BLEU Magazine Pre-Release Party @ OCEAN

This Tuesday at OCEAN the kids flocked to celebrate the Pre-Release Party for BLEU Magazine's next issue. Be on the look out for the magazine! Check out the pictures. Click to enlarge.

interview with DEVON CHRISTOPHER

1. So tell me how did you go from Def Jam Assistant to Publisher of Bleu Magazine? Honestly I had no plan. Somehow I just ended up at this amazing place in my life. Def Jam was my first “real” job after I graduated from college. I run my businesses using many of the skills I learned there. I learned that success was not an option-it is a destination. Hard work and determination will lead you to your dreams.

2. What's the most exciting thing that happened to you this year? Everyday brings its own taste of excitement. There are 3 main things I learned this year: --- Being single can be a blessing. The man in the mirror should be who makes you happy. --- That friendship is not a binding contract. Never be afraid to cut people off. --- Fuck the critics! People have something to say no matter what.

3. How important is it to you that people get into your magazine? Bleu is a reflection of its readers. The important thing for me is that men, gay or straight get into themselves. The self esteem of Black men in America is at an all time low. Society expects nothing from us, so we expect nothing from ourselves. Add being gay to the equation and the picture gets even more dismal. My hope is that Bleu shows its audience a realistic spectrum of who we really are. It’s ME. It’s U. It’s BLEU!

4. What are (3) publications that you are inspired by and why?
XXL - it’s unapologetic and real. I don’t like rules.
VIBE - hands down the most important magazine of today’s urban culture. Though it has had its own drama. We can’t ignore history and the doors it’s opened up.
Black Enterprise - Earl Graves and crew helped me get my financial house in order. I read Black Enterprise religiously every month. I have never thrown one away since my first subscription.

5. What are your thoughts on the other gay publications emerging right now, (i.e. Ballroom Rockstar, CLIK and Pulse). How is BLEU Magazine different from these other glossies? Who? Nah, just kidding. I love those guys. I think there is a place for all of us in this world. Each magazine is distinct. But back to Bleu, we are different for many reasons. But the main reason is that Bleu is a social movement. The magazine is a product of this new genre. Come to Culture Club on Friday Night in NYC and you will see. Bleu is a lifestyle.

6. What are your plans for 2007? Where would you like to see BLEU a year from now? I would like to see Bleu in every home in America. Seriously, I want to see Bleu in the hands of all those gay, Black men who I see walking holding their head down. Hopefully in time and with some help from Bleu they will know that it is okay to hold their head high.

7. Which celebrity would you like to see grace the cover of BLEU next year? Hmmm. I wish I could say. But my ideas have been stolen before. I won’t be so kind if it happens again. Fuck it, let me whisper it in your ear.

PAGE 7 - MARS2112: The Martian Feast

if you were unable to attend the last MARS2112 party. take a glimpse at what you missed!!! we were definitely on another planet. we were visited by 10ft tall martians, luscious the alien slave princess, soulja commander, dj unknown & the city gym boys. talk about a HOT party!! stay tuned because our DECEMBER 29th party is going to be the absolute HOTTEST party to close out the year. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!!!

THE SHADOW: on & on

on and on, but lesson learned...

"oh my my my i'm feelin high my money's gone i'm all alone..." ---- e. badu

sometimes, you just have to look in the mirror, laugh at yourself and say, "you stupid bitch!"

i recently got myself into a situation in which i ignored my friends and, on some level, my conscience and more intelligent self. as i am new to "the life" as some would call it, and definitely new to dating, i'm a bit naive when it comes to dealing with men involved in the lifestyle. knowing rejection just as billie holiday knows heartache has left me a little desperate in my quest for my boo; and as a result, if you even turn my way and wink at me, you'll prolly have me following you around for a good 10 minutes. but don't worry, I'm working on that...

however, until i defeat that demon, i'm at the whim of those who pay me attention. case in point: my current, or most recent situation- a phyne and sexy young man henceforth to be known as smoke stack. I met smoke stack (so called due to the amount of "get-right" he consumes, and thus now has me consuming) online, and after the usual bout of back and forth emails, we decided to meet up for conversation, booze, get-right, etc.

i reached his apartment, at which he smoked me under the table and engaged me in conversation ranging from music to movies to politics and more. i was twitterpated from the jump. a phyne and sexy black man who could roll a blunt, hold a conversation and actually liked me? WHAT? it was a wrap. and then the phone rang...

smoke stack: "hello?"
caller: *words i'm not hearing*
smoke stack: "oh hold on one second." excuse me for just a minute. *walks the fuck away*

so i'm left sitting on the couch, high as whitney on crack, weed, bobby, life, watching God knows what on tv, with an impending hard-on in my pants, and diminishing patience. not a good look. smoke stack, 5 minutes later, comes back into the living room, and the following words spout from his mouth.

"ummm... there's a guy coming over for a massage in 20 minutes..."

excuse me?? homosaywhat??

Turns out that as a way to supplement his income, smoke stack engages in how u say... "personal favors" [read: HE A ESCORT, Y'ALL!]. now i had a decision to make. i could either take my "get yo ass off of craiglist and find a man with an edu-ma-cation" advice that my mama gave me; or follow the direction in which my high was taking me.

I made the wrong decision. again... there was an impending hard-on involved. so i took the "maybe he'll have me singin 'whatever' like jill scott when i wake up in the morning" advice that the insecure, rejection-prone freak inside me was screaming.

Long story short: it's been a month and i now find myself sitting at home, logged into match.com, repeatedly singing, instead, the first 4 phrases of erykah badu's "on and on."

*looks in the mirror and laughs..."you stupid bitch!"*

"can you loan me $20 til i get my check next week..."
angie stone (featuring smoke stack)