WAH Zine

WAH Zine

LIL KIM In Hip Hop today there are many talented female rappers, but it hasn’t always been that way. In the past, being female meant that you couldn’t even get your foot through the door. While it’s hardly easy as pie now, it was definitely considered unattainable when some of our favourite MCs began their careers. There are many women that could be credited with the increasing acceptance of women in Hip Hop. But there is one in particular that holds a special place in our hearts. Give it up for the Queen Bee: Lil’ Kim.Kim began her career as a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A, a group closely affiliated to the Notorious BIG and Bad Boy Records. A long time friend of Biggy and Lil’ Cease, she had grown up alongside them in Brooklyn. Kim had to learn to protect herself from a young age after her father kicked her out of the family home. She managed to survive by staying at friends houses and occasionally sleeping on the streets. Things changed pretty quickly after Junior M.A.F.I.A were signed to Bad Boy and released their first album, ‘Conspiracy’ in 1995. One year later, Kim released her first solo album titled ‘Hardcore’. The album turned her into a sex symbol due to the cover artwork on which she posed provocatively on top of a fur rug. From early on in her career, Kim showed an interest in fashion, her style has always been fun and experimental. Her music videos and lyrics feature an emphasis on designer labels, most likely to have been influenced by the logo-heavy fashion of the early 90s. Brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Christian Lacroix are frequently name checked in lyrics. Clothing is intended to display her wealth and sexuality: fur coats over bikinis, diamonds and crop tops. She was very rarely seen without her Versace sunglasses and rainbow coloured wigs.While previous female Hip Hop artists had all played a part in fashion, it was refreshing for an artist to embrace her femininity so openly. In the past, sweet smiles were exchanged with mean grimaces, dresses rejected in favour of shell suits. The legends, such as MC Lyte who dominated Hip Hop before Kim were forced to establish themselves as deserving candidates through power and determination,  stereotypically considered masculine characteristics. For this reason they styled themselves more appropriately to male fashion at the time. During the 1990s there was a rise in successful female rappers, including Lauryn Hill, Da Brat, and Missy Elliot. Lil’ Kim separated herself from these peers through her tactical use of femininity; she used her body in order to be noticed, then her lyrics to be heard.Being the only female in a man’s world has never seemed to bother Kim. In her verse on, ‘It’s All About The Benjamins’, Kim boasts, “The only female in my crew, then I kicks you”, she cherishes her role as female of the pack. In the same video, she appears on screen pushing aside the other Bad Boy rappers, fighting for her place in front of the camera. The reason Lil’ Kim stands alone in the industry because she can hold her own against the men all the while looking too hot for them.LILY MERCER
Mar 8

LIL KIM

In Hip Hop today there are many talented female rappers, but it hasn’t always been that way. In the past, being female meant that you couldn’t even get your foot through the door. While it’s hardly easy as pie now, it was definitely considered unattainable when some of our favourite MCs began their careers. There are many women that could be credited with the increasing acceptance of women in Hip Hop. But there is one in particular that holds a special place in our hearts. Give it up for the Queen Bee: Lil’ Kim.

Kim began her career as a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A, a group closely affiliated to the Notorious BIG and Bad Boy Records. A long time friend of Biggy and Lil’ Cease, she had grown up alongside them in Brooklyn. Kim had to learn to protect herself from a young age after her father kicked her out of the family home. She managed to survive by staying at friends houses and occasionally sleeping on the streets. Things changed pretty quickly after Junior M.A.F.I.A were signed to Bad Boy and released their first album, ‘Conspiracy’ in 1995. One year later, Kim released her first solo album titled ‘Hardcore’. The album turned her into a sex symbol due to the cover artwork on which she posed provocatively on top of a fur rug.


From early on in her career, Kim showed an interest in fashion, her style has always been fun and experimental. Her music videos and lyrics feature an emphasis on designer labels, most likely to have been influenced by the logo-heavy fashion of the early 90s. Brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Christian Lacroix are frequently name checked in lyrics. Clothing is intended to display her wealth and sexuality: fur coats over bikinis, diamonds and crop tops. She was very rarely seen without her Versace sunglasses and rainbow coloured wigs.

While previous female Hip Hop artists had all played a part in fashion, it was refreshing for an artist to embrace her femininity so openly. In the past, sweet smiles were exchanged with mean grimaces, dresses rejected in favour of shell suits. The legends, such as MC Lyte who dominated Hip Hop before Kim were forced to establish themselves as deserving candidates through power and determination,  stereotypically considered masculine characteristics. For this reason they styled themselves more appropriately to male fashion at the time. During the 1990s there was a rise in successful female rappers, including Lauryn Hill, Da Brat, and Missy Elliot. Lil’ Kim separated herself from these peers through her tactical use of femininity; she used her body in order to be noticed, then her lyrics to be heard.

Being the only female in a man’s world has never seemed to bother Kim. In her verse on, ‘It’s All About The Benjamins’, Kim boasts, “The only female in my crew, then I kicks you”, she cherishes her role as female of the pack. In the same video, she appears on screen pushing aside the other Bad Boy rappers, fighting for her place in front of the camera. The reason Lil’ Kim stands alone in the industry because she can hold her own against the men all the while looking too hot for them.


LILY MERCER

"Three bottles of red wine, a platter of sushi and four dozen oysters are lined up waiting for her, but still there is no sign of Grace Jones. We’ve been warned. Jones keeps Jamaica time. She doesn’t appear in daylight. This is Graceland, and in Graceland only one person dictates the terms. Six pm turns into 7pm. We’re in a freezing, underground car park turned exhibition space. Seven pm turns into 8pm, and now the stories are coming thick and fast. There was the time Jones kept David Bailey waiting a whole day, or was it two? Eventually, she calls and her manager Brendan screams down the phone at her: “GET HERE NOW, YOU BITCH!” Eight pm turns into 9pm. She once appeared during the day for Breakfast TV, her make-up artist Terry says. “She said, ‘Darling, you’re ruining my reputation, you know I’m a vampire.’ ” How did she look by day? “Quite surreal. Like she doesn’t really belong. She definitely belongs to the night.” As a supermodel, pop star, Bond girl, artistic muse and artwork in herself, Jones is a one-off. Photographers and artists love working with her. Andy Warhol’s Grace Jones – all red lipstick, fierce flat-top and pink backdrop – is one of his last great portraits. Helmut Newton wrapped her in the arms of Dolf Lundgren to recreate Adam and Eve as a modern-day designer muscle couple. Keith Haring body-painted her into a parody Masai warrior. Perhaps most famously of all, Jean-Paul Goude shot her as a rippling racehorse – virtually naked, standing on one leg, bronzed and oiled, microphone in one hand, right leg raised at 90 degrees to meet her right arm – it is an astonishing image, albeit famously faked."

- GRACE JONES INTERVIEW IN THE GUARDIAN TODAY….Read more

Apr 17
‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshineYou make me happy when skies are grayYou’ll never know dear, how much I love youPlease don’t take my sunshine away’ Johnny Cash- You are my sunshine. A song, you should sing when you see the lovely sunshine, in London.
Apr 23

‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don’t take my sunshine away’

Johnny Cash- You are my sunshine.

A song, you should sing when you see the lovely sunshine, in London.

Apr 26

As we said, we prefer Ciara when she isn’t trying to be all r’n’b diva-like. Look at these fine examples of her HOT tomboyish self- I know which look I’ll be rocking this summer!

And check out her amazing abs - I WANT!

May 3

“Stealing, Cheating, Killing. Who said romance is dead?” 

True Romance is a must see film. This is definitely one of my favorite films of all time, not to mention that Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) is the ultimate style icon. The unconventional love story set in Detroit follows Alabama, a call girl, and her love affair with Clarence Whirley (Christian Slater) whilst they run away from her former pimp with a found stash of cocaine. It was a breakthrough film for Quentin Tarintino, and is well worth watching not only for it’s cool aesthetics, but the gripping story line. Here are some photo’s of my personal favourite moments, and classic eighties, early nineties outfits on Alabama. 

May 9

MADONNA ARCHIVE ‘BAD GIRL’ VIDEO

The ultimate bad girl pipped Skepta to the post with this one, (his ‘bad boys’ song ain’t a patch on hers.) Madonna struts around in a variety of hot outfits as the ultimate, (but unhappy), power bitch, surpassing her Evita performance BY A MILE! With a genius performance by Christopher Walken as her guardian angel, this has gotta be one of my fave Madonna vids and as much as the ‘Lucky Star/ Desperately Seeking Susan’ vibe will always be a staple fave, we gotta admit this is a foxy look for Madonna, check the power suits, nineties lipliner and perfectly coiffed platinum hair. Evidence that sometimes vamps do know best. 

Look at her and Christopher Walken hovering away as ‘other’ dead Madonna is taken away in the ambulance, sorta like a Britney ‘Everytime,’ original… 

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I STILL LOVE BRITNEY SPEARS. She may have had her fair share of breakdowns, shaving her head, and battering some paparazzi with an umbrella but she’s still the Princess of Pop. Who remembers when she first came out, coquettishly seducing us all with her own brand of school girl pop, flashing her midriff and making school uniforms hot again. She might have peaked a little early (2001/2) but she’s still the blueprint for any aspiring popstar, let’s remind ourselves why ….. IT’S BRITNEY, BITCH. 1. Her and Justin rocking double denim to the 2001 AMA’s 2. Her and Justin, mouskateers, childhood sweethearts, destined to be together till she got all trailer crash-crazy and he hooked up with snores-ville Jessica Biel. 3. Her abs, bum, hair EVERYTHING in the Slave 4 u vid. 4. Her bizzare collection of wigs 5. The white polo-neck she wears in the ‘Sometimes,’ video. 6. Her and Pharell in the ‘Boys,’ video. HOT. Oh, and Toxic, probably one of the most perfect pop song ever made. 7. Her perfect lip-synching. 8. Her ‘beef’ with Christina, sorry Xtina, Brit Brit wins everytime. 9. Crossroads, slated by the critics, but i’ve watched it every time it’s on TV. Which is A LOT. 10. And her doing a Demi on the front cover of Harper’s.
May 20

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I STILL LOVE BRITNEY SPEARS.

She may have had her fair share of breakdowns, shaving her head, and battering some paparazzi with an umbrella but she’s still the Princess of Pop. Who remembers when she first came out, coquettishly seducing us all with her own brand of school girl pop, flashing her midriff and making school uniforms hot again. She might have peaked a little early (2001/2) but she’s still the blueprint for any aspiring popstar, let’s remind ourselves why …..

IT’S BRITNEY, BITCH.

1. Her and Justin rocking double denim to the 2001 AMA’s

2. Her and Justin, mouskateers, childhood sweethearts, destined to be together till she got all trailer crash-crazy and he hooked up with snores-ville Jessica Biel.

3. Her abs, bum, hair EVERYTHING in the Slave 4 u vid.

4. Her bizzare collection of wigs

5. The white polo-neck she wears in the ‘Sometimes,’ video.

6. Her and Pharell in the ‘Boys,’ video. HOT. Oh, and Toxic, probably one of the most perfect pop song ever made.

7. Her perfect lip-synching.

8. Her ‘beef’ with Christina, sorry Xtina, Brit Brit wins everytime.

9. Crossroads, slated by the critics, but i’ve watched it every time it’s on TV. Which is A LOT.

10. And her doing a Demi on the front cover of Harper’s.

THE COURTNEY LOVE LOOK BEFORE COURTNEY LOVE…. The famed Kinderwhore look now adopted by Mary Kate et al was all thanks to this grunge babe. Kat Bjelland, one of the original Riot Grrrl’s started her career in ‘Babes In Toyland,’ and influenced other Riot Grrrl bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney. Courtney and Kat had major beef over who had started the look first, with Courtney penning songs about her former bandmate and vise versa.Though we love Court - hot mess that she is - we’re kinda with Kat here as the true originator of the look, whaddayou think?
May 26

THE COURTNEY LOVE LOOK BEFORE COURTNEY LOVE….

The famed Kinderwhore look now adopted by Mary Kate et al was all thanks to this grunge babe. Kat Bjelland, one of the original Riot Grrrl’s started her career in ‘Babes In Toyland,’ and influenced other Riot Grrrl bands like Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney.

Courtney and Kat had major beef over who had started the look first, with Courtney penning songs about her former bandmate and vise versa.Though we love Court - hot mess that she is - we’re kinda with Kat here as the true originator of the look, whaddayou think?