4. 2
JULY 2011 - ECHO LIVE MAGAZINE
Contents
cover
14 .Quiet Monuments
Vinnie Paz Story & Interview
features
11 .Confessions of an Indie Artist
20 .Free So-and-So
22 .Who are The H.U.R.T?
64 .Model Search Contestant Experiences
interviews
32 .Relly Relz : It’s in the Blood
36 .Tin Bird Choir
42 .G-child
50 .Arrie
66 .Robin, Model Search Contest winner
5. www.echolive.net 3
columns/regular features
5 .From the Editor
6 .Tech Limelight
6 Top smartphones of 2011
8 .Reviews Inc.
An inside look at the music scene
12 .Behind Bars
The Preface
29 .“Behind the Mic”Photo Snaps
56 .Echo Fashion
56 First Fashion
60 In Sunny San Diego
62 Change Clothes and Go!
74 .Love & Sex Talk with Sophie
7. www.echolive.net 5
From the Editor
As up-and-coming talents from different facets of the arts and
entertainment world, such as music, fashion, film and photog-
raphy, continue to emerge, those trying to make their way into
the scene are not always recognized. It is the goal of Echo Live
Magazine to help support those talented individuals who show
promise through their dedication and perseverence in honing
and perfecting their artistic skills. One way Echo Live Magazine
strives to accomplish this is by providing exposure to new and
unsigned individuals and groups through articles that show-
case and highlight their talents.
Echo Live Magazine is devoted to music, inside information
about the music industry, the fashion and modeling world and
the entertainment business. Other features include career,
money, and lifestyles, as well as love, relationships and sex,
and technology. Echo Live Magazine symbolizes the source
and outlet for unsigned artists, allowing them to let their voice
be heard and make it ECHO.
Leanne Aquino
Editor-in-chief
8. 6
Top smartphones of 2011
It’s 2011. Can you imagine your life without your smartphone? I can’t! As a
technology-driven generation, we use our smartphones for almost everything in our day
to day life. We find ourselves using them for everything from music and games to emails
and GPS. This article will provide a little bit of insight to some of the top smartphones of
2011, along with the top cell phone service providers.
As most of us know, the iPhone is one of the best selling smartphones of all time and with
the release of the new iPhone 4, it seems that Apple isn’t showing any sign of backing
down from smashing the smartphone game. As a fan of technology and a faithful iPhone
user myself, I’ve done some research and there seems to be a few companies creating
very smart and hi-tech devices that may have some of us reconsidering the iPhone.
With a lot of phone companies now switching to a new 4G network, our smartphones will
have faster data connections, higher quality calls, less drop calls and less dropped internet
connections. This means we will be able to download and upload bigger files in less time
allowing us to watch longer higher quality videos and perform faster than ever. With all
the new technology coming out it can be hard to decide what phone or what phone car-
rier to choose. I compiled a list of the newest and most HI-Tech smartphones on the mar-
ket along with a few of the main features, so you decide for yourself.
Below is a list of the top 5 smartphones released in late 2010 to early 2011.
APPLE IPHONE 4
Carrier - AT&T and Verizon
Battery Life - Up to 7 hours of talk time
Screen and Weight - 3.5”touch screen/ 4.8 ounces
Camera - 5-megapixel camera with flash
Speed - 1 GHz processor and 512MB of RAM
Memory - 16 or 32 GB
Tech Limelight
9. www.echolive.net 7
MOTOROLA DROID 2 GLOBAL
Carrier - Verizon
Battery Life - Up to 7 hours of talk time
Screen and weight - 3.7”touch screen/6.1 ounces
Camera - 5-megapixel camera with flash
Speed – 1.2 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM
Memory – Up to 32 GB with Micro SD expansion card
HTC EVO 4G
Carrier - Sprint
Battery Life - Up to 6 hours of talk time
Screen and weight - 4.3”touch screen/6.0 ounces
Camera – 8-megapixel camera with flash
Speed – 1 GHz processor and 512MB of RAM
Memory – Up to 32GB with Micro SD expansion card
HTC THUNDERBOLT (NEWEST SMARTPHONE)
Carrier - Verizon
Battery Life - Up to 6 hours of talk time
Screen and weight – 4.3”touch screen/6.23 ounces
Camera – 8-megapixel camera with flash
Speed – 1 GHz processor and 768 MB of RAM
Memory - pre-installed 32 GB Micro SD expansion card
T-MOBILE MY TOUCH 3G
Carrier – T-mobile
Battery Life - Up to 7 hours of talk time
Screen and weight – 3.8”touch screen/5.4 ounces
Camera – 5-megapixel camera
Speed - 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM
Memory – Up to 32 GB with Micro SD expansion card
Dwayne Rodriguez:
Contributing Writer - Technology/Fitness
10. 8
The Super Group by definition is when 2 or more
of your fave emcees get together to put out a
project. So what do you call it when you get the
legendary Black Thought with Dice Raw, Truck
North, STS and P.O.R.N. together? Uber, Awesome
Pack? Upper Echelon Troop? Whatever you call it
(they go by Money Making Jam Boys, by the way),
that shit is GREAT! Brought to us by 10 Deep, this
mixtape, called The Prestige: Jam Boy Magic, is what
we all have been waiting to happen. For years,
Black Thought has been bringing emcees on to
the Legendary Roots records and we’ve all been
thinking,“What would happen if Dice and BT got
on another producers track and go for self?”Well,
ladies and gentlemen, you get a whole project’s
worth. I have to say one of the biggest surprises
is how far Truck North has come as an emcee the
past few years. He has really come into his own. It
is also great to see the re-emergence of P.O.R.N.
and STS (for those who don’t know, these cats have
been tearing studios down for YEARS!). I really can’t
get enough of this type of hip hop with emcees
just going bar for bar against each other. You can
only expect greatness. And like they say on the
record, when you hear“Hear You Say”, turn it up
before you skip it and lean your chair back in your
ride, then just ride out. Trust me, it will make you
feel like a million bucks when they’re done.
I give this three Illadelph Halflifes and one Reclaim-
ing the Dead. (Hey, I banged the hell out of that
album. The Source was bugging on that one!)
Money Mak-
ing Jam Boys
The Prestige: Jam
Boy Magic
The gritty 50... the 808. I spent time there back
in the day and if you think it is all hula skirts and
luaus then you’ve got it twisted. #1: It is like any
other city in America. Right behind those plush
resorts, there is a hood that is just like the one you
grew up in. #2: They are as real about their hip hop
as any Brooklyn, Detroit or Philly. They have MCs
who are just as hungry as the young dudes on
your corner. Fortilive’s I vs. I should be them vs. you
because it hits you right in the face from track 1.
This group consists of 2 MCs, Mushmouf & Slo-Mo,
and chief producer Illmind who takes you on this
trip. For me, the first listen usually tells you what to
expect once you digest an album. For me, the sec-
ond track“Gimme”jumps up and does just that. It
grabs you attention and doesn’t let it go. If it’s not
the command Slo-Mo has over the mic then it’s the
unique tone of Mushmouf’s voice that makes you
want to listen to what they have to say. Illmind sets
the perfect sonic backdrop to the Fortilive tales of
hood survival as well as social commentary. I also
have to point out the track“Won’t Tell”. Showing
their versatility, Fortilive shows how cats from the
far left coast can show the fellas in the chi and D a
thing or two about pimping.
All in all, I give this album 3 Kamehamehas and a
Maluhia my brothers. Mahalo....
Fortilive
I vs I
Reviews Inc.
11. www.echolive.net 9
So about 6 years or so, I was chillin’in a bar. I was
approached by an up-and-coming producer by
the name of Kush Shalimar, who said he wanted
to slide me a beat CD to pass off to the MCs that I
had been working with. Fast forward a few years.
I heard a track he did with my boy Verso and the
MC he had now partnered with, Charlie K, called
Home Cooked Meal. I was taken away. It was like
a little bit a of Doom, a little bit of Dilla mixed
with Chicken Cheesesteak from Ishkabbiles. Now
fast forward to 2011. Now Kush and Charlie have
connect with Senor Conway and finally bring their
latest Writtenhouse project to the world. While
You were Sleeping is for all those who don’t know.
Those who haven’t had a chance to hear this
traveling trio rock their local shows. These road
warriors come with tons of“Sticky”and“Cigarette
Smoke”type music. It’s straight head nod good-
ness. On the low Charlie K is one of Philly’s under-
rated MCs and Kush & C Conway are going to
have to get a whole new set of beat CDs together
because I am sure they are being tabbed for some
upcoming releases. I hope they save one for me.
Make sure you checkout the“Mahogany Blu”. Now
that is some smooth cool stuff right there. It makes
me want to start smoking Newports and drink a
ginger beer.
While You were Sleeping gets 3 Black & Milds and 1
Buljawn... oh wait, naw... No Buljawn...LOL!!!
Emo Rap. I am really thinking this is a marketable
genre. I find that certain rappers sound better
when they go into that emotional bag in their
rhymes, when they chose to speak about the hon-
est truth about how they feel or what they think
about themselves. I’ve always said the best Royce
was the angry Royce (Death is Certain Royce). And
his Slaughterhouse cohort is exactly the same.
Joe Budden has been dropping Mood Muziks
on us for years. It is far from his pump-it-up days
and on the low Mood Muzik 2 was one of the best
piece of music album or mixtape to come out in
2005/2006. Mood Muzik 4 keeps the streak going. I
find the high points of the project are the subjects
Joey chooses to speak on which you don’t often
hear on a mixtape. Like on the track“Role Reversal”,
the way he paints a picture of being torn between
his relationship with his gf’s son and his. It is just
the type of emceeing that is non existent in much
of rap music. Don’t get it twisted, Joe Budden is
still a metaphor king and you don’t have to go any
further than the“Remember the Titans”track to
see him go up against so A-list lyricist in Fabolous
and Loyd Banks. My favorite track on the project is
“The Shoes Skit”and you are going to have to cop
this project so you can find out why I love this so
much.
I am giving this mixtape 3 Oxycotins and a half a
Percocet so that Joe can finally get some sleep.
Writtenhouse
While You Were
Sleeping
Joe Budden
Mood Muzik 4
An inside look at the music scene by Los Infinite
13. www.echolive.net 11
by JAKE HAZE
Confessions
of an
Indie Artist
THE MUSIC BUSINESS: it’s a savage,
dog-eat-dog business, where
many bodies are left on the trail
to success; where some dreams
are realized, and some left for-
gotten or crushed. If this sounds
like a pessimistic interpretation
of the biz, just know it isn’t. It’s
the reality.
The reality is that making music,
distributing it, and promoting
it cost money; depending on
your dedication and know-how,
maybe more than others. Thank
God the digital age has ushered
in new avenues and methods for
artists to share their work and
make new fans worldwide. That
in itself has brought in a surplus
of artists, making it even harder
to separate the talented from the
not-so-talented. So, what can an
independent artist do to sepa-
rate himself from the rest when
the rest have access to the same
tools? A lot, actually.
In my time as an artist and active
performer, I have found that
marketing is essential to getting
your name out. The days of Mr.
Label exec coming in to save the
day are over. Now they want to
know: what do you do to pro-
mote yourself? How many peo-
ple follow you on Twitter? What
do your YouTube views look like?
What press have you gotten?
Do any media outlets play your
music? Those are all questions
that you need to answer before
even thinking of yourself as a
viable signee.
A wise friend once told me that
consistency is the key, and boy,
is that true. Always stay in the
public eye. Make sure you cover
all your avenues, i.e. artist web-
site, music videos, digital and
physical music available at any
time, professional photos and
performances. Even maybe with
all that, you still might not make
it, but maybe you might. Only
time will tell. Until then, make
your voice echo.
Jake Haze: Contributing Writer -
Artists
Always stay
in the public
eye. Make
sure you cov-
er all your
avenues...
14. 12
“The Preface”
MUSIC, THE SCIENCE of sound, sounds made by all living things in unison, creat-
ing one big beautiful head rush of ear candy. Music is to the earth, what
mathematics is to the universe, the key, quite possibly the reason for this
planet’s creation. It was Earth’s universal language long before man came
along and developed one more sophisticated, which gave birth to the lyric,
which gave birth to the song. It has been said by the late Kurt Cobain, one of
the greatest lyricists of all time—ironically—that lyrics aren’t important when
it comes to making music, and this Nigatar is inclined to agree. However, what
he neglected to mention was that when it comes to making a song, it lives and
dies by the lyrics.
by MANI “NIGATAR”
Rappers have always chosen to use
their outlet of expression to brag
about things that they have...
Behind Bars
15. www.echolive.net 13
This column is meant to explore this world of lyricism and provide
new perspective on things that may have gone in one ear and out
the other, starting with the two genres that have been“tug-of-war-
ring“ over pop culture’s throne for the last two decades, Hip Hop and
Rock. Hip Hop and Rock’s music cultures have always been paral-
lels, seemingly similar in some respects and completely opposite in
others, much like a man and woman, black and white people, cats
and dogs. They all go about the same things in completely different
ways, in an attempt to deem one better than the other. Silly, isn’t it?
But it’s made for some pretty good songs so far, so for now I’ll stand
by that premise.
Rappers have always chosen to use their outlet of expression to brag
about things that they have, or wish they had, like the late Notorious
B.I.G. when he said,
“I got the master plan,
I’m in the caravan, on my way to Maryland,
With my man Two-Tecs to take over this projects.”
–Notorious B.I.G.
Or Jay-Z, when he said,“ You can pay for school but you can’t buy
class.”
Meanwhile, in the 90’s, a time known for spawning Grunge Rock
and as the golden age of Hip Hop, rockers chose to play down their
privileged lifestyle and embrace self loathing. This trend was appar-
ently started by Nirvana with song lyrics like“I Think I’m Dumb”fol-
lowed by Radiohead’s“I’m a Creep,”and so the trend rippled through
the culture. Now every white boy wants you to feel sorry for him
for being a rock star, and every fitted cap wearin’, good for nothin’,
waste of space nigga with a micro phone wants you to worship him
because he can rhyme words. Go auction cars or something! Mind
you, a lot of these rappers could’ve been doctors, even lawyers—“if it
doesn’t fit, you must acquit”, ring any bells?
Instead, they chose to be rappers for a living and they expect us to
give them the same respect that we would give to someone who
saves your life, literally—no pun intended—or saved you from life,
literally. Once again, no pun intended. And speaking of rappers
being a waste of space, I always thought Big Pun should’ve put out
an album called“Pun Intended”; it was right there the whole time!
What do I know, I’m just the greatest rapper that never did it? Stay
thirsty, my friends.‘Til then, holler at a Nigatar—I make the muse
sick.
Mani “Nigatar”: Contributing Writer - Artist Breakdowns
16. 14
VINNIE PAZ OF Jedi Mind Tricks is...
Ok, some people would not be
able to find enough words to describe
Vinnie. Others may be thinking,“Who
is Vinnie Paz?”In reality, the question
that will give you the best under-
standing of this artist is,“WHAT is Vin-
nie Paz?”Here’s some perspective.
by VERSO
Quiet
Monuments
feature story:
All photos by J. Nuño Pictures
18. 16
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one of the most
historically relevant and celebrated cities in the
United States of America. It is known worldwide
for The Liberty Bell, The Rocky Statue (The Art
Museum steps) and Independence Hall. There
are locally celebrated monuments like Love Park,
Penn’s Landing and Belmont Plateau. Then there is
a monument located in the heart of the city known
as The Clothespin.
The artist who sculpted the clothespin was
inspired by a piece that he saw in The Art Museum.
Similarly, Vinnie Paz was inspired by his South
Philadelphia upbringing. Raised in an Italian Cath-
olic household, Paz would later convert to Islam
after spending time with the family of a childhood
friend. This is just a small part of what makes Paz so
Philly. Add to that the gritty, aggressive and defiant
rhymes, and the man starts to come into view just
a little bit more.
The City of brotherly love is a place where you
have to earn respect in order to do anything that
involves public perception. That’s the nice way of
saying Philly is probably more critical of its own tal-
ent than any other place in the country. To become
successful in this environment requires not only
that you be as good or better than the rest of the
talent in the city, but that you be built to withstand
criticism and opposition. We are the home of the
underdog turned hero. Vinnie has written about
his early days going to labels and being rejected
as they would say that his partner and producer
Stoupe was dope but that he, Paz, lacked focus. So
called mainstream success was not exactly falling
into the Jedi Mind Tricks’laps.
The thing that Philadelphia instills in its artists, if
nothing else, is a sense of defiant resilience. You
are confronted with reasons to stop pursuing your
dreams all the time. Vinnie Paz stands as a testa-
ment to other underdog rappers that it is possible
to stay yourself, make the music you believe in, and
cultivate your own fans. Real fans.
Vinnie Paz
stands as a
testament to
other underdog
rappers that it is
possible to stay
yourself, make
the music you
believe in, and
cultivate your
own fans.
19. www.echolive.net 17
So often in this era of high-priced
marketing schemes, image con-
sultants and gimmicks, Paz and
the several crews he is associated
with are able to maintain their
lives while making their music
their own way. As I write this
article, Vinnie is somewhere in
Europe touring, performing to
crowds of loyal fans who know
and love his work. Not because
they saw him on MTV for months
at a time. Not because he has
the latest top ten rap record on
commercial radio. But because
he has been doing this for years
and makes high quality music
that people can identify with.
He is living what is a dream to a
lot of rappers. His accomplish-
ments, his success, his impact on
fans around the world, are not of
the fly by night, industry manu-
factured, flavor of the moment
variety. They have been earned
through hard work, perseverance
and legitimate talent.
Thousands of people pass by
the clothespin at 15th & Market,
right across the street from City
hall, in the heart of Philadelphia.
Commuters exiting the under-
ground orange and blue Septa
train lines, or waiting for one of
the buses that stop at this inter-
section often find themselves
gazing up at this 45 foot, steel
structure. Some are indifferent,
while others are fascinated and
to yet others, it is a revered land-
mark of the city. Right around
the corner from Love park, a
quick bus ride from the Art
Museum. A short train-ride from
The Liberty Bell and Indepen-
dence Hall. This quiet monument
towers above passers-by. Making
the ordinary into anything but.
That’s Vinnie Paz. A pillar in the
Philly Hip-hop community. Proof
of what’s possible. A giant com-
pared to a lot of other rappers. A
solid structure built in the heart
of his home town. Renowned,
respected and revered by a
world in tune with him and all
that he stands for. Monumental.
Verso: Contributing Writer - Social/
Hip Hop Commentaries
ELM: We’re here with Philly’s own , the
one and only Mr.Vinnie Paz. So, Vinnie,
tell us what’s new?
VP: Just got back from a 2 month tour
promoting the Heavy Metal Kings record. It
was crazy. Now I’m back in Philly working
on new music. We’re doing an entire record
with DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill, so that’s
gonna be hardbody.
ELM: Tell us about your label“Enemy
Soil.”Where did the name come from?
and how many artists are signed to it?
VP: It is a label, but it’s more than that. It’s
a boutique label that caters to the artist.
We’re involved in all facets. We have a pro-
duction team; marketing, promotion, mer-
chandise. As far as the name, independent
music is sort of looked down upon now.
Like it can’t be relevant. That makes me feel
like the enemy—hence, Enemy Soil.
ELM: So let’s talk a little bit about your
new album Heavy Metal Kings. What’s the
feeling behind the album? Who, if any-
one, is featured on it? What’s your favor-
ite song and why?
VP: It’s just hardcore rap music, man. I’m
tired of this soft shit, so we feel like we have
the hardest record out right now. There’s no
Dylan “Double” Debellis (Echo Live Magazine) interviews Vinne Paz in Philadelphia, PA.
17www.echolive.net
20. 18
“big name”guests on there. Just fam. My
favorite song changes day to day. Ha!
ELM: HIP-HOP IS DEAD!! Or, at least,
that’s what has been said. How do you
feel about this? And what do you think
about the newer underground rappers
on the rise, such as Lil B and Odd Future?
VP: Look, you could’ve said“hip-hop is
dead”20+ years ago when Vanilla Ice and
Hammer were selling millions of units.
Music is cyclical. It doesn’t
affect ME, so it’s whatever.
It’ll never die to me. As far
as those new guys, I never
heard their music. Some-
body told me on tour
that the Lil B guy named
his album I’m Gay. Wow.
That’s out of line. You’d
get punched in the face
for saying some shit like
that when I was coming
up. Apparently being wild
homo is cool in 2011. Obviously I’m getting
old. Haha.
ELM: Who’s your biggest influence on
and off the mic?
VP: Kool G. Rap is the greatest rapper that
ever lived. Off the mic, my mother. She’s my
world.
ELM: Speaking of off the mic, I know you
probably don’t get much down time but
what do you like to do when not making
music?
VP: My second love is boxing, so I’m either
at the fights, or writing about them. I’m
writing for Maxboxing.com now, so I’m re-
ally happy about that. Dream come true.
ELM: How do you write? With or without
a beat? And how long does it normally
take?
VP: I need a beat. I have to write at night,
and I have to have a bottle of Grey Goose
next to me. The length of time differs I
guess. It really depends
on where my head is at.
I have to write tonight.
We’ll see how that goes.
Ha.
ELM: Who would you
like to work with in up
coming albums.
VP: Tom Araya from
Slayer.
ELM: OK, so I’m sure you heard this ques-
tion a million times before—who’s your
top 5?
VP: Kool G. Rap. Big Pun. Big L. Jay-Z. Big
Daddy Kane.
ELM: So what can we expect from Vin-
nie Paz the rest of this year and years to
come?
VP: New Jedi Mind Tricks LP. Two new Heavy
Metal Kings records. And my next solo joint
God of the Serengeti.
Vinnie Paz’s Ill Bill CD cover
Dylan “Double” DeBellis: Artist Interviews
18
22. 20
Free
So-and-So
URBAN CULTURE AND therefore, Hip-hop culture are very often directly associated
with criminal culture. As members of the Hip-hop generations and further-
more, as inner city residents, we often find ourselves influenced by aspects of
criminal culture as well. Being Hip-hop or being urban DOES NOT automati-
cally make you criminal. Counter-culture, maybe; rebellious, often. Still, not, by
definition, criminal.
Perhaps the most well-known and most controver-
sial criminal code that is promoted through Hip-
hop is“Stop Snitching.”This one I fully understand.
Honor amongst thieves. If you are involved in crim-
inal activity with someone and you get caught, you
should not sell your partner out in order to better
your own situation. I don’t think that idea applies
to regular citizens but that’s another story. The idea
or mantra that has been fascinating/bothering me
for some time now is the“Free ___________”(fill in
the blank) sentiment.
For the record, I hate seeing my people get locked
up. I am a young black man who was born in
Jamaica and raised in Philadelphia so I am instinc-
tively always aware of the law. I also can’t shake
the idea that people who look like me get locked
up far more frequently than anyone else in this
country and probably in the world. Still, I have a
hard time blindly screaming“Free whoever.”The
simplest way to explain my stance is that I believe
some people should be in jail. If you are actually
guilty of the crime, I don’t understand why I should
be advocating your freedom.
There are innocent people in prisons all over the
world who are victims of prejudice, false accusa-
tions, improper police practices etc. Being a celeb-
rity does not automatically make you one of these
people. Though celebrities are often targeted, they
are not above the law. Too often in our culture, we
automatically get behind popular people and ride
with them even through obvious wrong-doing. I
understand the impulse, especially in the wake of
my favorite reggae artist Buju Banton’s conviction
of conspiring to set up a cocaine deal.
Too often in our culture, we
automatically get behind
popular people and ride with
them even through obvious
wrong-doing.by VERSO
23. www.echolive.net 21
Verso: Contributing Writer - Social/Hip Hop Commen-
taries
I was fervently behind the“Free Buju”move-
ment and, in some ways, I still am. My hope was
that Buju would be found innocent. That he was
not guilty of the crimes he was accused of and,
therefore, would be freed. The reasons I still have
issues with his incarceration have more to do with
what seems like entrapment in the case that was
built against him and in some possible conspiracy
theories about the motivation behind his target-
ing. The evidence revealed that Buju put no money
into and made no profit from the deal that was
made and also showed that the man who urged
him into the deal was paid $50,000 by U.S. law
enforcement to do so. Still, Buju did participate in
the process willingly and it does make me ques-
tion if he has done such things before. As much as
I want my favorite living reggae artist to continue
to make the entertaining and inspirational music
that I love, I cannot condone the wrong that he has
done. I am also, now, somewhat taken aback when
listening to songs like“Driver A”and“Fast Lane”as
they sound far more autobiographical than I had
previously perceived.
The only acceptable thing for us to do in these
cases is to remove our emotional biases from the
situations and judge them based on the facts.
It’s simple…break the law, do the time. We can
argue that some laws are unjust, but even in those
cases, it does not render the perpetrator innocent.
Besides, screaming“Free‘whoever it is this week’”is
like putting a band-aid on cancer. The fact that so
many popular people are having run-ins with the
law speaks more to problems in our communities,
values and justice systems than it does to any one
of the individual celebrities.
So I say, if you really want your favorite entertain-
ers to go free, we must first, as one of our greatest
entertainers once sang, emancipate ourselves from
mental slavery. Only we ourselves can free our
minds.
Photo: Ville Miettinen (CC by 2.0: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en )
Buju Banton at Ilosaarirock, Joensuu, Finland
24. 22
BACK IN MARCH, for those who
where able to attend Echo
Live’s Behind The Mic event, we
were treated to a very talented
hip-hop group making a lot
of noise and a rising name for
themselves out of the Lehigh
Valley, who go by“The H.U.R.T.
(Hate Unleashes Raw Talent)”
Consisting of Yung Budd, Tigga
and DouBle, they hail from all
different areas (Southside Beth-
lehem, PA, to Brooklyn, NY) and
backgrounds equally different.
Collectively, they bring a fresh
sound that combines hard lyrics,
powerful hooks, and elements
of street rap, as well as pop and
a commercial sound. They are
currently working on a mixtape
with Brooklyn Zu’s new team
called Zu Bully’s, who they are
now affiliated with, and as well
as there very own mixtape that
is due to drop mid summer. They
are also in the“kitchen”cooking
up their debut album, with sin-
gles like“grind”and“Cheers”has
many fans sitting on the edge of
their seats with anticipation.
With many media appearances
lined up, and more and more
shows every month, The H.U.R.T
is gaining a very well known
reputation for themselves. The
Group has also performed events
all over a 5 statewide rage! Such
as a Hot 97 show case in Bronx
NY, a mini tour with BK Zu from
Philly to Cleveland OH, open-
ing the first two shows of King
Magnetic & Reef the Lost Cauze’s
east coast tour in Boston MA,
and Dover NH. —Expect bigger
things from The H.U.R.T.
Find their debut mixtape,“Start-
ing Five” on Datpiff (www.dat-
piff.com) by searching on“The
H.U.R.T.”
Jake Haze: Contributing Writer -
Artists
Who are
26. 24
ELM: We are here with the new hip-hop
group,“The H.U.R.T.”So tell us, guys,
what does the acronym stand for and
what’s the meaning behind the name?
Yung Budd: H.U.R.T stands for Hate Un-
leashes Raw Talent. We came up with it
because a lot of people hated on us and it
did nothing but make us spit more fire and
get in touch with our raw talent.
ELM: We heard you had a very busy year
so far. What are some of the things that
you achieved in 2011, and what else can
we expect from the group?
DouBle: So far, we traveled to 5 differ-
ent states performing. We did shows in
the Bronx, NY for Hot 97, one in Philly, PA
with Brooklyn Zu and Capone from CNN,
another out in Cleveland, OH, again with
Brooklyn Zu, and we also linked up with
Allentown’s own King Magnetic and hit up
two shows to start off his and Reef the Lost
Cauze’s east coast tour, one in Boston, MA
and another in Dover, NH. Back home, we
opened for Saigon and got noticed by y’all
(Echo Live) at Club Mixx in Allentown.
What you can look forward to from The
H.U.R.T is more traveling, A lot more shows
such as the one we have at this years
Musikfest.
Interview with
The H.U.R.T
28. 26
ELM: How long have you known each
other and how did the group start?
Tigga: We all met in the Summer of 2009.
Budd and myself lived within one block; he
knew DouBle from earlier that year. Budd
introduced us when we all met at my stu-
dio. Later that day, we recorded the song
“Robberies”and from that point on we
formed what people like to call The H.U.R.T.
ELM: If there were one group or a pow-
erhouse collab that could touch The
H.U.R.T, who would they be?
Yung Budd: Oh, well, that’s easy—nobody!
(Ha ha ha) But I guess if I had to choose, I
would say Kayne West, He-man and The
Mario Brothers.
Tigga: Yea, not too many people are
messing with us, but if I really had to say
somebody I’d say Jay-Z, Captain Planet and
Superman.
DouBle: Look, how I feel is we the best new
group out here, but I can see some older
guys that might be able to keep up. I’d pick
Joell Ortiz, All the Transformers and Jesus.
ELM: What do you guys think of music
nowadays?
Tigga: I think most of the mainstream stuff
is trash! No body does it for the love of
music or anything even close to that. It’s all
about money. It is very rare to hear a lyri-
cist; most songs that come out follow the
pattern of a heavy bass beat or hot sample,
catchy hook, and repetitive lyrics. WE NEED
MORE GOOD MUSIC, PEOPLE!!!
ELM: Ok, well you guys have me sold
and I’m definitely the newest H.U.R.T fan
now! But for everyone else that is read-
ing, where can they find your music and
what are your social pages?
DouBle: Like Budd always says,“just
Google us.”You can type in Hate Unleashes
Raw Talent. Or I can just run through the
list. Our music can be found at www.re-
verbnation.com/TheHURT or on our You-
29. www.echolive.net 27
Tube account www.youtube.com/user/
weAREtheHURT. You can follow us on twit-
ter www.twitter.com/#!/The_Real_HURT.
And most definitely, make sure you“like”
the fan page on Facebook www.facebook.
com/HateUnleashesRawTalent.
34. 32
We all know that the offspring of a musician will naturally be blessed with
an “ear”, voice or some kind of musical talent! I had the chance to sit and
speak with a very musically incline dude, “Relly Rellz.”
On the Second floor of a dim lit Starters Riverport Sports Bar & Grille in
Bethlehem, Pa, I’m sitting watching the Chicago Bulls play the Indiana Pacers in
the NBA playoffs waiting for Rellz to pop up. Moments later, I see a black dude,
accompanied by a female, come up the stairs with a purple Yankees fitted cap that
matched the butter soft leather coat and that kind of gave me a heads up on who
this dude was! I stood up, “Rellz?” He responded “ Yea, wasup?” We made small
talk about the game. Then I asked him, “ You want a drink?” He declined, giving
me the vibe that he was pressed for time.
Born in Brooklyn, NY,
and one of nine children,
all of whom had their
musical background
sharpened in church,
Rellz fell in love with
Hip Hop at an early age.
He began making beats
at just eight years of age
on a Roland XP50.Then,
at the age of fifteen, he
started rapping. Now
twenty one and residing
in Bethlehem, Pa, he still
performs as a MC and
has the hunger for Hip
Hop!
It’s in the Blood by SES
35. www.echolive.net 33
ELM: The name Relly Rellz, where did it
come from?
RR: It was a childhood name, they would
call me Relly, as I grew older and matured it
changed to Rellz, now I use both as a artist,
Relly is more the smooth type dude, Rellz is
more hard!
ELM: Who were your influences as far as
music goes?
RR: First is my Pop most def, he was the pi-
ano player in church, then Biggie of course
being from BK, Jigga and Pac.
ELM: Why the move to Pa?
RR: After 9/11 you know (I think we all
know) plus it was a more cost efficient deci-
sion having eight siblings.
ELM: Do you run with a crew or is it most-
ly a solo thing?
RR: It’s all family! N.B.P/F.G. (Neck Breaka
Productions / Fam Gang).
ELM: Who you listening to now?
RR: Myself! I’m my own worst critic; that’s
how you stay sharp and keep a creative
edge.
ELM: What do you think about the state
of Hip Hop today?
RR: Artist need to go harder! There is also
a lot of confused listeners, too many copy
cats! Honestly, I think Lil Wayne is over rated
and has a better ghost writer than before!!
ELM: Who do you think are the top 3 MC’s
All photos by J. Nuño Pictures
36. 34
in the game now?
RR: 1. Jay (Jay-z) 2. 50 3. Drake/ Kanye .
ELM: What artists are the up and coming
to look out for?
RR: ME!! My whole team, N.B.P/F.G.! My
cousin in NY, Marley Millz, and my man in
ATL (GA),“LA”.
ELM: What ignites your lyrics or sparks
that first line in the brain?
RR: Real life situations. Don’t get it twisted.
Sometimes, lyrics have to be exaggerated
because that’s what the fans want to hear.
ELM: What are you doing now musically?
RR: Working on my own album, The Relly
Rellz Project,“Wats up, Wats up”—that’s
the single! The Movement! Maybe link up
with some local talent and put something
together. I perform a lot for the college
scene—you can catch me every Sunday
playing the piano in church.
37. www.echolive.net 35
ELM: Where do you see yourself in the next three years?
RR: Signed! More established as a artist. Hopefully, be someone’s idol!
If you ask my opinion, the dude is alright! He seems focused and really serious
about his music and, of course with family as support, the hill is halfway climbed.
The first time I heard his music was at Club Mixx in Allentown, Pa, during a Be-
hind the Mic showcase hosted by Echo Nation. He was the only MC that came
from a different angle—performing with a live band! His sister on the drums and
another sister serving up some soulful vocals! Rellz, do your thing, playboy, and
best of luck with your career! Peace.
Ses: Contributing Writer - Men’s Fashion
38. 36
Tin Bird ChoirTin Bird Choir
All photos by Home-Brewed Concoctions
After a long drive and many windy roads in Pennyslvania’s
countryside,Iarrivedatanarrowdirtroadleadingdown
a hill towards a barn where I met two down-to-earth look-
ing men who looked worlds apart from where I come from.
by J. Nuño
39. www.echolive.net 37
As I introduced my self to Eric and
Josh (2/4 of the Tin Bird Choir), I
immediately knew it was going
to be an interesting video shoot.
Shooting nothing but rap videos
can get monotonous, so I was
excited to step out of my com-
fort zone with a little“Barn Rock”.
As Leo (the photographer) and I
started setting up for the shoot,
EricandJoshstartedjammingout
a little bit as they waited for the
other half of T.B.C. to arrive. With
just a bass and acoustic guitar,
EricandJoshhadmytoestapping
and my head nodding from the
first 30 seconds of their warm up.
Other than the fact that we
were literally in a barn, I started
to understand what barn rock
meant. Heather and Ellen arrived
to complete the 4-piece band
and the video/photo shoot was
underway. After the shoot ended,
a few beers and some good con-
versation, I can honestly say I
didn’t want to leave.This was one
of the coolest, easy going shoots
I have ever done and I urge you
to check out their music. I am
now a fan of the TIN BIRD CHOIR
and get my “Barn Rock” on when
I’m in a good spirited mood.
41. www.echolive.net 39
ELM: So tell us your names
and your positions in the
band.
EH: I am Eric from Tin Bird
Choir. We are a four piece
band—Josh Sceurman plays
bass, Ellen Houle plays the
drums, Heather Hurlock
sings lead and harmony
vocals, and I play the guitar
and sing lead and harmony.
ELM: How did you guys
come together to form
TBC?
EH: Well, Heather and I have
been singing together for
years. We lived together in
Boston before we got mar-
ried and we used to busk
our songs in the subway
and in Harvard Square.
When we moved back
home to Pennsylvania we
made a few home record-
ing and gave them out to
our friends. Eventually, Todd
Bartolo from the Youngers
asked Heather and me to
open for his band, and soon
after that it just started roll-
ing. We booked a few more
shows and our friend Mike
asked if he could play fiddle
and mandolin with us. We
said sure. Then we asked
Josh to play bass for us. I’ve
known Josh for almost 20
years—we met freshman
year of college in Philadel-
phia and have been playing
music together off and on
ever since. The four of us
played together for about
a month and then one day
Mike brought Ellen to one
of our rehearsals in the barn.
She fit right in. We loved
the way she played, and she
liked our songs. And from
there we were a band. One
of the songs on our CD is
actually a live recording of
Ellen’s first practice with
us in the barn. Eventually
Mike moved on to some
other things, but Josh, Ellen,
Heather and I have been the
core of the band since the
summer of 2007.
ELM: Where does the
name of your band come
from?
EH: Our band is named after
a book of poems by Wendell
Berry called“A Timbered
Choir”. We were talking
about the book one day and
Heather thought the book
was called Tin Bird Choir. I‘ve
always liked the way people
mishear things. The way Ms
can sound like Ns. When I
was a kid I thought the word
was“mecessary”until some-
body told me it was“nec-
essary”. And just recently,
our 3-year-old daughter
thought balsamic vinegar
was called Paul Simon vin-
egar. You can’t beat stuff like
that.
ELM: Collectively, who is
your biggest musical influ-
ence?
EH: That’s a tough ques-
tion. I think we’re all over
the place musically. I think
it might be safe to say that
we’re all always listening
to new and old music in all
kinds of categories. Josh
and Ellen play in a bunch of
other great bands that play
everything from alt-country
rock to bluegrass to swanky
cabaret jazz. Heather and
I benefit musically from
what they share with us,
whether it’s different styles
of music, or mix CDs of new
or old songs in all kinds of
genres. So maybe the sim-
ple answer here is: Our band
members are our biggest
musical influence.
ELM: I see you guys have
a new album out, tell us
about it and where we can
find it.
EH: Our record is called
Barn Rock. It’s a collection of
songs that tell stories— sto-
ries about trucks, cornfields,
42. 40
buildings falling down, jazz saxophon-
ists, trees, canopies, crows, eyeballs, crazy
people—all sorts of stuff. You can find it at
CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/
TinBirdChoir).
ELM: What is your favorite song off the
album and why?
EH: I think my favorite song is Artie Shaw.
It’s the last song on the record and there’s
a horn section playing dirty swampy New
Orleans jazz funeral stuff in the middle part.
I love it. Every time I hear it just kills me.
ELM: What would you guys say separates
you from the rest?
EH: The rest of what? Society? Our inability
to connect with people and to form mean-
ingful relationships in the world. Oh wait,
that’s not what you’re asking. What sepa-
rates our band from other bands? Probably
our songwriting, maybe our harmonies,
definitely our rhythm section. Our name,
too, is different from other bands’names. It
would get confusing if we all had the same
name.
ELM: If you had to pick one song to cover,
what would it be? And why?
EH: We’ve got a handful of cover songs in
our set now.“Elvis Presley Blues”by Gillian
Welch.“Maybellene”by Chuck Berry. We’ve
attempted“Murder in the Red Barn”by
Tom Waits. Sometimes we do“Lost It”by
Lucinda Williams. Plus a few others that I
can’t think of right now. We have a handful
of traditional folk songs that we play, too,
like“Wayfaring Stranger”,“Shady Grove”,
and“Stealing”. We’ve played Public Enemy’s
43. www.echolive.net 41
“Fight the Power”once or twice.
Why do we play any of these songs? I guess
because we like them, they’re fun to play,
have good chords or good words. They’re
generally songs that we can relate to and
make our own. I really wish we played
“Godzilla”by Blue Oyster Cult. Or maybe a
Prince or Michael Jackson song like“When
Doves Cry”or“Thriller”. But if we had to pick
just one? Definitely“Tobacco Road”by the
Nashville Teens.
ELM: What projects are you guys work-
ing on? What can we expect in the future
from the TBC?
EH: Well we just finished a video with the
guys from Echo Live magazine. And we
are currently writing some new tunes and
trying to figure out how to fund our next
record. We’ve been on a little break from
playing this past spring because we had a
baby in April. Now the baby is here and do-
ing well, and we’re starting to book shows
again for the late summer and the fall.
ELM: Are there any last words you want
to say to all the people reading this?
EH: Check out our tunes online and come
out to one of our shows.
Tin Bird Choir home page: http://www.tinbirdchoir.
com Facebook.com/tinbirdchoir
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/tinbirdchoir
Juan Nuño: Photographer/Videographer/Event
Coverage
46. 44
Photo by J. Nuño Pictures
ELM: First, let’s get this out of the way.
How has your experience on the White
Rapper Show affected your career?
GC: It affected it in a both negative and
positive way. It was an awesome feeling to
get recognized, sign autographs and take
pictures everywhere that I went. It really
was a good feeling. When the show was be-
ing aired, I literally was stopped by people
every day. Every bar that I went to, the bar
tenders would give me drinks on the house.
I would get into concerts and events for
free. It was straight up VIP shit!!
Unfortunately, with the good comes the
bad. You can never be prepared when you
have never been on TV like that before. A
lot of rappers envied me. Some were just
plain jealous, and others didn’t feel like I de-
served to be on TV in the first place. As time
went by I would hear people snickering or
looking at me wrong. This caused me to de-
velope crazy anxiety issues. Arrogant em-
cees always came up demanding for me to
“battle”them. It seemed like cats were hat-
ing on me just as fast as they were showing
me love. I always ended up getting into bar
room brawls with a cocky frat boy or two. It
was getting out of hand for sure. On a good
note however, I was getting tons of offers
pouring in. The unfortunate situation was
that I did not have proper management. I
was sadly unable to go forward with most
offers due to the fact that I didn’t know how
to handle the phone calls. I was afraid of
being taken advantage of.
The bottom line is that the show gave
people a stigma about me. I think a lot of
people that I respect don’t have an inter-
est in working with me due to the fact that
I was on that show. Although I have some
bitterness, the experience of The White
Rapper Show is something I am truly grate-
ful to have been a part of.
ELM: Do you still keep in touch with any-
one from the show?
GC: I kept in touch with Misfit and Sullie for
about a year or two after the show and par-
tied with 100 Proof once but I think every-
one just moved on.
ELM: So obviously from the show, you
are a white rapper. But more importantly
you are a female. How do you feel about
the music industry climate for a female
emcee and then being a white female
emcee?
GC: To me its not about what you are its
who you are, how you carry yourself and
what you are representing for. There are so
many great white emcees, so many great
female emcees and so many great white
female emcees. You just don’t hear about
us much. A majority of people look at most
white emcees, female emcees and espe-
cially white female emcees as a novelty act.
I wish that I could one day have the power
to break that. Maybe that’s one of the rea-
sons why i’m so angry in my rhymes. We
are suppressed. Some people may try to
keep us out of hip-hop but I tell you right
now, Hip-hop is for everyone. You may not
think I’m the best at what I do but there are
people out there who think that I am and
that you’re the whack one. Everyone has a
different opinion and that’s what makes it
so diverse.
47. www.echolive.net 45
ELM: Does the term“Femcee”offend
you?
GC: Na, not really. I definitely wouldn’t call
me that though!
ELM: What do think of the current crop of
female emcees? Do you have any favor-
ites? What emcee right now that you are
feeling, period?
GC: I know there are thousands of great
female emcees out there. You will never
hear of them though, due to hip-hop being
so male dominated. I think a lot of dudes
are scared a lady’s gonna come up and
take there shine. Also, shitty mainstream
America focuses on what’s gonna make the
most money possible. They look for female
emcees that are gonna show skin and stuff
their junk all up in the camera. I’d like to see
a straight up grimy and raw female rapper
tear it up!! When I say that, I mean people
like Da Brat and Bo$$, who were both huge
inspirations to me by the way. As far as for
what emcees I am feeling right now, I’m lik-
ing the new Beastie Boys record and pretty
much just listening to Underground and
old school hip-hop.
ELM: You have an obvious Punk influ-
ence. It seems that hip hop has adopted
a semi-rock image lately. How do you
feel about it? Do you feel like you were
on it before it became popular?
GC: Its funny because the same people
that used to diss homeboys of mine who
wore tight pants are now rockin’tight pants
themselves. I think a lot of kids today fol-
low what they see going on in music. It’s all
about being who you really are. I know I can
All photos by J. Nuño Pictures
48. 46
scope the real from the fake, the trend set-
ter and the trend followers. I know for me,
hip-hop and any type of rock always went
together. The fashion and the music was
bound to collide no matter what! Grand-
master Flash and the Furious Five wore
studded belts in the 80’s just like the Punk
bands were wearing back then. Axle Rose
used to rep a Public Enemy T-shirt. Beastie
Boys started off as a punk band, Run DMC
and Aerosmith had a huge rock/rap collab
together with Walk This Way. Also, let’s not
forget rap acts like Onyx who had traces of
hardcore in their records. Those guys also
did that Judgement day joint with Bio-
hazard. I was always into hip-hop, punk
rock and hardcore. That was just the way
kids like me dressed so I don’t feel like I was
on it before it became popular. I was on it
before it became a trend!!
ELM: Allentown has a great hip hop com-
munity. Do you feel like you are finally
getting your shine? Do you feel like you
helped to put it on the map?
GC: Today it wouldn’t be fair for me to say
that I put it on the map. I do however say
“I put my town on the map”in one of my
older tracks. But in all honesty, I’m not one
hundred on that. I wrote that at a time
when people were feeding that into my
brain. The white rapper wasn’t big enough,
I didn’t become famous or anything. I’m
just as equal as all the other emcees around
here. There were people doing it years be-
fore me in Allentown. I guess you just didn’t
really hear about it much. I have seen a lot
change being in this eleven years though.
People seem to be showing more love for
another and wanting to network more. I’m
happy to see more hip-hop shows going
down!! There was a time when house par-
ties and a curtain venue that treated local
artists like crap were our only options. I be-
lieve that if we all avoid confrontation and
rise together, Allentown will start a revolu-
tion!!
ELM: How does someone with so many
walls in front of her keep going? What
motivates you to be the best G-child she
can be?
GC: I get knocked down a lot and I am
extremely hard on myself. I have so many
regrets due to lost opportunities . So many
people that I worked with have turned on
me. There are times when I question why I
am still attempting to do this. I did tons of
shows for tons of different crowds and still
get stressed out before a gig. Then when I
get on stage in front of a fan base that ap-
preciates me, I realize that its what keeps
me going strong!! When people see that
I give my all into my performance, when
I get emails from fans outside of the US,
when I have people tell me I’m like no other
artist out there, that’s what motivates me.
ELM: I like to ask the people I interview
this. If you could have dinner with 3
people, dead or alive, fictional or real,
who would they be? Explain each one.
GC: Hmm...That’s a tough one. I would say
if Chazz Palminteri’s character (Sonny) in
the movie A Bronx Tale was real, then that
would be one. I have actually gotten to
have dinner and chop it up with a few idols
of mine. I am pleased with that!
50. 48
ELM: I know you are working on a new
project. Do you have a date for it? Who is
it featuring and is it coming out indie or
on a label?
GC: I’d like to have all my plans come true
and have some dope features of artists
that I respect. Unfortunately, this industry
is so unpredictable. I have never released
a professional sounding album. I always
just put out online demos as singles. A hard
copy has been highly anticipated for years
now. I do plan to eventually have just that
but I am entirely on my own. I am a super
picky perfectionist. I know what I want
but don’t have the funds or the people
backing it up. Right now I am writing and
recording here and there. I just want it to
be done right. I am seeking a legitimate
underground/independent label. I know I
could put it out myself but I keep hoping
for something bigger. I hope all my fans can
continue to bare with me until I find the
right team. I would actually like to be on
a rock/hardcore label or be on a label that
consists of acts similar to my style and inter-
ests. Most importantly the label has to be-
lieve in me and be able and get me to my
correct market.
52. 50
ARRIE IS AN American singer and
songwriter born in Toms River,
NJ and raised in the Lehigh Valley in
Pennsylvania. Her family and friends
know her as Ashley Marie. Starting
from a young age, music has deeply
influenced her life. She was born into
a musical family with her mother
being a lead vocalist in a 7-piece
band, her uncle a vocalist, guitarist
and songwriter and grandmother an
opera singer.
Growing up, Arrie tagged along with her mother
to band rehearsal and shows. This inspired her to
follow the same path. She participated in chorus,
drama class, voice courses, violin lessons, musical
productions, and spent hours on end in her room
singing and dancing to her favorite musicians.
Arrie’s musical style and artistic approach is
straightforward and direct. Her lyrics are honest
and inspired by many of her past life experiences.
Arrie’s musical resumé includes singing hooks
for local artists as well as other songwriters.
She is currently back in the studio working on
a demo with accomplished engineer, producer
and artist, Drea Young.
ARRIE
54. 52
ELM: Who were your influences?
A: Watching my mom in band rehearsal was
very influential! Listening to Mariah Carey,
and watching Madonna and Michael Jack-
son music videos.
ELM: How would you categorize your
sound?
A: Pop and R&B.
ELM: Who you listening to now in your
car?
A: Myself and Aventura. It’s a thing.
ELM: Who do you compare yourself to?
A: I really can’t say I could compare myself
to anyone. It’s hard to say. I just think there
should be more singer/songwriters!
ELM: Who are the three artists you would
like to work with?
A: It’s my dream to write for record-
ing artists. So it’s very, very hard to just
name three, but off the top of my head—
Beyonce, Jazmine Sullivan and Jessie J. Or
Sade.
ELM: Any other talents?
A: Besides singing and writing, I also took
acting classes.
ELM: What inspires you?
A: Love, life, pain, regret, bitterness and the
list goes on! Everyday life. Every minute
there’s an opportunity to write about some-
thing.
ELM: Do you write your own lyrics?
A: Absolutely. Everything you hear, I expe-
rienced at some point. Sadly enough but
c’est la vie.
ELM: When did you start singing?
A: Since I was a munchkin.
ELM: What made you pursue music?
A: It’s a love and passion. I want to create
music and inspire people. The same way
music inspires me.
ELM: Where do you see yourself in three
years?
A: Completing an album. Writing for artists.
Happy.
ELM: Anything else you would like to
share that I might have missed?
A: Just my website—www.arriemusic.com.
There I will have upcoming shows, appear-
ances, new tracks and videos. Support local
artists! Shout out to Echo Live! Much love
Interview by SES
Ses: Contributing Writer - Men’s Fashion
58. 56
“Tuck up the Goose Down
coat & Skull cap, exchange
the Wool scarf for one
that can actually breathe.”
Spring is here!
OK, well maybe not yet at least it doesn’t
feel like it. Whether you’re one who changes
wardrobes like the seasons or an aspiring
couple of hints to stay fresh and still hold on to
your mint!
First FashionFirst Fashionby SES
qYZr
Echo Fashion
59. www.echolive.net 57
This Spring, bright colors & light Earth tones
seem to be focus of most designers. But
that doesn’t mean that you should go through
the closet and try to pull off the best-dressed
bag of Skittles costume!
Just because Christmas has melted away, St.
Patrick’s Day has had its last call for 2011, and
you are desperate to prove
that you are the most
masculine man on
the Earth does not
mean you cannot
wear red, green,
yellow and pink
in all shades and
pastels. I know
what you’re thinking,
“Pink?” Yes, pink! Why
has this color been
stereotyped as a girl’s
color? You still drink
pink lemonade, drink
vodka and cranberry (that we always want pink)
and eat those pink Starbursts we love so much!
So why wouldn’t you wear pink?
Now, before you go looking for the most eye-
catching shirt in the store, know what colors suit
I’m sure you are big enough to pick out your
own clothes and dress yourself! It’s a shame
to say I still see grown men walking around
looking like teenagers and wonder why
WOMEN don’t give them the time of day! Its
obvious they need a little guidance. I’ll give you
the blue print on how a man should dress!
Like any building, business or career that has
any chance for success, you have to start with
a solid foundation. I’m talking about the feet.
or brown socks if you’re wearing a suit; that’s
the reason why they make a variety of colored
coordinated, especially if you are someone who
your colored socks with your pocket square in
addition to accenting those hard bottoms that
seem so ordinary otherwise.
workers—you can easily make a splash this
Spring by sporting colored socks with your
favorite pair of tennis shoes so that they match
that graphic tee!
Speaking of hard bottoms, a couple of them
speak fashion along with intelligence, but you
want to make sure they’re comfortable if you
are going to be on your feet all day. You can
never go wrong with the wingtip blucher, classic
but stylish when done in suede.
A nice pair of khakis or chinos
combined with these
will persuade
your boss to
give you that
promotion
you need. By
the way, no wardrobe
is complete without a pair of black lace-up
Oxfords. If you want that next level shoe, try
the burgundy cap toe oxfords, by Johnston &
Murphy. (For you iPhone lovers, J&M also has
and you’re meeting a female for a glass of
wine. That’s great! Put the hard bottoms in the
back seat, cuff your chinos, throw on tennis
shoes and take off the tie. You now give off that
business casual vibe.
let’s move on to the Spring trends for pants.
Alright, you have those Dockers that you think
are stylish. I will say this—it’s ok to have a pair
but don’t think for a second that they’re trendy,
unless you’re a foreman on a construction site.
60. 58
Ses: Contributing Writer - Men’s Fashion
This may be a touchy
so baggy that you have to pull them up every
other step. And for you guys who consider
yourselves trendy, pants should not be so tight
that walking like a penguin is the only option!
First, know your correct size and inseam.
Tailors usually don’t charge to measure, so visit
you buy the same pair that are comfortable
and don’t break the pocket in different shades,
like I do from the GAP or OLD NAVY. Now, if
the outing calls for that “get fresh” mentality, I
don’t mind spending money on good denim. But
besides that, I keep it basic. Seriously, there
were plenty of times I purchased a pair only
yourself the hassle!
Depending on the occasion, picking the right
!
I’ll simplify things—
colored shirt and vise versa. Not wearing
by wearing a woven belt that matches your
loafers (no socks of course). For the Dickies
wearer, keep the crease sharp! Stepping out
in Chinos? Then it’s cuffed or not. If you are
blessed to be well off, you can be more pickier
with your selection, but if you are like the rest of
us, you look for deals.
Going up! Picking out a shirt is the easiest, yet
the most frustrating, part of putting together
tee, long sleeves or short—you get the point.
I can help! NO shirt should
ups should always be tucked in for a formal
gathering. You are a man, so tee shirts should
theirs!
In conclusion, before stepping out into the
world, make sure you’re in unison. What I mean
is, know how to dress for the occasion! Going
with the business look, a plaid tie in a dark
vibrant color gives of the aura of seriousness
with taste and style. Throwing on a tee shirt
alone to go out for a bite to eat is common.
Dress it up! DBs (i.e. double breasted) are in.
You can still wear the thermal—push up the
sleeves, throw a linen scarf that matches your
AF-1 is legendary and can make anyone look
like he has swag but it is universal; it no longer
distinguishes one type of dude from another!
Here and there Spring will hit us with a couple
of summer like temperatures but don’t sweat it,
wife beaters are far from fashionable. If you’re
thinking about wearing a tank top, buy some
that don’t come in a three-pack. Cargo shorts
are cool if you’re running to Home Depot. Thick
sports socks are for playing sports! A lot of
athletic sneaker companies make thin mesh
golf socks—you don’t have to be swinging
made of wool, enough said! Thank God the
“snap back” has resurfaced. Some events
shorts are looked down upon so invest in linen
pants. Unless you’re at the beach, go easy
on the between-the-toe sandals. Don’t be
fashionably lazy; spend some time to look for a
nice pair of “mandals.”
Fellas, one thing we all can agree on is—we
want to be recognized for our individuality. So,
with that said, take chances. Women love a
brave man, so dare to be different. Wear that
pink shirt and you might have a line of ladies
who want to help you out of it!
I’m out, stay tuned!
62. 60
UNDER THE BRIGHT sun of San Diego, what started as a joke, ignited the thoughts
of a S.D. born woman to design clothes that expressed one’s feelings
through style! The plan? To take the S.D. laid back lifestyle and engulf the
world in Rich-n-Rude!
In this case,“Rich”is a feeling, not a social status, and“Rude”is confidence in oneself to
where“if you don’t like it, you can‘suck my deck’and kiss where the San Diego sun don’t
shine!”
Now, before the Rich-n-Rude lifestyle
clothing came to be, Kania Burnette
(owner) worked for various companies,
doing marketing, product placement
and throwing clothes on the backs of
numerous well-known athletes and hip
hop artists, such as Marshawn Lynch,
Dwayne Bowe and Vernon Davis, and
had T.I. sporting“Pony”sneakers right
before his incarceration!
I had the pleasure of speaking to this
new up-and-coming fashion designer
on what inspires her and her views on
fashion.
In SunnySanDiegoIn SunnySanDiegoby SES
63. www.echolive.net 61
ELM: What made you want to pursue a
career in fashion?
KB: I was already doing marketing and
product placement, so the knowledge of it
was there
ELM: What inspired the name Rich-n-
Rude?
KB: It actually started as a joke! walking
through the mall a friend and I went into a
clothing store asking if they carry the line
Rich-n-Rude, because in S.D. that seems to
be the norm! Rich people acting rude!
ELM: Who does your clothing line target?
KB: I would say 13 year olds to adults in
their late 30’s, its like 2 brands in 1! The
“Rich”side is more for the the adults,“Rude”
for the younger“suck my deck”mind state
consumer.
ELM: How would you describe your style
of clothes?
KB: R-n-R is a lifestyle rich within yourself
very comfortable and affordable.
ELM: Where can your clothes be found?
KB: As of right now, online and at a couple
shops in S.D., I have plenty of retailers ask-
ing about the line and I also have people
in Virginia and New York that I’m working
with. Hopefully by fall of 2011, I want to
throw a“beach theme block party”on the
east coast to really introduce the line and
put down the S.D. stamp!
ELM: Any advise you would give to an
inspiring designer?
KB: Yes! One thing, handle your legal work!
ELM: When its all said and done, what’s
the mind state that keeps you moving
forward?
KB: To me, there is no competition! I just
work harder than the other companies and
when I’m told no, it’s like my fuel!
When wanting to start any type of ven-
ture, keep in mind that“if you fail to plan,
you plan to fail.”Kania planned for huge
success. With clear eyes and a full heart,
being denied help from the
same companies she helped
stay relevant in the fashion
world, Kania never lost site
of her goals. The first Rich-n-
Rude shirt worn, was copied
and hung up in a store in San
Diego called Sheik Shoes, with
out her permission. That ac-
tion was the official co-signing
and she ran with it!
Ses: Contributing Writer - Men’s Fashion
64. 62
SINCE THIS IS the premier issue
of Echo Live Magazine (Wel-
come!), I decided to write a more
interpersonal and philosophical
piece for the Women’s Fashion
section that focuses on not what
to wear, but more so how to
wear something and why to wear
it. Call this your personal refer-
ence for future fashion articles,
and keep it in your cranial cata-
logue for those dreadful times
when you can’t seem to just GET
DRESSED.
Do you ever read an article on
fashion and consider,“What
gives this person the credentials
to speak to ME about fashion?”
I do. I don’t believe a college
degree and having more money
to shop with than the average
middle-class woman are perfect
qualifications for someone to
instruct me on“what’s hot and
what’s not.”Excuse my blunt-
ness, but sometimes, I think the
author is being a complete idiot.
Why would anyone wear stripes
with florals?! Who would spend
$358 on that shirt?! It’s all a mat-
ter of a person being paid to tell
me their (outlandish) opinion—
which was probably altered to
fit their editor’s opinion—and I
can take it or leave it. With the
pressure of the media on society
now more than ever, women are
more prone to take it, and take it
seriously.
Between the“celebreality”TV
shows we watch, and the things
we believe the opposite sex will
find attractive, it’s often hard
for us as women to wake up
in the morning and just throw
something on. Anatole France, a
French poet-journalist, once said,
“Only men who are not inter-
ested in women are interested
in women’s clothes. Men who
like women never notice what
they wear.”I’ve found this to be
primarily true. Men, at least the
heterosexual kind, do not always
care what you’re wearing, but
they will notice when your heels
are causing you discomfort or
if your eye shadow makes you
look like a circus freak. A man
might not understand what you
were trying to attempt with your
choice in dress, but he will know
when you are trying too hard,
and that’s a turn-off!
You aren’t only a fashion vic-
tim, but a life victim, when you
decide to disguise yourself
in another’s silly idea of what
fashion is and embody an entire
style that belongs to someone
else. In the rap industry, they
call that a“biter”and it is far from
fashionable. The King of Pop
himself, the late Michael Jackson,
once stated,“It is better to fail
in originality, than to succeed
in imitation… period.”With that
being said, sometimes you might
feel like you don’t want to wear
something because someone,
somewhere else, is doing it. Girl,
this is not the Grammys and that
is not always possible. Trying to
be unique will get you nowhere.
As a matter of fact, a true social-
ite will notice right away. Kind
of defeats the whole purpose.
I’m sure you’ve heard the term
“history repeats itself”and that
goes for the fashion industry as
well. For everything you think is
brand new to you, it’s most likely
already been done. Sorry to burst
your bubble.
Someone once said,“To be a
fashionable woman is to know
yourself, know what you repre-
sent, and know what works for
you.”To be‘in fashion’could be a
disaster for 90 percent of women.
You are not a page out of Vogue.
Confidence is key! It’s not about
what you’re wearing but how
you’re wearing it. The sexiest
thing you could put on is a smile
(assuming you’ve brushed your
teeth). Even though the advice
I’m about to offer you could be
the worst thing you could do for
anyone else (haha), do yourself a
favor and be yourself!
I’m not at all saying you shouldn’t
by KRYSTAL SIMMONS
Change Clothes and Go!
65. www.echolive.net 63
read articles that often tell you to
buy some outrageously expen-
sive and sometimes downright
repulsive fashion items because
that’s what’s“in.” Fashion edi-
torials are interesting as well as
enlightening sometimes, and if
they’re not any of those things,
at least they’re humorous. Ulti-
mately, if you don’t absolutely
love anything, you shouldn’t
indulge in doing it or purchas-
ing it! I doubt anyone is paying
you to look and feel stupid and
uncomfortable! (If so, how much
do they pay, and are they hir-
ing?) But seriously, when you go
shopping, buy an item because
it speaks to you, not simply
because it is in the store display
window. Geeky non-prescription
glasses that aren’t for reading or
seeing at all? Go ahead. Want to
channel Avril Lavigne‘02, and
wear men’s neckties? How about
an exposed midriff, low-rise
baggy jeans and Tommy Hilfiger
boxers circa Aaliyah in the 90’s?
Why not? If that’s what you feel
you need to do to compliment
your inner“swag,”then so be it.
And whoever doesn’t like it, can
kick rocks.
Earlier, I asked if you ever ques-
tioned what qualifies someone
to be a fashion writer. You may
ask that about me. In the future,
I may highlight items that you
wouldn’t be caught dead wear-
ing. However, I might also high-
light items I wouldn’t be caught
dead wearing. I’m a whimsical,
open-minded individual with a
love for fashion that dates back
to elementary school, whether
its“haute couture”(extreme
high-end fashion), the“little
black dress,”or (ah!) the timeless-
ness of blue jeans. Most impor-
tant to the fashion and journal-
ism industries, I’m good at being
myself and I’m known for not
giving a“….”I hope you can do
the same.
Krystal Simmons: Fashion/
Illustrations
66. 64
ModelSearchContestantExperiences ModelSearchContestantExperiences
by SHANNA BRANTLEY
ECHO LIVE MAGAZINE Model Search was a contest to find an all-around female
that would represent Echo Live Magazine. By networking and with events
such as Behind the Mic Night, Echo Live Magazine was able to attract some
models and get the competition underway.
Seven finalists were chosen
from among the contest entries,
based on brief bios and photos
provided by the contestants. It
was time for finalists to get it
together, show their skills and
give the fans a reason to vote for
them!
Some felt that being asked to
model was something new, but
had no doubt that it would give
them a positive experience.
“My comfort zone is music.
So this was definitely out the
box for me. Initially I felt ner-
vous, but Echo and the whole
crew were so supportive and
positive that I was only expect-
ing the good things”
–Ashley Ruiz
Echo Live Magazine Model
Search also helped kick-start one
of the model’s career.
“ I always wanted to model
because my mom did, I just
didn’t know where to start and
Echo actually made it comfort-
able for me and gave me my
first mini photo shoot“
–Jasmine Rodriguez
Echo Live Magazine coordinated
the photo shoot with J. Nuno Pic-
tures for the seven finalists at a
trendy boutique on the south
side of Bethlehem called Loose
Threads Boutique. With the assis-
tance of the hospitable and per-
sonable Laura, LTB’s owner, these
models were ready for the photo
shoot that would determine the
success of this search.
“Loose threads boutique
has great clothing and the
designer was the sweetest and
so helpful at the shoot. J. Nuño
is great at his work. He defi-
nitely made me feel comfort-
able and everything just came
natural”
– Vanessa Rosario
Ashley
Jasmine
Vanessa
67. www.echolive.net 65
The ladies enjoyed the challenge
of putting together an outfit that
was different from the rest for
the photo shoot, posing for the
camera and sipping some wine
as they laughed, danced and
conversed with one another.
“After I was ready to shoot,
everyone was complimenting
me on how I looked and Laura
was even saying that she was
considering buying the exact
outfit I put together! Working
with J. Nuño Photography was
not as nerve wrecking as I
thought it’d be. Tug wasn’t an
old cheesy perverted-looking
man and neither was the other
photographer, hahahaha.
There was good music play-
ing, which put me in a“happy
place.”And I’d brought my
friend Saralyn with me, and
she stood behind him, giv-
ing me poses. I’m not sure if
anyone was paying attention
to that, but it helped. I wish I
had remembered to take my
gum out of my mouth though!
Haha”
– Krystal Simmons
After the shoot, the contestants
were able to view their photos
posted up on social networking
sites and read what people had
to say about them. Confidence
was at its best as the seven final-
ists waited for the fans to cast
their votes, but on the day the
results were to be announced,
nervousness found its way back.
Echo Live Magazine gave these
models an opportunity to step
out of their comfort zone, to
have fun, to enjoy what this
experience has to offer, to
make this time memorable and
to become a part of an awesome
movement!
“Echo Live Magazine has
helped me to kick-start my
modeling career and I will
always be thankful for that. I
will always rock with Echo”!
–Robin Volpe
Congratulations to Robin
Volpe for being Echo Live
Magazine’s first model!
Shanna Brantley: Special Events/Promotions Coordinator
KrystalYaya
Mickey
Robin
All photos by J. Nuño Pictures
68. 66
VOLUPTUOUS [VUH-LUHP-CHOO-UH S] IS defined as: luxurious pleasures; provoca-
tiveandsexuallydesiring. AllofthesetermsdescribethefirstEchoLive
Magazine Model search winner, which was conducted in May of 2011.
As I prepared for this interview I was thinking of things that described
this aspiring model. This word defined her perfectly as she pulled
up to the photo-shoot in a Mercedes SUV probably new or made
within the past few years. The extra space for this vixen was
mostlikelyforextravagantshoppingtripson5thave,room
forherglamorousteambutmoreimportantlyspaceforher
sexy attitude that most men wouldn’t be able to handle.
I sat and watched this photo shoot take place while waiting
for an opportunity to get my interview done without mess-
ing up the chemistry between her, J. Nuño, and her make up
artist, Susie O’Donnell. I could see that this young woman had
a ton of ambition and is ready to take the phrase “seize
the day” and blow it to smithereens to finally
live out one of her many dreams that
were soon to come true. This
was my first time meeting
her but her Aura lit up the
room and I had to start
with some basics
while she is on
her quick break.
71. www.echolive.net 69
ELM: Lets start with your name ?
RV: Robin Volpe
ELM: Robin! Ok! What’s your nick name?
RV: Ummm, most people just call me by my
name Robin…but my friends that know me
best call me Roobs! (Smiling)
ELM: Ok, Roob’s
RV: Yea? (Giggles)
ELM: Are you single?
RV: Ummmmmmm…(Giggles) I wouldn’t
say I’m single…I’m kinda in between?!?
ELM: Enlighten us
RV: I don’t know how to explain that? I’m
not married yet, but I’m waiting for him to
ask me! (Giggles) Put it that way! (Smiles
large)
ELM: How old are you?
RV: 27.
ELM: Where are you from?
RV: I’m born and raised in Allentown, Penn-
sylvania.
ELM: So we’ve got a native?
RV: Native!!!
ELM: Tell the ECHO readers about your-
self and what you do.
RV: When I’m not modeling, you can find
me bartending. (Smiles)
ELM: Bartender, eh?
RV: Yes! Bartender! (Smiles) My family owns
two sports bars in Allentown and Emmaus,
PA (Volpe’s Sports Bar ). When I’m not work-
ing, you can catch me hanging out with my
friends, at home, maybe with my dog at the
dog park.
ELM: What’s your favorite drink, Ms. Bar-
tender?
RV: Umm, Dirty Martini with bleu cheese
stuffed olives! That’s the new favorite at the
moment!
ELM: Tell our readers where they can go
find a perfectly mixed Dirty Martini.
RV: Volpe’s Sports Bar! At either of our loca-
tions (19th
and Tilghman in Allentown and
Broad St. in Emmaus).
ELM: Tell us about some of your other
works you’ve done.
RV: Works?
ELM: Is this your first modeling gig?
RV: Yes! I’ve taken photos before but noth-
ing like this. This is the first major thing with
my girl Susie (manager/stylist/inspiration)
by my side.
ELM: How’d you start modeling?
RV: Basically something people have been
telling to do for a really long time now I just
never took initiative to do it until I entered
73. www.echolive.net 71
this contest hopefully it kick starts my ca-
reer.
ELM: Soooo, in other words ECHO LIVE
has popped your modeling cherry?
RV: Yes! It has! (Giggles)
ELM: Sweet! Right on!
RV: (Smiles)
ELM: What are your goals and aspira-
tions?
RV: My goal is to one day own a business
doing what it is that my family does. I’m
a business student. I plan to finish with a
Masters in Business and get my own bar/
night club.
ELM: Very ambitious, I see.. That’s re-
spectable!
ELM: What are your turn ons?
RV: My turn ons? As far as men?
ELM: Yes
RV: I like a nice smile, someone who can
make me laugh. (Smiles) Someone very
honest! Umm… just someone who is real!
Basically, just give it to me how it is!
ELM: Turn offs?
RV: Liars! I do not like liars! Guys who try to
front like someone they are not.
ELM: How would you describe your per-
fect day?
RV: My perfect day would be to just hang
out, having fun, drama free; now that the
weather’s nice, maybe lay out, maybe have
a few drinks with some friends--nothing too
crazy. (Smiles)
ELM: Pretty simple!
RV: Pretty simple!
ELM: Where do you see yourself a year
from now?
RV: Hopefully taking off with a model-
ing career, hopefully doing big things! I’m
down for the ride, down for the adventure.
We’ll see, I guess! I’m excited to see what’s
to come!
ELM: How did you hear about the con-
test?
RV: J. Nuno Pictures posted something
about it on my facebook wall.
ELM: How did you feel when you found
out you won the contest?
RV: I will admit I was tipsy but very happy! I
was disappointed some of the people who
were supposed to come out to support me
didn’t show, but happy and surprised over
all. I must say it was a great feeling! (Hum-
ble smile)
76. 74
Love & Sex
talk with Sophie
Q: is it true that orange juice can help
make you less likely to get pregnant?
-Curious in Va.
A: I do want to start by mentioning that the
best way to not get pregnant is to utilize
one of the many birth control options that
are available to you. Information on these
can be obtained from your OB/Gyn or local
women’s clinic. There’s no information on
orange juice being a preventative method;
however, there is a component in the bev-
erage that may hold some unknown power.
Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic Acid.
It has been said that Ascorbic acid, when
consumed at high levels, can create a really
uncomfortable climate in the uterus to pre-
vent the eggs from being implanted*. As a
result of this, menstruation symptoms show
up! Interesting, right? There are, however,
some side effects that may include cramps,
hot flashes, headaches, fatigue, constipa-
tion, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.
*research done by gynecologist L.I. Ivanyuta
Q: My friends really don’t like my boy-
friend of two years and I hear their bad
comments all of the time. Should I leave
him to keep the peace with my friends or
choose him to be in my life?
-Split Decision, 24
A: Tough space to be in, indeed! While your
friends have your best interest at heart,
what comes along with being a friend is be-
ing supportive. If this man is someone that
you want to be with and he makes you hap-
py, then your friends are going to have to
RESPECT that; not like, but respect it. I am,
by no means, saying that they need to be
his biggest fans but all of the slander needs
to come to an end. Especially if its making
you uncomfortable and that discomfort can
put a lot of strain on the friendship. If your
friends are interested in salvaging what’s
left of the friendship, then they will listen to
you when you tell them how you feel about
all the negativity they are imposing on you.
If not, then you need to make the choice to
move on. Reverend Run once said,“walk-
ing away from someone isn’t saying you
hate them, but that you love yourself more.”
Food for thought.
Do you have a question regarding sex, love or relationships? Email sophie@echolive.net for Sophie’s advice.
