V magazine will release its first-ever music issue come Jan. 12, and we could NOT be more excited. I mean, hello, music and fashion are our forte! To celebrate their upcoming release, they've released some sneak-peek spreads—including one called "The Queen of Hip-Hop" styled by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele. We actually loooveee Carlyne—she was one of the first stylists to really embrace urban culture and bring streetwear to mainstream magazines. (Plus she's BFFs with designer Azzedine Alaïa!) Just peep Anna Wintour's first Vogue cover in 1988—Carlyne paired a Christian Lacroix sweatshirt with stonewashed denim shorts, which was groundbreaking at that time. But when we starting flipping through the images, which are supposed to "marry hip-hop and high fashion" according to Mr. V, we cooouldddn't help but give a giant side-eye to the entire thing. First off, if a magazine is going to use a headline as grandiose as "The Queen of Hip-Hop," why not, you know, actually use a female who's a huge leader in the hip-hop game? We would've DIED to see Nicki Minaj or Mary J. Blige going all-out in a low-end/high-end fash spread instead of staring at super skinny (but BEAUTIFUL!) models wearing wearing costume-y versions of "street" fashion. And listen, we get it. The inspiration is supposed to be late '90s/early 2000s "living in excess style," but, um, what's up with the dude in an orange Adidas tracksuit matching his Vanilla Ice blue fade to his Diesel undies? Dorrrkyyy. Suddenly we wonder how Sisqo would feel about ALLA this.
In another look from the spread, we have a model sporting sooo many chains that it looks like it's almost painful. A dollar choker PLUS a gun necklace PLUS a cross necklace PLUS a bicycle lock (What? It looks like one.) PLUS a telephone that's connected to her hand?! This is just ridic, y'all. On the right, we have a model sporting Armani Exchange sequin leggings with a Reed Krakoff top, and honestly, if there weren't dudes with boomboxes surrounding her and headphones hanging from her neck, is there ANYTHING hip-hop inspired about this ensemble? *crickets* No? That's what we thought. It's almost SO high fashion that it's beyond removed from its real reference point. It's like hip-hop by way of tourists who are CLEARLY extra-terrestrials because there is no way the person who put this together actually listens to the music.
In the new spread featuring the Young Money Princess, Nicki opens up about her success in the industry and why being famous wasn’t her agenda behind making it in Hip-Hop
“A French fashion editor, Carlyne’s pioneering stories at magazines like American and Italian Vogue laid the groundwork for what would ultimately become the epitome of “street chic.” For proof positive of this impact, look no further than the cover of American Vogue’s November 1988 issue. Photographed by Peter Lindbergh, this was not only Anna Wintour’s first issue at the helm of the magazine, but the arrival of a bold new style.
The Queen of Hip HopThis was Parisian high style mixed with America’s street-inspired sportswear, put on blast. The marriage of high and low continues its thread in the renowned editor’s work today. “I was the first to pair a Chanel jacket with a pair of blue jeans,” she says. “This is what I call the ‘Cerf style.’” For V75 The Music Issue, Cerf de Dudzeele and Sebastián Faena pay homage to the women who continue to inspire the evolving movement of hip-hop style in Queen of Hip-Hop.”
Nearly two decades after releasing her ‘My Life’ album, Mary J. Blige is prepping the follow-up later this year and despite the name, she says the content is totally different.
On ‘My Life II: The Journey Continues’ the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul says fans can expect the same passionate vocals that she’s become famous for, but Blige, now 40 years old and married, is more equipped to deal with obstacles that come her way. “I would say I’ve learned that trials and tribulations will continue to stand but the beauty is I know how to deal with navigating them now,” she tells the BoomBox. “As long as you’re living, you’re going to have life.”
While production and writing credits include Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Bangladesh and DJ Premier, Blige says that she will keep guest features light as she narrows down tracks for the final project. “Right now, we don’t have any features except for Fabulous,” she reveals.
The original ‘My Life’ was released in 1994, and featured the hit singles, ‘Be Happy’ and ‘I’m Going Down.’ Executive produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs, the album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard album charts selling 200,000 copies in its first week
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