“Yeezy, yeezy, yeezy just jumped over Jumpman.” – Kanye West.

Call it a “feat” if you’d like, or just a ‘win-win of modern youth’, but Kanye West has made it very clear that he believes his signature shoe has surpassed the legacy of Michael Jordan’s ‘Jumpman’. Of course, die-hard Jordan brand lovers who stick to their root classics will disagree with this wholeheartedly, but the sneakerhead argument of how could a shoe (that’s only just a few years old) step over the culture Air Jordan pioneered in the sneaker game- is seemingly about to be answered.

On one hand, you have Kanye West, one of history’s most influential pop icons who has ever lived, and on the other is Michael Jordan, basketball’s living legend who redefined the sport as we know it. How does one compare the two? Apples and oranges, right?

Wrong.

We’re discussing sneakers, so in comparison, it’s accurately apples and apples. The bigger question is simple, Granny-smith or Ruby Red? And this is where the debate starts that we all can’t get a break from. There’s no question, both sneakers are highly attractive by nature. Tinker Hatfield is to blame for Air Jordan’s stylish lineage. Kanye West is who to point the finger at for the Yeezy Boost, which is visually stunning in both models (350 & 750). Not to mention his previous work with Nike, where he created the Air Yeezy 1 & 2.

Kanye West (Left) & Michael Jordan (Right).

When you boil down this debate to the foundation, the only thing that draws the line in the sand is Jordan’s sports history which has become associated with the sneaker. What about the Flu Games in 1997 where his “airness” dropped 38 points under the weather – in the NBA Finals? Or maybe even the 1985 ‘Banned 1’s’ in which Jordan was fined $5,000 a game for wearing – due to breaking uniform regulations? Oh, wait – can’t forget the 1996 “Space Jam’s” that Jordan wore in the hit Looney Tunes movie ‘Space Jam’ against intergalactic enemy aliens who played basketball?

Hold on – what about Yeezy, you ask?

“The College Dropout” redefined the Hip Hop game as we all know it to be today. Over 21 Grammy wins and several nods for his discography. “Jesus Walks” which was syndicated all over the world, including the strip clubs? Being deemed one of the best “rappers” in the game, being a true “producer” at heart. Cross-breeding multiple genres in Hip-Hop, while breaking barriers in the category. Designing hit clothing and sneaker lines that shifted outside the intersections within international culture.

And the list goes on and on between the two.

In regards to what can actually end the argument one and for all, it all comes down to a matter of personal preference, but if you’d like a more in-depth look into the debate, check out the featured video above.  Prof. Timothy Welbeck, (of Temple University Africology & African American studies dept.) gives his professional opinion on the subject at hand.

What’s your take on this debate?

Curated exclusively for premiere on RESPECT. 

Courtesy of hypefresh.

The post Could Yeezy Surpass The Jumpman? appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Afro-Latino Festival is throwing it’s 3rd edition of this highly celebrated event and want you to join them. July 10th-12, ALF kicks off it’s three-day event of 20+ artists, expanding to three separate locations, celebrating culture of over 10 countries. The event includes the Opening Gala, Performances by Danay Suarez, Los Hacheros, Fat Afro Latin Jazz Cats, and more. The festival along with RESPECT. Magazine are giving away two free tickets to the Que Bajo?! Party July 11th at the Wick in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Interested in attending? Here’s how: 1) Follow @RESPECTMAG & @FestivalAfrolat on Twitter. 2) Write us explaining why you think you should be attending this years festival. 3) Sit back and wait to see if you win! For more information on an event rooted so deeply in tradition, visit afrolatinofestnyc.com

The post Afro-Latino Fest NYC 2015 Ticket Giveaway appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s undeniable that photography is art. Capturing one’s interpretation of what constitutes visual intrigue through the lens of a camera denotes inspiration. Visual art has not only been a staple of urban culture, but a cornerstone of it’s mainstream appeal. Ismail Sayeed (Calligrafist) is an artist who’s persistence and eye for imagery is setting his work apart. As an in-house photographer for New York’s SOB’s, a coveted music venue in Manhattan, Ismail has shot myriad acts including Raekwon, Stalley, Dej Loaf, Rae Sremmurd, Fabolous, and more. Incorporating his passion and inherent skill for Calligraphy, (decorative penmanship, art of writing) Ismail’s artistic reach and vision stretch far beyond the snap of a shutter. We sat down with Ismail to discuss photographing artists, calligraphy, cameras, inspiration, and how he plans to create a platform for curating art in it’s purist form and the steps he’s taking to transform that vision to a reality.

RESPECT.: Being a photographer and creative, where do you grab inspiration from?

Ismail: “I get inspiration from everywhere honestly. People, environment, life. It really just depends on who and what I’m shooting. I may shoot an up and coming artist, so I get inspiration from their drive and energy. Or if I shoot an artist with a legacy, I get inspiration from that. Like last night I was shooting Funk Flex, I’ve never shot him before. So just being able to sit with him one on one and embrace his energy is great. I always just try to soak up what’s around me.”

RESPECT.: Now you’re the house photographer at SOB’s. How did you land that and what’s the atmosphere like while shooting?

Ismail: “Yeah I’m one of two. It was just consistency. I used to be first in line and pay to get in. I used to just post pictures all the time and after a year and a half one of the interns was like, “Yo, I see you posting pictures all the time, come have a meeting to be the house photographer”. So I got an interview and on the spot they were like, “Ok next time you come, shoot for us.” It was just tenacity. I just used to go shoot artists I liked. Stalley was the first artist I went to shoot there, he’s one of my favorite rappers. Then I just realized I loved to shoot. The atmosphere really just depends on the show. They get a lot of surprise shows and a lot of exclusive shows. SOB’s allows me to shoot bigger shows, lesser shows, and everything in between. It’s a great place for me to spread my wings because I get to shoot the engineer’s booth which looks down on the stage so I get great angles. It’s just been a great opportunity.”

RESPECT.: What have been some of the most rewarding shoots for you personally at SOB’s?

Ismail: “It would have to be Luke James. He performed two nights and I was front and center, the whole thing was very intimate. That show was one of the best in terms of shots and creativity and just the show’s energy itself.”

RESPECT.: Do you book shoots outside of the venue?

Ismail: “The thing about SOB’s is it allows me to meet managers and network. I’m more of an event/concert photographer, but recently I started to build a studio in my apartment, so I’ve started to book shoots outside of just the venue. I shoot for others too like Raekwon, Maino, and Lil Cease. My goal for this year is to be able to say I shoot everything; studio, weddings, etc. SOB’s has allowed me to build all of that.”

RESPECT.: Now describe your visual art as well.

Ismail: “I’m a calligrapher.”

RESPECT.: When did you get into that?

Ismail: “That started for me a a young age. Being born and raised Muslim, Arabic was something that was always intertwined in my life, so I started writing Arabic at the age of like six or seven. I started doing graffiti and cartoon sketching as well and as I got older I realized that I loved beautifying words, which is all calligraphy is. When I was 16 I really just started focusing on that. I actually just got booked to do a mural in L.A. It’s something that really calms me and is the foundation for everything else I do. It’s intricate. You have to take time and pay attention, you’re really building something with words.”

RESPECT.: What do you typically like to shoot with in terms of equipment?

Ismail: “I shoot with a Nikon, it’s a D3100. It’s a good intermediate camera, but now that I’ve gotten better I definitely need a wider frame and a bigger body. I’m actually getting ready to get a new camera since I’m traveling to L.A. soon. As far as lenses, it just really depends. I like to shoot events (non-concerts) with the 35(mm) and I recently started messing around with the 50(mm) fixed lens. I’m learning that fixed lenses make you better. You have to move around, step back, and get angles. Having the zoom is great, you need it, but to know how to really work a fixed lens is dope. For concerts I use the 50-200(mm) because it allows me to get facial expressions. It allows me to really move around. I have to switch out lenses every 10-15 minutes trying to get different angles. Photography is very creative. For instance, I’m a sneaker head, so when an artist jumps, I’m trying to capture his feet, the mic, everything. I’m always trying to create a moment. I’ll take 300 pictures and may only use 50, but I want to make sure I get a broad understanding of everything that’s going on.”

RESPECT.: What’s your editing process like?

Ismail: “I’m kind of new to editing. I actual prefer the rawness of a shot I don’t mind my shots looking how they look, but I’ve learned that you have to use your flash, you have to use photoshop at certain points. Just being the artist that I was and being arrogant and ignorant at times I would be like, “No, this is my expression,” but recently I’ve allowed the knowledge to follow me and learn from it. Editing shots from SOB’s is easier because they allow me to be creative. When shooting for someone else, they have specifics so it’s pretty straight forward. My biggest issue with editing is time. Somedays I might shoot four or five different things, I might have shots that I want to edit right away, but won’t have time because of other events going on. Basically, I love the rawness of how I shoot, but editing is a must.”

RESPECT.: Ok, you can shoot one man and one woman, music or non-music related, who are they?

Ismail: “Wow. Hmmm, that’s a great..wow. (Laughs) Well my favorite artist is Lupe Fiasco, so to be able to shoot him for a day and soak it all up, I would definitely have to say Lupe. For a woman, I would have to say my mother. She passed away when I was 13 and hasn’t been able to witness my success so far, and just knowing the woman she was and her beautiful soul, I would love to just capture who she was. To take that from my lens and my angle and capture how I see her would be amazing.”

RESPECT.: What’s ultimately your end goal?

Ismail: “I want to be known as an artist and not just a photographer. I’m a calligrapher, I have a clothing line, I manage a catering company. I’m currently working on a restaurant and an art gallery. My end goal is to kind of mesh all of it together and create a platform where art can grow. I’m big on the youth and the coming generation. I’m active in both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities, just everything. I do want to open an art gallery that’s based around everything that I do. Photography, canvas art, sneakers. I want the gallery to be a base of all activity. Art to me isn’t what people may think like visual or painting. My brother is a chef, I’ve seen him piece together different foods and make an amazing dish. My sister is a teacher and the way she pieces words and things together and the end result is an amazing project for her students. This all goes back to the first question you asked me and my inspiration comes from people. I want to curate art through the expression of life.”

RESPECT.: What would be one valuable piece of advice you’d give to an up and coming photographer?

Ismail: “Work hard. It’s cliche’ and everyone says it, but it’s really true. Like even SOB’s, I left work early, I waited in line for hours just to get a spot in the front. Do not give up. Also, learn your craft. I’ve really been able to soak up what my OG’s have to offer and you have to be open to learning. Build a portfolio and ALWAYS have your equipment on you because you never know when you can capture a moment.”

View Ismail’s Work BELOW

Follow On Twitter @Calligrafist

The post RESPECT. PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE MONTH: APRIL EDITION appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Norman Jean Roy

Everyone wants to be great. If an artist, or anyone for that matter, is fortunate enough to possess or learn the skills needed to earnestly pursue a goal, then success isn’t far fetched. But the most common desire is to just get there. The question existing, however, is how do you stay there? How do you continue to evolve and how do you maintain? We look to cultural veterans such as Jay Z and Nas as the standards for success. We use them as sort of a bar for which to reach. They’ve withstood the test of time, but they also continue to advance inside and outside the realm of hip-hop.

There are a few interesting factors that can give clarity or shine light on what it takes to have longevity or to remain reigning over the cultural throne. The first could be their pursuit of excellence. Jay Z has described excellence as “…being able to perform at a high level for a long period of time.” We anticipate their next move, whether it is lyrical or an entrepreneurial endeavor. Whatever the case, their efforts remain just as fresh and exciting as the first time they released Reasonable Doubt and Illmatic.

The second factor could be setting the right foundation, which is chasing the pure passion of the art form. Always making mention that the culture needs reviving, Nas’ nostalgia can be used as encouragement to revisit the historical background of the craft, “Rap is like a ghost town, real mystic. Like these folks never existed. They the reason that rap became addictive. Play they CD or wax and get lifted. I recommend when your kid turn ten, let him here Spice 1, made plenty of noise, Positive K, Father MC, the Skinny Boys.” A broader sense of awareness of hip hops humble beginnings and the creativeness of it all begins to take root. From there, the compelling nature to save hip hop from its destitute state is brought forth. Hence, switching the motive from chasing a dollar to “holding down the block.” 

“You can just be you and do you – and not let nobody mess with your flow. Forget the cash, forget the cars, forget all of that stuff… the first thing is the music.” – Nas

All eyes are on the new students of the game, who, since the beginning of their careers, appear to have been taking detailed notes. Like Jay and Nas, Kendrick Lamar and J.Cole, for example, are using their creative and artistic ability to share new perspectives on common issues. Kendrick’s struggle to make it out of Compton’s “belly of the rough” and J.Cole’s “dollar and a dream” are their means of connecting with listeners. It doesn’t hurt to have the vet’s characteristic of ambition as well, which frequently appears in Wale‘s rhymes. Wanting to aim higher remains just as important as being persistent despite obstacles.

Having a sense of self-awareness is just as essential. Being self-aware may just be what makes these artist’s relatable and encouraging to those still on a journey. Or, taking it a step further, having the willingness and courage to be vulnerable, like Drake, and conveying their messages in a genuine way. Being open, honest and transparent about most of their life experience’s; transmitting hope to the hopeless. The understudies are reaching for the bar. Maybe even setting it higher. They are undoubtedly following the same formula as their predecessor’s, but with clearly distinctive personalities and rap styles.

Of course, it takes time and patience to be a Jay Z or a Nas, but it’s possible for the believer. The throne isn’t just for few. It’s for many, who have a vision and seek to validate that vision and pursue it while keeping the proper perspective. It takes lyricists who are strong-willed, like Jay and Nas, to continue to inspire on any level. Everyone wants to be great, but to reign on the throne, the expectation should be to become excellent. Ten years from now, who will be wearing the crown?

The post Reigning Over The Culture’s Throne: Maintaining Longevity and Achieving Excellence appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Since releasing his last project, Conversation B via indie label Mello Music Group, East Coast MC Has-Lo has stayed busy.  He has been putting the finishing touches on a new project with North Carolina-based MC Castle, which will be seeing release later this year.  Getting ready to have his debut album on Mello Music released in an limited edition 180 Gram Vinyl, Has-Lo has released the visual treatment to “Hindsight” from Conversation B.  The track, produced by Apollo Brown, is given new life courtesy of Culture’s directorial job.

The post New Video: Has-Lo – “Hindsight” (Prod. Apollo Brown) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

French artist Etienne Bergot from Lille has a passion for America and American culture. In 2008, he became a “stencil-professional” under the name The Dude Company. His work superimposes  emblematic figures on urban landscapes in order to convey his love for hip-hop and street culture. He draws inspiration from photographs that he later paints onto original media such as wood, metal or glass. According to him, the artist works in order to escape our “sad walls.” Through his work, he hopes to create a human discourse and bring color to our lives.

The post Street Art: The Dude Company appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Wall painted with Daaan and Sanne

Skount, a Spanish street artist, has  been living in Amsterdam since 2009. The incredible artist works with illustrations of characters based on various cultural images. His masked creations are often mysterious and inspired by mostly ancient and extinct cultures that he resurrects through paint.

Skount is currently in Greece where he just finished painting “Five Worry Dolls” (above.)  The dolls originate from Guatemala, where they are called “worry dolls.” They are targeted at worried people, as their name implies. If people are unable to sleep because they are worried they use the dolls to express their fear and place them under their pillow; they’re kind of like dream catchers. The Spanish artist painted this piece in response to the current economic struggles Greece is facing. A fear for their future is omnipresent and is undoubtedly making a lot of people restless.  In their case they do not need one doll under their pillow, but five! This piece is one of the subtlest and most powerful murals to respond to the ongoing European economic crisis. Take note.

The post Street Art: Skount Alleviates Worries About The Economic Crisis appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.