LINKED UP 093

Behind the Legitimate Cause: Introducing Bawo

A rising star hailing from West London, Bawo's distinctive sound has been making waves across the UK's dynamic music scene. With a blend of grime, garage, rap, and soul, Bawo's music captures the attention of those tuned into the latest in UK sounds. (sabukaru)

A$AP Rocky on Fatherhood, Falling for Rihanna & His New Album, Don’t Be Dumb

With none other than Rihanna herself behind the lens, the rapper offers a candid look at his life as an artist, father, and fashion star. (W Magazine)

New Rap Music September 2024 (Noz)

Shoegaze Revivals I Have Known

As Sonic Cathedral prepare for a run of birthday gigs and a box set release, founder Nat Cramp reflects on how shoegaze went from being a dirty word to darlings of Gen Z via a new generation of artists. (The Quietus)

Deep Voices 111: Christopher Owens

An interview with the former Girls frontman ahead of his new solo album. 

(Deep Voices)

Why Vampire Weekend Found “Fifth-Album Energy” in Seinfeld and the Beastie Boys (L.A. Times)

Front Row for Vampire Weekend’s Surprise Time Again Gig 

The band added to their growing subcultural lore with a sidewalk show in “Time Square”. (GQ)

How the New York Post Comes up With Those In-Your-Face Headlines

In this oral history, the tabloid's staffers take us inside the making of their unforgettable front pages. (Esquire)

Inside New York's Best New Menswear Store: Ven. Space 

An interview with Chris Green, owner of Ven. Space. (Who Do You Know?) 

Go Out

Birdwatching in Style With Flock Together and Gore-Tex Gear. (Mr Porter)

A Skateboarder’s Guide to Shoe Design With Oliver Clark

From one professional to you, the unprofessional. (Monster Children)

Substack Is Design Journalism’s Irreverent New Home

Newsletters such as Snake, Ground Condition and For Scale are providing independent views on what’s worth buying. (FT)

There Are Weird People Out There Who Have No Identity

Rachel Kushner the literary titan comes through talking about her existential new spy novel, the power of thinking with your hands, and more unbeatable topics. (Blackbird Spyplane)

She’s Only Playing a Therapist, but the Revelations Are Real

The designer Bella Freud - a great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud - is using her podcast to “learn vicariously all the things I’ve secretly wanted to know” about celebrities. (NYT)

A Guide to the Provocative Artwork of Mike Kelley

As Tate Modern opens a new exhibition in London, we revisit our five-point guide to the late American artist’s work, which probed the dark underbelly of teenage American life. (AnOther)

Olaolu Slawn Has the Last Laugh

Esquire recently stopped by the north London studio of the British-Nigerian artist - the merryman of Britain's art scene - to discuss his rise, recent 'unofficial' fashion collaborations and first solo exhibition at Saatchi Yates.

(Esquire)

Max Rocha Still Believes in the Main Course

The chef behind Café Cecilia on his new cookbook, why breakfast matters, and the trouble with trendy sharing menus. (SSENSE)

Local Hero

Meet Massimo Vacchetto, champion of a sport you’ve (probably) never heard of. (Drake's)

FA X UNITED ARROWS & SONS

Fucking Awesome x UNITED ARROWS & SONS suit collaboration, inspired by Japanese movies of the 1940s.

DUPERRÉ BASKETBALL COURT

Stéphane Ashpool and ILL-STUDIO join forces again to create the latest edition of the iconic DUPERRÉ basketball court.

THE BLONDEY WAY

JIM LEGXACY - AGGRESSIVE

OUR LEGACY COURTESY XI

Music to live and dine to. Listen here.

DAVID HOCKNEY

How David Hockney’s holiday in the south of France turned into a masterpiece. More here.

ARSENAL X ARIES

The new Arsenal x Aries collection, worn by the Arsenal faithful.

LINKED UP 092

A Chronicler of the American Elite in the Spotlight, in Paris

This fall, the Jeu de Paume will showcase Tina Barney’s intimate, keenly observed images in her largest European retrospective. (NYT)

Do Sassy, Jane and xoJane Mean Anything to You?

Jane Pratt, one of the most influential editors of the last few decades, returns to media with her aptly titled project Another Jane Pratt Thing. 

(NYT)

Who Is Plum Sykes?

To learn more, our senior editor Taylore Scarabelli jumped on a Zoom call with the British fashionista turned best-selling fiction author to talk personal style, Substack, and The Devil Wears Prada. (Interview)

A King of Cool Casual’s Next Act

With a new store, Steven Alan is trying to reconjure the magic of the boutique that put him on the fashion map. (NYT)

Viral Recommendation Newsletter Perfectly Imperfect Is Free From the Algorithm

Founder Tyler Bainbridge builds his biweekly dispatches by courting recommendations from high-profile stars, like Charli XCX, and underground musicians. (The FADER)

A Scrappy Downtown Radio Station Returns From the Dead, Again

Frank Prisinzano and Jorge Parreira have resurrected East Village Radio, an underground institution, after shuttering it roughly a decade ago. (NYT)

30 Years of the CDJ: The Technology That Revolutionised DJ Culture

Three decades on from its beginnings, the CDJ has revolutionised DJing in countless ways. Here, DJ Mag maps its evolution from experimental tech to industry standard, and speaks with some of its biggest advocates to learn why it is now an essential tool for today’s selectors. (DJ Mag)

By Any Other Name: Protection and the Sweetness of the Trip Hop Sound… No Matter What You Want to Call It

Vanessa Okoth-Obbo gets to grips with the divisive ‘trip hop’ label while celebrating Protection, Massive Attack’s second album, 30 years on. 

(The Quietus)

How Tricky’s Maxinquaye Forged a New Frontier for Black British Music

Released in February 1995, Tricky’s Maxinquaye marked a paradoxical shift in British music canon. (DJ Mag)

Introducing 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s: The 2000s

Join us on another musical journey through a new decade as Rob Harvilla digs through the biggest songs of the 2000s like only he can. (The Ringer)

What Was Indie Sleaze? (And What, if Anything, Is It Now?)

On Charli XCX, The Dare, and the curious “revival” of a mid-'00s phenomenon - more than a trend, less than a movement, certainly a vibe - that no one could quite agree on the first time around. (GQ)

The Making of Rich Gang’s Tha Tour Vol. 1

For one brief moment, Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, and Birdman united to form Rich Gang, releasing The Tour Vol. 1 in the process. In honour of its 10-year anniversary, we spoke with many key players involved in the creation of the classic tape. (Complex)

Every Bright Eyes Studio Album, Ranked 

Unlike Bright Eyes albums, I’m gonna try to keep the intro short and just get right into the action... (UPROXX)

How ‘This Must Be the Place’ Became the Ultimate Restaurant Song

One song about food and a building. (Eater)

The Other British Invasion: How UK Lingo Conquered the US

It used to be that Brits would complain about Americanisms diluting the English language. But in fact it’s a two-way street. (The Guardian)

Every Outdoor Basketball Court in the U.S.A.

There are 59,507 outdoor basketball courts in the U.S.A. Explore satellite imagery of all of them. (The Pudding)

DENZEL CURRY - SET IT FT. MAXO KREAM

It's Maxo Kream week.

INDUSTRY

BTS shots from the season three finale of Industry, courtesy of its co-creator (and amateur shutterbug) Konrad Kay.

NO BELLS MAGAZINE

Issue 1 of No Bells magazine is now available for pre-order here, featuring cover art by JAK.

HOLIDAY

Holiday magazine, No.394, the Autumn/Winter 2024-25 issue devoted to New York. Available here.

MAXO KREAM X TYLER, THE CREATOR

TINA BARNEY

A selection of images by American photographer Tina Barney, best known for her large-scale portraits of her family and close friends in New York and New England.

SMART CREW

SMART Crew for Aimé Leon Dore Fall / Winter 2024. More here.

LINKED UP 091

Daniel Arnold on Survival, Humour, and Cultural Acclaim

An interview with one of New York’s finest photographers. (Monster Children)

Artist Wes Lang Is Releasing a Monumental New Series of Paintings - And GQ Brought Them to Life

As Wes Lang unveils his epic new series of 96 works entitled The Black Paintings, GQ created a fashion story that extends his stylish characters past the canvas. (GQ)

Metal Iconography: What's the Deal?

A chronology from obscurity to mass acceptance. (Village Psychic)

"I Got Offered a Gram of Cocaine for a Painting": Is Slawn Art’s Latest Enfant Terrible?

His critics call him a talentless chancer, but the 23-year-old street artist from Lagos has found success through brand collaborations, Saatchi backing - and manifesting his goal of becoming the “biggest artist in the world”. (The Guardian)

The Hustlers Who Make $6,000 a Month by Gaming Citi Bikes

The bike-sharing program rewards users who help redistribute bikes around New York City. A few riders have figured out how to turn that into profit. (NYT)

The Tumult that Transformed Racquet, the Tennis Magazine

The indie magazine aims to become a major player in the business of tennis - after a messy dispute between its two founders. (NYT)

VICE Magazine Is Coming Back

We’re relaunching VICE magazine in all its sprawling and salacious glory, with four issues a year, delivered anywhere in the world. (VICE)

Rich Homie Quan Leaves a Legacy in Both Atlanta Music and Soccer

Heavily involved in sports, Rich Homie Quan was an early adopter of Atlanta United, a club that helped ignite Atlanta’s vibrant soccer community. (Urban Pitch)

A Moment in Time, Preserved in Polyester

Vintage soccer jerseys have become a streetwear staple, and a target of major investors. Their real appeal lies in the memories they conjure. (NYT)

Meet You at The Devonshire: The Inside Story of the Buzziest Pub in the World

How three leading lights of London hospitality created the capital’s hottest spot. (Esquire)

Finding London’s Most Distinctive Shops

Sure, you can hit Harrods. But the British capital also has small specialised shops, some centuries old and still crafting items by hand. (NYT)

How Substack Became the New Fashion Destination for Online Shopping

Online shopping is no longer confined to social media. Right in your inbox, a posse of power pundits are rewriting the rules of e-commerce. 

(Town & Country)

The Users Who Overtook the Machine

A relatively brief, entirely incomplete history of online fashion fandom. 

(SSENSE)

Nonsense Sells

From hot rodent boyfriends to having a strawberry-girl summer, “vibe trends” are multiplying exponentially - and consumers are eating them up. (Air Mail)

Dos & Don’ts of a Mach 3+ Lifestyle

How to move through this nutty, nasty world with your dignity intact. 

(Blackbird Spyplane)

EPICLY LATER'D

“In 2004, well before the advent of social media as a global phenomenon, photographer Patrick O’Dell launched the celebrated blog Epicly Later’d. Dedicated to documenting the adventure and mayhem of the NYC skate/music/downtown scene, the site distinguished itself with its offhand wit, its irreverent cast of characters, and an intimate photo-diary format years ahead of its time. 

Nearly two decades later, the impact of O’Dell’s work can be appreciated in full: its influence is now apparent across photo, art, and skate culture, and the original photographs still astonish. Compiled by O’Dell and editor Jesse Pearson, Epicly Later’d collects the best of the blog into a body of work that’s evocative, funny, and wildly compelling.”

Available here.