Fountain of Yus - #017
A Summer of Cyphers, the Rise of Eastern Power in sports, EA is still in the game and my Paris Fashion Week experience. I bring you Issue #017. Salut!
Cypher Summer
When two of the UK's biggest rappers come together to release a joint EP, it is bound to generate buzz, get the people talking and of course, generate a whole lot of sales. It's no surprise that’s been the case with Dave and Central Cee’s ‘Split Decisions’ tape and one can argue it's kickstarted a trend this summer.
As part of the rollout of the tape, Dave and Cench took to the popular internet radio station, ‘Victory Lap’ for a cypher session. Hosted in collaboration with Clint’s Rules The World Records, who seemed to play a big role in orchestrating the EP, the cypher sessions hosted a mix of the UK's best and upcoming talent including Dave, Central Cee, Len, Niko B and Kibo to name a few. This mixture of high profiles and rising stars made this a special moment, a merging of the mainstream and underground almost, showing that no matter the heights of success one may attain, rap belongs to the ground.
What makes cyphers so special is that it provides artists with an opportunity to showcase their skills to their peers, getting instant feedback on their performance in an environment that is naturally competitive but mainly friendly. Cyphers have created multiple iconic moments throughout the years, more specifically in the UK where Lord of the Mics hosted in Jammer’s basement played a pivotal role in growing the Grime scene. Jamal Edwards’ SBTV cyphers kickstarted so many careers too.
It is then no surprise that the virality of this cypher session has indeed had an effect on the youth of London. Over the last bank holiday, streetwear brand Peak Television threw a block party in Newham which hosted a cypher session too, with artists like Jim Legxacy and Novelist as part of the MCs. 2 weeks ago, UK artist BXKS partnered with events platform Playpiem and Victory Lap to throw the first live cypher session of her GOTNODATA platform. The event was packed out and saw some of the best names in the underground music scene have a turn on the mic, including Ayrtn, Saiming and Bawo to name a few.
When looking at the timelines of these cypher sessions, it's hard not to assume that their occurrence are not in response to sensing an appetite for these experiences, the success of them proves that the appetite indeed does exist. Through celebrating its roots, the rap music scene is creating cultural moments people want to be a part of.
Rise of the East
Over the past few years there’s been a shift in culture as our globalised society becomes slightly less westernised. We’ve seen African sounds like Afrobeats and Amapiano take the world by storm, films from Korea gain huge accolades and TikTok, a Chinese app, become the most popular social media app in the world. Now more than ever before, we are seeing the growing influence of the Eastern region in sports, specifically the Middle East.
The growing influence of the Middle East in sports is nothing new, especially in football, however in recent months, there’s been serious efforts from Saudi Arabia specifically to establish the Saudi Arabian League as a new challenger with equal pedigree to compete with the best leagues. Let’s roll it back to 2008, Man City have just been bought by Sheikh Mansour, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), becoming the first state-owned club and setting the tone for where the game finds itself now. Fast forward 2 years later, Qatar is chosen to host the 2022 World Cup, and a year later, the Qatari government purchases French outfit, Paris Saint-Germain, quickly turning it into arguably the most fashion-forward football team. The scene has been set and what has ensued since is the domestic domination of these 2 state-owned football clubs in their respective leagues, with City only recently coming full circle this season as they finally won the Champions League.
It's safe to say it's been a great year for the Middle East in football, with Qatar hosting a memorable World Cup, UAE-owned Man City completing the treble and Saudi Arabia beating Messi’s Argentina at the World Cup before going on to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi League.
It seems as though the region’s influence in sports is only growing. Former Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Jassim is rumoured to be the favourite to purchase Manchester United, arguably football’s biggest brand. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has gone all out this summer transfer window, signing some of the biggest names in football, mainly by offering salaries that their Western counterparts simply cannot compete against. I mean after all they are competing against an oil state reserve. So far we’ve seen clubs in the Saudi Arabian League sign stars like Karim Benzema, N’golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly, with deals often facilitated by the Saudi Arabian government. Why is the government involved you may ask? Well, Saudi Arabia's strategy in sports falls part of the Vision 2030 project which illustrates the country’s ambition of turning into a cultural hub, steering away from its economic dependence on oil. In its aim to achieve this, the Saudi government created the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund used to make investments with this goal in mind. The fund has since been used to purchase Newcastle United, own a stake in Chelsea Football Club, secure deals with Formula 1, UFC and WWE to host events in the country and recently the acquisition of the PGA, taking over golf as it is. The PIF has also been used to invest in several other projects outside of sports.
The impact the wealth of the Middle East is having on sports is still relatively new and it raises debate about the direction of sports. It also begs the question of whether what we’re seeing is any different from what we’ve been seeing and just that the one in power has changed; haven’t the most financially capable leagues always attracted the best players?
Sports aside, it would be ignorant to not acknowledge that the rise of the East has geopolitical repercussions and it will be interesting to see how this impacts arts, culture and entertainment in this globalised society we live in.
EA Sports is in the Game !
Sometime last year it was announced that the partnership between FIFA and Electronic Arts (EA) sports will come to an end at the end of the 2022/23 season. A fabric of my reality was destroyed that day, for as long as I’ve been alive, FIFA game titles have been the norm, and FIFA & EA were like bread and butter to me.
Upon further inspection, it became apparent that all that was changing was the naming title and EA would still be in the game. But the end of the partnership signified more than that, both parties could now independently grow in whatever direction they desired, to evolve and maybe even revolutionise their offerings and EA’s recent moves seem to be exactly that.
It was recently announced that EA has entered into a partnership with.SWOOSH, Nike’s digital community for virtual creations. The partnership aims to evolve fandom and build more unique experiences for the user, as EA looks to layer in immersive experiences and unlock more opportunities for customisation. This partnership makes the things young gamers yearn for more possible: self-expression, co-creation, and the need to participate in curating an experience that is best for them. One can only start to imagine the possibilities, imagine being able to play a game in Nike boots you designed, or seeing any of your digital creations in a video game? Imagine then seeing your favourite player or athlete wear your digital creation in the game? Imagine unlocking virtual goods as a reward? Fans are bound to be excited by all these possibilities.
Later this year, EA is set to release its first post-FIFA football title ‘EA Sports FC’, with the first trailer released earlier this week. While the trailer doesn’t reveal much about what the game will offer, such partnerships indicate the direction the gaming platform is set to take.
Lessons from Paris Fashion Week
As the dust has settled and I reflect back on my experience, I can’t help but keep coming back to the same thought, London Fashion Week is miles behind Paris Fashion Week (PFW). While I knew this before even going, it took me being on the ground just to realise how wide the gap is.
The Spring Summer Mens PFW is THEE fashion week, pulling in best-in-class designers, shows from the most influential brands, attracting international talent and of course rolling out an array of celebrities in a way the other fashion capitals can’t compare. But you don’t need to go to Paris to know all of this.
While shows are definitely a standout, what makes PFW unique is what happens outside the shows. Every day of fashion week is filled with activity, you're spoilt for options and ultimately you have to pick what’s most interesting to you. In just one day, I went to 2 showrooms, checked out the homecoming pop-up, then Je M'appelle Brasil, a pop-up for Brasilian streetwear brands followed the Kid Super fashion show, with a total of 30 minutes travel time across all activities. As spectacular as the shows may be, they’re reserved for a few, while the majority of what happens outside of the shows is not. This means you don’t need to have a certain status to experience PFW, you just need to be curious and have an interest in it, and you certainly won’t miss out on things to do. This abundance of activity then makes PFW a celebration of not just fashion, but arts and culture, with creative and culture enthusiasts from all corners of the world gathered in Paris for a common reason. It then makes PFW an international networking event, allowing you to build connections with people from different regions of the world, as well as see what’s being produced in different corners of the globe, and just be inspired by it all. Not to mention, PFW coincides with Fête de la Musique, France’s annual music festival, so naturally brands jump into the mix and host parties across the city, attracting some of the best artists, DJs and crowds alike.
This is completely different from what London Fashion Week feels like. The lack of activity outside the shows makes it way more exclusive, LFW could pass by you even if you’re in the creative industry. There are of course a lot of reasons for the gap in richness between the two fashion weeks. PFW attracts the biggest names, brands and public figures, which is why even those with an aspiring career gravitate towards PFW more than the other Fashion Weeks. Secondly, the French uphold arts and culture, an attitude even embraced by the country’s government too. Geographically speaking, Paris is a smaller city to London and most activities across PFW are concentrated in one area, making it easier and quicker to jump from one experience to another. There are of course several other reasons worth mentioning but what’s left at the end of the day is a fashion week that falls short of making the most of what London has to offer. London is one of the creative capitals of the world, filled with diverse talents, not to mention the international talents it can attract if it seemed worthwhile to them. It's a missed opportunity for a city of its calibre.
London Fashion Week could be a celebration of arts and culture the same way PFW is, as opposed to largely being an exclusive experience.
Yuseful Notes
Cartoonification fashion: Iwannabangkok release Hulkfoot heels.
Collectibles; How Londoners push exclusivity by seeking rare gems.
Dime Kicks: Asics drop sneaker collab with Montreal skate brand, Dime.
Noah x Puma: Noah drop a subversive ad for their collab with Puma.
Rich HMnisi: H&M South Africa announces collab with South African designer, Rich Mnisi.
Rose World: Martine Rose released a new collection with Nike ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
Thebe’s Pirates: Internationally acclaimed South African Designer, Thebe Magugu designs Orlando Pirates kits for the upcoming season.
Super Barnsley: Kid Super designs Barnsley 23/24 season kit.
SaloBone: Bonesoda previews collab with Salomon.
adiRaver: Reflecting on adidas’ strong ties to rave culture.
Running PAF: Korean-based brand PAF teases upcoming collaboration with On Running.
Patta rides: Patta teams up with Rapha to launch a new cycling scheme and the Patta Cycling team.
OTW: Vans launched OTW, its new premium category at PFW.
The more you know: Learn about Peter Lee’s iconic designs for Oakley.
AI Music: How K-pop artist Midnatt used AI to released their debut song in 6 six different languages.
Made in South: Stormzy & Wilfried Zaha join heads to become owners of AFC Croydon Athletic.
Vini Jr. Law: Brasil’s national government passes a new law that will see sporting events stopped in the incidence of racial attacks.
Roc Brasil: Jay Z’s Roc Nation sports signs Vinicius, Martinelli and 100 more football players in Brasil as part of its South American expansion.
Disruptive Progression: Nouhaila Benzina set to make history by becoming the first player to wear a hijab at the Women’s World Cup.
Lagos Nation: Afro Nation announces that they’ll be adding a Lagos edition of their popular festival.
Supa Flix: Netflix announce their first ever animated African series, Supa Team 4, based in Zambia.
Ghanaian photographer Prince Gyasi has been selected to capture Pirelli’s 50th calendar.
What Would Yus Do?
Sharing upcoming experiences that I find interesting and you may potentially too.
Safety First: Safety Bear are bringing their garms to London, hosting a pop-up over the weekend.
Home Is Not A Place: Collaborative exhibition between photographer and writer, Johny Pitts, and poet Roger Robinson. On at The Photographer's Gallery, Oxford Circus until Saturday 23rd September.
SLAWNWORLDTRIBE: Judah tribe are hosting a pop-up this weekend for their collaboration with Slawn.
‘Nzulu yemfihlakalo’: South African artist Cinga Samson is exhibiting a new group of oil paintings. On at White Cube Gallery until the Saturday 26th July
Lagos, Peckham, Repeat - Pilgrimage to the Lakes: An exhibition highlighting the culture, history and communities of Peckham & Lagos. On at South London Gallery until the 29th of October.
Reflections for Now: Carrie Mae Weems’ exhibition, exploring identity, power, desire and social justice. On at the Barbican centre until September 3rd.
A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography exhibition at Tate Modern. On until Jan 14.
KIN: Group exhibition of nine photographers whose work explores kinship through a radical lens. On at Guts Gallery until 4th August.
Sonic Yus
A playlist consisting of all the songs I’m obsessing over in between each issue. Enjoy!
That’s all for now
Until next time,
Yus