Boy.Brother.Friend #9
230 x 300mm, 222 pages
London, UK
Biannual
Founder and creative director: Kk Obi
Editorial director: Matthew Benson
Graphic director: Jules Banide
Boy.Brother.Friend ‘examines art, fashion & theory through the guise of the diaspora male experience.’ A poetic and visually stimulating magazine, this ninth chunkier issue explores the idea of ’Rage’, which continues to be negatively attributed to the Black community—‘it's likely that many potential sponsors declined to support us given the fear of being associated with its theme’ writes editor-in-chief Kk Obi.
Instead, the issue makes a case for rage as an appropriate response to historical and ongoing injustices, plus its transformative qualities: Kara Walker writes a furious Trump-laden essay on the incoming POTUS, Jasmine Amussen traces the creative evolution of her hometown Atlanta against the violent backdrop of Cop City, cover star MJ Harper speaks to the qualities of grace, while Funmi Lijadu pays tribute to the ‘speak-truth-to-power’ legacy of iconic Nigerian funk duo, Lijadu Sisters.