When asked why I do what I do by MTV Staying Alive, the answers seemed pretty simple...
My Right To Tell The Story
Guest blogger Dwain Lucktung has submitted this piece about how he uses his passion for journalism as a form of expression; as part of our “Right To Be Me” series in the run up to the International AIDS Conference 2010 in Vienna...
Censorship occurs around the world – padlocking the voices of freedom and expression. Whilst certain powers that be continue to pursue this oppression, I believe journalism (and more so online journalism today) remains the key to unhinging the strangle-hold some corrupt bodies have. I embrace my right to expose the lies and speak the truth, and my passion enables me to do that and share that information with my peers – so why stop now.
Journalism is something I’ve always seen myself doing and something I now do with great pride. It’s so much more than reading, writing and reporting. It’s about communicating, networking, really getting out there, adapting with the world’s audiences and living the stories you write about.
The best students don’t necessarily make the best journalists… I learnt that pretty swiftly following my 3-year crawl through university. I hated mundane lectures, exams and alcoholic/monotone professors, but I lived for the REAL aspects of journalism – the stuff they can’t teach you; bundling your way through a mass protest (for that perfect snapshot), exposing government corruption (with that dangerous frontline atmosphere), reviewing Vancouver’s finest on the music scene to interviewing kids on the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo – and all to bring home a compelling story.
Come to mind, I doubt I could do anything else even partially as well. I’m way too fidgety a person, boredom strikes too easily (yes I was that student dozing off at the back of the lecture hall), but journalism is a 24/7 game I think I’ll be able to play for at least a few more years.
When I was a nervous, stuttering, chubby teen writer bustling through east London, one of my lifelong mentors always told me, ‘Find your voice, and find the power of journalism’. Sounds like a very soppy Spiderman-esque life motto, but that is exactly why journalism is such a personal thing, you are communicating a story that may resonate with so many, yet is so personal at the same time. I still won’t undermine the sensation of seeing your name (however small and italic) credited for a stunning, thought-provoking little piece of media. I think any author, blogger, writer and journalist would get the jist of that cheesy thought…
But there’s the life lesson that I hope to leave for the next generation of budding street reporters. Exercise your right to live and breathe your passion and you will find that not only will you empower yourself but you’ll capture others in turn. And don’t worry about the bags under your eyes, like me – embrace them with a stiff cup of coffee and scheduled power-naps.
Have you heard of the Robin Hood Tax campaign?? If you haven't you definitely want to get on board this 'steal from the rich to give to the poor' in-your-face activist project. It's all about demanding the big boy bankers to give a tiny proportion (0.05%) of their transactions to those needing the most 'small change' in order to combat the biggest problems of climate change and poverty...
Watch the video below, which features in my Ctrl.Alt.Shift monthly round-up. It's about fighting tax corruption, bigging up the feminist activists shouting proud, the great on-ground work of overseas volunteering programme Platform2, and rubbing shoulders with hip hop's finest - Bizarre to Snoop Doggy Dogg:
Editor's Blog - Gender Power, Platform2 & Snoop Dogg
It's been a while since I did a round-up - blame the hectic world of Ctrl.Alt.Shift (and the ruthless distractions of the World Cup and Wimbledon; of which I lost a bit of pride, and a larger bit of my wallet through various winner-takes-all sweepstake bets).
However, speaking specifically from the CAS editor's hotter than hot seat - I can say it's been nothing short of an exciting and rather blurry first couple of months, with much credit due for the fantastic, ever expanding batch of contributors to the website. With the merely impossible task of listing every bit of content that sent that tingle; here are my recent highlights, in and out of these stuffy CAS walls…
GENDER EMPOWERMENT – as strong as ever on the agenda. The creation of the UN Women body seems solid proof that whilst progress has been made since the days of grave oppression and ‘No vote if you’re a skirt!’ - the job is certainly not done; especially in regions of the world where females remain second-class citizens… still, it’s another step in the right direction, as described here by Adizah Tejani.
Also embodying female voices of inspiration - check out HIV activist Carol Grayson's stunning blogs for us. And keep an eye out for writer Jacqueline Campbell; slightly off the CAS radar (though soon to find a home on our blogroll), she is as outspoken as it gets, hitting hard on gender issue case studies, relentless in the fight for the equal rights and justice for women. Stay tuned, her voice is set to rumble our stage…
Activism spans across all global and social issues which passionate people believe are worth fighting for. Queue the Climate9 crew who I’m thrilled to have on board. The climate change activists (from Plane Stupid) are undeterred by arrests and possible prison sentences (occupying Aberdeen airport was worth it!), and now, fresh from their court room drama, they’re set to deliver a grand series of blogs to demonstrate how they get down. Check out their CAS contributions so far, an interview with C9 member Dan Glass and the beauty of civil disobedience by Richard George.
All the Postcard From The Edge writers (new and old), offering their diaries from across the world, are still going strong.
As are the mass of Platform2 volunteers who are doing a heap of collaborative actions with CAS, from writing for the site about their ten week experiences in developing countries, to launching a stunning EP called ‘I Am The Change’ , to running events and exhibitions; the next one being the ONE : SIX : EIGHT : ZERO art showcase at Proud’s Strand Gallery in central London on July 23. It’ll be free – it’ll be inspirational – it’ll be emotional and memorable. So come on down for a mingle…
My Video of the Week award goes to the latest Robin Hood Tax campaign viral, featuring Sir Ben Kingsley and old CAS ambassador, actor Noel Clarke. This is how you go street on tax corruption and global poverty:
Finally, celeb gossip always lightens the mood, but unlike Now or OK!, here at CAS we ask the questions that go beyond the glitz and glamour and into the pits of fighting injustice and mentalities towards poverty… the good stuff! – so many thanks to our latest targets, Matisyahu, D-12 rap artist Bizarre, K’NAAN (and the many more to come) for stepping up for a CAS Q&A grilling.
Note: The legend that is Snoop Dogg would’ve been a nice addition, however my 1-on-1 with the ‘tha Doggfather’ last week was specifically for RWD (which can be read here). Still, one can dream what the hip hop God would’ve responded to other less conventional questions surrounding poverty, climate change, corruption, HIV stigma and the rest. Nevertheless, beyond chatting about fashion and smashing it up at festivals, it was good to hear Snoop talk about the positive influence of music: “I think music brings a positive change in anybody. Look around at some of these artists, and not just rappers - but those who have come from hard backgrounds and tough lifestyles, or some sort of struggle to get to where they’re at; they’re able to create music to make people understand and appreciate.”
From Glastonbury action to CAS action - we hear that Snoop.
The legend was laiiiiid back. The 15 minute sesh flew by as he sat behind his shades spouting quirky remarks. For such a pivotal figure in the hip hop industry, it was a slightly more humble performance than I was expecting by Mr Gin & Juice; who confessed herbal tea was actually his poison of choice before showtime (that part didn't make the cut in this publication - so there's your exclusive).
'Don't meet you heroes because they always disappoint you' is a common phrase amoung journos. And whilst d-o-double G is far from my personal idol, I've got to say the gangsta rapper of hip hop royalty stepped up to my plate as the undisupted Doggfather. Here's the Q&A for RWD online:
Online Interview: Snoop Dogg
After topping the UK singles chart (alongside fellow California-bred Katy Perry), tearing it up at Shepherd’s Bush Empire and smashing the Wireless and Glasto fests – Snoop Dogg remains perched on top of the hip hop food chain. Dwain Lucktung catches up with The legend, Tha Doggfather, to talk about his latest projects, including the Malice In Wonderland album and why he’s the only gangsta rapper to be a Jedi in adidas’ Star Wars spoof…
How did it feel to be part of the adidas Star Wars Cantina project? It was cool. They were looking for a villain to do his thing ya’ know – and I was the best person for the job.
What’s it like being back in the UK? It feels good to be back here – happy to finally be able to perform for the people; a lot of the people here appreciate what I do, so I’m very honoured to be back in the UK.
Favourite place to hang? In London…? Probably my hotel room [laughs].
Have you seen any fashion trends in London that you’ll be taking back to the US? I just love the whole vibe of London – that’s why it’s always been one of my favourite spots to come; I’m just trying to marinade and take it all in so I can take some of it, whatever, back home with me.
You’re always in an adidas tracksuits. Who’s your favourite person that wears a tracksuit? It would be Run DMC. They were the ones to make it cool to wear anywhere, no matter what event it was. They were the symbol of the tracksuit, and they helped me figure out how that was what I had to be doing.
(Regarding your acting career) – Are there any UK shows you’d like a shot at? Well my favourite show don’t come on no more – The Benny Hill Show. That was my favourite, I always dreamed of being on that show [laughs].
There are some rumours flying around about you making an appearance in Coronation Street… any truth in that? Some big people in big places were trying to make that happen, so tell your mum it might happen. Stay tuned in…
What kind of TV shows in general do you like watching? I like old school TV shows like Good Times, What’s Happening!!!, The Jeffersons – the latest show I liked was The Wire though; that was a great show.
What can you tell us about your latest album Malice In Wonderland and your various collaborations on it (with the likes of Jazmine Sullivan, Lil Jon, Soulja Boy and others)? Malice was about my growth as an artist, and where I’m at right now. (As for the collaborations) I worked with certain artists that were appealing to me or anyone that I felt could assist on the song I was putting together. You get so far into the music industry like I am and it’s about making the right decision to continue to do what you’re doing, but working with people you like and have never had the opportunity to work with; and I never have a problem with calling and asking. If I love you and appreciate your music, I’ll tell you – “Hey, I love what you’re doing.”
You’ve got some crunk influences on Malice – is that something you’re planning to work more with? Yeah, but I’ve always been a fan of music (in general), so it’s like no matter what country it’s coming from, whether the music is brand new or old school, I’ve always had a love for it and been able to take what is considered new and blend it in with the old (and always make it work).
From Boy Better Know, Wiley to Tinchy Stryder, we have a lot of really good grime acts in the UK – have you ever thought of collaborating with some of them? Yeah definitely! I like Wiley – he’s dope, and I did a remix with Tinie Tempah, so I’m gradually moving my way into the scene here. I feel like that music is well respected here, and it deserves to have worldwide attention; so I’m looking forward to working with some more UK acts.
You played at the Wireless Festival the other day. How did it feel to perform at the festival in front of all those people? I just love performing in front of people that love me. It doesn’t matter where it is. They always tell me when I did Glastonbury that there were about 90,000 fans or something like that. Whatever. I never pay attention to how many people, I’m more about the expression and the feeling people give me. If I perform in front of 5 people who bring a lot more energy, sometimes those 5 people can bring a better show out of me than 90,000.
You’ve broadcasted shows on YouTube before (Snoop Dogg YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/westfesttv?blend=1&ob=4) – how do you feel about the way websites like that and Twitter are changing the way artists communicate with their fans? It’s a great way to get up close and personal with your fans, it gives them a chance to actually be with you in a stage moment – it’s not about a script, they see you being you. It also lets you see what the fans love about you.
You seem to feed off the love of your fans. Whether it’s hip hop or pop, do you believe music can be a catalyst for positive change in you, and people in general? I think music brings a positive change in anybody. Look around at some of these artists, and not just rappers – but those who have come from hard backgrounds and tough lifestyles, or some sort of struggle to get to where they’re at; they’re able to create music to make people understand and appreciate.
You’ve been performing and producing music for long time. What keeps you going? What makes you stop from just laying back and enjoying what you’ve got? I love what I do. Honestly, I take my job seriously, and when I do music, its fun for me too; I enjoy every minute of it.
What is left for Snoop Dogg to achieve? Well I’m actually doing what I’m suppose to be doing right now, so it’s not really about goals or achieving things. I don’t have any goals – I just do what I do and it’s just a natural part of who I am.
So what’s next? Anything you’re working on that’s exclusive? Yeah, I’m working on a new movie and a record called ‘A Woman’s Touch’. It’s a heartfelt movie and album which will be dedicated to all the women in my life including my grandmother, my mum, my wife and my daughter. It’ll be a soft tone Snoop Dogg record that you’ve never heard before…
What’s your advice for relationships, having been in yours for so long? You’ve got to be friends first, whether that’s your opposite or soul mate. You’ve got to be friends because you’ve got to understand them and they’ve got to understand you.
Snoop Dogg motto? I go hard. I don’t know how to go half-speed; whether it’s a scrimmage, a practice or a rehearsal, in front of a thousand people or rehearsing by myself – you can’t tell a difference because I always go hard.
One kool guy - in one cool (though slightly too flash-my-wod-of-cash) location. Through the doors of London's swanky-beyond-swanky Soho House I came, rolling in for my 20 minutes with perhaps my most favourite Jew (aside from Woody Allen), rap artist Matisyahu. I've been watching Matis on Youtube for years, and with his last big debut album hitting our stores a few years back - I'm thinking this might just be the year he jumps back onto the frontline of our iPod playlists...
Here's my Q&A with the guru-esque musical genius - topics of discussion were religion, spirituality, music, music, live music and "fusion":
Ctrl Meets Matisyahu
Two words come to mind after meeting Grammy-nominated Jewish artist Matisyahu - ‘fusion’ and ‘spirituality’; two key aspects that make up his music, and his life…
It was quite an intense session in the plush Soho House rendezvous, as the renowned musician (who I had been watching on YouTube all day) squeezed in some time for me in between creating set lists for his London shows, and planning his trip back to the US to continue the promotion of his next album ‘Light’ (June 21 release date).
Laid back like a guru sipping on chilled tap water, almost every answer to my questions (delving into his musicality, to his thoughts on global issues of poverty and climate change) was postponed for grave thought, and deep consideration. Unlike most ‘celeb’ encounters where regurgitated template responses may roll right off the tongue, it seems Matisyahu is admittedly still on his own journey, still trying to figure out his own identity. Whilst the world’s problems continue to revolve and evolve (some of which are currently involving the people of Matisyahu’s nation), this Brooklyn-raised reggae, hip hop-influenced, pop-rock musician stays true to himself; stepping back from some global politics to tackle his own path and complexities. Enter the mind of the Israeli rapper:
What do people call you for short Matisyahu? Just call me Matis man.
What you been up to this week Matis? I’ve got a record coming out later this month; my next album ‘Light’ with the first single to be released off it, ‘One Day’ - I’ve just been promoting that.
Are you in the UK for long? Only for a few days, I’m here doing a few shows including an acoustic set at The Borderline club: before heading back to America on the weekend.
Tell me about your music? What is the Matisyahu sound? Well the sound is a fusion - it has sort of a reggae core, a hip hop edge, and live…? - It has a free improvisation kind of feel.
I’ve read some things about the importance of your spirituality… Does that play a big part in your music? I am still asking myself that question, and it’s something I’m still grappling with to find a definitive answer… The real question there I guess is ‘Who am I?’ For me, being Jewish is not separate (from me or my music), but it goes beyond just religion - Judaism is a way of life, and like my culture, my history and even the city I live in; they all serve as sources of my identity; and everything that I do (including my music), starts with my background and spirituality in a lot of ways… For example, the music itself is the expression of who I am and obviously an outcome of what I am, but ‘who I am’ relates to where I’ve come from – I was raised and born with a Jewish identity to a certain degree, so it plays a part in all aspects of my life, but we live in a modern (very secular at times) world, so whilst it (Judaism) doesn’t depict what I do, it is always at the back of my consciousness.
Has that always been the case? As I got older I went through a big transition to consider how much Judaism would influence my life, and I realised I was lacking that part of my identity - that’s when I started to delve more into the history and issues of my background, and so it started to become a bigger part of who I am… But at the same time I don’t feel limited by it - humanity is humanity, music is music; Judaism doesn’t change my treatment of that, relationships and the world.
About 12 minutes later, and after a few Matisyahu ‘umm’s and ‘errrr’s –
Kind of a complex question Matis? Nah it’s fine, to be honest I don’t want to waste my time on questions that aren’t complex; questions don’t need to be simple, nothing is black and white… Every question can be deep and treated that way, so let’s continue. Are you proud with the sound and identity you’ve created? Yeah. I have done something that has not really been done by too many people, which is to somehow identify and incorporate specific aspects of Judaism in my life, fusing that identity together with many aspects of modern culture, humanity, and society through my music. My whole ‘thing’ is about blending those parts to form some kind of artistic, creative connection from my roots to my current culture and audience. Music-wise (or just as an individual), would you describe yourself as being politically and socially minded? Not particularly… Though I guess everything is political in some way, even if you’re not political you can end up aligning yourself with some type of politics. But my nature is more spiritual and more of a search to understand my identity, my history, and my future - and less about figuring out the rest of the world.
So, do global issues such as climate change and poverty ever cross your mind…? I think one basic thing that is relevant to me is having that state of awareness, and being respectful of the world in all aspects. It doesn’t necessarily mean being ‘political’, it means respecting people, the world itself and the environment, and to not take for granted a lot of the societal norms - but to actually investigate into them and the hidden problems. For example, I recently became a vegan and stopped eating meat after reading a book on it called ‘Eating Animals’ by Jonathan Safran Foer. It opened my eyes to all of that…
Get on board peoples! As aforementioned in many of my past blog posts, the Youth-Led Media Network is well in motion - a huge UK-wide directory of youth-led media organisations and playas in the field; offering contacts, jobs and mentoring, training and general peer-on-peer chit-chat.
The young Network directors (a team of around a dozen, including moi) have already received a mass of support and endorsements (not least from over 150 youth-led media organisations across the nation), but funding is required to put all the thoughts and strategies into action.
To show your support on our dreams to fully engage and connect the potential of the UK's youth media, check out the link below, add a comment, click and give a thumbs up - it's a 60 second action to support a progressive plan we fully believe is needed:
From Kenya to the UK, from Kurt Cobain to Anais Nin, this 'Dear Diary' event is going to turn heads across the nation. All the info is below and here, the exhibition is only open for two weeks so get your asses down to Covent Garden and sneak a gander at some limited edition material...
The end of one era = the eruption of new one (at least that's my current mission, as newly appointed digital content editor of Ctrl.Alt.Shift). With so many achievements roped in by the former editor, my mentor and friend, Chantelle Fiddy, I dare say there's a daunting (albeit exciting too) follow-up journey ahead. But my plan is to continue the hard-hitting edge of CAS content, retain the old, whilst bringing in new passionate contributors (jet me an email if you're up for the challenge!) who will be the social commentors on current affairs for the next generation - look out for reports from Ghana to the Middle East...
Below is my latest round-up for the initiative, and first report as editor. I give thanks and endless love to the Fiddy, give the latest stats on our Haiti appeal, with a low-down on how our Unmasks Corruption comic UK tour is going, and a heads up on our rave in Manchester. All good things now, and upon the horizon. Enjoy the next chapter, I'm writing it as I go along:
CAS Round-up: Comic Tour, Haiti News, And A Fond Farewell
With so much going in the world of Ctrl.Alt.Shift right now, we thought we’d round up the latest action – just in case you’re struggling to juggle our manic movements across the nation…
Our Haiti work has come over leaps and bounds since the tragic earthquake in January. Following the Haiti rave we held two weeks after the quake (which brought in over £10,000 from supporters/ravers), in February, Ctrl.Alt.Shift launched a massive auction through eBay; selling off bundle after bundle of amazing and unique items to raise even more money for the Haiti emergency appeal.
We auctioned a lifesize Kung Fu Panda, signed cds, concert tickets, a Kate Moss handbag, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hang out with Diversity at their studio, two signed Sony PSPs, and loads of other collector's items…
The auction is now closed, but we’ve got great feedback from some very happy customers, including, “Fantastic, glad to support the cause and also get something I wanted!” and, “Greatttttttttttttt AAAAAAAAA++++++++++++” (little sense – but we understood the sentiment). Altogether we sold about 20 items and have raised more than £2200, bringing our total for Haiti to well over £12,000 – and you can find out where your money went here. Also note you can continue to donate to the cause here.
With Haiti’s people in our sights, that hasn’t stopped us building our movement across the UK – which has been growing with our Unmasks Corruption comic exhibition tour. We’ve hit Bristol, Nottingham, Liverpool and Leeds so far – with Manchester’s Noiselab being our next pit-stop on the map (details coming soon).
Manchester’s getting a double dose of CAS action this month, as on April 30 we will collaborate with Mind on Fire for a dubstep showcase to kick-start your summer. Contact Theatre is the venue, £4 on door is the price, so book it in and make sure you don’t miss out on the live artwork, films, and groundshaking beats provided by Nedry, In The Loop and a host of other DJ’s.
With all this, our CAS world of content bids a fond farewell to the beloved Chantelle Fiddy who has moved on to pasture new...
I am a journalist and digital media/content editor/manager based in London, the former digital content editor of Ctrl.Alt.Shift (Christian Aid's youth political and social issue magazine), former senior content and community manager for Livity (working specifically on Spinebreakers, somewhereto_ and Live Mag UK) - currently working as digital media manager at Excellent Development (a charity supporting communities in countries such as Kenya, India, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to transform their lives with sand dams). In the past I have freelanced for the likes of RWD, the Guardian, The Independent, MTV Staying Alive (and others). I have also been a part-time mentor for young writers at Interact Magazine, an advisor in the ‘Platforma Arts and Refugees Network’ London hub, a mentor for Channel 4's Battlefront campaigners, and one of the directors of the Youth-led Media Network (now the Youth Media Agency). In 2011, I was a London360 blogger for Media Trust's Community Channel, represented as a social reporter at the 2011 London Youth Policy Symposium, and was on the drafting committee representing as a delegate at the UNAIDS Youth Summit On HIV in Mali. On my travels, I have provided global and social news reports from the DRCongo to Vancouver. Currently I am also a trustee for the Youth Media Agency, and adviser for SetOff Magazine.
