WORDSPJ Some
ESTRELLA DE PORTADA - Prettyboy DO
DIRECTORES CREATIVOS - Derrick Odafi y Jessica Rushforth
PRODUCTORES CREATIVOS - Jessica Rushforth & Derrick Odafi
FOTÓGRAFO - Barbara Premo
DIRECTOR VISUAL - John Serunjogi
ESTILISTA - Malcolm Yaeng
ASISTENTE DE ESTILISTA - Gloria Iyare
DISEÑADORA DE ESCENARIO - Jessica Rushforth
MUA - Bendición Kambanga
ESTUDIO - Estudio para tomar más fotos
Syd, what are 3 character traits that give a good description of who you are?
S: I think one of them should definitely be ‘bully’, but not in a negative way. If I want something, I’m never going to stop, I’m going to keep trying to get it and be resilient and like a bully. I’m probably one of the most chill people you’ll ever meet. I don’t do too much, I always aim to have a good day, I’m optimistic, bully and relaxed. That’s the best way to describe me.
You are a true student of culture, what aspect of that are you studying now?
S: The most important thing to me right now is the way clothes fit. I’ve been studying a lot of designers, especially Hedi Slimane. The most important part of culture outside of clothes in general is just making sure that the people who care about what you’re doing are the ones that are catered to. All the kids that were in my discord, all those kids that I’ve ever bought, anything from me and any of those kids that I’ve ever done anything with me and my band or my brand in mind. Make sure I cater to them and put them first because they’re the most important people. I don’t care about bringing in new people, getting new fans. I don’t care about any of that. I care more about taking care of the ones that were already here because they’re going to bring more people here. It’s not going to be me to bring them. It’s going to be them speaking about it. That’s going to bring more people.
El estrellato de Prettyboy DO se difunde
Como 'Wildfire' en el número IX
Cuando piensas en Afrobeats, es probable que los artistas nigerianos sean la imagen de adónde te lleva tu mente, que sabemos que cuentan con una gran cantidad de nombres poderosos e influyentes. La personalidad pionera Prettyboy DO es una que no puede faltar en la lista actual de artistas influyentes de la potencia de la música africana. Este innovador artista nacido en Nueva Jersey ofrece un sonido vibrante y animado que no te deja quedarte quieto. Estos sonidos combinan a la perfección con su estilo excéntrico, desde su interpretación de 'Jungle Justice' en COLORS y otros sencillos de gran éxito como 'Same Energy' y 'Chop Elbow' se puede ver claramente el reflejo de esta creatividad. Prettyboy DO es un artista que camina por la cuerda floja de los comentarios sociales y la música experimental, acreditando su entorno e influencias personales por estos rasgos de carácter. Prettyboy es tan interesante en persona como en su música, con individuos como Dennis Rodman y Sisqo como influencias, su estilo personal y energía son distintos de la cabeza a los pies, desde su cabello colorido hasta su expresivo sentido del estilo.
Tras el reciente lanzamiento de su último proyecto, un EP titulado 'Wildfire' que se inspiró en el Libro de las Revelaciones en la Biblia; Prettyboy DO ha podido divergir entre Afro-Pop y Rap mostrando su versatilidad que lo separa del resto. Al ser nombrado rey de la escena Alte, no sorprende que su influencia se esté extendiendo con música que crea una atmósfera fascinante. Continuando con su viaje, parece que el cantante / rapero tiene un objetivo claro de ser el mejor e inspirar a las personas en el camino, allanando su propio camino.
WORDS Derrick Odafi
“La música me hizo un hombre. Siempre he estado enamorado de la música, incluso cuando era niño, pero más aún del lado de la moda de la música. Biggie, Mase, Tupac ... "
Necklace, Stylist’s own
Bracelet, Vitaly
Top, Stylist’s own
Skirt/Trousers, Yenesai
¿Cuál es tu opinión de Londres?
P: He venido aquí a menudo, esta vez es diferente por la música y ya estamos levantados. Amo Londres, amo a la gente, me parece muy africano. Parece estar en casa de alguna manera.
Londres y Lagos tienen una gran conexión, ¿cómo crees que es?
P: En primer lugar, tenemos mucha gente nuestra aquí, muchos africanos aquí. Aquí hay toda una vibra que es similar a Lagos porque está muy ajetreado, muy ajetreado. Pero aquí es un nivel más alto, todavía hay lucha. Me encanta Londres, pero al mismo tiempo, la lucha aquí es una locura porque aquí no dicen nada, es solo interna.
También tienes experiencia en Nueva York, y ese es también un lugar donde realmente tienes que esforzarte para salir adelante.
P: Creo que la vida que he vivido, una cosa que he aprendido es que realmente no puedes arrepentirte. Y si tengo algún tipo de puesto, no puedo desperdiciarlo. Londres está lleno, como el metro, realmente no tienes espacio y Nueva York es así, y es como si x2 no estuviera limpio, es más arenoso que Londres.
Y volviendo también a la música, ¿dirías que la música te encontró o tú la encontraste?
P: Eso es profundo. La música me hizo hombre. Siempre he estado enamorado de la música, incluso cuando era niño, pero más aún del lado de la moda de la música. Biggie, Mase, Tupac… Me encanta Tupac, incluso tengo un tatuaje como él. La moda siempre estuvo muy presente en mi cabeza, al mismo tiempo lo era la música, pero nunca me vi a mí mismo como un rapero, lo veo como un estilo de vida, así que en todas partes estoy bailando, vibrando, imitando. Su cultura, especialmente su moda. Cuando era más joven probablemente quería ser diseñador. El caso es que en la secundaria solía escribir mucho, poemas, etc., mierda cursi pero siempre funcionaba. En la universidad, me dijeron que escribiera un poema en inglés y lo hice tan rápido que me dijeron que lo leyera en voz alta y era tan largo y todos estaban como wow. En ese momento realmente no tenía música en mi cabeza, pero en ese momento sale Drake, sale Rocky. No me estaba yendo bien en la escuela, solo perdí a mi chica y el corazón roto. Luego comencé a ir al estudio, pero no lancé nada hasta que sentí que era bueno y eso fue en 2012 y no he mirado atrás.
Estaba un poco destinado, era un proceso, pero no sabes cuál fue el proceso.
P: Sí, no sabe lo que encontrará en la forma en que conoce gente. La cosa se agranda. Es dios. Es Dios y el trabajo.
¿Qué otras cosas creativas haces fuera de la música?
P: Cine, dirijo muchos de mis videos musicales. Probablemente entraré en el cine dependiendo de cuán ambicioso y dispuesto esté a hacerlo. Realmente quiero empezar ahora.
¿Tienes estilista? Si no es así, ¿de dónde viene?
P: Solo estoy en Instagram, guardo las cosas y luego las mezclo.
Uno de nuestros proyectos favoritos es su proyecto de 2018, ¿cuáles fueron sus momentos favoritos para crearlo?
P: Cuando volví a Lagos, había ido a Birmingham y Los Ángeles, y esa vez decidí dejar un proyecto. Luego tuve una conversación con mi primo quien me dijo “tienes que dejar un proyecto, dejar algo y conocer tu sonido, como si tus singles estuvieran explotando, eres tonto pero necesitas conocer tu sonido”. Así que boom, una vez que dijo que era genial, vamos, vamos a hacer estallar. Tenía un montón de música que ya había grabado, llegar a Londres para grabar 2 canciones. Vete a Lagos, empieza a grabar con mis chicos, Hugo, y luego tenemos 2 en la bolsa. Ahora podemos tener un espectáculo ... un nigga me cabrea, odio la política de la industria, si trabajamos duro, tú puedes trabajar duro, vamos, aprovechemos esta oportunidad. Voy a por una industria del espectáculo, los niggas intentan joder conmigo.Estoy cabreado como el infierno. Pero después del show, estoy molesto. Voy a su estudio y le digo que me toque algo y ese ritmo me hizo más feliz que me sentí. Levantar
What were some of the things you saw in your audience that gave you the confidence to do that?
S: I’m just down to take the risk, when I started Years of Tears, I just spoke to the mandem about it the other day. When I started this shit, not that they had no faith, they always had faith in me, but they had no understanding as to how it was going to go. Simply based on me building something so big. Byslik at the time was huge. I turned away from it to go do the next thing. It was hard for anyone to understand where I was going to go with it. But I always had my own vision. Even if no one else understands it, I know within time people will understand it. Turning away from that and turning towards Years of Tears was a crazy little era but it was just a risk. If I released and sold one item that’s good because I did something you know, I did something and I wasn’t gonna stop.
I’ve done releases where I haven’t sold a lot of things and I keep going every single time because at the end of it it’s not necessarily about this move that matters, it’s the next move and the one after that. I never really get scared about that type of thing and also my audience, they really showed me that they’re ready for anything I have to bring for them. They’re ready because I brought them a whole different swag and they immediately were ready for it. That’s one thing I’m very grateful for, my audience because they understand that I’m not gonna be the same forever, which means the brand isn’t gonna look the same forever, which is sick. Years of Tears now doesn’t look like what Years of Tears looked like two years ago. Two years ago it was straight leathers, nothing else. This year i’ve been using football tees and polos and denims, all of the above.
Where is the craziest place you’ve seen someone wearing your clothes?
S: I’ve seen someone on Friday prayers, I was just like, what? My mom wore OSBATT to the village. Mum’s wearing some clothes that I made in the Village I’m involved with, that’s flipping crazy to me. But yeah, I see it everywhere now, which is motivating, that it’s super sick, any party I go to, I know I’m gonna at least see one person. It’s not a conscious thing, but when I’ve seen them, I am very grateful. If I see someone wearing it and we’re close to each other, I would always try to tap them on the shoulder, like, yo, fuck with you for that. What they don’t know is that in them wearing it and feeling fly, they’re also helping me. I’m very grateful for anyone I ever see or anyone that’s ever bought this that I haven’t seen yet.
Matthew Williams is a friend of yours, what about being around his process would you want to apply to yours?
S: I remember when he invited me to the Alyx Fall Winter 23 show, in Milan. I went out there on a whim, like I literally got the call up the night before. I just booked my flight straight. I went there on a real whim. And when I meet people, I’m really quiet, especially if I’m somewhere where I want to learn something. So I got there and just watched the whole process of him having his show and how much went into it. I just asked him small questions here and there. And just seeing everything that he did, it really made me respect him on a different level. You’re just a man on your own, and you’re really doing all this stuff. That is sick to see.
Have you already started ideating for an Alyx x Years Of Tears Capsule?
S: That would be something still, I think I’m trying to stay cool for now. I work with my brothers, more than anything, but now that will be sick. I think the last time I sent him my collection was maybe December. I send him a collection and he told me he fucked with it, so it was nice. It’s sick to always get a bit of motivation from the people that you look up to. If you’re a footballer and Cristiano Ronaldo tells you you are really good at football, you will feel motivated and you’ll keep going. And then you keep pushing. Yeah, so whenever I have sent him any of my collection and they said he fucks with it, it’s motivating.
You recently went to China, what did you enjoy most about that experience?
S: China was one of those eye-openers. We live in the west and they’re feeding us things about China. While there is probably some merit to that, there’s also a part that they miss where they forget to tell you that China’s is its own country and allowed to have its own laws, they’re allowed to do their own thing they shouldn’t have to be just like us. When I went to China I expected to get there and it would be the most militant place ever. I even went to Wuhan, that’s where Covid started. I went there and it’s probably one of the most modern places I’ve been to in my life, there’s a lot of surveillance there, a lot. But we’ve got a lot of surveillance here and we’re still not safe whereas over there if you do anything you even steal a chocolate bar, you’re going you’re going to jail! China really opened up my eyes and understood that there’s a world outside of our world, they’ve got a whole different economy. There’s 1.3 billion people that do not need us in the slightest.
We need to get out there and really understand it and take it in. Whenever I travel, I try to understand everything. I was doing all the traditional Chinese things, I’d go out and be with my people from there. And I think that really made my experience really authentic and memorable because I saw the real China, I didn’t see the tourist China or anything like that. I’ve seen the westernized version of China. I went to Wuhan, Shanghai after and I could see the differences, I came back and I’ve got WeChat. It makes so much sense to me, WeChat is an app for everything.
" Me veo siendo uno de los GOATS que alguna vez lo haya hecho musicalmente en Nigeria, si todavía sigo haciendo música ".
Vemos que tiene una carrera muy larga y que lidera una nueva carga de artistas. En los próximos 10 a 15 años, ¿dónde se ve a sí mismo y a su oficio?
P: ¿Dónde quiero estar dentro de 10 años ... Maldita sea, seré viejo [Risas] Veo cosas diferentes, pero me veo siendo una de las CABRAS que alguna vez lo haya hecho musicalmente en Nigeria, si todavía sigo haciendo música. . Si no lo soy, tendré un artista, pero aún seré uno de los grandes que lo haya hecho. Probablemente haré películas dentro de 10 años. Quizás en mi cabeza probablemente esté tratando de conseguir un Oscar. Me veo siendo un Titán para entonces, un nombre familiar. Ni siquiera será mi nombre artístico, será mi nombre real.
Increíble, con suerte, ¿hacer películas generacionales que sean recordadas en todo el mundo?
P: Sí, solo para ser un titán en el entretenimiento. No me veo a mí mismo ahí fuera como algo comercial, pero sumergiré mis manos en eso y sé que entraré en películas. En ese momento, no creo que esté en el centro de atención, pero mis películas lo estarán.
Dress, TRACY CUI.
Ring (Right Hand), KHIRY
Rings (Left Hand), AGMES
Nose Ring, ARTIST’S OWN.
Who would you like to sit down with someday and help you understand certain aspects of the moveable fashion space?
S: I truly wish I had the opportunity to sit down with Vivian Westwood. That was one of my biggest inspirations ever. I studied every single thing about Vivian Westwood, there’s nothing I couldn’t tell you about her. I used to meet people and just speak about Vivian Westwood.She really did a lot for me in a specific area. I started to understand. She taught me the political side of fashion. That no one really ever wants to talk about or would really want to delve into. Her putting the swastikas on clothes, but there’s a message behind it that she’s trying to send. One really important thing I’ve learned is that intention is more important than anything. If you intend on doing something and your intention is positive, then no one can say anything to you. Her intention with putting these clothes out, which are crazy, was to deliver a message.
Obviously, we live in 2024. People see anything and they just get offended straight away. I kind of want to emulate that in my next collection. It’s called No Man’s Land. No Man’s Land is a place. If you’re ever in a war, it’s a place between two enemy trenches or two just enemy areas. There’ll be a patch of land where no one really wants to go there because A, you will die, or there might be a mine and you will die.
This issue’s theme is based on the idea of Resistance, what does that word mean to you?
S: Resistance to me is a challenge man,If there’s resistance against you, push against it. David beat Goliath, God is stronger than anything. Resistance for me is just the challenge you have to overcome. 100% of the resistance in my life to this day and i’ve won every single resistance battle, just gonna keep going. Just win every single resistance challenge that’s put in front of you.
If you could only shed one last tear for something for the rest of your life, what would it be?
S: I want to be when I do my runway show. The final tear will be literally doing that runway. And when I walk down, after showing the looks and I can grab my hand and we can walk back to the back like that will just make me smile more than anything.
They’ll make me share the tears for her. Like being able to show my Mum, Your son actually did what he said he was gonna do.
" Me veo siendo uno de los GOATS que alguna vez lo haya hecho musicalmente en Nigeria, si todavía sigo haciendo música ".
