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THE POLITICS ISSUE

F/W 2020

THE BIRTH OF THE COOL Celebrating Miles Davis

RRIISSEE UUPP!! RREEVVEERREENNDD AALL HOUSE OF CARDIN KADIR NELSON SHARPTON SHEPARD FAIREY SHARPTON ART NOW AFTER HOURS

By Allison Kugel YRB ENDORSES JOE BIDEN AND

think less, live more

09 Editor's Note

14 Reverend

23 Voting in a Pandemic

44 #VinylBase

46 Busta Rhymes

56 Birth Of The Cool

YRB ENDORSES JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS

YRB MAGAZINE | 06 yrbmag.com Editor-in-chief Jonn Nubian

Creative Director Dominic Guerrero Executive Producer Nubiano Roubini Photo Director Micheal Evans Production Director Guillermo Wilkins Senior Editor Judith Wong Music Editor Alma Myers Design Director Patti Lawrence Digital Director Gerard Hernandez Art Curator Robin King Advertising Director Heather Wilkins Senior Editorial Assistant Fiona Graham Editorial Assistant Gina Rodgers Art Director Wesley Sherman Deputy Photo Editor Peter Parker Photo Assistant Jenny Murphy Senior Designer Josephine Vasquez Interns Gustavo Becker, Noah Scott Researchers Terrell Parker, Don Silva Contributing Writers Allison Kugel Contributing Photographers Michael Frost, Jamie McCarthy,Drew Angerer Herman Leonard, Timothy A. Clary Jonathan Ernst Pool, Lauren Cowart, Carlos Sanfer, Jules Beau

EDI TORI AL OFFI CE

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THE POLITICS ISSUE @yrbmagazine VOTE 41 Editor's Note 2020 has taught us to cherish everything we took for granted before the pandemic. I also learned that everything is political. The late Fred Hampton said it best... 53

14

"We understood that politics is nothing but war without bloodshed and ON THE COVER: Reverend Al Sharpton war is nothing but politics with bloodshed." Interview by: Allison Kugel Photographer: Michael Frost Art: African American Flag by David Hammons November 3, 2020 is a very important day for this country. Digital rendering by oren neu dag

Please VOTE! YRB Magazine is a lifestyle publication that focuses on fashion, music, art, and related cultural subjects. "The destiny of man is not measured by material computations YRB stands for Yellow Red Blue and When great forces are on the move in the world denotes the use of these pigments as We learn we are spirits, not animals." - Winston Churchill primary colors in art and design, particularly painting. It is the make up of the primary color triad in a standard artist’s color wheel.

Download the Scanner app at whitelablelar.com for a sneak peek at J O N N N U B I A N how augmented reality will change the Editor-in-Chief direction the print industry.

YRB MAGAZINE | 09 yrbmag.com

what's inside

fall / winter 2020 23 THE ELECTION EDITORIAL Early voting in a pandemic

34 CHRISTINE SUN KIM Why Doubt My Experience?

36 SHEPARD FAIREY Continues Manufacturing Quality Dissent

38 ANIME, TRAUMA AND DIVORCE The new album by Open Mike Eagle

41 KADIR NELSON The artist unveiled his bronze sculpture “The MAJOR” at the World Trade Center

46 EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT 2: THE WRATH OF GOD Busta Rhymes gives the world an incredible sequel

49 HOUSE OF CARDIN We sat down with the filmmakers of this fascinating documentary along with Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, nephew of Pierre Cardin prior to the premiere of the film in

63 ART NOW AFTER HOURS Vote with your Brain and your HeART

YRB MAGAZINE | 12 yrbmag.com HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF AGAINST COVID-19?

Wash your hands frequently

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Avoid crowded places and put space between yourself and others

Cough or sneeze into your bent elbow or a tissue

If you have fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, seek care early. Call beforehand and follow medical advice.

SOURCE: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION YRB MAGAZINE | 14 yrbmag.com AL SHARPTON TALKS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIS PLACE AT THE CENTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS

By Allison Kugel

For many Black , he is next to a As the years progressed, though the He is referring to victims' families who Messiah. For many non-Black Americans, American has have been helped by Sharpton's National he is thought to be an agitator, riling up remained something of a moving target, Action Network (NAN), providing already uncomfortable societal quagmires much of the fight has landed at Reverend everything from the media attention these that are better left swept under the rug. Al Sharpton's doorstep. Families of victims families need to pressure prosecutors to Media image aside, Reverend Al Sharpton of , fatal racial take action towards justice, to gaining the is neither of these things. The boy raised and other hate crimes attention of congress for policy reform, as by a single mother in working class come to him in their quest to gain the well as emotional and financial support in , New York, developed a passion for media attention they need to enact some instances. Now, with his new book, civil rights activism as a pre-teen. He criminal justice and legislative reform on Rise Up: Confronting A Country At The began marching alongside Reverend behalf of their loved ones. The powerless Crossroads, Reverend Al Sharpton outlines and other prominent civil and voiceless look to Reverend Sharpton his unrelenting position on the weightiest rights activists at the tender age of to get their voices heard. As Sharpton, political and societal issues of our time, thirteen, seeking to progress the legacy of himself, put it to me during our recounts some hard lessons learned, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of conversation, "People have called me an offers an inside glimpse into the mentors civil disobedience and taking the high ambulance chaser, but we are the who shaped the man we see today. Most road to equal rights under the law for ambulance." importantly, Reverend Sharpton outlines Black Americans. his plan for an America at the crossroads.

YRB MAGAZINE | 15 Alison Kugel: In light of recent news in the Breonna Taylor case (no criminal charges filed in her death), what was your first reaction when you heard that decision?

Reverend Al Sharpton: It was alarming, but not surprising. I didn’t have confidence in this investigation, because of the obvious policies of the prosecutor. The prosecutor guides the grand jury and there is nobody in there besides the prosecutor. This prosecutor is a protégé of Mitch McConnell. I did not think that he was going to do anything. I did feel that the indictment of the other officer, [Brett] Hankison, for the endangerment of everybody but Breonna was just as offensive. What they are saying is that he was reckless in who he was shooting at and putting others at risk. What about who they shot, and her being at risk? It is one of the reasons why we do what we do, in saying there needs to be new laws. We just had a big march with tens of thousands of us, three weeks ago.

Among two of the things we wanted are The Policing and Justice Act that sat in the House, but the Senate hasn’t taken it up. It would strengthen the laws that would have eliminated the no knock laws and put this whole thing in a different perspective.

That's one of the things I talk about that in this new book.

YRB MAGAZINE | 16 alsharptonbooks.com Allison Kugel: Many people believe that you just show up Allison Kugel: What you are saying is actually a great wherever the action and media attention is. It's important for life lesson. Nobody anoints you. Nobody taps you on the people to know that you and your head and says, "You are the chosen one." It has to come (NAN) are the ones who work to bring national attention to these from within, and a person takes it upon themselves to cases in the first place. For example, it was your organization, NAN, take the ball and run with it. That applies to anything in that brought national attention to 's murder and to life. George Floyd's murder. Without your hard work, the world wouldn't know the names Trayvon Martin or George Floyd. Reverend Al Sharpton: Absolutely, and you will only do Why isn't this common knowledge? it if it comes from inside. If I sat down and asked somebody if they would go through what I went Reverend Al Sharpton: A lot of the media just doesn’t say it. Ben through… I’ve done 90 days in jail at one time. Who Crump (Attorney for the Floyd family) and the families have said it. would apply for that? But if it is in you, you take it as it In fact, Breonna Taylor’s mother's first interview was on my show comes because your commitment and your beliefs are (MSNBC's "PoliticsNation"). They couldn’t get a national show bigger than whatever it is you are going to face. before my show. Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin's mother) wrote But this is not a career move. I started to write when I about it her book on Trayvon. Ben Crump brought them to New was 12, I started preaching before that, and I became York to ask me to blow up Trayvon [in the media]. Trayvon had youth director under Jesse and Reverend William Jones been buried for 2 weeks. I didn’t even know about Trayvon until when I was 13. When I was 13 years old, I didn’t sit they came and met with me in my office. We made it an issue and down and say, "If I do this, one day I’ll have a show on called the first rally and had about 10,000 people out there. It MSNBC." When I started, there was no MSNBC. There ended up being the day my mother died, and I went ahead with was no radio show syndication owned by blacks. the rally anyway. I said in the eulogy to George Floyd that people You do things out of commitment and things result call me to blow things up, and I have an infrastructure with NAN from that, but your critics will act like you just figured where we support the family, we help them get legal advice and out this will make you famous. media advice, and we stay with them. Sometimes people can’t cover their expenses if they need to do a rally. Some of them need How would I know at 13 years old where this was going to pay their rent, and NAN helps with that. to go?

They call us because they know we'll come.

Allison Kugel: Who is your heir apparent once you reach a certain age and you are no longer able to do this work?

Reverend Al Sharpton: That would come up through the ranks of NAN (Sharpton's National Action Network). We have a lot of young people in our youth and college division, and some of them have a lot of potential. It is not up to me to choose who it will be, but I think it will come up from the ranks of the movement. That is why I built an organization. I could have just resigned from NAN several years ago, not worried about raising five to ten million dollars a year, and just done radio and TV and been a personality. I built a structure because I wanted to go way beyond my viability. I came out of that kind of structure, but nobody anointed me. The point person before me was Reverend Jesse Jackson who was one of my mentors, but he didn’t choose me. Cream rises to the top. You’re going to take a lot of scrutiny. You’re going to take a lot of attacks. I’ve been stabbed and done time in jail for marching. There is a Aev. Al Sharpton “boy preacher” circa 1966. Photo courtesy of Swann Auction downside to this, and not everybody is built for that. Galleries.

YRB MAGAZINE | 17 nationalactionnetwork.net Allison Kugel: After reading your book cover to cover I went to Allison Kugel: How do you see a Green New Deal sleep and up the next morning with this thought: We are rolling out despite the strong lobby for oil? How can a supposed to be the smartest, most sophisticated species on the new administration circumvent that? planet. However, we have trillions of dollars in circulation on this planet, and millions of people are broke. We have more than Reverend Al Sharpton: Rise up and vote in this enough food, to the point that we throw out ridiculous amounts election and put in office people that will not be in any of food every day, and millions of people are starving. So, we can’t way swayed by the lobbyists. We have to change the be that smart. lawmakers. Lobbyists can only go as far as who they can influence. You currently have people in the Senate and Reverend Al Sharpton: I think you should be an activist. the Congress that they can influence. They have to have You are absolutely right. It’s a matter of will and a matter of using that majority commit to it; the same way Roosevelt did the intelligence we claim to have to distribute things more wisely, with The New Deal. That is why I wanted this book out and to make people the priority rather than greed and ego. It's a before the upcoming election, to lay all of this out. decision that we throw out food and not feed everybody. There is enough food for everybody. It is a decision to allow the water and the air to be polluted for people's profit. We can clean up the Allison Kugel: With the worldwide protests that air and the water. That is part of why I’m saying we need to Rise erupted after the , what do you Up (the title of Sharpton's new book, out now), and this is not a ultimately see resulting from all the protesting? book that just deals with blacks. I deal with climate change. I deal with LGBTQ rights. I'm saying, across the board, we could be Reverend Al Sharpton: The legislation is one, as better than this, but we are not rising up and demanding these I said, but the overall result should be how we as a things. culture redefine policing and move past police being above the law while questioning the actions of some Allison Kugel: In your book you illustrate a parallel between The police is thought to be anti-police. I think legislation can Great Depression and The New Deal put in place by President enforce this, or we need a cultural shift. One of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and our current economic crisis due to reasons the Floyd case caught on the way it did is that it COVID-19 and the potential solution of a Green New Deal. happened in the middle of a pandemic and everyone was in lockdown. There were no sports, so people were Have you had the chance to speak with Kamala Harris or Joe watching the news to see what was happening with the Biden about this? lockdown. They kept seeing this footage over and over again, and they couldn’t turn to sports as a distraction. Reverend Al Sharpton: During the [primary] campaign, There was no distraction with George Floyd, and I think yes. There was the meeting when Kamala came to and that caused an eruption. How could somebody press went with me to Sylvia’s restaurant. I’ve talked to them their weight with their knee on someone’s neck for separately. I’ve not talked to them at length since they were more than eight minutes unless there was some venom nominated. Obviously, we've talked on the phone, but this is there? something that I’m pushing out and I’m encouraging them to do. With COVID-19 this country is going to go through a tremendous economic challenge. We need a Marshall Plan and government involvement to bring the country back.

If we don’t have that kind of engagement, we are going to have a very difficult 2021 and 2022.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Rev. Al Sharpton exit after having lunch at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, February 21, 2019 in New York City.

YRB MAGAZINE | 18 Allison Kugel: I believe everything happens for a reason. I love Allison Kugel: Good point. And whether you love how you said that God chooses the most unlikely people to make Trump or hate him, every American should be aware the biggest impact on the world. George Floyd's story and his that an important part of our democracy is a free press, likeness will be passed down for generations to come. Has the as well as our postal service. When you have somebody Floyd family grasped the enormity of that? in the highest office in the land who essentially gaslights the American public and says, “You can’t trust Reverend Al Sharpton: Yes, we talk about it all the time. His the media, you can’t trust the medical experts; only brother, Philonise, who does a lot of speaking for the family, we believe Me,” that is very dangerous rhetoric and talk almost every day. We talked last night, and I think they have undermines our democracy. Why do you think so many begun to understand the impact. Their immediate reaction was Trump supporters aren't seeing that? they didn’t understand it, because they were suddenly thrust into something [public] and they were also mourning. As time has Reverend Al Sharpton: It baffles me on one level, and gone on and they see people responding to George and his on another level, I think because the country is so image, they understand that maybe God used him as an divided, and they have been divided by the media. The instrument. I told them God absolutely used him as an media has convinced people that everybody but FOX instrument. Nothing but God could have brought it to this level, [News] and a few radio talk show guys are buffaloing and you have to be at peace with that and also set your you or fooling you. They set a climate where a guy like responsibility in that. Trump, who really is representing himself almost as an autocrat, can rise up and take advantage of that. He can Allison Kugel: I want to talk to you about . I say, "Don’t believe them, believe me. I’m one of you." read where you are not in favor of it, and I’m definitely not for it. There is nobody more not one of them than Trump, Rather than defund the police, I am of the mind that some funds with the glitzy billionaire lifestyle he lives. Whether he is should be reallocated towards programs for compassion, a real billionaire or not, we don’t know. But he’s been empathy, tolerance, psychological competency, and things like able to sell that to people who are suffering through that. What are your thoughts? existence issues that are lower-middle class or poor, like I grew up. It's appealing to them that they are doing this Reverend Al Sharpton: I think that we should redistribute how to me, and he has identified "they" as the liberal media. we do the resources like dealing with some of the things you He gives everybody a blame game. In the interim, he outlined. A month after we did the eulogies for George Floyd, I did does policies that don’t help them, but that they can a eulogy for a 17-year-old kid killed by a stray bullet in , feel that it is not his fault, instead it’s their fault. and a eulogy for a one-year old baby that was killed by a straight bullet in . How can we say we don’t need policing when Allison Kugel: Throwing it back to the 2016 presidential our communities are disproportionately victims of crime? We are election, do you think Hillary Clinton was a strong and the only community that has reasonable fear of cops and robbers. viable candidate? I think we need to reallocate how we deal with the funds for police. We must have police in presence because right now we are inundating our communities with guns and drugs, and that is reality. Ironically though, I think what people don’t understand, Allison, is the one who has defunded the police is Trump. By Trump ineffectively handling COVID-19, most of these cities are going to be in deficit and will be laying off police. That is a bigger threat than people stating it at rallies. They have run out of funds. They are laying off teachers and policeman in some cities.

Davell Gardner Sr, the father of Davell Gardner Jr. is comforted by Reverand Al Sharpton during the funeral service of 1-year-old Davell Gardner Jr. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant July 27, 2020 in New York City.

YRB MAGAZINE | 19 Reverend Al Sharpton: I think she was a strong and viable Reverend Al Sharpton: There are people on both sides candidate, but she did not run a strong and viable campaign. They that don’t want to let certain things go, but we have to did not engage the ground enough. To lose Michigan by 12,000 keep standing up and represent the facts of history. votes, I know three churches that could have given her that. They We've suffered together, we've fought together, and at never went into Detroit. They never really went into Milwaukee. I this time we cannot afford to be separate. We are think there was almost this feeling of, "We got this. Nobody is fighting the same enemy. Most people that are racist going to vote for Trump." She certainly had the credentials. I think are also antisemitic, and those who are antisemitic are she had the vision, and I think she is a decent person. I knew her mostly racist. We are connected, and we need to stop since she was First Lady, but I think her campaign was too up in acting like we are not. the air, too high ground. They didn't get on the ground, and that is where the voters were. It left an opening for Trump to do it. I think Allison Kugel: I like that. A big part of your organization, that Biden has not run that campaign so far. the National Action Network, is Criminal Justice Reform. Recently Kim Kardashian worked with President Allison Kugel: Meaning he has been on the ground? Trump to have the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson, a nonviolent offender, commuted. Would you Reverend Al Sharpton: He has been on the ground, and he has ever be open to following suit and working with this his infrastructure on the ground. current administration on Criminal Justice Reform?

Allison Kugel: As a Jewish American, this next question is more Reverend Al Sharpton: I don’t trust Trump. I did personal. There is a faction of the Black American movement that support the [Emergency Community Supervision Act of has become antisemitic as of late. It's confounding to me based 2020] bill that Corey Booker and Hakeem Jeffries on our shared history and a lot of our shared activism. How can we came to me with. They said, "Even though we are clear up some of these misconceptions? working with Jared Kushner, would you support this bill?" Van Jones called me, and he was working very Reverend Al Sharpton: We need to stand and walk together and closely with Jared Kushner. I said, "I’m not going to do go back to the history. When I was a kid, I will never forget, photo ops with them, but I support the bill." I went on Reverend Jackson brought me to the Jewish Theological my show and endorsed the bill. I think you have to put Seminary, and I met Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel who principle over personality, but I don't want a photo opp marched with Dr. King. Rabbi Heschel gave me a collection of his with this president. He called me after he won and books and I still have some, like God and Man, and some others. invited me to Mar-a-Lago, and I wouldn’t go because I There are people like Heschel, who were part of the backbone of believe he is just a cynical manipulator. Even bad the Civil Rights Movement. I tell a lot of people today that when people can sometimes deliver good results, and I didn’t we talk about voting rights, Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, want to get in the way of the results. I wanted to were three who died to get us the right to vote. I don’t think support it even though I do not trust him. Even a broken enough of us talk about that in the Black community. And yes, we clock is right twice a day. may have had our disagreements, but the history of it is not put out enough, and we have to deliberately deal with the misnomer that we have not come together and suffered together. I remember when 9/11 happened. I went to Mort Zuckerman, who was then the head of the Conference of Jewish Organizations, and I said I want to go to Israel and identify with the fact that they live under this kind of terrorism all the time, and we just went through it in New York. [Former Israeli President] Shimon Peres invited me as his guest to Israel and I went and met with him. He asked me to take that message to Yasser Arafat. He set up a meeting with [Yasser] Arafat (late Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization), and I went and worked with them.

Donald Trump and Rev. Al Sharpton during the Grand Opening of Megu Midtown at Trump World Towers April 19, 2006 in New York City.

YRB MAGAZINE | 20 Allison Kugel: (Laugh) Lastly, there has been a lot of rioting and looting mixed in with peaceful protesting. Your organization's famous slogan is, “No Justice, No Peace.” Do you want to clear up, for people, what you mean by that?

Reverend Al Sharpton: It means the only way we are going to have real peace, where we can live together as a society that respects each other, is to have justice. I don’t mean "no peace" in the sense of violence. I am absolutely, unequivocally against violence. I have denounced it everywhere and will continue to. As far as the two cops shot in Louisville, Kentucky, I think it is morally wrong. You cannot become like the people you are fighting. If you become like that, if you have the same values and the same moral code, they have already defeated you. At the same time, I think there’s a difference between peace and quiet. Quiet means just shut up and suffer. Peace means let’s strive to work together even if we've got to march and make noise together to get an equal society for everybody. That is what I mean by “No Justice, No Peace.”

Rise Up: Confronting A Country At The Crossroads, the latest book by Reverend Al Sharpton, is now available worldwide.

Visit www.alsharptonbooks.com for links to purchase. Follow Reverend Sharpton on Instagram @real_sharpton and on @thereval To learn more about the National Action Network (NAN), visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net

Photography by: Michael Frost Book Cover Art, Courtesy of Hanover Square Press

Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment and pop culture columnist and author of the book, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com

YRB MAGAZINE | 21 AllisonKugel.com

EDITORIAL

DEMOCR ACTICEL

ECTION Y R B M A G A Z I N E | 2 3

EDITORIAL

I M P R I N T M A G A Z I N E | 3 8

art WHY DOUBT MY EXPERIENCE? BY CHRISTINE SUN KIM

Historically, people in power (namely politicians) use experiences with communities they know only from afar (or do not know) to inform their decisions. because of my background, people will never stop doubting whether my experience is valid or true. and doubt from others is not only hurtful; but, in the long run, it makes us doubt our own experiences. with @forfreedoms and @thisisunfinished.

I decided to put my billboard in Hartford, Connecticut near the American School of the Deaf founded in 1817, it was the first deaf school in the United States. I want the deaf students to see the billboard and think: "that's right, just shut up and listen to us."

"shot from the right angle at the ground level, a close up of the billboard, with strong blue sky, buildings and trees in the back. the billboard design is a black rectangle with small handwritten turquoise letters of “why doubt my” on the top and *big* letters of “experience” in the middle with white question marks disguised as ripples. I’m trying to capture the experience of how the constant doubt makes me feel like I'm *literally* sinking."

it’s up until after the 2020 election.

-Christine Sun Kim

YRB MAGAZINE | 35 forfreedoms.org

art – GOOD TROUBLE BY SHEPARD FAIREY

John Lewis is a hero of mine because of his civil rights activism and dedication to justice throughout his life’s work, both in the streets and in politics. Rep. Lewis worked as a grassroots organizer and was beaten by police while marching for , but also campaigned, was elected to congress, and served as a lawmaker for 40 years.

John Lewis is a role model for using what I call “the inside/outside strategy,” which entailed working in whatever zone necessary, outside the system or inside, and using his powers as an organizer and communicator to make better. There is no better example of dedication to justice and civic engagement than Rep. John Lewis. With the election approaching and the rise of strategies utilized by the Republicans, I felt an image of John Lewis reminding people that the hard-fought progress on voting rights and equality must be maintained vigilantly when threatened, would be an important message to send before Nov. 3. I also wanted to symbolically thank John Lewis for all his service to humanity.When John Lewis made his cancer diagnosis public, my friend & photographer, Steve Schapiro, suggested that we collaborate to honor him. I was thrilled by that idea and wrote a letter to John Lewis proposing the image of him. He gave the project his blessing but sadly passed away shortly before the art was completed. I know he was a humble person, but I hope he’d be proud that his actions have given inspiration and fuel to me and millions of others.

Thanks for the fire, John Lewis!

A portion of proceeds from this print will go to Fair Fight. Thanks for caring, and don’t forget to vote!

-Shepard

YRB MAGAZINE | 37 obeygiant.com new music

# N O W P L A Y I N G OPEN MIKE EAGLE: ANIME, TRAUMA AND DIVORCE

Anime, Trauma and Divorce is the fifth solo studio album by Open Mike Eagle. The album has various anime references which the uninitiated may not understand. But everyone can relate to an honest and raw road to redemption.

Tracklist: 01 – Death Parade 02 – Headass (Idiot Shinji) 03 – Sweatpants Spiderman 04 – Bucciarati 05 – Asa’s Bop 06 – The Edge of New Clothes 07 – Everything Ends Last Year 08 – The Black Mirror Episode 09 – Wtf is Self Care 10 – I’m a Joestar ( Fantasy) 11 – Airplane Boneyard 12 – Fifteen Twenty Feet Ocean Nah (Live from the Joco Cruise)

YRB MAGAZINE | 39

KADIR NELSON UNVEILS FIRST PUBLIC ARTWORK OF MARSHALL MAJOR TAYLOR AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

YRB: Why did you decide to go in a different direction from painting to a doing this sculpture?

Kadir Nelson: Initially Hennessy approached me to create a painting of Marshall Taylor, but I believe at the time, they learned about an existing monument that was vandalized. They wanted to create another physical three- dimensional object that would commemorate him and replace the monument. I have been sculpting since I was in college, so I was eager to create a sculpture to celebrate Marshall Taylor.

YRB: How long did the process take from conception to what you unveiled today?

Kadir Nelson: It took over one year. The sculpting process took about a month. The casting process took quite a while, about 6 to 8 months. Fortunately working with Hennessy was easy and pretty straight forward.

YRB: How does it feel today having your work here in the World Trade Center?

Kadir Nelson: I’m certainly very proud that this bronze sculpture of Marshall Taylor will be on display for the world to see on one of the grandest stage in the world. It will further share his legacy and his story with millions and millions of people who come to Marshall “Major” Taylor made history competing in a six-day race at Madison Square Garden in 1886 to become the first African-American world champion cyclist (second AfAm world champion in any sport). this very sacred spot on the Earth.

More than 100 years after the Major’s six-day ride, Kadir Nelson’s modern-day sculpture immortalizes his infinite determination on one of the city’s biggest stages, the World Trade Center, an elite destination for millions of I am very proud to have been able to travelers from all over the world. The Major” will be displayed starting later this year near the north entrance of 3 World Trade Center, with the Oculus and National 9/11 Museum in the background. contribute to that.

The sculpture will live in WTC as part of the Silverstein family’s World Trade arts initiative, entitled The Silver Project. Since 9/11, the Silverstein family has provided displaced resident artists with working in studio space at each of the new World Trade Center towers.

Photos by: Jules Beau & Lauren Cowart

YRB MAGAZINE | 43 kadirnelson.com V i n y l

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W h i t e . Forty five pages in this magazine so far.

VOTE! Turn this page to 4continue. 5 PAGE 45 new music

# N O W P L A Y I N G BUSTA RHYMES: EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT 2 THE WRATH OF GOD

Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God is the tenth solo studio album by hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes. The album is a sequel to his 1998 album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front when he warned us about all the doom we are facing in the world today.

Tracklist: 01 – Intro (feat. Chris Rock & Rakim) 02 – Cities Burning 03 – 1, 2 04 – Leader of the New Shit (feat. Chris Rock & Diddy) 05 – You Gotta Love It (samples “Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe) 06 – The Impact (feat. Farrakhan) 07 – More of the Raw (feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard) 08 – Don’t Go (feat. Q-Tip & Chris Rock) 09 – Come for the Ride 10 – Dookie (prod. DJ Premier) 11 – Make Her Proud (feat. Rick Ross & Chris Rock) 12 – YUUUU (feat. Anderson .Paak) 13 – I Got Em 14 – The Don & The Boss (feat. Vybz Kartel) 15 – The Best I Can (feat. Rapsody) 16 – Right Where I Belong (feat. Mariah Carey) 17 – Deep Thought 18 – I’ll Be There (Interlude) 19 – Look Over Your Shoulders (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Nikki Grier & Chris Rock) 20 – Another Me (feat. Mary J. Blige) 21 – Tears in the Night (feat. Jennifer Hudson) 22 – Outro (feat. Chris Rock)

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H O U S E O F C A R D I N I N T E R V I E W

W I T H T O D D H U G H E S , Words Jonn Nubian P . D A V I D E B E R S O L E & Photography Carlos Sanfer R O D R I G O B A S I L I C A T I C A R D I N

The documentary, House of Cardin premiered in the independent Giornate degli Autori section at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019. It has just been made available on all major streaming platforms this month. The film has been called “a deliciously entertaining and perceptive take on Cardin’s life”. It was directed by the filmmaking duo P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. YRB Magazine’s Executive Editor, Jonn Nubian sat down with the directors and Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, nephew of Pierre Cardin prior to the premiere of the film in New York City.

YRB MAGAZINE | 51 YRB: Why did you decide to do this project after your last film Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin: It is the first time that, Pierre, MANSFIELD 66/67? my uncle agreed to do this. For a long time, French television, not only French, Italian and Americans Todd Hughes: We just were collecting Pierre Cardin. proposed to make a film and every time his answer was We didn’t even know there was a Pierre Cardin. We just thought it always no. Finally, my colleague, Matthew Gonder told was a name on the cologne. I remember pleading with my Dad, my uncle, if you don’t accept now, somebody will do it “Could I please get the Pierre Cardin skis?” he said, “you’re just without your say so. It’s better that you show who you paying more for the way they look”. are.

P. David Ebersole: It actually all started with a coffee table. We Todd Hughes: We were there because we had a bought a circular couch and we needed a circular coffee table documentary playing at a festival in Paris. Rodrigo was and started looking, but everyone’s doing the same thing over and like my uncle always said no to everyone but there is a over. I found this beautiful Pierre Cardin designed coffee table and lot going on. It would be a really good time to do it. Why started to search for it but it was impossible to find. A friend of don’t you give me your number and I will run it by my mine found it at a store in the UK and that began the obsession. uncle and an hour later we were meeting with Pierre and talking about it. Todd Hughes: We were in Paris and there was the Musée Pierre Cardin. (There’s a Pierre Cardin museum???) We wanted to P. David Ebersole: He went through all the pictures on check it out but it was closed. There is a shop next door and we my phone and you know we own the 1972 Pierre Cardin went in and spoke to the guy working there. Pierre Cardin had a AMC Javelin, which is the one that’s in the film. In the record label and we found one of the records at a flea market we middle of our talk he stops on the photo and he looks were at earlier and showed him. We also showed him our car. at me and asked, do you drive it? We were like yeah, it’s in perfect condition we drive it all the time. (NOTE: In 1972 and 1973 there were 4,152 AMC Javelins produced Pierre then says, okay. What do you want to do and with optional interior design by Pierre Cardin.) when do you want to start? He said, Oh Monsieur Cardin would love to meet you. And we are like; Pierre Cardin is a real person? Todd Hughes: Then for the first time we asked, who is Pierre Cardin? I think the first thing we learned was he P. David Ebersole: And then, how old is he? At that point he was did the costumes for Beauty and the Beast. This guy is 95. He is 97 now. We started the project exactly two years before incredible! He diversified the runway. The first to use we premiered at Venice. We asked does he even still see people? non-Caucasian models and the first to do prêt-à-porter, They said he works every day. He goes into the store especially on menswear and children’s wear. Stories just kept Tuesdays and walks through. He said, I can’t set up a meeting for emerging about Japan then Jean Paul Gaultier and you, but I’ll tell you how to run into him and we followed his Philippe Starck. instructions. P. David Ebersole: He’s never agreed before to do a Todd Hughes: We walked into the store all dressed up and we full biography on him and he’s never allowed somebody met Maryse Gaspard. We don’t speak French. They don’t speak to really spend time with him. We followed him for a English but we just started getting along. Then Rodrigo Basilicati year. Cardin came down. YRB: Rodrigo, tell us about your relationship with your YRB: Rodrigo, has anyone else tried to do a film on your uncle uncle, Pierre Cardin. prior to this one?

YRB MAGAZINE | 52 Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin: I first met my uncle when I was 8 years P. David Ebersole: We have worked with a lot of old. He remembers, I don’t remember. I lived my entire life close to celebrities and ultimately they’re just people. I think for Venice with my engineering studies, my piano studies in Budapest us to be able to spend time with someone that we and Padova. I never saw him again until I was 22 years old with my admire so much and what he’s done was just an honor. grandfather (his brother). One year later, he proposed to me to live in his house in Venice. We have been working together on projects YRB: Besides Sharon Stone and Naomi Campbell, was ever since. there a list of celebrities that you wanted to talk about Pierre Cardin? YRB: How long did it take you to produce this documentary? P. David Ebersole: His muses have tended to be P. David Ebersole: It took exactly two years from meeting him to people like Hiroko Matsumoto who modeled for him or premiering in Venice because my Facebook picture popped Maryse Gaspard who still works for him. The muses were up that said “We just met Pierre Cardin”. Of course, you know half not necessarily celebrities. It’s more about these strange of that is post production and we followed him for a full year. moments with different people. Especially at L’Espace Cardin, the theatre Pierre Cardin operated for more YRB: Tell us about Sharon Stone. than 50 years, all of these interesting people came through at different moments. We found out that P. David Ebersole: Sharon Stone is interesting because we were Dionne Warwick played concerts at L'Espace Cardin and doing research about Jeanne Moreau and we found a magazine just wanted to see whether or not she had something called Paris Match with Jeanne Moreau and Sharon Stone to say for the film. It turned out also that she wore Pierre together in it. They were girlfriends so we thought she might give Cardin on the cover of the Make Way for Dionne us some girlfriend talk. Pierre would not talk about Jeanne Moreau Warwick album. Those are the fun things about making or Andre Oliver. He doesn’t talk about his personal life. a documentary. When you get someone willing to talk to you and then they surprise you and tell you YRB: Did you push him on that or was groundwork laid out when something you had no idea about. The connection you started making the film? between Burt Bacharach, Marlene Dietrich and Dionne Warwick is fantastic. Todd Hughes: We got closer and closer. Also, he picked us for a reason I think us being a couple, you know. YRB: What was the process like gathering the archival footage? P. David Ebersole: There were no ground rules. Nobody said you can or cannot ask about this. If you asked him questions about Todd Hughes: It was exhausting. We had the complete certain things you get a very short answer. For instance if we asked Pierre Cardin archive, which you walk in there and you about the relationship with Jean Moreau, he would answer: “She just go how are we going to do this? It was endless but was very private and it’s important for me to respect that” then everyone who works for him is really into the project. you don’t really feel like asking a follow-up question. When we Pierre doesn’t hire MBAs. He just sees you and likes you asked about Andre Oliver, in the film where he says, “he left us and you’re working for him. People adapt and with many regrets”. There is an openness to the answer, but it everyone’s in the same boat, but they’re not corporate. wasn’t like he wanted to really delve into and talk about that There are file folders labeled Jeanne Moreau and you relationship. pull out a stack of photos of Pierre Cardin and Jeanne YRB: What was it that you wanted to get out of this documentary? Moreau, and you can go through them and pick out what you want for the movie. We asked if it was okay to Todd Hughes: From a personal level, you can catalog bring people in and digitize everything. They said no. all of his accomplishments and I think he’s worthy of the Nobel You can come in and you can look. Pierre has to Peace Prize for all he’s done for uniting cultures and creating a approve every picture you use and then we will scan it world economy. What we wanted to do is, we don’t know what for you. Matthew Gonder, who is our Cardin liaison and this guy looks like, and we don’t know who he is. Let’s hang out Executive Producer on the film. He’s one of Pierre’s with him to the point where maybe he will just reveal himself, closest friends and was very instrumental with the which I think he did. He is so modest, so optimistic and so archives. enthusiastic..

YRB MAGAZINE | 53 YRB: How much percentage was from his archive versus other YRB: What do you want people to get out of this film? materials you found? Todd Hughes: We keep saying we want to fight . P. David Ebersole: It’s more than half. 80% of To see how vibrant and brilliant this man is and how he photographs come from the Cardin archives. There’s a French stays young through this very simple way of living that television icon archive called INA and they have decades of everyone can learn from. history. Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin: I want people to look at Todd Hughes: Technologically, brilliant! Everything Pierre not only as a fashion designer, but as a man. I’m done on French television has been digitized and cataloged. We proud not only for his genius, but also his pure insight. found things just by entering names; it’s how we found most of Why do it only for rich people? I have to do it for the footage. everybody! He is free. He has a lot of courage and that is a good thing to see. It is an inspiration and you feel that YRB: Was it hard getting some of the interviews? you can do everything after watching this film. That message is important. P. David Ebersole: We really had to work hard to get some interviews. For instance, Jean Paul Gaultier said yes immediately, P. David Ebersole: Do what you love to do in life and but it was extremely hard to get him in the room. He didn’t want work then it’s not work. We started working on this film to do a quick 20-30 minute interview. It took us a year to find a asking this question, Who is Pierre Cardin? What we date to make sure that he had 2 hours to be able to talk want is people walking away from this film with a sense to us. that they got to know him.

YRB: What about Naomi Campbell?

Todd Hughes: We asked her because we thought she would know the story of him diversifying the runway and she’s the only celebrity who wears vintage Cardin. She said yes right away. It was just a matter of scheduling in order to make it happen.

P. David Ebersole: For Sharon Stone, we were trying to get through to her through proper channels and bemoaning it a little bit at a cocktail party with a friend of ours and she said, oh my ex- boyfriend is her ex-husband or something like that and they’re having dinner tomorrow night, should I ask him? And just like that, Sharon Stone said yes.

YRB: Was there anyone that you wanted to include that you couldn’t get?

Todd Hughes: Someone we really wanted to interview was Farah Pahlavi, the former Queen of Iran because she wore Cardin. We got a lovely letter from her; she’s not allowed to be in a documentary like this.

P. David Ebersole: The ones that we went after the hardest and it just ended up being a scheduling problem was The Beatles. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr both said yes and wanted to do it but we could not find a scheduling moment to get them in a room.

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YRB exclusive music F/W 2020 BIRTH OF THE COOL

7 0 years ago, in a nondescript basement room Recently YRB Executive Editor, Jonn behind a Chinese laundry located at 14 West 55th Street Nubian spoke with Erin Davis (son of Miles in midtown , a group of like-minded jazz Davis) and Vince Wilburn, Jr. (nephew of Miles modernists formed a groundbreaking collective. Among Davis and bandleader of the Miles Electric them were jazz headliners soon-to-be: Band) about the vinyl release.. Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz, Max Roach, John Lewis, the arranger Gil Evans and significantly, the 22-year-old trumpeter Miles Davis, who became the leader of the project.

YRB MAGAZINE | 57 yrbmag.com YRB: I think I haven’t seen you guys Erin Davis: That’s more of a question since the Kind of Blue Whiskey for the guys at Universal. They really "Stanley knows event. How is everything? put a lot of work into this, it’s not just another repacking effort. I was what he’s doing. Vince Wilburn Jr.: Everything is excited we when received some great! early copies it’s killer! We got that YRB: It’s been 70 years since The Vince Wilburn Jr.: When you put the feeling from him Birth of the Cool was released. Was needle to it, it’s so warm! (laughter) it released in conjunction with the new documentary Stanley YRB: What’s your take on the the first time we Nelson directed? documentary? met him years Vince Wilburn Jr.: No, the Vince Wilburn Jr.: One word. documentary is separate from this Amazing! We love it. ago. release. It just happens to share the same title of that beautiful record. He knows how to Erin Davis: I’ve seen it a few times YRB: This is the first time all these and it’s better and better each time. make a great recordings have been together on It’s very well done. Stanley knows vinyl. What was that process like? what he’s doing. We got that feeling from him the first time we met him movie". years ago. He knows how to make a great movie. We are just thankful that he was able to it.

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YRB: What’s the release date for the YRB: What’s else is coming up? Available now in 2LP vinyl, CD, and film? digital formats, the collection Erin Davis: We are working on includes the twelve sides they Vince Wilburn Jr.: The theatrical a Dolby Atmos mix of Kind of recorded in 1949/‘50, as well as the release is slated for October with a Blue and Sketches of Spain. It’s the ensemble’s only extant live soundtrack. most immersive kind of recordings, recorded at the Royal environment to listen to music in. It Roost. The new release marks the YRB: What’s new with the Miles feels like you’re in the room with the first time since 1957 that the Electric Band? musicians. recordings have been remastered for vinyl and the first time all Vince Wilburn Jr.: Lenny White and A lot of other things are in the the Birth of the Cool performances are producing a new album with a works, we hope everyone enjoys this — studio and live – are available who’s who that includes Marcus new release of The Complete Birth together on LP. Miller, Ron Carter, John of the Cool. Scofield, Wallace Roney, Bernard The seeds of Birth of the Cool were Wright, Vernon Reid, and more so YRB: Thank you, guys! planted in the Manhattan basement we’re excited! apartment of the arranger/composer Gil Evans, who hosted informal musical meetings The music this historic nine-piece in which ideas about arranging, jazz, group created together in 1949 and and classical music were shared and 1950 — in the studio and onstage — explored among a younger came and went with little notice at generation of musicians. first.

Seven years later, when the music was collected on a full LP for the first time, the world came to understand its impact: a true watershed moment in postwar music, dubbed with the name that remains one of the best known in modern jazz: Birth of the Cool.

YRB MAGAZINE | 60 milesdavis.com The meeting of Evans and Davis in .The Complete Birth of the Cool is an There are instruments then-familiar this humble location led not only to invitation to understand the music and unfamiliar (French horn, tuba) the triumph of Birth of the Cool, but within the context it was born. To to the jazz world. The melodies are predicted future collaborations, as the ears of music fans in 1949, the fresh and hummable, but with well, for albums that are regarded sound of Birth of the Cool was as unusual titles like “Move” and as cornerstones of modern jazz entrancing as it was strange: “Godchild,” “Deception” and “Venus — Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, intricate in its big band De Milo,” “Jeru” and “Rocker.” and Sketches of Spain. arrangements, but with solos and rhythm section breathing the fire of Photos by: Herman Leonard The cross-racial and bebop. intergenerational friendship of Miles Davis and Gil Evans is one of the There’s the flavor of modern stories told in Kahn’s The Complete classical music on some ensemble Birth of the Cool liner notes essay, as passages, and at times musical well as the big band leader/pianist devices — like counterpoint — one Claude Thornhill and his role as a would not expect to hear in popular source-point to Birth of the Cool. music of the day.

Also explored is the perceptive support of Capitol Records producer Pete Rugolo, who recorded the group initially, and who in 1957 oversaw the album’s reissue and was credited for coming up with the title Birth of the Cool. The importance of Davis’ fellow soloist, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz is also covered in the essay, with new comments from the jazz legend.

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ART NOW AFTER HOURS LUCIANA PAMPALONE: VOTE WITH YOUR BRAIN AND YOUR HEART

Robin King: Why is voting important to you?

Luciana Pampalone: My great great-grandmother was a Suffragette and so many other woman paved the way for , so we could vote. In life, it’s about showing up and showing united.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK: Emerging America, 2020 "I photographed the American Flag in the Peconic Bay 2014. I had a friend stand behind & hold it. It was a spontaneous not a planned shoot with my iPhone during the summer out east. We were a group of 8 women there for a beach picnic & sunset cocktails. I don’t know who brought the flag. I just wanted a shot at sunset with the flag emerging from the water, like many of our ancestors coming to this new country."

YRB MAGAZINE | 65 lucianapampalonestudios.com

ART NOW AFTER HOURS SADIKISHA COLLIER: VOTE WITH YOUR BRAIN AND YOUR HEART

Robin King: Why is voting important to you?

Sadikisha Collier: My Mom taught me the value of voting by keeping me home for Black Solidarity Day the day before voting and the importance of my vote. She would see it as your duty and right because many people died walked miles to vote.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK: Mask Nubian Queen and ! , 2020 “These pieces represent how I see the sign of our times during the corona pandemic and the youths fight and concerns for their future. So many people are tired of being sick and tired as they march for justice for all. Especially the Black Lives Matter and more currently Black Women Matter! They need freedom to breathe freely!”

YRB MAGAZINE | 67 facebook.com/sadikishasaundra.collier

Kindness Matters

Regularly check in with people especially those affected

Encourage them to keep doing what they enjoy

Provide calm and correct advice to children

Share WHO infomation to manage anxieties

SOURCE: UNITED NATIONS/WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

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