culture

What Mac Miller Meant to Our Youth /  by Lanie Edwards

I was 15 years old the first time I saw Mac Miller perform at the iconic 18 and under venue, Club Zoo, in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was the kind of club where kids would chain smoke cigarettes, it smelled musty at all times, and you didn’t tell your parents you were going. You thought it was cool to go to the bar and get a Red Bull, and you couldn’t wait to dance to “Like a G6” with your friends. This night was special because unlike the usual trash music blaring from the DJ booth, there was going to be a performance. It was 2010.

I was with my older sister and her best friend. They already knew of Mac, but I had never heard his music. I hesitantly stood in the corner not knowing what to expect.

“Everybody please put your thumb in the air!” was the first thing this 18-year-old white kid said as the lights came up. I put my right thumb up with a straight face. It felt stupid, but as soon as the beat from “Knock Knock” dropped, I was hooked. That set the tone for the rest of my adolescence in the Steel City. 

I remember bumping K.I.D.S and Blue Slide Park in the car nonstop when I got my license at 16. Pittsburgh isn’t necessarily the most exciting city, but riding around listening to Mac was an activity to look forward to on its own. We would listen during long bus rides before a tennis match, bullshitting during a free period, and getting ready for those terribly awkward high school dances. I remember when Blue Slide Park debuted at number one on Billboard. He wasn’t just Pittsburgh’s anymore, he was the world’s. It was amazing to see the world fall in love with him as much as we did. 

I was 20 years old the second time I saw Mac Miller perform, this time in Washington D.C. at the Fillmore for his GO:OD AM Tour. Now in college, I felt like I had grown up with him. He and his music had matured, but the concert was just as exciting as my first experience—just add more fans, mosh pits, and a different city. I went with my closest friends from Pittsburgh, and we all rocked our Steelers jerseys and Terrible Towels with pride. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t feel like we had a stronger connection to him in a sea full of D.C. natives.

Scenes from Mac Miller’s vigil at Blue Slide Park | footage by InTheRough

It’s been one week since his passing. I’m 23 now, and I’ve been thinking about it constantly. For me, no other artists’ death has hit as hard as this one for many reasons. As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, it was inspirational to see Mac Miller make it out of such a small, overlooked city and always remain true to himself and humble. With that unmistakable Pirates logo tatted on his hand, he repped the city wherever he went. Not only did he have a strong impact on the kids from his hometown, but he touched the hearts of so many worldwide with his music and soul. I never got to meet him, but we all felt like we knew him. 

There’s this saying that no one loves Pittsburgh as much as Pittsburgh. When one of our own makes it, the whole city is proud. When one of our own passes, the city mourns together. It rained for 3 days straight and the Stillers tied with the Browns after Mac left. That’s how you know.

Steelers running back James Conner honors the late rapper Mac Miller on his cleats this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs | photo via Conner’s Instagram

Any time you listen to Mac Miller’s old music it’s a nostalgic experience. You think of great times with friends. You think of driving through Fifth Ave and dodging all of its potholes while blasting “Party on Fifth Ave.” You appreciate places like Blue Slide park even more. Life was simple back then. When you listen to his music now, you think of how much he had grown. You think about how hard life gets. You think about how we all go through the same things at some point, and he was never afraid to talk about them. 

Through it all, we always saw him smiling. We always saw him being a goofball and putting on an amazing show. We saw how real and full of life he was despite whatever he was facing. He made us even more proud to rep black and yellow and to never forget where we came from. He made us feel 15 again. No matter what, Mac Miller will always be there to remind us that we’re just some motherf*ckin kids.

Lead photos right to left by G L Askew II and Christaan Felber

Long Live /  by Alex Young

YUNG MULATTO Sept. 17, 1996 - Nov. 30, 2017

JIMMY WOPO Jan. 13, 1997 - June 18, 2018

MAC MILLER Jan. 19, 1992 - Sept. 7, 2018

Photo of Mac Miller in front of Jay Z Tweet by Gunnerstahl.us | Art of Mac Miller and Jimmy Wopo in heaven by Vigna Vines | Photo of Yung Mulatto by Tyler Calpin

Mac Miller, Pittsburgh born and raised until his rap career launched him out of the city to big markets like Los Angeles and New York City, died on Friday, September 7, 2018. The 26-year-old was found dead in his Studio City home in L.A. from a suspected drug overdose.

Support for the great friend, Pittsburgh native and legendary rapper has poured in as many remember his legacy.

In Pittsburgh however, we hurt for the loss of creative kings who gave so much to our community. Within the last year, illustrator-producer Yung Mulatto and rappers Jimmy Wopo and Mac Miller have passed away. We hurt because each artist had so much more to give even bigger legacies to leave behind. The timing here seems unfair. Mac just had a top 5 album in “Swimming,” Wopo was about to sign a deal with the Taylor Gang and Mulatto had momentum as the man illustrating Pittsburgh hip-hop for the world. The circumstances are depressing considering these young men were some of Pittsburgh’s biggest champions on the main stage. It’ll be impossible to forget the impact Mac, Mulatto and Wopo had on us. We need to keep pushing as a city to honor them, to achieve their success and more.

Come together and honor their memory. A public vigil for Mac takes place today at 5 p.m. at the Blue Slide Park in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh. A fresh coat of blue paint covered the slide today to honor the rapper and his first studio album “Blue Slide Park.” Check the Facebook event here for more details. Also, tonight local DJs celebrate the life and music of Mac Miller at the Goldmark bar in Lawrenceville. DJ Alex Rivera, DJ Jx4, DJ Red and DJ Spillz spin the Most Dope tracks from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is no cover to enter the venue. Lastly, a petition started online to change the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey goal song to Mac Miller’s song “Party On Fifth Ave.” Sign the petition here.

Blue Slide Park

2005 Beechwood Boulevard (Nicholson St)

Pittsburgh, PA 15217

The Goldmark

4517 Butler Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Watch InTheRough on The Burgh Boyz /  by Alex Young

InTheRough featured on episode 72 of The Burgh Boyz podcast with DJ Motormane and DJ Spillz

InTheRough featured on episode 72 of The Burgh Boyz podcast with DJ Motormane and DJ Spillz

Shout out to The Burgh Boyz for passing InTheRough the mic for episode 72 of their podcast. We spoke about being writers who represent the scenes in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. It was hard not to bring up Steelers football with the chase for seven upon us September 9, so we mentioned new projects with Stillers™ too. Rising rapper Fedd, a.k.a. Fedd The God walked into the room during our interview. He was on The Burgh Boyz set to leak an early listen to his "DaKingJamesVersion" record dropping September 3. Check his work on DJ Motormane's "Motor Muzik 2" mixtape. We covered more topics, like mistaking journalism for being a culture vulture. Watch some clips and the full video below.

Faces and Spaces by ArtLikeUs /  by Alex Young

ArtLikeUs | photograph by Alex Young

ArtLikeUs | photograph by Alex Young

Take it back to September 18 two years ago. Photographer ArtLikeUs was set, collected at Stage AE making images of entertainers Choo Jackson, The Come Up, Mac Miller, Quentin Cuff and more in Pittsburgh. Outside, InTheRough handed out stickers and T-shirts to people in line waiting to enter the concert. At this moment, we met this tall kid with a welcoming attitude and supreme afro, sometimes he caged it with a silk head scarf, Yung Mulatto. Put the city's culture into perspective.

Two days later, ArtLikeUs photos from the concert published in an ITR article about some discriminatory mess that went on before the show. ArtLikeUs' photos amplified our words about the injustice to create a legendary piece of journalism that many people championed. The photo of Mac and Q hyping the Stage AE crowd is "one of my favorite photos," ArtLikeUs said.

Two years later, the man behind ArtLikeUs Xavier Thomas is 26 and still capturing images of entertainment and black life in city settings. "I can relate to black on a grand scale," Thomas said. When rap queen Cardi B visited Pittsburgh at Xtaza nightclub, ArtLikeUs was there to photograph. When Levels Agency brought Gucci Mane to the 'Burgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center, people saw the footage on the ArtLikeUs Instagram feed. Once late rapper and Pittsburgh legend Jimmy Wopo came home from a brief jail sentence, Art, camera in hand, was at his "crackin'" welcome home party at the Galaxy Lounge in Homewood. Big Lonn of the native Pittsburgh Taylor Gang rap crew invited Art to photograph his jiu-jitsu sparring sessions. Art bounced around from local podcasts like the Burgh Boyz to The New Wave Podcast to Straight To The League giving them video footage of each episode. All of this and more, ArtLikeUs was deep in the scene creating visual narratives of daily life in Pittsburgh.

In his home office in Greenfield, Pittsburgh, a news clipping of a feature article about Wiz Khalifa in the New Pittsburgh Courier with ArtLikeUs photos tacked to his cork board. Art scrolled through his Twitter account of Tweets from years ago. "My only dream is to be a sought out photographer," one said from 2013. Each one predicts the future. Now, ArtLikeUs is a prominent photographer making images of superstars like P Diddy.

A post shared by Xavier Thomas (@artlikeus) on

ArtLikeUs stood outside the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on assignment with heavyweight rapper Fabolous for the Global Spin Awards. "Diddy hops out of a truck right next to me," he said. "I tapped Diddy to get a photo." The music mogul's bodyguards muffled under their breaths creating a boundary around Diddy with their arms. "I interjected. I over-stepped. I couldn't let him walk away from me." Art walked away with footage of the Combs family, a private conversation between super producer Pharrell and Fabolous, images of Snoop Dogg and much more. There was "an insane list of people. I don't know how to tell these stories it was so rich," Art said.

“I got celebrities all over my page. If you have a list this long you can be trusted.”
— ArtLikeUs
Thomas shared a Facebook memory when prominent publications XXL Magazine, Hot New Hip Hop and The Source Magazine published his photo.

Thomas shared a Facebook memory when prominent publications XXL Magazine, Hot New Hip Hop and The Source Magazine published his photo.

Thomas got his access card to the stars through his relationship with Fab. The rapper had a show in New Castle, Pa. and Art was there making opportunities for himself. Prominent hip-hop magazine XXL published ArtLikeUs photos of Fab from that night. When Fab came to the 'Burgh for a show at the Strip District's Xtaza club, Art linked with Fab officially and even met with him at Bliss Nightclub in Washington, D.C. "I really spent a considerable amount of time with him," Thomas said. He's able to text the rapper and work with him because "I never fan'd out over nobody. I just try to be distinctive and get my shit done." Well, he did fan out once when R&B songstress Teyana Taylor gave him a hug at a Def Jam Recordings party. "Teyana Taylor is one of the prime examples of a black woman," he said.

In L.A. and other big market cities, "getting in a room is usually the hardest part," Art said. But working diligently and "doing good work" will get you in that room.

Already in rooms photographing the major culture out West, ArtLikeUs worked with Taylor Gang honcho Wiz Khalifa for a week in L.A. Art featured on Khalifa's "420 Freestyle" record screaming "We don't know!" Clips inside the studio promote music from Taylor Chevy Woods. Once, Justin Bieber pulled up on Wiz in a stout Mercedes G-Wagon. DJ Khaled had celebrity guests to his new House in Hollywood Hills, L.A. ArtLikeUs was there with Fabolous and his crew, like Fab's manager Big Fendi. So Art grabbed looks at Khaled's ginormous shoe closet and a family photo of Busta Rhymes, DJ Khaled and Fab. Notoriety stretches in ArtLikeUs photos from cool people like music entrepreneur YesJulz, comedian DC Young Fly and radio DJ Funk Flex.

Although Thomas has built a foundation in Pittsburgh, speaking to his well-known camera talents and the family he's created, he needs more and "I'm willing to go get it," he said. Just then, his youngest son toddled toward a slice of pizza on Thomas' living room table. "I need to get paid like I want to. The budget for music projects here isn't industry standard and I need industry standard," Thomas said.

A post shared by Xavier Thomas (@artlikeus) on

So far in 2018, Atlanta and Los Angeles have facilitated Art's financial goals. The big markets with pools of entertainment can support talent in multiple industries like photography. But, "my come up was here in Pittsburgh," ArtLikeUs admits. "The Pittsburgh art community super fucks with me," the scene just needs to grow so that local heroes and talented people don't feel like an "A1 prospect playing in the D League," Thomas said. After all, people in some Pittsburgh entertainment industries, like musicians, say making money is nearly impossible. The Pittsburgh Music Ecosystem Study by Sound Music Cities states that 69% of musicians here earn less than $10,000 per year from performing or selling music. 10% of musicians earn $35,000 and above.

Something must be done to expand the scene because "this is about me achieving my dreams and not compromising," Thomas said.

ArtLikeUs: To get paid like I want to I have to leave. I'm not trying to get paid $10,000 per shoot, but I literally get paid by companies here [Pittsburgh] $100 to shoot. I'm going to grind and get something out of this photography. 'I gotta get this money. Understand me?' (Chief Keef "Sosa Baby" lyrics)

InTheRough: Do you think Pittsburgh is able to sustain your dreams or do you think Pittsburgh is capable of paying industry level budgets for photographers and other artists?

ArtLikeUs: Yes, once my industry is broader. You need to pursue weddings if you're a photographer. If you want to be a good photographer and guarantee to make money get into weddings. I'm looking for entertainment though. I'm into the hip-hop scene. I'm into the urban. I'm into Black on a grand scale and Pittsburgh isn't that. It could get there one day with the way music streaming is going. I'm just saying the people that have money to spend on foolish shit aren't in Pittsburgh. We don't take that and build something here. Say Wiz built a club or Mac opened a restaurant. People would gravitate towards that. But people hate so hard, so I get why people wouldn't come back.

ITR: What is it that you need from the city to come back whenever you make it?

ArtLikeUs: I need the city more geared toward youth. This is an old ass city. We don't have anybody that represents us in politics or the stuff where the power is really at. It's not geared toward us. This is currently geared toward settling down. If we could broaden the technology stuff people talk about here to other business sectors that would be lit. If we get recreational marijuana here that will change a lot. That's when our money will matter.

Thomas at his home in Pittsburgh | photograph by Alex Young

Thomas at his home in Pittsburgh | photograph by Alex Young

ITR: When you look back at the photos you've taken, especially of stars like Wiz, Fabolous or Gucci Mane, which one sticks out?

ArtLikeUs: Definitely Fab and definitely Wiz. Fab, I got to him first. My first time shooting Fab's image went to XXL, Hot New Hip Hop and The Source and hella other blogs. That was amazing People were hitting me up like, 'Yo! It went to XXL!' I was like, 'What? That's my picture?' I couldn't believe it. I shot Wiz in Atlantic Records' studio in New York. Man, I was the biggest Wiz Khalifa fan since a long time ago. That was a personal thing. When I first moved to Pittsburgh and got into the scene I was like, 'I think I can get to Mac and Wiz if they come to town.' And I got to both of them. I got to go to New York with Wiz. Just because of those things that happened to me I don't doubt my path anymore because I didn't expect that. That shit happened to me by accident. I was just doing shit and that's why I keep doing shit and shit keep happening.

ITR: I've heard you say you look up to Dan Folger.

ArtLikeUs: Dan Folger is probably my primary reason for getting a camera, especially with what he was doing with Wiz Khalifa in the "DayToday" episodes. Besides photography though, Dan Folger was on his grind. He had a job and was doing this photography. He was on the Galaxy [Galaxy Lounge] grind like I was. He was doing things I do now, the behind the scenes stuff. That was really cool for me. Cam Kirk, Johnathan Manion, and Terry Richardson are a few photographers who are big inspirations too.

ITR: What did you want to be when you grew up?

ArtLikeUs: Bro, I wanted to play basketball and just be rich.

ITR: Where are some venues in Pittsburgh that you liked to shoot?

ArtLikeUs: The Spot and Galaxy Lounge, they're gems. If you know, you know. Owey had it crackin' and same with Hardo and Wopo. I want you to go there. It's a bit harder, but you have to get the whole city.

ITR: What tips do you have for networking?

ArtLikeUs: I don't mind expressing an idea that somebody might steal. I want to express something to somebody so they know I'm trying to grow. Don't be a weirdo and just talk to people.

ITR: What about your photos makes them so good? What's your talent in image making?

ArtLikeUs: I want the moment to last. The other day I saw an image of when my son was first born. That was lit. I have a really good family album or life album of shit, and now there's all this entertainment and poppin' shit that fills in there. It's crackin'.

Definitely, keep up with the ArtLikeUs Instagram page. Check out his photos from the Pittsburgh stop of Wiz Khalifa and Rae Sremmurd's Dazed & Blazed Summer 2018 Tour and more content as Art follows music star Hardo on the tour.

Streetwear Update /  by Alex Young

If you want to get in the game, move to further your product.

In 2011, Jake Sullivan walked into a local Pittsburgh clothing store called Timebomb. He bought powder blue Wiz Khalifa Taylor Gang Bombay Gin Cup shirts and sold them on eBay.

His enjoyment of clothing turned into a budding apparel and media company in 2015 that he operates with Steven Crump.

At the Make Sure You Have Fun Mixed Threads clothing fair in 2017, Crump and Sullivan were selling their own brand Good Sports. Even cooler, the experience came full circle because Ryan Brown, the designer of the Gin Cup shirt that Sullivan had bought years earlier, hosted the local streetwear market.  Another local apparel brand that was at the Mixed Threads market was Reviving Real.

Owners of Good Sports Jake Sullivan (left) and Steven Crump (right) | photograph by Alex Young

Owners of Good Sports Jake Sullivan (left) and Steven Crump (right) | photograph by Alex Young

“[People could have] Pittsburgh clothes for the whole year if you look into it.”
— Jake Sullivan of Good Sports

S.O.S.I.M.O. pushes a new T-Shirt concept seemingly every month. The brand drives demand for the product that sells out quickly as designer Ivan Rodriguez of Pittsburgh's east side, known as smoke.myth on Instagram, deals his shirts in person first and then off the Internet second. The gray SOSIMO Sluggers joint sold out in 21 hours. S.O.S. limited product only leaves the community trying to find more of it.

Now, Good Sports, Sports for short, Reviving Real, SOSIMO and more are examples of an emerging streetwear culture in the city.

Screen Shot 2018-07-01 at 4.09.12 PM.png
“To have a brand you have to have people know the feeling. You want to make it have a meaning.”
— Steven Crump of Good Sports

I asked if either of the Good Sports partners skates because that’s the feeling I got looking at their collections, like the Exordium run. Turns out, only Crump skates, but the love for culture grew from the two’s fondness of Nike SB sneakers back in seventh grade, P-ROD 2 specifically. That’s how they conceptualized “how everything ties together, the shoes, the clothes, the music,” Crump said.

Black and white monochrome tees with characters like Fidel Castro and Malcolm X's meeting in Harlem or Felix the Cat show the tone S.O.S. The archived culture is serious and familiar. The strongest of celebrated human history survives in the fabric of SOSIMO.

For Mike Caraballo, the founder of Reviving Real, his company succeeds because “a lot of us share a genuine love for what we are pursuing, as well as the culture of the city,” he said.

Sports try to support the culture too with a goal to “get more involved.” The 23-year-old Bethel Park and Wexford natives in Crump and Sullivan conduct an interview series called Pittsburgh Culture showing the energy coming out of the creative scene and “the ones behind it all.” Musician Linwood and thrift store owner and barber Zed have segments.

Caraballo noted clothing brands in Pittsburgh aim to help communities of local artists. They “are doing the most to not only serve the people with quality products but continue to help push the culture and arts here in the city,” he said.

via @Shop412 on Instagram

via @Shop412 on Instagram

Aaron and Christian Kinkela, the brothers who operate the legendary Pittsburgh lifestyle label named after the city's 412 area code, said in a 2014 interview with ITR, "A lot of what we do is supporting the local economy with anything whether it's local seamstresses or local printers. A lot of things happen right here. That's another part of giving back and doing what you can to keep the money in this town."

A local online publication and conversation series called Style412 ran an audit on Pittsburgh’s fashion scene throughout 2016 and 2017. Style412 founder Elysia Newman mentioned authenticity attracts customers to a local business.

“Consumers of this generation are placing value on immediacy, practicality, authenticity and the ‘small shop’ experience.”
— Elysia Newman of Style412

With each clothing collection that Reviving Real releases, a music mixtape with highlights from Steel City hip-hop, other musicians and cover art by a local visual artist accompanies the release. “We like to curate sounds from artist around the city that we see working hard and putting that time and effort into their craft,” Caraballo said. “Vol. 3” of Reviving Real’s music compilation highlights this aspect through songs by My Favorite Color or Sierra Sellers. Reviving Real's latest "Idora" T-Shirt was a collaboration with artist Dalton (@lovedullt) that celebrated the Idora amusement park roller coasters. By branching out, Reviving Real roots itself to other communities. “The artists here can see what everyone else is doing and create connections with fellow artist,” Carabllo said.

Dalton's design for Reviving Real's "Idora" Tee

Dalton's design for Reviving Real's "Idora" Tee

Additionally, people have been receptive to Sports, obviously, we love our teams, but the Good Sports kind message and general aesthetic promote quality. Crump remembers local rapper Mars Jackson being the first notable person to wear their clothes. Quentin Cuff, a.k.a. InnerviewQ, has also been seen wearing Sports. Musician Benji wears his Doc Ellis T-Shirt that celebrates the Pirates baseball legend.

Part of creating a clothing label is selling a lifestyle and that’s what Good Sports does with their Pittsburgh Culture series and that’s what Reviving Real does with their showcase mixtape. SOSIMO does the same with reverent graphics.

“We are seeing an emergence of online lifestyle brands (versus the traditional boutique), which is definitely something new to our city,” Style412’s Panda said.

Although, vintage thrift shop Senseless in East Liberty creates an atmosphere people want to shop in by curating special experiences. For instance, Senseless, along with the help of craftsman Stew Frick, will release Nike Air Force 1 with the Swoosh donned by repurposed leather from Louis Vuitton handbags on July 6. Three different velcro LV Swoosh and colorful laces come with the sneaker.

Photographs by Tyler Calpin

The Sports’ lifestyle clothing, which is sold online at www.goodsportspgh.com and once at One Up Skate Shop and Shop Zeds in Pittsburgh’s Southside, isn’t trying to be in your face with its simplistic designs.  “A lot of things are just overdone now,” Crump said. He mentioned the We’re Proud long-sleeve shirt comes from looking at old ‘80s and ‘90s Sports Illustrated. Garments like polos and quarter zips highlight the ranges. 

“[Make] moves to further the product.”
— Shop412 in a 2014 Interview with ITR

With limited quantities in each Sports collection, “we focus on every little detail because they all matter,” Sullivan said. Patience helps them, as the business pays no attention to typical season-by-season collections.

Down the line, Crump and Sullivan hope to grow into a brick and mortar store, much like Shop412's store on the Southside, to build a Pittsburgh foundation.

As more clothes and culture stem from Pittsburgh, especially as native designers like John Geiger, Aris Tatalovich and Makayla Wray put on for the city in big markets like New York City, it just depends on "how it all gets put together," Crump said.

Portions of this article come from an ITR article written about Good Sports on April 4, 2018, to create a more thorough conversation on the streetwear scene in Pittsburgh.