Nupé Magazine 2012 Christmas Issue

Welcome to the Nupé Christmas issue. 2012 has been
an amazing year for those of us in the British Isles, with
monumental sporting and national events taking place. We
chronicle some of those very events and a great deal more.
Plus incase you’re stuck for Christmas gift ideas, we’ve got
a few suggestions for you.
You’ll be introduced to Martika LA, a young lady hoping to
become one of the top female recording artists. Interviews
with super hair stylist Errol Douglas and shadow minister
Chi Onwurah also offer insight into their successful lives.
We have a new columnist in the Nupé Nutritionista and
she’s here to serve you glamourous ladies. Rounding off the
editors take a reflective walk down memory lane and the
fashion team show you how Christmas should be.
However as 2012 comes to an end, so does my journey
as Nupé editor. As I slide off the saddle and hand over the
reigns to someone else, I have nine words for you, thank
you for your support and may it continue!
TJ Morgan
Editor

Syrian civil-war continues
The uprising which began in March 2011, following the arrest and torture of some teenagers
in the city of Deraa, has escalated to its bloodiest these past few months. So far 200,000
refugees have had to flee to neighbouring nations, while it is widely thought up to 2.5 million
people in the country are in dire need of aid.
There has been a spate of bombings in Syria’s main cities recently. The government officials
have blamed this on the recently internationally recognised rebels who have blamed the
government. The rebels have blamed Assad’s authoritarian regime for the bombings,
accusing them of planting the bombs in a bid to discredit the rebels and peaceful protestors.
With estimates of the death toll as high as 25,000 the tragedy looks set to continue for an
indefinable period with the opposing forces in a brutal deadlock throughout Syria. The UN is
rendered unable to act due to the vetoed wielded by both Russia and China.
Eurozone crisis deepens
The Eurozone area fell into recession in the last quarter of the year as spending fell while
inflation and unemployment rose. The jobless rate in the recessionary euro area rose to
11.7%. Inflation fell from 2.5% to 2.2% in November.
Spain in particular has been savagely affected by recent economic events with an
unemployment rate of 24%. In response to the situation in Greece Eurozone ministers have
agreed to cut Greece’s debts by a further €40bn ($51bn; £32bn), as well as releasing 44bn
in bailout money and aid, this measure and others like it have been taken in a bid to ease the
concern of investors throughout the world about the potential for the likes of Greece or Spain
to default on any loans given by them.
Jimmy Saville scandal shocked the nation
The Metropolitan Police launched a “formal criminal investigation” into Savile’s alleged
sexual offences on the 19th
October. Scotland Yard said it was following up 400 lines of
inquiry, following complaints of abuse by the late entertainer. In total, more than 200
potential victims have been identified.
The investigation has led to severe criticisms of the BBC and their failure to flag up the
abuse that was occurring, resulting in the questioning of the director-general of the public
corporation by a select committee in the House of Commons. Many see the misogynistic
culture that pervaded the BBC in the 70’s as the reason that seemingly well known cases of
abuse went unreported.
President Obama re-elected:
In one of the most important and bitterly fought US presidential elections in recent memory,
the incumbent Obama eventually defeated the challenger Mitt Romney on the 6th of
November.
The campaign trail had proved a scintillating form of entertainment, with twists and turns
a plenty. From the killing of the US consulate in Libya harming Obama’s reputation, to
the president’s insipid first debate performance. And of course who can forget Romney’s
infamous ‘47%’ gaffe?
Obama won the election receiving 332 Electoral College votes and 62 million votes to
Romney’s 206 Electoral College votes and 58 million votes.
Conflict erupted in Gaza strip:
Rockets and small gun fire were traded between Hamas and Israeli forces from November
14th
– November 21st
in Gaza.
This came following the launching of an Israel offensive designed to remove the threat of
rocket fire from the terrorist group Hamas, who are stationed in Gaza, aimed at Israel. At
least 158 Palestinians and 6 Israelis were killed during the hostilities.
The conflict ceased with the agreement of a cease-fire by Israel and Hamas after US and
Egypt led negotiations. The details of the agreement are yet to be worked out, leaving the
resumption of the fighting a hanging threat for the people of Gaza.
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK6

I think it goes without saying that 2012 has been a special year for sports with the crowning moment
been the London Olympic Games where Team GB won its highest tally of gold medals ever. Team GB
captured 29 gold medals - winning multiple golds in track cycling, equestrian, rowing, boxing and
athletics. Andy Murray also finally won a tennis Grand Slam tournament with his 5 set win over Novak
Djokovic in the US Open. So without further ado we recollect the most memorable sporting moments
from 2012!
London Summer Olympic Games
Where do we start? There were so many iconic moments from the Olympics that this humble column
simply can’t do it justice. However 4/8/2012 will probably go down as one of the greatest days in
British sporting history. On that day Team GB won 6 six gold medals. The gold rush started in the
morning with the rowers in the men’s four and the women’s lightweight double sculls. Then the
women’s team pursuiters added track cycling gold in the London Velodrome in the afternoon. To round
off a spectacular day Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah finished things off by winning the
heptathlon, long jump and 10,000m at a jubilant Olympic Stadium. In total Team GB finished 3rd
in the
medal table with 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze medals making it 65 medals in total. The Greatest
ever Olympic Games held in the capital of one of the greatest cities in the world, it’s a moment an event
people of this country will never forget.
Andy Murray Finally Wins A Grand Slam
Andy Murray has always been recognised as a talented player ever since he burst onto the scene in
2006 and joined the full circuit for the first time. However the mental and physical side of his game
were underdeveloped and let him down at crucial junctures. After losing in four previous finals Murray
this year finally made it to the Wimbledon final before losing a hard fought match to Roger Federer.
A man who the public had always perceived as surly and abrasive finally let his guard down and an
emotional Murray thanked the public for their support over the years, it was the moment you could
say the Southern side of the country finally truly embraced Murray as one of their own. After that
devastating loss at Wimbledon Murray overcame that disappointment to beat Federer at the Olympics
final and then in a 5 set thriller against Novak Djokovic after squandering a 2 set lead beat the Serbian
for his first Grand Slam title.
Formula One
After successive World Championship titles for Sebastian Vettel and Constructor Championships for
Red Bull Racing, the team entered the 2012 Formula One season as favourites to reclaim both titles.
With Ferrari and McLaren closing in however and applying upgrades to their cars the task for Red
Bull would be as difficult as ever and so it proved to be. Although Red Bull won the Constructors
Championship in the end by a comfortable margin of 60 points the driver’s title went all the way to the
wire until the final lap of the final race of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix where Vettel finished
6th
and Fernando Alonso his main rival finished 2nd
which meant Vettel won his third successive
Championship by a paper thin margin of 3 points. The German already the youngest ever Formula One
champion now becomes the youngest ever triple world champion at the age of 25 beating the previous
record set by Arton Senna by 6 years. At this pace Vettel will break all existing records by the time he
retires!
Football
At Euro 2012 England, although spirited, were predictably mediocre again and were knocked out at the
Quarterfinal stage by eventual finalists Italy. After playing conservatively throughout the tournament
and scrapping by with narrow victories Spain finally unleashed the full might of their tiki taka and
demolished Italy 4 – 0 in the final. Mario Balotelli announced his arrival on the world stage with a
spectacular 2 goal performance against Germany in the semi final but was helpless as his side were
swept aside by the all conquering conquistadors from the Siberian peninsula. Spain’s Euro 2012 victory
made it their third title in a row and they will surely now go down as one of the greatest international
sides of all time.
While the national team continued their futility on the European stage Chelsea became the first London
club to win the Champions League and Manchester City secured their first Premier League title on goal
difference from Manchester United.vv Since then things haven’t gone so smoothly for both clubs with
the Sky Sports Rupert Murdoch funded Premier League circus kicking on to new heights of hilarity
and drama when Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sacked FA Cup and Champions League winning
manager Roberto DiMatteo, a man whom he had just given a 3 year contract during the summer.
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C
hi Onwurah is a breath of fresh air, unlike many
politicians she was not born with a silver spoon
in her mouth. Raised by her single mother,
the Newcastle native benefitted from council
housing and a state education. Not the conventional
provenanceforapersonholdinghighofficeinparliament,but
her provenance provides the basis for her political affiliation,
“I grew up in a very political household; my mother was a
great Labour supporter. She grew up in the depression - her
father was always in and out of work. So I grew up hearing
about the struggles of people to get their rights.”
Onwurah is an engineer by vocation who only gave a
political career serious consideration when Jim Cousins
stepped down as MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, “I’d
always thought it would be a great honour to be an MP, but
that wasn’t necessarily what I wanted to do straight out of
college or university ” she informs me.
As the Shadow Minister for Innovation and Science her role
entails two key components, “As the largest opposition party
we have both the role and the duty to hold the government to
account.” She explains further, “It is part of my responsibility
to hold the minister to account for his policies on innovation
and science. For instance, the coalition is cutting science at
the moment its part of my job to make that as widely known
as possible.” The second part involves policy development,
“This is the time to get our thinking straight.”
We’re meeting in the beautiful seven story high Portcullis
House, one of the most expensive tower blocks in the
capital, home to 213 MPs. The majority of the inhabitants
are white, male and from middle class backgrounds, three
fundamental things that Chi is not. I ask if she has faced any
challenges being a minority woman in such an arena, “To
be honest as an engineer I was far more in the minority so
actually the house is the most diverse environment I’ve ever
worked in. Prior to being selected to be the Labour candidate
to represent Newcastle there was concern voiced by various
different groups that Newcastle wasn’t ready for a black MP
as it is a predominantly white city but that clearly wasn’t the
case,” she says with a diminutive chuckle. “But I wouldn’t
say that was a challenge, it was an obstacle.” Suddenly
noticeably disturbed by the question her face grimaces as
she adds, “I’m not as a black person a politician; I think that
journalists and the media are often not quite sure how to
treat black politicians, they only go to them to comment on
issues about race and that can be challenging.”
I quickly change the subject to the ubiquitous issue of youth
unemployment. I question Onwurah on how she plans to use
her role to benefit young people (yes I am that confident that
Labour will regain power at the next election). “That’s a key
question,” the minister takes a pensive pause, “For me it’s all
about getting the economy right.” She expounds - evoking
the spirit of Keynes, “By moving our economy away from
dependency on short term and service jobs to longer term
manufacturing jobs that has to be about innovation.” Her
eyes literally light up as she explains, “Economies which
are based on innovation can grow and adapt to different
environments. For example, we’re facing the challenge of
climate change if we handle that in the right way with new
exciting green technology that will create thousands of jobs
for young people both graduates and apprentices.”
By the look on her face it is clear that her passion for
engineering remains unchanged, this passion drives her
to want to get more women and ethnic minorities in the
field. “I know how persistent the lack of representation and
diversity in science and innovation has been. When I went
to Imperial to study Engineering in 1984, only 12% of my
course were women, a quarter of a century later that figure
hasn’t changed at all. The same is true for almost all of the
‘hard’ sciences such as Physics and ICT.”
Onwurah recognises that getting more women and
minorities in the field will not be an easy feat, “It’s a cultural
issue, it’s a structural issue, and it’s also a practical issue.”
The minister suggests that the remedy lies in promoting
more female and minority engineers in the media, as well as
working with groups such as the AFBE, the association for
black engineers.
The proud feminist continues, “Another thing is making it
absolutely clear that it is unacceptable to have exclusively
male university departments. Also - structuring the career
to make it more attractive to women. One thing that puts
some women off staying in research careers is that it is hard
to take time off to have a child and get back in because the
field is all about how many papers you publish in a year.”
On the role of women in her current field the MP seems
slightly more optimistic. As she begins to gather her things
she boldly declares, “Parliament will become less male, it will
become more representative.” And with that our time is up,
she has another meeting to get to. As we walk out she asks
about my life, my future plans - a rarity for an interviewee
and further affirmation that Onwurah is a breath of fresh air.
By Dami Abajingin
“THIS IS THE TIME TO GET OUR
THINKING STRAIGHT.”
“When I went to Imperial to
study Engineering in 1984, only
12% of my course were women, a
quarter of a century later that
figure hasn’t changed at all.”
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December 25th has been earmarked for giving,
But why just give on one day, when there’s another 364 we live in.
You see December’s when I’m broke, finances resemble a joke,
So I take out a loan for one day’s activities and descend down the slippery slope.
Of debt...and now threats from bailiffs are due here in the New Year,
Which is another day I sometimes hate, as we make resolutions on Jan 1st, like
making resolutions on any other day resembles a true fear.
Are you here...with me? Are you listening?
Or are you captivated by the activated flashing of Christmas lights that are
glistening?
The funny thing is I’m far from a Scrooge and my appetite for Christmas is larger
than huge,
The sad thing is I’m just a dude, whose one-time love affair with Christmas has
rather subdued.
It would be crude...however to say cancel Christmas, forget it and it should be left
forever,
As Christmas can be beautiful when new and old, family and friends get together.
Some indulge in mistletoe and wine, in my house there’s no mistletoe and instead
of wine there’s Flemish,
But we still party like Trafalgar Square revellers counting down to midnight on
December 31st, according to the mean time of Greenwich.
Ahhhhh haha what an image,
This is the real Christmas story, not that made up guy from Lapland, he’s Finnish.
Don’t grimace, smile, make a wish and if your wall is wooden pat on the wall,
Because Christmas is for happiness, so there...#thatisall
- Mr BB
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D
amian Jones is a BAFTA
award winning film
producer. Born in England,
Damien Jones has
produced over twenty feature films
which include: Adulthood, The History
Boys, Welcome to Sarajevo, Gridlock’d,
Millions, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.
A successful career in the movie
business was never something that
Damian planned to do but many
people want to pursue a career in this
competitive industry. How did Damien
do it?
NUPÉ
Hi Damian. What would you
describe as your first steps to
having the career that you have
today?
DJ
I took a course on Film Theory as
part of my Politics and History degree
at university but that was about it.
After graduation I was still unsure
about my career path. I thought that
a second language might be useful
so I moved to Paris to learn French.
Whilst working there as a barman, I
heard about a vacancy for a bi-lingual
production assistant on a film being
made and I applied. I got an interview
with the line producer and embellished
the truth to land the job. It turned out
to be on the set Roman Polanski’s
1988 thriller Frantic and I found
himself working with Harrison Ford.
Working as a production assistant
or ‘runner’ may have meant that
Damian started with doing jobs such
as making tea and coffee but with this
experience on his CV, Damian was able
get his foot in the door at Working
Title Films, a British production
company.
NUPÉ
So how did you make the jump
from production assistant to
producer?
DJ
From the work experience, I knew that
I wanted to continue to work in films. I
didn’t want to act or direct which only
left producing.
Damian’s first producing success was
The Candy Show, a short film he made
with a friend. The Candy Show won the
1990 BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
and on the strength of this he moved
to Hollywood. It was during his time
in America where he produced many
successes which included Gridlock’d
which starred Tim Roth and Tupac
Shakur.
NUPÉ
What would you class as your big
break?
DJ
Getting my first film GRIDLOCK’D
financed by Interscope/Polygram
when everybody else had turned it
down.
NUPÉ
What is the most stressful aspect
of your job?
DJ
It’s all stressful. But equally rewarding
when it goes right! The financial
closing rates high on that scale
because until the money is in the bank
account you never quite know what is
going to happen. But probably most
when you see the film all finished and
you finally see whether the general
public embrace or not what you’ve
been putting together all these years.
NUPÉ
How do you deal with it?
DJ
You have to have the courage of your
convictions and trust your instincts
while recognising your film evolves
during its creation.
NUPÉ
Could you describe what
differentiates you from other
producers?
DJ
I’m not sure how different we are as
we are all inherently different from
each other. We are all unemployable
doing anything else! I like to think of
myself as creative and business - able
to find and develop an idea into a
film and then being able to raise the
budget and get it physically produced,
marketed and distributed.
After 10 years in America, Damian
came back to the UK to continue
his career. Since returning, Damian
has concentrated on making iconic
British films such as The History Boys,
Millions and The Iron Lady with Meryl
Streep
NUPÉ
What is your proudest
achievement to date?
DJ
I came back to the UK to make some
cool British movies and I’m happy so
far achieving that goal with films such
as Kidulthood, Adulthood, The History
Boys, sex&drugs&rock&roll, Fast Girls
and The Iron Lady being hopefully just
that.
NUPÉ
What is your advice to aspiring
up-and-coming producers?
DJ
Work hard and show initiative.
Filmmaking is a collaborative process
and often who you work with matters
more than yourself.
By Paula Kay“You have to have
the courage of your
convictions.”
“I like to think of
myself as creative
and business.”
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Picture this. A rocket launching in 3, 2, 1...BOOM
and it’s gone. Right up into the air. It didn’t have any
problems, no start-up or mid issues, it just got there.
Nice and easily. I’d love to tell you your life is going to
be like this but it isn’t. Truth is there’s going to be many
ups and downs but it is a very big learning process.
And one that you, as time goes by, will learn from. But
now that Christmas is fast approaching, I’d love to tell
you about the many warm family Christmases you have
to come and also the importance of what it means to
give. Give to those that have and do not have, whilst
not expecting to receive. Something for your blessing
will come in due time. P.S remember to turn the oven
off, you burnt the turkey.
Charlie-Louise
I know you think things are far from great this year. But
trust me, despite how you’re feeling this Christmas,
your parent’s separation is for the best. Don’t let the
seemingly unfortunate turn of events dampen your
Christmas spirit.
P.S. Stop listening to Keane
An older, happier Dami
It’s that time of year where everything is packed full;
the fridge, West End streets and your anticipation of
great presents. Sorry to disappoint you but Dad won’t
get you the Scalectrix set or the Playstation One -
neither will he get you the PS2 or PS3 in years to come
- so that’s a shame. However he will give you the best
gift possible; a present and loving parent. Most of the
close friends you will make in years to come will not
have this luxury, so embrace it and enjoy.
Also don’t buy into the aggressive marketing to ‘shop
until you drop’. The festive season is built around who
you spend it with and the subsequent memories. Those
valuable memories will last longer than the warranty on
any product you may buy or receive.
Last but not least, don’t wait until New Years to make
resolutions, the hard work starts now.
TJ
In my younger years - a strange turn of phrase for
a 23 year old - I admit I had a much more idealistic
relationship with Christmas compared to my present
indifference towards it. Or maybe that’s just a function
of general indifference in general. Any way I remember
the joy and delight that used to grip me upon waking
up on Christmas day and the anticipation of spending
the day sharing memories and laughter with friends
and family. Fast forward to the present and Christmas
is nothing but an irritation and expensive extravagance
to be navigated with the minimum inflicted
disturbance. The child innocence is gone, now I’m just
a cynical old goat. Merry christmas
Razaak
One day you’ll realise that Christmas isn’t about how
many gifts and how much cash you can accumulate
in 24hrs. One day you’ll see that its a day to enjoy the
company of those closest to you; seeing everyone
happy reminds you how grateful you are for your
amazing, loving and supportive family. It’ll be a day
you’ll continue to look forward to as you grow older
and perhaps even a little wiser. So younger me, don’t
be so disappointed when that Furby you were so
desperate for aged 9 turns out to be a colossal waste
of a slot on your gift list. The best is yet to come :).
Siobhan
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O
nly five minutes to go I’m thinking and this Tube
hasn’t even pulled up at Knightsbridge yet. I hate
being late and I’m about to live up to my pet
hate. I’m off to see Errol Douglas, the renowned
Knightsbridge hairdresser, who has received honours from
the Queen and helped the nation rise in the mornings to good
hair with his regular feature on GMTV. The Tube pulls up at the
platform and I do my best impression of a rude Londoner as I
barge past two people and rush up the escalators. On the way
to the salon, I walk past stores relating to the who’s who’s of
luxury clothing such as Louis Vuitton and Salvatore Ferregamo,
I think to myself that the rent must be sky high. So to hold a
lease in the area since before the Millenium, Errol’s salon must
be doing quite well. That also makes me slightly nervous, as
I’m booked in for a haircut and I’m unsure as to whether it is
complimentary or not. A quick glance into a wallet does little to
calm my fears.
I arrive at the front desk to be greeted by women so
glamourous looking that they could easily pass for Bond girls.
My jacket is taken from me, I’m offered a drink and told Mr
Douglas will be with me in a minute. Looking around the shop
floor, I’m astonished by the high levels of elegance and class.
This is typical for Knightsbridge I tell myself. Moments later
Errol emerges wearing a wide smile. I’m impressed by his
humbleness as he tells me that he is to trim me. As two former
east enders, we recount what growing up in that part of London
can be like and Errol says he, ‘hopes to open up a salon in East
London’ one day. We finished with the haircut and commenced
the interview.
Intro yourself and what you do?
Hi, I’m Errol Douglas. I’m a hair stylist. I wouldn’t like to class
myself as a celebrity stylist but rather a super stylist.
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Describe your personality as a hair style and why.
That’s a hard one but I’d have to say the Grace Jones look,
because it was cutting edge and ahead of it’s time.
It’s known that you started out in the industry at 11.
What made an 11 year old East Londoner decide to
move into hair and how was the response from your
peers?
I was always interested in hair but I had to keep it a secret
from most people apart from my close friends, because it
was a very rough area when I was growing up. If you were
associated with doing anything even slightly feminine, you
would be victimised.
It seems that in the early part of your career you
had people such as Paul Edmonds take you under
their wing. How important is it have to a mentor and
someone that believes in you, early in your career?
Very crucial, they were able to show me the ropes and the
benchmark for what needed to be done. We still talk to this
day even.
Why is educating up and coming hairdressers/stylists
a key part of your career?
I love what I do, working with people and I love to help others
progress. I think it’s best to take on people from a young age
and we have people as young as 15 gaining experience with
us. I think it’s important to give them a structure to work
towards. It’s a three year contract but we review it at the end
of the first year and only extend it if we think they’re good
enough. It’s fair and we have a good success rate, people like
Junior Green who’ve gone on to have a shop and become a
renowned stylist. Also not too far from here, Jamie Stevens
who was once under our wing is now resident on X Factor.
If there were to be a movie of your life, who would you
like to play you and why?
Laughs. I quite like the two Wayans brothers, so one of them.
That crazy person who always played alongside the Japanese
or Chinese cop. Oh Chris Tucker. Yep that’s it. That would be
me all over, never anything serious.
We’ve spoken about some of your mentees going on
to further success. How does that make you feel?
Well I’m proud but they’ve done it. Most of those people
they’re cut from the same cloth, they’re not afraid of work,
they’re not afraid of hours. This business takes over your
life if you’re successful. I’m not saying you can’t turn down
anything, but they were like me in saying yes to everything.
And now look at them. It’s the same thing if you want to be a
good chef or designer, you have to put in the hours with your
mentor or the person that’s teaching you otherwise you won’t
get it. So yeah I’m proud.
What challenges did you face when starting your own
salon?
Nobody would give us a lease, because we hadn’t been trading
before and in this area it goes without saying that you need
to have a credit record. What they call a blue chip company
record. But because I had been in this area since I was 16, I
got to know the right people. So we had references from the
Grosvener family and the Queen’s Physician amongst others.
They helped demonstrate that I was credible and I got in.
You’ve had many achievements in your career such as
a considerable amount of mainstream media work and
accolades such as receiving an OBE. Which of these
has meant the most and why?
I would say fathering three kids. My first son passed away and
we went on to have three children after that. We have three
great kids and I hope they’re gonna do very well. One is going
into medicine, nobody is going to get into this profession
which is sad. But I’ve got a great nephew who wants to do hair.
I’m gonna groom him.
“I love what i do, working with
people and I love to help others
progress.”
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What haven’t you achieved yet, that you would wish to
happen?
I’ve got quite a few things actually. I absolutely cannot wait to
bring out a brand, that will contain shampoos and other things.
My mentor and he doesn’t know it - laughs - will be Tom Ford.
I like the empire of what Tom Ford stands for. I want to be the
first hairdresser who is known for being successful in other
areas. I would like to start off the Errol Douglas Foundation.
Also a shop in New York which will be imminent in the next
year. Plus we will build up the shop here with another floor.
We’re working on the brand Errol Douglas - picks up his logo -
that is known now. That ED and the branding is known.
When you started off your career did you imagine
getting to this stage?
No of course not! You just go as far as you can go. For me now,
it’s about building on it and helping the next wave of young
people come through. To help them realise that they can do it.
I think in this country people are always told what they can’t
do. That’s why so many people fail. In the States it’s totally
different. If you tell me I can’t do it, I’ll do it. I remember when
people told me you can’t open up a shop here, not someone of
your colour, but I did it. I’ve got about ten, twenty years to hit
my point. There’s still a lot of work to do. There’s still a lot in
the oven. I will be the first hairdresser to get a knighthood, you
watch.
We know that you used to be a musician in a group
called Sabrina Sound. What you be doing if you were
not involved with hair?
Gasps! How do you know all that? We engage in a side
conversation about mutual friends.
That was the culture then and it kept us off the street. Mark
Winter - another former member - is a big promoter now and
that’s how we started off. We loved it but we just grew up.
Bloody hell that was a shock - laughs.
How would you like your legacy to be remembered by
people alive in a thousand years time?
Wow that’s a deep one but an easy one though. The foundation.
The work which it does and that legacy. Wow in a thousand
years, I don’t even think people will be cutting their hair. Hair
will probably be removed electronically. I love technology and
remember when Alexandra McQueen stunned everyone by
using a hologram of Kate Moss at a show.
Any last message for readers?
I’ve been taught this by my Dad, God rest his soul and it’s an
old saying. I believe you should just leave your mark. I know
that I’m here to do something with hair and I love it because it’s
about people. It goes back to your question about leaving your
legacy. I’d say come up with something special, be different.
Invent something, have a goal, have a dream.
By TJ Morgan
“If you tell me I can’t do it, I’ll do it.”
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK30

H
aving grown up in the 90’s there’s no doubt a
young Kendrick Lamar would have experienced the
emergence and dominance of the West Coast/G-
Funk movement in hip-hop. With the likes of NWA,
Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and Warren G (RIP) the West,
Los Angeles in particular truly dominated. Since the turn of
the century however, momentum either trickled down South or
fizzled out of the West altogether. The Game held it down for a
while but stuttered after he severed G-unit ties and every once
in a while a new star would emerge and be falsely dubbed the
new “so and so”. I’m sure we all remember Nipsey Hussle being
dubbed the new Snoop; well, we can safely say that hasn’t gone
to plan. Through a string of reasons, the LA rappers became
dulled down into caricatures of those gone before them.
“Bloods…Crips…40’s…Lowrider…Compton”. There’s always been
a huge sense of ‘been there, done that’ for the majority of the
past ten years.
Then stepped forward Kendrick Lamar, creeping under the
radar of expectation and comparison, he was able to quietly
hone his skills and creativity. A few underrated mixtapes later,
he caught the attention of the Doc. 2011 set the wheels in
motion and under the tutelage of Dre, Kendrick dropped his
debut independent album Section 80 to stellar reviews and
was inducted into XXL’s Freshman Class for 2011. Whilst this
wasn’t the year Kendrick would ‘blow’ he came to the forefront
of popular consciousness with show stopping verses on the
intro of The Game’s RED Album and dropped a contender for
‘verse of the year’ on “Buried Alive” featured on Drake’s double
platinum sophomore LP Take Care.
Kendrick eventually signed with Dre at Interscope and dropped
his debut major label album Good Kid m.A.A.d City in October,
spearheaded by the single “Swimming Pools”. Whilst the lead
single was a moderate hit the album outperformed expectations
commercially and shifted 240k first week. GKMC works as a
concept album and to me is purely a genius demonstration of
creativity and lyrical ability blending perfectly with the hip-hop
genre.
Perhaps the most remarkable point of reference with K Dot
concerns his crew, ‘Black Hippy’ consisting of fellow LA natives
Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q. With each member having
dropped independent albums also to great acclaim, man-for-
man they probably hold the title of being the most talented
group in the game today, with nobody willing to settle for that
‘Tony Yayo role’.
2012 has undoubtedly been the year of Kendrick Lamar. Very
few rappers today manage to garner both universal critical and
commercial acclaim and sustain for a period as long as K Dot.
As far as predictions go, Kendrick ‘falling off’ doesn’t seem to
be anywhere near likely and the star of the rest of Black Hippy
rises constantly. If I’d have to predict anything I’d suggest come
the 55th
Grammy awards next year don’t be surprised to hear
Kendrick Lamar and GKMC somewhere in the conversation.
Look out for the proposed joint album with J. Cole coming in
2013 and Kendrick should be returning to the UK in January
for a string of dates across the country. We’ve already got our
tickets.
Follow Kendrick on Twitter @KendrickLamar
By Tobe Oke
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK34

T
he 2012 games were over months ago but to some I’m
sure I resemble an Olympic hurdler as I navigate some
large puddles on a soaking wet day in Old Street. I have
a disgust for tardiness so I arrive in good time for my
interview with Martika LA, a young singer. However, a
slice of window shopping at Boxpark slows me down and I still need to
get the final touch for the interview.
Martika arrived some minutes later and I was still racking my brain for
the perfect ice-breaker. Instead of drawing on a line from my book of
never-ending wit, I present her with a birthday card as I knew her 21st
was coming up. She appreciates the gesture calling it ‘cute.’
Wanting to capitalise on the good feeling, we move straight into
proceedings. To get everyone’s mind off the dreadful weather, I ask
her to choose a holiday destination to illustrate the personality of her
music. With a smile she replies, “Hawaii. I love Hawaii, it’s tropical, my
music is tropical.” After watching the video to her first single ‘Give Me
Your Love’ I couldn’t agree more with the statement.
For her first single she looks like a natural in the video, it’s no surprise
considering her background. Her mother was a backing singer for
Sting and Faithless, whilst her father was a bass player for Rebel
MC and Urban Species. Plus when you throw into the equation that
Martika herself was formerly a member of girl group RD, it’s clear to
see why she comes across like a seasoned professional.
I want to know what impact those factors have had on her career.
Could having parents with such a wealth of experience in your field
be a help or hindrance? “It’s been a help to be honest.” With a glint
in her eyes she continues, “I’ve seen my Mum tour with Sting and
Faithless, so I know what it’s like to be in front of thousands of people
and it’s inspiring.” With her Mum sitting beside her, I expected such a
diplomatic response, but the honesty seems sincere.
How about her time in RD? What did she take from that experience
and how’s life now as a solo artist? Judging from her facial
expression, this seemed like a line of questioning she didn’t want to
go down. She opens up though as she recounts, “I’ve learnt a lot from
being in the group. Good and bad. It’s made me more focused, so now
I know what I’m doing and no-one’s going to stop me.” She continues
by saying, “I’ve always been solo in my head. I was making music
before I was in the group.” The drive in her is clear to see and a few
days later at the cover shoot I discover Martika doesn’t like talking
about RD as she wants to be considered on the merits of her own
music and not on past endeavours.
When first researching Martika, I was amazed to see the enormous
amount of views for her video on VEVO. By the time you’re reading
this, they may have passed the one million mark. Having a response
like that on your debut single would make most people a little big-

headed, but not Martika. “It even grounded me a little.
It was like woah, people actually like me for me and my
music.” But does a response like that pile on the pressure
for subsequent releases? “It’s not a pressure that’s gonna
hinder me, it’s going to push me to do better.” With an
attitude like that Martika was winning a new fan in me.
After naming Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Aaliyah, Prince and Jill
Scott as her musical influences, I noticed that there were
no UK names in that list. So I touched on the subject that
female singers in the UK have come and gone in recent
times, without making much of an impact. How would
she be different? She quickly answers, “I bring something
different to the UK because I’m not just trying to be
from the UK. I want to be an international artist.” World
domination would be a tad harder than domestic, but as
aforementioned Martika is clearly a driven and ambitious
character. The old adage reads, ‘Where there’s a will
there’s a way’ and I’m sure she’ll find one to achieve her
dreams.
Wanting to keep a focus on the music, I ask her what she
would class as success for her pending single release.
She playfully whispers, “No.1” before embarking on a
short and humorous conversation with her Mum about
blonde moments. It’s a really relaxed moment so I push
her for any information regarding the album. We discuss
how she hasn’t finalised a name for it yet, but that it will
come naturally to her at some point in the not too distant
future. We also talk about the lack of features as she is,
“Still deciding whether or not I want it to be all by me”,
but if she did have a feature, she would, “Love it to be
from Azaelia Banks” the 212 starlet.
After remarking on the fact that she has had no definitive
life experiences because, “I’ve always been really happy
growing up and my parents are very kind to me”, we move
on to discuss the challenges she’s faced getting to where
she is and if she had any words of wisdom for others
wanting to break into music. She starts off by saying,
“The music industry is one of the hardest industries to
break into. I’ve always had good people around me and
that is very important.” As someone trying to break into a
highly competitive industry myself, I totally agree and find
solace in her comments. She continues to show she’s
more than a pretty face with words of encouragement
such as, “Can’t doesn’t exist in my vocabulary...believe in
yourself and know your worth...there’s always something
great for someone to do, you just have to find it.” Whilst
not getting involved in the interview, I could see her mum
proudly nodding in the background. It must be a great
feeling for any parent to see their child to walk in their
footsteps.
Going back to the music, I also noticed that many of the
reviews for ‘Give Me Your Love’ were positive. Martika
seemed to be getting a lot of love and I wanted to see
how this affected her mindset. After mentioning how
good feedback made a change from her RD days, “We
had loads of bad criticism, so for me to come out as a
solo artist and have people say good things, has built my
confidence up again.” She again stated how it just made
her humble and eager to work harder.
Good looking, talented and ambitious yet humble, this
young lady is certainly a good catch for a lucky fellow.
I knew she was also a keen martial artist, after being
asked what move would she like to perform on internet
trolls who disparage her work, she took the diplomatic
approach, while fluttering her eyelids she replies “I
wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Adding in a more serious tone,
“In class we’re taught by our sensi not to provoke the
situation.”
We spoke again about her video, as I remarked that it,
“Seemed relatively big budget for a debut single.” She
cut a wry smile and laughed as she explained that, “You’d
think there was a really big budget for that video, but
there wasn’t. It was just a really beautiful setting and it
had me in it. Haha no I’m just joking, I’m joking.” Well
all jokes aside it’s a well-shot piece of work. This high
quality is again evident in the video to the dance remix
of the song. Being able to produce such high quality with
a small budget requires a close-knit and reliable team
in my opinion. When questioned on the importance of
such a team, she agreed and said, “It has to be important,
because if it’s not, things go wrong.” Again speaking
from personal experience, I can attest to her thinking,
as having numbers onboard doesn’t guarantee success,
having determined characters who see the bigger picture
gives a greater chance of success.
We were approaching the last section of the interview,
so I wanted to find out a little about Martika, the young
lady, not just the recording artist. We started off by
talking about music we were into and who she was
“It’s not a pressure that’s
gonna hinder me, it’s going to
push me harder.”
“for me to come out as a solo
artist and have people say good
things has built my confidence
up again”

currently playing on her iPod the most. She
warned me that it was familiar names which
she would bring up, “Azaelia Banks, I listen to
all her stuff. I still listen to Jill Scott. Beyonce.
I love Labrinth, I think he’s wicked. Then I’d
say someone like Ed Sheeran, I love his indie
sound.”

I asked her for three possessions she could
not leave home without and after being told
that she cannot pick ten, she settled on, “My
phone, my make-up bag as you can never leave
without your make-up bag, especially when it’s
raining like this. Money.” Speaking of money,
her parents need to prepare for a major hole
in their wallets as Martika proudly yet cheekily
proclaimes she wants a Range Rover for
Christmas. Judging by the jokingly dismissive
look on her Mum’s face, I guess Martika will
have to sell a good few singles before she’s
pulling off in her dream car.
For the penultimate question, I challenged her
to come up with a dream team of five female
artists, herself included if she desires. “Rihanna,
Beyonce, Alicia Keys that would be dope. Even
Rita Ora. If I were not to include myself, then I’d
put in someone like Delilah. Boom! That’s a sick
mix, there’s your number one team there.” That
sounds like a very feisty line-up and the mix of
personalities may not allow for more than one
album, if even that!
Now it’s a Boyz 2 Men moment as we had come
to the end of the road but before we finish I
want to know if there is anything else she wants
you the readers to know. She kept it short and
sweet, “Listen to my song Give Me Your Love
on Youtube and Vevo. Stay connected as I will
have more things coming soon.” And if you
want to stay connected with Martika then follow
her @martika_la and search for Martika LA on
Facebook.
As we wrap up a very pleasant interview and
I look forward to the cover shoot - a video of
which is on our Youtube channel Nupé VT - with
immense anticipation. I’m looking forward to
hearing and seeing Martika grow in forthcoming
years, I tip her for success.
By TJ Morgan
Tweet me @tjmorganuk

Slashies are a multiplying breed. They’re
everywhere you turn - sometimes they’re even
staring back at you in the mirror! For the sake of
this article a slashie is not a homicidal machete
yielding psycho. A slashie is a member of
Generation Y who holds more than one job title;
i.e. they’re an accountant/painter or a teacher/
photographer. You just need to look at the
Twitter bio of the majority of your followers to
see a demonstration of this. The slashie title was
traditionally reserved for celebrities such as the
entrepreneurial Jennifer Lopez (actress/singer/
designer/serial bride), but it seems that more
and more of us are embracing a variety of job
roles. Young people have elevated hobbies to a
whole new level - we take our passion and turn
it into profit.
Remember that year when every Luke, Jamal
and Tunde had a T-shirt line on the side? In my
opinion that was Generation slash in its infancy.
The internet, most notably social media, allows
many of us to get our slashie on. In recent years
YouTube has become a viable source of income
as demonstrated by the explosion of YouTube
makeup guru’s for example.
Because the increased percentage of graduates
has lead to the diminished value of degrees,
more and more focus is being bestowed on
‘transferrable skills’ than ever before. In many
cases your degree no longer dictates your
profession. In addition, the workforce is no
longer as static as it used to be, nor is it as kind
to graduates as it used to be. Juggling more than
one job is also a great way to ensure you don’t go
into the red in the economic climate. The current
milieu is perfect for cultivating Generation slash.
The baby boomer generation that came before
us were married by the time they reached 21,
had their first child at the age of 23, and by the
time they’d blown out the candles on their 25th
birthday cake they had a mortgage. Because of
this trajectory they didn’t have the luxury to be
explorative career-wise. But Generation Y aren’t
getting married as early, or having children as
early, and they certainly don’t have a mortgage
as early - thus giving license to indulge in the
giant oyster that is the contemporary job market.
This shift is often attributed to what some
call ‘arrested development’ or the ‘peter
pan syndrome’; all of which have negative
connotations and all of which I refuse to accept. I
don’t believe that being a member of Generation
slash is an indication of unwillingness to ‘fully’
grow up. Nor do I believe that it is an indication
that young people don’t know what they want
career-wise.
Many young people desire more than just
a monetary reward from their occupation -
this generation covet jobs that are be both
intellectually and creatively stimulating. The
latter is usually where the slash comes in; like
the corporate lawyer who is also a graphics
designer, or the dentist who is also an acoustic
musician. With a smorgasbord of career options
on offer, just one bite really isn’t enough.
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK46

It’s a sad time for a number of reasons;
we’ve come to the end of the year so
everyday prices are due to rise and
according to the Mayans the world is
due to end. But for me the fact that I’m
unable to relive such a great year of
leadership and courageous ambition
is the saddest aspect. This fact is
compounded by the realisation that
we live in a world relatively lacking
in leadership and immersed in the
follower-syndrome, which is cultivated
by the cherishing of microwave
celebrities.
2012 was the year the Olympics came to
the UK and it was something the country
desperately needed. For the first time
in my living memory (I was too young
to notice Euro ’96) an international
sporting competition united the country
in voice and in spirit. We were all
running with Mo Farah as he claimed
double Olympic Gold, just as we were
all willing Jessica Ennis through her
various events. In a year when trust
and faith in bodies such as the police
force via Hillsborough and the BBC via Saville were invariably damaged, the Olympic athletes gave the public people that were
credible to look up to.
Sport is vitally important as it is the clearest ‘cause and effect’ example of what hard work and never giving up on your dreams
does for you. The Olympics was the best example of this as it was the biggest event and it showcases four years of hard
work in one moment. In the case of great champions like the Paralympian David Weir, it was seven years of hard work for one
moment. But it would be unfair not to mention other great examples of leadership, especially as they proceeded moments of
disappointment. Andy Murray winning a Grand Slam after four previous final losses, Man City capturing the Premier League
after falling 8 points behind Utd, England thrashing the All Blacks after a poor Autumn series and the cricket team winning
in India after the Pietersen saga. All the sportsmen involved in these achievements showed a will to win in the midst of vast
criticism and setbacks, but they kept on going. Many Paralympic athletes were previously able-bodied sportspersons who
sustained life-threatening injuries, but refused to give up. They absolutely personified leadership.
You may ask; why do I think leadership is so crucial in today’s world? Being only confined to one page, I must keep this brief.
Firstly I’d like to say that leadership is not just refined to what you for others but also what you do for yourself. We need to lead
because a challenging financial climate which has given birth to shark-like creditors who offer loans at exorbitant rates, needs
vigilance from the consumer. A rapidly developing new world through technology is changing the way humans exist on the
planet. We’re moving into times which are becoming increasingly contact-less physically, whilst the electronic connections we
have are seeping into most aspects of our lives. Technology is also playing its part in the world of media and communications,
so we now have more voices informing us, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that information is valid or productive.
Finally one of the major reasons why we need leadership is because we cannot rely on our governments to lead for us. They
themselves are facing redefinition challenges and may not even exist as we know them in years to come. Therefore if we want
better lives we must realise change begins with us. Governments certainly administrate change but they have no monopoly
over change. Let’s think like an Olympic athlete and work hard so we are ready for those definitive moments which crop up in
life. I heard Dave Brailsford, the Head of UK Cycling makes his riders improve on minute percentages continuously for large
overall impact. I like that thinking.
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK 47

Without a shadow of a doubt you’re going to have the New Year’s resolution conversation
after Christmas. I’d like to politely suggest one: take responsibility. Responsibility is
something everyone lacks from time to time. It’s a virtue and a great characteristic and
it’s also a massive key to recovery. You got a bad grade? It was your responsibility to
achieve your highest potential, not the tutor or the internet, it was yours. The blame game
is played too much, it’s unprogressive. The idea of taking responsibility came to mind
when a friend of mine broke up with her boyfriend.
They’d both been unhappy for a while; my friend took the brave step to end it. After they
broke up she began seeing someone else and her ex went mental. Saying things such
as: “You left me for him!/you used me!/I was a pastime!/you never cared/you this [insert
explicit]/ you that [insert ruder explicit].” He threw a flurry of excuses at her, he blamed
her for the demise of their relationship when the reality of the situation is she tried to
salvage things but it just couldn’t work.
One of my friends had a similar situation; he blamed his ex for their break up too, then
one day he finally got sick of throwing himself a pity party. He picked himself up and
took RESPONSIBILITY. He looked at why she wasn’t happy and he fixed it. He looked
at the reasons she had given for the break up and acted on them. They didn’t see each
other much; so he learnt to drive and got a car. She felt he wasn’t ambitious; so he got
a job (not highly paid but a job nonetheless) and boosted his extracurricular activities.
She said he was lazy; so he now goes gym when he’s got time. These things may not be
major but he made a start.
A friend of mine said this to me after a terrible gym session: “It may have been bad but
you ran rings around the guy that’s still in bed now.” He hasn’t got to where he wants to
but it’s a start. He ran rings around the guy still pointing fingers and making excuses. I
do realise that there are things out of your control, you cannot control everything. I’m not
suggesting you blame yourself in every bad situation. What I’m suggesting is that you
acknowledge that you cannot blame others for all the failures in your life. This doesn’t
just apply to relationships; this could be academically or career wise. Don’t blame your
boss for not giving you that promotion, maybe you were genuinely undeserving because
you have areas you need to improve on. What’s stopping you from improving those areas
so that next time you’re in line for it?
Your failures are in your hands and even if they’re not, there’s nothing wrong with
bouncing back from them and getting better. Take responsibility today. If not today, then
for New Years.
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK48

Ricky Hatton wanted redemption upon his return to the ring. He
craved it desperately. He wanted it; he desired it perhaps more
than anything he has ever desired in his life. This particular
emotion is not unique to Hatton of course, only displayed and
illuminated through him in the most tragic and saddening of
circumstances. After a brutal knockout at the hands of the
knuckleduster-like fists of Filipino phenom Manny Pacquiao,
the most humiliating loss of Hatton’s career, the two time two
weight champion retired and vowed never to return. We all
know of sportsmen who retire and promise never to return but
inevitably comeback for “one more” shot at glory. This promise
from boxers is even hollower with the history of the sport
littered with great champions that lingered on for too long
or made ill advised returns to the ring. Even “The Greatest”
Muhammad Ali couldn’t stay away and made an ill advised
come back against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick, losing
both bouts before wisely retiring for good.
After Hatton’s first retirement his life spun out of control.
Without the discipline and training required for upcoming
bouts and with a tendency to put on weight between fights
sometimes weighing up to 180 pounds, approximately 40
pounds above his fight weight, Hatton hit a nadir when was
caught on camera in 2010 snorting class A drugs and admitted
himself to a rehabilitation centre in London for drug and alcohol
problems. Hatton it seemed despite the chastening losses to
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was most comfortable
inside a ring where he could escape his demons and unleash
all his emotions by pounding way at another man but when
forced to confront the deepest embers of his soul alone in a
dark corner it appears Hatton did not like what he saw and
could not cope. So he drowned himself in harmful synthetic
substances to chase away the pain. To chase away the sorrow.
The insecurities. The shame. The self loathing.
Checking himself into a rehabilitation centre was Hatton’s first
step back on the road to redemption. With his emotional issues
brought under control and seemingly starting to turn his life
around speculation began to mount that Hatton was making
a return to the ring. The ring that brought him his fame and
fortune. The ring that made him the most beloved fighter in
Britain rivalling and possibly even surpassing the adulation
enjoyed by the likes of Chris Eubank, Lennox Lewis and Frank
Bruno.
Three years removed from the ring and with a burning sense
of pride gnawing away at Hatton eager to erase the memories
of the 2 round knockout blow he suffered at the MGM Grand
Garden Arena in Los Angeles in front of thousands of his loyal
supporters who travel up and down the country and abroad to
see his fights. Where ever the “Hitman” goes they go, they sing
and they drink and have a merry time doing it whether their
man wins or loses. Looking to complete the final part of his
journey back to redemption Hatton announced his return back
to the ring with a fight against little known Ukrainian fighter
Vyacheslav Senchenko.
By now the victor of that fight is already known. The manner in
which he lost is inconsequential; the happy ending Hatton was
looking for unfortunately did not materialize. Mr Senchenko
and Hatton’s battered, battle weary body had other ideas. It
would have been a nice fairytale ending to Hatton’s boxing
career but alas life rarely affords us such graceful exits let alone
the cruellest of professions in boxing. Hatton was looking for
redemption in the ring, the one place and the one thing in life he
did better than anyone else. By turning his life around outside
the ring however, Hatton had already found the redemption he
was looking for because ultimately that is where he will have
to live the rest of his life. At least now his curiosity has been
satiated and he knows there is nothing left for him in the ring
and he can bow out and be proud of his achievements which
will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Hatton did not find
redemption in the ring, he found redemption outside of it and
for that we can all be grateful if it means this is the last time
he will ever put on a pair of boxing gloves. For his sake, we can
only hope.
WWW.NUPE.CO.UK 49

Jessica Varnish – Track Cycling
The summer 2012 London Olympics was supposed to be the
crowning moment of Jessica Varnish’s young cycling career. After
taking gold at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup earlier in the year
in February at the new Olympic Velodrome along with her team-
mate Victoria Pendleton in the women’s team sprint, breaking the
world record in the process it seemed liked nothing could get in
her way not even her opponents. Going into the Olympic Games
Varnish and Pendleton were the overwhelming favourites in a dis-
cipline in which British athletes have virtually turned into their per-
sonal fiefdom. However disaster struck when she was disqualified
in the semi finals by the racing officials for what they deemed an
illegal change over and her Olympic dreams were dashed. With a
burning passion to right the wrongs of the past lookout for 2013
where Varnish is set to dominate after already breaking multiple
world records at the tender age of 22.
Jack Butland – Footballer
The critics will sneer and attribute Jack Butland’s elevation to the
England setup at the tender of 19 as evidence of the shortage of
world class talent at the goal keeping position for England. How-
ever after representing England at all levels from U-17 all the way
up to U-23 having been named the starting goalkeeper for Team
GB at the Olympic Games it is safe to say Butland is a legitimate
star and well deserving of the accolades he has received so far.
Currently at Birmingham City but with a host of Premier League
clubs sniffing round the young goalkeeper look out for him in 2013
where he is expected to finally make the move to the next level and
challenge Joe Hart for the England No.1 jersey.
Anthony Ogogo – Boxing
After winning the silver medal in the middleweight division at the
Commonwealth Games in 2010 in relative anonymity Ogogo lit-
erally burst on to the scene during the summer Olympic Games
when he captured the public’s imagination with a hard charging no
holes bared style of boxing but fell short in the semi finals before
securing the bronze medal. Although many amateur boxers have
cashed in on Olympic performances and declared for the profes-
sional ranks with Amir Khan and James DeGale been recent ex-
amples, Ogogo has also spoken of the possibility recently but is
yet to make a decision. At Nupe sports a decision however has
been made that 2013 will be a big year for the boxer. With a World
Series of Boxing yearly showcasing changing the landscape in the
amateur ranks thereby lessening the need for boxers to go profes-
sional Ogogo is set for a breakout year in 2013 either as a pro
boxer or as a celebrated amateur.
Heather Watson – Tennis
The tennis world and British tennis were officially put on notice
when Watson at the age of 20 with her first WTA (Women’s Tennis
Association) title became the first British female to win a WTA sin-
gles title since Sara Gomer in 1988. The young Brit who is based
in Florida in the US has come a long way after been passed over in
favour of Laura Robson to partner Andy Murray in the mixed dou-
bles at the Olympic Games even though she was ranked higher.
Nonetheless Watson has brushed aside minimal disappointments
such as that to become the No.1 British ranked female. With a top
50 ranking in the world and a rapidly improving skill set we expect
Watson to take the next step in her development and have a break-
out year in the Grand Slam tournaments in 2013.
Wilfried Zaha – Footballer
A talented player at both striker and winger Zaha has been turning
heads ever since he was introduced to the Crystal Palace first team
with a host of Premier League scouts regularly visiting and watch-
ing his games in the Championship to assess the Ivory Coast born
player in lieu of a future move to the Premiership. Zaha’s main
attributes include pace, trickery, excellent ball control at top speed
and a deadly finish. With the overvaluation of English players con-
tinuing at pace he has been linked to £20 million moves to Man-
chester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. Although whichever
club he ends up at remain a mystery what isn’t a mystery is that
2013 is set to become a big year for the third year Crystal Palace
player where he will finally get a chance to display his talents on
the biggest stage.
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Nupé Magazine 2012 Christmas Issue

Nupé Magazine 2012 Christmas Issue

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