THE DOVE SOCIETY 
Hear the Roses presents a series of music-focused features. The podcast about passion, perseverance and the pursuit of dreams, includes an in-depth conversation with Grammy Award-winning music producer Shafiq Husayn (SA-RA Creative Partners) and his The Dove Society label mates, who open up about their creative process, working with Anderson .Paak and “being a vessel.”
Listen: https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/the-dove-society

ASYA SHEIN 
The music edition features an intimate interview with Asya Shein, founder and curator for FUSICOLOGY, a Hub for Progressive Culture and Lifestyle events that has worked with artists including Anderson .Paak, Aloe Blacc and Robert Glasper.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/fusicology-asya-shein

BILLY JOHNSON JR. 
The music edition includes an in-depth conversation with veteran music journalist Billy Johnson Jr., a former senior editor for Yahoo! Music, who has interviewed musical icons such as Beyoncé and Janet Jackson.
Listen https://soundcloud.com/heartheroses/musicjournalistbillyjohnsonjr

The post Hear the Roses: Music Edition appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

JAMEL SHABAZZ: As a practitioner of the craft of photography, it affords me the ability to transform a chemically based roll of unexposed film that has been placed in a camera, measuring light and adjusting speed towards a particular subject, conceptualizing and composing by the third eye through a glass lens, before applying pressure on the camera shutter release button, freezing a moment in time, thus preserving history. So yes, I would say that there is a direct correlation between being an artist and an alchemist. Any creative artist, whether they are a painter, musician, sculptor or photographer, who uses their innate ability to create something from nothing, is in fact dealing with the science of Alchemy. The various schools of artistry all use science in their creative process and it may consist of the mixing of chemicals, arranging sound, or creating shapes, but when these practices are applied, the results are magical manifestations of a high form of alchemy.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light, do you see your work as an artist like that of a star? Is this “light” that stars radiate merely the evidence of this journey of becoming a star/learning to radiate light?

JAMEL SHABAZZ: As a young man coming of age, I was told by a very wise man that I was the equivalent to the sun which was a giant star in the center of the universe, and that through studying the nature of the sun along with the solar system, I would better understand my purpose in life. It was that wisdom that placed me on the path of enlightenment and provided me with light, guidance and purpose. Like the sun, I would learn that my primary purpose in this universe was to use my kinetic energy to stimulate life and matter through my creative process in hopes that I would create other forms of light and energy in a world that was slowly becoming cold and gloomy.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” How do you navigate this space, how do you find the creative spark in the dark, and does it require courage to create from this unknown space? Describe this process.

JAMEL SHABAZZ: With all honesty, I have never been confronted with a “creative block.” My creative energy is in constant motion and the light that guides me seems to always be illuminated. During the course of my many expeditions, I have accumulated such an abundance of photographs, negatives, and other forms of research, that are readily available to me. This keeps me in a constant creative mode to the point that I no longer travel outside my space to take images like I once did. At this stage in my journey, it took courage for me to realize that I needed to reevaluate my assignment in life, and I have been blessed to create a space where I can meditate, reflect and process what I have been blessed to document. In this undertaking, I continue to seek ways to share what I have with the universe and young visionaries who are fresh on the path of self-discovery.

You can also find this story at THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT and on FUSICOLOGY.

Photo Credit: Jamel Shabazz

www.jamelshabazz.com

The Museum of Light is curated by: Billy Johnson Jr., Adell Henderson, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

 

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The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT: JAMEL SHABAZZ, THE LIGHT THAT GUIDES ME appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, is there an element  of transformation in your creative expression? How does this process for you, connect to that of an alchemists?

JOONBUG: I think it’s that moment where the sudden excitement rushes over because I finally found a path from mind to paper. You get all these thoughts of what could be, what could not be, and you sketch all those thoughts, and ther’ one efinitive line, and it goes from there. A lot of times I don’t know what direction I’m going in. I just connect to that line, and then everything starts falling into place.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light. Do you see your work behind the pen or behind the lens, as a reflection of this light?

JOONBUG: Yes in the sense that it’s a reflection of the idea manifested on the paper. The light could be the idea, the reflection could be how that light manifests in the tangible realm.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” Where do you find the creative spark? What inspires your work and does it require a sense of courage to create from this unknown space?

JOONBUG:  Amazing question!! I view the creative block as a challenge o opportunity. It’s like one of those blessings in disguise. When there’s a creative block that just means that the path that you’re going on is too narrow. You have to widen that. Widen your path. Use the said block as more of a catalyst or fuel. You take yourself out of your comfort zone. The courage comes in the discomfort. That iscomfort of what you’re feeling of the nfamiliar, you get this chance of rebirth, you’re stuck with this. You can either fold or make something great of it. Chances are if you’re looking for that change, you’re going to make the best of it. That’s the courage you need to have to make something of it. You have to put yourself outside of that. Is this really a block? Is this really going to stop me? I think it’s a good thing. You have to be ready to roll with the punches. I would love if people saw creative blocks as a form of good, not the other way around. It’s solvable. You’re just not thinking outside the box. You have to train your mind to think different ways. You grow. That’s the beauty of humans. We make the best of what we’re given all the time, lemons into lemonade.

JOONBUG: The Oil Guppies is my concept series of original characters, derived from oil spills, and serve as Mother Nature’s way to counter. Each spill spawns a creature and, as it grows, absorbs the oil; the colorful display comes from the oil and water mix.

JOONBUG: My Dallas collective, Team From Nowhere, features a set of individuals from different backgrounds and for a magazine interview, I reimagined us as ninjas from the Edo Period. I’ve always loved the art style and this was good exercise, there are actually six characters.

JOONBUG: My default love will always be line work. With this project I delved into the gestural lines to convey movement and energy.

JOONBUG: These are the messy, charcoal-filled pages for the G-Eazy music video, Sad Boy. The project brought me together with an animator team, for the first time, and with that I learned a lot; good fun but time-consuming.

JOONBUG: These are two panels, volume four, from my Beanboy comic. He’s a character from my clothing brand, Fresh Kaufee, whose origin story roots itself in: slavery, time travel, coffee, love, and growth. For now, it can exclusively be found via the Instagram hashtag, #beanboyfk. I am working on a tangible copy if Volume 1 so stay tuned – @freshkaufee on Instagram.

JOONBUG: Leon and I have been friends for a few years now, we sat down over coffee to discuss how we could create together. Our Aesthetic matched well which made this more a passion project, It gave me the chance to really explore one if my favorite illustrators, Robert Crumb, who created these Blue’s Trading cards; it was perfect. Add in the sweet shot reference by Erin Rambo, who introduced me to The Kid.

“All these projects have challenged me in ways i can only be grateful for, thanks for rocking with me, y’all.

– Joonbug

The Museum of Light is curated by: 
Billy Johnson Jr., Joslyn Rose Lyons, Adell Henderson, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

For more info on The Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

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The post Reflections in Light with Joonbug appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Andy Lee

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, is there an element  of transformation in your creative expression? How does this process for you, connect to that of an alchemists?

MAURICE GARLAND: Most definitely. As a writer and music journalist, I look at my work as using words to paint pictures which I consider a valuable skill and talent seeing as how so much of our communication nowadays is visual-driven. When I write I am relying on history and the present moment to tell a story that someone in the future will hopefully read, enjoy and even reference. Also, often times, I interview artists and other creatives who may not be as open or well-spoken as the next person, so I have to find ways to not only get them out of their comfort zone and share, but later combine my words with theirs to create a compelling, truthful story

Photo Credit: Anthony “Truth” Gary

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light. Do you see your work behind the pen or behind the lens, as a reflection of this light?

MAURICE GARLAND: I do. When I interview and write about “stars” I like to create stories that inspire readers to become “stars” themselves or at least absorb some of that star energy that they give off. Rick Ross personally contacted me and told me the cover story that I wrote on him for The Source (Decemeber 2015) was one of the best if not the best stories he’s even read written about him. I’ve written bios for Big Boi and Kendrick Lamar, so in those cases I have to capture what they are about and use my words to present them to the world they way they want to be seen. Every star begins as a particle and winds up becoming a star. That said, much of the work I have done has revolved around getting people to recognize stars in the making. I was the first person to interview or write nationally published articles on people like Janelle Monae and B.o.B. Killer Mike is all over the place now, but for years it felt like I was the only person interested in interviewing him. So yes, I do see my work as a reflection of their light.

Photo Credit: Wesley Persons

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT:  When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” Where do you find the creative spark? What inspires your work and does it require a sense of courage to create from this unknown space?

MAURICE GARLAND:  What some call a “block” I like to look at as a time to rest. When I am not inspired to create, I rest. I sit still and enjoy those moments where my mind and spirit are simply being rather than doing. Fortunately, I rarely have to go find inspiration or a creative spark. During those “block” times ideas usually come to me because I am being still and allowing the universe to bring them to me rather than running and moving and looking. I have found when you move around too much looking for something, you miss what was there waiting for you to claim all along.

The Museum of Light is curated by: 
Billy Johnson Jr., Joslyn Rose Lyons, Adell Henderson, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

For more info on The Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

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The post REFLECTIONS IN LIGHT Interview: MAURICE GARLAND appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists as Alchemists: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

SHAFIQ HUSAYN: WE ARE ALCHEMISTS. We take nothing and turn it into something from Any and Everywhere. Thought is the cause of it all. Thought is spirit/force and power is a result/manifestation of force. Creativity is an infinite part of man, and here is where The Artist becomes the ALCHEMIST.

SHAFIQ HUSAYN: Writer’s block can arise from a few different reasons, but they all are centered in the Heart/Mind/Soul…

For more info on The Museum of Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT WITH SHAFIQ HUSAYN appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists as Alchemists: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

GABRIEL PULECIO: Definitely, the artist, as a transforming agent, by juxtaposing or overlapping different materials or concepts, can bring new ideas and shapes into the world. The same can be said of always looking for “inspiration” or ideas to find that “perfect” result which lies within every person creating for the good of expression. Also, analyzing how sometimes things don’t quite work takes a lot of experimentation, discipline, exact measurements, and several processes to find the perfect balance between the elements. It’s as much science as art.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: The Evidence of the Journey: Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light, do you see your work as an artist like that of a star? Is this “light” that stars radiate merely the evidence of this journey of becoming a star/learning to radiate light?

GABRIEL PULECIO:  I can see several relationships between an artist and stars. First, the fact that stars are grouped into constellations and asterisms, in this case a constellation, could be a group of artists working in the same movement, or in a trend, call it expressionism or electronic art. Especially nowadays, in this new globalized era we live in where the connection between the stars is more evident. We can all see them in a “virtual” sky.  Also, I feel how an artist or his work can be compared inversely proportional to the life of a star in the sense that the stars we see are so far away that most of them have ceased to exist but being so far takes light years for their light to stop. The light of an artist will keep shining after it’s dead and even become stronger than when alive. This can especially be true when a star is pinned into a constellation, depending on its relationship with the other stars of that constellation and the point of view of the “astronomer.”

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: The Courage to Create: When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” How do you navigate this space, how do you find the creative spark in the dark, and does it require courage to create from this unknown space? Describe this process.

GABRIEL PULECIO:  I found this quite interesting. I don’t think there is such a thing as inspiration “per se,” as somebody once said, “Every work is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent ‘transpiration.'” And this is definitely my case. I start every single project with the idea that it’s going to be good, that eventually that “inspiration” will come, but I can’t sit and wait for that great idea to come. Normally it never comes. It is the action of connecting the dots. The process is almost always the same. I start with an idea of what I’m doing, either a sculpture, installation, painting, whatever it is, and after working on it, not necessarily with very clear direction, I find something I think is interesting, and I start developing this idea. As you work on this, you start feeling how the original idea began to unveil itself. Towards the end of the project you really see what it is. It’s in that last push where you finally see the whole image — after all the research and tests, and trial and error — you see something interesting that surfaces. Normally this happens towards the end of the process, and now you have this very clear direction. All you need to do is to produce it and make it happen. The best way to deal with the “creative block” is to work, work, work. And have a mindset that at the end everything will present itself in front of you, not by some miraculous inspiration but by experimenting and testing and trying and failing. Also fails are great to find inspiration. Sometimes what you think is going to work, fails, and then you realize what you are really trying to do and another door opens that you can enter.

For more info on The Museum of Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT WITH GABRIEL PULECIO appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Artists as Alchemists: Just as an alchemist transforms led into gold, do you feel that being an artist relates to that of being an alchemist? Do you view the artist journey and your creative expression, as alchemy?

PRINCE EA: Alchemy? Yeah, I can definitely see my creative expression as alchemy. As artists we start with nothing, just a blank piece of paper. To transform thoughts into eloquent words that in turn galvanize people to take action is truly amazing. For me its almost similar to an ice sculptor. I can see the beautiful figure before I begin but everyone else sees a block of ice. I chip away, getting rid of what’s unecessary and the figure reveals itself. Beautiful.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: The Evidence of the Journey: Artists are often labeled as “stars.” Just as a star radiates light and the planets then reflect this light, do you see your work as an artist like that of a star? Is this “light” that stars radiate merely the evidence of this journey of becoming a star/learning to radiate light?

PRINCE EA:  I do see my work as an artist like that of a star. It shines on its own without trying to. It doesn’t need credit. It naturally guides the way for people and illuminates their lives.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: The Courage to Create: When an artist is not “creating” it is often labeled a “creative block.” How do you navigate this space, how do you find the creative spark in the dark, and does it require courage to create from this unknown space? Describe this process.

PRINCE EA:  I don’t force anything. The art comes out when it wants to. I’m merely a vehicle for it. The more I force it, the more ugly it becomes. Like pulling a flower from the earth to try to make it grow, you damage it. You must let it grow in its own time at its own speed, and be there to water it constantly. This means, give yourself space to grow, give yourself inspiration and time for the fruit to grow ripe <3

For more info on The Museum of Light visit:

http://www.themuseumoflight.com/
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
https://twitter.com/museumoflight

The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT WITH PRINCE EA appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.