Mobcity Magazine- January 2014 Issue

'Sultans of Swag', By Michael Stratford

Opposites do attract on so many levels.  Growing up, she was the shiest Asian-American in metropolitan Los Angeles and he was a rebel-rouser in small town Peoria, Illinois.  If they went to the same high school, they would have hung out in very different circles.  They probably wouldn’t have said two words to each other.  Ironically, they were both very studious.  She went to college to study Chemistry and he studied Biochemistry.  Both got their Masters in Business Administration.  But she was the nerd who sat in the front row taking notes, and he was the smart ass who loved challenging the teachers and making the other students laugh.  They also had an affinity for music.  She took private piano lessons for ten years and joined the church choir.  He trained in piano, cello and bass guitar, and composed and produced his own songs.

His home town evidently became too small for him because at twenty-one years old, he packed his bags into a rickety old Dodge and drove to Los Angeles in search of something.  A few years later, she graduated from college and joined the workforce. Their paths crossed for the first time at a large nutrition company, both having landed jobs in the same department.  She was still the good girl, attentive and respectful during meetings, and he still had the rebellious streak, constantly challenging protocols and procedures.  But they were intrigued by each other and began spending time outside of the office.  They each liked being with someone who was so different from themselves.  Of course there were clashes.  She would tell him to slow down and try to follow the rules for once.  He would tell her to stop holding herself back and be a little more crazy.  This tug of war only accelerated their evolution as people and developed into a bond that was unshakeable.  They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, helped to foster each other's talents and had each other’s backs at all times. 

Life grew stable and he again began searching for meaning in what had become a predictable professional path.  They took trips to Brazil, Philippines, Italy, France and Turkey, but it only intensified their desire to experience new frontiers.  At the time, the Middle East was constantly in the news, its people and their religious beliefs largely enigmatic or misunderstood by the western world.  Perhaps the answer to what they were searching for lay there.  After much deliberation, they jumped the corporate ship and moved to Turkey.  Living overseas was everything they had imagined and more. Their time there provided the opportunity to reflect and also brought them into close contact with causes that became dear to their hearts.  During this time, they also faced countless challenges, including tacit accusations of being CIA agents (why else would a couple with their education, martial arts training and no apparent business ties settle there?) After two years living abroad, they just woke up one day, gazed across the splendid vista of the Mediterranean and knew it was time to return.  But the life they would return to was destined to be different this time.  Their time in the volatile Middle East had somehow given them clarity of purpose and the confidence to enter a different type of war zone - the music industry. They moved back to Los Angeles to create music together.

Like most creative works, the process was a bit like alchemy. Melodies would come to him during the night and he would record a rough vocal take on his Android phone in the darkness, half asleep with eyes squinting. They'd write lyrics over the breakfast table or in a cafe and took their time cultivating each song. Then they would record their voices, hers a soft soprano and his, a steady tenor.  They would both smile at each other when it sounded and felt right, and laugh hysterically when it didn't. Composing, producing and mastering were all done by him. They had been back in Los Angeles about a year and were performing at The Roxy on Sunset Boulevard.  That's when things began to happen. One of the audience members turned out to be Ken Wilson, the Arista and Warner Brothers executive behind Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and K-Ci & JoJo among others. Ken had enjoyed their set and invited them over to his table afterwards.  He then said something that would change their view forever and open up a new window. He pointed to the crowd and said, “Look at all of those people in their shirts and jeans with a drink in hand after a long day at work. You talk like them and you dress like them, but you’re not like them. You need to let the freak out.” And with that simple bit of advice, the last vestiges of doubt fell away. Thenceforth, they continued to consult with Ken, whose sage advice proved invaluable. They also began working closely with Kevin Black, the Interscope executive behind Eminem, Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani & Prince, Kevin's partner Jahnei Neamo, and BJ Lobermann of Virgin Music. On the production side, Nalo Duvalle, Omer Avni, Adam Peri, Andrew Achilleos, Javier Mosley and Gordon McGinnis were among the multi-platinum producers who helped them to refine their sound. However, such collaborations occurred sparingly in order to preserve the creative integrity of their music. In general, they learned to heed advice that resonated with them, while other suggestions like ‘Let’s bring in a team of songwriters', ‘Let’s get artist X to sing this hook', 'Let’s get four strippers in bikinis to dance on stage' or ‘Don't let people know you’re a couple’ were all politely put aside.  They knew who they were and what they wanted. Throughout this process, they truly came into their own style, music and purpose.

That was two years ago. They now call themselves Millennium. They half-joke that they will be together for a thousand years.  She is Sapphire and he is Stryker.  The origin of their names is not known.  Their debut album Fusion is a collection of songs in a range of genres, such as pop rock, dance, funk and reggae, inspired by their life-changing journey together.  It is a story of the fusion of two lives into one and the exultant and difficult times shared throughout the years.  Having been among the first to hear the album (which is due to land in stores in the near future), I can say that it is rare for such  a combination of songwriting ability, musicianship and artistic identity to occupy the same space and time- perhaps occurring only once in a generation. Millennium's first single ‘When We Walk In The Place’ is a bold dance song about embracing one’s own personal style. From a couple that has walked all around the world and back, this song carries added weight.  The truth is, even before they donned the spikes, jewels and furs, the couple drew attention.  People here and overseas would comment that they had this positive energy. But until they learned to take risks and embrace their own identity, that energy had been largely muted. And so the opposites that we invite into our lives, be them our choice of relationships, new living environment or career, wind up serving the vital role of testing and defining us. If we live our lives in the safe lane, we never acquire that self-knowledge. And without that, other knowledge we acquire really doesn't add up to much. Such has been the journey of Millennium. Back from a soul-searching stay in the Middle East, one thing is clear: Personal style is definitely something that these Sultans of Swag have got locked down. The next step is up to them.

www.WhoIsMillennium.com

Millennium's Bold Dance Single 'When We Walk In The Place' Generates Global Buzz, By Werner Caspar

 

It was just an ordinary day for Millennium in Los Angeles. I was sitting across the table with my pen and pad. Stryker was sipping his coffee reading the Wall Street Journal and Sapphire was thumbing through emails on her Android phone. The breakfast table was littered with the wreckage of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit. Suddenly Sapphire shrieked causing Stryker to spill his coffee and momentarily bite his lip in mild irritation. "Newswire wants to feature us in an article!" she gushed excitedly. "And it's titled..." She paused for dramatic effect. "The Sultans of Swag!". Stryker shoveled more pancake into his mouth, took a big swig of coffee and looked up with a grin. "Cool!"

Like I said, it was just another day for Millennium, the innovative pop duo out of Los Angeles, California that is quickly generating a buzz for some good reasons. First, Millennium has a look that turns heads. Even on an off day, Stryker is typically seen with a fur on his shoulders, high-tech goggles, spiked wristbands and giant black combat boots. Sapphire, is often spotted in a tight metallic silver dress with white fur boots and lots of bling (sapphires of course). Secondly, they write, compose and produce all of their own music. While Stryker will insist that the music they create is derivative, drawing upon the work of his favorite artists from decades past, it does feel like a breath of fresh air in the stagnant mire of pop music. The truth about Millennium is this:  The two live in a sphere that few of us could fathom or understand- a combat zone of beats, fashion and original music. It occupies their every thought and word from the moment they sit down to breakfast to discuss strategy to the moment they retreat from the studio late at night. Millennium is a force to be reckoned with, gifted with great songwriting ability and an unusual ambition to express their life experiences through music.

Millennium's first single "When We Walk In The Place" is the perfect opener. It's a bold and slightly narcissistic dance song about the importance of embracing one's own personal style- at first listen. However, I'm convinced that in a society that is becoming increasingly homogeneous and creativity disinclined, the seriousness of the song cannot be dismissed. Curious to know the real inspiration behind 'When We Walk In The Place', I asked Millennium if my alternate impression was correct. Both exchanged nervous glances, seeming uneasy that such a critical interpretation should arise. "Honestly, we weren't thinking that deep when we wrote it. It's actually a song that ran through my mind when we'd walk into a restaurant, bar or club. It's completely self-centered and comical. I think that'll come through in the music video." So what's the video about? "Well, you'll have a to wait a couple weeks to see, but basically we're just swagging across the city running errands, getting coffee, going to the drugstore, dry cleaners, gas station..." Okay, that all sounds rather tame. But that's probably exactly what they want me to think. This duo doesn't do tame so there's bound to be a catch. 

What's swagging? "Swagging is what people first started calling our walk when we started filming the video. It's pimp walking with swagger, or  Swagging for short. It garnered enough laughter on set that we decided to film an entirely separate video "Swagging In L.A." which features ordinary Los Angeles residents doing their version of swagging.  It really is quite entertaining." Swagging? Hmm, is it a bit like this? I ask the question while beginning a faltering limp across the living room floor that sends both Stryker and Sapphire into a fit of laughter. "You've got it brother. You're swagging!" 

Judging by the writeups Millennium is receiving in Newswire, Avant Garde, Source One and others, in response to their first single, Millennium is seriously swagging too. The new dance club hit can be purchased here on:

iTunes 

Amazon 

  

CD Baby 

www.WhoIsMillennium.com

The Art of Swag, By Benjamin Rowley

It has been over two thousand years since Sun Tzu authored the Art of War, perhaps one of the most influential and definitive treatises on military strategy and tactics of all time. Since then, would-be leaders and conquerors from across the world have drawn inspiration from his work.  Since time immemorial, wars have been an instrumental force in defining our national boundaries, our political, economic and social structure- whether we’ve favored them or not.  Most people despise warfare because of the toll in human life and the economic cost that always trades off with healthcare, social services and education. But until recently, war has been viewed as a necessary evil as evident by the U.S. defense budget of $716 billion last year. Then an interesting thing happened with the recent crisis in Syria. While there was a clear moral case for a military strike against President Assad’s regime following the use of chemical weapons, there emerged no collective cry from the global community for such a strike. The truth is that the world is tired of war being used as a means for achieving political, economic or ideologic objectives. Defend your homeland if attacked? Absolutely. But other than that increasingly rare scenario, war simply doesn’t add up to a positive number in the final value calculation.  The battlefield that Sun Tzu originally depicted is no longer relevant. So what comes next? 

It is not written on bamboo scrolls.  It has not been printed in books. It has not made any newspaper headlines. Yet, there is an audible rumble in the ether that may soon reveal a new social and political force to be reckoned with. Like money, it conforms to the rules of the have and have-nots, but it is not financial in nature. It is more powerful than governments, stronger than corporations, more influential than the media and it is already right under our noses. Swag.

While it is nearly impossible to describe what ‘swag’ is, one key aspect seems to hold true.  Swag is closely correlated with entertainment. In the old paradigm, governments and the military wielded power, corporations wielded money and the mass media wielded influence. Swag, on the other hand, will operate in counterintuitive ways, promising to rewrite all of these past rules. For example, here’s what the new era of swag means for:

Politics                          

The old axiom: A government is more powerful than any one individual.

The Swag axiom: An individual is more powerful than any government, and way more interesting.

Nothing new or truly creative has happened in the halls of any government since its inception. Who would you rather sit down to chat with for thirty minutes, Obama or Robert Downey, Jr? Might be a tough call for some, but not for most. Take home message to governments: Understand your function in the new era and adapt. The political system is not interesting to anyone anymore. Yes, it inspired some cool espionage movies, but you can’t keep taking credit for Matt Damon’s work. Get in line quick or risk being dismantled for something with more swag.

Business

Old axiom: Corporations are the most efficient factors of production for tangible and intangible products, including music, film and art.

The Swag axiom:While corporations may continue doing a fine job of making our toothbrushes and vitamins, they’ve got no swag when it comes to intangible products.

The committee mentality of corporations always cause any truly creative product to regress to the mean. When a group of people are involved in any creative decision, the result is a mediocre offering so devoid of swag that is has no value in the new era. Meaningful music, film or art can only come from an individual. The enterprising corporations recognize this and have switched their focus to bankrolling the already-successful, creative individuals. Interestingly, this axiom also seems to hold true for intangibles such as financial products or telecom services. How many more billion-dollar class action lawsuits can Bank of America withstand for defrauding customers with its intangible fee practices? Let’s see. Take home message to corporations: Stick to making tangible items cheaper, better and faster than your competitors. When it comes to intangible products, just realize that you’re hopelessly out-swagged and will eventually have to resort to unscrupulous practices to show a profit.

Mass Media

Old axiom:Mass media shapes people’s preferences and beliefs.

The Swag axiom: The individual determines their own preferences and beliefs through exposure to an unlimited and un-vetted body of information via the web and social media.

It doesn’t matter where something comes from or who wrote it. All that matters is whether or not it resonates with you. Besides, when is the last time you actually bought a magazine off the news stand or watched the nightly news?  Take home message to mass media: Give up on trying to play God with people’s minds. The best thing you’ve got going for you is communication infrastructure. Keep that running well and leave the interesting content to individuals with creativity and yes, swag. That last thing the world wants to see is another season of American Idol or the Bachelor.

Relationships

Old axiom:Your financial success is more important than your relationships.

The Swag axiom: Family and relationships come first. 

Your primary relationship and your family is the foundation upon which all true success is built.  The most expensive marble table will fall to pieces and be worthless if the legs give out. Somehow, this wisdom got lost over the years in favor of materialism and narcissism. Now, proponents of that mentality are lonely, unhappy, and stuck with three sets of alimony payments. Hmm, couldn’t see that coming during the ‘I’m about my paper, bitch’ hip-hop era of the last two decades.

Money

Old axiom: Being a billionaire is the highest aspiration a person can hold.

The swag axiom: Billionaires are completely swagless.

Swag is authentic and founded upon the personal struggle to assert one’s own complex and often conflicting identity upon the world. It needs no money behind it, it needs no executive team behind it, and it needs no corporate sycophants rallying behind it. Swag and the entertainment value it holds is the new world currency. Why do you think all of these billionaires are frantically trying to rewrite their legacy by buying their way into charities and rallying behind social causes? You can’t buy love, baby. And you can’t buy swag. Take home message to would-be billionaires: The big lesson of the past few decades is just how quickly things go to hell when money becomes the operating criteria. Evidence of its corrupting effect is clear in every sector- government, higher education, healthcare, banking, media, you name it. Trust me, what didn’t work for these sectors, isn’t going to work for you. Take money out of the discussion when establishing your priorities and give your swag a chance to breathe.

Marketing

Old axiom: You can create any image or backstory for a person or product and people will eventually buy into it.

The Swag axiom: Swag is all about authenticity.

By authenticity, I mean basic self-acceptance. It’s our strengths and our vulnerabilities that make a person intriguing. Authenticity also plays out through our deeds. It’s also about the willingness to eschew a steady paycheck in order to pursue something that is personally meaningful. In other words, swag can’t be fabricated – not by a corporation and not by you. It must be earned.

If history proves correct, what began as a rumble in the ether will likely turn into a mighty roar as this new paradigm rewrites all of the rules and assumptions of the past era. Which brings me to the couple pictured in this article. I first met Millennium when they performed at a Los Angeles night club nearly two years ago. After watching the third flannel and jeans wearing rock band exit the stage, Millennium came on and I suddenly woke up.  Stryker walked on stage wearing a gold fur, goggles and giant black combat boots and Sapphire followed sporting a metallic silver body suit and white fur boots.  As I was making my way to the main bar, they tore into the first song of their set generating a wall of sound unlike any of the other acts. They delivered song after great song, moving around the stage in a euphoric cyclone. Then suddenly, their set was over and they were gone from the stage. Later that night, I spotted Stryker with his arm around Sapphire in the VIP area splitting a bottle of red wine. Both were laughing and talking with a trio of people outside the velvet ropes. In the deafening roar of the club, I had an epiphany. Swag. The word just popped into my head. I couldn’t remember any of the other artists’ songs that night- they all seemed to meld from one into the other. But I remembered Millennium and their music.

By the time I had organized my thoughts for this article, Millennium was already generating a buzz and I knew I wanted to feature them. Sure enough, when I typed in the URL for their website www.WhoIsMillennium.com, there on the home page in bold type was a quote from another magazine ‘Sultans of Swag’. I felt a rush of excitement, like a scientist who had just had his results confirmed by another scientist. It wasn’t just me. Swag was real.

www.WhoIsMillennium.com