And how did you first get started with BRICK?<\/h3>\n
Hayley:<\/strong> Being a photographer originally, I was always reaching out to magazines about artists that I wanted to take pictures of. I was going to a lot of hip-hop shows in London and seeing venues packed full of kids moshing and going wild to the music, the energy was crazy. It was like a Punk show, and as a result of that, I wanted to make a hip-hop publication that physically embodied a punk zine. It just made perfect sense to me because I see so many parallels between the two. The idea outgrew that vision, got bigger and eventually landed at BRICK being this 250-page object. I now see BRICK as being my job more so than photography, although the two overlap at times.<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> I think printing the first issue is still something that sticks out in my mind, just because it was the first time. I really had no clue what I was doing at the start so actually making the idea a reality remains special to me.<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> Because it\u2019s what keeps subculture authentic, and so many talented artists are now working outside of the traditional record label and release schedule set-ups that it\u2019s really non-negotiable to listen to independent voices \u2013 whether that\u2019s in music or culture generally. One of my favourite artists, Ms. Boogie, is a great example of the power of independent voice \u2013 she recently came out as trans and shared her womanhood with the world and what she\u2019s doing in hip-hop is unparalleled.<\/p>\n our contributors have free reign to create their vision<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sam Butler:<\/strong> It\u2019s a real privilege to have a platform where we can share the stories of some of the most interesting artists in the world who are shaping popular culture in front of our eyes. Each issue feels like a new opportunity to discover and celebrate more of those stories, and it\u2019s extremely rewarding to see the artist that we feature be so engaged and excited when we publish the issue. For a lot of the younger talent in the mag, it is one of their first times being featured in print and it\u2019s really rewarding to see the pride that they take from that.<\/p>\n Sam:<\/strong> We\u2019re extremely lucky to have such a talented network of contributors, all of whom bring something different to each project. For each feature we try to commission a team that will firstly bring something unique, but more importantly that their own style, taste and references will play off that of the artist that is being featured. That might be coming up with a particularly weird shoot concept to represent the artist as they have never been seen before, or taking the time to make sure that an artist feels comfortable with the direction we are taking a particular feature. The commissioning process always starts with a consideration of what we want the tone and aesthetics of the feature to be \u2013 that\u2019s our start point. What was it that first attracted you to the publishing side of things?<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> BRICK was created as a response to the throwaway nature of the content we see every day online. When I was growing up, going to the newsagent and buying a magazine like The Source or Elle Girl was a real event \u2013 it was a way to connect with the things that were important to me, and to understand that other people were out there who felt the same. Now the internet is so instant, so easy to navigate and find your tribe that print began to feel ostracised from culture, to me, in a way. I wanted to create BRICK to combat that, to put value and excitement into picking up a magazine. I wanted to make something that I\u2019d have torn the pages out of and stuck up on my wall as a teenager \u2013 that\u2019s always the goal.<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> I think it boils down to the fact that we don\u2019t really have rules. We\u2019re the publisher so the only people we need to please is us. As a result of that, our contributors have free reign to create their vision \u2013 whether it\u2019s through photography or words \u2013 and I think that\u2019s super important. I always want BRICK\u2019s voice to be authentic and trustworthy, and staying true to yourself and the people who are working with you is the most obvious way to do that.<\/p>\n Sam:<\/strong> By far the most satisfying thing about being wholly independent is not having to answer to anyone in terms of what we decide to feature in the magazine. I can\u2019t imagine a time when censorship in BRICK would come into our minds. The only time I\u2019ve even thought about it was after my grandma said she was \u201cdisappointed\u201d with how much swearing there was in Issue 04. I\u2019ve not given her a copy of Issue 05 yet.<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> I think it\u2019s incredible that Amnesty International cover so many landscapes with their work, and call attention to issues that aren\u2019t often addressed on a large scale. One of the main things I\u2019m pleased to see that they\u2019re bringing awareness to right now is \u2018The Gangs Matrix\u2019 in the UK, which wrongly profiles young black men as being gang members and is something that\u2019s inherently damaging to a generation of young men trying to lead positive lives.<\/p>\n Hayley:<\/strong> Again, I think authenticity is the key. As long as you are being honest with yourself you\u2019ll carve out a space. What can we expect from you for the rest of the year?<\/p>\n Sam:<\/strong> Another issue in September. I don\u2019t want to say too much and jinx it, but the range of artists that we have coming up in Issue 06 is the most diverse we\u2019ve ever featured in the mag and are really excited to share it with everyone. Aside from print, we\u2019re slowly taking our first steps into producing content that will live online, in the form of short documentary videos. We might try to make some more T-shirts too, people seem to like T-shirts.<\/p>\n![\"brick_magazine_everpress\"](\"https:\/\/everpress.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/brick_magazine_everpress.jpg\")
So what\u2019s been your proudest moment to date?<\/h3>\n
Why is it important for you to celebrate independent voices?<\/h3>\n
What excites you most about independent publishing?<\/h3>\n
![\"brick-keli-uchis\"](\"https:\/\/everpress.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/brick-keli-uchis.jpg\")
What\u2019s your approach to commissioning?<\/h3>\n
![\"brick-magazine-5050-t-shirt-design\"](\"https:\/\/everpress.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/brick-magazine-5050-t-shirt-design-785x1024.jpg\")
How do you ensure that your vision is never subject to censorship?<\/h3>\n
Why is the Everpress X Amnesty International important to you?<\/h3>\n
![\"RICH-THE-KID-BRICK-MAGAZINE\"](\"https:\/\/everpress.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/RICH-THE-KID-BRICK-MAGAZINE-1024x683.jpg\")
What are your tips for aspiring young creators in the publishing space?<\/h3>\n