Say_Word_Mag-2009_vol1lwrs - Violence Intervention Project

ISSUE 1
- A,
OF BOI 1DM,
S
IE
R
O
T
S
SS
NOR
HE SUCCERAMANUJAM, BIG
T
G
IN
R
A
SH
2BADD
ZE, PRIYA
LUU BREE PAUL THURTON &
+
FEMALE ARTISTS SET
FASHION SO HOT
ARE WE IN LUST OR
TO ROCK DA MIC
WHY WAIT FOR SUMMER? ARE WE IN LOVE?
A Letter From
Our Editors
Editorial & Creative Staff
I
t’s amazing what nine months can do for a group of strong-minded and opinionative
young individuals. Starting off as shy self-conscious learners, we have branched into
graduates. Through the bickering, shrieking and battling across the boardroom table all
our greatest ideas were produced and now printed on the following pages you are about
to take in.
Who knew a magazine that is picked up, skimmed article by article, quickly flipped through,
and put back down, would be such a long-term task. The VIP Voice newspaper prepared
us for Say Word. We definitely admitted to the fact we needed more practice with our
interviewing skills and the change was made. This would normally be looked upon as
workload but for some of us it’s a hobby. Not all of us want to enter the journalism industry
but the skills and attributes we attained are essential qualities we will take with us to the
industry of our choice.
Along with that, we will take advice from our coordinator Priya Ramanujam. For those of
us who do want to enter the overwhelming journalism industry she has been the mentor
we look up to. She has been there for the group every step of the way. She has taken us to
workshops, introduced us to industry professionals and supported us with any personal
issues we faced. At the age of 25, she is the well-established Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s
number one urban magazine, Urbanology. With all that, she still finds time for youth and
her community, which explains why she scored a spot as one of our six success stories.
Priya, you are a big sister to all of us! Along with Priya, we recognized the amazing efforts
and contributions of our other cover stories: Luu Breeze, Big Norm, Paul Thurton, Shemar
& Lemar of 2Badd and Boi-1da.
But when it comes to success, we don’t have to look further than our own team, which
we are so proud has progressed and blossomed into amazing journalists, as well as
photographers, stylists and graphic designers: Mihilan, Chris, Subayna, Arun, Nicolas, Dillon,
Kiah and Kayla. It’s pretty sad we won’t be having any more crazy meetings, but look at
the bright side… no more deadlines! This also couldn’t have been possible without our
Studio2 creative team: Chris B., Ornella and Matthew. Special thanks goes out to our skilled
multimedia coordinator Andy Lee and our favourite program assistant Karla.
From team Say Word, we hope you utter a “say word” after every page you read.
Concluding with a quote that a fellow peer shared during an interview, “If nobody else can
love you, love yourself twice as hard. You can only lose hope, if you can’t find God.”
Dream big, aim for the stars!
Ranj and Gary
Masthead
Editorial Department
Co-Editors
Ranjit Dhatt, Gary Levy
Entertainment Editor
Kiah Welsh
Fashion Editors & Stylists
Gary Levy, Kayla Morrison
Writers
Ranjit Dhatt, Gary Levy, Kayla Morrison, Subayna Sriranjan, Mihilan Sriranjan,
Christef Desir, Kiah Welsh, Nicolas Denny, Arun Thayanithy
Journalism Program Staff
Priya Ramanujam, Karla Smith-Brown
Creative Department
Photographers & Photo Editors
Nicolas Denny, Ornella Kalonji
Illustrators
Chris Berry, Matthew Cox-Saunders
Layout & Design
Arun Thayanithy
Creative Arts Program Staff
Andy Lee
Cover Photographed By: Nicolas Denny
About Us Photographed By: Ornella Kalonji
Hats Provided By: Universal Urban, Asphalt Regime (Wizdome)
Special T-Shirts Provided By: Caso Nova Wear
SayWord Magazine is published by the SayWord Journalism Program at
the Violence Intervention Project. For more information about the program
contact Priya Ramanujam 416-438-9419 ext. 272.
2
Funders & Partners
Table of C
onte
nts
ough: 12
r
o
b
r
a
c
S
in
e
d
Ma
Stories,
Six
Seven People,
One 'hood
Lifestyle
Rising Stars
Canadian Culture, Eh?
Youth Examine Their Identity
4
8
Anyone Can Be a Rock Star: Taking
the Band From Garages to Living Rooms
Music Like Whoa Young Women Light 16
Up Local Music Scene
The Great Debate: Examining Both
Sides to School Uniforms
5
Lost In Cyber Space: SayWord’s
Own Subayna Tells of Her Week of
Internet Withdrawl
9
Get Elevated:
17
Community Organization Motivates
Young People To Reach Higher Levels
Old School Love: Insight On Why Our
Generation Is Falling In Lust
10
Just Be You: Kayla Morrison
Addresses Young People’s
Desire to Fit In
11
Social
World
Freedom Lost in War:
Scarborough Youth Speak Out
on Turmoil in Sri Lanka
6
Micro-ing In On Money:
The Transition of Paper Money
7
Fashion
Bringing the Heat:
Local Designers and Models
Show off Hot Summer Fashion
18
Break the Laws of Fashion:
In Hard Economic Times,
Looking Fly Is Still Possible
23
3
l
a
i
oc
S
Canadian
Culture,
eh?
Youth examine their identity
Written By: Christef Desir
Artwork By: Christopher Berry
G
oing home after a long day of school, John is
still brain dead from his Calculus and English
test. Of course, like every teenage boy, John
is hungry. He opens his fridge and decides to enjoy
the leftovers from last night. He warms up the food
and starts to devour his mom’s favourite dish: Ackee
and Saltfish.
That is the beauty of Canada, it’s a mosaic. Every
culture that migrates to Canada can appreciate
their cultural traditions and their ethnic heritage.
Unlike the United States, Canada allows its citizens
to stay true to their culture. It is encouraged for
people from different cultures to bring their food,
language and pastimes to Canada. However, if
everyone is engulfed in their own culture, there is
rarely Canadian influence. Will we ever establish a
Canadian culture?
Thaksha Raneshapillai, an 18-year-old student at
Lester B. Pearson C.I., speaks Tamil at home, eats
Roti and Daal and reads books about her homeland,
Sri Lanka. “I don’t really know what Canadian is.... I
mean there’s hockey but I don’t even watch sports,”
explains Raneshapillai.
“It’s different than the States... Canada is a mosaic
and because of that there isn’t a Canadian identity,”
continues Raneshapillai.
In America everyone is expected to conform to
the American culture. South of us, people start
forgetting their cultural history and start adjusting
4
themselves to becoming an American. They lose
their taste in their own food and begin eating the
“American” food. Canada, on the other hand, is very
liberal in its approach to understanding cultures but,
in turn, our country can’t develop many pastimes
that are considered Canadian. Just ask yourself one
question. What is a Canadian thing to do? Better
yet, ask yourself what is a Canadian thing to do that
doesn’t include watching hockey.
“Canada is a
mosaic and
because of
that there isn’t
a Canadian
identity.”
Thaksha Raneshapillai
“I don’t even feel Canadian,” says Sayeeda Khan, a
17-year-old Canadian native. Khan believes that our
cultures don’t work together, that cultures don’t
co-operate with each other to have one similar ideal.
“We have little Italy here and little India there...
I agree we are a quilt and a mosaic instead of a
melting pot and because of that we don’t have a
distinctive Canadian culture,” she explains. Many
youth feel like they aren’t Canadian because there
isn’t enough patriotism and influences to make them
feel Canadian. In America there are flags on nearly
every doorstep; rarely will you find more than one
Canadian flag in one neighbourhood.
There are more rising Canadian spirits, there are
more Canadian television shows and because of the
way Canada is governed, our economy is in better
shape than any other. Socially we have one of the
best countries regarding quality of life; there is a
reason why so many cultures flee to Canada for a
great life and they consider it the ideal country.
“I rather have a country embrace my heritage
than and lose some understanding of that country
than live in a place where all my background is
forgotten,” says Raneshapillai.
Most people consider themselves Jamaican or Indian;
hopefully there will be a day when they can call
themselves Jamaican-Canadian or Indian-Canadian.
On Monday after school John enjoyed himself some
Ackee and Saltfish. On Tuesday, John came home
after a Physics quiz, brain dead and hungry again, but
this time he decided to eat a warm poutine.
GREAT
The
DEBATE
Examining both sides to school uniforms
Written By: Arun Thayanithy
Artwork By: Chris Berry
F
ashion is a hot topic at school. Everyone talks
about it, wears it and admires it. A friend of
yours may wear new shoes to school. Then
you buy new shoes, of a different style, and other
people change their shoes. You started a trend and
other people are going to start following it.
But if students have to wear uniforms in schools,
is the opportunity for expression lost? A few
Scarborough schools are thinking about changing
their dress code policy to enforce uniforms.
“Stressing this dress code at schools will bring out
the unity within all the students, and schools should
be proud of wearing uniforms,” states Dr. Revathi
Chennabathni, Principal of the Sathya Sai School.
the students wear the uniforms, but as long as
they’re still wearing a uniform. Boys might wear
pants below their waist and also untuck their shirts.
Girls may wear the clothes differently by hiking
their skirts or leaving buttons open from their shirt
to reveal cleavage. This could lead to suspension.
We have a policy for wearing a uniform to school.
Sometimes they have different ideas, but not
breaking the rules, such as boys wearing looser
pants and girls wearing tighter pants, because that
is fashion.
Uniforms are still a major issue in many
Scarborough schools, particularly those that are
considering changing their policy to wearing
uniforms. This is mainly because if a student goes
to school from the beginning wearing a uniform,
it is totally different from a student who wears a
uniform for the first time after years of wearing
their own clothes to school. It’s a major change
for the student, in his or her school life, and there
needs to be time to adapt. It is also the same for a
student leaving a uniformed school and going to a
public school; he or she might find it hard to express
themselves in the clothing they wear.
However, clothing is not the only form of fashion.
A wise Coco Chanel once said: “Fashion is not
something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in
the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas,
the way we live, what is happening.” There are
many more ways of expressing ourselves other than
wearing clothing. You could also express yourself
through the way you live or the different styles you
have. It could be your hair or the way you wear your
earrings. It doesn’t only have to be the way you
wear your clothes.
There are both pros and cons to uniformed schools.
Some students feel more comfortable with wearing
a uniform, while others feel comfortable with not
wearing them. Neither is wrong, every one of us has
a different way of expressing ourselves.
However, not everybody agrees.
“The point of wearing uniforms is to bring everyone
down to the same level, where no one is left out
in any way. Parents also don’t have to worry about
cost, since they’re only buying a uniform for that
school, while at normal schools parents have to
worry about buying new clothes every season, as
fashion changes,” says Dr. Chennabathni.
“It could save a lot of money, but who says you have
to buy the best brand name clothes for school,”
argues Zhang. “You could wear normal clothing that
is cheap and doesn’t require you to spend hundreds
of dollars. There are always options for people, such
as buying clothes from stores that don’t sell highpriced items like Sears, Wal-Mart and many more.”
“
I feel that
uniforms in schools
are just there to
restrain you from
wearing anything
better.
“
“I feel that uniforms in schools are just there to
restrain you from wearing anything better. It’s just
like adding more rules to your school and there is
not that much freedom,” explains Tony Zhang, who
has never attended a uniformed school. He feels
that it is not necessary at all. Many students may
have the same opinion.
Tony Zhang
There are clearly two sides to wearing uniforms
at schools.
“There are cons to wearing uniforms at schools,”
explains Dr. Chennabathni. “For example, the ways
5
World
Freedom
Lost in
WAR
Scarborough
Youth Speak
Out on Turmoil
in Sri Lanka
Written By: Mihilan Sriranjan
Artwork By: Christopher Berry
S
enthuri Paramalingam is a cheerful person
who is deeply involved in her community and
participates in a variety of extracurricular
programs and activities. But she is also passionate
about what’s happening back home in Sri Lanka.
“I am deeply saddened and feel that I will lose
my race in the country that I was born in,” says
Senthuri, age 16.
She’s one of the many people who are deeply disappointed.
According to the Halt Genocide (www.haltgenocide.
org), between January 2, 2008 and January 16, 2009,
approximately 1200 Tamils have been killed or reported
missing and 977 have been injured. Sri Lanka is in
a major conflict between the Tamil and Singhalese
population. The tragedy that is happening in Sri Lanka
has a major effect on many Scarborough youth who
have family and friends still living in Sri Lanka.
“Most of the deaths of these indiscriminate
bombings were children. In a recent attack on
Monday, January 26, 2009, 300 civilians had lost
their lives, because of their racial minority position,”
states Senthuri. “In total over 70,000 Tamils have
lost their lives due to the indiscriminate attacks in Sri
Lanka and its support by the Sri Lankan government.
This is genocide.”
“What’s going on in Sri Lanka, to our Tamil people,
I think is beyond describing in words. It’s just so
awful and unfair. The Sri Lankan government is doing
a lot of stuff and dumping the blame on the LTTE
(Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam),” says Pallavi, a
first-year university student. In 1983, LTTE fought
for an independent Tamil nation. “Last week 300
Tamil people were killed and many were injured by
the Sri Lankan army, however, the Sri Lankan army is
saying that they did not do anything. The Sri Lankan
government is not being fair to Tamil people at all.”
Dinusha Wickramatunga, 17, a Singhalese student
shares her perspective: “The war right now is an
unfortunate tragedy and neither side is making the
right decision.”
6
A person who wishes to remain anonymous says,
“As a Canadian, from Sri Lanka, my opinion of the
current situation in Sri Lanka hasn’t changed over
the years. It is basically a situation [of] frustration
and annoyance. While we are fighting for freedom,
we are not free!”
“I am deeply
saddened and
feel that I will
lose my race in
the country that
I was born in.”
Tamils are joining protest groups to raise awareness
about the genocide. There have been many protest
events here in Toronto. On February 4, there was
“Day of Mourning,” an event held by Canadian
Tamils. They lit candles and stood outside, in the
cold weather, for several hours holding these
candles. On that day, Tamil-Canadians showed
pride and care, calling for freedom in Sri Lanka. On
February 20, there was a mega rally held at the
White House, where many Tamils joined to protest.
Senthuri states, “These organizations are trying to
stop the war in Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka is using
the war as an excuse to kill Tamil civilians.”
Senthuri was asked in an interview what she thought
the Canadian government could do in response to
these protests. She replied that she thought the
Tamil community was hoping the government would
take a leading role in arranging a ceasefire as well as
send the UN, journalists and humanitarians to stop
the indiscriminate bombing and shelling of Tamil
civilians. The Canadian government’s impact in the
devastating situation could be as simple as donating
money to help the organizations in Sri Lanka. “I know
my dad is part of an organization and he sends $300
every month back home to help,” says Pallavi.
With money, the Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) and the Tamil civilians would receive food
and medical supplies. “The Sri Lankan government
[should] probably receive assistance in brokering
a ceasefire from the Canadian government,”
says Dinusha.
To achieve this goal, the government should first,
“respond to Sri Lanka and realize lots of people from
there had moved because of all the war,” says Yathan
Vidyananthan, age 12. “This war started in 1983 and
has not ended. Big leaders are dying and [no one is
taking action].”
Although one person won’t resolve the situation,
everyone can be a part of the solution. “If you’re a
Tamil, you should be caring about this because this
is your parent’s background and also yours,” says
Yathan. “You should not think, just because
I’m small I can’t do this. You can, you should believe
in yourself.”
Micro-ing In On
Written By: Kiah Welsh
Artwork By: Matthew Cox-Saunders
Y
ou flick the television on and you’re watching
the news. Various stories are broadcasted,
but the lead story catches your attention.
The reporter says something about paper
money losing its value and as a replacement; the
government would insert an RFID (Radio Frequency
Identification) chip into humans as a technological
advancement. You then recline in your seat and
ponder, “How can this be?”
In today’s society, technology is constantly evolving.
It has come a long way from what it used to be.
Today, a tiny device already in the works, an RFID
chip called the Mu chip, “contains an integrated
antenna… which has a read range of only a few
centimetres.” This tiny chip, the size of a grain
of rice, has the potential to eliminate money
because, “it is small enough to be embedded in
paper currency and its unique ID number could be
captured at any point where cash is concerned.”
(Source: The Spy Chip’s Threat: Why Christians
should resist RFID and Electronic Surveillance:
Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre)
When asked about the mu chip being used as a
possible commodity in place of money, Manny, 16,
said, “The Mu chip is going beyond what it should be
… in other words the chip would eliminate privacy.”
Matthew, 18, states that, “paper money… the value
is already decreasing as more people use debit and
credit cards. There is almost no need for any sort of
paper currency. I believe within the next 50 years
perhaps, currency will be digitalized.”
“
With the world
always changing,
I’m afraid technology
might go too far.
“
The transition
from paper money
to newly created
electronic devices
and how it is
changing the world
we live in
Money
Anonymous Student
who wished to be unnamed says, “The world has
changed from what it was from about five years
ago. Everywhere I go I am able to use a credit or
debit card in place of money. With the world always
changing… I’m afraid technology might go too far.”
The idea of chips being implanted into humans is
not a far-fetched concept. In some parts of North
America, some RFID chips are already available
to be embedded into animals. This idea has both
positive and negative aspects. For one, instead of
carrying paper money everywhere, the mu chip
would contain all sorts of information, making it
very convenient for the average person to worry less
about carrying identification. On the other hand,
because this chip may be implanted into human
beings, a lot of controversy arises about privacy and
identity theft. Stores have already been using this
device in certain products. Abercrombie, Hollister
and Wal-Mart, to name a few, have embedded RFID
chips into their clothing and products for inventory
control, providing security of clothing and controlling
when products should arrive or be shipped.
Although money has a very significant stamp on
society, as it places value to particular things, it will
be interesting to see how things will evolve. As Leah,
15, says, “The world is always evolving, technology
is constantly advancing. When it comes to money…
who knows what the future will behold?”
In order for the mu chip to work, the chip would
have to be implanted into a human arm, because of
its tiny size. This would then suggest that someone
would be tracking one’s every move. A student
7
e
l
y
t
s
e
Lif
I Wanna Be
A Rock Star
Written By: Dillon Lobo
Artwork By: Matthew Cox-Saunders
Taking the band from the garages to living rooms
Y
ou and the three other members of your band
have started touring the world, playing gigs,
spreading your fan base and earning cash.
Except you haven’t left your living room and it’s all
just a fantasy. Each of you is on your own distinct
instrument, but the goal is the same for each person:
hit notes, score points and try to get five stars. It has
put each of you into a sort of trance, where every
time you set a note streak and each time you miss
a note, you start over and try to beat it. You could
have started a real band with your friends, and went
out and got yourselves real instruments, but that’s
too much work and requires commitment. Playing
the game, however, will provide you with the illusion
of that satisfaction, without having to actually read
music or develop a skill.
The Rock Band and Guitar Hero videogame
franchises, started by Harmonix Music Systems, have
taken the world by storm and introduced us to a new
style of gaming that anybody can pick up and play.
However, the introduction of “rhythm-music games”,
as they are being classified, into mainstream gaming
has brought about a controversy as to whether this
simulation is just an escape from the hard work it
takes to start a band and become successful.
With Guitar Hero and Rock Band, starting a band
with friends is easy and joining others online to
collaborate is even easier. There is one huge thing
lacking in these games, which is the creativity aspect
that the developers of Guitar Hero and Rock Band
have tried to make up for with features like the
8
whammy bar, drum fills, vocal freestyle sections and
ending bonuses. But these features cannot make
up for the satisfaction one gets by jamming on their
guitar or coming up with their own drum beats.
“After I played
some songs on
Guitar Hero, like
Metallica’s “One”,
I took my real guitar
and tried to learn
to play them.”
His band includes four other members: a lead
guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and a vocalist. In
order for the song being performed to sound its
best, each instrument in a band has to be there to
make the sound better as a whole.
The music in Rock Band and Guitar Hero has
introduced a younger demographic to a wider genre
of music.
“After I played some songs on Guitar Hero, like
Metallica’s “One”, I took my real guitar and tried to
learn to play them,” says John B., a Malvern teenager
who enjoys playing the electric guitar in his free
time.
Youth who normally engage themselves in pop or rap
music have now been inspired to listen to songs that
were hits in the past, from the likes of artists such as
The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and The Who.
Rock Band and Guitar Hero has us playing gigs and
John B.
rocking out in ways that we could only dream about
before. Kevin Halverson, a Scarborough teenager
In an actual band you can come to the conclusion
who owns Guitar Hero 2, and Rock Band 1 and 2,
that you are playing songs together, instead of
with all the instruments, says he enjoys, “playing
watching your side of the screen and not paying
these games because it’s fun and I feel like I am
attention to your friends.
really playing guitar or drums.”
Mark Thomas, who plays rhythm guitar for the band
he put together for his school’s talent show, talks
about the process of preparing for their audition.
“When we practiced our song at my house… I had to
listen to what everyone else was playing for my cues.”
Lost in Cyberspace
Say Word’s own Subayna tells of her week of Internet withdrawal
Written By: Subayna Sriranjan
Artwork By: Matthew Cox-Saunders
I
am addicted to Internet. I check my e-mails, play games,
make websites, etc. As we were putting this magazine
together, our illustrator and mentor Chris Berry caught on
to my addiction. He made a bet with me: I couldn’t stay off
the Internet for an entire week. If I lost I had to make him a
special Tamil dish of his choice and if I won he had to show me
embarrassing childhood photos. Guess what? I won that bet!
But it wasn’t easy; here are some snippets from the journal I
kept while staying away from the Internet.
Day 1: NOOOOOO!!! The day has started; I’m trying not to go
on the Internet so I can win the bet! But my hand is forcing me
to go on the Internet. So I quickly got out of that area, and let
the next person go! “CURSE YOU CHRIS:@” I feel as though my
head is going to burst without going on the Internet. I need to
go on the Internet, BUT NOOOO! UGH! But it was nighttime
and it felt weird!
Day 2: The second day of the bet. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY! I
just feel like I want to go on because THE COMPUTER WAS
CALLING ME. If I also had a chance I would have gone on the
Internet, but I know I just don’t want to lose the bet because
my mom would have to cook something for Chris, and I would
feel sorry for my mommy wasting her time.
Day 3: (This happened during school time.) I had to do this
sheet on body images or something like that. And I had to
go on the Internet. I’m like WHAT??? So I didn’t want to tell
my teacher about this or else she would get mad for no good
reason. So I kept it to myself. But instead of me going on the
Internet, I shared with someone else and she used the mouse.
So the period was over, and guess what? The teacher told us
to do it for homework during the weekend! So I’m like hell no, I
ain’t doing my homework, until the bet is done.
Day 4: The fourth day of the bet. I got so mad because I really
wanted to do my homework on the Internet, but I couldn’t or
else I would’ve lost the bet! So I just didn’t feel like I wanted to
go on the computer area because my brother and sister were
just hogging the computer, so I just watched a little bit of TV.
Day 5: You already know that I was at the Say Word going to the
racism conference. But after that I just went shopping until 9 p.m.,
so I really had no time to go on the computer.
Day 6: “YAY, ONLY TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL I GET BACK ON
THE INTERNET!” But then, after shopping, we came home
and…. Ugh! I got soooooo mad because someone broke the
computer and it was like only three days ‘till the bet was over.
The computer was on the whole freakin’ day, AND IT BROKE!
Day 7: I am still sooooooo angry ’cause the computer was still
broken and it was one more day till the bet would be done. So
I really couldn’t do anything except get angry.
Day 8: The computer was not even FIXED and tomorrow was
the day I could go back on. UGH! I hate when that happens!
That was the week of my misery! I couldn’t stay away from the
Internet. But luckily it was over. However, you know how the
bet was for one week, I filled up my time just watching TV and
finishing up my homework.
I spoke with a number of my classmates as I put together this
journal to find out if they were addicted to the Internet. Many
were addicted in some way! For example, Thanujan who is in
grade 8 says he’s addicted to checking for new video games,
animé, manga, etc. Jennifer, a grade 9 student says she’s
addicted to talking to people and listening to music online.
From doing my bet and keeping my journal I learned that even
though I am still very addicted to (or in love with) the Internet
I can’t let it affect my school work or friends and family.
You should do the same. Ask yourself, am I addicted to the
Internet, and if so, what is my excuse?
9
School
Old LOVE
Relationship advice for
the confused, frustrated
or unsure
Q
a
Insight on why
our generation is
falling in lust
Written By: Ranjit Dhatt
Artwork By: Matthew Cox-Saunders
W
hether they are relationships or simply
sexual friendships, we often get confused
between love and lust. But we don’t take
the time to sit down and put the puzzle together
to say I’m not in love, it’s just a physical attraction.
There are times when I find someone so attractive
that I think I’m in love. Maybe it’s my age but I
believe it happens to all of us.
You see that pretty girl and automatically want to
get with her, not knowing that she could be your
total opposite. You could both have two different
mindsets, but why does it matter, she’s cute right?
Young adults nowadays don’t take the time to get
to know people and learn to appreciate one
another; everything is so dependent on having
“swag” or being “fly”.
Love is eternal and everlasting, but lust is
temporary. But why do we still choose to fall into
lust instead of love? Who better to break down this
whole love and lust confusion than Ricardo Halford,
a happily married man for 30 years.
When asked what he thought about the younger
generation, and if love still exists as strongly as it did
50 years ago, he said, “I don’t think people love…
we don’t know the true idea of love.”
He laughs, shaking his head in disappointment.
Halford met his wife, Lucy, at age 12 and knew even
then he was going to marry her. Now, at 52 and 51,
both can agree their relationship is stronger than
ever before. Halford flips through a photo album,
with all the memories that him and his wife have
10
built up in their marriage. While looking at the
album, he shares why their commitment has been
able to last this long.
“Thirty years, and all it took was a communication,
respect and just simply caring for each other,” says
Halford. “Ignorant people say they don’t want to
get married. In this society, you need a paper for
everything. The marriage document is that one
paper that let’s people know you are dedicated
to each other forever. Along with paper comes
responsibility and commitment, what people are
afraid of.”
Q
a
“I don’t think people
love… we don’t
know the true idea
of love.” Q
a
Ricardo Halford
Today, marriage simply does not seem like a
necessity. It was 50 years ago, but now it’s not. A lot
of things have changed; the people, the times, the
opinions and the values.
“This generation is very different, a 10-year-old girl
is ready to sleep with a boy, no questions asked.
They are so quick to cheat, this is not referring to
everyone, but it does happen. The difference from
now and then is [that] we did not have such an urge
to cheat. We were able to cherish whatever we did
have,” says Halford while closing the photo album.
My conversation with Halford made me think. We are
all strangers no matter how many facts we can state
about each other. It takes time and effort to find a true
soulmate who will love you even with your darkest
flaws. Although we are living in a world where things
change in a blur, stop thinking about who you should
run game on next and search for a more meaningful
connection.
Q
a
- My boyfriend always goes out to the movies with
next girls and claims that they’re his “friends.”
What should I do?
From: Kate
- Personally, I would not mind my boyfriend having
friends that are girls but when it comes to movie
dates with all these girls, you gotta put your foot
down girl! Tell him how you feel and if he still
wants to go on movie dates with all his girlfriends
just show him to the left!
- My girlfriend and I have been together for a year
and we’re both 18. She recently told me she’s
pregnant. I don’t want her to keep the baby, how
do I tell her in a nice way?
From: Matthew
- It’s not about telling her the nice way, it’s about
breaking it down and giving her reasons as to
why it might not be a good move. You have to
make sure you guys are financially stable and your
relationship is strong enough to hold together
through hard times when the baby would be
around. A year is long, but is it long enough to
start a family? You be the judge. You also have to
look at everything on the education side. Would
you be able to continue school and still bring in
good marks to get into college? So Matthew, keep
all these things in mind and get ready to tell her.
- I have been with my boyfriend for two months
and all we ever meet for is sex. I feel like we have
no bond, but when I bring it up to him he shrugs
it off. I’m thinking to put this relationship to an
end, would you agree?
From: Letisha
- It sounds as if he only wants the “good good”
and that ain’t cool. A mutual bond is something
that should be developed before having sex. A
relationship is more than sex. It’s about getting
to know one another, having a friendship, sharing
secrets and loving each other unconditionally. If
he shrugs it off, he obviously doesn’t care. So you
make the final decision.
- I really like this girl, but she always tells me what
type of boys she likes and I am definitely not her
type. Should I still tell her?
From: Chris
- Chris, you can’t be serious. It seems like she is a
good friend, once there is a friendship there could
be much more. Just get it off your chest. I mean,
she might not have the hots for you now, but
maybe down the road she will realize it’s not all the
superficial stuff and it’s about finding a soulmate.
Just Be
Kayla Morrison addresses
the desire to fit in
Artwork By: Chris Berry
M
any teenagers stress over how they look,
how they want to be seen and how people
actually see them. These days so many
people rate their peers on a scale of 1 to 10, 10
being the highest (dime) and one being the lowest
(penny). There are many Facebook groups that can
back me up with names like “Picture rating, are you
a dime or a penny?”
People are becoming more obsessed about their
appearance, trying to stay in touch with the latest
fashions, gadgets and all things in between. The
motive of this is to make a nice, sharp appearance
in public to gain respect and attention. A peer, who
wished to be unnamed, says, “Some girls only feel
sexy when they wear skimpy clothes, a mini skirt
and obscene amounts of makeup.”
Actress Kathleen Turner, once said, “Being a sex
symbol has to do with attitude, not looks. Most men
think it is looks but women know otherwise.”
Sometimes people just leave their house in sweat
pants and a T-shirt and feel no way about it because
they’re comfortable, but Henry Ward Beecher, a
public speaker in the 1800s, once said, “Clothes
and manners do not make the man; but when he is
made, they greatly improve his appearance.”
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with wearing
what you like and having your own little thing going
on, however, feeling the need that you have to
conform to other people on what you buy or what
you like is not right.
u
o
y
to hang out with her. I know it sounds bad, but it’s
whatever. If it was a guy with a different style, and I
liked it, then yeah. But different as in YUCK he can’t
dress, then definitely not!” It is a strong opinion,
coming from a young lady who describes her style
as unique.
On the other hand Kéon Cameron, 18, says,
“[Forget] swag, it is called style, C.O.L.O.U.R.S
(Cool Outrageous Lover of Uniquely Raw Style).”
never die, no matter how “stupid” you may look or
sound at the time.
Kéon’s message to everyone is stop leaving tags on
your clothes. You do not need to prove the cost or
where you bought it to look cool.
eople need to
“Pfocus
on what s
really important
Kéon explains when he was younger he used to
wear skinny jeans and everyone had something to
say, but now everyone is wearing them because
it is a trend. Kéon’s role models are Kanye West,
Pharrell and Fonzworth Bentley. He looks up to
them because they all have a mind of their own and
follow their own trends.
Another girl says that she uses her looks to get what
she wants. She admits that most of her success
came through her appearance and she is proud of it.
Her message to all is, “if you have it, stunt it and if
you don’t have it, make it up!”
Who can really blame her for having this attitude.
This is a superficial world with superficial people.
You watch movies, music videos and fashion shows
and try to imitate what you see. Kanye West wore
his glasses, and within two weeks the whole city was
wearing a knock-off version of them. Just remember
that individuality will
'
instead of stressing
over the little things.
If more people had
this attitude they
would not care
how other people
perceive them,
they would only
care how they see
”
themselves.
Kéon Cameron
Brianna Coote, 17, says, “Swag has to be up there
on the ‘you need to have it’ list,” when asked
if she would chill with somebody with a
completely different style. She adds, “If
it was a friend, I would be embarrassed
11
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12
-U
Make
Twice As Nice
Written By: Kiah Welsh
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
Today, Lemar, 14, and Shemar, 12, are young dancers
known as 2Badd. According to the boys, while they
were walking the streets of downtown Toronto one
day, the name 2Badd suddenly hit them and they
knew instantly that’s what they’d be called.
But at such a young age, sometimes 2Badd is
underestimated. When talking to Lemar and
Shemar’s mothers, they mentioned the two were first
introduced at one party as impoverished kids from a
high-risk neighbourhood, which automatically put a
negative connotation on them.
“There are two of us and together we’re bad dancers —
in a good way,” explains Shemar with a smile. “It didn’t
take long for us to come up with a name,” adds Lemar.
Sometimes
we get butterflies
before the actual
performance, but
once we step out
on that stage and
the music starts
playing and the
lights are on,
we forget
everything.
“
A
There are lots of people cheering you on and are
amazed by what you could do.”
– Lemar Charles
Not the
Norm
Written By: Dillon Lobo
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
I
t was a local community event called Making the
Connection where Norman Alconcel a.k.a. Big Norm
arrived onstage. He came to talk about hip-hop and
reading, to tell some jokes, and to speak about why
school matters. He gave the example of a child coming
to Canada from Jamaica who wouldn’t care for Sir John
A. MacDonald or Lester B. Pearson, but would rather
be learning about a person like DJ Kool Herc, one of hiphop’s pioneers and a Jamaica native.
Norm’s performance at the event is just one instance
where his youth activism interior is revealed through
his comedic exterior. His message to youth is simple.
“Don’t be lazy. Say yes. When an opportunity comes, do
everything that you can to make it happen.” Norm began
getting involved with youth after he started hosting his
comedy variety showcase, which led to hosting gigs, such
as school conferences and community events.
Norm describes himself as an “entertainment renaissance
man,” when speaking about his involvement with youth,
since it all comes back to his life growing up.
“If it wasn’t for the life that I had lived in Scarborough, I
wouldn’t be where I am at today. [This] is why I’m trying
to give back to the Scarborough community.”
Many people think Lemar and Shemar are brothers
because both their names rhyme. However, the
boys met each other in a dance group they were
previously a part of called “School of Mayhem”. Soon
after, they both wanted to start a group of their own.
The two have been dancing ever since they can
remember. “My mom said when I was a baby and
she’d put on music, I used to just bounce around on
the spot,” Lemar says as he grooves his shoulders
from side to side. “Well, I’ve been dancing at a young
age too, but professionally for two years,” Shemar
says. He also mentions that he was influenced by
other dancers within the media, which made him,
“want to do that too.”
Their first gig was at the Marc Ecko “Getting up
Festival.” Shemar says, “The experience was amazing!
Growing up, Norm felt that there weren’t enough
resources for youth. For him, this was the major reason
why youth were disengaged with their community.
“If they were doing anything, they were playing
basketball or soccer in the back, hanging out, selling
drugs, doing drugs, partying… not doing anything
productive for themselves, society or their community
around them.”
However, Norm always considered himself different and
he went to downtown Toronto to find the opportunities
that were unavailable in Scarborough. Once he gained
experience in entertainment and working with youth,
he brought it back to improve conditions for those
younger than him.
The MuchMusic VJ Search gained a great deal of citywide
and even national fame for Big Norm. The story of how
he became a finalist started at Fairview Mall during
open auditions. Anyone could go onstage and perform
Old MacDonald in any musical genre. A slightly nervous
Big Norm stepped up and delivered his best operatic
rendering of Old MacDonald. “… It just blew everyone
away and they were like, ‘wow, this guy is nuts.’”
“Sometimes we get butterflies before the actual
performance,” continues Lemar, “but once we step
out on that stage and the music starts playing and
the lights are on, we forget everything!”
Despite these stereotypes, Lemar and Shemar have
accomplished so much, so young. To name a few,
they have been featured on shows such as The Maury
Povich Show, 106 & Park, Pop It and, of course, The
Apollo Theater.
Lemar and Shemar’s first aspiration is education and
their second priority is dance. However, balancing the
two can be a challenge.
“I’m a regular student. The only problem is if I have
homework, I’d have to do it after dance practice,”
says Lemar. Although their schedule is very busy, the
boys admit that they, “don’t get tired.” They love to
dance and wouldn’t give it up for the world. “We
have a lot of energy,” the boys chuckle.
There’s no doubt that they were destined to dance.
As the boys say, “keep practicing, do what you can
and never give up.”
“
“
“
t one of their first major performances, Lemar
Charles and Shemar Johnson kicked off their
dance routine with a spectacular flip. Right
away they caught the audience’s attention. However,
the audience that the duo entertained was unlike any
other. This was New York’s famous Apollo Theater
and Lemar was 11 and Shemar was 9.
If it wasn’t for
the life that I had lived
in Scarborough,
I wouldn’t be where
I am at today.
After that, he was called to audition in front of the
camera, and when asked why he should be the next
MuchMusic VJ, he responded, “me and the camera
are like boobs and nipples… the camera’s all good, but
without me on it, it ain’t nothing,” which took everyone
watching by surprise and got a few laughs.
Big Norm used to have the nickname “Shaolin” during his
rapper and b-boy days. But once those days were over
he went back to just Norm. He soon felt that that was a
little boring and average, so he decided to add a ‘big’ to
the front of it. “People [say to] me well you’re not that
big, well it’s not a play on my stature, it’s a play on my
presence and the impression I leave on people.”
13
Written By: Ranjit Dhatt
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
H
umble, yet confident, one of Canada’s
top new producers, Matthew J. Samuels,
has definitely branched out since he first
entered Battle of the Beat Makers (BBM) at age
17. Since then we have heard him on Flow 93.5’s
OTA Live and seen albums he produced on garner
Juno nominations. These albums include Point
Blank’s Point Blank, Kardinal Offishall’s Not for
Sale and Famous’ I Rap Now.
Winning three BBM competitions in a row
reinforced Samuels’ talent and has done wonders
in furthering his career. Samuels is grateful to
Adrian McKenzie, co-founder of Urbanology
Magazine, who put him on that opportunity.
“I was very nervous you know, like, everybody
at school would tell me I make good beats so I
wanted to figure out if that was true or they
were just talking a bunch of crap in my ear,”
Samuels recalls.
Samuels, a Scarborough native, is known
throughout Toronto’s hip-hop scene more
commonly as Boi-1da. “I don’t remember too
tough, but I know it was from one of my boys in
high school, you know that’s what kids do (give
each other nick names). I decided to stick with it.”
Today, at 22, he recalls how he started producing.
“My boys and I used to rap and we always
needed beats. So, I took the initiative to make
beats for us and throughout that process I
realized I was not such a great rapper.” He laughs
and adds, “I’m not into the whole limelight thing,
the behind the scenes works for me.”
Family is what makes Samuels strive for bigger
and better things. His 26-year-old sister Myashe
fondly remembers their childhood. “... Of course
as the older sister I tortured my brother, once I
dumped his head in the toilet for annoying me.
He told on me and I got into [trouble], but it was
worth it.”
“
Recently, the tragic loss of Samuels’ cousin has
made him work harder on his ambitions. “He
was depressed for a bit and didn’t know how
to handle it. The depression took his life… This
situation motivates me to talk to youth who
are facing similar depression issues and show
them that there is hope and taking your life is
not the solution.”
“
Beat It Up
I’m not into the
whole limelight thing,
the behind the scenes
works for me.
And 1da has been working hard to keep his life
on the right track. His production résumé has
evolved having worked with big names such as
G-Unit, Rich Boy, Lil Wayne, The Dream, Kardinal
Offishall, Clipse, Drake and many more. “Being
in the Canadian music industry and people not
being supportive out here is usually one of the
cases but I have got a lot of love for the music I
make. I think the problem is people from Toronto
usually don’t like hearing music from Toronto
because most times it’s not the best.”
The future surely looks bright for Canada’s own
Boi-1da but there are certain goals he has in
mind. “I would like to start a production company
which will enable local producers and artists to
branch out and make positive music.”
Dancing with Swagg
Written By: Nicolas Denny
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
rowing up in the McCowan Rd. & 401 area of
Scarborough, 22-year-old Paul Thurton never
expected to be one day traveling the world and
performing professional dance. He says he and his friends
began as a part of a gang and within the gang they found
different outlets to express themselves including dance.
youth there’s other alternatives to the streets and give
them something to do. He’s building Simply Swagg Dance
Studio to teach the craft of hip-hop dance to ensure it’s
looked upon as an equal discipline amongst other more
traditional dance. He’s trying to keep the dance alive
within our generation.
Thurton’s been performing urban dance since he was
in grade seven. He comes from an arts background;
his father was a jazz musician and his uncle was a
back up dancer for Mixed Magic, one of MuchMusic’s
original dance groups. Since being accepted into The
Supernaturals, a group he says is considered the best in
Canada, Thurton has been touring the world to places
like Korea and Germany.
“What I’m doing is giving back to the younger people
who were in the position that I was in, where they’re
on the brink, ‘should I do right,’ or ‘should I do wrong.’
I want to help them take the step toward right.” Paul
also believes everyone should have a voice of their own
and says if his students are opinionated on the way he’s
teaching dance he encourages them to bring their own
style to the table.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he says of performing onstage.
“The cheering, the rumble that you feel inside of you is
unexplainable. You can easily do little shows and talent
shows but when you are performing for thousands of
people and mayors and presidents you feel like you’ve
finally made it.”
In order to reach the youth, Thurton’s strategy is to go
into schools, recreation centres and do a lot of outreach
inside the hood where targeted and underserved youth
are. Eventually he wants to have Simply Swagg open
across Canada.
G
“
‘Should I do right,’
or ‘should I do
wrong.’ I want to
help [youth] take the
step toward right.
“
14
He says one of the greatest things about touring around
the world is getting to see other people’s interpretations
of dance and their different styles. He was able to
compare his standing in dance against other people in
other countries. It brought him face to face with different
people with various experiences who knew about dance.
After a few years of touring Thurton’s back and he’s
opening up a dance studio in Scarborough to teach the
“I’m just a guy from Scarborough, danced my whole life
and eventually just found avenues and routes and took
it seriously,” Paul says. “I studied my craft. I know its
origins, what styles influenced what I do and I believe
that makes me a better dancer and that’s what I’m going
to try and show people. I’m going to try and open doors
for [the youth] and show them that they can get to that
level if they put the time in. One day they can get to
where I am.”
Breezing to the Beat
Written By: Christef Desir
Photograph By: Nicolas Denny
S
wants to go back to living in government housing;
that’s what keeps his words and songs flowing.
“Knowing where I came from is motivation to
know where I’m trying to go,” he says.
“Summer ain’t raise no fool, silly Willy / See she
gave me one dollar, I turned that dollar to a 20 /
Turn that 20 to a couple thousand, now I need a
milli,” the crowd raps together.
Living at Orton Park taught Breeze some serious
lessons about character and how to take
advantage of every opportunity. Sunny Diamonds,
the Diamonds Studio owner, where Breeze
records, says, “Luu comes in and gets things done;
he knows what he wants and how to get it.”
Live onstage with Method Man and Redman, Breeze
performs his hot new single “Charge It to the Game”
at the Roxx Nightclub in Barrie, Ontario.
“
“
Breeze wasn’t always on stage bumping his music
and chillin’ with stars. Breeze grew up at Orton Park
in government housing. Being raised by a single
mother in Scarborough isn’t easy, especially when
you want to be a rapper. “I’ve always been singing,
rapping since I was four or five, just mumbling
words; I’ve always been a fan of the craft.”
Knowing where I came
from is motivation
to know where I’m
trying to go.
Motivated by his struggle as a youth, Breeze takes
full advantage of his opportunities through music.
When he goes into his bright, red studio booth it’s
no more “Mr. Nice Guy”. He becomes a different
person. He enters a determined zone and records
songs in a measly 45 minutes. Show Stephens, his
friend and a featured artist on his forthcoming
album, describes Breeze as an “animal”, since he’s
so focused and every new beat is his prey.
Breeze says his motivation is to not end up in
the environment in which he grew up. He never
Voice for the Voiceless
Written By: Kayla Morrison
Photograph By: Nicolas Denny
A
s a young girl she often struggled with self
confidence and wondered where she belonged.
Now Priya Ramanujam is Scarborough’s own cofounder of Urbanology Magazine. She slowly found her
own voice and started to help others find theirs.
“I think there’s a lot of stigmas with people who come
from certain neighbourhoods or hang with certain
friends and I had to break down some of those barriers
and I still am,” Priya says. Living in Scarborough made
her grow as a person. She admits although it has its
problems, no place is perfect. She loves the continuous
community sprit and thinks it’s incredible to see different
cultures uniting as one.
Priya, 25, and born in the hip-hop generation, always
knew that she wanted to create an outlet for the voices
that are unheard and overlooked. Priya grew up in
the Malvern community and went to school at Lester
B. Pearson Collegiate. She later moved on to Humber
College to pursue journalism. She explains she chose to
study journalism because she felt that there wasn’t a lot
of diversity in the media.
Priya and her high school friend Adrian McKenzie
decided to put together a magazine that would
represent urban culture. “There was no magazine
speaking to the hip-hop generation… speaking
towards life and everything in it, in a way relatable
to young people living in a community like ours. So
it was like giving a voice to people who are [usually]
voiceless.” Having read the latest issue of Urbanology
that discusses everything from Barack Obama to
environmental issues, I realized she was right.
Ms. Independent is the first thing that comes to mind
when you see Priya at work. Five years, and she is still
going strong. She has interviewed celebrities such as
Mobb Deep, Faith Evans, Trey Songz, Juelz Santana,
Kardinal Offishall, Chingy, T.I. and still remains humble.
I asked her how Trey Songz was in person and she
says laughing, “very cocky.” And who is someone Priya
hasn’t interviewed but would love to? “Nas, because
he is my favourite rapper. I know that Nas doesn’t really
like the media ’cause they show him in a bad light, but
I just feel I can interview him in a way that does show
him in a good light.”
Breeze is only this serious when it comes to making
music. Out of the studio his humility shines. “Luu is,
and I’m not kidding, the most down to earth person
I have ever met,” Show says.
At his album release party, Breeze greeted every
guest with welcoming dapps and a hug. He even
served his guests pizza and pop before he served
himself. “I don’t want to be that person to be
flaunting money in front of your face and in the
faces of the less fortunate.”
Music is more than an opportunity for Breeze;
his goal is be the one who can provide his family
members with any help they need. The main
reason Breeze wants to make music is to help the
less fortunate.
“I make songs for everybody in different situations.
I have songs for break-ups in relationships, songs
for people who are depressed I try to make music
for people who are going through anything in
their life.”
““
There was no
magazine speaking
to the hip-hop
generation… So it
was like giving a voice
to people who are
[usually] voiceless.
“
tanding on stage rocking his black hoody,
white tee and black toque, Luu Breeze is so
into the hype of his performance that he
takes off his jacket to jive with his fans. Crammed
shoulder to shoulder the crowd drowns Breeze’s
lyrics with their chants and screams.
But Urbanology isn’t all Priya does. Today I’m here at
East Metro Youth Services where Priya is the coordinator
of the Say Word journalism program. As I interviewed
her, youth came in and out asking for help. Her work
here allows her the opportunity to pass on her skills and
create a platform for youth to have their voices heard.
Success, by dictionary definition, is a favourable
result; wished-for ending; or good fortune. That is a
meaningless description that gives no actual truth to the
word. Success is measured in different ways depending
on the person. In Priya’s eyes, success is waking up
every day and knowing your life is worthwhile. Ms.
Independent’s last words were “today is the tomorrow
that you dreamed about yesterday,” which she shared
just as her phone rang.
15
s
r
a
t
S
Rising
Music Like Whoa
Young Women Light Up Local Music Scene
Tru Lyricz
and think, ‘let us see what these two girls have to offer,’”
says Kesha.
Intertwining hip-hop and R&B is genius.
Written By: Kiah Welsh
Photograph By: Andy Lee
Clothing Provided By: XTC Fashions
“We have such a different vibe, and I can’t wait ’till we
finally get our music out there,” adds Natalie.
“We can just come
in a room and grab
people’s attention.”
Natalie Carter
C
reative, unique and ambitious are just some words
that define Natalie Carter and Kesha Williams.
Together these two dynamic young women make
up Tru Lyricz and to the musical game they bring their
own spin to hip-hop and R&B. With their cool swagger,
there is no question they are undeniable. Unlike other
groups, Tru Lyricz is unique in the sense that Natalie
sings, while Kesha raps, and furthermore they write
their own songs. These two Scarborough natives hope
their drive and confidence will allow them to become
international stars one day.
When Tru Lyricz hits the stage they possess a particular
quality that screams “superstars.” The audience loves the
vibe of these two and can’t seem to get enough.
“We can just come in a room and grab people’s
attention,” says Natalie. The group’s flow is contagious;
it will have you bobbing your head. “People are curious
PG
Written By: Nicolas Denny
Photograph By: Nicolas Denny
“A lot of guys think that
female emcees can’t rap
as hard or go as hard
but I really proved that
wrong. I can bang with
certain guys.”
P
“It was fun; it was a real good experience. A lot of people
were there, like Flow 93.5, so that was cool,” says Natalie.
However, as music is their first aspiration, at times there
can be a bit of a struggle between their family’s ideals
and their dreams.
“Sometimes it just gets hard and frustrating because they
don’t understand where I’m coming from,” explains Natalie.
“You have to go after something you want, otherwise
you don’t know what could’ve been,” adds Kesha.
Although Tru Lyricz believes obtaining an education
is important, achieving their dream remains the
main focus.
Music became more than just a hobby for PG in high
school. She started pursuing different events and singing
on her own. She has had numerous performances
including Showcasing The Endless Possibilities of
Scarborough (S.T.E.P.S), Focus on Youth and STOMP.
“PG, back in the day, was hungry, just like now, but
people didn’t take her seriously back then,” says friend
and fellow artist, C-Jewlz. “She was sick and I recognized
that, gave her the name one time. Then everyone just
started calling her PG. She’s hungry; she wasn’t stopping
for nothing back then.”
As an artist, 18-year-old PG says she always tries to
include material that is inspired by her experiences or by
her friends and family.
G, a young up and coming artist in Toronto,
left an impression when she took the Roc
Da Mic competition three weeks in a row.
She established herself as an emcee and singer in
Scarborough’s underworld.
“With my singing I touch on a lot of different topics.
Anything that’s motivational to anything that’s swaggerish
to anything that is love related, so that I can broaden my
fan base but still keep it related to me, or someone I know.
I touch on real life, sex, anything like that.”
“It feels good to know that people are actually listening,
people are actually supporting Toronto artists, because
that’s really what I want to get out of that whole
experience… it makes me want to strive for bigger and
better things.”
When it comes to being a woman in a male-dominated
industry PG says she’s well respected. “A lot of guys think
that female emcees can’t rap as hard or go as hard but I
really proved that wrong. I can bang with certain guys.”
PG comes from a musical background. Her dad’s a DJ
and her mom and her grandmother were involved in
church music groups. Still, she never had a passion for
music until grade eight, when she was nominated to
sing at her graduation.
16
While most upcoming artists try to be the next Beyoncé
or Rihanna, Natalie and Kesha create an image that fans
will remember as Tru Lyricz. They have performed at
various events around the GTA, including shows like Roc
Da Mic and Honey Jam. When asked about their most
unforgettable performance, Honey Jam immediately came
to mind. Canadian stars who have been discovered at this
talent showcase include Jully Black, Divine Brown and Nelly
Furtado. It was the duo’s first time featured at this event,
so it was a bit intimidating since other acts had a few years
of experience under their belt. But as soon as Tru Lyricz hit
the stage, all of their worries went out the window.
With a mixtape dropping by the end of the summer and
a packed line up of shows in her future, PG is working
hard to get on the map. As for fellow youth, coming up,
she has this advice: “Everyone should have confidence
in themselves and what they do. Whether it is singing,
rapping, acting, playing ball, whatever, always feel
confident and 100 per cent sure that this is the right
thing to do.”
d
e
t
a
v
e
l
E
Get
Community organization motivates
young people to reach higher levels
Written By: Ranjit Dhatt
Photographs By: Kayla Morrison
W
ith the lights dimmed low and the audience
hushed, a show that took a couple of months
to create is ready to hit the stage. Parents,
siblings, mentors and friends are about to witness
the talent that the participants of this showcase have
worked so hard to create. Everyone is anxious and
impatiently waiting for Vibe II the Videolight, to knock
them off their feet.
The event was held at The Chinese Cultural Centre
of Greater Toronto. Vibe II the Videolight featured a
40-minute play called “Stress-N”, which was based
on issues that youth face on a daily basis. The event
was hosted by Big Norm, who hosted the YOUnited
Neighbourhood Festivals this past summer, and
Serenity, a former FLOW 93.5 FM radio personality. The
show included performances by local singer Kim Davis,
dance group Baby Boyz and spoken word artist Travis
Blackman.
Kim Davis was happy to participate and support the
talent show.
“I am from Scarborough, born and raised, and I think it’s
important. I am a mom, I have two kids; it’s hard here
so if we can elevate kids through the arts, then why
not,” she says.
Dillon Phillips and Steven Bennett are participants of
the Elevated Grounds program which put on Vibe II the
Videolight. Dillon saw joining the program as a way to
grow. “The money helps,” he says, laughing. “I wanted
to become a better artist — poetry and rapping wise.
Someone told me about the program and I went for it.”
“I wanted
to become a
better artist
- poetry and
rapping wise.
Someone told
me about the
program and I
went for it.” Dillon Phillips
Steven wanted to work on his public performance skills.
He was always shy and feared performing for large
audiences. “I wanted to overcome my stage fright,
shyness and singing in public places was a challenge for
me.”
When it comes to motivation and encouragement,
Steven says, “If nobody else can love you, love yourself
twice as hard, you can only lose hope, if you can’t find
God.”
Elevated Grounds is a program that has been running
for five years and is funded by The Youth Challenge
Fund It focuses on youth that are interested in the arts
and music. Throughout the program students work on
learning to express themselves properly and are able
to get in touch with their heritage. There is a paid fall
and summer program for youth 14 to 18 years old who
live in the Steeles/L’Amoureaux area. Towards the end
of the program, Vibe II the Videolight is put in place to
showcase the participant’s progress and talents.
This year Vibe II the Videolight was a success, with a
hype audience and we look forward to the next show.
17
n
o
i
h
s
a
F
BRINGING
THE HEAT
Local designers and
models show off hot
summer fashion
Photographers: Nicolas Denny/Ornella Kalonji
Styling By: Gary Levy/Kayla Morrison/Karla Smith-Brown
Make-Up By: Kelly Santos - www.kellysantos.com
Special Thanks to the Models: ( From left to right) Trisha Henson/Sean
Johnson/Olivia Lynch/ Chantelle Austen/
Quincy Sutherland/ Misha (the dog)
Fashion Designers: C
C Designs - www.myspace.com/designercc
Chine Designs - www.chinedesigns.com
Krystal Miller - www.myspace.com/krystalmfashions
18
FROM FAR LEFT:
Gold dress by Krystal Miller;
plaid jacket by Chine Designs;
green dress by CC Designs;
blue dress by Krystal Miller;
yellow T-shirt by Chine Designs
Photograph By: Nicolas Denny
19
ON HIM: Jacket by Chine Designs
ON HER: Skirt by Chine Designs
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
20
ON HER: Pink dress by CC Designs
(Men’s T-shirts provided
by Goodfoot Canada)
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
LEFT: Dress by CC Designs
RIGHT: Dress by Krystal Miller
Photography By: Nicolas Denny
Dressed by:
Made by:
Photographed by:
Model:
Vintage Fashion
Break the
Laws of
Fashion
In hard economic times,
looking fly is still possible
Written By: Gary Levy
Photograph By: Ornella Kalonji
W
e, as young adults, care about the way we
look. Some of us look for the hottest labels
and go to all the common stores to get the
trendy clothing. But there is one trend that is making
some fashionistas stand out from the rest. It is the
trend of vintage clothing. At first glance they can seem
dirty or outdated. But take a second look, that plaid
shirt is Tommy Hilfiger made in the ’80s and that grey
sweater has Mickey Mouse on it.
The thing about wearing clothes that have been used
is that you can almost guarantee that no one will
have the same thing as you, thus making your style
authentic and fashionable. You can be an individual
and not worry about having a run-in with someone
wearing the same mass-produced shirt or pair of pants
while walking the streets of Scarborough.
I asked Dana Edmonds, a graphic designer visiting from
Montréal, what her view was on vintage clothing. She
had this to say: “It’s very “green” in terms of recycle,
reuse, good for the environment and not wasteful, plus
they are made better, original. Oh, yeah, and easier
on the pocket book! Fashion is circular! So what’s old
becomes new and if you got an eye for fashion — you
are good to go.”
I’m not implying you should never ever buy new
clothes again but I will share something with you. I
decided to pay $200 for Sorel boots to get me through
the cold winter days. Then a few weeks later at my
local Value Village (Markham and Lawrence), I found
Sorel boots for $10. They looked as good as new, were
warm and to tell you the truth I wear my vintage Sorels
more than I wear my $200 brand new ones.
Some say vintage clothes are outdated. NOT! I find a
lot of the trendsetting clothes when I go shopping. The
coolest thing about vintage is that you can start your
own trends. Take a look at your local Goodwill, Value
Village or any second hand store for that matter. But
one interesting thing I am noticing is that second hand
clothing (vintage) is becoming a trend in itself.
I asked Amy Elbers, a student at Sir Wilfred Laurier
high school in Scarborough and an avid second hand
fashionista, what her fashion sense says about her.
“Fashion is circular, so
what’s old becomes
new and if you got an
eye for fashion – you are
good to go.”
Dana Edmonds
“It shows I’m a little bit of an odd ball,” she explained.
“I’m a little more eccentric. I stay away from the whole
Hollister and Abercrombie thing, it’s a little bit blander;
every season is the same and boring.”
If you want to save money, look fly and stand out, find
everything you need at your local second hand store,
and trust me, people will notice.
Elbers puts it best, “Some of the people I come across
think it’s cool that I can find cool and unique clothing
for cheap!”
Stay fly, Scarbaria!
23
2005 was the “Year of the Gun”
Ever since then,
there has been an increase in reported homicides.
What does that say?
Enough.
A single vision, A city of hope.
This PSA is brought to you by the youth of Studio2 at the Violence Intervention Project. For more information, visit www.violenceinterventionproject.com