Posts Tagged respect
As any professional photographer, photo editor, graphic designer or writer can attest, a lot of great images and words never make it past the edit rounds of a magazine. There’s just not enough room for everything. Even with the seemingly limitless possibilities and content populating the World Wide Web, there remain scores of visionary moments, enlightening tales and grin-worthy anecdotes that never reach you, the consumer. It’s the way things are.
But it doesn’t have to be the way things will be. Respect is about bringing you what would otherwise be left on the cutting room floor, boxed up in a studio or collecting digital dust on a hard drive. Why? Because we believe beauty is worth seeing.
With this inaugural issue, we bring you rare frames from nine photographers whose work has helped shape not only your visions of hip-hop’s icons, but hip-hop’s view of itself. And, even with this, we’ve had to leave out moving and engaging stories, pristine and iconic shots. There are photographers whose work couldn’t make this issue, just as there are those whom we’ve recently lost— namely Shawn Mortensen, whose most enduring image may very well be the definitive snapshot of Tupac Shakur, in a straitjacket; and the great Irving Penn, who, while not a hip-hop photographer, undoubtedly inspired every lensman in this issue.
Despite our limitations, we believe we’ve done something that’s worthy of your respect and that of the photographers who graciously granted us access to their archives, their memories and some of the secrets behind their techniques. While they all work in the same medium, they’re a varied bunch with unique idiosyncrasies that move through their particular creative waves and empower this issue with fascinating contrast. The incomparable Phil Knott isn’t big on taking photos where eyes are prominent; Barron Claiborne’s stirring, nigh-surrealist shots are almost always all about the eyes. Danny Clinch’s superb take on reality relishes in the candid, unscripted moments; Anthony Mandler’s panoramic imagination leads him to create elaborate fantasy settings that juxtapose subjects with uncommon settings.
What all of the masters in this volume do have in common is a humbling respect for each other and for their subjects. And if there is a single thread throughout their work, it’s a mission to capture the bold and the bewitching, no matter how sublime, and translate it into something you can hold in your hands to open up worlds within yourself.
In that way, they are like the creative staff of this magazine, working to create something you will cherish, something you can respect. This is an offering. We hope you find it worthy.
kris ex, Editor
Thanks to Respect Magazine via RR
I caught up with Guru & Solar earlier this week. The veteran MC and New York producer are dropping their fourth project together entitled ”Guru: 8.0 - Lost & Found”.
The album is the follow up to the fourth installment of the Jazzmatazz series ‘Back To The Future’, which featured the hit single ‘State of Clarity’ with Common.
Noone can deny Guru’s pedigree as an emcee and tracks like ‘Just To Get A Rep’ and ‘Ex-Girl To The Next Girl’ demonstrate. The emcee’s fusion with Jazz and other musical genres helped to solidify his place in Hip Hop history forever.
And now working with Solar, it seems both the producer and the artist want to create a movement of positive and real Hip Hop.
The Interview
I walked into the hotel room and Charlee (who arranged the interview), introduced me to Guru and Solar and when Guru heard the name ‘The Hip Hop Chronicle UK’, he replied ‘I heard that name’ and then told me that he had seen my site. I’m not going to lie, it bugged me out that someone like Guru had heard or seen my site.
Anyway, Guru and Solar had been doing interviews since early afternoon and by the time I came to interviewing them (which was around 8.15pm) I though they would be tired but they still gave me 100% and for that I got to show respect.
The interview turned out to be around 25 minutes and even after the interview I spoke to the duo further about UK Hip Hop, the album, Wu Tang and Gangstarr. It was great to see people like Guru and Solar showing me love and for digging the interview.
Guru & Solar Interview Part 1
In the first part of the interview, I speak to Guru & Solar about their album ‘Lost & Found’, what the album will bring to the table. They also give me their thoughts on the auto-tune craze and reveal that its used on the upcoming album and finally I speak to the duo about creativity in Hip Hop and whether its lacking.
Guru & Solar Interview Part 2
In part 2, I ask Solar what separates him from other producers not only in New York but in Hip Hop. They tell me what ‘7 Grand’ represents and what we can look forward to from the label.
Guru & Solar Interview Part 3
In part 3, I speak to Guru about a recent interview with HipHopDX, in which Guru said ‘I am Gangstarr, Gangstarr is me’.
Before the interview I didnt have the intention of asking about Gangstarr because its the past for both Preemo and Guru and when I interview Preemo I wouldnt ask him about Gangstarr, so I only think its fair that I do the same with Guru. Having said that, I felt that the statement that was made in the HipHopDX interview needed clearing up.
Also in Part 3, Guru and Solar talk about the internet and blogs, they give advice for upcoming rappers and producers and Guru shouts out some UK artists (old and new school). Guru’s knowledge on UK artists did surprise me. One UK artist that wasnt mentioned in the video but that Guru really likes, is Bashy.
http://www.myspace.com/guru7grand
http://www.myspace.com/solar7grand
‘Lost & Found’ is set to drop in the UK on April 27th.
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss-rogers.png "Validate my RSS feed")
