Turntablism, the manipulation of sounds through turntables and a DJ mixer, has never been a glorified role within the rap scene. DJs are often required to put in a tremendous amount of work centered around the goals of the artist for whom they spin. Even if given ample room for creativity, it’s rarer for DJs to suggest verses to rappers than for rappers to make suggestions to DJs.
The 76-year-old head monk Venerable Bancha Temprom sits cross-legged on a golden-colored mat, eyes closed as he chants mantras. About 20 people in prayer, mostly Thai and mostly women, sit before him repeating the mantras. A couple new to the scene watches curiously, but it isn’t the first and probably won’t be the last intrigued couple to come wandering into the prayer room.
The sharp, clean scents of lavender and rose waft from the backyard of a brown South Congress Avenue home, where there are just a few rusted kegs, dead grass and a drooling American pit bull rather than the garden one would assume is there. The scent is instead from local natural soap maker JohnPaul Fierro’s laboratory, where he concocts vegetable-oil-based natural soap and body care products for his company, South Austin People, or So.A.P.
When local sign maker and artist Evan Voyles was a boy, his favorite sign was the Terminix bug. Perched on a pole at the intersection of 12th Street and Lamar Boulevard, the bug fascinated Voyles with its big, glowing lightbulb eyes, metal antenna and huge wings.
The afternoon sun hammers onto the tannish storage unit that’s sits next to Helm’s business office as owner Joshua Bingaman carries meter high stacks of cardboard shoeboxes from it and loads them onto the bed of a vintage, light blue GMC truck. The boxes hold Bingaman’s prized handmade men leather boots and shoes and were on their way to Stag, a local, men’s apparel and lifestyle brand and store.
Most men don’t like to pee when they’re being watched. Others can’t pee when someone is too close because feeling exposed prevents the stream of other urinal patrons. Some just rue the entire construction of a bathroom because it presents both situations.
Jannifer Wilkins spoke without words, her hands forming a language that Barbie Parker, her interpreter, decoded. Wilkins was born deaf, and has been singing since she was a child; since before she could remember. When asked about music, her hands moved with even greater dexterity exemplifying her passion for the subject.
Latin American studies senior Asiago Ogaisa is a big believer in karma, and rightfully so. While in Vietnam, Ogaisa ate dog, a traditional staple of the country’s diet, but just a week later, a dog bit him in Thailand.