Entertainment
SLAM magazine boldly returns with its iconic cover T-shirts – Andscape
In the exclusive environment of skilled basketball, where the powerful and zeitgeist stretch their legs because the motion gallops, the cover T-shirt is becoming an increasingly common sight, seen on everyone from Teyana Taylor to Rich Paul. And yes, the players donned the duds.
Shirts are guided by business realities. But nobody could turn a soppy magazine run by a handful of dedicated, sarcastic people right into a cultural shorthand, a secret handshake for basketball fans. Allen Iverson on the cover was not the identical as AI on the cover in a retro Sixers jersey and impressive style.
covers all the time hit in a different way.
David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
Even of their sorry state, long-established print magazines tend toward a dignity that has never been ascribed to “The Basketball Bible.” This can be a key reason why it continues to be so popular.
“I always considered myself your friends.” said basketball photographer Jon Lopezwho took photos for the cover of the magazine. “Someone from the neighborhood you grew up with who speaks your language and understands your game language, as opposed to this overachieving character you’ll never get to be around, and you’ll be lucky if I ever get a call from them.”
Long before eighth-graders had highlight tapes and ladies’s basketball hoops began gaining respectability, the publication didn’t stick with the NBA and men’s college hoops, staples of most major sports magazines. Attention was paid to playgrounds and the highschool. Chamique Holdsclaw, then a superstar on the University of Tennessee, was featured on the cover in October 1998. , Dawn Staley said, “truly understands the game and the culture of our game – not just Black culture.”
It began before you broke your back. Dennis Page, founder and publisher of , told journalist Alex Wong that he desired to do for athletes what the cover did for musicians.
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images
When access to player photos was finally granted, he was joyful to relinquish control, said Russ Bengtson, the magazine’s editor-in-chief from 1999 to 2004.
“I think a big part of what makes us great and what makes us great is the trust in the players themselves,” he said. “They are the arbiters of what’s cool, not us. We are the delivery system for this. When I used to be an editor, I won’t think I knew what was cool any higher than Allen Iverson. This meant players didn’t must resort to stiff poses and ‘it’s over’ smiles during official NBA and team photo shoots. They could wear headbands or chains they even swap shirts with their teammates.
Lopez didn’t mention anything in regards to the cover, which does not feel corporate. Former editor-in-chief Tony Gervino told Wong that the turning point was: May 1995 cover with Latrell Sprewell and Tim Hardaway Golden State Warriors, neither of them were smiling.
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
“They were little-known players to the national audience and we wanted to plant our flag as an anti-establishment basketball magazine,” Gervino said. The goal, Bengtson added, was to make the players seem like rap stars.
“It was one of those things that you wanted, no matter what you achieved as a player… you wanted to have a cover,” said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who granted his wish January 2000 issue. (He was also a part of that iconic 1996 rookie class.) It was greater than just being considered an excellent player. It instilled a certain street authority, “a certain kind of swagger, a coolness in you,” the 2002 All-Star said.
wasn’t your father’s basketball magazine. “My dad read,” Abdur-Rahim said. “I was reading.” Likewise his son. Abdur-Rahim, who serves as president of the G League, said his cover “makes me think I’m the older guy” amongst players.
Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images
Staley, who won three NCAA championships while coaching the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, was the primary coach to land the job solo cover. “We have a pretty big ego,” said Staley, a Hall of Fame shortstop, “but you never think you’re big enough to be on the cover.”
Swagger only sells a certain variety of magazines. Even though, as Lopez said, it has adapted to the amusement park hall of cracked mirrors that’s the digital age – “They’re doing a great job of combining print with digital” – magazines must always reinvent themselves. So when Page was visited by Lynn Bloom, director of authentications and archives at Mitchell & Ness, he had an idea: “Don’t you think people would wear T-shirts with covers?”
The partnership made sense. “Their covers are spectacular,” Bloom wrote in an email. “They use the best photographers in the industry, ensuring that the photos are always striking and memorable.” And there may be synergy. “In many cases, the athletes on the cover are wearing jerseys that we now make, so it’s a natural fit.”
The jerseys allow people to “represent both their favorite players and them,” noted Adam Figman, CEO of . But it is a revenue stream and a cross-promotion bonanza. “It’s great that we have found a new way to grow our business,” Figman said in an email. “Media is a tough business and these T-shirt covers have helped us grow significantly.” He notes that the T-shirts have been illegal for years.
When Staley visited her hometown of Philadelphia, the neighborhood boys wore her T-shirt. “It’s such a cool, cultural element,” she said, “that connects or reconnects people who really know you.”
When Bengtson worked on the magazine, the cover was “a very ephemeral thing.” Yes, staff will sweat reading covers and other details, but “those things will disappear after a month or a month and a half.” Although he sells T-shirts featuring today’s stars, “the cover has become part of the player nostalgia” – Vince Carter, Shaquille O’Neal and so forth. Bengtson adds that lots of the photos became “the definitive images of these guys.”
The cover, Figman said, “remains one of the most coveted media properties in the sports and basketball world, and the cover T-shirts are another opportunity for us to show how moving the cover is.”
Does this translate into people buying the difficulty of the magazine?
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
“It’s possible, but probably not common,” Figman admits. “I feel it’s more likely that somebody will see another person wearing the shirt on the cover and either think, ‘I want that shirt,’ or ‘I hope my favorite player is on a future cover so I can get that shirt when it is going to occur.”
Although he recently celebrated his thirtieth birthdayvol anniversary and was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, “is still a humble operation,” Bengtson said. “It’s still The Wizard of Oz. You pull away the screen of this extremely professional-looking, glossy magazine, and there’s still only a few people doing it.” Figman stated that the power to remain relevant on the cover is partly attributed to the staff’s “elite understanding of both who’s hot at the moment and who’s next.”
In the everlasting temporary industry, an influential magazine enjoys greater importance. There is one other profit for some former employees. “It’s cool to see that the story lives on in a different format now,” Bengtson said. “It’s cool to see.”
Entertainment
An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit
Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”
She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.
Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.
On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”
One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.
Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.
Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, cropped a photograph of him in a jumpsuit and then set Instagram on fire with her look.https://t.co/n7YNGctQFE pic.twitter.com/DNKP2i9o9C
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) December 2, 2024
When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.
Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”
Lauren Sanchez 2003 vs. Lauren Sanchez 2024
Nothing to see here, people, move on#LaurenSanchez pic.twitter.com/mgr4vj6mFq
— Occam was right (@OccamWasRight) November 21, 2024
Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”
Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.
Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.
Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.
India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.
“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”
Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.
Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.
India Shawn
Name:
India Shawn
Hometown:
Los Angeles
Artistic soundscape
Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric
The oldest musical memory
Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.
Influences
For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.
Creative process
Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”
Challenges and development
As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”
Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.
Current project
“There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”
With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.
Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.
From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.
In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.
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