Lifestyle

L.A. meets Tokyo in a night for freaks and aliens

Published

3 days ago

December 31, 2024

L.A. meets Tokyo in a night for freaks and aliens

In late October, a beloved L.A. duo, Valerie Akiko Campbell and Justin Romero of Freak City, met with another beloved duo in Tokyo, Nene and Ryugo Ishida of the Yurufuwa Gang. Freak City is a cult fashion brand and the Yurufuwa Gang is a rap duo, but in the words of Campbell and Romero, “[we] speak the same language when it comes to fashion and art” — all four artists got their start in underground subcultures. “We share similar triumphs and struggles — from working with our partners and love being the foundation of it all.” They add, laughing: “We also both believe in aliens.”

Ishida describes coming together with Nene as nothing short of “miraculous.” The two met at a nightclub eight years ago and have since produced five albums together. “It’s everything together. Job together, life together,” says Nene, though they’ve recently started to pursue solo work again. Nene is on tour this year with a new album, “Gekiatsu,” and Ishida will go on tour next year.

Nene and Ryugo Ishida of the Yurufuwa Gang

The duo cites L.A. — “the music, the vibe, the fashion” — as a major influence. “We made our second album in Los Angeles, that was our dream,” says Nene. “People in Los Angeles really embraced us and gave us confidence.”

For the shoot, Freak City made two custom looks for Nene and Ishida that merge the worlds of L.A. and Tokyo, pulling from “kawaii, punk and rap star.” The Yurufuwa Gang were also joined by nightlife icon Sunny Bunny, DJ Bananaoka and Dasa, the owner of vintage store Bow City. Below, Nene and Ishida offer their own answers to the same questions, a glimpse into their shared and individual worlds.

Nene

I always start my day with making coffee or tea.

My astrological sign, Gemini, manifests in how I focus and take action.

Moody, open, unique are three words that describe the way I dress.

Whenever I wear Freak City, I feel like being unique is the coolest thing!

These days, the song I’m listening to on repeat is “Biking” by Daniela Andrade.

I would describe Yurufuwa Gang’s sound as its own genre of music — it’s called Yurufuwa Gang.

I love collaborating with Ryugo because he understands me completely.

My favorite thing about performing live is when the fans go completely crazy and scream.

I would describe our fans as aliens.

Nene wears Freak City horny lace bonnet and L.A. Bitch Belt dress.

My thinking place is in the car.

On a Saturday night, you’ll find me in front of the ash tray.

The last tattoo I got was the number 369 on my neck. “369” is a magic number.

My hope for next year is more kawaii, more hentai, more crazy.

If I could be gifted anything I wanted this holiday season, it would be onsen (the Japanese spa).

Ryugo Ishida

I always start my day with smoking.

My astrological sign, Taurus, manifests in how I am resilient.

Edgy, cool, like a character, describes the way I dress.

Freak City and the Yurufuwa Gang for Image Magazine Dec. 2024 issue.

Whenever I wear Freak City, I feel more confident!

These days, the song I’m listening to on repeat is “Heat stick” by Shoreline Mafia, and “Drifting Away” by Chief Keef.

I would describe Yurufuwa Gang’s sound as my soul.

I love collaborating with Nene because she is very mysterious and always comes up with unexpected ideas. When we work together, a new side of me emerges.

My favorite thing about performing live is how the vibes can only be felt there.

I would describe our fans as aliens. Our fans are very passionate. They come to see us from everywhere. There are people of all ages, from kids to adults.

My thinking place is all over the world.

N2, Sunny Bunny, Nene, and Ryugo pose on a staircase wearing Freak City clothing

On a Saturday night, you’ll find me at a party or live performance.

The last tattoo I got was on my back. It’s a dragon.

My hope for next year is to finish my solo tour and produce a new Yurufuwa Gang album. I want to do a U.S. tour.

If I could be gifted anything I wanted this holiday season, it would be a big amount of money!

Makeup Yoko Minami
Hair Sora Hasebe

Lifestyle

A patient leaves a lasting impression on one doctor's life

Published

6 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

A patient leaves a lasting impression on one doctor's life

Mark Metersky during medical school.

Mark Metersky

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Mark Metersky

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team. It features stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.

In 1985, Mark Metersky was a medical student, doing rotations at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.

One of his patients was a young man who struggled with a heroin addiction. The man had been in the hospital for a lengthy stay to treat a heart problem, and Metersky found him to be difficult.

“He was manipulative. He would bargain. He was the bane of my existence,” Metersky recalled.

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In the same room was a man dying of AIDS-related lymphoma, under the care of another doctor. This second patient had exhausted all treatment options, and the only thing doctors could do was to manage his pain.

“Unfortunately, 40 years ago, we were much less skilled at treating pain,” Metersky said. “And in this patient, we were not doing a great job.”

Early one morning, around 3 a.m., Metersky was called in to see the second patient; apparently, the man’s discomfort had increased and he likely needed more medication.

The way a dying baby girl was cared for in 1980 helped shape her approach to nursing

“When I got to the room, the lymphoma patient looked horrible,” Metersky remembered. “He was delirious, barely conscious, clearly in pain, sweating [profusely], with his hair plastered to his forehead.”

Metersky still thinks about what else he saw in the room — his patient cradling the lymphoma patient’s head in his lap, wiping his brow with a towel.

The young man, who had previously been manipulative and defiant, was providing the comfort that Metersky says doctors had failed to provide.

Mark Metersky (right) and his family.

Mark Metersky

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Mark Metersky

Over the next 40 years, as Metersky went on to practice pulmonary and critical care and to train other doctors, he kept that moment in the back of his mind. He says it taught him to always be sensitive to his patients’ suffering and to do whatever he could to alleviate it. Sometimes, that meant simply sitting next to them, or expressing his concern.

“But it also told me that there are very few patients, or people in general, who are all good, or are all bad,” he said.

Caroline Davis said a stranger's generosity reminder her of her dad.

“You’ll find generosity and compassion in some unlikely circumstances. And these are both lessons that I’ve tried to carry to the present day.”

My Unsung Hero is also a podcast — new episodes are released every Tuesday. To share the story of your unsung hero with the Hidden Brain team, record a voice memo on your phone and send it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

Lifestyle

The 2025 joy calendar of activities and events perfect for Californians

Published

7 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

The 2025 joy calendar of activities and events perfect for Californians

Jaclyn Cosgrove covers the (great!) outdoors at the Los Angeles Times. They started at The Times in 2017 and have written about wildfires, culture, protests, crime and county government. In 2022, they managed For Your Mind, a yearlong mental health project. Cosgrove is originally from rural Oklahoma and is a proud Oklahoma State University graduate. They fell in love with the Southern California landscape when they moved here in 2017. They are always looking for the next adventure and welcome your ideas. If their phone goes straight to voicemail when you call, it probably means they’re in the mountains with their beloved dog, Maggie May.

Lifestyle

Undone by the loss of his brother Eddie, Alex Van Halen looks back in a new memoir

Published

14 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Undone by the loss of his brother Eddie, Alex Van Halen looks back in a new memoir

Though Alex had been the guitarist in the family, when they formed Van Halen, it quickly became clear who would play: “[Ed] made that instrument sing.” Originally broadcast Oct. 29, 2024.