Jenesis Magazine Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Party and Hennessy

Jenesis Magazine covers

Jenesis Magazine, Pittsburgh's "word up" publication, will celebrate their 10th anniversary on April 1.

"How many people do you know have done something good for 10 years?" Thomas Agnew, Jenesis' publisher and managing editor, said to his Instagram story.

Encouraging a community is the fruit of Jenesis' thorough work. The magazine's commentary has supported many different artists across the country. Jenesis was present to document the ascension of Pittsburgh legends like Mac Miller, Girl Talk, and Wiz Khalifa. Agnew's curiosities, as well as those of the interviewers and photographers who have contributed to Jenesis, have generated conversations and imagery about heroes like rappers Smoke DZA, ScHoolboy Q, and photographer Cam Kirk.

Dive into years of feature articles, interview clips, and day-in-the-life videos on JenesisMagazine.com. Covet the print editions with iconic covers-- Wiz December 2009, "Deal Or No Deal."

Thomas Agnew signed copy of Issue 56 with Smoke DZA & vibe pin

10 years of documenting creative human life deserves a thank you. Jenesis has placed the spotlight on a lot of people by giving them words, stages to perform, and wall space to display. Boom Concepts, an event space under Jenesis and D.S. Kinsel's umbrella, hosts progress-makers and problem-solvers. Events like the Women's Focus Group Forum and the magazine's content detail progress-makers and problem-solvers.

Agnew and his team are Pittsburgh historians who have seen the city grow and nurture ambitious individuals, such as local business owners like Daniel Childs of Chromos Eyewear or rising musicians Choo Jackson and Tairey.

So when Jenesis Magazine celebrates their 10th anniversary on Saturday, a lot of people should attend their party at Boom Concepts. Not showing up is like not attending your grandma's 100th birthday party. People should want to express their gratitude for Jenesis taking responsibility to appreciate other artists' work and showcasing it to larger audiences.

The anniversary party kicks off at 10 p.m., and DJs iB Rease of Ohio and Wave Matthews of New York will offer hip-hop selections. Free Hennessy, a staple at Boom, spills from 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.

Show up for Jenesis, support their culture.

Boom Concepts

5139 Penn Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Vibes x Spring Break

Ashley Graham - photograph by Miss Chelsee

“First off… VIBES!”

Previous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model Ashley Graham made it very clear what was most essential at S.I.'s Swimsuit Vibes event that took place in Houston, TX on February 17 and 18 at Post HTX, which was also the venue for art and music festival Day For Night.

And indeed, Vibes were at an all time high.

With nearly 1 in 4 Houstonians born abroad, Clutch City is known for not only Bé and DJ Screw, but also for great international heritage.

Houston's international qualities made it an obvious choice to host this year’s S.I. Swimsuit Vibes, an event that showcased chefs and a S.I. Swimsuit Rookie Class that showed us how beauty can truly be found all over the world.

The S.I. Swimsuit 2017 Rookie Class, which consists of 7 models, represents 6 countries:

Bianca Balti (Italy)

Kelly Gale (Sweden/Australia)

Lais Ribeiro (Brasil)

Mia Kang (Hong Kong)

Vita Sidorkina (Russia)

For many of the models it was their first trip to Space City, so they certainly enjoyed the sensational hospitality.

Time Inc. teamed up with DIRECTV™ NOW, Edge, Lexus and Smirnoff and VisitHouston, to bring attendees an array of free and ticketed events. Free autograph sessions featuring the S.I. Swimsuit models, and live culinary art demonstrations hosted by Cruising Kitchens and some of Clutch City’s finest restaurants were accompanied with two Red Carpet events with shows from performers, like Miguel and Diplo. Also, Houston has over 8,000 restaurants and 24,000 chefs. #UltraHighResolution chef, Johnny Bling was in attendance chewing on the other carats you floss.

Miguel at S.I. Swimsuit Vibes - photograph by Miss Chelsee

Since Spring Break is here, we urge you to eat swell while indulging in #openbarhenny on those white and blue ocean sands. Buttery avocados and lime squeeze on your ceviche is only what’s best for your ‘Sol’…I prefer caipirinha’s myself. If you prefer Mallorca or Mykonos as your destination of choice, try this Vegan recipe for your aguacate. Remember to show how you truly #LoveYourSwimsuit that you spent countless hours shopping for online. It looks amazing by the way.

Special thanks to the staff at Rogers and Cowan for their help and engagement as a liaison to the ITR staff!

Creatives Drink at Carnegie Museum of Art

Chancelor Humphrey and Cody Baker photograph by Ben Petchel

There are many dynamic departments of life in Pittsburgh. As young residents of the area, Cody Baker and Chancelor Humphrey prove that "creative" pursuits are worth while entertainment for young people in the city.

Together, Baker and Humphrey brand themselves as Creatives Drink. Their company works to connect the best parts of Pittsburgh regarding people, businesses and alcohol in fun, ambitious environments. Creatives Drink 7 will happen Feb. 9 at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Along with credit for creating a welcoming atmosphere for Pittsburgh's progressive movers, Creatives Drink holds court because they cater to sponsors and relate to market publics drawing them to a central location. Bars, coffee shops and hotels are some of the places C.D. has ventured.

"From C.D. to C.D. I learn something new in every way. The biggest is finding out ways to benefit the sponsor more and more each time, while improving the attendee's experience," Baker says.

Attendees and those who know of Creatives Drink can see growth in the label through the organizations who support the events. Find automotive titan Audi, and others, as a sponsor of C.D. 7 and perhaps see the Audi A3 E-Tron with Creatives Drink text in six different languages on the car's hood. Give recognition to C.D. 7 for happening in the first contemporary art museum in the U.S.A. The Carnegie has done well at attracting Pittsburgh's contemporary community with functions like Boom Concept's silent disco and now with Creatives Drink.

Via @tehbakery Instagram story

Baker and Humphrey make strides in different sections of Pittsburgh to be sure their C.D. event represents the best of the city. 

“The most rewarding part of Creatives Drink is branching out to different neighborhoods and meeting new people from all over,” Baker says.

Join a contemporary Pittsburgh crowd in Oakland and enjoy the free experiences at C.D. 7 at the C.M.O.A. from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m tomorrow.

Carnegie Museum of Art

440 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-622-3131

Creatives Ale - A Beer for Every Street

The pair who throws free events with free alcoholic beverages takes the next step in their curated experience. Chancelor Humphrey and Cody Baker of Creatives Drink, the networking function doubled as a party, supply their own beer.

While the Creatives Drink series connects Pittsburgh's youthful generation with local businesses, especially distilleries, crafting their own liquor is a "no brainer expansion," Chance says in an interview on the latest episode of Drinking Partners podcast.

In collaboration with War Streets Brewery, opening soon on the Mexican War Streets of Pittsburgh, Creatives Drink offers Creatives Ale. The special red ale is brewed and packaged in minimal quantities and aims to "introduce [the public] to local liquor and beer," Cody says in the podcast. The breweries, distilleries, and wineries that Creatives Drink will work with will handle the alcohol, but Chance and Cody will handle the marketing aspect. Creatives Label controls how people perceive what they drink.

Chance and Cody try to inspire people to do something of their own in addition to offering experiences and products that showcase the best of Pittsburgh.

"If you have an idea just follow the steps to do it," Chance says. "This idea for the Creatives Label is a huge leap in a new direction. Creatives Ale can be and probably will be in bars in three or four months," Cody says.

People can sip Creatives Ale at Creatives Drink 7 (T.B.A.) or at LOCAL on the Rocks, a cocktail competition, on October 6. Also, listen to episode 88 of Drinking Partners podcast with Chance and Cody where the CD duo spill details on their new branch of Creatives Drink, Voyage, which is a party on a yacht with upscale liquor like D'Usse.

War Streets Brewery

1416 Arch Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Creatives Live in Pittsburgh

Chancelor Humphrey, Pete Butta, and Cody Baker photographed by Natalie Coccia

The sun brightened Market Square, a plaza in Downtown, Pittsburgh with a variety of eateries, like the place that sells french fries on the sandwiches, legendary Primanti Bros. Corporate skyscrapers such as PPG Place, Tower at PNC Plaza, and the Highmark building surround the square.

People ate, conversed, and enjoyed the beautiful weather at metal tables along the rim of the square. Meanwhile, Cody Baker and Chancelor Humphrey's long strides carried them up Market Street past Market Street Grocery, through the center of the square, and to a table where myself and the two Pittsburgh advocates held a conversation.

The young men wear a contemporary style easily noticeable amongst Pittsburgh's blue-collar fashion. Both dressed in T-shirt and tailored jeans with smart footwear, Baker wore pure, white adidas ultra boost, and Humphrey sported black and white Asics.

Baker and Humphrey's movement together started two years ago when they met at Social Status, a sneaker and streetwear apparel boutique with locations in Pittsburgh's Downtown and East Liberty. They bonded over a love for visual art, photography specifically. Their lenses captured cityscapes, each other, friends, and locals.

To those who support and watch the duo, their actions are a feature film on Pittsburgh's creative community.

Baker's natural ability to create content around what he eats, what he drinks, and what he wears matches Humphrey's desire to photograph attitude, fashion, and life of Pittsburgh style.

Both their brands center around the arts and communal gatherings in the city. Before they met, each had a hand in the scene.

Baker worked at Studio A.M. as star painter Baron Batch's photographer. Also, when Baker first moved to Pittsburgh from Chippewa in Beaver County, Pa., he was employed in the restaurant industry. His opportunity there allowed him to handle social media and visual content for NOLA, Perlé, Poros, Seviche, and Sonoma, all restaurants in Downtown and Market Square. Baker has had galleries around town, like photo exhibition "NINELIVES" which shows humans positioned falling in various scenes set in the city.

Humphrey, originally from Aliquippa, Pa., began with a blog called Radio Chumps to document news in the close metropolitan area. When the project did not gain traction, and he took inspiration from a trip to New York, he shifted his focus to lifestyle photography on the streets of Pittsburgh. His company and Instagram called Keep Pittsburgh Dope showcases local people's businesses, clothes, and events.

“You don’t need fifteen hundred followers to get 500 people in a space. You just have to have a good idea.”

Now, as individuals and as a team Baker and Humphrey consistently bring many people of Pittsburgh together. They "hold events that inspire people to do something," Humphrey says.

At one point, it was not uncommon to hear somebody from the city say "there's never anything to do." However, young people currently take direct action to change this and give activities for people to do. 

When outsiders say Pittsburgh is a town of yinzers and jersey-wearing sports fanatics that irritates Baker. While the statement is true, there is more to the city, especially creatively. 

"The biggest thing is to do cool shit that will inspire other people to do their own cool shit," Baker says.

CD6 photographed by Alex Young - Illustration by Lily Valour

A positively overwhelming response came when Baker and Humphrey cohesively launched their Creatives Drink series, "three hours of positive people, good music, and free drinks." More literally a party that connects and features the best parts of Pittsburgh from its businesses to its creatively driven residents.

"You don't need fifteen hundred followers to get 500 people in a space. You just have to have a good idea," Baker says. Although, he and Keep Pittsburgh Dope pull from strong followings on social media platforms. Baker swears by Snapchat. He makes a lot of Geofilters and viewers regularly see what he has for lunch. "I'm always in the restaurants... Pittsburgh food is amazing," he says as he sits surrounded by three of the five restaurants he is the social media manager for. Keep Pittsburgh Dope is ranked under "Pittsburgh's Best Instagram Accounts" by Pittsburgh Magazine, and his numerous posts are appealing.

Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat, Baker and Humphrey utilize online networks to draw people into a unified space. This advertising skill reaches a diverse range of people, and it reflects in the event turnouts.

Baker hosts monthly the Market Street Block Party along with Market Street Grocery in Downtown. Creatives Drink tours around town to bars, coffee shops, hotels, and more. Nicknamed CD, CD5 was at an art museum called Mattress Factory located on the North Side.

The reason community members love Creatives Drink is because it supports local business and the events have representatives from ambitious and progressive audiences. "These venues are hungry for our generation. They are willing to work with us. They see it on social media, and they need to get in that realm because they need us," Humphrey says.

CD's perspective is welcoming and has an attractive model because the events are free. 

Having attended CD5, when CD6 opened at East Liberty's Ace Hotel on August 11, 2016, others and I were thrilled. Dancing to music, having a drink, linking with friends, meeting new people, and participating in local experiences are the reasons Creatives Drink is fun.

On a Thursday the event was held, room occupancy numbers became relevant. Inside the former Y.M.C.A. now known as Ace Hotel, Baker and Humphrey hosted Pittsburgh creatives in a 107-year old gymnasium with an occupancy written at 304. After the first hour of the event slated for 6-9 p.m., CD6 reached capacity. Throughout the night multiple hundreds of kids and adults filtered in and around Ace Hotel.

Line outside Ace Hotel for CD6

This event is the type where you want to check the tabloids to learn of the who's who doing the what's what that were there.

Art car painted by Baron Batch outside of CD6

While outside taking pictures of the long line of people waiting for CD6 that extended through the gym doors, past the lobby, and onto the street, a blue and red-ish accented Porsche 996 Carrera 4S zoomed by. It was an art car painted by vaunted artist Baron Batch. Matthew DeSantis drives the car around Pittsburgh alerting people of the supercar community and his automotive event, Art and Exotics coming in late August. Rapper Mars Jackson arrived wearing a "Mars Knows" T-shirt designed by the owner of FarESH Brand, Ryan Brown, who also attended. The musician was not the only musical talent in the vicinity. Inside, DILLIS, a.k.a. Moth Boy and Cleveland import DJ Topgun were live. DJ Pete Butta played music all night setting the tone. The youthful crowd was most excited when he played "Antidote" by Travis Scott and "Beautiful morning, you're the sun in my morning babe," from Kanye West's song "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1." Radar picked up art curator Sean Beauford's presence. Advanced marketer Natalie Coccia, or "Nattles," was there to document and support her friends and beauty Athens lured eyes. Magician Lee Terbosic entertained the circle of people who watched his card tricks.

Sounds of a person flying an RC toy plane caught attention. Rather, a drone flew in the rafters of Ace Hotel's gym capturing a bird's-eye view of Creatives Drink 6. "This is a cool party," a guy named Aadam said as he gazed at the flying camera.

Both Baker and Humphrey provide settings where people can enjoy themselves. The best part though is that they bring the whole city out when they do. Baker and Humphrey plan to do more of the same on each Thursday to end August. They will host an Instagram meet-up with Verizon, Steel City Grammers, and more on Hotel Monaco's Downtown rooftop. Market Street Block Party will re-occur on August 25.

Creating their own gathering space for people is part of Baker and Humphrey's long-term vision. "We want to create a space where you can conduct an interview in, where you can have a meeting in, where you can come and work, and find inspiration in," Baker says. Plans are still coming together, but the venue will be dynamic and open a lot, so it is convenient.

"We are trying to build a new identity for Pittsburgh outside of sports. In the creative realm, we are a part of this wave, and we live in the perfect city where the market is not over saturated. 30 years from now we want our names stamped in Pittsburgh," Humphrey says.

From the pair, people learn to believe in their own ideas and have the confidence to present them to the public. The time is now.

[View ITR's photos from C.D. 6 at CreativesDrink.com.]