Happy Hour with Akintola Hanif of HYCIDE magazine
[one_half]OVERVIEW
Our Happy Hour series took a back seat to our other monthly segments or did it really? Maybe we were busy shadowing a very special creative… Maybe we had to attend all of his events in the past year… Maybe we had to kick it with him in his studio… Maybe we roamed the streets of Newark in search of his subjects… Maybe for an entire year we gathered a ton of footage of Akintola Hanif and learned what it takes to create a subculture and art journal called HYCIDE magazine… Maybe we had to do all of this just to piece together a two minute story about a photojournalist and filmmaker that goes against the grain to tell stories of the feared, neglected and misunderstood. Maybe we should change the title from “Happy Hour with Akintola Hanif of HYCIDE” to “HYCIDE Year with Akintola Hanif”. In this two minute journey, Akintola takes us with him and allows us to really get to know not only what he does but why he does it. Enjoy!
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Outside of Street Photography… What other styles of photography do you enjoy?
Sometimes, when it’s not work and I have creative freedom I enjoy studio photography, I also enjoy paid event photography when it’s a interesting event.
What other photographers inspire you?
You know there are many that come to mind, some of whose names I don’t even know, but the main ones that've directly inspired me are Gordon Parks, Jamel Shabazz, Zun Lee and NemaEtebar.
If you could do an issue on another US city outside of Newark and Brooklyn which would it be?
Most likely It would be the inner cities of California and I’d focus heavily on the gangs and homeless there.
Please share with us how you get your mind right when selecting and editing your images?
Usually I just sit alone and listen to music, preferably atmospheric. Music with no words allows me to zone out and focus better; but then sometimes I listen to hard (rap) shit too.
If you had the opportunity to shoot ANYONE who would it be?
Maybe the vitiligo model Winnie Harlow or this one really interesting dressing Muslim pimp around here that runs a crack hotel.
Name one thing Akintola love outside of ART and PHOTOGRAPHY... something silly.
I can’t really think of anything that I love that’s silly, I take love very seriously and am not easily influenced. Outside of art and photography (before art and photography) my greatest love is for my son.
Why are you passionate about subculture?
I’m really passionate about subculture because I have an extreme interest in telling stories untold and understanding things and people that are often misunderstood. I also tend to really identify with people who have made choices that society deems unacceptable, because I too have made similar choices (at different times in my life) and exist to the left of the status quo.
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Why should others know more about subculture?
I just personally feel that’s it's always good to understand the world around you and all of its nuances. All inclusive understanding can also dismantle fear, create empathy, and inspire love, which is my mission as man and artist.
How do you feel photography shifts the world?
I’m not sure photography shifts the world, however I do know that images shifts people's perception and often times photography is used to project negative images and assumptions about who people are. Photography can also be used to cover up the intentions and true identity of the conniving and untruthful, like politicians etc...When we don’t know people first hand the images we see develop our perceptions of them. This can be a good and/or bad thing.
If a corporate brand wanted to sponsor and 100% back you and Hycide, which company would be the best to do so?
I can't really think of any corporate brands, but maybe Puma or Red Bull (if those are even considered corporate brands) just because I see them doing things with the arts community. However, I think HYCIDE sponsorship would have to come from private donors or a major arts organization like the Andy Warhol or Dodge foundation.
Lastly, in getting to know Akintola…How long should this video really be?
To really get to know me, you’d have to follow me throughout the years and experiences that have made me who I am, and that would take a lifetime or at least a couple hours of edited footage.
What advice can you give an up and coming street photographer?
I would encourage them to develop relationships with people as opposed to just going out on the streets randomly, but there has to be a mixture of both. Acting on impulse and patience are equally important in street photography, you have to approach people without fear and with genuine intentions for them to really open up to you. It's also really good to revisit the same places and people so that you can really catch the intimate moments (after forming bonds) that take place in the street and in their lives.
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Written / Edited - Iquan Worthington & Akintola Hanif
Video - Directed, Shot & Edited - Iquan Worthington
Video Music: Da P dabeatX - DopeDopeDope
HYCIDE magazine: Hycide
Urban Exploring: Bongo Boy + Mikey's Burgers (Special Edition)
THE SYNOPSIS
In this Special Edition of Urban Exploring… Iquan and Guru dig through files shot earlier this year and came across YouTube star Bongo Boy. From the LES to Midtown the duo spent an afternoon learning how young Matthew got his start. Lastly, The Artoholiks were blessed with the opportunity to create their own burger at Mikey's in the Lower Eastside.
THE DISCOVERIES
MATTHEW COHEN B.K.A. BONGO BOY
At the age of 13 Matt decided that he wanted to ditch the slow and boring New Jersey suburb life and pursue his curiosity for Music and Fashion. Since then, Matt has produced over 200 video interviews under his nickname “Bongo Boy”. Interviewing big name brands and artists such as Johnny Cupcakes, Benny Gold, Flo Rida and French Montana just to name a few... Today, Matt and his production team are producing music videos and working on a top secret video series. For more info on Matt aka Bongo Boy check him out here
MIKEY'S BURGERS
We’ve eaten at this spot a number of times while hanging around in the LES. Mikey’s is one of those spots that you find yourself in after walking the strip and just needing something to eat. Surprisingly, this hole in the wall serves up one of the best burgers in the area and the Lower Eastside community loves their cheese fries. We tried the shakes and loved them, we ate the fries and loved them, long story short… We don’t have anything bad to say about this Burger joint, especially since they have The Artoholik burger on the menu! Learn more about Mikey’shere
THE ARTOHOLIK BURGER
The Artoholik burger consist of American cheese, corned-beef, caramelized onions and mustard topped on a Turkey burger in between warm toasted buns.
Get yours at 134 Ludlow St. New York, NY 10002
MODERN AMUSEMENT
Shout out to our peeps at Modern Amusement for the hooking us up with the fresh threads in this episode. Shop now at PACSUN.com
THE MUSIC
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J-Louis - THAT DUDE JAY ( J-LOUIS x JBIRD )
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Digable Planets - Jettin'
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lAlexGl - Harco Pront – Trust
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PHOTOS
A Conversation Piece
Last weekend we told football to watch us as we connected with local luxury bag brand Yetu Urithi to shoot their Fall/Winter lookbook. It was simple, we meet at a house, packed the car with the goods, went to a near by park in Verona, NJ, waited about an hour or two for models and then we began flicking away. The goal was to capture the models in the mist of fake picnic with their bags. But we are way too creative for that, we decided to tell a story through photos about certain actions and moods can evoke a CONVERSATION. Stay tuned for the lookbook and see what we came up with and enjoy these behind the scenes photos until then... PEACE!
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A Night w/ Orane Williams
Remember our friend from Urban Exploring Episode 5? If not Guru captured some cool shots to remind you about our friend Orane Williams. We're currently helping Orane with his personal branding package and on this night, we worked on some video for his website. Stayed tuned!
Home Base
After all the hustle and bustle we make time to workout and enjoy life. There is a place in Newark, NJ that I believe Newarkers don't quite appreciate. Weequahic park is the name of this place and Guru and I enjoy the scenery just as much as we enjoy the 2.3 mile trail. Here are a few flicks...
In My Shoes ft. Jamiyl Peters
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[one_half_last]These are my second pair of Magnani dress shoes. MAGNANNI is a third generation family-owned company that has been producing fine Men’s shoes for more nearly 60 years. This specific pair is called “Montego Cognac”. I bought them a year and a half ago at Nordstrom’s in Pentagon City Mall in Arlington, VA. I absolutely love the contour, feel and class of this shoe. It makes every time I put them on special. I was definitely excited when I purchased them because they made me feel like a new man with great purpose.
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They look great with almost anything a gentleman chooses to lace himself in. This specific pair I have, have traveled all over the United States with me: Austin, TX, New York City, Newark, New Jersey, Portsmouth, ME, Washington, D.C. and New Haven, CT.
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[one_third]In our nation’s capitol of Washington, D.C. they stood out. Most men on Capitol Hill choose comfort over distinctive and exquisite precision when it comes to shoes. The halls of Congress are sturdy, battle tested and unforgiving on even the most veteran of political legs, but my MAGNANIS have yet to fail me.
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[one_half_last]Checking the time before my next meeting and making sure the gear is right. It’s always an honor to know that you represent your hometown and district well: with knowledge, class, patience and an open-mind. There are few who choose to up the ante. Most men stick to the classic and current Cole Hahn (with the Nike Air Sole) with the wing-tipped front. At every point a man should dare to step outside of the lines and choose to be different, seeing the world from their own view and more over their own shoes.
In the tail end of 2012, I decided to create my own fashion blog via Tumblr titled PremiumP. It's pretty much a personal diary of the fashionable things, people and places that I like. Whenever you create anything you should have a purpose, so I asked myself what's my purpose for this blog? My answer... I'm aspiring to inspire.
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Big events call for effort and class and I try to play with the best of them on days like this and still try not to out do the Groom. Lol!
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I believe that life should be approached the same way: with a careful eye for detail and approached with a slight tilt on the vision and direction that we are all to march. Dare to give each day a little something different.
Urban Exploring: Agenda New York / Las Vegas 2014 (Episode 9)
THE SYNOPSIS
In the season finale of Urban Exploring season 1, Iquan & Guru discover the Agenda Trade Show in New York City. By building connections with brand reps, getting the latest drops from the major brands and getting inspired by the new kids on the block, the duo loved the experience so much that they decided to send Iquan out to Vegas. While in Vegas, Iquan connects with a few friends including a very special person. Enjoy!
THE DISCOVERIES
AGENDA TRADE SHOW
Agenda is the most diverse and creative lifestyle fashion trade show in the world. Since 2003, Agenda has emerged as the premier destination for brands and retailers to converge. Agenda is where passion becomes profit and the business of creativity is conducted in a truly authentic environment. Buyers, brands, investors, distributors, and media hail from around the globe, gathering at Agenda to build partnerships, participate in the community, and grow their businesses. For more info click here
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IN-N-OUT BURGER
In-N-Out Burgers, Inc. is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations in the American Southwest. It was founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, upon establishing the first In-N-Out burger in Baldwin Park, California. The chain is currently headquartered in Irvine. In-N-Out Burger has slowly expanded outside Southern California into the rest of the state as well as into Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Texas. As the chain has expanded, it has opened several distribution centers in addition to its original Baldwin Park location. The new facilities, located in Lathrop, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Draper, Utah; and Dallas, Texas, will provide for potential future expansion into other parts of the country.
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DAL TORO RESTAURANT
Dal Toro Las Vegas is an exciting multilevel restaurant, car gallery and events center located on the lower level of The Palazzo Hotel. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Dal Toro features a menu of authentic Italian cuisine. The chef's signature dishes, as well as traditional Italian favorites, incorporate natural, artisanal ingredients that make dining at Dal Toro a truly memorable experience.
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ROCAWEAR BLAK
Rocawear BLAK is a new streetwear collection aimed at the fashion-minded young male consumer and debuted at AGENDA LAS VEGAS last week. The collection will be available at major department and specialty stores this Holiday season.
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WILLIAM PAINTER
Polarized Titanium Sunglasses - Anodized Black Titanium Arms, High End CR-39 Polarized Lenses, Double-Barrel Nickel/Silver Hinges, Built in Bottle Opener
and Comes with Hard Case and Cloth. williampainter.com
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FLY SUPPLY
Fly Supply Clothing is a feel-good brand that provides the consumer with quality products, inspires confidence, encourages freedom of speech and fosters creativity. Express your sense of style with Fly Supply Clothing and remember, "Being fly is a way of life". Flysupply.com
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RASTACLAT
For Daniel Kasidi Nyaggah, it all started when he was in High School. As a 17 year old, he made his first bracelet when he was waiting for a ride from a friend to go skateboarding, and the rest was history. Here we are today, a growing company with a message of Spreading Positive Vibrations®, encouraging everyone around us to contribute to one another and follow their dreams. The skate community and the sneaker community were among the first two groups to really adopt and embrace the Rastaclat® brand from the beginning. From there, our products have become a staple in the action sports, urban and streetwear sectors. We are a LIFE brand, so our products are made to be a symbol, a constant reminder of how our differences keep us intertwined. Learn more about Rastaclat
BRAND BLACK
Brandblack, is the Sports brand of the 21st century, focused on image and performance. Brandblack’s mantra, is look good winning. Our mission is to fuse the aesthetic sensibility of high fashion with the most advanced technology in the industry, to provide today’s athletes with the most innovative products in the world.
Brandblack is dedicated to the individual, to personal style, both on and off the field of play. Our athlete is a style icon, we believe in a different way to fly”. LEARN MORE HERE
THE MUSIC
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Lakim - Mountain High
Haan808 - Caldera
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Savon - Tokyo Pt. 2 (Feat. Sango)
Toro Y Moi - High Living
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PHOTOS
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EXPLORE + LIVE & EXPLORE! (recap)
Well, well, well... What a month and what an outcome. Yesterday's pop-up shop at the Bourgeois Boutique in Hillside was amazing. If you were there, then you witnessed the works of Iquan and Guru throughout the boutique, some hand painted pieces, while all others were digital art infused with photos from the duo's Urban Exploring Excursions. We went into this event thinking it would be a year end celebration, but with all the love and support, how dare we do that.
Event go’ers had to opportunity to enjoy the sounds from fellow Artoholik, DJ Ream Supreme and tasty giveaways from RB’s Sweat Treats. Iquan’s mission was for the space to be designed to inspire you and activate your own mission, from the messaging on the shirts to the art-work on display, each piece had a statement that either you said to yourself once before, or something that made you want to get up off yo ASS.
From the works of art to the tees, customers were excited to get their hands on the piece that they came for.
Some attendees totally shocked us all by buying up everything, while others instantly felt the need to rock their favorite tee.
Overall, it was great to see friends, family, fellow Artoholiks and just everyone out to support and enjoy themselves on a Summer Sunday afternoon. This is the first of many more in steps towards the ultimate goal of an official Artoholik Shop that will be the home not only to Iquan and Guru but to...
See all the photos below, video to follow!
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Explore Everything Tee
Iquan likes to dress quirky and comfy while he's out shooting. He doesn't mind mixing/matching prints or colors. So if you catch him in the streets of Newark with his beat up hat and boat shoes, this means he's on a mission to explore and shoot. Iquan is wearing our unreleased ‘Explore Everything’ tee, Stussy 5 Panel ‘Fishing’ hat, CPO ‘Weed’ short, ‘Red Man’ edition G-Shock and Sperry Boat shoes. Now, what would you wear with this ‘Explore Everything’ tee? PHOTOS by GURU
Urban Exploring: Episode 8 – Color Me Rad
THE SYNOPSIS
In this installment of Urban Exploring, The Artoholik's Ike & Guru head to Metlife Stadium to participate in the Color Me RAD 5k race. Prior to arriving at the stadium Ike & Guru get into a mini debate over directions and just so happen the camera was rolling. On arrival, Guru checks in and volunteer for an hour or so while Ike roams the crowd in search of flicks. The duo met back up, murdered the 5k run and then spent time enjoying the party with the rest of the crowd all while documenting the event. What good is an episode of Urban Exploring without food? Ike & Guru hit up local juice bar HLS in Maplewood, NJ to recharge on a healthy note. Enjoy!
THE DISCOVERIES
COLOR ME RAD
Color Me Rad is a 5K that fires off in a blaze of color bombs, color cannons, color mortars, and multi-toned courses that guarantee your outlook will be brighter, your boyfriend will be more affectionate, your boss will finally remember your name, the hair on your head will grow back and the hair on your back will fall out, and your gray outlook will turn green like a spring morning.
Historically, running has only been acceptable when trying to escape the law, personal responsibility, the truth, and grizzly bears.
Instead of running FROM something, get ready to run FOR something at this year's Color Me Rad. Run for the hell of it. Learn More
HLS (Health Love & Soul)
Our mission is to prove that foods and beverages can be delicious and fun without sacrificing nutrition or principles. We strive to be the destination of choice for selective meat eaters and vegetarians alike by offering a menu that caters equally to both. We pride ourselves on bringing diverse groups together in one warm and welcoming environment. HLS: Many choices. One love.
- Arinze and Emeka, Proud owners of HLS Learn More
THANK YOU
THE MUSIC
Music truly make our episodes, great music gives great energy. In this episode, we did something never done in any of our videos, we told the story with four different tracks, so it's only right that we thank these wonderful musicians for the sound.
Track1: 1000 BONUS JOINT by DJ Day
Track2: Until Then Overdue by SAVON
Track3: LoveNothing by Haan808
Track4: Byram's Groove by Slakah the Beatchild
Be sure to check out the photos from this event in our photo booth.