah.

At what point did it become clear that this was one of the three.

When there's nothing you would change about it. There's no "I could have done this better." It's all there. It's rare. Sometimes you'll start off recording a track and you'll surpass what you thought you'd get. It goes way beyond what you thought it could have. "Going My Way" was one of those ones -- it sounded good, and all of the sudden it just went somewhere else. And that's pretty rare, to hear a song back and think about what you would change. But I wouldn't change a fucking thing. It's exactly right as it is.

Are you a perfectionist? You put out a new record every few years. It doesn't seem like you're sitting on a lot of music.

No. But don't forget, I come from a time when people used to put out a new record every year. People don't really do that anymore. You can't really do that anymore -- it's really difficult to do that. But when I started out, it was an album every year and probably three or four singles that weren't necessarily on the album. So now the records seem to have quite a lot of space in-between -- two or three years of course is nothing, but for me it seems like quite a lot of time. I find it strange that a lot of new bands make an album every four years or something. When do you have time to perfect your craft or work on the songs if you're only making it every four fucking years.

You've slowed a bit on the touring -- that gives you a little more time to be reflective, work on the writing. Early on, you put out a record and spend a year or two touring on it.

Yeah. I couldn't do that. I get bored if nothing else. Going out and touring on the same record for two or three or four years would drive me crazy. Now we're playing all of the new stuff in the set, which is incredible, but this time next year I won't want to be doing that. I'll be on to something else.

You have no sense of nostalgia at all.

I'm just not a nostalgic person.

You're not nostalgic for your own work, but you have your favorite records.

Of course, yeah. But I'm not particularly nostalgic for whatever it may be. When I think back to nice times, I have memories and they're beautiful things, but they're fleeting. I don't get hung up on them. I'm not that kind of person. I don't think my best years are behind me. These are my best years now. And maybe next year might be shit or it might be fantastic. But for right now, I like it. I wouldn't want to go back to the '80s and '70s. I quite like modern world as it is. I mean, I liked the fact that I didn't have grey hair or wrinkles.

Do you ever miss the struggle of being a new artist?

I don't get nostalgic for it, no. I look back on it in a happy way, but I don't want to go back. If I do look back, my favorite time was when I was with The Jam as a kid and we were just starting to break. We were just starting to make it in London, getting a following together. Getting the band together -- just on the cusp of starting to make it. That was more exciting than when we actually got it. But I prefer everything about today. The person I am. I've got a great appreciation of everything. I was too ignorant or arrogant to really appreciate what was going on [at the time].

You've got a family, you've got kids, you're content. Is it harder to find inspiration?

There's always something to write about. I'm not one of those people who think that an artist's best work comes when they're in the depths of despair. Great things have come out of that, as we know, but it's not foolproof. Great things have come out of contentment and happiness, as well. I'm sure those things in my personal life have a bearing on what I do, but when I think about my own music, I think beyond personal feelings. I'm looking at something else. I'm looking to find something else.

When you look back at certain records, is there a clear, tangible connection between the music and where you were at that point in your life?

There is sometimes, yeah. Not always, but sometimes. There are a few songs I've done that have been autobiographical, but then I get bored and have to take it somewhere else. Broaden it out a bit.

You actually get bored with the song during the writing process?

Yeah, sometimes. There are so many songs that are about someone's feelings. How depressed they are. And it just fucking drives me nuts. It bores the shit out of me. I'm not really interested. I've got my own shit to deal with. My writing's not always a reflection of where I am.

You don't look at it as catharsis?

Sometimes, yeah. Each song is different. But I don't lead an interesting enough life to write about myself all of the time.

Saturns Pattern is out now. 

Kim K Transforms Into Audrey Hepburn and Marie Antoinette In a Bizarre Energy Drink Ad

July 29, 2015, 5:45 am

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Kim Kardashian channels Audrey Hepburn and Marie Antoinette in a head-scratching new ad for Hype Energy drink. The clip first zeroes in on a close-up of her jumbo engagement ring (why not) before cutting to a shot of Kim-as-Audrey bicycling around with a bunch of Hype cans in her basket before going for a tumble. While passed out, Kim dreams that's she's Marie Antoinette in Versailles - complete with powdered wigs and pancake makeup -- while dramatic symphonic music plays in the background. The ad ends with Kim waking up from her dream before bizarrely cutting to a house music-soundtracked futuristic scene that's got Kim wearing a choppy bob, lace-up thigh high boots and an all-white look. From the design of the can to the scene at the end to Kim's short hair, the whole thing makes us think of PC Music's QT Energy drink. Maybe this is no coincidence. Could Kim secretly be behind the mysterious British kawaii-electro-pop collective? We're not saying it's possible but it's not not possible.

Grimes Writes an Ode to Star Wars and C-3PO

July 29, 2015, 8:20 am

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Photograph by Eric White

With the new Star Wars film coming out, there's lots of renewed issue in the film, from Amy Schumer's C-3PO/R2-D2 threesome for GQ to a recent much-circulated interview with the actor who played Jar Jar Binks (and revealed that Michael Jackson had been gunning for the role). This week's Star Wars story? An essay by Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, that was published in the latest issue of LOVE magazine and details how the film influenced her as an artist:

My name is Grimes and I first came to love Star Wars before I could even walk. It's one of my dad's favourite film series and we had all the box sets and remastered versions when I was growing up. He made us watch all the making-of documentaries and flagged up the technological innovations, such as they way they smeared peanut butter on lenses to make the cars look like they were floating. We even had super-detailed books about how to draw all the machinery and stuff, which was a huge influence on me as an illustrator.

She praises the upcoming film for casting Gwendolyn Christie and Lupita Nyong'o, who didn't attain fame, "doing something overtly feminine or sexualised, which is not the norm for female leads in action films these days."

The piece also includes a small ode to C-3PO. Describing the films as being "as content-heavy as they are visually innovative" she says she admires the realism and humanity in the sexually ambiguous robots:

The other main droid, C-3PO has always been a personal favourite of mine. I really relate to his fear of death (among other things), although I doubt most self-aware robots in the future will be as sympathetic and benevolent to humans as he is. Like Artoo, he allows for unique narrative situations because of his ability to translate non-human characters, allowing the universe to feel more believable and complete (because it would be stupid if everyone spoke English). Rewatching the movies as an adult, C-3PO's stuttering humanity is a great foil for the violence and intensity of the films. Almost any scary or violent scene is mitigated by a worried awkward robot complaining about safety. And, as with Artoo, you are never really sure of C-3PO is male or female - and with programming he or she could really be any age.

Read the whole essay here. And check out our Rodarte X Star Wars fashion story shot at Skywalker ranch here.

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Jose Canseco Thinks Dressing As a Woman Means He Understands Being Trans

July 29, 2015, 9:05 am

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photo by Patrick McMullan

Social media super-star/former MLB star Jose Canseco has just announced that he will be living as a woman for one whole week to support Caitlyn Jenner. And you can watch it all on an upcoming episode of his web reality show, Spend a Day With Jose.

This all coming from a man who initially said he was "kind of against" Caitlyn's transition. 

I'm all for Canseco doing a 180 and supporting Caitlyn's transition and possibly taking steps to educate himself about transgender people, when it's not, of course, just a promotional gimmick for his show.

After all how would dressing like a woman for a week give him any insight into what actually being transgender is like?

So Jose, here's an idea: If you really care about trans rights, instead of treating trans people as a self-promotional platform, why not just be vocally supportive of Caitlyn Jenner, or speak out against trans violence or any of the other many issues directly facing that community right now? Or even better, put the energy you give to tweeting about sand and dog barf to signal boost a trans activist?

[h/tNY Daily News]

Calvin Klein's New Sexting Ads Were Made Just for Generation Tinder

July 29, 2015, 9:31 am

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Calvin Klein has been known for its provocative ads for decades, from a 15-year-old Brooke Shields posing suggestively in their 1980 campaign to their controversy-stirring "heroin chic" ads of the '90s to those brain-searing images of Justin Bieber from January. The brand is back to make a splash with a new series of campaign ads shot by Mario Sorrenti that feature sexting conversations "inspired by actual event and people" next to them and the tagline "raw texts, real stories." A new video, above, is also all about sex, group sex, group sexts, and sexy-sex-sex. Sex = kids and kids = sex. Sex.

Sincerely,
Sex.  

The campaign, according to a press release, is meant to create "an editorial narrative of how a modern generation uniquely approaches sexual connection in a digital world." Although this all  feels painfully like something brainstormed for Generation Tinder in a conference room, and there's a dire lack of raindrop emojis, fist emojis, unsolicited dick pics that used flash and auto-correct typos for this to be at all realistic, millennialsare supposedly the most horned-up generation yet. So perhaps the folks at CK are onto something.   

[Request access to private photos] from the campaign below.

10 Trends I Was Ahead of the Curve On

July 29, 2015, 10:00 am

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[Photo of Michael Musto by Carly Erickson/BFA.com]

It's not easy being a trendsetting icon who's launched phenomena around the globe with my visionary actions, but I'll manage. Here are 10 trends that I was way ahead on. See if you can measure up.

LIVING IN BROOKLYN
Way before this borough became impossible trendy, I grew up there, went to its schools, enjoyed its restaurants, and saw its movies. It formed me. And then I left -- and again, I was ahead of the curve, seeing how people are fleeing the place now because it's become too expensive!

STAYING IN NYC AFTER 9/11
After that horror happened, some wusses escaped our great city, abandoning us in time of need while catering to their own nervous nelly paranoia. (As if bad things couldn't happen somewhere else.) But I stayed, more dedicated to this town than ever. And that became the cool thing to do.

OWNING REAL ESTATE
It's the smart way to go, as I had long been told by insiders. Your property grows in value and your maintenance doesn't always go up that much every year. I was actually a bit late in doing this, but let's keep that amongst ourselves.

BEING OPENLY GAY
Some people come out in their seventies, but I came out in the '70s. I simply stated the truth about myself -- over and over -- and dealt with whatever good and bad came along with that. It was mostly good, but still, kindly keep the awards coming.

RIDING A BIKE
Way before it was trendy thanks to Citi Bikes, I rode my little contraption around, loving the convenience, exercise, and fun of it all. Everyone thought I was nuts, but now I can barely get a spot in the bike lane.

CUTTING MY OWN HAIR
Friends used to think my habit of trimming my locks (to save money and also to get the cut I want, when I want) was certifiably cuckoo. But when the economy crashed, more of them started doing it, and they decided it was a pretty viable habit to keep up. That's probably why you see a lot of asymmetrical 'dos on the street. They may have been unintentional, but they look perfectly fine -- though all that hair in the sink has to go.

BEING SINGLE
They used to throw rocks at you in the town square if you didn't have a loved one, but I stuck to my guns, loving no one but yours truly. And eventually people came around to not only accepting that, but finding it rather desirable. Especially in the age of gay marriage, being single requires guts and character, don't you think?

USING A FLIP PHONE
People laugh at my old flip and scoff at all the things it can't do. But then word got out that certain celebs thought flips were fab, and lots of politicians depend on it instead of an iPhone. And suddenly I had the hot technology in my hands!

WATCHING OLD MOVIES
There are no fewer than five channels on my dial devoted to the glories of old cinema gems, but I was way ahead of that craze with my long-running movie club, whereby my friends and me gather to giggle over kitsch classics. Nostalgia is what it used to be -- at my place.

WEARING SURGICAL SHOES
Open-toed medical footwear is cheap and comfortable, and it works for me, for various reasons. This trend is so ahead of the curve that it hasn't even caught on yet, actually. But mark my words, it will, it will. I know it all, people! How much more proof do you need?

A/S/L: Exploring Web 1.0 With Leather Corduroys

July 29, 2015, 10:04 am

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The internet has been part of our lives for long enough that a generation of writers and artists has come of age with it, and used it as a tool to construct their creative and professional identities. But that also means that they grew up alongside an internet that today's teens would find foreign and scary, during the days when MySpace was the biggest social network, AIM buddy profiles were important social statements, and having your own GeoCities page was a big deal. Our column, A/S/L, asks the people who are best at the internet to tell us about their personal Web 1.0.

photo via ChicagoMade

This week, we talk to rising Chicago rap duo Leather Corduroys. Affiliates of the burgeoning and shockingly deep crew Save Money (including pals Vic Mensa and Chance the Rapper), Joey Purp and Kami are some of the most talented -- and funniest -- rappers in the game. Comedy rap is notoriously difficult to pull off, but the sheer oddity of Leather Corduroys as a project makes it easier to take them on their own terms, and allow them to come through as individual personalities infecting all sorts of spaces. (They've opened for pal Hannibal Buress at comedy shows in Chicago, to the bewilderment of much of the audience.) Coming at the internet from an altogether different perspective, they add some fresh perspective to A/S/L. Let's take a look.

What was the first internet service you made an account for? Was there a specific reason you made it? (i.e. I made my first AOL account so I could sign up for Neopets) 

Kami: I definitely had an AOL account. 

Joey Purp: The first internet service I had was probably AOL. But it was only because I needed an email to use MySpace. And there were AOL games and stuff like that. I'm pretty sure that's what it was. 

What was your first screen name? Email address? What did they mean to you? 

Kami: Dasoulja@sbsglobal.net, 'cause I really fucked with Soulja Boy. 

Joey Purp: My first screen name was like JVD1993 or something. 

What was your most profound AIM away message (or rough equivalent)? 

Kami: I don't remember my away messages. But I used to be on AIM trying to talk to some bitches when I was in their chat rooms. 

Joey Purp: Damn, I don't think I ever used an AIM message. I remember one time I joined an AOL chat room about Korean punk rock music. 

What are all the services you've used to share your music over the years? 

Kami: Limewire, Bearshare all that.

Joey Purp: I think I've only used Twitter and SoundCloud.

What's the weirdest website you still consistently use? 

Kami: Weird websites are for weird people. 

Joey Purp:Worldstarhiphop.com is the weirdest site I still use. That or Twitter.

 

imma find a ratchet way onto worldstar.

-- Indigo Purple (@JoeyPurps) July 24, 2012

Who were the first people you thought were big deals on the internet, and did you ever interact with them IRL? 

Kami: I used to play games with my friends -- in particular, I remember something called Coke Music, and I thought the people on there with money were bosses IRL. 

Joey Purp: Lil Wayne and Curren$y were definitely the first contemporary people that were a big deal to me on the internet. Outside of, like, old rock musicians. 

Chart the history of your life in websites, by listing the most important site to you each year you've been online. 

Kami: Tagged, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter. 

Joey Purp: It went Myspace to Tagged to Facebook to Twitter and Instagram. 

What's the strongest relationship you've ever formed with someone you hadn't met IRL? Did it change if/when you met? 

Kami: After a certain age you weren't trying to meet up with no one offline unless you were a weirdo rapper. 

Joey Purp: One time I had sex with a girl I met through a friend on the internet. Nothing really changed, we were cool. 

What's the most important thing you've learned from the internet? The best opportunity you've gotten from it? 

Kami: That people are very strange and that's not a bad thing. Opportunities are born from strange situations. 

Joey Purp: Man, the most important thing I've learned from the internet is really that anything is possible. Anyone can accomplish and learn anything. And that Lil B is the Based God. 

Do you find the internet scary? Funny? Both? 

Kami: The internet is very scary bruh, very funny bruh. Def both, bruh. 

Joey Purp: Man the internet is funny and scary and amazing. 

Do you wish you had spent less time online when you were younger? Do you wish you spent less time on the internet now? 

Kami: Not really. A lot of the world progressed towards becoming digital -- I'm glad I got an understanding of that during an early age. 

Joey Purp: I don't really think about the time I've spent on the internet. I definitely utilized it well as far as attaining knowledge.

Watch a Couple Take a Beautiful Vacation, Get FOMO In Thomas Jack's New Video, "Rivers"

July 30, 2015, 2:00 am

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It doesn't get much better than to be 22-years-old, have an incredible head of hair and -- oh yeah -- be an internationally-touring DJ. Aussie producer Thomas Jack is living just that life, as one of the buzziest new editions to the electro scene. He's also credited with discovering festival favorite Kygo and is mentored by legendary DJ Pete Tong. Not bad company, right?

We're excited to be premiering the video for "Rivers," Jack's first original mix in over a year, out now via Tong's FFRR Records, featuring vocals by Jack McManus and Tim Woodcock and co-produced by German producer JUNKX. The softly-lit video features a good-looking couple being good-looking while on an island vacation -- the perfect accompaniment to Jack's signature 'Tropical House' beats. There's Vespa riding, cliff-jumping, sightseeing -- all the requisite holiday stuff you wish you were doing instead of sitting at your office computer. But there's trouble in paradise as all of a sudden the idyllic vacation gets a little rocky. "I wanted the video to show how there are many sides to a person and they can change at any moment," Jack tells us about the concept for the clip. The song tries to capture "a hopeful/happy vibe," he says, but "it's also this intricate message about relationships between different people in different places in their lives and how they can intertwine and work out...or not!"

We won't spoil the ending of this particular story but we will say that these genetically blessed two are probably gonna be alright with whatever happens in the end. Give it a watch above.

Model Behavior: Fashion's Best Feuds From Recent History

July 30, 2015, 4:00 am

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Yesterday, Variety reported that Cindy Crawford will produce a show for NBC about the Ford and Elite model turf wars of the 1980s. The fictional drama will be called "Icon" but a premiere date has yet to be announced. So, in preparation for the impending cavalcade of catwalk catfights, let's look at some real-life drama between our favorite supermodels.

Models: Paulina Porizkova v. Tyra Banks
Incident: While on the America's Next Top Model judging panel, Paulina would criticize Tyra for constantly running late. Also, she claimed Tyra wouldn't even address her unless the cameras were rolling.
Backlash: Poor Paulina was "dismissed" from ANTM, and Tyra credited her leave due to the show's budget cuts.

Models: Janice Dickinson v. Tyra Banks
Incident: While we're on the topic of ANTM...In a 2011 interview, Janice claimed that the reality show was rigged and that CoverGirl had the final say on the winners of each cycle. Janice then said "F*** you Tyra, eat a bag of royal skank!"
Backlash: Janice has since apologized for the comments, explaining that her resentment stemmed from her being fired off the panel.  

Models: Kendall Jenner v. her bullies
Incident: During last September's New York Fashion Week, it was reported that some models felt Kendall didn't deserve to be there, and they put their cigarettes out in her drink in protest.
Backlash: Seeing as Kendall has proved herself on the catwalk and is the new face of Calvin Klein, she definitely got the last laugh.

Models: Daphne Groeneveld v. Lindsey Wixson
Incident: At a 2011 Versace runway show, Lindsey Wixson tripped and fell on her gown. Daphne simply glided past her fallen comrade, looking unfazed and even a little annoyed.
Backlash: It's unclear whether or not Daphne meant to be shady, but this GIF from the show went viral.

Models: Kristen McMenamy v. Linda Evangelista
Incident: Donatella Versace recalled a backstage moment from the '90s when Kristen hid one of Linda's fake boobs in an attempt to sabotage her. On another occasion, the two fought about who would get to have black roots and blonde hair (Spoiler alert: Kristen won). Might seem trivial, but this is fashion we're talkin' about here. 
Backlash: We're not exactly sure where the models stand today, but hopefully they're no longer McEnemies.

Models: Chanel Iman v. Jourdan Dunn

Incident: In 2009, Iman and Dunn shared a Teen Vogue cover in which they detailed their rocky relationship due to the competition between black female models in a predominantly white industry. Tyra and Naomi had a similar feud lasting 15 years. But, with the diversity in shows like Givenchy and Balmain as of late, hopefully unfortunate rivalries like this can be avoided.
Backlash: Also in the interview, Dunn shared that Iman was one of the first people she told about her pregnancy. But back to Tyra and Naomi...

Models: Tyra v. Naomi
Incident: ThoughTyra and Naomi seemed to patch things up in this emotional interview from 2005, the premiere of Naomi's show The Face seemed to reignite some '90s flames.The Oxygen series, a competition to find the next "face" for ULTA Beauty, draws obvious comparisons to ANTM, which has been shortened from two seasons per year to one. Plus, the fact that it's hosted by former ANTM judge Nigel Barker probably doesn't make Tyra feel any better.
Backlash:According to ET, Naomi dismissed the ANTM comparisons and the feud, then went on to say she was "proud to know [Tyra]." Aw.

Models: Kate Moss & Naomi Campbell v. Cara Delevingne
Incident: In March, we reported that Cara and Naomi got into a heated altercation over Rihanna. One of the best pull quotes will forever be "Cara pulled Naomi's weave but it didn't come off."
Backlash: Though Naomi denied the claims via Twitter, Kate has now "blacklisted" Cara for leaving their modeling agency Storm and for disrespecting Naomi. While these are all contradictory rumors, it's painful to hear that our favorite It Girls of past and present might have some bad blood.

There's A Beautiful Film About Muslim Drag Queens That's Now Being Co-opted By White Men

July 30, 2015, 4:24 am

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British journalist Kieran Yates recently made an excellent short film for The Guardian about Muslim drag queens, aptly called Muslim Drag Queens, and it's quite the tugger of heartstrings.

Focusing on a Pakistani asylum-seeker (and devout Muslim) named Ali, Muslim Drag Queens follows him in the weeks leading up to his drag debut as he preps his routine, perfects his face and comes to the realization that he can still be misunderstood in London. 

"It is a constant fear, because of other people's reactions," Ali says at one point. And it's no imaginary fear, as he and his flatmate are soon harassed by a passerby who scratches their car. "One guy was murdered downstairs, the same place," he says as they drive away. "My body's shivering. That's what you call fear."

Thankfully though, he is fueled by the knowledge that this is the kind of opportunity many LGBTQ people in Pakistan don't have, so with the help of drag mentor Asif, Ali continues to soldier on and prepare for his show, which turns out to happily be a success.

And we're glad this refreshing take on a community of color (by a woman of color!) was so well-received that mega-British broadcaster Channel 4 decided to turn the stories of Ali, Asif and everyone else into a full-on documentary. But there's just one problem -- Yates has been ousted from her own story entirely for this upcoming version, which was pitched to the network by her director Marcus Plowright, a white man who's apparently completely forgotten whose project this was in the first place.

Because instead of having a woman of color tell this story about people of color, the bigwigs at C4 HQ have decided that a group of white males with a little narrational help from noted (admittedly gay) white man, Ian McKellen, is better. K.

As Twitter personality Mr. Pooni also pointed out, the white director who, for lack of a better word, stole this idea from Yates is the son of industry insiders. Imagine that.

As a journalist, there's nothing shittier than getting your scoop, well, scooped from you, especially by someone you brought on for your passion project. Like, what the actual fuck, Marcus. And shame on you, Channel 4.

Very worrisome ethical/representational concerns aside, we're eager to see the incoming piece Yates says she will write in response to this entire incident, but until then, watch the original and signalboost the shit out of everything it represents. Check it out below. 

[h/tThe Guardian]

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Watch Tyler, the Creator Rap the "New" Dr. Seuss Book

July 30, 2015, 4:45 am

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The one thing you can never say about Tyler, the Creator is that he doesn't know how to have fun. The rapper has been busy touring behind his new record, Cherry Bomb, but has also found the time to get fans to eat vomit and launch a new app that allows him to host big screenings of Zoolander. Last night, he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to narrate the recently published Dr. Seuss book, What Pet Should I Get? -- appropriately dressed as the Cat in the Hat. Kimmel has some issues with the rapping (maybe he was just still really sad about the lion?), but Tyler mostly gets the chance to strike back (he calls the segment "whack"). It's a kind of weird, but mostly endearing piece of late-night television, which you can check out below.

Clear Your Schedule, NYC Is Having a Dildo War This Saturday

July 30, 2015, 5:30 am

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Wanna get slapped in the face with a dildo this Saturday in Union Square? 

Before you say "no" to the epicly-named Dildo Wars NYC 2015, know that this isn't some freaky fringe fetish bonanza, but an STD/HIV awareness event hosted by notorious pop-up partier Alex Xander. That's right, hop on the L and grab one of 4000 free dildos that you can whack/swashbuckle for a good cause! 

Seriously, just RSVP. You get a free dildo.

Bikini Kill Is Re-Issuing Their 1991 Demo Tape, Including 3 New Songs

July 30, 2015, 6:20 am

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Bikini Kill in Paper, 1992.

Riot grrrl news you can use alert! Seminal feminist punk band Bikini Kill's first demo tape, Revolution Girl Style Now, will be re-issued by Bikini Kill Records on September 22. Originally released via cassette in May 1991, it includes three unreleased tracks, "Ocean Song,""Just Once" and "Playground." 

The collection of work will be re-released on CD, vinyl and digitally as well as a limited-edition replica cassette version only available via mail.

The songs were mixed by Fugazi's Guy Picciotto and mastered by John Golden for this reissue.

Pre-orders are available now on BikiniKill.com.  The first 300 LP pre-orders come with a limited-edition poster and the first 300 CD pre-orders come with a button and sticker.

The full track list for Revolution Girl Style Now, which includes songs from their self-titled EP and their Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah album, is below:

Candy
Daddy's L'il Girl
Feels Blind
Suck My Left One
Carnival
This Is Not A Test
Double Dare Ya
Liar
Ocean Song
Just Once
Playground

Watch a trailer for the demo below, which includes footage from Bikini Kill's first-ever show.
 

The 12 Best Snapchats to Follow, From Rihanna to Dr. Miami

July 30, 2015, 7:30 am

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If you're getting tired of your friends' drunken Snapchats, lackluster geotag locations, and pictures of vape clouds, spice up your feed by following some of our favorite accounts.


Rihanna (@Rihanna)
If you're one of the crazy few who isn't already following RiRi's snaps, you're missing out on her fishing expeditions (and make outs with giant fish), convenience store runs, and photoshoots in the backs of cars.

LACMA (@LACMA_museum)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art was the first museum to join Snapchat, and they really know what they're doing.

Casey Neistat (@CaseyNeistat)
Vlogger Casey Neistat, who's pretty much a Snap storytelling expert, even launched his own super-simple video sharing app which you can read more about here.

Dr. Miami (@TheRealDrMiami)
Dr. Michael Salzhauer, AKA Dr. Miami, is a prominent plastic surgeon who posts stories from inside the operating room. So, if watching some good 'ol rhinoplasty is your "thing," this is definitely the account for you.

Christine Mi (@Miologie)
Known as the "Picasso of Snapchat," Christine Mi crafts complex and hilarious self-portraits. She's channeled everyone from Frida Kahlo to the Nevermind baby.

Frank Ocean (Arealglitterboy)
Frank's not one for social media, but we sure were glad when he announced he'd made a Snap account back in May.

Geeohsnap (@GeeohSnap)
Geir Ove Pedersen, the Norwegian man behind Geeohsnap, takes candid photos of strangers and paints them into wonderfully weird scenarios.

Kylie Jenner (@KylizzleMyNizzl)
Kylie's snapchats are a whirlwind of Italian greyhounds, lip-sync sessions, ever-changing hair color, and her insistence that she's not high out of her mind.

Jared Leto (@JaredLeto)
Jared Leto is a real joker on Snapchat...Ha, get it because...Ok, sorry.

Olivier Rousteing(@OlivierRoustein)
Balmain's creative director Olivier Rousteing only made his account 2 weeks ago, but we're especially pumped for any peeks at the upcoming line or perhaps a Kim K kameo. 
 

Justin Bieber (@RickTheSizzler)
When Bieber announced his foray into the snap world last month, we were equal parts excited and terrified. We still are.

Dev Hynes (@KermitKokomo)
Blood Orange's Dev Hynes shares snippets of new songs, skateboards in the East Village, and occasionally sneaks in a Julian Casablancas cameo.

Aaaand, if you're still itching for even more Snapchat content, follow us at @PaperMagazine. While you're at it, add our editorial director Mickey Boardman, @AskMrMickey, our chief creative officer Drew Elliott, @Drewpsie, and our Digital Editor Abby Schreiber, @amschrei28.

Close Out Your Day With Keys N Krates "Save Me"

July 30, 2015, 8:28 am

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Canadian electronic group Keys N Krates is about to have a big summer, playing at festivals like Mad Decent Block Party and Electric Zoo Bumbershoot. Ahead of their touring, they've released the video for "Save Me," featuring Katy B, which finds various people in deadpan relationships with inanimate objects -- a sort of comic, manic Her. Honestly, the video, directed Adam Beck and Paul Johnston, probably captures how you'll feel when you get back to bed tonight, doesn't it?