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Marvelous Color…

Friday, December 18th, 2009

marvelous color

Biggups to the big homey Combat Jack who knows how the fux we get down in these streets. I had a nice little function to hit up lastnite at the LRG brand offices (shouts to DopeBoy Meka) but before then Combat Jack asked me to roll with him to this event that was put together by his homey Riggs Morales.

The event was called Marvelous Color and it is a celebration of six(6) of the iconic Marvel Comics superheroes that were brothers (and a sista). Black Panther, Falcon, Luke Cage, Storm, War Machine and Blade were all the subjects of the exhibit featuring original art and reproductions of legendary covers by some of the industry’s artists of color.

These heroic characters on the pages of my favorite comic books were my license to dream about being heroic myself. Comic books not only entertain their readers they actually empower their readers also. Comic books reconfigure our world so that we can all imagine wearing the mask or the cape. Marvelous Color recognizes that and celebrates it with us. This exhibit will be on display until the end of February. There is no reason for you to come to New York City and not come see this art show.

Marvelous Color
CCCADI Gallery
408 West 58th Street
M-F 10am-6pm

Posted in 5 Elements, Combat Jack, Fanboy Ish, Marvelous, Ninjas, T.O.N.Y., When I Reminisce... | 12 Comments »

Behind The Scenes w/ Joell Ortiz…

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

jo novel

It was almost a year ago that we got a preview of what the Joell Ortiz and Novel collabos might sound like. In this video inside the studio with Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Statik Selektah and Mike Heron we got a verse off the track ‘Call Me’.

Fast forward from this video to November 2009 and Joell Ortiz is wrapping up the longest stretch of touring he has done in his career. From the Rock The Bells dates to a piggyback tour with Tech N9ne Joell Ortiz and his SlaughterHouse brothers stayed on the road for months. During that time Joell would lose his grandmother, and learn how the road could leave you ragged. Now that he is back home in Brooklyn Joell can focus again on his own music. It’s time to push the projects that were on hold while the SlaughterHouse project was doing what it do.

One of those projects is the EP of collabos with Novel. Joell and Novel are both great songwriters that can really describe the emotions of millions of listeners with their true story reflections. The track ‘Stand Up’ is both emotional and uplifting and features Joell Ortiz and Novel at their best.

Joell Ortiz featuring Novel – ‘Stand Up’

The video shoot I went to on Sunday was for the soulfilled song titled ‘Call Me’. Everyone knew this song was a hit after hearing the first J.O. verse. Joell returns lyricism and storytelling back into rap music. It doesn’t hurt to have a mean ass beat either. Novel killed the production with the Al Green sample. This is one of the best rap songs from 2009. It kind of reminds me of some shit that LL Cool J would put on his albums. There aren’t too many songs in rap that you can bump among all age groups without playing something insanely childish. This song brings some sensibility back to rap.

Joell Ortiz featuring Novel – ‘Call Me’

The ‘Call Me’ video is being directed by longtime Joell Ortiz imagemaker Rik Cordero. Rik transports us back to Joell’s high school days with the storyline of unrequited love. The shoot was fun and incredibly efficient considering there were three locations used altogether. I recall being on video shoots that lasted over eight hours in just one location. We see a young Joell Ortiz and then later a grownup Joell along with Novel, who flew in just for the video. I can’t wait for the finished product. This is going to be one of your favorite music videos of 2010.

Joell Ortiz and Mike Heron are on the set.

A young Joell Ortiz and his love interest.

Director Rik Cordero. Directing.

The club scene with Novel. A cameo with the Retro Kidz also in the mix.

The obligatory video vixen. Jumanji!

Posted in 5 Elements, Crappers, Fanboy Ish, Hollyweird, Straight Laced, T.O.N.Y., When I Reminisce... | 32 Comments »

Boogieman Blues @ The Highline Ballroom…

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

boogieman

The Highline Ballroom might be my favorite venue in the city to catch a rap concert. The Roots have totally ruled that spot in the 2009, but I saw some other great shows there as well like Rakim, and Jadakiss. Cam’Ron also performed there this summer and that shit was a madhouse. The Highline Ballroom is going out of 2009 on a MAJOR Hip-Hop high note by hosting Mos Def this Sunday 12.20.09.

I last caught Mos Def in concert performing joints from ‘The Ecstatic’ back in August and I was loving it. The show started late but it didn’t disappoint me. You won’t be disappointed either if you come out to this LATE show.

MOS DEF
Highline Ballroom
431 West 16th Street (between 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue)
Accessible via 14th Street A, C, E trains
Doors at Midnight, Show at 12:30am
$45 adv, $50 at door

Since I will be in Atlanta in momdukes basement by then I won’t be able to use my tickets. If you want my pair of tickets to this show just tell me the two(2) best places to catch a Hip-Hop concert in New York City?

MOS DEF “Supermagic” from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Posted in 5 Elements, Blipsters = Hipsters, Crappers, Fanboy Ish, Ninjas, Straight Laced, T.O.N.Y. | 16 Comments »

SNEAKER FIENDS UNITE!

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

hawaii mike

Last week I had a chance to chop shit up with LTD mag founder and CEO and super sneaker fiend Hawaii Mike. From running a publication which is one of the hypebeast bibles to running a family and running the streets of New York City I had to find out what makes someone not burn out from the constant grind.

LTD mag is what a Hip-Hop publication is supposed to look like. They respect all the elements of Hip-Hop from the graphic art to the fashion and of course the music. LTD was also smart enough to take their magazine online to give readers a constant update of all things fresh. Most deadtree publications don’t have a regard for the online presence but the internets is where that new-new is up next and Hawaii Mike made sure his online venture was just as fresh as the print edition.

Inside the LTD offices Hawaii Mike’s son ran around and acted like the intern for LTD mag. Whenever his father asked his to retrieve something he scrambled through the office and picked it up. Mike’s wife operated a phone and a surfed the web at her computer. She complimented me on my Apple store computer love video and several other joints of mine she had peeped. Mike told me to help myself to as many back issues of LTD as I wanted. I didn’t beast out too hard, but I beasted.

You need to fux with the LTD site because it frames Hip-Hop without borders for regions or even countries for that matter. LTDmag.com is on some globally fresh shit. I should have asked Hawaii Mike if he was developing an iPhone app for locating the best sneaker spots worldwide? This is the type shit LTD mag is on. All the best things in life at one website including the ‘Hump’ Wednesdays features.

hawaii mike

I talked to hawaii Mike about his kicks collection too. I wanted to know if he deadstocked his favorite shoes like I do or did he just rock his joints with reckless abandon. Mike fell somewhere in between the two Sneaker Fiend extremes. While he did deadstock certain shoes he said that he mostly rocked everything in his collection of nearly 600 shoes. I’m actually the opposite where as half my collection has never been worn. I intend to wear them one day I’m just waiting for the motivation of inspiration to wear a pair of kicks.

Hawaii Mike wears his just to clear out some space.