Omar Mansoor LFW Spring/Summer ’23 ‘’ Margilan”
Omar Mansoor inaugurates the 18th presence in the London Fashion Week with his collection titled, ‘Margilan’.
The collection is made in shades of black with trimmings made from multi-colour hand-woven Ikat fabric sourced from Uzbekistan.
The colour black represents the confidence, assurance and vividness with multi-colour trimmings and sleeves are depicting vibrancy.
Ikat is a unique textile which is patterned by dyeing the threads before weaving by using environmentally-friendly dyes. Since old days, city of Margilan has been famous for its wonderful and fine silk. Via the Great Silk Road traders brought Margilanian silk to Cairo and Athens.
As a campaigner of sustainability in fashion, Omar uses fabrics made up of a mix of new and recycled fibres in this collection as a means to care about our planet and the future of the fashion industry. This is also as a step towards shifting fashion from a linear to a circular model.
This evening wear collection consists of puffed sleeves, short length dresses to full length gowns that can be glamorously graced up by adding the right accessories.
This year, Omar Mansoor’s collection was presented physically as well as digitally, at The Royal HorseGuards London Hotel.
Instagram: @omar.mansoor
Twitter: @omarmansoor
Photos: Shahid Malik
As we gear up for the release of his forthcoming album ‘The Drama’, London’s rap veteran Scorcher, has called on fellow emcee D Double E for the release of his latest charged-up cruiser named, ‘Jurgen’.
Encapsulating a nostalgic feel from the offset, we are welcomed with a DJ Lyan-produced beat that weave’s an iconic sample throughout; Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre’s hit ‘Still D.R.E.’, a striking contrast that compliments the modern-day sound of Drill. Carving an ever-evolving lane of his own that has served him throughout an extensive career, Scorcher kick starts the track with a ferocious flow and punchlines that immediately set the tone for what’s yet to come. Turning up the heat, the London native uses this track to further solidify his lyrical dexterity with his self-assured presence that leaves no room to think otherwise, “It’s real-life, not virtual / Take my advice bro / Don’t be outside anytime man’s circle”, Scorcher raps. Later joined with an assisted verse from D Double E, his signature adlibs seep through before attacking the beat with a slew of unapologetic bars, adding that extra punch to the track.
Correlating with the dark feel of the track, the shadowing visuals follow Scorcher around as he performs his bars amidst a selection of young attractive women in a luxurious whip. Allowing his pen game to take centre stage, the simple yet effective concept embodies his alpha energy and ultimately defines the mood of his forthcoming album.
Championed for being one of the most respected talents in Black British culture, Scorcher’s catalogue speaks for itself. Going back to the noughties, with music classics such as ‘No One Else’ and ‘My Diary’, to his 2020 link up ‘Stay Real’ alongside Snap Capone and Skeamer, his continuous run has seen him conquer a multitude of creative industries. Taking his love and skill for acting to the next level, his roles in ‘The Intent’, ‘Top Boy’ and ‘Small Axe’ have defined his position within the scene as one that goes far beyond the constraints of music.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: SCORCHER FT D DOUBLE E – JURGEN
Kickstarting 2021 with a bang, he recently featured on season 3 of the BBC’s award-winning show ‘The Rap Game UK’ as a guest judge alongside Krept & Konan. Scorcher also featured on Tion Wayne’s newly-released ‘Green With Envy’ album on track ‘Make It Out’ with Potter Payper, Rimzee, and Joe Black. As we stay seated in anticipation for his forthcoming album, ‘The Drama’, it’s evident that Scorcher is here to make a bold statement and has a lot to get off his chest.
Stay up to date with Scorcher by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
PR: Remina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterPR
RADIO: Nina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterRADIO
EAST LONDON’S RAP VETERAN SO LARGE TAKES HIS BARS TO THE PITCH IN EXPLOSIVE RELEASE ‘PRE-SEASON’
Who said Grime was dead? East London’s veteran So Large takes it back to his Grime roots as he enters what’s been a chaotic year, with the release of his charged-up single named, ‘Pre-Season’.
Posing as his first release of 2021, ‘Pre-Season’ journey’s the listener back to the raw, gritty, and charismatic sounds of grime back in its prime. Warming up for the release of his forthcoming EP, ‘Pre-Season’ is a taster of what’s yet to come from So Large. Constructed over a cinematic Mystery-produced beat, the echoes of sirens, and explosive adlibs, over the bass-heavy backdrop pave a way for the seasoned emcee to flaunt his tasteful bars and dynamic punchlines atop. Encapsulating the rugged and dauntless sounds of London, So Large certifies his position in the game with this one!
Accompanied alongside a set of crisp visuals, we follow So Large as he shops around various high-end clothing stores with cameo’s from his own clothing brand Clean Unltd; further illustrating the change in his lifestyle as he reflects on his upbringing and trajectory up until now. Speaking on the release So Large commented, “This tune is called pre-season as it’s the warm-up for the EP I had a session with Mystery at a studio in London and we laid a different track. He gave me a file to take away and I found this gem on there. The rest is history, it’s high energy and clean and will let the scene know that the EP will be a game-changer”.
Reputable for pushing sonic boundaries as he continues to prove his versatility over an assortment of genres, including Trap and Drill, So Large’s evolution lengthens as he maintains a modern-day swagger. Housing over 10 years in music and an impressive catalogue from ‘Jerk Man’, ‘Sandwich’ alongside fellow veteran Ghetts, to his more recent 2020 drop ‘Whole One’, his hunger to succeed and ever-lasting drive speaks for itself as he re-invents himself musically.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: SO LARGE – PRE-SEASON
Stay up to date with So Large by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
PR: Remina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterPR
RADIO: Nina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterRADIO
SOUTH LONDON ARTIST SCRATCH EXPLORES A YOUNG LOVE IN FEEL-GOOD BUBBLER ‘SOLDIER’ ALONGSIDE DE JOUR
Determined to end summer on a feel-good note, rising artist Scratch has delivered a blissful bubbler that explores the feeling of young love; accompanied alongside Dejour, ‘Solider’ provides a route of sweet escape as the darker nights draw in.
Backed with a dancehall-inspired production courtesy of E Double, ‘Solider’ encapsulates that initial tender spark when getting to know a newly-found love interest. Sugar-coated with his butter-like tone and bouncing melodies, ‘Solider’ is fit for those hazy summer days out with your loved ones. Although winter is approaching, Scratch has still managed to deliver a wheel-up worthy sizzler that bound to push those fall blues away. Accompanied alongside Dejour for an assisting verse, the pair demonstrate their musical chemistry throughout. Seamlessly gliding over the acoustic-led beat, Scratch’s infectious hook matched with Dejour’s effortless swagger creates an unsurpassed banger!
Captured on a bright summer’s day, the matching visuals correlate with the feel of the track comfortably. Each paired with a love interest, we follow Scratch and Dejour around as they endure the company of two beautiful young women. Speaking on the release Scratch commented, ”Soldier was made for the young lovers, giving the fans a smooth and melodic dancehall feeling”. With more music backed away in the vault, Scratch’s developing trajectory doesn’t stop here! Following on from his recent ‘More Life’ release, not to mention his ‘One Sugar’ EP, ‘Solider’ is one of many drops this year from Scratch. Residing in South London, he first stepped onto the scene in 2014 with a selection of SoundCloud releases before seeding a string of videos on Linkup TV and writing alongside Da Beatfreakz for reputable names including Swarmz, AJ and Deno.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: SCRATCH – SOLDIER
Stay up to date with Scratch by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
PR: Remina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterPR
RADIO: Nina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterRADIO
As we begin to close out the year, Kinshasa-born and London residing talent, Rosca, is here to make a stand with the release of his brand-new eerie street heater, ‘Mortal Kombat’.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: ROSCA – MORTAL KOMBAT
No stranger to putting up a fight, Rosca stands for the underdogs of the world; fighting for social justice and those who believe their voice isn’t heard, ‘Mortal Kombat’ engulfs a sense of empowerment that reiterates exactly that. Produced by FirstClass, Rosca’s gruff tone glazes the Drill-infused backdrop creating a track enriched with “oomph” from start to finish. Introducing the song with an infectious yet vigorous hook, “All this talking man better stop that / Hmmm, finish mortal kombat / I got a young boy doing Mbappe / Can’t wait till he signs that contract” , Rosca instantly boasts his punchlines and lyrical dexterity, setting the tone for what’s yet to come.
Correlating with the dark feel of the track, the accompanying visuals see Rosca stand against a plain backdrop with a flurry of flashing lights, enabling his refined pen game to take centre stage throughout. Standing as his fourth release this year, ‘Mortal Kombat’ follows the arrival of ‘Bankroll’ alongside 4evasiege and Deefundo, as he verifies his potential to become a staple name in Black British music.
Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rosca spent a portion of his upbringing in a selection of refugee camps in and around Congo, Nigeria, and Benin before the British Red Cross later reunited him with his family and relocated them to the UK. Settling down in London didn’t come as easy for Rosca, finding himself fighting through various trials and tribulations, he formed a brotherhood with Jack Merrit, a victim of the last London Bridge attack who worked for a prison education organisation called Learning Together.
Infatuated with music from a young age, Rosca grew up listening to the likes of Papa Wemba, Nas, and Biggie before being introduced to UK hit makers Stormzy and Dave, who played a part in helping Rosca shape his sound today. Frequently switching between French and Lingala, the promising artist has created a genre-defying wave that sets him apart from others in the scene. Gaining global recognition (This Morning, Sky News, BBC Radio London, ITV London News, etc) from his charity single ‘Jack’, Rosca is ready to tell the world about his captivating story.
Stay up to date with Rosca by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
TIZ EAST TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH SUMMER-DRENCHED SIZZLER ALONGSIDE BOJ & DONAE’O ON ‘HELLO’
As the summer draws to a close, East London’s break-through act TiZ EAST is determined to end it on a bang; calling on the likes of BOJ and hit-maker Donae’O, they’ve created the ultimate wheel-up worthy riddim!
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: TIZ EAST FT BOJ & DONAE’O – ‘HELLO’
Knocking those fall blues away, ‘Hello’ encapsulates his African roots with no trouble. Welcomed with an energized and percussive production courtesy of Bayoz Muzik, who also lends his vocals to the hook, TiZ EAST bursts through with his hard-hitting verse. Continuing to boast his versatility and authentic flare, he uses this release to display his money-making schemes, and fun-filled spirit. The assisting verses from both BOJ and Donae’O play into the strength of the track as their passion, fire, and spirit collide in one vibrant delivery. Infusing elements of Amapiano and Trap in one sound, ‘Hello’ is a swift trip from London to Lagos!
MUSIC VIDEO: TIZ EAST FT BOJ & DONAE’O – ‘HELLO’
The collaborative single ‘Hello’ is paired with a set of Suave-directed visuals which follow TiZ as he whips around his ends in London; from his barber shop to a small link up filled with dancers, good food and energy, we are taken on a motive to remember! Speaking on the single TiZ EAST commented, “This track is a special one for me and we’re about to have it lit from London to Lagos, The Only Way Is Up!”. Being released via Donae’O’ label ‘Movin Anti’, this further solidifies TiZ EAST’s growth as he climbs further up the ranks.
Adding to his already-successful year with gained recognition from global tastemakers (Complex, Audiomack, BBC Radio 1, Capital XTRA, etc), the Nigeria-born and Newham residing force proves his potential to become a staple name. Housing a varied catalogue going back as far as 2018, from ‘Unsigned’, ‘One Dollar’, and ‘Trappy’ – not to mention the ‘Bad Habits (Remix)’ alongside Moelogo and Nadia Rose, TiZ EAST is a name to remember.
Stay up to date with Tiz EAST by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
The rising star of R&B, Keisi delivers her cold new single ‘Body On Ice’ as she lures listeners in with smooth and mesmerising vocal tones, harnessing an enigmatic aura for the seductive bedroom jam. In an irresistible fusion of R&B and Pop, seasoned with a dash of jazz-influenced island vibes which comes with production courtesy of Odysi, ‘Body On Ice’ captures the magnetic connection between two people as the fantasies of intimate connections are vocalised with both charm and confident conviction. Keisi’s seductive lyricism is both sexy and enticing as she lays bare this fine example of a modern day love song.
STREAM BODY ON ICE https://bit.ly/3kZ5ATZ
Keisi’s career trajectory is both clear and expansive. Her musical journey begun at the age of fifteen taking part on the BBC show ‘Glee Club’. Reaching fourth place in the competition she was highly regarded by judges Carrie Grant, David Grant and Sisco Gomez. A year later she joined the lineup on The Voice of Albania and reached the knock out stages. Continuing to build her profile both in the UK and in Albania she worked further on her craft and earned a place at the ACM Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. During this time at ACM Academy she took the opportunity to hone her live skills by performing at charity events, whilst also developing her solo music. Keisi went to release her single ‘Sa Larg’ in Albania where it reached Top 10 in the Albanian charts. Going beyond the territories of the UK and Albania by the age of 20 she travelled to America and met producer, songwriter and artist Sir the Baptist who she was taken on tour with, opening for August Alsina.
https://bit.ly/39VKO1l
With experience beyond her years, her talents for singing and songwriting up her sleeve and the excitement beginning to build around her name, Keisi’s major breakthrough is undoubtedly moments away and ‘Body On Ice’ looks set to be a sure fire shot at bringing that to fruition.
Stay up to date with KEISI by following his socials for news about upcoming releases & more.
INSTAGRAM
PR: Remina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterPR
RADIO: Nina@tenletter.co.uk | @TenLetterRADIO
2.0The Open Garden from Identity 2.0
The Open Garden from Identity 2.0 is an online festival which explores race and technology through different creative practices, with a closing talk from Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese-Australian writer, broadcaster and award-winning social advocate with a background in mechanical engineering.
The day, taking place on 1st October between 10am – 5pm, is an extension of Identity 2.0’s latest exhibition; This Machine is Black which explored the relationship between race and technology. It delved into four themes, which also form the basis for the workshops hosted throughout the day: Deep Fakes, Surveillance and Privacy, Afrofuturism and Abolition.
Identity 2.0 is opening the day with a short talk, and they are joined by design practice Ricebox Studios, poet and filmmaker Marissa Mireles Hinds, UX and service designer Florence Okoye and indigenous-African guerrilla theorist and curator Neema Githere.
The day will then end with a talk from Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese-Australian writer, broadcaster and award-winning social advocate with a background in mechanical engineering.
One of the 2020 LinkedIn Changemakers, Yassmin is a globally sought-after advisor on issues of social justice, focused on race, gender and faith. She has travelled to 24 countries delivering keynotes on inclusive leadership, tackling unconscious bias and achieving substantive change. Yassmin’s internationally acclaimed TED talk, What does my headscarf mean to you, has been viewed over two million times and was chosen as one of TED’s top ten ideas of 2015.
Co-Creators of Identity 2.0 Arda Awais and Savena Surana had this to say:
“Being digitally literate is an increasingly valuable tool for any creative. Yet the digital tools we use everyday are not objective, instead they have been created by a world filled with racial biases and stereotypes. We want this day to help more creatives get involved and feel confident to explore the relationship between race and tech. Also, being two women of colour in tech, we are immensely proud to have created a day entirely run by fellow women of colour in tech. We hope we can encourage a diverse range of creatives to get involved with our day of digital creativity”
Tickets are £5 and available to buy now from https://bit.ly/3zM6pE1
Omar Mansoor LFW Spring/Summer ’22 “Efflorescence”
Omar Mansoor inaugurated his 17th show at the London Fashion week with his collection, ‘Efflorescence’.
The word carries two meanings. It can refer to the action or process of developing and unfolding, as when a seed transforms into a flower. It can also mean a crystalline deposit of salts that can form when water is present in or on concrete walls, in terms of chemistry.
The collection revolves around sophisticated shades of light grey and Fuchsia, where grey represents the concrete wall and where fuchsia represents the blooming bougainvillea flowers on the wall. Grey represents ambivalence and dullness while fuchsia represents confidence, assurance and vividness. This depicts how one can change the meaning of the same word ‘Efflorescence,’ thus embarking on a new chapter in one’s life.
A firm believer of sustainability in fashion, Omar Mansoor has used organic cotton accompanied by recycled fabrics, silks and deadstock polyester fabrics. The latter mentioned consists of discarded fabrics that usually end up as landfill, hence polluting the planet.
Omar Mansoor hopes that through his work that incorporates a sustainable aspect in its core, he comes one step closer to his vision. To be able to spread awareness on the environment, and at the same time, encourage the fashion world to adopt a circular model rather than a linear one, is what fuels and inspires Omar Mansoor.
Moving onwards, the collection consists of multifunctional outfits in medium and full lengths. They can be adapted from day wear to evening wear with the right accessories. This year, Omar Mansoor’s collection was presented physically as well as digitally, at The Royal Horse Guards London Hotel.
Photos: Colin Chau
Show Production: Top Model
CASSIE RYTZ IS READY TO MESMERISE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WITH HER HIGHLY AWAITED EP ‘R.U.D.E’
At the forefront of the grime scene, Cassie Rytz shares the visuals to ‘Made It’, the lead single taken off her debut EP ‘R.U.D.E’. The creativity of the song comes across in all aspects of the video, the theatrical piano melody is the perfect base to compliment her hard-hitting, witty flow. With the use of a green screen, we’re taken on a journey that displays a variety of different scenarios relating to the lyrical content. She represents her home town London, her love for fashion and cars as well as demonstrating her warm and quirky personality. The Stevie Coales directed video is exactly what ‘Made It’ needed and is the complete embodiment of the unique, exhilarating journey that Cassie is about to embark on with the release of her debut EP R.U.D.E!
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: CASSIE RYTZ – R.U.D.Ehttps://bit.ly/3hPlcaV
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