Bonafide set out with the aim to celebrate hip-hop. Our aim was to explore ‘old-school, mid-school and new-school creativity’, five issues on we’re proud to present the old school x new school issue. In hip-hop chronological order we speak to the Godfather of it all, Grandmaster Flash, profile EPMD, the funky Long Island duo from the golden age of rap and get crazy with ‘the lazy hustler’ and fourth Beastie Boy, Ricky Powell. Still in NYC, we speak to a leading voice for alternative hip-hop, EL-P, who, nearly 15 years on from the release of the Funcrusher Plus (as part of Company Flow), reveals that there’s plenty of drive left in the tank. From the West Coast we catch up with the revered turntablist and Beat Junkie, J Rocc.

In the new-school side of the magazine, we break bread with those responsible for some of the most exhilarating new sounds in British urban music. We have exclusives with DELS and Ghostpoet as they launch their careers with original and nuanced albums. For this issue’s roundtable we speak with the men behind Numbers, the Glasgow based record label that has rewritten the rulebook on how techno, electronic, R’n’B, house and hip-hop music should sound. And the resulting mutant strain of bass music is destroying dance floors the world over. On the visual side, we delve deep into the Brainfeeder psyche, speaking with designer and artist Charles Munka about his contribution to the label’s distinct art direction.

Buy an issue via the Bonafide shop and you will receive a redeemable code (sent via email within 48 hours) for a free copy of DELS’ Gob EP, including the original single and remixes by Dave Sitek of Tv on the Radio (catch a listen here), Untold and Ry9n. While stock lasts.

You can also buy Bonafide in the TATE Modern bookshop, Rough Trade, Fopp, Magma, all good online and physical record stores and for the first time, HMV, from May 15th.

It’s been a while since I visited Ben Eine’s website so it was good to see he has given it a lick of paint.

Gone are the mischievous Care Bears and eye watering psychedelic colours and, in keeping with Eine’s upward trajectory in the art world, comes something altogether more slicker. Einesigns 2.0 boasts more refined navigation, greater content and promises to be updated more regularly.

The work on show looks to have gone up a notch as well, with the imagery from his show, The Greatest, at White Walls gallery, looking particularly tasty. Featuring one-off words using his trademark typefaces and vibrant colours, this is one wall I’d happily transport to my own living room.

If anyone is in the market for some Eine, check out No Walls Gallery who have some letter canvases in or why take a gamble on Bonafide issue 02 which has an indepth interview with the king of typo-graff.

If there’s something you want to get off your chest, then you might want to get down to Sickboy’s new installation, open this weekend.

The elusive Bristolian street-artist has taken over the Old Truman Brewery to garnish its walls with his latest imaginings, entitled ‘Heaven and Earth’, in conjunction with fellow artists such as D*Face, Eine and Paul Insect.

The work will include a ‘public confessional booth’, for visitors to admonish themselves of their sins. Sickboy will also be displaying confessions posted by members of the public on his website in the run up to the show, and we have it on his authority that there’s some pretty dodgy stuff.

In an interview he did with Bonafide last week, we couldn’t help but ask how he ended up with such a religious theme. He explained;
“I started off looking at old renaissance paintings, and looking at the signs and symbols in them, reappropriating them as my own…It’s not just to ram a load of Catholicism down your throat!” Let’s face it, it’ll probably make for a better Sunday than church.

Heaven and Hell will be open to the public from 4-6 November at The Old Truman Brewery. Open from 12-7 each day.

Will Coldwell

“I’m a hustler, brother.”

A line said with such tongue-in-cheek sincerity that you cannot help but smile. It’s the perfect quote to outline the aesthetic of Dark Days, a documentary by British film-maker Marc Singer that profiles the lives of New Yorkers who have resorted to living in an abandoned segment of the subway system known as The Freedom Tunnel. What is particularly surprising and enjoyable at the beginning is the light-hearted nature of some of the documentary’s characters. Far from being depressed misanthropes, we are introduced to a variety of people who are recounting past events whilst shaving, going about daily business or painting the walls of their living quarters.

However, underlying the jovial every day nature of some of the film’s subjects, there is the nagging fact that ‘80% or more’ of the people who live in the tunnels are crack heads who “lose sight of reality” and think “someone’s out there to get ‘em”. And inevitably, the narrative begins to slowly become more eye-opening and tragic. Through interviewing various subjects, we learn different stories of how they ended up down there that if anything, works as a paean to the indomitability of the human spirit. Singer chooses black and white film to document his experiences in amongst the homeless, a tactic which removes none of the hard-hitting power that the film exudes. It may be too harrowing for some, but it is ultimately inspiring and uplifting, helped by the plaintive soundtrack written by no other than DJ Shadow.

Singer’s unflinching determination to keep holding the camera, patiently willing his subjects to gradually unravel in front of the lens offers us a human connection with the members of the subterranean community. Devoid of any romanticism, it is perhaps best summed up when noting that Singer had never been a filmmaker before, and saw the production of Dark Days as a means of gaining better accommodation for the residents of the tunnel. A selfless voyage that serves to inform us of the privileged lives we lead. A true underground classic.

Channel 4 need to be applauded for Street Summer, their season of urban culture programmes, if anything it has come, albeit accidently, at a vital time and will hopefully help express young people’s interests whilst at the same time explain that rap and hip-hop aren’t the devils creation.

Graffiti Wars is the latest one I have watched, a documentary revolving around the spat between Robbo (and his team) and Banksy, with cameo’s from Blek Le Rat, the police and the entertaining Ben Eine. However, I’m in two minds about whether I liked the programme.

In the first instance it was great to see a new documentary dedicated to contemporary art – whether it is street art, graffiti, things that hang in Tate Modern etc. modern art gets nowhere near the airtime it deserves.

On the other hand, I found it a bit Daily Mail-lite, ridden with cliches and clever editing all with the aim of inflating an artistic argument that I’m not sure is that important; for example, the gravel voiced narration – seemingly phoned-in from the latest Guy Ritchie production – seemed to ham up the beef and I’m sure Banksy, in interviews from back-in-the-day, actually comes across as pretty deferential to his forebears. On this note it seemed like the editors were pushing a line of argument that made for good TV rather than rigorous journalism.

For example, if the interviewer had explored the idea that actually most art movements are full of examples of appropriation, networking and copying etc. and put it to those involved that perhaps the graffiti code of conduct it is a bit of pre-historic way of thinking, things would have got a bit more interesting. It was obvious that the protagonist’s wanted to be taken seriously, so it would be good if they’d been asked some more challenging and probing questions about their opinions on art (NB if you are going to be selling your work in an art gallery you are opening yourself up to this type of criticism). Instead I found the whole thing a bit ‘the next hype’ and gushing.

Anyway watch it and make your own mind up. And of course best wishes to Robbo who we hope he makes a full recovery.

Street Fonts: Graffiti Alphabets from Around the World
Claudia Walde
Thames & Hudson

Claudia Walde (or MadC as she is known in graffiti circles) spent over two years collecting alphabets by 154 artists from 30 different countries. Each artist was briefed to design their own version of the 26 letters of the latin alphabet. The results are presented alongside a showcase of their selected works and forms an incredibly comprehensive overview of lettering styles from the world of graffiti and street art. Each Artist showcase is accompanied by a brief write up and detail of their approach. A little too brief sometimes which would probably be my only criticism of the book.

The first thing that strikes you about the book is its sheer size, coming in at 320 pages thick, with over 500 colour illustrations, it’s a heavyweight publication and an eclectic archive of graffiti lettering styles, from old-school to new school to typography school to just plain weird school.

The alphabet has been at the heart of graffiti since, well, the creation of the alphabet allowed a more effective form of communication than cave paintings I guess. In more contemporary, post ‘70s graffiti, writers usually start with a name and develop their own style around that, it’s the foundation of what they do. It makes interesting viewing seeing the variety of unique styles that have evolved from 26 simple shapes.

The book features a host of world renowned artists such as 123 Klan (Canada), Faith47 (South Africa), Inkie (UK) and Hera (Germany) alongside a host of lesser known artists who are more than worthy of the exposure.

A source of inspiration for anyone interested in Graffiti, Street Art, Typography, Graphic Design or street culture in general and a lot more interesting than your bog standard graffiti book.

Words: Paul Allworthy

I’m guessing Banksy never thought that the long of the arm of the law would be a street-art fan or for that matter be holding a spray can as opposed to a baton…but New Zealand’s finest have turned the tables on the master prankster by appropriating/biting his style for a series of recruitment ads. Whilst some of the gloss is taken off the campaign once you realise that it stems from one of the world’s largest advertising agencies, I still think this is pretty smart and the idea that the police are pick pocketing Mr B’s signature style makes me smile.

The memories are a little hazy but the good time vibes prevail from last week’s Bonafide sponsored StreetFest, the ‘biggest and best’ event yet we’re told. Check out the photos below.

Photos by Steven Howard and Suguru Saito

With Wretch 32 recently added to the line-up StreetFest 2011 is shaping up to be one helluva day out, but let me tell you what could make it even better: Two free tickets, adidas kicks, a sold out OG Gorilla sweatshirt and Snapback cap by cult streetwear brand 360 Clothing to wear and two cases of Kopparberg cider to guzzle (‘Check out the Kopparberg stage on 29 May, featuring performances from the likes of Remedy and bSupreme’). In the words of a wise old sage, “yeeeahh boyeee!”

To stand a chance of winning just email in at the usual mailbox@bonafidezine.com address telling us your name, age, address and who your favourite new artist is. Entry closes Thursday 26th May. Disclaimer: Bonafide holds no responsibility for the states of your new adidas kicks after the festival

Bonafide are proud sponsors of this years StreetFest 2011. The country’s leading live art festival celebrates its third year, and second in the Hearn Street car park space in Shoreditch. StreetFest is a truly organic experience that encourages a unique type of creative interaction, encompassing ‘music, art, film, street sports and fashion’ you could say it is the physical embodiment of our very own documenting concrete culture mantra. Which is why we’re hyped to be involved.

Music on the day will be provided by Ghostpoet, one of the countries most interesting new MC’s along with veteran party starters The Nextmen, Marcus Nasty and Urban Nerds’ Rattus Rattus & Klose One with more acts to be confirmed. Previous acts to perform at the festival include Bashy and Mr Hudson, perhaps this suggests chart hits, fame and annoying radio 1/ITV girlfriend beckons for a certain Obaro Ejimiwe, aka Ghostpoet? Or maybe not. StreetFest is about much more than just music with live dance courtesy of bSupreme and Secret Wars providing a ‘live-art battle’ where two teams will go head to head for a cash prize. Artists due to appear include Best Ever, Blam, Busk and Inkie amongst others. Revered UK graffitti writers Toasters and Remi Rough will also be in town.

Lovenskate, Bicycle Union, and Kingdom will be taking care of street sport duties, hitting up a 32ft in-built ramp, t-cup ramp and more as the cream of the skate and BMX scenes perform gravity defying stunts for your awe. Less physically exhausting, though no less rewarding, Bonafide will be there peddling our wares and sharing sage-like advice from our stall, or ‘information centre’, we will also be spinning tunes for the after party at Juno bar. The festival goes down on Bank Holiday Sunday 29th May, yet another good reason to go along and get sozzled.