What happens when a superstar DJ leaves a pile of Coachella cash on the table to go break even on a tour of Africa—where a red-hot music scene is on the verge of going global? We flew to Uganda and Ethiopia to find out.
It’s 3:22 a.m. at the Protea Hotel in Kampala, Uganda, when my phone buzzes. The text is from Thomas Wesley Pentz, a.k.a. Diplo, who’s in his room upstairs. Earlier in the evening, Diplo brought a globe-spanning DJ set to an un-air-conditioned banquet hall full of stylish young Ugandans at the nearby Golf Course Hotel. After the show, a few of us went out to a small local bar called Deuces to drink Nile beer and dance to an Afro-pop set by a local DJ. And now we’re back at the Protea, praying for sleep to descend before the sun starts to rise.
This story is from the Fall 2017 edition of GQ Style.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Fall 2017 edition of GQ Style.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Diplo In Africa
What happens when a superstar DJ leaves a pile of Coachella cash on the table to go break even on a tour of Africa—where a red-hot music scene is on the verge of going global? We flew to Uganda and Ethiopia to find out.
Bird Man
Tony Hawk has invented countless tricks, built skate parks around the world, and created a billion-dollar video-game franchise. but his legacy is greater than all that: Meet his son Riley.
Finding Fashion Bliss in Japan's Retail Paradise
United Arrows has 256 stores— but somehow each of them feels like a lovingly crafted high-end boutique. And now the CEO has his eyes on westward expansion. So we traveled to the company’s Tokyo HQ to experience firsthand what’s coming to America. (And yes, to shop up a storm.)
Are You Not Entertained?
Last year, the swaggering former plumber Conor McGregor became the first UFC FIGHTER to hold two belts at once. The thrilling brutality of his knockouts— along with his notorious trash talk and lavish tastes— has made him into a phenomenon, THE RARE ATHLETE WHO IS BIGGER THAN HIS SPORT. We caught up with McGregor and met a man at war: with his league, with Floyd Mayweather, and, most of all, with himself.
Top 5 Dead or Alive
We always knew Kendrick Lamar could rap. But nobody expected his album to pimp a butterfly to be a staggering musical masterwork that galvanized Grammy voters and protest marchers alike. The big question now is: what will k.dot do next? We got Rick Rubin to ask him.
How to Hack Any Wine List
Whether you’re out on a date, romancing clients, or just eating with friends, the mostintimidating part of any meal is ordering the wine. Luckily, our chief value correspondent has developed a foolproof method for nailing it every time. Take a long sip and let the compliments roll in.
Wet Dreams
When the futuristic, wedge-shaped cars we lusted after in the ’80s and ’90s went out of style, they went all the way out of style. But a new generation of auto freaks has revived these vintage beauties. Nobody laughs or calls them ugly anymore. And prices are skyrocketing. THIS IS THE STORY OF SPORTS CARS, THE MEN WHO LOVE THEM—AND THE SHIFTING TIDES OF VALUE AND TASTE.
Brutal Darlings
For 16 years, the German magazine 032c has been the fashion insider’s bible,but recently founder joerg koch expanded his vision, got down with Kanye, and started selling T-shirts. The changes are raising eyebrows in the industry, but no matter—‘032c’ has become a full-blown movement.
Master Class
After the smashing success of season two of his Netflix show, ‘ master of none,’ Aziz Ansari vowed to go analog. No social media. No e-mail. No laboring over season three. So we invited the stand-up turned auteur to be our plus-one at paris fashion week—and got him to teach us the art of unplugging.
