stated magazine: volume 8, issue 2

October 2015 • Volume 8, Issue 2

Au Naturale!!HOW TO ROCK YOUR CURLS

AND LOVE THEM

THE MONEY TEAMTHE HOTTEST GROUP OF

INTERNS OUT THERE

FALL FASHION LOOKS FOR THE SEMESTER

+ What is the definition of a

“classic album”?

KRSIMAGESSUPPORT BUILDS THE BRAND

October 2015 // Volume 8, Issue 2

STATED MAGAZINE STAFF + CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRobert S. Blue II

ADVISOR: Student MediaJames McClinton III

VIDEOGRAPHY

STATED Magazine is a student-produced magazine under the direction of The Office of University Relations at South Carolina State University. The magazine is distributed free to all students, faculty and staff members at various locations on campus. Editorial views and letters submitted to the editor express the opinions of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of South Carolina State University nor those of

STATED Magazine staff as a whole.

STAFF WritersJeleana DeFranzo, JeBryan “Xylan” Grant, Skyler Suber, Tobias Copeland, Marquis

Wallace, Jessica Jackson

STAFf photographers

MODELSJeleana DeFranzo, Lakaiia Adams, Malika

Meriwether, India Chapman, Sadiia Cardwell, Emerald Bowman, JeBryan “Xylan” Grant, Jayah

Washington, Kasha Kiana-Lee Hicks

Eric J. Smith, Jeleana DeFranzo, JeBryan “Xylan” Grant, Dervona Hunter

Jerel Palmer

October 2015 STATED 3

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Table of Contents

4 STATED October 2015

Letter From the EditorVolume 8, Issue 2 of STATED Magazine.

Netflix and Chill?What do guys really mean when they want to “Netflix and chill”?

Will You Help Yourself?Professional growth at SC State.

Must Be The MoneySC State’s athletic marketing interns are about their business.

NaturalWhat’s not to love about your natural hair?

Good, But Not Good Enough!!Defining the classic rap album.

Fall Into SeasonFashion for the fall.

Let The People Know: KRSImagesSC State’s most popular small business.

I can honestly say that working on this second issue of the 2015 school year has proven to be one of the most fun and fulfilling endeavors I’ve experienced here at South Carolina State University.

Last semester, we began working on the Back To School issue of the magazine, hoping to rebrand the image of STATED while we were at it. In August, that issue was released and we felt like it was the first step to taking STATED where we want it to go. Naturally, we wanted to improve on that, and within this issue I think we have. We added four pages to the magazine for more content, researched different ways we could make the magazine more fun to read and more interactive for readers, and focused on ways we could take the magazine to the next level.

The first step to doing this, naturally, was the cover feature. What would it be this time around? Who would be on the cover? We bounced from idea to idea, but a focus of ours was to highlight African-Americans and to re-affirm our value through the magazine. We all know what’s been going on outside of the walls of our institution, with the value of our people seemingly being openly questioned with several events this year regarding law enforcement and government. One way we believed we could speak to our black culture in a positive way is by highlighting some of the examples we have here on this very campus of African and African-American culture being very much alive and well. This is how we stumbled across the idea of featuring some of the natural-haired women on our campus.

We chose six ladies—each ranging from light

to dark skin tones, different ages, different backgrounds, hailing from different parts of America. We wanted to highlight how our culture spans across many different African-Americans, and that there is no stereotypical face that could represent our culture as a whole with so much diversity within our community.

From the interviews we held with the ladies to the photoshoot we had with them (and constantly calling some of them back for re-takes and extras), to seeing the ladies come together and become friends and begin to immediately relate to each other, the whole experience completing the feature and the cover was, simply put, just a whole lot of fun. We’d love for our readers to be able to enjoy reading the magazine as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together.

With this issue, we want the readers to know that we’re taking steps to make STATED better than it’s ever been before, and we’re excited to present to you Volume 8, Issue 2 of STATED Magazine.

Thanks for reading,

Robert S. Blue II • Editor-In-Chief


There’s currently a popular new phrase on the rise used in the teen community, and there is some controversy going on about this new phrase that gets people laughing: “Netflix and chill.” There are many variations on what “Netflix and chill” means and what people think it means, so we wanted to get to the bottom of what it really is—a slick phrase guys and girls use to set up a hook-up. We went out to investigate on campus to hear some students’ anonymous opinions, ranging from males to females, freshmen to seniors. In context the phrase is usually uttered when looking for plans to do that night. For example: “Well, I’m not sure what you want to do tonight, but we can chill at my place and watch some Netflix.” A female upperclassman’s perspective on the popular phrase is that “sometimes Netflix and chill is actually just Netflix and chill”. What else could it be other than what is says? That’s when we dug a little deeper with our question to find out that the phrase means to people. Most people use it as a term for “hooking up”. But how did the Netflix and chill become synonymous with “hookup”? We interviewed a few freshman males and asked them if they Netflix and chilled, and the responses we got were hilarious!

“We chill but we definitely don’t watch Netflix” or “Netflix will be on, but nobody will be watching it.” So how do you go from watching Netflix with someone to getting down and dirty? According to a freshman male, “Netflix is [sex] nowadays. There’s nothing good to watch so you put on something just to put it on, but as time goes by, the movie you put on is actually pretty boring. One thing leads to another with the person you’re chilling with, who is obviously a girl… and after that, Netflix just became good background noise”. Another freshman male revealed all of the secrets. “I would never invite one of my boys over to watch Netflix because everyone knows that’s what we say when we are about to get it on. All guys ask girls to come chill and watch some Netflix if they are trying to get it on and they expect the girl to know what’s up. No one actually wants to watch Netflix”. There you have it: guys definitely have intentions of hooking up when they ask a girl to “Netflix and chill.” We finally have an explanation for all of the funny memes about the phrase we see on social media and it makes them all the more funny now that we understand them.

& Chill?by Jeleana DeFranzo

STATED Magazine


WILL YOU HELP YOURSELF? by JeBryan “Xylan” Grant

GROWTH AT SC STATEThe beauty of professional development is that your job is never done. Too often, students at South Carolina State University expect things to be handed to them, whether that be grades, scholarships, or internships. And yes, while SC State does provide these opportunities for their students, the majority of the students do not take advantage of them. When graduation comes peeping at you around the corner, the student is left not knowing what to do because their unprepared and afraid what the future may bring. To eliminate this problem, here is the guide to growth at SC State:

First thing, knowledge is everything. Without being properly knowledgeable about your field of choice, you’re setting yourself up to be a college graduate without that career you imagined having when you first decided to call SC State your home. Don’t be that student who is content with having a passing grade, because students with that mindset aren’t grabbing any employer’s attention. So now do I have your attention?

Don’t be that person in the back thinking “man, I really don’t understand this stuff, f--- it”, and then proceed to make a “Bored in Class” snap on Snapchat. You may not understand it right now, but persistence is essential to life. Don’t quit on yourself. If you don’t understand, seek help.

(CONT.) Partner with someone in the class or get a tutor. There are far too many resources here for you not to be successful in the classroom.

Next is communication. Too often people are frightened with speaking in front of people. That’s understandable for people to be nervous, but if you want to minimize fear, you must start somewhere. Engage someone you don’t know in a conversation. The topic of conversation can be anything, but it’s the practice that you will need to build your communication skill set. This will build your confidence for future endeavors when speaking to interviewers about the different experiences you have had throughout your life.

I hope you’re still reading.

Next thing with growth is gaining experience in your

field of choice, whether that be management, photography, biology, etc. Gaining experience is one of the most important steps you will take on your bridge to success, because with experience comes further knowledge. You can gain experience in a variety of ways. There are more than 70 organizations on this campus, and at least one of those organizations fit something you want to gain knowledge in and prepare you for careers in your chosen field. Take advantage of these organizations because they are here for you and wouldn’t exist without you.

Throughout your matriculation at SC State, you will meet many individuals with different backgrounds, interest, behaviors, and connections. This, my friend, is where you build up a diverse network of people that you can contact for a variety of different things. Relationships

are the catalyst for success. Imagine if you owned a business and had an excellent network of individuals who supported you and your business. With them supporting you, they could possibly lead to the instant growth of your business. It may be cliché, but it’s true: your net worth is your network. So get out there and associate with people, meet people from a different walk of life, and see the power that having people in your corner has for you.

Growing at South Carolina State University is a process. No individual will have the same process as another. But take advantage of the opportunities you have before you. Be phenomenal in all that you do and learn from each experience you have at SC State. The journey is not about the start, but about the conclusion.

STATED Magazine


MUST BE The Money

by Robert S. Blue II

all access granted


SC State’s group of athletic marketing interns are a big deal. Fondly known as “The Money Team,” the group can be found at every athletics event, anywhere and everywhere on the field or court. That’s not a name that is thrown around recklessly, because The Money Team is worth the hype. Jazmine Diggs, Toi Lathan, Rashad Lemon, Wymark Barton, and Jerel Palmer make up the senior five members of “The Money Team,” the name that perfectly brands the group, now 15 members strong. From organizing activities before, during, and after games, to organizing the band, catering to alumni, and event planning, the group has shown that they are one of the most reliable groups of students available on campus.

Current Money Team president Jazmine Diggs, creative director Wymark Barton, and videographer Jerel Palmer came together in 2012 as “Young Money”—a group of about five interns that were under the Money Team at the time. Under their advisor at the time, the Money Team was responsible for mostly everything going on during games while Young Money was over The Junkyard and student sections. Eventually, they would graduate to the Money Team as reward for their hard work. Toi Lathan, vice president, and Rashad Lemon, videographer, joined the team in following years.

Lemon: “I do video. I chose that because when I did the application and interview process, they ask you to put down what your skills are and go in-depth about what each position is and what your skills are and how you can help. My helping out was video and editing work.”

Lathan: “I like to consider myself a floater. I do anything and everything. Whatever you need me to do, I’m there to assist you. Whatever Jaz needs me to do, I’m there.”

Barton: “My job is being the creative director, making sure that everybody’s creative thoughts conjoin and making

sure every video idea is a process and making sure that every marketing idea is out there. I also ensure that the new members are keeping track of what we’re doing so they don’t feel left out.”

Diggs: “As president, I do anything and everything. I assist with promo video shooting for football and basketball. I am pretty much Ms. Karen [Carty]’s shadow. Whatever she needs me to do on gameday, I do it. From event planning to planning halftime games to even helping to order promotional items for giveaways at games. I also assist in the interview process and selecting new interns. I’m in the [the office] a lot during the week… whatever my advisors need, I do it. And I do it without hesitation.”

What makes the Money Team work well is the friendships that have been forged through years of working together. Some of the members have been best friends even before the Money Team. Others? Working closely with the group naturally developed bonds that would lead them to be great co-workers and friends.

Lathan: “[Our old advisor] made sure the interns were good friends as well as good co-workers.”

Diggs: “We do things outside of these rooms here. “We go eat lunch together, we eat before the games, and we hang out after the games and during the week, just as regular friends would do.”

Lathan: When you become a part of the Money Team, we are going to joke. For example, we make fun of Wymark all the time. There’s never a day that goes by that we let Wymark be great. That’s just not a part of the Money Team. If you’re on the Money Team, Wymark cannot be great. We’re always joking and laughing.”

What are some of their favorite memories as athletic

The Money

all access granted

Spotlight: The Money Team


interns? Unanimously, they agreed it was their trip to Orlando for the 2015 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney, in which the Bulldogs played and defeated the Arkansas Pine-Bluff Golden Lions. For their hard work during the 2014-2015 athletic season, the Money Team received park passes at Disneyworld, allowing them to vacation for the weekend and explore everything Disney—every park, every attraction.

Lathan: “The majority of the trip was a big surprise to us,” We had the opportunity to meet the people who work for ESPN, and we were able to get VIP passes to go to the press box and other really, really good opportunities.”

Lemon: “I’m not going to lie, I had a little attitude. Security was like ‘you can’t walk past here’, and I’m like ‘alright’ and flashed the pass!”

Diggs: “Nothing can beat Orlando. That is probably the best intern memory we have as a team.”

Lathan: “That was their thank you, their appreciation gift to us.”

With Homecoming on the horizon, we asked about the different things they do to prepare for Homecoming and Youth Day events. What about handling the celebrities that come by for Youth Day? What parts do the Money Team play in that?

Lathan: “Diggy Simmons came by a few years ago. I remember he was in the State Room and we had to get him from the State Room to the 1890 Research & Extension Building… we had to basically babysit Diggy. We were with him at all times, made sure he was where he needed to be on time, and then his clothes were wrinkled and so we had to get them iron and ironing boards. It was hectic. But at Homecoming, it’s really, really crazy and hectic because you have so many people here and it’s so much Bulldog pride and it’s so amazing to see people out here tailgating, and you’re just really in a vibe. If you’re not in your zone for any other game, you’re in your zone for the Homecoming game.”

What is The Money Team relationship with their advisor, Karen Carty?

Diggs: “Ms. Karen is amazing. When I tell you we couldn’t have been blessed with a better advisor. I’m thankful for our [former advisor], because he’s the one that really got us started on our way, but Ms. Karen… she came and stepped up to the plate and accepted us for who we really are. She took us under her wing. She made sure we got the best possible experience.

Lemon: “I don’t know anybody that can actually be Ms. Karen. This year was the first time it had ever happened, but she went through the hard work of getting us awards and plaques at the athletics banquet. I thought that was mad cool.”

Barton: “She always makes sure the things I was good at, that I would keep up with them.”

Lemon: “She’s actually said this a couple of times—she’s said that we make it worth it for her to come to work and we make her feel young and everything. She loves us, and we love her too.”

Diggs: “She really encourages us to be the best that we can be. I believe that we all have perfected our crafts because of her.”

Some of the clout that comes with being an original member of the Money Team is that they hold interview sessions for prospective new members of the Money Team.

Lathan: “In the interview, we’re watching your body language and your vibe. A lot of the time, people are nervous and we tell them not to be nervous. We’re not stick-in-the-muds. It’s really a fun environment.

Diggs: “When people act interested in the Money Team, they want to do the internship but they think all we do is get passes to stand on the sideline. You may see us standing on the sideline from time to time, but that’s only because we’re stopping and doing something or stopping and handling something.

Lathan: Most people bite off more than they can chew. When gameday comes, they look at their responsibilities and they freeze up. Until they get a day in our shoes, they don’t really understand the work we do.”

And their work isn’t easy to do, and it isn’t easy to execute the same way these interns do. If it was, they wouldn’t be the Money Team.

They’ve earned their name and after they graduate, they plan on doing even better things as they represent South Carolina State and the Money Team. Until then, whenever you see red polos and vigirous activity on the sideline, just know... it must be the money.

COMFORT

STYLE

+

=

KELZFOOTWEAR

W W W . K E L Z F O O T W E A R . C O M

(natural) Six gorgeous women tell us the life of a natural-haired beauty.

The ups, the downs, why they love their hair, and why you should love yours, too.

by Robert S. Blue II

N

Ladies, tell us why you wear your hair natural.

atural hair. For African-Americans, women especially, even something as simple as the style of your hair could hold endless meaning. There’s history that is reflected in how one wears their hair. There’s centuries of culture—some

relevant, some forgotten—that is represented in the purity of natural hair, each style telling a story of its own that not only represents the woman rocking the style but the idea of something bigger than herself.

African-American women have been straightening their hair and chemically processing their hair for decades. Hours spent at salon shops and hundreds of dollars spent on synthetic hair are often seen as alternatives for wearing their hair freely, sporting their natural curls and embracing the natural black standard of beauty. However, more and more women have been turning to natural hair, and the effect can even be seen in many places.

We gathered six beautiful natural-haired women, each with different backgrounds and histories and hairstyles to ask them about their hair. How do they do it? Why do they do it? Why do they love their hair and what does it mean to them?

Do they realize what it means to proudly wear their natural hair in America in this day and age? Do you?

We sat them all down to answer all of these questions and more.

a common style for their peers, especially in high school, and strived to be different.

“I’ve had a perm since around the third grade, because my hair was too thick for my mom to braid” says Sadiia Cardwell, a sophomore hailing from New York. “It was my sophomore year of high school, and I didn’t like it anymore, especially since I felt like I associated long hair with beauty and everything, and I was one of the only black girls with long hair. So at the end of sophomore year, I cut it off into, like, a fade. But then I didn’t like it and went back to a perm, didn’t like that, grew it out... went natural and then my hair fell out. And now I’ve been natural for three years.”

The hairstyle represents change for some of the girls. Often in cultures, the cutting of one’s hair represents a new chapter to life or a new start. India Chapman, freshman broadcasting major from Georgia, did just that when she cut her hair to represent a start of a new life just before enrolling at South Carolina State University. Her hair is representative of a new phase of her life.

Emerald Bowman believes that her hair represents her culture and the roots of her heritage. “When I thought about it, I felt like I would be embracing who

“I went natural my junior year of high school,” says Lakaiia Adams, senior. “For me, it was kind of like a spur of the moment thing. Everybody was getting perms and at the time I just didn’t see the point of getting a perm. It just didn’t seem healthy, putting those chemicals in your hair, and it would always break off. And so I just decided to go natural. And I liked it.”

For some girls, natural hair was against the norm. Many of the girls noticed that perms were


What significance does your natural hair have to you?

What do you think the perception of natural hair is

today?

Cover Feature: Natural


I am as a person and embracing my natural roots, so I just went ahead with the big chop and here I am with natural hair.”

For Malika Meriwether, junior fashion merchandising major from New York, it was even simpler:

“I got ‘locs because I hated getting my hair done. I hated the braids, I hated the barrettes, all that.

“I don’t like straight hair on me. I like big hair.”

In early African civilizations, hairstyles could indicate a person’s family background, tribe, and social status. It has been hypothesized that natural African and African-American hair is texturized the way it is in order to protect against the heat and sun of the region. In a follow-up to this thesis, it has been further hypothesized that natural African hair was the original hair texture of modern humans prior to the migration out of Africa.

Natural hair holds value. It holds history. It holds significance to every woman who wears her hair natural, even if the significance may vary from person to person. India Chapman, new to the natural hair wave, feels the difference quickly in her short time with her new look.

“Even though I’m the same person, I feel like my identity is changing” says Chapman, in reference to the change she feels her hair represents. “The speaker at [SC State’s 2015 Fall Convocation] mentioned how you have to be more than your given name. Your name changes as you grow and start changing. To me, my hair is the same way. I’m changing; I’m growing.”

Jeleana DeFranzo, freshman biology major from Boston, remembers when she was asked to go to prom. It was through a text message. But that wasn’t the worst part.

“My prom date asked me to prom because I had flatironed my hair,” she says. “He’s like ‘you know, I love

What is your opinion on weave?

Cover Feature: Natural


your curly hair, but are you going to straighten it for prom?’ For him to ask me to prom only if my hair was straight, I was kind of offended.”

Before she had gone natural, Emerald Bowman had just went through her last perm. When she went through her “big chop” (one of the natural hair introductory methods, in which one cuts their hair down past the perm to which only the natural hair remains), she saw plenty of reactions.

“When I got my hair to the bob, the reactions at school were like... everyone was like ‘Emerald, no!’” Bowman says. “With me, I was just getting to the point where I question what is beauty, what’s the perception of beauty in our generation with our skin color, our hair, what have you.”

“I’ve seen a lot of girls with natural hair, like real natural hair, like the actual ‘fro natural hair and ‘locs” says Meriwether.

African-American women have been trending towards sporting their natural curls in recent years. The numbers definitely support the natural hair movement. The research group Mintel stated that in

2009, $200 million was spent on hair relaxers targeted towards black customers. By 2013, that number had droped to $148 million, and is expected to reach as low as $79 million by 2019.

For perms, the numbers have shown a similar decline in revenue and sales. Pretty big deal, considering that perms and relaxers have been a strong part of African-American culture for decades, surviving through many hair movements such as the Black is Beautiful movement in the 1960’s, the Jheri Curl era, and the nouveau curl phase of the 1990’s.

Perms and synthetic hair are often looked towards in black culture as a representation of living up to a European standard of beauty, as straight hair originates from that culture rather than black culture. That style of hair for black women often comes under fire and wearers are at times criticized for deviating from their own culture’s standard of beauty.

Lakaiia Adams enjoys her natural hair, and wants to know why more girls don’t venture into the natural hair experiment.

“What I’ve seen on campus and just in general is that a lot of females will come up to me with this long weave in their hair and they’ll say, ‘oh, I’m natural too!’ And I’m just like, why are you not wearing your hair? I don’t know why they don’t want to express themselves more. It’s like you’re putting on a mask, that’s what I see it as. When you come out and you wear weave, you’re covering something up.”

“Back in the day I used to be teased for having ‘locs,” Meriwether tells us when questioned about faux dreadlocks and yarn braids. “I used to be teased, called ugly and everything because I had ‘locs. But now all of a sudden, it’s a whole big thing. ‘Oh, she’s beautiful because she has ‘locs’. But they’re not real. They’re not really ‘locs. I had to go through the whole struggle and the whole process of getting to where I am now.”

“I think it’s just a society thing--why we think that the long, straight hair is nicer,” Chapman theorizes. “A lot of girls who walk around on campus--a lot of girls who walk around anywhere--have weaves or straightener in their hair. I’m not putting anybody

Talk to us about taking care of your hair.


Cardwell. “Whether it’s twisting it up or plaiting it. It depends. If you want to do something special—bantu knots, flexi rods, yeah. But most of the time I just put five braids in my hair and then sleep.”

“When I do my hair,” Adams begins, “I twist it every night. Only because the shrinkage is ridiculous and [the twists] just elongate it. There are those who would probably think that doing that every night is a hassle, but honestly once it becomes a routine, you know you just have to do your hair. It’s just a part of the nightly routine.”

African-American women purchase more cosmetics and beauty products than any other ethnic group. What are some of the expenses that are involved with taking care of natural hair?

“First off, it depends on how your texture is in your hair” says Bowman. “Type 1 straight, Type 2 is the wavy-curly type. Type 3 is curly-kinky, I think, and 4, which is mine, is coily, kinky, and course.”

DeFranzo spends about $20 a month on products. “People don’t understand. When we buy things, we really have to cake it on. It’s not like, ‘oh, let me just put a little bit on—’no. A whole bottle of oil, a whole

down for that, though, because I was down for it for the longest.”

“For my hair, I have to do it every night,” says

thing of this... it’s not a little bit. I can put the whole bottle in my hair and it won’t be greasy.”

There are understandable hesitations that come with making the leap into the natural hair journey. Especially early on in the process, each of these girls would tell you that confidence is key for anyone who is interested in going the natural route:

“I feel like ‘locs, when you first start, that’s where you have the most problems,” says Meriwether. “Patience is key. All these girls with long ‘locs... to get this? Real ‘locs? It takes patience. And be confident. Try little things like wear makeup, wear big earrings... sometimes when you have short hair, people think that’s kind of manly. I don’t know why. But do little extra stuff. Make yourself feel beautiful.”

“Your hair doesn’t wear you. You wear your hair,” says Cardwell. “[Natural hair] is versatile, despite the different hair textures. Have fun with it.”

“I would always recommend to do the chop,” says Adams. “It’s much healthier. I did the transition. If I could go back and do it over, I would do the big chop. My confidence then probably wasn’t where it is now, but it’ll get there and you’ll love your hair even more. It actually becomes fun after a while.”

“Before you do [your natural hair experiment], just make sure you’re secure with yourself,” Bowman says. “Know that it comes with committment and patience and just being confident about what you should do. You should be fine, and just find the right products. You’ll get to know what your texture is.”

“Just embrace it” says DeFranzo. “Embrace who you are because you’ll love it. I did.”

Classic (adj.) /klasik/ - judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind.

The term “classic” may be the most overused word in rap. The new Future/Drake collaboration? Classic. That Kendrick album? Classic. The snare drums on that Young Thug song? Classic. The Kanye West album that hasn’t dropped yet? Classic.

Most people call it a classic without knowing what it really means, almost to the point that being a classic means nothing. There is no criteria or standard. It’s like the basketball Hall of Fame: if it’s pretty good, it’s getting in. But that’s not how it should be. The classics should be the upper echelon; the epitome of rap. No more skaters. No more exceptions. It’s time to define the classic rap album.

The greatest impact on the definition of an impeccable rap album is the influence the album had. “808s and Heartbreak” is a classic because of how it changed the

perception of what a rapper could do. It birthed the careers of Drake, Future, and Childish Gambino. And while Ye’s “Graduation” killed gangsta rap (when was the last time you heard a good 50 Cent song?), 808s confirmed the transition into a more pop-friendly rap. Future (“Pluto”) and Drake (“Take Care”) paved the way for Young Thug, Fetty Wap, and Chance The Rapper to balance singing and rapping.

See the influence and impact? Classic.

But think about that argument. The most consistent thing about the influences that these projects had is that it took time to see it happen. That means “To Pimp A Butterfly” can’t be a classic after a month. “Dirty Sprite 2” is not enough to be a classic because y’all won’t listen to it anymore now that “What A

Good,But Not Good Enough!!

Def ning the Classic Rap AlbumBy Marquis Wallace

i _

STATED Magazine


Time To Be Alive” has dropped. But if enough time has gone by to measure the influence of “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City” or a less-heralded album like “Pluto”, then we may be cooking with grease there.

The quality of an album, though secondary to its influence and time, is also important. “Reasonable Doubt” and “Ready to Die” are known for their stellar singles (“Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Juicy”) as well as their album cuts (“Friend or Foe,” “Unbreakable”). You can only skip one track on “Graduation” (“Drunk and Hot Girls”) and “Illmatic” is full of heat; no filler. A classic album must be ninety percent amazing. There can’t be three or four songs that you skip. Those are a part of the album, too. However, that does not mean that the entire album is garbage because three tracks are. It just means it cannot be called a classic album.

So let’s look at some modern albums.

“White People Party Music,” Nick Cannon: No influence, whatsoever. Most people didn’t even know that Nick Cannon had a second album. “Gigolo” couldn’t even save this one. This does not exist.

“Electric Circus,” Common: It has influence... but for all of the wrong reasons. It was a bad step out of Common’s traditional sound. It was not bad, but it certainly won’t get any replays. You’ve probably never heard of it, either.

Others: Jay-Z’s “Kingdom Come,” Rick Ross’s “Mastermind,” Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment’s “Surf ”

“Cole World: The Sideline Story” J. Cole: We may call these “good” albums. Y’all are going to hate me for this, but look at the bigger picture. How many songs get played from this song on the regular? “Nobody’s Perfect” and... what else? Exactly. While this catapulted Jermaine to the mainstream

limelight, it wasn’t because of his music. It was just a celebration of a rapper who was working so hard to make it big time. The influence is high. The quality is not. But maybe time will help it some more.

Others: Wale’s “Ambition,” Big Sean’s “Finally Famous,” Future’s “Pluto”

“American Gangster” Jay-Z: This goes to the great albums, like Mr. Carter’s 2007 album, “American Gangster”. The impact was high, as this was a “back to basics” sort of album, and the quality did not disappoint with tracks like “Success,” “Blue Magic,” and “I Know.” It may not be your favorite, but it’s the greatest O.G.’s greatest modern moment.

Others: T.I.’s “Paper Trail,” Lupe Fiasco’s “Food and Liquor,” Young Jeezy’s “The Recession”

“Teflon Don,” Rick Ross: You may be confused, but the impact is clear. “Teflon Don” took Ross from being an ordinary rapper to being one of the hottest in the game. “BMF” was the rebirth of trap. Maybach Music Group was catapulted into the limelight. With the lush sounds of “Free Mason”(with a gorgeous verse from Shawn Carter) and the third installment of the Maybach Music series in “Maybach Music III”, Ross took the controversy that 50 Cent threw at him and flipped it on its head. It is storytelling at its finest. Influence. Time. Quality. Classic.

Others: Drake’s “Take Care,” Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III”

If you really break down your favorite albums, it’s clear that while some of them may be great, they might not all be classics. Classic albums become the moments and transcend that moment. Never forget that time changes things. “Reasonable Doubt” took years to be recognized as a classic album. So next time Future drops a mixtape, give it some time to grow and develop. Time makes no mistakes.

Horrible!

Below Average

Average

Above Average

Classic!!


Fall Into Photography by Eric J. Smith

Annotations by Skyler Suber and Tobias Copeland

Season

Professionalism At Its

Best.. Xylan profiles in a tailored three piece metallic grey suit. Jayah dominates in

her black pant suit with the contrast of her floral print

point-toe pumps.

attitude makes the lookKasha is the definition of class meets sass with her lovely grey wool textured

peacoat, fitted black dress that accentuates

her curves and peep toe heels.

Fall Nights Take a look at Xylan in his charming patterned cardigan and fitted

khaki pants. Alongside him is Kasha styling a black and white polka dot crew neck sweater, flirty black leather skirt, and booties.

Jayah is ready for fall.

are you? She’s looking good,

rocking a textured cream cardigan, graphic tank and olive skater skirt.

Kalen Ross is a force to be reckoned with; someone who’s aware of his purpose and how to profit. The Campus Activities Board Vice President, member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and young entrepreneur does it all. The senior art major is the creator/owner of the ever so popular “KRSImages” (safe to say the brand’s catchy name was inspired by his own name, Kalen Ross Smith).

KRSImages started humbly, as all businesses do. Capturing special moments is something that’s been important to Ross since early childhood. The Kansas native started his business as a photographer, simply off the love of the art. From a disposable camera, to a digital camera, to the Nikon that certified him as a photographer, his equipment has grown with the brand as well as the name.

His junior year in high school was the start of what has developed into his business. Ross started his business as a photographer, simply from the love of the art. Although high school is where it started, he really began to expand the KRSImages brand his sophomore year as an SC State Bulldog. Around that time, Ross’ love for event photography had begun to fade. Unsure of what caused the growing disinterest in photography, he moved onto graphic design, which allowed him “the ability to maneuver in a program with limitless possibilities”. It was this that birthed KRSImages as a digital media and design business.

Even with the switch from photography to graphic design, his fellow Bulldogs continue to support his ability to create unique visuals. Ross references the Beta Delta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the Alpha Xi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and the Men Against Cancer organization as just a few organizations who really started him off on the growth of his skill and his brand’s establishment as a reliable and popular source of imagery and designs.

The support that he’s received from other groups as well as other small businesses is something Ross doesn’t take lightly, and something he will not forget.

“I don’t think people fully understand what it means to a small business owner when you are constantly receiving support and people are constantly hitting you up for a design or something like that,” said Ross.

He even recounted with us the times that he would go out of his way to support other small businesses. If the store who tailors his suits is closed on a day? Ross would gladly wait to support the business, even if he ends up paying a bit more for the product. He’ll go there every time he needs something tailored. Every time.

“It just goes to show that small businesses support each other in any way that they can,” said Ross.

KRSImages is built on the drive of this young and rising star as much as it is built on the support he receives and the people who are happy to be a part of the growth of the brand. That’s what the brand is about. That’s what keeps it going.

“That spirit of support is built in one individual and spreads to other individuals,” he concludes.

by Skyler Suber

KRSIMAGESLet The people know:

STATED Magazine


“I don’t think people fully understand what

it means to a small business owner when

you are constantly receiving support.”

- Kalen Ross


FLYERDESIGNS

$35

VIDEO FLYERDESIGNS

$70

D I G I T A L M E D I A & D E S I G NKRSimages

stated magazine: volume 8, issue 2

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