/CW Presents: Bequest | Youth Led Fashion Event

/ /CW HQ [2nd floor Raw Space]/

Come join us for our FIRST EVER youth led fashion experience!

Bequest: (noun) a legacy.

CopyWrite Magazine presents this culminating experience at /CW HQ [ 2209 N MLK Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53212] on August 4th of 2023, from 4pm-7pm. You can expect a wonderful display of fashion from Cameron (Cam) Barker of, YEUX DU CIEL, Event Curation by Nahsialis Vang, Marketing & Space design by Frederick (Freddy) Calhoun and Event & Music Management by Jazale Hill, and Vato Vergara [/CW Creative Director] will Host.

You won't want to miss an exclusive surprise by the curators of this unique show!

[Food options & beverages will be available. Registration encouraged. Seats will be limited.]

" 21, 21, 21 ": A 2021 Perspectives From The CopyWrite Team /CW Fam

/

As 2021 comes to an end we would like to share perspectives from our Team [Family] at CopyWrite. This year has been a world wind of “Ohhhhhhhh my worrrrrrddddd”, “Aint that ‘bout a b’thch” and “Wont he do it!?!”. So for this years perspective we decided to just let the “21, 21, 21” (in our 21 Savage voice) come and out by each member of the Fam sharing 21 things with YOU, our community. It could be 21 of anything. 21 words, 21 pictures, 21 hashtags, 21 ways they got you messed up, etc. This is what we like to call experimental research. By taking on the “21, 21, 21”, they way you respond and what you shares lets us understand each-other a little better. And in this time and place in humanity. . . isn’t that what we need?

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW Fam

Lexi S. Brunson - /CW Owner & Editor-in-Chief

‘21 Gems - Things We Should Remember

I say deep things. But that’s because I experience the world as if it was always teaching me something. So here are those gems that weigh me down and make me sparkle in all the right ways.

/Lexi

  1. Remorse is not regret. Learn from hardships by taking time to reflect.

  2. Be a student of your craft. But remember it's not "who" did it, it's "how".

  3. Quality is not a prerequisite to success. But you still have to stomach your gains.

  4. "No good deed goes unpunished". So praise yourself.

  5. Most people need some sort of validation. Be mindful of where you receive yours from.

  6. Your intention may not always show in your execution. Don't jump in the ring if you can't take a few hits.

  7. Don't forget to mention the joy. Even the heaviest of circumstances has joy.

  8. Give people grace, even when they forget to give it to themselves.

  9. Sometimes you have to lose it all to gain what was really meant for you. 

  10. Codes switching is an art. It's when you change the message that you become a poser.

  11. Everybody can not be a boss. Somebody has to be a worker. You have to know your role and do it well.

  12. Context is everything. Character is the only thing. 

  13. Being loyal to a fault is worse than not being loyal at all. 

  14. When people tell you who they are, believe them. When they show you who they are, they do not believe what you see.

  15. Don't poke holes in people who pour into you.

  16. Virtual reality can not fix humanity.

  17. Assimilation is not cultural integration. "STILL N*GGA"

  18. Don't lie to yourself. Some things are just funny. Laugh!

  19. That euphoric feeling you get when you're doing something you love; chase that.

  20. Value the human experience. We need each other more than any of us will ever admit. 

  21. Slow in the right direction is better than fast in the wrong one.

Carie Mahone - Head Entertainment Journalist

21 Slide Show

Naomi Rea’ - Intern Content Creator

21 Words that describe My 2021 experience

When I get passionate about explaining, describing, or sharing in general, I get very WORDY which is why I chose this way to describe how 2021 was for me. Also with ending the year as a blogger for CW, I thought that this was fitting…

21 Words that describe My 2021 experience:

  1. Team Building

  2. Servitude

  3. Humbling

  4. Foundational

  5. Revealing

  6. Musical

  7. Paced

  8. Friendly

  9. Mature

  10. Obscured

  11. Energetic

  12. Shifting

  13. Compatible

  14. Emotional

  15. Finalized

  16. Preparational

  17. Monumental

  18. Crisis

  19. Faceted

  20. Purposeful

  21. Confrontational

Vato Vergara - /CW Fashion Editor + Creative Director

21 Words to Reflect on the Year

To know who you are, brings the joy of life. Taking what you have and making the world understand. That’s POWER! 

/Vato

Imani Ortiz - Specialized Content Journalist

21 things that made a little more sense this year that’ll probably resonate with you as well:

  1. It’s okay to disappear some times. More often than not, we tend to jump to the way *others* will react to us taking time to ourselves when they're not the ones who need the focus. Just disappear and come back later. You’re not missing as much as you think. Everything will still be there when you come back.

  2. It’s about the principal, not always the problem. The problem could be very minuscule but it’s the principal of the situation that matters in the long run. Problems can be solved, principals are non-negotiable. Your principals can solve problems on their own if you have the right ones. It’ll make the decision making process a lot easier. I knew this before but I didn’t realize how many others don’t have any principals and they’re okay with that. How odd.

  3. Nothing will align with what you want until you get your sh*t together. Get your shit together. Nobody likes miserable people. If you can’t figure it out yourself, look into external help—like therapy. I liked it and I turned out fine.

  4. Less talk, More do. You can talk until you’re blue in the face but unless you actually do what you say, you’re just talking.

  5. Reevaluate your circle. You have your BFFs, close friends, regular friends, associates, strangers that you are vaguely familiar with, whoever it is, you know who you spend your time with. At the very least, make sure they are like-minded in a resourceful way. You should be able to profit mentally from everyone in your circle. Knowledge is power. If everyone knows all the same information, why are y’all friends? That relationship isn’t beneficial if it’s not transactional.

  6. All money ain’t good money. That’s self-explanatory.

  7. Odds are if you think it’s off, it’s off. Trust your gut and discernment, my friend.

  8. Never stop learning. The moment you decide to stop learning, you’re deciding to be basic. Don’t be a basic b*tch.

  9. Sometimes the road is less traveled because it f*cking sucks. Do you really wanna do things the hard way for the sake of saying you did things the hard way? Get over yourself.

  10. Only answer the question at hand. By focusing on just the question at hand, It’ll kill the opportunity for oversharing. “Is the sky blue?” “Yes.”

  11. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do for the sake of someone else’s feelings. You know better. If it makes you uncomfortable, comfortably say no.

  12. Nobody cares until you do. So ask yourself, do you really give a f*ck?

  13. Other people are dealing with their own sh*t. Even if it’s personal, don’t take it personal. People tend to project their insecurities and problems onto other people. If you know you’ve done nothing wrong, let it go. People have bad days and so do you.

  14. Most things we care about are ego-driven. Odds are you don’t actually care about whatever “thing” it is but it threatens your ego—so you fake care until you feel avenged. Please stop fake caring for your own good.

  15. If you sleep on yourself, why would people support you? It’s giving… you don’t want *it* bad enough.

  16. Even then, everyone is not going to support you. And that’s okay. Find your audience. Market to them.

  17. Networking is extremely important. Know somebody who knows somebody so you can know that somebody eventually. Patience is key, grass hopper.

  18. Stop working for free. While a favor here and there is fine, stop working for people for free. It took time to know what you know and if people want to know about what YOU know, tax ‘em.

  19. Do not cut corners with anything you care about. Don’t half ass anything you care about, whole ass!

  20. Half full, never half empty. Life is always about perspective. The way you view and value your life dictates your reality. Remain positive and always look at the bright side even if it’s dimmer than usual. The glass is half full, never half empty.

  21. Love yourself or you’ll settle. Read it and weep.

This is no by any means a self-help guide or no sh*t like that. Think of it exactly as what it is… “21 things that made a little more sense to me this year that’ll probably resonate with you as well.”

/Imani for CW

Tanasia Shaw - Journalism Intern

Tanasia’s 21 in 21 words

2021 has taught me more than any other year in my life. To celebrate and remember 2021, I’ll be listing 21 words that encapsulate 2021.

  1. Growth

  2. Faith

  3. Consistency 

  4. Struggle 

  5. Love 

  6. Serendipity 

  7. Truth 

  8. Patience 

  9. Veracious 

  10. Humble 

  11. Humility 

  12. Pressure 

  13. Trust

  14. Guidance 

  15. Community 

  16. Following 

  17. Intent

  18. Believing 

  19. Integrity 

  20. Strength 

  21. Urban <3

These words represent this past year, the good and the bad. Throughout the year and going into the next, I’m thankful for the CW/ team CW/. The community and support has opened doors for me(and many others) in 2021. 

Genesis Renji - Back Back

/
IMG-1108.JPG

Genesis Renji is no stranger to the music industry nor the Milwaukee music scene. “Genesis Renji is an Emmy nominated hip-hop artist based out of Milwaukee, WI. Born in Bethesda, MD, Renji started rapping at 12 years old after his cousin Pierre introduced him to rap music.” He’s more than just music but today, we’ll just focus on that. 

“In the middle of a pandemic and being quarantined indoors, a lot has changed for the world, but not so much for Genesis Renji. Being the studio rat he is already, this seems like another day for Gen and he shows it within his new stream of releases.”

What to add to your playlist this week: Back Back by Genesis Renji 

—and it’s CW Approved! 

“Every Monday, Gen is set to release new music (the first release was “Suffocate” produced by 46Brock). This new offering comes in collaboration with Milwaukee producer Jxst Jxne. Back Back is the deja’vu experience in love. An infectious ode to the attraction of another person.”

This track is very subtle and catchy. It doesn’t have a lot of energy meaning it’s a very smooth and chill song. It’s super catchy for one and definitely makes me feel like I need to listen to this if I’m trying to get lit but in the chillest way possible. It honestly is a short and sweet song so you definitely have time to check it out. 

With that being said, you know what comes next. This is the part where you do your job… and what could that possibly be? Let me help you out---stream the damn song, duh!

Also, check him out on the socials too!

Instagram: @genesisrenji

Website: https://www.genesisrenji.com

/Imani for CW 

We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and our services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy.

CopyWrite 2019 Highlights !!!

/

What’s 2019 anthem? (Don’t even mention a Hot Girl Summer to us, because WE didn’t have one). But really, what’s the tune that brought you through the year? The one that bumped on the way to work every morning or the one you blast in the house while getting ready to go out. 

*Play that now* (our pick is Dreamville - Under The Sun ft. J. Cole, DaBaby & Lute)

We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and our services, you agree to our use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy.

This year was the BIG change. We all saw it coming. We all heard the prophecies, got shook, tried to ignore them and then stepped are little scary a**’ in the fire and learned to accept our blessings.  At CopyWrite that meant rearranging our priorities. This year we used skills we left back in college and stopped asking for seats at the table but just walked into rooms with our own chair, placed them on top of the table, climbed up and sat there in silence. (We are done talking, bruh).

Where growth is always the only option, 2019 was that awkward ugly stage that we had to look deep down inside ourselves to love, unconditionally. (Because “[we] woke up for some money, ayy, lil' b*tch, Too many opps in here, tell [us] who you with”). 

So in honor of the opps, here are some highlights from our 2019:

1 . First Things First, We published Issue 13: Rebellion, Issue 14: Fashion & Style, and Issue 15: Facets of Love (w/ half the staff and resources) *Flips hair*

2. We helped plan and media sponsored Riverwest FemFest 

Art by Whitney Saldago

Art by Whitney Saldago

3. We covered Summerfest (Where Carrie created our first “Big Gig” Video Recap)

4. We sponsored Music On The BLT for Hip Hop Week MKE

5. We covered Milwaukee Fashion Week (S/O to Vato being back in the Mil)

6. We dropped gems at the 'ALL I NEED IS ONE MIC' MUSIC SEMINAR’

( Here are those CW submission specs, again)

7. We covered Milwaukee Film Festival & Met Hip Hop Fashion designer/influencer April Walker of Walker Wear 

April Walker &amp; Editor-in-Chief of /CW Lexi S. Brunson

April Walker & Editor-in-Chief of /CW Lexi S. Brunson

8. We started a new partnership with Sneex & met/ interviewed the inspiring Beija Velez

(Check out more Sneex Sofa Sessions w/ our Editor-in-Chief Lexi on the mic in 2020)

Editor-in-Chief Lexi, Beija Velez, Fashion Editor Vato at Sneex Sofa Sessions

Editor-in-Chief Lexi, Beija Velez, Fashion Editor Vato at Sneex Sofa Sessions

9. We got a new “baby” boss (Valia has been to several festivals, music showcases, sat in on interviews, reviewed music, attended photoshoots, viewed exhibits at the art museum and galleries, and appeared in the magazine. She is only 6 months old!)

Boss Baby Valia at MPL Rap Battle

Boss Baby Valia at MPL Rap Battle

10. And of course we have written, reviewed and attended countless music, fashion, art, culture, and community submissions and events.

As always we want to thank you for continuing to #SupportTheLocal and remind you that without you we could not continue to do all that we do. We hope that in 2020, you will continue to share your experiences with CopyWrite and tell others about our platform and what we do!

Here's to a poppin’ 2020.

Love & All Things Urban,

Your /CW Family
















CW Approved: Queen Quail -Mud

/

Let’s get dreamy for our newest addition to the CW Approved playlist is from Queen Quail with her Track ‘Mud’.

The Milwaukee native (who now lives in Berlin, Germany), is giving us indie-pop at cathartic levels. It is whimsy but not soft, murky but not cluttered, it is soft but not without words.

“With roots in classical music, Kirstin Edwards, also known as Queen Quail, allows her reverberant guitar riffs and unique voice to carry you to a hauntingly beautiful place. Her thoughtful songwriting stems from an honest space and fascination with the process.”

We think its a nice change of pace for the playlist. We hope you enjoy!

#CWApproved

/CW