Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1540686
Bun B Texas rap royalty; one half of mythic duo, UGK (Underground Kingz), of seminal 1996 album, Ridin' Dirty; performed with Houston Symphony; taught Rice University class on hip hop; ambassador for racial justice; restaurateur (Trill Burgers). Cool in my field. Tobe Nwigwe is one of the coolest people and prolific on so many artistic fronts. He's an engaging recording artist making immaculate music. He's a fashion designer working with brands like Moncler and Reebok. He finds time to direct his own music videos and even makes some acting appearances, such as in Mo on Netflix. Just a few months ago, Clipse released their first new album in 15 years, and I can't stop playing it. Pharrell Williams produced it, so there's much to take in. Everything he does has his stamp on it, and it keeps me locked in. KAWS from New York designed the merchandise and album art, which makes for such a statement. In the world around me. Obviously, AI is all the rage. Just watching where it's headed is astonishing and sometimes strange. We're living in the future. I'm [also] excited that Ferrari just revealed their new 2026 EV SUV. Carey O'Donnell Co-host of Sexy Unique Podcast, whose name alone deserves accolades; half of a true power couple with Simon Haas; writer whose commentary on breaking news (such as Gwyneth Paltrow starting to eat carbs and cheese again) mirrored how we all felt: that the end times were upon us. Cool in my field. Original horror movies: Weapons — Aunt Gladys! Comedies: The Naked Gun, Friendship. Great directors: Zach Cregger, Nia DaCosta, Matt Spicer, Chloé Zhao, Todd Haynes, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Ken Fulk A designer of experiences, with projects spanning around the globe — from hotels to restaurants, residences to private jets. D ogs on planes! There are now several dog-centric airlines where dogs are not only allowed but are also the stars of the flight and you are merely their traveling companion. As the dog dad of three pups, this is a great. Check out Bark Air, RetrievAir, JSX, or any of the other startups out there leading the charge. David Alhadeff Founder, The Future Perfect, one of the world's foremost contemporary design galleries, NYC, Miami, L.A., San Francisco Cool in my field. Cool is integrity. When a designer commits fully to their vision — honoring both concept and craft without compromise — that's cool. It's about a confidence that doesn't chase trends but instead creates something enduring. In the world around me. Cool is vulnerability, especially in men. There's a quiet strength in removing the armor, being present in our emotions, and letting people see us as we truly are. Posturing might look cool from the outside, but honesty and openness are far more magnetic — and even sexy. Evan Ross Katz Pop culture pollster; podcaster phenom; Instagram guru with followers who run the gamut from fashion designers to A-list celebrities and a smattering of porn stars; summarizes the zeitgeist with such drop-the-mic observations as "Jane Krakowski as Mary Todd Lincoln will heal the nation." H omemade cold brew. Daryl Hannah. Framed pictures. Botanical gardens. Expensive table lamps. Folding things in thirds. Earnestness. Running errands. Layering. Molton Brown hand soap. Democracy. was an artist who built her world f r o m t h e inside out, w i t h o u t a s k i n g permission. COURTESY CAMH Tobe Nwigwe's Mintxhibition installation at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2020 Louise Bourgeois with her marble sculpture Eye to Eye, 1970, photographed 1990 Ken Fulk, right Flowerpot VP9 Recharge- able LED Table Lamp by Tradition Andrew DeYoung, Danny Boyle. Queers writing amazing things: Jordan Tannahill, Cole Escola, Ryan O'Connell, Torrey Peters, John Early, Jonathan Parks-Ramage, Sam Lansky, Harron Walker, Tony Tulathimutte. Hunter Harris' Substack. Movies still getting theatrical runs. Independent films. The slow- burn death of celebrity vanity podcasts. Great podcasts: TrueAnon, Nymphowars, Eating For Free, Breaking Points, Call Chelsea Peretti. AI still being mid at writing. In the world around me. UAPs, nonalcoholic beer, Ethel Cain, my dog, my husband's art, Bassvictim, audiobooks, New Jersey (always cool), Star Amerasu on TikTok, ghosts, Philadelphia (always cool), Gaga's return, Perfume Genius, Chappell Roan, Cortisa Star, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, leaving L.A. and coming back to it. Chris Schanck Dallas native artist, creates otherworldly works that blur the line between sculpture and furniture, recalling coral reefs and relics of lost civilizations; works in the collections of the Dallas Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Dior, Bottega Veneta, and Tom Ford have commissioned his designs. C ulture is just stuff we picked up without even realizing it: ideologies, icons, aesthetics. Feels personal, but it's not. What's cool is building your own world: Your meaning, your people, your timing, your hopes. Culture starts with the ones willing to build it from nothing. Louise Bourgeois RAIMON RAMIS. ESTATE OF LOUISE BOURGEOIS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS