Real Rad Magazine : Summer Quarterly 2015

QBERT
THE STUDENT • THE MASTER
MOVIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS • SUMMER TRENDS
JEROD DAVIES • ART OF OAKTOPIA
MUSIC STREAMING • PERSONAL BRANDING 101

MUST SEE MOVIES
FOR ENTREPRENEURS
SUMMER TRENDS
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
JEROD DAVIES
MUSIC STREAMING
ART OF OAKTOPIA
DJ QBERT
PERSONAL BRANDING
101

WELCOME TO OUR SECOND VOLUME OF THE SUMMER COLLECTION.
IN OUR NEWEST COLLECTION, WE HAVE COMPILED A SWELTERING
HOT TRACK LIST, SUMMERTIME INSPIRED APPAREL AND ALL THE
CONTENT-RICH ARTICLES YOUR EYES CAN HANDLE!
KICK BACK, RELAX AND ENJOY THE TUNES. HEY, WE EVEN
GOT EM ON ALL YOUR FAVORITE OUTLETS.
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? DO US A FAVOR,
SHARE THIS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.
THAT’D BE RATHER RAD OF YOU.

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
One of my friends stated to me the other day that it’s a great concept to
release a seasonal collection every three months that consist of a new magazine, a
new music sampler, fresh apparel designs and a new look to the Real Rad website
but considering the scope of the endeavor, the time frame, and the available time
from contributors, maybe Real Rad should consider scaling back. The argument was
that we always seem to be dropping our collections at the tail end of the season.
I thought for a brief moment that yes, this is a grand undertaking and often times
I think others tend to assume that a ton of people are involved. While we do have
some great individuals that make up our team of artist, writers, photographers,
producers and visionaries, we are still very much a smaller entity than people outside
of our bubble realize. I’ve been told on more than one occasion by a newly formed
acquaintance that they thought we were affiliated with some big major label and that
affected the way that they thought about Real Rad. An acquaintance even told me
that we are held to a higher standard in the minds of other independent labels in our
region and that we aren’t embraced like a grassroots type of movement because of
Real Rad’s professional demeanor that the brand communicates. It seems that we are
caught in a middle ground between the enthusiasm of being an niche, independent
company with only a few thousand likes on Facebook, that is ready to take on the
world and being viewed as a well equipped, all business permeating, organization.
As I contemplated these thoughts and attempted to conjure up a response
to my friend’s advice, I was struck with a memory from a “work cation” I had recently
went on with my girlfriend. I was hired to film the Viva Big Bend Festival as well
as collect footage in Marfa, Alpine and the Ft. Davis area of West Texas for a
documentary on Cowboys and the last frontier. In those brief moments where the
thoughts from my head drifted to the beautiful scenery of Brewster County, I was
flooded with nostalgic images. That’s when it hit me. My girlfriend is an established
independant photographer and a published photojournalist. I freelance as a
videographer and photographer for many local companies throughout the DFW. I
don’t have to rely on distant mirages in my mind. We captured some great photos
and filmed some amazing motion pictures that I can pull up and look at directly on
my phone. I can see the mountains and the endless sky, I can gander at the gorgeous
sunflowers and vivid cacti with my own eyes because we collected those memories
ourselves.
That’s when I knew what Real Rad’s Quarterly Collections are all about. They
are like the photographs of a vacation. The collections are literally what we collect
along the way in this journey of building this brand. The music is the soundtrack to
the experiences, the images are the moments, painted by light and digitally archived,
the magazine is the manuscript of the season. I told my friend, it does take a massive
effort by a lot of great and talented people to make these collections happen and it
definitely takes it’s toll but we are building something. We are building the proof of
our very existence. Life is continuously happening and as big as a world as it is and
in an even bigger galaxy, sometimes it feels like we are just a speck of dust traveling
through infinity and it’s just nice to look back and appreciate what we’ve been
through.
Editor,
Francisco Leal

SWELTERING NEW MUSIC FOR YOUR EARS.
STREAM AND DOWNLOAD THE NEW COLLECTION.
AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR OUTLETS
LISTEN HERE

BY TODD LITTLE
Here is a list of seven films I think embody the passion, ingenuity, and resourcefulness of what it means to be an
entrepreneur. Whether it be a documentary or a feature film, there are strong lessons to be learned from all of
these films, good and bad. I’ve found that in all these selections there are ideas that any driven person can use to
succeed. Hopefully by watching these they will inspire you to take your game to the next level in whatever it is you do.
30 for 30: Sole Man (2015)
One of the best entries in ESPN’s “30 for 30” series takes a look at Sonny Vaccaro,
a man who pretty much changed how college basketball and shoe companies
work. We learn about Vaccaro’s early days but where his legacy took off is when
he went to Nike and sold them on the idea of giving shoes to kids in exchange
for money going to the coaches. From this point on summer camps and various
other programs started happening but the story turned a lot darker when shoe
companies started bidding over players. Vaccaro was really the “Godfather” of
this as he was involved in signing Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and trying to land
LeBron James.
Take-away: If you’re enough of a visionary you can create your own market.
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014)
A documentary about Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - two movie-obsessed
cousins from Israel whose passion for cinema changed the way movies were made
and marketed - and the tale of how this passion ultimately led to the demise of the
company they built together. They notably made “Breakin” (1984) which brought the
phenomenon of break dancing, and hip-hop into the mainstream. They also made
“Bloodsport” and many other well-known films. They essentially made Chuck Norris
the badass he is today, as well as discovered Jean-Claude van Damme. They were
known for their ability to sell a movie to investors on poster artwork alone. They made
close to 50 movies in one year, that’s almost 1 a week. It goes to show you work ethic
is important, but not always a winning formula.
Take-away: Quantity over quality will only allow you to burn out quickly.
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon (2013)
In his directorial debut, Mike Myers documents the astounding career of Hollywood insider,
the loveable Shep Gordon, who fell into music management by chance after moving to
LA straight out of college, and befriending Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.
Shep managed rock stars such as Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and
Alice Cooper, and later went on to manage chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, ushering in the
era of celebrity chefs on television. Stuffed with fantastic archive footage the film traces
Shep’s transformation from the 1970’s hedonist to today’s practicing Buddhist yearning for
a family of his own.
Take-away: Business doesn’t always have to be ruthless. If your’re a standup person, you
can still succeed, just as long you have morals, standards and can handle your drugs.

Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records (2013)
Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton is a feature-length documentary about avant-garde Los Angelesbased
record label Stones Throw Records. The film weaves together rare concert
footage, never-before-see archival material, inner-circle home video and photographs
and in-depth interviews with the artists who put Stones Throw Records on the map. Our
Vinyl Weighs A Ton gives an exclusive look into the label’s left-of-center artists, history,
culture, and global following. The film features exclusive interviews with Kanye West,
Snoop Dogg, Common, Questlove, Talib Kweli, Mike D (The Beastie Boys), Tyler the
Creator, and many more.
Take-away: You don’t have to be a major player to influence a culture controlled by big
corporations. Sometimes you have to take chances and believe in people even when
others don’t see what you see.
Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler is a thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake
Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the
high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who
film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous
realm of nightcrawling - where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims
are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the bloodsport
that is local TV news, Lou blurs the line between observer and participant to become
the star of his own story.
Take-away: Sometimes blind ambition can leave you in shitty situations. Sometimes you
have to stand back and evaluate what it is you’re actually trying to do before it’s too late.
Print the Legend (2014)
This documentary follows the people racing to bring the hot new 3D printing technology to
your home, documenting the “Macintosh Moment” of this revolution and exploring what it
takes to live the American Dream. It follows the innovative minds shaping the culture of 3d
printing much like the bright young minds of the 80’s did with personal computers. It follows
a handful of competing companies as they fight for an emerging market all while dealing
with internal, technical, and personal conflicts.
Take-away: Just because you share a vision with someone and start a business, doesn’t
guarantee any of you will see the top together, let alone at all. More often than not, big
business wins. If you sell out, you’ll most likely be the first one off the shelf.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
In The Wolf of Wall Street DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, a Long Island penny stockbroker
who served 22 months in prison for defrauding investors in a massive 1990s securities scam
that involved widespread corruption on Wall Street and in the corporate banking world,
including shoe designer Steve Madden. This film is the embodiment of the American dream.
Work hard, step on a few people, and you’ll get ahead in this world. Jordan Belfort ends up
with money, drugs, women, and all the excesses of Wall Street that come to mind, but not
without sacrificing it all.
Take-away: Excess comes with a price. Ideals like “money and power” are dangerous
because they’re an illusion. If your business is based on lies, “someday, the chickens will
come home to roost”.

THE DEBUT ALBUM
AVAILABLE
SEPTEMBER 25 TH
GET IT ON REALRADRECORDS.COM

NBA Jerseys: Yeah, remember
Jerseys? They’re back, specifically NBA
jerseys for the summer due to them
being a breathable tank that is not only
functional and stylish but also shows
support for your squad. The lull in major
American sports is between basketball ending and
baseball just starting up for the season. B-Ball is still
fresh on the mind. All these factors make the NBA
Jersey a hot summer trend.
Age of Transparency: I hope everybody
knows by now that whatever is on camera can be
uploaded to the internet and what ever gets uploaded
to the internet is forever. With smart phones becoming
the norm and considering the capabilities of these
devices, every moment, often crucial ones, have the
potential to be recorded and uploaded to the internet.
Dancing horribly? Spitting up a drink? Falling down
or getting accidentally hit in a hilarious and non-lifethreatening
way? Yes, these types of videos have
By: Harvey S. Grant
made YouTube into what it would be like for America’s
Funniest Home Videos to be equipped with a warp
drive. The Age of Transparency has made it that
those hysterical moments can be captured in a bottle
to view over and over again. Funny situations aren’t
the only video being uploaded to the world wide web.
Flipping off the camera while drinking a brew is a great
way to show the world how classy you are. Smoking
marijuana and going on a 2-minute rant over, “haters,”
is an excellent way to score employment in the near
future. Videos are not the only way to expose yourself
in a possibly off putting light. Even posts on social
media that openly talk about your activities, criticize
certain people or express controversial viewpoints,
as well as things that are shared or likes by you, all,
can be scrutinized to make assumptions or draw
conclusions about your character. To take it a step
further, crimes and the way people are treated by
fellow human beings are now being captured by the
omnipresent lens. While in some cases, this Age of
Transparency can create embarrassing situations,
we have elected to vote this modern trend as a good
thing because it ultimately exposes the negative and
captures the positive. The Age of Transparency forces
the human being to reconsider their actions, for fear
of being judged by the world.
Cool Inflatable Pool Floats: If you have
been to a dope pool party
or flipped open any popular
summer magazine, the cool
inflatable pool float has most
likely made an appearance.
We’ve seen it all over
Instagram, Facebook, and
Twitter. We love the pizza,

the donut and of course the hit of the summer, the
swan. These over-sized toy balloons are the perfect
addition to the fun and they look great in photos too.
They serve as a floating island for drinks, a potential
component to the reenactment of the movie Water
World or Jaws, and they allow a totally rad way to
relax and catch some rays.
Smart Machines: We talked about smart
phones and the age of transparency, as well as the
potential for these devices in these modern times
to expose vast amounts of data by users. Well, that
concept and reality is not limited to
just phones. Imagine a world where
nearly every electrical device is
connected to the internet and
collects data on the user of
said device. Imagine stop lights
recognizing each car that passes its
intersection everyday and logging that
data for a multitude of uses. Imagine your
thermostat being adjusted from your phone or your
television being controlled by your phone while all
the ways you use said devices are being logged and
tracked. Imagine no more. That world now exist. The
internet of things. Smart Machines. I know, I’ve said
this before, but it needs to be reiterated because it
will never be untrue. Information is Knowledge and
Knowledge is Power. Imagine what can be done if
nearly every interaction a human has with an electric
device can be recorded, logged, and tracked. We
believe this new frontier can be a scary thing to come
to grips with but it is happening so we might as well
embrace it or regulate it, or both. We think there are
great efficiencies that can be maximized with this data
but we must find a way that it does not take us to
“1984.”
Hip Hop Beefs settled by the music:
Hip Hop is a sport. It’s like boxing. Hip Hop not only
thrives off of competition, it survives because of it. A
war of words creates interest because the audience
wants to know who is going to win. Who has the skill
to sound better than the other? This is more than
just a pissing contest. This is a battle of wits, a clash
of the minds, this is big boy stuntin’. You can’t get
anywhere or anything in life without communicating.
Hip Hop is the art of communicating in style. There are
multiple skills that must be required in order to make
a meaningful Hip Hop song, reading, writing, rhyming,
storytelling, musical rhythm, rapping and performing
are all needed. These skills must be developed to
create a decent rap. In a world where communication
is revered, to be the best at communicating is to be
the top dog. If your thoughts, ideas, and sound are
considered the best, then your thoughts, ideas, and
sound are considered to be the most influential and
influence sways minds.
Gypsy Cop: Have
you ever heard this term?
I was recently introduced
to this slang term for law
enforcement who jumps
from one department
to the next regardless of, or because of misconduct
or poor performance on the job. This term gained
popularity after the infamous Tulia drug bust, where
officer Tom Coleman allegedly entrapped innocent
people, with the majority being African-American,
as part of an undercover operation. There have
been multiple documented cases in states including
Alaska and Texas. These states are so big that often
times these misbehaving cops evade administrative
discipline due to the sheer size of the states and the
number of agencies. In some cases departments
have been known to give good recommendations to
poor performing cops to “pass the trash,” and get rid
of rotten apples.
Villain Worship: In recent times it has become
cool to root for the bad guy and/or the anti-hero.
Is society seeing its reflection through this age of
transparency and discovering that we may have
flaws? Are we celebrating those flaws through relating
to the imperfect human condition or are we celebrating
gangsterism by worshiping the villain? With recent

movies such as Wolf
of Wall Street, Suicide
Squad, Batman V
Superman, and Mad Max,
the anti-hero is certainly
the protagonist. It seems
these days everybody
wants to be the bad ass.
There is much to be
envious of that character
type. No rules, do what
you want, usually drive
something rad, and always have an obstacle or vice
that justifies the behavior. Sometimes villains are
created and feel like they get the finger pointed at
them. If a person has ever been ostracized, outcast,
or demonized by a dominant, opposing party then
rebellion by that person may be the only option to
survive or at least be recognized.
Over-Sharing: I feel like in every wave of trends
there is an over-arching theme. It is clear we are in the
age of transparency and transparency is the theme. We
have discussed this. That
is why I will be brief and
direct. Everything you click
on, like, post, comment on,
and share, in any manner
is being documented and
recorded. Everything is
being logged and tracked.
It is data that is being used
and analyzed. So, know
that your online footprint can be measured. Ensure
that it is favorable and shows you in a light that does
not misrepresent you or compromise your livelihood.
Flag debate: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of
the United States of America, and to the Republic for
which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
Too Much / Misinformation: This continues
with our over-sharing theme. With social media and
the online platform being such a open forum. There
are a lot of lonely people that live vicariously through
the keyboard and the screen. We see them on our
social media feed all the time. Whether it’s what they
had for dinner, what they are watching on TV, when
they go to sleep or even a bowel movement, for some
reason there are a select few that seem to want to
share every aspect of their life. It’s a free country and
we would never want to limit somebody’s expression
but just know other people see these post and people
judge, people point and people laugh. Maybe it’s those
people that should feel embarrassed. Maybe nobody
should care or feel embarrassed. We’re just saying,
the more you share, the more you expose. With
this revolution of over-sharing, fake news sites and
speculative journalist compete for the real estate in
the news feed as well. There is a ton of misinformation
on the web and there are countless legitimate looking
websites that are spreading false information. Oversharing,
misinformation, and even fake quotes from
revered human beings flood the internet on a daily
basis. Every post seeking attention by any means
necessary. We are reminded of a term used at the

dawn of the American Newspaper wars. “Yellow
Journalism,” This is when stories are sensationalized
to compete for the public’s attention. People are not
the only ones to misrepresent themselves online.
Entities and in some cases, respected sources of
information can make a goof. Take any information
absorbed from an online source with a grain of salt.
Do your research and don’t base beliefs or opinions
simply on headlines.
Lean-towards aggregated content:
What is aggregated content? It is content that is
gathered from a different source. It is not original. It
is content that is reviewed but ultimately created by a
different entity than the one that is displaying it. It is a
version of outsourcing information gathering. Why is
this an ugly trend? Well, if respected news sources
are obtaining their news from other sources and
then these other sources elect to obtain their news
from a different source. What source is making the
original content? There
are countless issues that
arise when information
is only coming from one
source and looks like
is coming from multiple
sources and opinions.
A few critical issues
include, conflict of interest, biased opinion, higher
influence, and persuasion. We must know where
information is coming from and that it is accurate.
It is crucial to retain credible sources of information
and it is important that a monopoly of information is
not obtained by one source to then be disguised as
multiple sources for the world to be deceived.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
JEROD ALEXANDER DAVIES AKA DTOX
Coming from a long line of visual artists in his immediate family, Jerod moves comfortably between styles and
excels naturally at his use of color and ornate application. Jerod’s passionate approach at creating art is fueled
by a deeply-rooted attraction for unconventional beauty. Davies is heavily influenced by texture, his style is
virtually impossible to categorize, yet is easy to describe. Bold Portraits, believeable and surreal, direct yet
ornate with vibrant sarcasm. This is the description of Davies’ art. With a unique gift for marrying technology
driven themes with old world grace, Davies’ works are a delight to behold and easy to embrace.
Jerod Davies has produced commissioned works for private clients over the past 16 years and
has created notable collected pieces for Jean Paul Gaultier, Dreamworks, Modelo Especiale’, Dallas Mavericks,
and Pabst Blue Ribbon, Redbull, Miramax Films, Eryka Badu among many others.
To see more work visit THEJEROD.COM • Follow him on instagram @DTOXART
8

INTERVIEW by CALLIE DEE
PHOTOS AND LAYOUT BY TLIT • TRANSCRIBED BY AMANDA VIOLET RAVOTTI
I have always been a huge fan of the DJ Culture, even before I knew there was a
culture to be a fan of. In the last few years, I have gone through DJ 101 as a talent buyer and promoter. I was
blessed enough to have the help of some local musical connoisseurs/investors to bring DJ Qbert to Dallas,
in November 2014 at the Crown and Harp, and then again in June of 2015 for the Dr. Octagon show with DJ
Qbert & Kool Keith at Trees with featuring sets from The Bodega Brovas, Playdough + Sean P, Ronnie Blaze,
Pudge, Ritchy Flo, Stu Brootal, and Ghetto[box]. Both times, DJ Qbert felt more like a normal guy rather
than a 3 time World Champion DJ. Even then, reaching out to Qbert on Twitter to get an interview felt like a
long shot. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did he respond, but he agreed to do it. I set up a time to
talk to this World Renowned and Innovative DJ, and to be honest, it was more like talking to a homie than
a celebrity. We talked about his start as a DJ, whether or not the DMC asked him to quit competing, and at
the end, he turned the interview around and started asking my beliefs as far as Astrology and Religion were
concerned. I’m not gonna lie, when I hung up the phone I SCREAMED in excitement! This has definitely been
one of my favorite interviews I’ve ever conducted from one of my favorite artists to bring through Dallas.
Thank you Tru Skool Kollective for helping me bring him to Dallas both occasions and Real Rad Records for
giving me a reason to not only get his digits (SCORE!) but record an amazing interview with
an amazing human being. Enjoy! - Callie Dee

What is the background
on you? So you graduated
from high school in 87’ in San
Francisco and you started
playing records at 15, which was
in 1985- which was the dawn
of hip hop. What was the state
of hip hop when you first fell in
love with it?
It was just coming to the bay;
there were a lot of break-dancers
and a lot of poppers. We were
heavily into popping out here
before breaking. I’ve seen a lot
of popping in the early 80s and
breaking came in a little later in
85’ when I started because of the
movie Beat Street.
They didn’t have any rap
on the radio at all at the time.
You had to listen to these weird
radio stations from LA. You would
have to get really lucky to get
that signal and get those radio
stations. It only had a one mile
radius sometimes. It’s kind of a
community radio station and once
in a blue moon the wind would
blow the radio waves over the
hill and you could hear that radio
station and it would be magic.
You started playing records
at 15, what were some of the
records that you remember first
having at that age?
Rappers Delight was my first hip
hop record but I got that early
in 78 or 79. Then I was always
collecting records since then like
Planet Rock and Kraftwerks stuff.
I mostly concentrated on more
electronic-like stuff back then
because I didn’t know all the
names of all the great rappers and
rap groups back then. Ice-T was
out here, that was back in 85 but
then a year after that Rakim and
Eric B and Kool Moe Dee and Kool
G Rap came and that was the shit
right there.
How did you meet Mix Master
Mike?
I met Mix Master Mike because
he was DJing at a party and my
friend was saying to check him
out, at a Quinceanera. He was just
scratching and, It just blew me
away and I started following him
everywhere and that’s how I got to
know him.
So how did the whole concept
of the Skratch Piklz come about?
There were other DJ groups but
none of them that did it as far
as you did with using each table
as an instrument. How did ya’ll
come about that concept?
Well jump five years later, Apollo
and Mix Master Mike sort of had
a DJ routine together where they
were doing a turntable band
thing with the two of them. They
were remixing Peter Piper on two
turntables, two DJs.
If you watch the DMC competition
of ‘92 where we’re doing that
routine. You can see them doing
their routine and I was kind of
filling in the blank spots. That’s
how that started, it turned into a
band thing when I came on board
and it expanded when I got into
the group. I started scratching the
drums. Apollo scratched different
sounds and Mike scratched
different sounds. Then we were
like, wow we’ve turned into a
band now.
We all switched, I would play
drums and Apollo could play
drums or Mike too. After four bars
I would play the baseline and Mike
would grab a chicken or Apollo
would grab a frog. You could play
anything on the turntables and
switch at any time.
So you’re a three time world
champion with some of these
guys and four time USA
champion because you won the
USA by yourself. So there’s this
rumor that they asked you to
quit competing, is that true?
They were probably just joking
around.
They wanted you to give
someone else another shot,
right?
I don’t know, they were just
fooling around. They told us to be
judges and we are like, ok cool.
That’s a huge accomplishment,
being able to win the world
DMC 3 times in a row, so
congrats on that.
DJ QBert & Mix Master Mike -’95

Oh we got lucky. Maybe all the
good guys didn’t compete that
year or something like that. I don’t
know.
And ya’ll also made the DMC
Hall of Fame and so you’re not
saying that they asked you to
quit competing, that they asked
you to start judging?
Yeah, yeah.
I saw in an article in 2005 that
you said you wanted to work
with E40. Did that happen?
E40, before he became famoushe
wanted to work with us and we
were too busy doing other stuffthe
turntable thing and that was a
long time ago- I would have to say
1990 that he wanted to work with
us. But that’s way back then.
So one of your Facebook posts-
I’ve been following you for
a little bit- you said that you
learned that the highest form of
spiritually is the hardest thing to
do and you stated- can you have
every thought be a loving one?
Just in our dealings, I brought
you out in November and again
you seem like this really humble
guy. You have 3 time world
champion and also won the U.S.
by yourself and not winning
the title, so that means you’re
a 4 time USA champion for the
DMC. You know, remaining
humble would be pretty hard
for most people. What do you
think is your driving force as
far as just having every thought
being a loving one and just
being that guy?
I just remember that every time
that I act like a dick it would
always backfire. So every time I
was a nice guy, it would always
help me out. It’s kind of like a
common sense, let me be a nice
guy and help everyone. It’s kind
of like karma. Some people don’t
believe in karma because they
don’t teach it in schools because
it’s on purpose. The government
or whatever, the powers were,
don’t want others to know there’s
a higher force out there, like
a universal consciousness that
knows everything you do is going
to come back to you. It’s like life
is a video game, so every time
you help others- you’re actually
helping yourself. You’re not trying
to do it to help yourself, you’re
trying to do it to sincerely help
others-that’s the best thing. When
you do stuff for others, it just
comes back to you. I found that it’s
true, the more that I stay a student
and stay someone that wants to
keep learning and don’t put myself
on a high horse which can stop
you and some people get big
headed and they stop the goal,
which is to always learn... Success
is a road that never ends and you
keep learning and making yourself
better in order to help serve the
world. In knowing that you just got
to remain a student and you think
you’re some kind of teacher or
master, you’ve lost the point cause
there’s no end to learning and
being better yourself, to make the
world a better place.
That’s a very good answer. Now
do you attribute some kind of
religious note to that, do you
consider yourself a student in
any kind of religion?
Yes, it’s called peace and love.
Well, without giving away your
secret, how does the interactive
packaging that you were
working on, that was offered on
Kickstarter work?
This one company, Novalia, they
have this thing called conductive
ink where you touch the paper
and certain pictures and it would
control a Bluetooth controller. We
saw what she did on Ted Talks and
we thought that would be dope
if we made the album cover like
that. So we hired her and got our
artist, Doug- We did the movie
Wave Twisters and he also did
the artwork for the album cover
to design a turn table on a piece
of paper and whatever you touch
would control the DJ app- called
DJ 2- it’s this app on your iPhone
and you can DJ with it and it can
control that. It’s really kind of
magical to have that as an insert
in my album. That’s definitely
revolutionary, it’s not going to
defeat the actual scratching but it
is a fun little toy.
So you’re a Libra, do you
associate yourself with astrology
or follow any of that at all?
I’m learning a bit about it, about
reincarnation and really famous
people that have reincarnated and
they look exactly how they used
to look before and their star charts
are exactly the same and its one in
a zillion to be that. I believe it, it’s
pretty nuts. Stuff out there that we
don’t know about. I love learning
about secrets of the universe and
that type of stuff is really cool.

I do natal charts myself; I
have a book and do peoples
natal charts. I have yet to find
someone that I’ve done a natal
chart on that has said this is
really incorrect. I take some
weight in that. Libra is the
scales; I do see you being a kind
of person that is a balancer.
Libra is actually ruled by the
planet Venus, which is actually
the planet of love and beautiful
pleasures basically. So do you
see yourself appreciating art,
do you see that you find as a
quality of your personality?
Every time I read my sign, it always
talks about balance. I do a lot of
that in my music. I try to balance
things with going super crazy and
being super calm, and going wild
and being gentle and loudness
and quietness and balance of
going fast and slow. What you’re
saying about art and love and all
the good stuff, that’s my sign. It
could be a coincidence but I tend
to think it’s not a coincidence and
yes it is part of our signs. I also
learned that you’re supposed to
really combine the year chartswhich
is the Chinese zodiacs which
is yearly and combine it with the
star charts that are monthly to get
the exact thing together.
What are you in Chinese
astrology?
I’m a cock, a large one.
That’s almost on the onset, that’s
almost opposing that someone
is cockier, a cock. That may not
necessarily be a balance- but
nice. So you’re also a vegan?
For the most part, but I’ve also
learned about being Paleo as well,
with crazy vitamins. Also since I’m
a Libra I balance it out and eat
grass-fed things too and whatever
is free range. I’m into healthy stuff.
Yeah you can be Vegan or Paleo
but the big thing is praying to
your food and being thankful for
your food. Have you seen Avatar
where they killed the animal and
they prayed to it? That’s a Native
American tradition that has been
taught to me, you just need to
thank your food and the atomic
structure of just praying to it
makes it healthy for you. That’s
amazing.
I noticed you were vegetarian
and that you’re also vegan. Did
you practice those for a little but
your open to whatever kind of
diet that is healthy?
I’m trying to do that, be super
healthy and organic. The whole
powers of people trying to do
that population control thing and
people that are aware of that
know to stay away from pesticides
and the spraying of chemicals on
the food.
I’m on day 8 of vegetarianism,

I was like you- semi conscious
about meat and what kind of
meat I was consuming when I
was…then I was eating a lot of
fast food. So I’m trying to do
vegetarianism now to kind of
balance that out a little bit.
What’s your favorite healthy
dish?
I love Indian food for some
strange reason. I just love it.
Japanese food, you can’t go
wrong with that. French food
is got damn ridiculous. I love
Jamaican food, that food is da
bomb. I don’t stick with one food,
I got to mix it up. The balance
thing comes into play, I don’t want
to eat just one thing and I mix
it up. Variety is the spice of life.
Everything... maybe Chinese food
is too greasy for me cause they
use to much Canola oil, that’s too
much, you may as well eat plastic..
That’s population control too. I
mostly like things with Himalayan
sea salt, I can’t eat processed salt.
That’s just another chemical thing.
So many weird things, Virgin olive
oil it’s not good to cook with it- it’s
better to use it raw. I can go on
for days with this stuff, you get the
point.
You’re definitely about health
and what goes in your body.
Definitely energy.
I just learned that if you eat these
apricot kernels, it’s like a secret
cure for cancer but you can’t eat
them raw, at the whole foods store
they’re selling for so much money
because people are starting to
discover that’s the secret cure for
cancer- these apricot kernels.
Nice, it’s always good to keep
learning. So the state of the
DJ culture right now, especially
with all these controllers coming
out and sometimes people
mistake being a DJ with being a
producer. They go up on stage
and press a button and it is
what it is. Do you consider the
state of the DJ culture to be
dying or do you think a revival
is emerging, especially with the
turntables.
Well, it really depends, there are
those guys that suck and there
are those that are really amazing
and there are guys that push
buttons. There’s Jimi Hendrix-es
on the turn tables or a jazz person.
You can’t categorize one thing
as being one thing, who are you
talking about? You just have a
wide range of people that suck
and people that are amazing from
everything in between to the
extremes. I don’t even know how
to answer that question, you get
what I’m saying?
What do you think of theDub
Step and Trap culture that has
come about?
It’s cool, there’s good stuff in
there too. It’s the same answer
that I would give. There’s stuff
that sucks and there’s stuff that’s
amazing. I tend to think there’s
less amazing stuff within every
genre, it’s normally like that.
There’s a pinnacle of leaders and
there’s a whole bottom end of
those that follow what the leaders
are doing. I would have to say that
in everything; roughly about 10
percent of any genre is really good
to listen to.
What did you think of the Kool
Keith and Qbert Show that
happened at Trees a while back?
I think Kool Keith is hilarious and
amazing. I listen back to his stuff
after the show and listen to some
old stuff that he’s done and he
cracks me up every time. I think
he’s one of those top ones that
will make you trip out. I listen to
a lot of rap and 95 percent of it

sucks and 5 percent of it doesn’t,
and Kool Keith falls in that
category.
He’s definitely different and he
kind of goes with that whole
alien thing, your last record was
Extraterrestrial Galaxxxian and
he’s on that same level with you
as far as “out of this world” stuff
goes.
Yeah, he’s really hilarious and his
new stuff that hasn’t come out yet
is pretty hilarious too. Can’t wait
till everyone hears that.
What do you think about the
whole astrology stuff?
I’m a Christian and I believe
in God and I believe that God
actually created the universe
and that there’s timing in the
universe and that every planet
rotates around the sun at a
certain time and that there’s a
certain tick. What I believe is
that at the time of your birth,
the placement of all the planets
at the time of your birth is your
natal chart. Every planet has a
different personality trait and
that’s how we come about with
our personalities.
What do you think about how
Christians think of the Zodiac as
a sort of Devil? What do you tell
them when they say that?
I think if you read too much
into it and use it as a guide for
everything for you to make a
decision and you have to consult
the stars, they are going a little
too far. I know we all have
different personalities for some
reason. I have yet for people to
say the natal charts are bullshit.
You mentioned your
girlfriend, you’re a world
traveler right now so you have
a fiancée and how hard is it to
maintain that relationship and
continue what you do?
She’s wonderful and she
understands I got to go out
there and forage for food and
do my thing out there. She’s just
amazing. She’s a very spiritual
person too. She just started this
Instagram called Starseedbloom.
She started it yesterday and she’s
trying to get all these people
to get in there and see all these
spiritual quotes and about what
it’s like to be a Starseed. She
teaches me all about health and
everything and she’s my teacher
actually.
That’s good, to have that
balance to lean on and she can
lean on you too. Nice, life work
and home balance is important.
Definitely important, it’s good
that we get away and do our own
thing. If we were around each
other all the time you can get
irritated so it’s nice to take a break
and it works out for us.
Do you use any other kinds of
controllers, do you prefer one
over another?
Two turntables and a mixer, we
use computers now too- we use a
mixer called the Traktor Z2 . Trying
to keep it as simple as I can. We’re
trying to cut it down and people
keep bringing more equipment.
We’re coming out with a new TRX
mixer, and kids can’t get into it
because it’s pricey. We made it
with a nice fader, and its coming
out next month.
We had people from Orlando
flying down just for your
show, just to meet ya’llthat
is awesome. That’s an
accomplishment in itself…People
flying around the country to see
y’all. Y’all just killed it on stage.
It was an amazing show and a
memory of a lifetime.
We have a crew called Invisibl
Skratch Piklz coming out with a
new album this year.
What is the likelihood that they
would do a reunion?
We’re going to debut it in Japan
at the Red Bull World DJ battle
there.
For everything Dj QBert visit
djqbert.com
Callie Dee is Marketing and Promotions
Manager at Guaranteed Fresh, Booking Agent
at Red-Empire and Host at Out The Box -
Follow @Callie_Dee

TODD LITTLE & THE ART OF OAKTOPIA
by Chill Berkley
Tell readers what major projects
and artist you have worked on
in regards to graphic design/
artwork.
I’ve done a lot of work in my
professional agency life for an
assortment of clients from doctors
to non-profits, all the way to liquor
companies. Yet, what led me up to
that was working mostly with local
musicians in the DFW, primarily
in Denton. There isn’t a venue in
Denton I haven’t made a flier for
at one time or another. I’ve done
artwork for Afroman, Qbert & Kool
Keith, Vanilla Ice, Astronautalis, plus
many more local artists. I’ve done
tons of album covers and branding
for local artists including Fab Deuce,
Juicy the Emissary, the Bodega
Brovas, and too many others I can’t
even recall. It’s not uncommon to see
stickers, fliers, or shirts I’ve designed
when I go to any given venue in
Denton. I’m just getting started.
You are the Art Director for
Oaktopia. Explain the choices
that were made in terms of the
redesigning of the Oaktopia
logo as well as the look of the
festival/website.
Well, last year was Oaktopia’s second
year, but the first year they brought
me and Real Rad on to do the
artwork. We wanted to use the city as
our backdrop. We went out and took
photos of landmarks, textures, walls,
and anything really that we thought
was unique about Denton. This year
we (Real Rad and Oaktopia founder
Matt Battaglia) decided to update
the logo to something a little more
simple and stronger. The triangle
represents the “golden triangle” of
the DFW, but it also serves as the
top of the spire of the courthouse on
the square. From that you have what
would be sound waves coming out
of it into the final outline, reminiscent
of a cross section of a tree trunk. So,
it kind of represents music coming
from the square, the Oak tree, and
the DFW, all in one simple package.
We also decided to move towards
more of a celestial look. Instead of
focusing on the city like the first year
Real Rad came on to do the design,
we wanted to move to a more
vast idea that would represent the
possibilities of a bigger Oaktopia.
So, instead of manmade textures and
building, we went with more organic
images of sky’s and stars. We wanted
to create the idea that this is much
bigger than a small town music
festival.
Who are some graphic artist and
visionaries that you are currently
inspired by?
The first person that comes to mind
is George Lois. His proclivity for
broad, simple, and powerful ideas is
something that inspires me. Design is
more than an aesthetic; it has to be a

great concept. I try to draw from that as much as possible.
Generally what inspires me is good, simple design. I
thoroughly enjoy the work of Saul Bass. As I move more
into motion graphics these days, he’s always in the back
of my mind. His style has influenced countless artists. I
have a modest vinyl collection, and with the music comes
the album artwork. More recently that has been a huge
inspiration for me. I’ll buy vinyl on the artwork alone.
What are 3 design trends that you see prevalent in
mainstream culture?
The first trend I notice is just bad design principles. I’m
no expert, but everyone has Photoshop today and is a
designer. 90% of design is research. You have to look at
what lasts, and what looks good and understand why.
Everybody is a design expert, because whether or not
they realize it, any given person is constantly subjected
to it. It’s everywhere. Whenever I see something bad
I always think to myself, “there was at least one other
person that said, ‘that looks great!’” The other two I
know that are hot right now kind of go hand in hand.
One is flat design and the other is “hipster minimalism”.
Something I really enjoy about “hipster minimalism” is
that it operates on just simple, usually one color designs,
that are strong and can stand on their own, mixed with
hand drawn illustration, it can be very rewarding visually.
You also run the route of riding a trend that is probably
waning, like any art movement, you never know it’s over
until ten or twenty years later.
What are some design tips that you would give
your younger self and/or aspiring graphic artist?
The reason I am where I am today is because I just went
out and did it. I was making my own music and didn’t
have money to pay for artwork. Granted, I was an art
student at the time, and I’ve always had the mindset to
do everything myself, but before anyone is going to ask
you to do design something, let alone pay for work, you
have to show them you can do it. So, my advice would
be to build a portfolio and show your skills off. You have
to plant the seeds first. I can’t count how many times
I’ve done work for no immediate payoff that later turned
into lucrative opportunities. Do some work for your
friends band or local business. Know your worth. I’m not
saying do everything for free, but try your best to see an
opportunity when it arises. Pay your dues, and then you’ll
get paid. You have to start somewhere. The best time to
plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is
today, so get to work.
To get more info on Oaktopia go to oaktopiafest.com
To see more of Todds work visit RealRadRecords.com

By : Francine Grattan

You are on the internet practically every day and
you might be a gamer. In the background there
is often a constant stream of music. A window
in the background, or an application open
with the occasional voice-over advertisement.
It might be iTunes, an application that made
great strides for the organization of the media
you already had. It might be Pandora, the
leader in streaming services. Whatever the
case, music is somewhere, if not everywhere,
but are you using the streaming application
that’s best for you? What is the best streaming
service, really?
Launched in 1999, Napster set the stage
for how modern music is now delivered.
Napster revolutionized music sharing and
it made way for other musical services but
through complications and an array of legal
battles Napster eventually was absorbed by
Rhapsody in 2012.

Right after Napster came Pandora - a
concept based on the premise of analysis
and comparisons of musical styles, genres,
albums, artists, tracks and even components.
Its beginning in 2000, revolutionized the
popular view of streaming music from the
taboo of P2P sharing (as found in Napster)
to a simple online radio, tailored to individual
taste. Pandora hasn’t changed much over the
years. You’ll still find a dark blue theme, a box
to type your favorite artist, track, or genre into,
and a playlist that immediately grabs your
input and provides similar music after it. The
current drawbacks of Pandora include a lack
of control: you cannot move backwards to a
previous song; you have a limited amount of
skips; and you can essentially keep a song or
get rid of it. There is no five-star rating system,
but there are thumbs to indicate how you feel
about a track. Another drawback is the ads -
but with one small one in the lower left, and a
larger one to the right, they can be ignored.
Finally, one aspect of Pandora that has been
regarded as “smart” (but, like many “smart”
tech ideas, can be irritating) is its playback
timeouts. After so much time of a user not
interacting with the site, playback will cease
and the site will ask if you are still there. This
is because Pandora still must pay royalties to
artists for playing their music - and, as a mostly
free model of music streaming since 2000, it
has gone quite broke. Users do, though, have
an option to pay Pandora.
Pandora One is an option with all of the
features of regular Pandora, plus, more skips
are allowed, there are less music playback
timeouts, a custom skin feature is available
for the web service, and there is an option
to utilize a pop-out music player. General
impression: Pandora is an easy go-to when
you’re looking for a fun playlist based around
a theme or style. Impromptu Halloween party?
It’s got you covered.

The next giant of the streaming world is the
oh-so-social Spotify. We know you heard of it
on Facebook. We know. They know. Everyone
knows. Everyone has seen the green logo,
and knows the basic premise of Spotify
as a sort of substitute for iTunes. You get a
continuous playback of songs and you get the
occasional interruption. Comparing Spotify to
other streaming services reveals that it might
not be as user-friendly as others. First off,
ads! They cut into your listening experience
in a much more bumpy way than any visual
ad you might see on Pandora. Second, the
constant social pressure to connect with
Facebook - essentially, tell everyone you use
Spotify. Again, everyone knows about it (and
this is why). Third, Spotify is not available
online only. You need to download a client,
and it works through that client. In my book,
Spotify is the worst of advertising taboos, a
bumpy version of iTunes, and a lot of social
pressure. It’s a social giant - not an audience
member’s friend.
a more limited database - but both are also
growing pretty quickly, too. Cloud storage is
a cool factor they utilize and bank on, and
Android users can finally have a library on all
their devices. iOS? You’re still covered.
A little more in depth:
Google Play Music offers a free playback
service which includes iOS, Android, or web
access, a type of “radio” based on your
preferences, recommendations for musical
exploration, and actually, the storage of 50,000
of your own already-owned songs (wait a
second…). Oh, and those 50,000 songs need
to be all set up in iTunes.
Google Play Music Unlimited, however, is
where the actual streaming power comes in.
This paid subscription (free for the first month,
then $9.99 per month) adds their trademark
access on demand, a lack of ads, no skip limit,
and, finally, the option to download music so
you can play them even without your favorite
coffee shop’s Wi-Fi. A benefit (or detriment,
your choice) is that the free version, the trial
month, and Unlimited, all require that “social
hookin’” that Google so craves.
Google Play Music and Amazon Prime Music
fall into a very similar category of “borrowed
library” services. They’re essentially the
Netflixes of music. As such (and due to both
being more recently launched, compared to
the previous three services), they both have

Amazon Prime Music paints itself as a special
pony, but it’s really quite similar. The one
bonus (again, based on your perspective) in
comparison to Google Play Music is the fact
that it is bundled in your Amazon Prime stuff.
Are you a student? Get on Amazon Prime in
general for free shipping. Like Google and like
Rdio, online material and physically stored
files can be played back-to-back.

The worst part of Prime, though, 1 million
songs. Compare Prime once again to Google,
who boasts 30 million songs. In that area,
Prime is amazingly lackluster, and with all
things considered “prime” may not be the best
word to describe their music library. If you don’t
get this bundle because you aren’t a student,
don’t sweat it.
TIDAL is based on the premise of giving the
listener the original sound as intended. No
compression is involved.
But TIDAL doesn’t simply focus on the ear,
instead, the whole musical experience is a
target of this service.

From merch to music videos, tickets to
tantalizing events, and even exclusive
experiences, this service is striving to make a
bold mark in what it means to provide for your
listeners. Exclusive interviews are available,
alongside tailored stations with fascinating
people that look into the current musical
gambit and give their perspectives on it. A
new and bold social platform to connect the
artists and their audiences as well as private
invitations based on the premise of music
of a whole, which includes the relationship
between the mind of the artist and the heart of
the audience is the vision here. As the general
trend of the workforce, of education, and of
personal entertainment, shifts to a more
“jack-of-all-trades” approach (as well as more
independent), streaming services like TIDAL
have an absolute lockdown of what the next
few years will turn towards.
Alongside TIDAL, Apple Radio and, particularly,
Apple Beats 1 must make a way into the
conversation. With the more international
viewpoints we find in almost every aspect of
everyday life, it’s no surprise that our concept
of where one station should reach out to has
expanded. With the advent of web radio and
TuneIn-like sites, it seems that any station that
can broadcast in its home country should be
able to be heard across the globe. Apple has
taken that idea to heart, and has essentially
begun taking their giant library and marketing
it as such. However, this isn’t an expansion of
being able to listen to radio stations - TuneIn
is your app for that. Apple Beats 1 is, instead,
Apple’s take on a global library.
It looks like a way to share through the picks
presented to you - much like going to a
museum and enjoying the sight of a beautiful
painting alongside 30 others. Your enjoyment
of the resource doesn’t hinder anyone else’s,
and as long as you paid the entrance fee,
you’re in to view as many of these themed
and curate paintings as you’d like. Apple goes
a step further, integrating the popularity factor
of music into their smart searches (no doubt
influenced by the thought behind Pandora). To
go back to the museum analogy, now as soon
as you say “I really liked the blue one - where
was it?” your tour guide will say “The blue
one that everyone likes is right here.” But, on
the other side of this - the advertised search
features like “Play the top songs from 1982”
may turn out to be a fantastic tool. To cover
Apple Radio in contrast - it’s simply Pandora
on Apple devices.
It’s clear to see that music services have
come a long way since Napster, but the
question remains, where it will head from
here? While many listeners will still end up on
Pandora and Spotify simply because of their
social notoriety, streaming will arguably head
toward that jack-of-all-trades direction. The
comprehensive experience of listening and
loving, meeting and greeting, and actually
being able to interact with the artist and their
social personas is far too compelling. The way
will clear, and while another service might
be the go-to in an immediate dance party
emergency, in my opinion, the strongest bet
for the future of streaming is a TIDAL wave.

PERSONAL
BRANDING
101
By Jamall Anthony of Astroknox Music Group

The world around us is
constantly changing.
Thru the boom of the Internet, we have collectively became more connected,
and more aware of the world around us. Social networking websites, such as
Facebook, have become a key component in how we communicate to other
individuals, both near and afar.
Digital Footprints can be described as what others can discover about you or
your brand, via Search Engines, Social Media, Video, Audio, Images, and other
websites. We no longer only promote ourselves thru traditional methods, but
now utilize non-traditional methods as well. There are certain rules or “laws”
you should abide by and follow when considering your Personal Branding/
Digital Footprint.
The 3 Laws of Personal Branding
1.
Authenticity
You need to define your brand, before someone else does it for you.
2.
Transparency
It is better to be straightforward and honest, at all times.
3.
Visibility
If you aren’t known, you do not exist.

The 4-Step Personal Branding Process
1
2
3
4
Discover
a. Who are you?
b. What do you want to do in life?
c. Focus on your strengths, passions, and goals.
d. Create a plan with both short-term and long-term goals.
Traditional -vs- Non-Traditional
Business Cards
Professional Portfolios
Resumes
Communicate
a. Become your own PR person.
b. Attend and/or speak at networking events.
c. Think about your online usernames.
Maintain
Social Media
Video Resume
Blog/Podcast/Vodcast
a. Your brand must grow with you.
b. Any new job, award, or press article MUST be added.
c. Use what you did in the past to obtain what you want in the future.

Facts & Stats
80 million names are Google’d, EVERYDAY.
70-80% of employers utilize Social Networks.
91% of employers will look at a potential candidate’s
Facebook before hiring interviews are conducted.
69% of those employers will reject a candidate based
on what they find on their Social Media profiles.
Conclusion
In closing, make sure your online presence is an accurate portrayal of what
you want others to see, think, and feel about you and your brand. You never
know who is looking or searching for you. Check your social media accounts
and email twice per day, or more. Keep yourself available to potential new
fans and prospective employers. Network with others to expand your reach.
If you have any questions,
feel free to contact me at j.anthony@lafilm.edu

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FRANCISCO LEAL
ART DIRECTOR
TODD LITTLE
AUXILIARY DESIGN
GREG LUTTRELL