It’s a celebration for Paper magazine as the NYC-based haven for pop culture celebrates their 30th anniversary.
In honor of their long-standing tenure in the ever-evolving marketplace, they curated a dope “Meet the Gangsters” issue where they featured 37 influential “artists, visionaries, icons, and iconoclasts” from the past, present, and future in which we would call them for short OG’s. How dope!
Along with the original gangster themed anniversary issue, the pop culture maven underwent a modern revamp with a clean, glossy print issue featuring both Courtney Love (mama OG) and Brooke Candy (baby OG) on the cover. How fitting. OG’s from every walk of life ranging from Afrika Bambaataa to Dolly Parton, Rick Owens, Azzedine Alaia and many more were honored to share a piece of their history with Paper. And by the looks of it, the publication had the best birthday anyone could ask for.
Vixens, continue clicking to see a few excerpts from the of the OG’s featured in Paper’s anniversary issue. For the full list click here.
Photo Credit: Paper Magazine
Afrika Bambaataa: The Forefather of Rap
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your career?
Keeping up the spirituality in a crazy world that tries to bring so much negative upon you. Keeping strong and humble, respecting everybody who you meet and greet on this great planet of ours. I have to give it to all of the greats that stood before me, that did something good in my community. I live by Sly and the Family Stone’s record Stand!
Portrait by: Rodolfo Martinez
Debbie Harry: Cooler Than All of You
Who are the people who have most influenced your career?
Well, Nina Simone and Ray Charles and Doo-Wop groups. I don’t know if there was one artist or band particularly, I think I was more inspired by the general sort of energy of it all and the quality of the songs and the feeling of it. I was just captivated by the whole period of the ’60s. I was really deeply involved, mentally. I would be listening to the radio all the time, or records or dancing around with friends.
Portrait by: Rodolfo Martinez
RuPaul: Work Force
Who is your personal OG?
Judge Judy. I admire people who are straight up, unfiltered and look gorgeous while doing it.
Portrait by: Mathu Andersen
Jeremy Scott: Designing with a Fire Inside
What were you like as a child?
A rebel with a cause.
Portrait by:Albert Sanchez
Bethann Hardison: The Truth-Teller
Is there anything that you’ve seen recently that shocked you? Or that you found totally radical?
I’ve got something that’s shocking and its really simple: Details magazine, in either their February or March issue, had a list of the top 10 male models. Every single one of them was white. I’m not saying to just put someone on a list because he’s of color, but I can name the boys that deserve to be in there. They’ve done campaigns, they’ve worked with designers, they did editorials, they did catalogs and Details didn’t have one of them. And that was shocking.
Portrait by: Diggy Lloyd
Angel Haze: Relentless Flow
How do you define success?
Success to me is getting the opportunity to do what you love repeatedly. I think that being able to travel the world speaking my mind freely is my biggest success thus far.
Portrait by: Albert Sanchez
