Isis Nicole
I interview cool people and obsess over nails. I pretty much find inspiration from creators and positive thinkers. You can get an idea of my interest by viewing my blog, as well as stories and interviews composed by me. To any online editorials or glossy publications looking for someone new, take a chance with this gal right here.
"Tell him I’ve been too fucking busy or vice versa"- Dorothy Parker
I'd love to hear from you so make yourself known. All interview inquires send to gigi.mag.support@gmail.com
xx
@isisnicole
just for old time kicks, again, here is 18+. I’m working on new interviews.
After a few hits and misses 18+ and I were finally able to get in touch over the telly to talk music and other sexy stuff, like their connection to Prada and how they find CGI strippers on Youtube. Just to get you up on speed if you ain’t already familiar, 18+ is a two piece group who might be based out of LA, but definitely of existence on the internet, also related somehow, but doesn’t give out too much information. Tricky and obscure at it’s finest right? I know! And I’m not going to lie, I was totally nervous on this one! Only because in my mind, 18+ is so anonymous and unusual and cool. What could they possibly have to say to me? But sure enough they spoke. Well, we spoke and you can see the words we exchanged after the jump.
18+ Boy: We got four bars. Four bars! How many bars you got?!
Isis Nicole: I have…three.
18+ Boy: Okay, okay!
Isis Nicole: How come 18+ is such a mystery?
18+ Boy: I don’t know. You don’t have to attach your personality to the internet.
18+ Sis: I think also it’s nice to give out little information about us individually and just kind of let what we make speak for itself.
Isis Nicole: Are you two related, like brother and sister or just like good friends?
18+ Boy: Ummm we’re related…
Isis Nicole: And are your names a secret? Would you tell me?!
18+ Boy: (Long scary silence) Uh, no.
Isis Nicole: Do you guys make your videos?
18+ Sis: We find them. They come from various sources online. We search different things like CGI strippers or CGI dancers, CGI beach getaway. We think that there’s enough out there for us to procreate that we don’t really have to make those ourselves to begin with. There’s enough for us to use and edit to our liking to match or not match our song.
Isis Nicole: What inspires your music? Because I feel it’s very sexual, you know? But like I love it.
18+ Sis: Thank you!
18+ Boy: Yeah it’s pretty sexual, but I think also since it’s anonymous we can operate in a bunch of different modes that don’t have to necessarily relate to who we are in our daily lives, we can address a lot of different subject matters. Then we can also take our real lives, like real relationships and not have it be weird for other people that are involved maybe.
Isis Nicole: How would you describe your sound anyway?
18+ Boy: It’s just like electronic-pop music
18+ Sis: my little brother was talking about it as ‘rap water’ and I think he kind of came up with that after watching the ‘Drawl’ video. He’s only 12-years-old. I kind of like that. There are formal ways to talk about it and then there are these lose terms that can be inspired by the way that the music is making you feel. And I think sexual is good. Anything that feels real is good, in terms of what we’re making. It’s nice to not be afraid to just say what we’re feeling.
Isis Nicole: You know how 18+ has links to Prada, is there a connection between you two and the fashion world?
18+ Boy: I guess so (laughs). They’ve given us money before. And possibly in the future they’ll be giving us money pretty soon.
18+ Sis: We came first. ‘Drawl’ happened and then Prada was interested in us. We’re kind of interested in seeing how this can spread across different worlds whether it be pop, art, or fashion. We’re interested in fashion, like that’s cool.
Isis Nicole: Are you ever going to follow anyone on Twitter?
18+ Boy: (Laughs) That’s a good question. Probably not. If we follow 1 person then we have to start following everyone. Like who would we not follow that follows us? That would just be rude.
18+ Sis: I think the only correspondence that people will ever see is that we correspond personally, not for the public. So like we send emails and we share what we have to share and we will reply to people on Twitter. I think it would be to be too much for us to pick and chose in terms of following people.
Isis Nicole: Will you guys ever be more tangible? Outside of the internet?
18+ Boy: Probably.
18+ Sis: Yeah.
18+ Boy: With the way things are going.
Isis Nicole: That’s kind of exciting!
18+ Boy: Oh yeah, it’s very exciting! We started practicing with our live setup within the past month, and we’ve been negotiating our first live show. As soon as it’s concrete we’ll announce it. But it might not happen.
18+ Sis: We are working at it and we are rehearsing. We’ve been busy.
Isis Nicole: Busy! That’s awesome. What are some 18+ challenges? Do you two have creative differences or trouble getting your name out there?
18+ Boy: No, we definitely haven’t had trouble getting our name out there. It’s all happened without our consent almost! The biggest challenge with the live show though is figuring out what it should look like. We’ve pretty much got it figured out how to actually perform the music, but even that will be difficult to do in front of people… kind of like private people. But it’s still a really fun challenge.
18+ Sis: We don’t really argue in terms of music. Either we like it or we don’t like it. And we can make different versions of things and go by what we feel. We’ve been really lucky to be given so many opportunities, but being able to manage everything and stay organized is a challenge as well.
18+ Boy: Also another challenge that we’ve both been facing is the need or the impulse to make or remake certain songs. Like people have a certain conception of what 18+ should sound like based on maybe 4 or 5 songs. Then the mixtape came out and there was a wide variety of sounds that some people liked and some people didn’t like. It’s weird. You have to sort of stay within a certain area to some degree but still challenge yourself and the audience. It’s weird having an audience at all honestly.
Isis Nicole: Well I definitely like your music. A friend of mine, Helen Koh, put me on to your music with the ‘Drawl’ video and I was just like ‘this is so weird, I like it.’ It all flows together very well. I just wasn’t sure if it was going to be something I could experience live outside of the computer.
18+ Sis: What do you imagine in terms of us being tangible. I’m kind of interested in an expectation?
Isis Nicole: I don’t know because it would have to have some kind of social media involved. Like those holograms and blur your faces out.
18+ Boy: Yo we’ll just have 2 holographic 2 PAC’s.
Isis Nicole: Are there any collaborations 18+ is hoping to do?
18+ Boy: Probably just people within our friend group getting involved. I personally like making collaborative beats for 18+ just because it’s a way for me to learn different ways of making music.
Isis Nicole: What are your least favorite trends on the internet?
18+ Sis: I want to be nice. I have a list but I don’t really want to answer that!
18+ Boy: (Laughing!)
Isis Nicole: I mean a list can’t be that bad.
18+ Sis: Keep logos away! I don’t know. I think like…I’m just maybe tired of irony in a certain form that’s been happening using the internet as a vehicle for that. I don’t want to get too specific.
18+ Boy: Yeah maybe like ironic appropriation in general. Because I can totally see how someone could think we also just ironically appropriate things to be cool or whatever. But I think widespread ironic appropriation of stuff sort of cheapens what we’re doing almost. So things that are very close to what we’re doing that lack integrity or something like that but still get widely disrupted is somewhat annoying.
18+ Sis: We’re really into sincerity being as real what real can be. Even with our recordings as well, not over producing things like ‘Drawl’—- as simple as possible and communicating exactly as we are.
@18plus18plus
(Source: isis-nicole)
In the Sates, skank sounds more like some trashy rendezvous after too many shots of Tequila, but over in London, SXANK is the underground fashion, art and music scene for zealous youth. Run solely by triangle crazy, Apple-product geek, and brand builder, Samira John, SXANK aspires to grow beyond streetwear and into a mixed-media culture. In this Q&A, Samira discusses her inspiration behind SXANK, possible collaborations with nail artist Jenny Bang, and what to expect in SXANK’s future after the jump.
Name
Samira
Hometown
London
Age
21
Website
http://sxank.tumblr.com/
http://sxankuk.bigcartel.com/products
Most Known For
My crazy ass temper in the clubs.
Unknown For
Being the one man band behind Sxank!
Top 5 vices
APPLE products, the London underground, being ‘anti-girly’, Instagram, and beans on toast!
Currently on your playlist
A$AP Rocky “Purple Swag” and “Goldie”, Stalley “Party Heart”, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, and Schoolboy Q.
Least favorite trend(s)
Internet fame, and those chunky Jeffrey Campbell’s that all the girls wear these days, hideous!
I want to understand the spelling of SXANK! Tell me more about it!
Well here in London, we use the term ‘skank’ to describe dancing. We don’t dance we skank hard! (Laughs!) I just chucked in the letter X to make it look dope.
What’s the inspiration behind the collection and how did you prepare for your lines launch?
I don’t get inspired to be honest. I simply mess around on Photoshop creating patterns and shit, and it always turns out looking trill. The ‘Perspex’ chain is the creation I’m proud of most. Preparing for the launch was a hassle. I simply made sure I tweeted as much as I could and got a lot of people involved with promoting.
How do you source your fabrics?
I print on American Apparel t-shirts, buy them in bulk. And I get my perspex from a secret source here in London.
I’m guessing SXANK spends a lot of time spreading the word around London. What are the cool kids of your city into these days?
Yeh definately, if I’m not designing or making, I am promoting. I go to a lot of music events such as BUMP (@weareBUMP) in London. London is full of urbanites as I like to call them, especially East London, where I’m from. You won’t walk five minutes without spotting a snapback, Nike Air Max 90’s, and a gold tooth!
You also do jewelry. Can people get custom pieces?!
I don’t see why not! Drop us a email, we’ll speak business.
Would you consider this to be a celebration of youth culture?
Definitely! I’m just simply sharing the stuff that I’m into with everyone else and putting my own touch on it.
What’s the most challenging part of starting a clothing line and how do you overcome it?
MONEY!!! You need money to get started. My main job is my side bitch but Sxank is my baby.
What’s your fascination with nail art?! I’ve seen you shoutout Jenny Bang a few times. Does SXANK have a few collaborations with her?
Jen is a close friend of mine. She’s blowing up in London atm! Worked for Sophy Robson of NailPorn and a few others. You never know we might get into talks of Sxank patterned nails! Follow her on twitter @Love_Bang.
What do you want to be remembered for this year and in the future?
I want to be remembered for having the balls to start my own label, hope the success continues, and maybe collaborate with some other labels very soon.
What can people expect to come from SXANK this summer?
Snapbacks!!! Loads of more t-shirts and maybe even some backpacks on the scene.
What advice would you give to people rising off the internet?
To get OFF the internet!! There’s only so much you can do on here, it’s a good promotional tool but you need to get recognized in the real world. Meet as many people as you can. These days its all about who you know and networking.
@SXANK
illy Lussiano, a hair artist wonder woman who hopes to positively impact the lives of all girls, is by far one of the sweetest people I’ve ever interviewed. I actually came across her in September when I was on this massive Euroasian hair search, which she probably doesn’t remember! And now she’s on my list of bloggy love. See how life works?! In this Q&A illy Lussiano talks inspiration, a history with mixed hair textures, sex friendly hairstyles, wanting to work with Disco Nail + Eriko Nakao, and more after the jump!
I prepare by actually getting a feel for my clients, talking with them via email or text (mini consults). Then they come in for their appointments and we do a full blown consult so at this point we have already established a level of trust and comfort. This allows for my clients to be open and honest about what they really want to know about hair and what they want their hair to look like.
By now just about every nail fiend has come across the ‘hoodratism’ Kidney Stone Ale phenom, so I had to get word from the 23-year-old Nail Jerks x Chipped and Broke creator herself, Lila Robles. I mean literally, getting down to what’s really good in order to have a better sense of Robles intentions. What did I find out? She’s in the nail game to invest in her future. Her art exists as a contribution to nail culture, and you can see why Kid Sister, Chippy Nonstop, and more f*** with her after the jump.
Name Lila Robles
Name of Business Nail Jerks
Location San Jose, CA
Age 23
When and why did you decide to work in the nail industry?
I loved getting fancy nails forever, but when I came across a t-shirt called NailsDid on MySpace my eyes instantly glued to the screen. It was as if everything that I loved and stood for was captured and silkscreened onto this shirt for me! Patrick Nagel infused ladies with the NailsDid touch and Hoodrat humor. I adored it! Later in that same year I discovered Mama which led me to finding out about M.I.S.S., the ultimate women’s urban culture outlet. This magazine was like no other: it had nails on calendars with sneakers, I was like damnnnn!! I emailed the editor Gabriella asking where I could get these nails done at to look just like theirs and she actually said they had to make them because no other salon wanted to do the outrageous nails they set out to achieve. When I heard that I was like oh my God, I have that same trouble too. When you get your nails done and you want the new new on the nail tip, the salon nail techs get mad. They wither, don’t know what you’re talking about, or they just don’t want to do it. This was a time before nail art really hit its prime. Like now you can go into a good nail salon and ask for what you want but before…it was a whole other ballgame. So I did what any other rational nail lover would do. I went to beauty school and did the manicurist license since it was the fastest.
Do you have a staff or is this all a business run by you?
Currently I do not have a staff, it’s all collectively run by me. Entrepreneur …maybe ;)
I started as an intern for M.I.S.S. and they let me help on their nail calendars. I worked on the calendar until they RIP’ed, maturing in their business and to be frank they had been there, done that, and onto new and better things. But I continued contributing to M.I.S.S. and ended up on the Nailsdid column.
How do you market yourself?
I wanted to do something so I created Nail Jerks a design, photography, nail collective. Nail Jerks brings culture to nails, redefines basic French tip manicures and uses nails as sign language. Nail Jerks is set to bring prints focusing on lifestyles and individuals. I’m gifted in the natural marketing department so it just flows. My work with Nail Jerks comes when inspiration for a print or photo come into place either by client or my own ideas. A lot of people want bling nails and I give it to them. It’s the Hoordatism. The way I market is to effectively communicate with my audience. I like making great visual that attract the eye period. The e online interweb has had a major effect on marketing. You can tap in and access so many people and gather more information faster and bigger then ever. If you’re not using the Internet for marketing or you don’t think that having a Twitter will not impact your business at all then you are totally under a rock. You have so many supporters out there you don’t even know it yet! Sometimes you just start and you invest in your future. When I get paid I’ll let you know.
Has your Tumblr pages performed the way you want it to?
I recently got over 1k notes and even hit Tumblr radar from an Instagram picture I linked to my Tumblr. I obviously do not have 15k followers but thanks to reputable nail gurus that reblogged my post I got there. And now I have more like 1k followers. Hashtags also make a difference.
Who are some of your clients?
I’ve worked on Kid Sister, Chippy Nonstop, Cult of Beauty, M.I.S.S., and various models.
Are you familiar with organic polishes? How hard are those to come across?
Organic polishes? Well I am a Whole Foodie and they do sell nail polish there but I’ve never seen organic.
Who are some of your competitors if any?
If you are doing your own thing then competitors don’t exist.
What does nail art mean to you?
Nail art means nothing but girliness in your own individual way. It is another form of expression and cuteness.
How would you describe success?
Success is when you are doing what you really want, and the creativity never stops, and you are never bored. Success is landing that client, or that gig, or even that stoke of paint in a fathered motion and doing it again and again and the excitement never ends.
What advice would you give to other nail entrepreneurs?
If you’re not bringing anything new to the table, don’t come [where] you aren’t welcomed. But if you want to be a “Nail Entrepreneur” then do it. Why wait? Because some other girl will pick up on a wave and run with your shit in your head and then it’s your loss. Don’t be a sorry ass.
It’s only been a year in the makings of nail lacquer Floss Gloss LLC started by 23-year-old Coast Guard brat Janine Lee of Coronado, California, and already she sees promise in her passion. Getting ready for the Floss Gloss Pro Nail Lacquer initial launch scheduled for July 2012, Lee shares the process, goals and growth of her business as a designer and CEO.
“I’ve always been art inclined,” says Lee who keeps a stash of nail polish along side her nail bible the ‘Klutz Nail Art Book’. She started painting nails while attending California College of the Arts in San Francisco in 2008 where she then met her business partner and Co-Founder of Floss Gloss Ltd., Aretha Sack, along with fellow member and Co-Founder Monica Garza.
“There was an instant click and we started our company, Floss Gloss LLC, in 2011,” says Lee who continues to bartend fulltime on the side.
The upcoming Floss Gloss collection, located in San Francisco, will pull inspiration from 1970’s interior architecture, tracing back to Lee’s adoration for classic pieces.
“Floss Gloss for us is what we found lacking in the market. We started mixing colors and selling bottles in the painting studios at school,” says Lee: and that’s the hustle that sparked the brand. “Aretha sees color like no one I ever met. We just want girls like us everywhere to get the colors they want with superior quality.”
Floss Gloss continues tracking attention through social media like Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, intending on bringing awareness to the debut of their nail lacquer soon available for purchase online. And since Floss Gloss is a significantly indie-brand, it’s going to be a challenge against professional salon based formula companies like Ginger+Liz, Models Own, Butter London, OPI, Essie, and China Glaze who Lee perceives as competition. But the robust go-getter, Lee is willing to press forward.
“I keep up with trends and would consider myself fashion forward. I went to school for fashion design and try to stay abreast with what’s launching, what’s in and out. For personal use, I normally stick to my guns. I have my favorite brands for quality nail art application and I don’t mind using Floss Gloss Pro Nail Lacquer reject samples,” says Lee.
When it comes to Floss Gloss nail lacquer Lee stands behind her upcoming top coat which she says is to be better than Seche Vite, and is made without formaldehyde.
According to a report by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), there are nail polishes commonly found in California salons falsely advertising to be free of toxin chemicals but in fact contain toxins toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde, linked to the development of asthma.
“I wouldn’t put anything out without truly standing behind it as a nail addict and living in the Bay Area is very eco-conscious. It is very easy to find ‘organic’ or vegan brands like Zoya and SpaRitual. However, as a person who recently spent the last year building a nail lacquer through a private label manufacturer, I have a hard time saying organic. To me nail polish can be eco-conscious as in 3 free, no animal testing, less waste impact through manufacturing choices for example, but printing the word organic on a bottle of nail polish seems like an oxymoron. It’s still chemically based,” says Lee.
Starting a business is tough, but Lee is willing to take a risk in hopes of bringing a helpful service to the nail industry.
“If you see yourself or imagine yourself doing something ‘bigger’ than what you are doing now, try it out. Talk to people, network and reach out to your community. Stay positive and know it’s going to be hard,” says Lee who sees success as doing something with love and goals set forth.
“It’s reaching those goals, being happy however financially, aesthetically and sustainable as possible.”
She’s partied with her p**** out and even sent out an invitation to ‘cum touch this’ but the very tongue and cheeky Chippy Nonstop isn’t all that into sex. Apparently no one is doing it for the young buck. But what does that matter? Chippy is too busy being out c’here out c’here twerkin on THAT lifestyle, getting kicked out the club. I like her graphics. I like her nails. And I’m still curious about her future. Like really…who is this chick?! Check the little bit of what I found out about the cyber yungin’ after the jump.
Name Chhavi Nanda aka (Chippy Nonstop)
Hometown Kicked out da club
Age 20
Website chippynonstop.tumblr.com
Most Known For Getting kicked out da club, twerking, this lifestyle ;)
Unknown For Letting opportunities slide
Favorite place to have sex: (Laughs) I hate sex
Sexiest thing ever done for you: No one ever does anything sexy for me.
Sticky titties or hairy armpits? Sticky nips
Top 5 vices: Getting kicked out of clubs, POPEYES, pizza, twerking too hard, attention whore.
Currently on your playlist: Rustie City Star, Flosstradamos, Global Skool of Twerk, Calvin Harris Kelis remix, Samo Soundboy Fader remix , Star Slinger, Hood Internet , E40, Juicy J.
Trillest adventure(s): Too many. I have a trill adventure everyday with #yungkloutgang !! WE TOO OUT HERE :)
Least favorite trend(s): Anything can look good if you aren’t trying too hard and being yourself when you wear it except Uggs, clogs, and no eyebrows.
From your music I figured you were really into sex! Is there ever a time when you feel embarrassed to be seen as ‘that girl’ ?
I hate sex. I write about sex hoping one day I can have sex I like. Yung sexually deprived.
How do you determine what type of music to create and what’s the process like for you?
In your SXSW interview I heard you say that you did a song with Major Lazer. When is that coming out?
I have no idea when it is coming out!
(Laughs!!) Everything is a publicity stunt.
Who or what do you find inspiring to your work?
I find myself inspiring. The internet, human beings and culture.
What do you want to be remembered for this year and in the future?
The girl who did what she wanted and smiled while she did it.
Yeah I do most of my own graphics and gigs. I take requests for small donations in my paypal :).
I saw that you got hooked up by the Nail Jerks for your ‘Kicked Out Da Club’ shoot! You into nail art? How did you ladies end up meeting?
Yeah I love nails but I work a lot with my hands for school so I can never get them! She just messaged me on the internet, she lives in the bay area too!
What can people expect to come from Chippy Nonstop this summer?
MORE MUSIC! MORE ART! MORE FASHION! MORE VIDEOS! MORE CREATIONS! MORE TWERKIN! MORE NONSTOP!
What advice would you give to people rising off the internet?
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. DO IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO . HAVE A GOOD HEART WHILE DOING IT. RESPECT OTHERS ART. DON’T PUT OTHERS DOWN TO SEE YOURSELF RISE. IF YOU DO EVERYTHING WITH A PURE HEART AND GOOD INTENTIONS YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD FUTURE. ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AN OUTCOME TO BE AND SAY IT OUT LOUD IT WILL HAPPEN.
@chippy_nonstop
After a few hits and misses 18+ and I were finally able to get in touch over the telly to talk music and other sexy stuff, like their connection to Prada and how they find CGI strippers on Youtube. Just to get you up on speed if you ain’t already familiar, 18+ is a two piece group who might be based out of LA, but definitely of existence on the internet, also related somehow, but doesn’t give out too much information. Tricky and obscure at it’s finest right? I know! And I’m not going to lie, I was totally nervous on this one! Only because in my mind, 18+ is so anonymous and unusual and cool. What could they possibly have to say to me? But sure enough they spoke. Well, we spoke and you can see the words we exchanged after the jump.
18+ Boy: We got four bars. Four bars! How many bars you got?!
Isis Nicole: I have…three.
18+ Boy: Okay, okay!
Isis Nicole: How come 18+ is such a mystery?
18+ Boy: I don’t know. You don’t have to attach your personality to the internet.
18+ Sis: I think also it’s nice to give out little information about us individually and just kind of let what we make speak for itself.
Isis Nicole: Are you two related, like brother and sister or just like good friends?
18+ Boy: Ummm we’re related…
Isis Nicole: And are your names a secret? Would you tell me?!
18+ Boy: (Long scary silence) Uh, no.
Isis Nicole: Do you guys make your videos?
18+ Sis: We find them. They come from various sources online. We search different things like CGI strippers or CGI dancers, CGI beach getaway. We think that there’s enough out there for us to procreate that we don’t really have to make those ourselves to begin with. There’s enough for us to use and edit to our liking to match or not match our song.
Isis Nicole: What inspires your music? Because I feel it’s very sexual, you know? But like I love it.
18+ Sis: Thank you!
18+ Boy: Yeah it’s pretty sexual, but I think also since it’s anonymous we can operate in a bunch of different modes that don’t have to necessarily relate to who we are in our daily lives, we can address a lot of different subject matters. Then we can also take our real lives, like real relationships and not have it be weird for other people that are involved maybe.
Isis Nicole: How would you describe your sound anyway?
18+ Boy: It’s just like electronic-pop music
18+ Sis: my little brother was talking about it as ‘rap water’ and I think he kind of came up with that after watching the ‘Drawl’ video. He’s only 12-years-old. I kind of like that. There are formal ways to talk about it and then there are these lose terms that can be inspired by the way that the music is making you feel. And I think sexual is good. Anything that feels real is good, in terms of what we’re making. It’s nice to not be afraid to just say what we’re feeling.
Isis Nicole: You know how 18+ has links to Prada, is there a connection between you two and the fashion world?
18+ Boy: I guess so (laughs). They’ve given us money before. And possibly in the future they’ll be giving us money pretty soon.
18+ Sis: We came first. ‘Drawl’ happened and then Prada was interested in us. We’re kind of interested in seeing how this can spread across different worlds whether it be pop, art, or fashion. We’re interested in fashion, like that’s cool.
Isis Nicole: Are you ever going to follow anyone on Twitter?
18+ Boy: (Laughs) That’s a good question. Probably not. If we follow 1 person then we have to start following everyone. Like who would we not follow that follows us? That would just be rude.
18+ Sis: I think the only correspondence that people will ever see is that we correspond personally, not for the public. So like we send emails and we share what we have to share and we will reply to people on Twitter. I think it would be to be too much for us to pick and chose in terms of following people.
Isis Nicole: Will you guys ever be more tangible? Outside of the internet?
18+ Boy: Probably.
18+ Sis: Yeah.
18+ Boy: With the way things are going.
Isis Nicole: That’s kind of exciting!
18+ Boy: Oh yeah, it’s very exciting! We started practicing with our live setup within the past month, and we’ve been negotiating our first live show. As soon as it’s concrete we’ll announce it. But it might not happen.
18+ Sis: We are working at it and we are rehearsing. We’ve been busy.
Isis Nicole: Busy! That’s awesome. What are some 18+ challenges? Do you two have creative differences or trouble getting your name out there?
18+ Boy: No, we definitely haven’t had trouble getting our name out there. It’s all happened without our consent almost! The biggest challenge with the live show though is figuring out what it should look like. We’ve pretty much got it figured out how to actually perform the music, but even that will be difficult to do in front of people… kind of like private people. But it’s still a really fun challenge.
18+ Sis: We don’t really argue in terms of music. Either we like it or we don’t like it. And we can make different versions of things and go by what we feel. We’ve been really lucky to be given so many opportunities, but being able to manage everything and stay organized is a challenge as well.
18+ Boy: Also another challenge that we’ve both been facing is the need or the impulse to make or remake certain songs. Like people have a certain conception of what 18+ should sound like based on maybe 4 or 5 songs. Then the mixtape came out and there was a wide variety of sounds that some people liked and some people didn’t like. It’s weird. You have to sort of stay within a certain area to some degree but still challenge yourself and the audience. It’s weird having an audience at all honestly.
Isis Nicole: Well I definitely like your music. A friend of mine, Helen Koh, put me on to your music with the ‘Drawl’ video and I was just like ‘this is so weird, I like it.’ It all flows together very well. I just wasn’t sure if it was going to be something I could experience live outside of the computer.
18+ Sis: What do you imagine in terms of us being tangible. I’m kind of interested in an expectation?
Isis Nicole: I don’t know because it would have to have some kind of social media involved. Like those holograms and blur your faces out.
18+ Boy: Yo we’ll just have 2 holographic 2 PAC’s.
Isis Nicole: Are there any collaborations 18+ is hoping to do?
18+ Boy: Probably just people within our friend group getting involved. I personally like making collaborative beats for 18+ just because it’s a way for me to learn different ways of making music.
Isis Nicole: What are your least favorite trends on the internet?
18+ Sis: I want to be nice. I have a list but I don’t really want to answer that!
18+ Boy: (Laughing!)
Isis Nicole: I mean a list can’t be that bad.
18+ Sis: Keep logos away! I don’t know. I think like…I’m just maybe tired of irony in a certain form that’s been happening using the internet as a vehicle for that. I don’t want to get too specific.
18+ Boy: Yeah maybe like ironic appropriation in general. Because I can totally see how someone could think we also just ironically appropriate things to be cool or whatever. But I think widespread ironic appropriation of stuff sort of cheapens what we’re doing almost. So things that are very close to what we’re doing that lack integrity or something like that but still get widely disrupted is somewhat annoying.
18+ Sis: We’re really into sincerity being as real what real can be. Even with our recordings as well, not over producing things like ‘Drawl’—- as simple as possible and communicating exactly as we are.
@18plus18plus
As some of you may already know, I consider @Lurkdat to be something like the yellow pages of the internet, and scrolling through her Twitter account I found Itzel Xoco—- a 19-year-old Hawaii rainbow goddess, wife of DJ/producer Munchi, and Solataire game beast who loves to make art. The only logical thing for me to do was follow and send for an interview request. And she was totally down! In this piece Itzel Xoco pronounced “ix-chill sho-ko” discusses her vices, least favorite trends, and what it’s like living in Holland. See more after the jump. 
Name Itzel Xoco aka Rainbow Spice
Hometown Makakilo, Hawaii
Age 19
Website itzelxoco.com / itzelxoco.tumblr.com
Favorite blog(s) (Laughs) Honestly, I don’t read any blogs….
Most Known For
Being born with the capability of not giving a fuck! (Laughs) Nah art, dance, bein’ the lil rainbow girl.
Unknown For
My on point dream deciphering and I can beat a game of Solitare in under 3 minutes.
Top 5 vices
Killing my hair with colour, terrible Pop music from the 90’s, spam, the 2 tacos for $1 at fucking Jack In The Box, Twitter.
Currently on your playlist
Hype Williams, Casey Veggies, Blaque, Big L, Juvenile, Melissa Ford, Mandy Moore, Clams Casino, RoxXxan, Amplify Dot, Rizzla, LE1F.
Trillest adventure(s)
Honestly, I wish I had the time to write a fuck load stories but I’ll just say I don’t let anyone punk me out. Not about the bitch life.
Least favorite trend(s)
Fucking triangles…get the fuck over em.
What is Itzel Xoco about and when did you start virtually displaying your art?
I’ve been putting random shit online for awhile but only until last year exactly around this time, did I start taking it seriously. I was in a Barnes&Nobles with my then boyfriend Munchi (we’re married now) looking at art books and I told him I would be the happiest if I could be an artist. He said why don’t you do it then? (Laughs) And I was like shittt, basically.
Your designs are so vivid with many celestial and ethereal elements. How would you describe your work and what’s your process of creation?
I would describe my work as colourful?! If I make anything there is always an explosion of colours. I hope my art is stimulating and connects people with their inner child. I like to make my art with a completely fresh mind. Not under any influences. I just like to be comfortable. I can make art anywhere.
Who or what do you find inspiring to your work?
Strong women, the thought of a free world, sdjfheproifpad colours, weird stones, metallics, trap shit.
Do any of your pieces represent your own sexual fantasies or is this just how you interrupt the universe?
Do I have sexual content in my pieces? (Laughs) Okay maybe my subconscious slipped out?
Have you seen any of your art on nails?
NO, BUT THAT WOULD BE SO SICK.
When is your concept clothing line Paws gonna drop?!
When I feel like it’s ready.
How do you make the most of living in Holland? What’s the scene like out there?
I only come here for 3 months a year. I use the time and gather as most inspiration as possible. I don’t know anything about the scene here but I went to a venue called WORM tonight in Rotterdam. It was amazing. The establishment is all about art, film and music. Tonight they were playing a short film. I didn’t see it though :/ I just looked around and read this neat as lil magazine. Come back to me in a few days and I can tell you about the scene here !
What can people expect to come from Itzel Xoco in the next year?
ART, MUSIC & PAWS!
@itzelxoco
Just a week before his upcoming performance at Reggies Rock Club (March 27th) 20-something-year old rapper Legit, born and raised in Chicago, stops by Columbia Chicago to share a few words on his buzzworthy music video “N*gger in Northface”. A song about his belief that everyone is racists to different degrees. With his body language laid-back and energy well poised, Legit sits against a wall shifting gears from his more serious side to his fascination with Danny Ocean and Kidz These Dayz. Oh and his ego! See more after the jump.
Isis: So you said that you used to rap under this different name and ‘when I had this other name I would rap stereotypically like a lot of my favorite artists…’
Legit: At that time.
Isis: And you said you were rapping as a listener.
Legit: Mhmmm. Well, I was making the type of music that I was listening too and not necessarily the type of music that reflected me. And I guess it’s nothing wrong with that but me personally, I wanted to make music that I could relate to because I felt like there weren’t a lot of people making that type of music at the time.
Isis: What was it at the time, was it the snap music?
Legit: Uh uh! It was before the snap music. It was like 50 Cent, the gangster music. 50 Cent was my favorite rapper when I first started rapping. I don’t like 50 cent at all now, but back then that was…
Isis: So you were doing it earlier!
Legit: Yeah like 2004, 2003-ish
Isis: And what are you most known for now?
Legit: (Laughs) The “N*gger in Northface” video.
Isis: We’ll get to that! And what are you unknown for?
Legit: Oh man I don’t know. What am I not known for? My ego I guess. I keep my ego concealed. I try to at least.
Isis: And your trillest adventure?
Legit: (Laughs) My trillest adventures! As it relates in music or in life?
Isis: In life! It could be either or.
Legit: Man I had some trill adventures a couple days go. St. Patrick’s Day was crazy.
Isis: St. Patrick’s Day was crazy! Do you have any favorite blogs that you go to?
Legit: Oh yeah I have couple like Fake Shore Drive, 2dopeboyz, Ruby Hornet.
Isis: Please say illroots
Legit: Ill…oh of course! I mean it’s very difficult to get on illroots. I got on there once.
Isis: I saw. That’s how I searched you and saw “N*gger in Northface”.
Legit: The thing with illroots is they’re based in Chicago but they don’t focus on Chicago Hip-Hop. They focus on the bigger artists but they just happen to be in Chicago so I think that’s why it’s a little harder to get on there.
Isis: Right I totally understand. I been trying to get Darnell to put one of my friends on for the longest, it’s so hard! But I really do, I like them a lot.
Legit: Yeah they shoot videos too.
Isis: Yes I know. They had like their launch party here in February did you get to go to it?
Legit: No. I didn’t hear about it until like the night of.
Isis: Oh yeah they were announcing it the day of which I think can work but I don’t know how it works in Chicago.
Legit: If you’re big enough it’s perfect. If you announce it too far ahead it may be too many people that you might not necessarily want there.
Isis: So what inspired you to explore racial issues with the “N*gger In Northface” one?
Legit: Basically my freshman year of college I was at Loyola University up north and it’s predominately Caucasian as most universities are. I on the phone with a friend of mine I was like ‘yeah I’mma marry a white girl all these white girls up here’ just joking. Then I went nah let me quit playing, my mom would kill you. And then my friend was like ‘nigga my mom would kill you if you brought a white girl home.’ So we were laughing and shit when I started thinking about that mindset right there, which was something I don’t think is portrayed as much. That everybody is racist. The fact that my mother would get offended if I brought a white girl home, I think that’s racist. I felt like exploring this belief that I have that everybody is racists just to different degrees. In the first verse my mother is super adamant, like she doesn’t like it at all, then we go to the second verse and her dad is the same way about me then we got her mom who is okay but she still feels a little weird, so it’s like just these different degrees on how racists people can be.
Isis Nicole: What’s “Danny Ocean” about?
Legit: The video tells a story but the song itself is based on one of my favorite movies, the Ocean Eleven series, and Danny Ocean is the main character who was like the smoothest guy ever and just cool as fuck. I thought it would be really dope to make a song that reflected that side of myself.
Isis: Is this under The (Post) Graduation Tape?
Legit: Coloring Outside The Line….(pauses)
Isis: What were you going to say?
Legit: I don’t really have any music to be found…
Isis: From the past?
Legit: I mean, I do but it’s like really hard to find.
Isis: Now this is like a challenge. You’re challenging me!
Legit: It’s actually not that hard to find, it’s on my website. I need to take it off!
Isis: I’ll try to look that up.
Legit: You better hurry up!
Isis: No fair! So you have a show coming up on the 27th at Reggie’s?
Legit: Yes mamn. Digital Freshness, Ruby Hornet and Jugrnaut put it together and threw me on the bill.
Isis: And what was your collaborations with Harmonius Dynasty about?
Legit: Basically, I really like live instrumentation a lot.
Isis: That helps rappers so much.
Legit: It’s so underrated! Have you heard of Kidz These Days?
Isis: Yeah I’ve seen them live too.
Legit: I love Kidz These Days for the live instrumentation. So my manger linked me up with HD and we practiced an extended version of a song that I made, and it came out pretty dope. I was really happy with it and I love performing with a band.
Isis: Do you have any favorite shows that you’ve done that stands out the most?
Legit: I think my most memorable was the Big Mouth that I did in October. We had a really good response.
Isis: How would you describe your sound?
Legit: At its core, it’s really Hip-Hop as cliche as that may seem.
Isis: But I understand what you’re saying.
Legit: And I want to take that to other sounds. Being really lyrical on a radio friendly record, you don’t see that often. You really don’t see that at all and that’s something I try to do. I won’t say that I’ve done it but that’s something that I try to do.
@chicagolives
M is one of the machines behind jewelry line Evol Heist, shared with Jandu who I find to be quite brilliant and mysterious. I was introduced to M’s designs through Leslie Fuentes, and haven’t looked away from Evol Heist since. She’s got great taste in music and brings forth this innominate spirit parallel to Evol Heist collections—-which desires to rid of accessory only limits, or to sound too feminine or masculine to expand into other volumes of art. In our Q&A, M discusses her designing preparations, who’s she’s currently listening to in music, her fascination with skeletons and mirrors, and much more after the jump.
Name M
Hometown Birmingham, UK
Age ∞
Blog http://evolheist.tumblr.com/
Most Known For EVOL HEIST jewelery and being like a real life cartoon character.
Unknown For Being a clone.
Most Evol revenge? (Laughs)… Karma seems to hook it up for me.
Favorite accessory? Favourite accessory? That’s tough, I can’t choose! My style changes everyday so my accessories are always different.
What inspired you and Jandu to create Evol Heist and what does the name represent?
Well, I’ve always made my own jewelery and accessories. Jandu (along with people who would give me orders to make them pieces) basically recognized that there was a demand for what I was creating, so we joined forces and started EVOL HEIST!
The name EVOL HEIST is a play on words. EVOL spelled backwards is LOVE and HEIST, as you know is, most associated with extravagant jewelery robberies, so it’s kind of like a HEIST of big, dramatic jewelery. We also wanted a name that wouldn’t be pinned to just jewelery or accessories or to sound too feminine or masculine as we’ve had talks to expand into different ventures in the future.
How did you two meet?
Jandu and I have actually known each other since high school, so we’ve been good friends for a while. We see eye- to- eye on a lot of design based things. Plus he understands my crazy concepts and sketches, he’s a great designer and flows with my ideas effortlessly.
How do you prepare to design your collection?
I get a lot of inspiration from my dreams. I have a VERY colourful imagination and I’m a very visual person. Sometimes a piece will come to me based on an outfit I am wearing, and I’d think “Oh something like ‘this’ would look perfect with what I’m wearing. I need to make it.” Then I’d scribble a rough sketch down and I would be able to think of a collection or story to keep the theme consistent. That’s how our infamous “Death Grips” or “Skeleton Hands” came about.
I’m very inspired by surrealism. Salvador Dali is my idol. Also culture and traveling, cartoons, nature, movies, Sci-Fi, music, death… the list goes on!
What’s your fascination with skeletons and mirrors?
I have always had a little obsession with the skeletal structure, I blame my dad, he collects skull ornaments (not human or taxidermy, I mean crafted/sculpted ones) and that’s always been around me so I suppose that’s where that fascination comes from. As for mirrors, girls got to check her lipstick. HA! No, I just like the depth of a reflection. It means the piece you’re wearing is constantly changing, almost like a kaleidoscope. Also, mirrors/reflective objects are associated with futurism, robotics and space… I’m into that!
Who are some of your clients?
We have had so many amazing clients and opportunities since starting EVOL HEIST, which have been totally unexpected! We have made pieces for international celebrities/ musicians, artists, house-wives, students, fashion designers, models, journalists, stylists, TV personalities etc. We appreciate our customers & clients so much; we wouldn’t be where we are without them.
Going through your website I saw that you have mixtapes available which is super sweet. Is this a personal compilation and what’s your relationship with DJ Miss Yellow?
We LOVE music. Music is constantly on in our work-shop. It helps with the design process, the art direction of our photo shoots, and sums up the story of our collections.
We have a new DJ that we really like do a mixtape for us for each collection that we produce, so we are constantly looking for new DJ’s (if you would like us to hear any of your mixes please email your sound-cloud to me- m@evolheist.com)
Miss Yellow is a KILLER DJ from Hong Kong, I first heard one of her mixes for our friends at HELLZ- BELLZ (whatthehellz.com) and I had to get in touch with her right away.
She was touring in the UK a few months after, so we met up at one of her gigs and partied all night!
Being the bad-ass-lady that she is, she whipped up a phenomenal mixtape for our S/S 2011 collection (available on evolheist.com) and even flew to London to model the collection “NEW BREED” for us, then played a live set at our 1st Anniversary party! DJ Miss Yellow = T O T A L B A B E ! !
I also saw that you’re into ‘Blow Your Head’, so you obviously know what’s up! Who are some of your favorite music acts out right now?
YES!! I’m into a lot of different music genres but right now the summer vibes are attacking my brain. Currently loving Maluca Mala, 18+, Bo Ningen, zAK-MATIC and a close friend of mine @BambooClart who is causing murderation on the dance floors of Birmingham & London- UK, he has also done our latest MixTape (EVOL DEAD) available at evolheist.com, GO GET IT!
What’s the best part of being your own boss?
Being a designer, you need plenty of time to digest your environment (nowadays everything around you is constantly changing) and to be inspired. Being my own boss allows me to do exactly that. It’s also perfect for me to stay in touch with clients to discuss custom designs and to also make new friend. It gives me the freedom to live life the way I want to live it and having the ability to work from different cities.
Creating isn’t work for me, it’s what I feel most comfortable doing.
What has been the biggest challenge for Evol Heist and how have you learned from them?
I think the biggest challenge to date has been making a piece that was so complicated to put together. We couldn’t release it because we would have had to charge a crazy amount for the work that had gone into it.
It was quite an extravagant bird- piece as apart of our Egypt collection; it covered your entire neck & chest area. There were over 100 small pieces that brought it all together. This taught us to simplify the technical side of our designs.
Where do plan to expand Evol Heist? I read in a previous interview Evol Heist was thinking of furniture! Have you ever done any collaboration with anyone in the nail industry?
We are planning a few things, furniture would be incredible to do. I have this vision in my head of a white room with everything in it made out of clear Perspex, so objects would look like they are floating at strange angles, but that would be in the far future if I had a chance of making these ideas. I suppose I have a thing for wanting to take people out of reality, with my visions/ designs.
As for nails, I LOVE GETTING MY NAILS DONE! I haven’t had a chance of posting my nail game up lately because we’ve been so busy. Also because I hand-make every piece of our jewellery, meaning I have to keep my nails short, or they break. It would be a dream to collaborate with a nail brand. So far we had the privilege of having Sophy Robson and her talented ladies throw down a sleek nailbar at our 1st Anniversary party in London, which was insane. Chicks were cued up to have their nails done by them!
What’s next for Evol Heist say F/W 2012?
We’re actually in the process of designing accessories other than jewelery, I don’t want to give too much away!
Success is… a form of love, inner accomplishment and good vibes
@evolheist
www.evolheist.com
www.twitter.com/evolheist
www.facebook.com/EvolHeist
www.evolheist.tumblr.com
When SweetBabyTee asked me to do an Apple Sauced interview I knew I wanted it to be a piece that could inspire someone looking to start up a business. She is the HBIC of the online store, Apple Sauced, shared with her boyfran Yomi. Apple Sauced carries independent brands such as Dimepiece Designs, Joyrich LA, Lurk Hard, and Honey B Gold. I have a pretty good sense of brands, I’m not too familiar with the in’s and out’s of online retail, but a b**** love to shop. So I was all for learning a little bit of the Apple Sauced background and yet, she gave me more than I asked for. That’s what makes this Q&A worthwhile. She’s super sweet, stylish and thorough—-all things that make a b**** saucy. Get dipped after the jump!
Name Taryn Principato aka SweetBabyTee
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Age: 27
Website: www.shopapplesauced.com
Blog: www.applesauced.tumblr.com
Most Known For: Selling sauce
Unknown For: Being an unbelievable dog-mother and making the best homemade pizza you’ll ever have in your life!
Sauciest discovery? Palm Springs, online shopping, iced coffee, micheladas, and my obsession with dogs.
I was so sick of hunting for a job in a field that I wasn’t even passionate about what so ever. I have always wanted to be my own boss and I’ve always been addicted to online shopping. I ran my SweetBabyTee Blogspot at the time where I always featured brands, collections, and items that I owned on the blog. People would constantly ask me where to buy these items and I finally decided that instead of sending tons of people to other webstores, why not just start my own? So one day I called my boyfriend Yomi while he was at school and suggested we start our own online store. He was into the idea right away and we pretty much started the process of getting our business license and resell license the next day! It took about a year before we were able to get all our ducks in a row and actually launch Apple Sauced. I was lucky enough that my family has been so supportive from the beginning. They have given us tons of encouragement and support. I was thinking to myself…’wow, we can really be our own bosses.’ Then the phrase ‘Your The Boss Apple Sauce’ came into my head, and I thought that’s it, we’ll name it Apple Sauced. Yomi came up with our slogan, ‘Get Dipped, Stay Sauced’. It felt like a really good fit and it still does.
Yes, we pick all of the brands we sell on the site. We only carry brands that we have been personally wearing for years. I refuse to try and sell a brand that I don’t personally love and believe in. We won’t try and sell people some bullshit just to try and make money. We will never turn into some corporate machine, we will always keep it a DIY shop. All of the brands we carry are small independent companies like ourselves. They have all been so supportive of Apple Sauced so far.
So glad you asked this question! While I do rock most of the stuff we sell, I am actually not modeling on the wesbite at all! I am strictly behind the scenes. I get mistaken for our main model Kathryn all the time! I have known Kathryn for almost 15 years and she has been with us since the beginning. My younger sister Paige also models on the site, so many mistake me for her as well. I am much more comfortable behind the scenes than in front of the camera.
Yes! I have a true passion for having saucy nails! Your nail game is always on point too!! I go to this place called Tammy’s Nails. My man got me a gift certificate about 4 years ago and I have never been anywhere else since. It is kind of a hole-in-the-wall shop in a neighborhood called Hillcrest and I use to live right next door. I have been going to the same lady and at first she thought I was nuts for wanting such crazy nails and now she knows exactly how I like my nails. She’s the best!
I love absolutely everything about being my own boss and sharing it with Yomi. We get to make our own hours, carry out our own vision, and execute everything the way we want without anyone telling us how it should be done. We are truly a mom and pop shop. We do everything ourselves…from the website, to the photoshoots, to the editing, and the marketing. We are the only 2 employees that currently work for Apple Sauced. It’s a lot of work for two people to handle but we balance each other out so well that somehow it just works. Of course we do disagree on things and it can be challenging living and working with someone, but we always seem to come to an agreement. All in all we have the same vision and goals for Apple Sauced and we both grind and hustle equally as hard. I can’t imagine ever trying to run this business without Yomi, it just wouldn’t work.
We actually met when I was 16 and he was 19. He worked at my mom’s law office. It wasn’t exactly love at first site. I was still in high school and we didn’t even see each other in a romantic way at all! Then I went off to college and when I came back, we saw each other after a few years and it was on and poppin’! We have been together and living together for 5 years now.
Yall are always on the go, what I refer to as the diamond life! Is this a luxury of hard earned work? How can I get that!
Well, things aren’t always as they seem. Our life is actually not too luxurious at all! We wish it was as amazing as it may seem! We work hard and choose to spend our money on things like trips as opposed to going out all the time. There is nothing I like more than a road trip and an adventure. Traveling is a huge motivation for me to be successful. I don’t care about fancy cars and expensive jewelry, I just want to see the world and be happy.
Were you always doing your business thing on the internet or were you up to other crafts before Apple Sauced?
I have only been doing this internet biz for about 7 months since Apple Sauced launched July 4, 2011. I have had my SweetBabyTee Blogspot for a few years, but that was just for fun. Before we popped off Apple Sauced, I went to college at Chico State, got my bachelors in art history and found myself jobless and broke. I was good at art history but I knew it was not my passion and not was I was meant to do. I was obsessed with all things fashion so I knew I had to become my own boss and stop talking about it and just do it! We are still just starting out and we don’t know how it is all gonna turn out, but going for what I really wanted to do with my life has been the best decision I have ever made. I know it’s corny, but it really doesn’t feel like work when you love what you do.
Our biggest challenge so far has been just getting the name out there. It is hard because we are a strictly online business so we don’t have the advantage of foot traffic and people who just happen to stumble upon the store. All of the customers we have gained are from word of mouth. It is frustrating that there are probably tons of people who shop for Dimepiece, Hellz Bellz, and the other brands we carry and they don’t even know that we exist. Most of our customers come from our facebook fanpage or twitter. We have learned that it is just gonna take time and soon everyone will be on Team Sauce…(Laughs) well that’s the plan anyways!
Thanks! Yes, my Sweet Baby Tee tumblr is just a chance for me to be personal and give a little glimpse into my own life. It started off as a Blogspot that I just did for fun, just a place for all that inspires me. The blogspot is kind of on the back burner and tumblr has taken over. I take tons of pictures all the time for fun and post them on my personal tumblr. I do tend to do lots of movie posts as well. There are certain movies that I am so obsessed with like “True Romance”, “Pulp Fiction”, “DeathProof”, “Jackie Brown”, “Planet Terror”, etc. All of the women in those movies inspire me so much! I’ve also always been beyond obsessed with Dolly Parton and you will find tons of Dolly pictures and quotes on my tumblr. Dolly can do no wrong! Oh yea, and you can find all my ‘nails did’ flicks on my SweetBabyTee Blog too!
What advice do you have for anyone who’s looking to start a saucy career of their own?
My advice is just go for it!! You never know if something is going to be successful unless you try! We still have no idea how this whole Apple Sauced thing is going to turn out, but we grind and hustle everyday and hope for the best. We started this with hardly any money, no backers, and we did everything DIY…we still do. If we can start a business, trust me…anyone can!! You just have to really want it and keep your eyes on the prize. Our life is completely consumed with all things Apple Sauced. We just want to build this business and brand and hopefully continue to grow.
What do you have planned for Apple Sauced S/S 2012?
Big saucy things!! We will be adding new brands to the site and we
plan to do more events, pop-up shops, and things to get ourselves out
there. We’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing and keep our eyes
on the prize!
@ShopAppleSauced
@SweetBabyTee
I want to follow up with this old interview I did awhile back with Madeline Poole. She’s come so far since our first introduction. I gotta know what’s really good. I’m fascinated with her paints.
I’ve been curious about nail artist Madeline Poole ever since my eyes got hooked to her blog. I was like, ‘who is this mystery woman with all these phenomenal designs?!’. Poole be getting hella reblogs, like literally thousands, in just a couple hours. ‘I must interview this b***h!!!!’—-was all I could repeat. And sure enough, the worldwide web linked us together and I felt ever so grateful to have gotten a closer understanding of who Madeline Poole is. She discusses her inspiration fromKandinsky, opinion on nail art buzz, egg dioramas and more. Madeline is a creator to say the least. And a humble heart, I say, with the utmost sincerity as a tipsetter to another. Peep my interview (well q&a) with Maddie after the jump.
Name: Madeline Poole
Hometown: Baltimore, MD but now living in Los Angeles.
Age: 25
Blog: http://madelinepoolenails.tumblr.com/
Most Known For:Nail art?
Unknown For: I make egg dioramas and drawings.
Favorite blogs:
Manishtama, my ultimate most favorite bloghttp://manishtama.blogspot.com
So tell me a little bit about yourself (aside from nails because we’ll get into that as we go):
I moved here [Los Angeles] a few years ago and started off looking to work in fashion. I wanted to design clothes. I’ve been doing a glorified couch surf and finally found a place. I guess I really live in LA now and I’m trying to find my way here.
You just changed your blog layout! It looks good. What brought on the change?
Isis! You really are the the quickest to notice every time! I’ve been wanting to change it since day one… And I’ll hopefully be changing it again and again and again until it satisfies me.
Do you have background in music or a sort of routine you need in order to start designing?
I like looking at other-non-nail-related things, looking at art, record covers, old books, rocks, clip-art, egg dioramas, botany charts, runway shows or even other peoples closets and apartments to see collections of patterns together. Sometimes I plan out designs on nail wheels or sketch them with pencil.
When did you start doing nails and why?
Not long ago… I always painted my own nails but I didn’t start getting experimental with it until a year and a half ago. And even then it was just an occasional getting-dressed-up-crazy-accessory. It didn’t start taking over my life until about 5 months ago when I started my blog and started documenting what I was doing.
What’s your favorite piece of nail art you’ve coined or created?
I don’t know that I’ve coined anything… maybe the combination’s I choose are my own. But everything’s been done before, I can only really reinvent. The outlined nail and negative space nails are some of my favorite and most original.
I love your artistry and detail. You got skills girl. Is this a gift (like you just woke up and could do this sh*t) or much practiced?
Thank you. I’ve had a long history with painting. I worked with my mom since I was a kid, she’s a muralist and faux-finisher, she taught me how to paint fake marble and wood grain and leather. And I’ve got to give credit to my old job in Baltimore at The Poster Repair Company, where I spent several years restoring vintage posters, mixing colors and reconstructing missing pieces of lithographs with extremely small paintbrushes. I learned how to mix color and match color very quickly.
Why do you think there is this new found buzz around nails?
It’s an easy way to be expressive and change your look constantly without having to buy a bunch of new stuff. I’m not sure why there’s such a buzz, maybe it’s that when you have no extra cash but you still want to be fabulous, you can always paint your nails.
Just as there are crazy good designs, there are also some bad bunches floating around the bloggyverse. Any nail trends you wish to see leave?
Hmmm. Sure, theres a lot of garbage but I sort of like it all. I did notice this fan shaped nail and that is fascinating me at the moment. Have you seen that?
[Dang, I don’t think so…maybe?!]
How do you set yourself apart from other designers out there?
I don’t do anything intentionally, but I’m usually designing with a bit of my intuition.
What does it take to be successful and motivated in this business?
As soon as I decided I was dedicated to nails as my livelihood, I started feeling like I could actually find some success. It feels right to me to be doing this, so I naturally feel motivated.
What’s your biggest challenge so far?
Waiting for nail polish to dry.
What’s your most prized accomplishment(s)?
Leaving Baltimore and moving to a city where I knew barely anyone.
Do you have any pop-up events or nail tours for your fans outside of LA?
I would like to of course! I hope to be doing a nail party in NY around the new year.
Can your press-on’s be ordered? And do you take nail art requests?
Sure, no one’s ever ordered them but I wouldn’t be opposed! I’m working on developing a limited edition series of press-ons for this mysterious “brand” a friend of mine is starting… As far as requests go, I do take them but only if I think that I can put my own spin on the idea in a way that I’ll be happy with.
Are there any upcoming projects you’re working on that you’re open to share?
There are some projects in the works, some I have to keep a secret. But the press ons I mentioned, and I’m working on an album cover.
Who, besides a family member, do you find inspirational and why?
Maybe this is a boring answer but most of my close friends are artists and they have a major influence on me. AlsoKandinskyand people on the street.
If you could design anyone’s nails who would it be?
OH BOY. Prince.
Have you got in touch with Lady Gaga yet? Naomi Yasuda could make some room for collaboration or competition!
No! Sadly, no Gaga. Working with Naomi would be a dreamy. I could stand to learn some things from her. Can someone convince her to read this?
What’s the craziest nail request you’ve had from someone?
My friend Janine wants me paste some of her dogs fur onto her nails, which I plan to do.
Any advice to aspiring artists?
You really have to self-promote even though it feels weird. Otherwise, no one will ever see what you do.
Additional: how to book apptments, service menu
Email: Madelinepoolenails@gmail.com
By Isis Nicole
Every year there comes a point in time where I overdose on the internet. Like I take it too far with the finds, and Rollz Royce is by far one of the most addictive HTTP cravings. Not like I want to virtually eat him up or anything but I just can’t get enough of his, and fellow Traphouse’r Zak-matik, cleverness. Put it like this. They pick songs to remix. Zak-matik takes care of the beats, Rollz Royce blesses the visuals. Btw, we did this whole interview via Facebook and Twitter. Where there’s a will there is a new age way. Enter his haus, feed your virtual soul.
△ $ $ [ᶻ△KM△TIC Edi✝] TRAPHOUSE ! Rollz Royce v!deo edit NICKI MINAJ BIG SEAN from TRAPHOUSE on Vimeo.
♒ PERSIAN ALGEBRA ♒ from TRAPHOUSE on Vimeo.
Name Royce William Russing
Hometown Vegas
Age 22
Blogttauritraphouse.com
Favorite BlogsBADLANDS777 but most blogs piss me off now (laughs).
Most Known For My videos, I guess (laughs).
Unknown For My video I guess (laughs).
Trillest adventure? Driving to LA from Vegas, when I was 18 to see M.I.A show at The Wiltern and the Murakami exhibit. It was crazzy I can’t believe I survived to tell that I did that.
How did you get the name Rollz Royce?!
I don’t really know how I got that name, It just kinda stuck.
I was introduced to your music videos after seeing your take on Maluca’s ‘Lola (Ging Danga’) then my girl Helen Koh put me onto the Traphouse Vimeo [which for the longest time, I thought was spelled ‘traphaus’]. What is Traphouse? And when and why did you start to make your hypnotic ass visuals?
Traphouse is a blog that got started in the spring of 2010. We wanted to do posts on music, videos, and art we are obsessed with but not just post about them in a boring way. We wanted to add a trippy little spin on it, for example we would take a press shot of the artist, invert it and add trippy graphics to it. Or I will make a video for a song we love, or Zak would remix it. We also have t-shirts and clothing too. I’ve always loved movies and music videos and that’s something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. So when the blog got started I immediately started making videos from there and just kept growing.
How did you and zAK- MATIK end up working together?
For his first remix which was an edit of that Nicki Minaj and Christina Aguilera ‘Oh Nani Nani’, that was the first video I did for him…We met when I was in high school and he was in middle school though.
I like the way you play around with different infrared emotions in your remixes. Sometimes they’re like mad sexy and spellbinding and other times they’re like a fiendish secret society. How do decide between the two (or whatever more you pull from) which is appropriate?
Well the whole traphouse vibe is like sexy, dark, and hypnotic. Kinda like we want to brainwash you. And that’s something we wanted to do since the beginning like the whole hacker internet thing. But that just got so trendy.
Have any of the music videos of yours been recognized by the artists you remix?
Yes, traphouse videos have been recgonized by Maluca, Blaqstarr, Munchi, Heartbreak, and I did a video remix for Rusko’s song everyday which premiered on the Spin Magazine website.
I know the remixes are still very much a creation of your own, but have you ever directed a video from scratch behind the camera?
I just did a behind-the-scenes video for a clothing line called Capture. But to be able to actually direct a music video behind a camera would be a dream come true!
I’m always hoping that a DJ will spin you and zAK-MATIK’s ‘A$$’ remix out in Chicago. I’m still waiting! Oh yeah!? Well, if any djs from chicago read this please play that remix!!!
Does your work get play at parties or clubs?
Yes there is this Moombahton party in LITHUANIA that @BOYFRIENDLT throws they always play the trpahouse vids . Oh my gosh I owe him a video! (laughs)
Who do you consider to be an inspiration? What has been your biggest accomplishment, as well as challenges, since Traphouse?
Omg, I feel like there are a lot of inspirations out there! Obviously all the djs from LA really inspire us, parties, David Lynch, the internet! Honestly, it always feels like we’ve accomplished something whenever an artist we really look up to shouts us out on Twitter (laughs)!
Any upcoming projects/collaborations you got going on you care to share? Yes, I just did a video for Sticky K for a crazy song called ‘Persian Algebra’
Do you take remix request? Yes! As long as it’s dope!
Who is your favorite breakthrough artist of 2011-2012? Hmmmmm I don’t know cuz all I listen to is mixtapes and DJs so I guess all the DJs I listen to!
Where are you hoping to see Traphouse take you this year? Hopefully Traphouse will be traveling this year. We really need to get out of the country!
@rollzroyce_
By Isis Nicole
Every year there comes a point in time where I overdose on the internet. Like I take it too far with the finds, and Rollz Royce is by far one of the most addictive HTTP cravings. Not like I want to virtually eat him up or anything but I just can’t get enough of his, and fellow Traphouse’r Zak-matik, cleverness. Put it like this. They pick songs to remix. Zak-matik takes care of the beats, Rollz Royce blesses the visuals. Btw, we did this whole interview via Facebook and Twitter. Where there’s a will there is a new age way. Enter his haus, feed your virtual soul.
△ $ $ [ᶻ△KM△TIC Edi✝] TRAPHOUSE ! Rollz Royce v!deo edit NICKI MINAJ BIG SEAN from TRAPHOUSE on Vimeo.
Name Royce William Russing
Hometown Vegas
Age 22
Blog ttauritraphouse.com
Favorite Blogs BADLANDS777 but most blogs piss me off now (laughs).
Most Known For My videos, I guess (laughs).
Unknown For My video I guess (laughs).
Trillest adventure? Driving to LA from Vegas, when I was 18 to see M.I.A show at The Wiltern and the Murakami exhibit. It was crazzy I can’t believe I survived to tell that I did that.
How did you get the name Rollz Royce?!
I don’t really know how I got that name, It just kinda stuck.
I was introduced to your music videos after seeing your take on Maluca’s ‘Lola (Ging Danga’) then my girl Helen Koh put me onto the Traphouse Vimeo [which for the longest time, I thought was spelled ‘traphaus’]. What is Traphouse? And when and why did you start to make your hypnotic ass visuals?
Traphouse is a blog that got started in the spring of 2010. We wanted to do posts on music, videos, and art we are obsessed with but not just post about them in a boring way. We wanted to add a trippy little spin on it, for example we would take a press shot of the artist, invert it and add trippy graphics to it. Or I will make a video for a song we love, or Zak would remix it. We also have t-shirts and clothing too. I’ve always loved movies and music videos and that’s something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. So when the blog got started I immediately started making videos from there and just kept growing.
How did you and zAK- MATIK end up working together?
For his first remix which was an edit of that Nicki Minaj and Christina Aguilera ‘Oh Nani Nani’, that was the first video I did for him…We met when I was in high school and he was in middle school though.
I like the way you play around with different infrared emotions in your remixes. Sometimes they’re like mad sexy and spellbinding and other times they’re like a fiendish secret society. How do decide between the two (or whatever more you pull from) which is appropriate?
Well the whole traphouse vibe is like sexy, dark, and hypnotic. Kinda like we want to brainwash you. And that’s something we wanted to do since the beginning like the whole hacker internet thing. But that just got so trendy.
Have any of the music videos of yours been recognized by the artists you remix?
Yes, traphouse videos have been recgonized by Maluca, Blaqstarr, Munchi, Heartbreak, and I did a video remix for Rusko’s song everyday which premiered on the Spin Magazine website.
I know the remixes are still very much a creation of your own, but have you ever directed a video from scratch behind the camera?
I just did a behind-the-scenes video for a clothing line called Capture. But to be able to actually direct a music video behind a camera would be a dream come true!
I’m always hoping that a DJ will spin you and zAK-MATIK’s ‘A$$’ remix out in Chicago. I’m still waiting! Oh yeah!? Well, if any djs from chicago read this please play that remix!!!
Does your work get play at parties or clubs?
Yes there is this Moombahton party in LITHUANIA that @BOYFRIENDLT throws they always play the trpahouse vids . Oh my gosh I owe him a video! (laughs)
Who do you consider to be an inspiration? What has been your biggest accomplishment, as well as challenges, since Traphouse?
Omg, I feel like there are a lot of inspirations out there! Obviously all the djs from LA really inspire us, parties, David Lynch, the internet! Honestly, it always feels like we’ve accomplished something whenever an artist we really look up to shouts us out on Twitter (laughs)!
Any upcoming projects/collaborations you got going on you care to share? Yes, I just did a video for Sticky K for a crazy song called ‘Persian Algebra’
Do you take remix request? Yes! As long as it’s dope!
Who is your favorite breakthrough artist of 2011-2012? Hmmmmm I don’t know cuz all I listen to is mixtapes and DJs so I guess all the DJs I listen to!
Where are you hoping to see Traphouse take you this year? Hopefully Traphouse will be traveling this year. We really need to get out of the country!
@rollzroyce_
