Archive for May, 2008

In Memoriam…

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

dad

I took a break in what was one of the best weekends of the year to visit my dad. I haven’t gone to see him in a minute and I feel like he has been doing things to get at me to remind me of my responsibilities to my family.

Memorial Day weekend was always the official jumpoff. I would work the grill at my parent’s house and fall through several house parties. I would make a stop or two by the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the DanceAfrica festival. There is no greater celebration of Blackness in NYC than the festival at BAM.

I miss talking about politricks with my dad. He loved my ideas of Black Republicanism. He also thought I had enough sneakers. One of his happiest moments was when I consulted with him on my 401k. I just had one of the most perfect weekends at home with C.S. that anyone could hope for and I still miss seeing my dad.

Peace goes out to all the folks that aren’t here whose memories we hold dear. Peace to all the servicemen and servicewomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy weekends like the one we just had. Peace to all the gods and the earths.

SNEAKER FIENDS UNITE!

Monday, May 26th, 2008

hyperdunk

hyperdunk

I don’t get too crazy for release dates on shoes because that usually means camping out in front of some retail space overnight. I like my shoes a lot, but my Boy Scout days are behind me now. Still and all I have been known to catch a few hours of shuteye on the subway.

So trust me when I tell you this it is big. The NIKE Dunk Hyperflight is the first shoe that I am ready to pull out the pup tent for. I am down to pull a 48-hour stint in the same drawls like I was at Camp Alpine. I actually pulled a 84 hr mashout in the same boxers during a tilt at the Bronx House of Detention. I had to throw away ALL of that clothing.

My point is that I need these kicks like that.

NIKE goes in crazy like they did when they created the original blue Foamposites a/k/a the PENNY 1’s. I don’t even know what the materials of this shoe are. My eyesight tells me there are carbon fiber strands that act as structural elements during tension and torsion. The shoes invoke the design and purpose of bridge cables. Each of those carbon fiber strands adds more focused stability and support than a simple sheet of material. I imagine that when these shoes are properly tied up you might be able to complete some amazing feats of athleticism.

Is it the shoes?

I haven’t seen NIKE put together a viral push like the campaign they are mustering for the HyperDunk. Sneaker fiends already want the shoe on G.P. After the LakeShow’s successful run in the Association’s playoffs combined with these YouTube videos this might be the most sought after shoe since the Air Jordan III.

SNEAKER FIENDS UNITE!

Monday, May 26th, 2008

dp"

I made the run around NYC on my solo dolo steez this weekend. There was too much ish going down in every boro. Shout out to everyone who invited me to their cookout. I ended up at my homey P-City’s crib because he has the super HD flatscreen and the roofdeck overlooking the new Brooklyn skyline. Your boy handled the grill. Lamb chops, zucchini and whole corn on the cob.

Back to the SFU NYC tour.

This month’s hunting had some pretty slim pickings. I returned to my favorite store of the season right now, Dr.Jay’s on Fordham Road, to see what they were offering on their clearance table.

I ended up copping another pair of the NIKE G.I. Joe Air Assaults to put up on eBay since they are $20 now.

air assault

I also picked up their final pair of Air Tech Challenges in black, orange and neon. I don’t expect to make any big money off these on the eBay system but for someone who needs a pair of crispy kicks for under $40 (including shipping to wherever) they will be winning.

air tech challenge

The sale racks weren’t holding anything too crazy for too cheap, but I did encounter these shoes that were priced to move.

This shoe is the NIKE Dunk Free Trainer Low. This is part of NIKE’s growing catalog of hybrid sneakers. The design team in Oregon fuses some of the most popular design elements of classic shoes into one new sneaker. These joints combine the NIKE Dunk with the features from the Air Trainer 1 and the sole platform of the NIKE Free5.0 cross-trainer. I’m sick that these are $30 because I happily paid $60 for mine back in January. Original MSRP was $100.

hybrid hi

The Superstar from adidas in all black was intriguing to me since I haven’t copped a pair from the three stripe brand in some time. The $40 price tag is what held me back. If these were $30 i would have gone in.

superstar

Talk about being sick to my stomach…

hybrid hi

I copped these high top hybrids over the holidays during a visit to the ‘A’. They have a store called Wish that all the cool kids shop at. If you live in the ‘A’ or are just visiting like I was do yourself a favor and avoid buying product from this store. They are wildly over priced and their service is far from reputable. I paid $160 for these kicks. I could have bought three(3) pairs from Dr.Jay’s and still had $10 left over for a fitted cap. Wish will never see another dollar from my hand ever again.

*The date for the June SFU NYC tour hasn’t been set yet so stay tuned and we will see what is good in the lifestyle around late June.

POLITRICKS 2008: Reflections On Politricks 1968…

Monday, May 26th, 2008

hrc

If you ask me, HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON’s remarks about remembering ROBERT KENNEDY are a subtle reminder to white not to get caught up in the hype. The KENNEDY’s were young, charismatic political leaders who wanted to ignite the electorate to change the status quo. You see where that got them? You see where that got us? The last forty years have been a mashup of neo-conservative reactionary administrations. Save for that blip that was JIMMY CARTER, possibly the greatest president since forever.

When you remind American’s about the KENNEDY family I think that serves to put the dreamers and the people that are sick of the stench of supremacy back in their place. America eats its young. The dreamers, the believers, the workers, the fighters. Anyone who thinks that people should be placed before profits. Most of all, America eats anyone who dare eff up their game plan. Stick to the script, or you and your entire family will be waylaid. The invocation of 1968, whether it is MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. or ROBERT KENNEDY is essentially to keep people in check in 2008.

Call it psychological social-mobility terrorism. And get your ass a late pass. This shit done been in effect. I talked here before about the ‘Black Codes‘ and the fact that there was a social infrastructure that would not permit shit like Blacks owning property, or Blacks and white inter-marrying. This wasn’t simply frowned upon. These things were explicitly disallowed with legislation. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON became as reactionary as any neo-conservative when she in essence told the people, “Stay in your lane so you don’t get your ass merc’ked like the KENNEDYS”.

I know she doesn’t speak that colloquially but what other message do you take from her? Understand what is at stake here for these candidates. The winner goes home with a pocketfull of the ultimate poker chips. The money and power at stake here is immeasurable. Why else would the BUSH administration steal two(2) elections? Why else would HILLARY CLINTON be so desperate to secure the Dem party nomination? All the hippies from 1968 woke the eff up and put NIXON buttons on their blazer lapels. CLINTON was simply trying to remind us who it is that runs this rap shit.

I’m Digging It!

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

boogras

Before you go and act all mortified just know that I know that you know what it’s like to get that thing in your hand that was previously in your nose annoying you. It tried to escape your grasp, but you would not be denied either.

Whose will was greater?

Whose sense of purpose would prevail?

Call this drop a photoblog, a phlog if you will, that exalts in the success I had while ‘going all in’.

boogras

boogras

boogras

Upon inspection, there was a nice consistency with a slightly meaty end.

The extraction process felt somewhat like I might end up pulling my eye through my nostril. Luckily this did not occur, but that should describe to you my steely determination.

boogras

Peep the nose hair that sacrificed himself in the struggle.

boogras