Friday, February 29, 2008

artist spotlight:Jiri Adamek

If you haven't noticed I'm a big fan of color! So let´s go to the Czech and Slovak Republic to peep the fantastic colouristic work of mr. Jiri Adamek! enjoy...










This last picture reminds me of a video I really love "Stop Me" by Daniel Merriweather & Mark Ronson: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dRG55KnZkqc&feature=related
ps: Daniel made a suprise appearance @ the HIGHLINE last night prior to Pete Rock's closing performance
good times ... good times!





Buzzworhty: The return of BUN B


With his highly anticipated sophmore album II TRILL coming out on April 29th-Bun B readies for the release with a national promo tour courtesy of Zune.

In '07 UGK's SEVENTH album release claimed the #1 spot in the country and presented the duo with two Grammy nominations for the soulful smash hit "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)"- A personal fave of mine- featuring Outkast. Now Bun will finally introduce the follow-up to his critically acclaimed and Gold Certified debut solo effort, Trill which was released in 2005 and peaked at #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart.

II Trill will include guest features by artists that include the late great Pimp C, Lupe Fiasco, Lil Wayne, 8 Ball and MJ G, David Banner , Rick Ross, Z-Ro, Mya, Mike Jones, Junior Reid, Webbie, Chamillionaire , Expensive Taste ( Paul Wall , Skinhead Rob, & Travis Barker) and Slim Thug. The Houston rapper also collaborated with hitmakers Mr. Lee, Scott Storch, Jazze Pha, Bigg Tyme, Black Out Movement, Khalil, Clinton Sparks, Enigma and Chops to name a few.

The 1st track set to release is called "That's Gangsta" featuring Sean Kingston. Currently- Bun has partnered with Microsoft Zune on a series of promotional events and programs focused on making a more direct connection with his fans through a strong presence on the road, at retail, and on Zune digital platforms.

Bun is also a part of Zune Social, an online music community where he is able to share his experience on the road and interact with music lovers.
Fans can connect with Bun directly by visiting www.zune.net/bunb and http://social.zune.net/member/BunBIITrill.

Artist Spotlight: aitor throup design sketches










Thursday, February 28, 2008

Blackground Music Mourns the Loss of Stephen "STATIC" Garrett

33 year old writer/producer/singer Stephen "Static" Garrett died in his hometown of Louisville , Kentucky Monday, February 25, 2008. Static joined the Blackground Music family in the late 90's and has been described as their secret weapon.

Static first came on the music scene in 1997 as a member of the R&B trio Playa. He wrote many of the group's songs but after releasing one album, Cheers 2 U, they disbanded and Static went to work using his talents to assist other artists. He penned R&B singer Ginuwine's debut hit single, "Pony," and caused the world to continue to fall in love with his immeasurable style as he yielded platinum recording artist Aaliyah's hits "Are You That Somebody," "Try Again," "More Than A Woman" and "Rock The Boat." With three songs charting at #1 under his belt, Static also made his presence known in hip-hop, crafting Nas' "You Owe Me" and Jay-Z's "Change The Game." He recently wrote Lil Wayne's debut single, "Lollipop," from his forthcoming album and starred in the video, which was shot three weeks ago in Las Vegas . Static has also received praise for his collaborations with Pretty Ricky, David Banner, Diddy, Brandy, Jamie Foxx, Destiny's Child, Timbaland and Magoo and Truth Hurts. The world only received a snippet of what Static was capable of accomplishing. This phenomenal talent was also poised to step from behind the scenes and introduce his alter ego Static/Major on his debut album, Suppertime, in 2008. The first single "I Got My," featuring Lil Wayne, is already being heralded as a hit.

Label mate and R&B singer Tank is wounded by the loss as well. "We've lost one of the great song writers of our time but more than that we've lost a son, a brother, a husband, and a father. The Blackground family has been dealt yet another blow to the heart. God is still getting us through the last one and this too shall pass. Static I love you," expresses Tank. The cause of Static's death is not confirmed at this time. He is survived by his beautiful wife, his four children and his music, which will resonate until the end of time.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

with him I find forever- COMMON THE LIGHT/SMIRNOFF MIX SERIES

Last night in NYC - common killed his collab w. production heavyweight JB. The remake of his classic "The Light" evokes such a sweet soulfulness that my words cant even do it justice! Some quick pics below...but im on the run so a much more detailed version of this tomorrow!
























all roads lead me back west...



  • The scene: music junkies from all walks of the tri-state



    When its going down: August 8-10, 2008



    How Far you need to go: Liberty State Park, NJ

    The All Points West Music & Arts Festival, produced by Goldenvoice / AEG Live (Coachella) and Liberty Events in association with the HighLine Ballroom, will celebrate its inaugural year this august.



    Friday and Saturday night headliner Radiohead will be joined by Sunday night headliner Jack Johnson and more than 40 additional acts, appearing on three stages throughout the 80-acre historic location with panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Manhattan skyline.


    Tickets for All Points West go on sale Friday, February 29 at 12 Noon (ET) via www.ticketmaster.com only. A portion of the event's proceeds will benefit "Friends of Liberty State Park," and the three-day event is being created in a "green" festival environment, to include on-site parking for carpoolers only and ample public transportation to and from the site.



    Ferry service will be available from Manhattan directly to the festival grounds and light rail service via NJ Transit will run directly to the festival grounds.


    The event name is inspired by the area's rich history, particularly Ellis Island & the NJ Central Railroad terminal located on the festival site, where many arriving immigrants boarded trains for ALL POINTS WEST.



    PEEP THE LINEUP:



    Radiohead

    Jack Johnson

    Underworld

    Kings of Leon

    Rodrigo y Gabriela

    Cat Power

    The Roots

    The New Pornographers

    Youssou N'Dour

    Animal Collective

    Andrew Bird

    Michael Franti & Spearhead

    Metric

    CSS

    Girl Talk

    Chromeo

    The Go!

    TeamAmadou & Mariam

    The Black Angels



    and more . . . so stay tuned

this week in LA


the halftime show celebrates 10 years

On March 5th WNYU's Halftime Show will host a Special Anniversary Show with some of your fave supserstars.

DJ's Eclipse and Skizz are the hosts of The Halftime Show, and joining them in the studio for live performances will be dozens of A-list celebrities and guests. The show will air during its regularly scheduled time slot, which is every Wednesday from 10:30pm -1am on 89.1 FM.

When you long for hip-hop radio from days of past, then tune in. This year, world-renowned producers Premier, Pete Rock, and Alchemist will be the guest producers for the shoe & The list of guest emcees includes A.G., Boot Camp Clik, Big Noyd, Masta Ace, Reef The Lost Cauze plus 25+ more surprise guests.

Acts such as Eminem, Kanye West and 50 Cent all count their guest appearances on The Halftime Show as a major stepping stone on the road to their worldwide success. In an era where commercial radio turns many listeners off, college radio remains one of the last remaining salvations for good music*

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

iTUNES takeover


iTunes Customers Top 50 Million...now #2 music retailer in US- behind only Wal-Mart, based on the latest data from the NPD Group*.

Apple also announced that there are now over 50 million iTunes Store customers. iTunes has sold over four billion songs, with an incredible 20 million songs sold on Christmas Day 2007 alone, and offers the world's largest music catalog of over six million songs from all of the majors and thousands of independent labels.


Last month, Apple launched iTunes Movie Rentals featuring movies from all of the major movie studios including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate and New Line Cinema.

SXSW THE [stones] THROW DOWN

On March 12th at this year's SXSW Music Conference, two of the most highly respected Independent Labels will join forces for a legendary showcase, sponsored by V Tech phones.

The Duck Down VS Stones Throw Sound Clash will feature:*Sean Price (Duck Down)*Buckshot, of Black Moon (Duck Down)*Kidz In The Hall (Duck Down)*DJ Mister Nash (Duck Down)*Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw)*Percee P (Stones Throw)*DJ Rhettmatic (Stones Throw)

The Sound Clash is taking place at the premier venue in Austin, TX, "The Habana Annex," formerly the Fader House.

Buckshot, co-owner of Duck Down Records, had this to say about the historic event: "We are excited to partner up with Stones Throw Records to present the Soundclash. Stones Throw and Duck Down are both highly respected brands in the Independent rap game and we understand that there is power in numbers. On March 12th we'll be providing a free show to the public and it's a way to give back to the rap community who continues to support our movements and our projects.

Both labels are currently prepping new albums from: 9th Wonder & Buckshot, "The Formula" in stores April 15th (Duck Down)Kidz In the Hall "The In Crowd" in stores April 29th (Duck Down)Guilty Simpson "Ode To The Ghetto" in stores March 25th

Converse 100 years strong



Spanning Over 75 Countries Across the world-

Converse launches Global Spring 2008 "Connectivity" Advertising Campaign to Celebrate a Century in Music, Art, Sports and Fashion Asia Pacific and the Americas. The campaign Features artists like James Dean, Sid Vicious, Hunter S. Thompson, Dwyane Wade, Billie Joe Armstrong, Common, M.I.A. and many more...

The centennial year will go down as one of the world's most coveted, for the iconic brand. This new campaign celebrates 100 years of disrupting the status quo and features legendary icons from the worlds of music, art, sports and fashion. Rolling out around the world from February 2008, "Connectivity" is a striking artistic showcase of true originals who define the essence of the Converse brand since 1908. By taking cultural heroes from the past and 'connecting' them with today's influencers like female rocker, Joan Jett; eclectic urban music star, M.I.A; Green Day's infamous Grammy award winning front man, Billie Joe Armstrong; Grammy award winning hip hop star and actor, Common; basketball player and Converse athlete Dwyane Wade- Converse is showing how broad their appeal spans, and how they continue to push the boundaries of creativity in both the past, present, and future.

donuts live on

Some peeps in San Diego are hosting a "DILLATHON"

Loyal fans and avid listeners of J Dilla will be pleased to hear the legacy of the recently passed super producer living on through Rob Grimes' in the worldwide release of "Dillathon" Today. -- just weeks after Dilla's birthday.

On Feb. 10, 2006 the very talented Dilla was taken from us after a tumultuous battle with lupus and an incurable blood disease. Often referred to as "your favorite producer's favorite producer," Dilla became renowned and loved for his beats and creative vision that became critical to the success of such artists as Madlib, Slum Village and Common, among many others.

"The mixtape is a showcase and a tribute," says Rob Grimes. "It's me going in and killing all my favorite Dilla beats."

gracing "Dillathon" is Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli amongst others.

art on the street: David Choe at Lazarides Gallery in London






Monday, February 25, 2008

Thursday, February 21, 2008

helping those in need

Info courtesy of Crazylegs via Rocksteady Crew





TONIGHT IN BK! an event not to be missed


Spread Love the Brooklyn Way

Brooklyn Bodega- elite hip hop festival organizers- have announced their summer activities....peep it below:

From Williamsburg to Fort Greene, Bed Stuy to Downtown & DUMBO. . .Brooklyn Bodega is doing it big this summer.

Last year Brooklyn Bodega partnered with powerHouse Books & This year that concept is being rolled into a four week outdoor film series. Screenings will celebrate the legacy of Hip-Hop cinema as well as introduce audiences to some of the fine independent filmmakers in Brooklyn. SHOULD BE DOPE!

The Funk and Soul element of past festivals is also being rolled into a separate day so that the music has its own day to shine.

The main Festival day will still feature the best of old school, new school, and local acts. Although artists announcement are forthcoming organizers are very excited about the legends and young lions they are looking to bring back to Brooklyn.

"Brooklyn holds a mythical place in Hip-Hop culture. The Brooklyn energy is what inspires us year in and year out. We want to bring that to fans across the country. With the tour we are viewing ourselves as cultural ambassadors" says festival organizer Wes Jackson

Tenative Lineup:

June 21st - Nasty Funk and Hot Buttered Soul- A celebration of Hip-Hop's roots. Featuring the best crate diggers in the game as well as the finest in Neo- Soul

June 13th, 20th, 27th and July 11th - The BHF Film series- Sit out in the park and watch the finest in Hip-Hop cinema. The films the Academy snuffed. We're talking 'Juice', 'Beat Street' and 'New Jack City.' As well as the finest offerings from Brooklyn's own indie filmmakers

July 12th - The main Festival Date-The Kings and Queens of Brooklyn return home supported by the next wave from Brooklyn and beyond.

art on the street: Judith Supine / London

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

art on the street: adam neate


Common-QTIP- and KRS one join forces yet again...






A new project featuring some of my (and maybe your) hiphop faves is set to take off. The Smirnoff Signature Mix Series is a campaign pairing three acclaimed rappers with contemporary beat- maestros to create new versions of iconic hip-hop songs. Nationally renowned artists Common, Q-Tip, and KRS-One are joining musical forces with Just Blaze, Cool & Dre, and DJ Premier to remix Common's "The Light," A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight," and Boogie Down Productions' seminal "Criminal Minded."

You can count on Cornerstone Promotions to stand behind this (recently given a grammy nod for their nike collab)

How it relates to the drink? Each artist/producer pairing represents a Smirnoff mixed drink made by blending one of the best-selling Smirnoff flavored vodka products with a popular mixer. For example- "The Cypha," is an exciting blend of Smirnoff Raspberry flavored vodka and pineapple juice, represents the collaboration between KRS-One and DJ Premier.

The Smirnoff Signature Mix Series will be supported by a comprehensive radio, video, and digital promotional campaign, in addition to out-of-home, point of sale, and radio advertising, which will roll out nationally in February 2008. The Smirnoff Signature Mix program will be activated in the following key markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. and each city will host Smirnoff Signature Mix events.

All three songs, their music videos, and the behind-the-scenes production footage will be available for free download exclusively at SmirnoffSignatureMixSeries.com beginning on February 19th.

art on the street: Havana


art on the street : seen @ NC STATE university campus


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

GRAMMY WINNER COMMON & MTV GIVE BACK

In a Lyrics contest to promote HIV testing- Young People Compete By Submitting Original Lyrics About the Importance of Getting Tested...

Common will then Perform the Winning Entry on MTV2, mtvU, and itsyoursexlife.com


It's Your (Sex) Life, is a public information partnership between the Kaiser Family Foundation and MTV. In conjunction with "the Common Ground Foundation" this will serve as a platform to encourage young people to get tested for HIV. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine HIV screening for all adults and adolescents (ages 13-64) in the United States. Through this new initiative, Common, MTV and Kaiser are encouraging young people to take a minute to inform themselves and others about HIV testing.

The competition kicked off on february 15th on MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) and is intended to engage and inspire young people across the country to learn more about HIV and the importance of knowing your HIV status. The CDC estimates that among the more than one million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, approximately 1 in 4 do not know they are infected with the virus. FUCKING SCARY! That statistic alone makes me want to run out and get tested IMMEDIATELY...

National HIV Testing Day is (June 27, 2008) and Common's PSA will being airing the very same day & continue throughout the summer on MTV2 and mtvU, MTV's college network, as well as be available on demand at http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/.

To learn more about the contest or apply, visit www.itsyoursexlife.com or http://www.aminutecontest.com/.

"It's important to know your status by getting tested because HIV/AIDS is taking a lot of lives in our community and around the world. I had an uncle succumb to HIV, so I've personally felt the impact of the disease," said Grammy Award winning artist Common. "Your lyrics can really have an affect on people's lives and I've seen it happen."


ps: Peep Common @ the All Star Celebrity Basketball game!

Monday, February 18, 2008

Keepin' it oldschool

You remember ghetto blasters? The Joy of walking around with one of those joints on your shoulder (and the strain of carrying one of those on your shoulder...)

once upon 5 years ago the white bud phenomenon blew up at all your local trainstations...you couldn't look around without seeing white strings flowing out of peoples ears. Looked like a headphone mafia.

So the solution? merge the old school classics with new technology...ta da


modifying an old walkman was never this easy, and fashion forward.

Artist Spotlight: Piet Hein Eek

I don't know that this is the most comfortable chair to sit in, but the construction is impeccable.


Thursday, February 14, 2008

adidas TS PRO MODEL X GABRIEL URIST- PART DOS


a few days back you peeped the shoe collab, and now I'd like to present the jewels.

  • To compliment his shoe , Gabriel has designed a gold adidas TS ProModel chain .
  • Available in three metal ways – vermeil, black rhodium and sterling silver.
  • Mirroring every detail on the life size Pro Model- The exclusive chains are 36” long
    SRP - $385
  • Available at NBA store in New Orleans during All-Star Weekend.

WHAT YOU MAY NOT ALREADY KNOW:
Gabriel Urist is a highly coveted jewelry designer within the worlds of sport, music and streetwear.


His distinct style has drawn the attention of notables including Spike Lee, Wu-Tang, Zac Posen and the Diamond Museum in Antwerp. Gabriel’s license with the NBA has enabled him to created a high-end line of team jewelry which retails at the NBA Store and at www.gabrieluristjewelry.com

Happy Valentines Day

To the man I adore...adi ;)

BLAME IT ON MAGIC

the blog has been on a mini hiatus



and for all you V-Day haters . . .


Sunday, February 10, 2008

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Erykah Badu may have gone a tad bit overboard with her impersonation of Dre in "Honey," but the entire concept of the Video is DOPE! Thumbs up for sure...and I'm not just saying that because of the de la tribute (promise!) . . .




In saying this- I must give credit where credit is due, and that goes to Chris Robinson.

For those not familiar with his work (which means you are def. living under a rock) - he has been the creative mastermind behind some of todays most praised music videos. With one of 07's most epic videos - Roc Boys- it def. deserves the newly adopted roc boys salute- L'Chayim Chris!



In addition his film career Chris stands behind ROBOT IS THE FUTURE- a clothing line that makes numerous cameos throughout many of his videos. I am a fan of the cute little bot!

The latest collab under the Robot Line is - the exclusive footwear brought to you by adidas. The adidas x ROBOT is the Future EQT B-Ball is quite the looker- Simple yet stylish. Check the shoes out below:




*more info on the kicks soon- stay tuned!

MTV pres calls it quits


Email from Van Toffler to MTV staff:
I am writing to let you know that after 17 incredibly successful years, several brilliant reinventions, multiple VMA‘s and scores of memorable on-air promos and creative marketing campaigns, Christina Norman has made the decision to leave MTV at the end of the month.
Christina’s mark on our company is indelible and it’s worth noting that she reinvented herself and our businesses along the way. She grew from a freelance production manager (yes, freelance) to lead all of the marketing efforts for MTV, including the successful launch of MTV2.
In 2002, she was tapped to architect VH1’s rebirth, gave the world “Celebreality” along with “Hip Hop Honors”, and shepherded the network to creative and ratings highs. She brought the same talent and vision when she returned to MTV as President, reinventing our big franchise events – The VMAs and The Movie Awards, ramping up new ways for us to partner with advertisers and worked with all of you to create and define the brand vision for MTV that inspired us and helped liberate our thinking. It pains me to see Christina go, but I respect her decision to want to take the time to explore something new after 17 years, which is pretty much impossible to even think about while running the M.

Christina has led with incredible integrity, creativity, business savvy, perspective, spirit and humor, and she has championed so many important initiatives at our company and in our culture. From the launch of “thinkMTV,” to breathing new life into our music initiatives with novel ideas like “52 Bands,” to the historic launch of MTV Tr3s, our network for young Hispanic-Americans, to the explosive growth of mtvU and the inspirational work she has done for our company’s diversity and inclusion initiative, she has made it happen.

Christina is leaving MTV in its strongest, healthiest, most diverse and vibrant incarnation—MTV‘s celebrated 16 years as the #1 ad supported cable network for the 12–24 demo, and last year alone MTV.com served up almost one billion videos. And there is more to come in the pipeline from the great team that we have in place. In fact, Christina made it clear that MTV‘s current creative vibrancy and thriving business provided her with the perfect timing to explore something new. MTV has several TV hits cranking, the fastest selling video game with “Rock Band,” and a rapidly growing collection of websites. We’re positioned as an industry leader with an array of verticals and Emmy Award winning virtual worlds, and we’re shaking up the 2008 elections with “Street Team ‘08.” And may I remind you that Christina does not shy away from challenges – after all, she dared to take a bet to appear on national television with an eye patch, claiming a run-in with an unwieldy mascara wand as the reason for her questionable optical attire.

It has been my great honor to work with Christina and she will always be part of the legend and success of our company. We will miss her and I personally can’t wait to see what incredible feat she will conquer next with the same class and tenacity she has exemplified during her many years here. I know you join me in wishing her the very best…

no need to "apologize"


VA visionary-Timbaland has just signed on board with Verizon to Offer Mobile Albums on Verizon's New Mobile Recording Studio.

Timbaland is so hot right now with 5 grammy nominations- he spans genres in commercial and radio success, and now intends to use Verizon Wireless' V CAST service to launch an entire mobile album during the course of 2008. The plan is for Timbaland's mobile album to be directly and exclusively offered to Verizon Wireless customers through V CAST Music, and video may also be accessible to Verizon customers across additional platforms, including V CAST Video and Verizon Surround.

Timbaland plans to start production of his mobile album at the beginning of March, collaborating with a new guest artist on one track each month and creating the track from the fully-equipped Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus. As the bus stops in various cities, fans will get access to recording sessions and get a glimpse into Timbaland's creative process -- in person or through their mobile phones.

"Similar to V CAST, Timbaland's music knows no bounds. Together we hope to redefine the album as we know it by creating and distributing music straight from the studio to fans," said Ed Ruth, director of digital music for Verizon.

Friday, February 8, 2008