We’re throwing in a free surprise collectable gift for anyone ordering the 20th Anniversary Special Edition this week (17th - 21st December), get it at WeAreBLAG our brand new official online store.  Just incase anyone missed it, here’s the guest list of those featured in the edition: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, BLAGgirls by Stuart Semple x Matt Holyoak, Chuck D of Public Enemy, ?uestlove of The Roots, Dennis Pennis, Tim Wheeler of Ash, Rankin, GZA, Beck, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Slum Village, Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, André 3000, Beastie Boys, Common, Ioan Gruffudd, The Game, Adrien Brody, Lupe Fiasco, Cillian Murphy, OutKast, Joseph Fiennes, Phoenix, James McAvoy, Kasabian, The Raconteurs, Rinko Kikuchi, Amy Winehouse, Dizzee Rascal, Josh Homme, QOTSA, Sam Riley, Howlin’ Pelle of The Hives, Scott Weiland, Chad Hugo of N*E*R*D, Andrew Garfield, Luke Grimes, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Slash, Julian Casablancas, Phil Frost, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Belgraves, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Mercedes Helnwein, End of Watch, Rohan Marley, Saint James Paris, Sweet Relief, jeffstaple, Maison Kitsuné, Milkcrate, Aaron LaCrate, Phil Knott, Danny! Rust & Bone, Sipsmith, Bull, Untouchable and Theo Martins.
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We’re throwing in a free surprise collectable gift for anyone ordering the 20th Anniversary Special Edition this week (17th - 21st December), get it at WeAreBLAG our brand new official online store. 

Just incase anyone missed it, here’s the guest list of those featured in the edition: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, BLAGgirls by Stuart Semple x Matt Holyoak, Chuck D of Public Enemy, ?uestlove of The Roots, Dennis Pennis, Tim Wheeler of Ash, Rankin, GZA, Beck, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Slum Village, Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, André 3000, Beastie Boys, Common, Ioan Gruffudd, The Game, Adrien Brody, Lupe Fiasco, Cillian Murphy, OutKast, Joseph Fiennes, Phoenix, James McAvoy, Kasabian, The Raconteurs, Rinko Kikuchi, Amy Winehouse, Dizzee Rascal, Josh Homme, QOTSA, Sam Riley, Howlin’ Pelle of The Hives, Scott Weiland, Chad Hugo of N*E*R*D, Andrew Garfield, Luke Grimes, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Slash, Julian Casablancas, Phil Frost, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Belgraves, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Mercedes Helnwein, End of Watch, Rohan Marley, Saint James Paris, Sweet Relief, jeffstaple, Maison Kitsuné, Milkcrate, Aaron LaCrate, Phil Knott, Danny! Rust & Bone, Sipsmith, Bull, Untouchable and Theo Martins.

2012 | Going, going, gone…  We relaunched our shop last weekend and things have been moving at a quick pace, thanks to everyone for their support! We thought we should let you know about some of the editions that are flying out.  We have… …only 30 copies left in total of our Beastie Boys double cover  - this edition features Tom Hardy’s first ever interview with us, in fact he wrote it and took the self-portraits that run with it. Also featured inside is ?uestlove of The Roots, an essay by GZA, art by Phil Frost and Nigo of A Bathing Ape’s Guide to Tokyo.  …only 30 copies left in total of our André 3000 + 50 Cent cover. These covers were shot to tie-in with ‘Hey Ya’ and ‘In Da Club / Get Rich or Die Tryin’. There’s also an INTRODUCING… interview with Ironman II writer Justin Theroux, art from Delta and Mode 2. Interviews on World Peace with Chuck D, The Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, plus Will.I.Am.  …only 30 copies left of our Ioan Gruffudd + Common covers. This edition features an INTRODUCING… feature with Rhymefest right before he fantastic debut album and winning his Grammy for writing Jesus Walks for Kanye West, art from Mike Mills and Kenzo Minami, a feature with OutKast producers Organized Noize, Ten Essential Ingredients for a Good Party by Mark Ronson and Money Mark’s Guide to LA. …only 42 copies left in total of our Cillian Murphy cover. This edition is about Women on Men, inside Kim Gordon talks about Richard Prince and Marc Jacobs, art feature José Parlá, Lily Allen dishes out Ten Essential Tips for a Successful Date for the boys and we grilled Scott King, Phoenix, T.I, Lupe Fiasco and more about women.  Absolute collectors items! Get them while you can. 
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2012 | Going, going, gone… 

We relaunched our shop last weekend and things have been moving at a quick pace, thanks to everyone for their support! We thought we should let you know about some of the editions that are flying out. 

We have…

…only 30 copies left in total of our Beastie Boys double cover  - this edition features Tom Hardy’s first ever interview with us, in fact he wrote it and took the self-portraits that run with it. Also featured inside is ?uestlove of The Roots, an essay by GZA, art by Phil Frost and Nigo of A Bathing Ape’s Guide to Tokyo. 

…only 30 copies left in total of our André 3000 + 50 Cent cover. These covers were shot to tie-in with ‘Hey Ya’ and ‘In Da Club / Get Rich or Die Tryin’. There’s also an INTRODUCING… interview with Ironman II writer Justin Theroux, art from Delta and Mode 2. Interviews on World Peace with Chuck D, The Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, plus Will.I.Am. 

…only 30 copies left of our Ioan Gruffudd + Common covers. This edition features an INTRODUCING… feature with Rhymefest right before he fantastic debut album and winning his Grammy for writing Jesus Walks for Kanye West, art from Mike Mills and Kenzo Minami, a feature with OutKast producers Organized Noize, Ten Essential Ingredients for a Good Party by Mark Ronson and Money Mark’s Guide to LA.

…only 42 copies left in total of our Cillian Murphy cover. This edition is about Women on Men, inside Kim Gordon talks about Richard Prince and Marc Jacobs, art feature José Parlá, Lily Allen dishes out Ten Essential Tips for a Successful Date for the boys and we grilled Scott King, Phoenix, T.I, Lupe Fiasco and more about women. 

Absolute collectors items! Get them while you can. 

Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and a bubble bath…it’s our 20th Anniversary, so why not?!

Hello!
 
It’s our 20th Anniversary and we want to celebrate with you… It’s going to be the biggest, best party in a book ever!
 
We want to include you in the luxurious 20th Anniversary Collectors Edition, we now have room for 500 readers to be featured in the edition alongside our stellar cast.
 
Reserve your copy today and be a part of history.
 
More details: To mark this very special occasion we’re putting together the most incredible edition of BLAG featuring a worldwide exclusive cover with none other than Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) and Noomi Rapace (Prometheus) - together! We’ve taken the most exclusive and fun photographs and got truly in-depth interviews, we’re so excited.
 
Alongside this we have a star studded cast with new and old school interviews, unseen images and highlights from the last 20 years. You can see just some of the line-up in the trailer above.
 
Reserve your copy today and by reply email send us a photo of you + your name / twitter handle / website to be included.
 
First 1,000 copies signed by Sally and Sarah to you.
 
Photo ideas
~Dress up as your favourite band member, actor or character.
~Your favourite self-portrait / portait.
~An illustration of yourself.
~Mimic your favourite BLAG shoot, you might be posing like Julian Casablancas or taking a bubble bath like Tom Hardy & Noomi Rapace or doing a handstand like Money Mark or posing like the Beastie Boys with your friends.
 
The edition will be in true coffee-table style, even though we’re going back to our fun fanzine roots, we’re sticking with our renowned high production values, gorgeous photography, layouts and art.
 
It’s inspiring, hilarious and a real treasure. We cannot wait to share it with you. It’s been an incredible journey and to thank you, we want you to be a part of it too.
 
Don’t Miss Out. Tell All Your Friends. Share the Video.  
 
With thanks and love,
 
 
Sally and Sarah
2012 | Back By Dope Demand… We’ve opened a brand new store with rare back issues now available again in limited runs, our App and also the Passion & Patience Show. Have a look, we hope you enjoy!
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2012 | Back By Dope Demand…

We’ve opened a brand new store with rare back issues now available again in limited runs, our App and also the Passion & Patience Show. Have a look, we hope you enjoy!

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Common’s Tight Spots

Sally: The issue’s theme Improvise. So we wanted to put you in some possibly uncomfortable situations and get you to freestyle your way out. Do you ever use the expression about being in a tight spot?

Common: Yeah.

Sally: So this is Common’s Tight Spots. You’re at the door of a party and there’s a massive queue behind you, but you’re just not on the list, someone’s missed you off…

Common: [freestyling] Dude, chief, you don’t see my name on the list/It’s Common Sense from the hall of fame of hip hop /You know I get props all over I’m chilling here talking to you real clear and sober/What’s going on dude, why you trying to look hard/I know you got a little something on your shoulder because you’re a security guard/You probably had a job as a football player a while ago/But now it’s like this you’re here working this front door trying to turn brothers down/You should have known Common Sense from ‘Used To Love H.E.R’ or ‘Soul By The Pound’/If you don’t know that then you get your shit right/You probably heard me somewhere if you even you heard ‘The Light’/And you should understand I got a whole damn crew and usually my n****s come in sneaking brew/But I’ma chill for a second or two and I ain’t gonna try to dis/Hey homeboy you’d better look up and down the list.

Sally: Very good, and the next one is: You’re late for a flight and you’ve got to try and sweet talk the ladies at the check-in desk.

Common: Yo Miss/Miss how you doing? How you feeling tonight?/You gotta understand really I gotta make this flight/Yeah yeah really I want to go to Chicago/That’s where I’m from plus later on I got a show/Yo it’s like this/Yo please don’t give me hell and I’m telling you I got a show and it’s really before 12/Yeah yeah that’s my name, yeah my last name is Lynn and I’m telling you I gotta land at least by 10/Miss understand, I ain’t trying to act all dumb/Yeah I’m a rapper, but wait where d’you tell me you’re from?/Oh yeah you look beautiful like you’re mixed, maybe from Belize or something like that yeah anyway you go I believe ya/So you should believe me and understand I’m just a nice dude/And I ain’t even trying to sit up here and act with a attitude/But what happened is somebody told me the wrong airport and now I’m right here that’s what happened/ When I was late I thought that I would get here on time/I left early enough and you see Miss I ain’t even trying to talk that crazy stuff/I’m one of them brothers you ain’t heard my song call ‘The Light’/I’m one of them people that be trying to bring hip hop to its right place/Come on Miss look me in the face and understand it/I’m the man that didn’t even try to plan that it would be like this, but I’ma tell you why I need this… Argh! I got stuck!

[Continues] Haha! But Miss ain’t no disrespecting I’ve only got one or two bags to check in/No not even that I could just carry-on and understand a couple of these bags would be carry-on. Haha!”

Sarah: [Laughing] Do you know what? You forgot to say please. 

Common: Yo, yo, yo yeah! So look understand I told you Miss I think you from Belize/Oh excuse me for being disrespectful I meant to say please and thank you because I know you going to hook me up/But let before this verse pass after you hook me up/You know I got to get upgraded to first class.

Sally: You blagger.

Common: Ok, so Miss…

Sally: Has she not let you on the flight yet?

Common: So yo Miss…

Sally: You’re still talking to her? She hasn’t let you on the flight yet?

Common: No she hasn’t let me on yet. So… Look Miss alright just one bag you can tag it/And then after that we gonna keep on blagging/Cos I’ma understand that you know I’m part of this black market/And you should send me to the lounge that they call the red carpet/So I can sit up there for a second I know I ain’t got that much time to check-in/Yo I usually ain’t late, but understand the date is the 13th and that was my birthday/And I ain’t even had the worst day/It’s been a good day so can you make it much better/Oh you tell me the plane is running late because of the weather? Yeah that’s good I’ma make it.

Sally pretends to be asleep.

Common: Hey, yo I just did a whole story! That was a whole story. Look I can go on… I put her to sleep. You sleeping on my raps and starting to snore… Yo, I was busting an ill freestyle and she’s just gonna fall asleep on me.

Sally: I was being the lady on the check-in. I was acting. Did you see that? That was acting.

Common: Well, you’re acting was good, but maybe it could get better/Maybe you should go get classes from Greta Seacat… Haha!

An excerpt from Common’s cover feature in BLAG Vol.2 Nø 3