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The Essentials
A$AP ROCKY – “WASSUP”
In an era where one million youtube views can equate to instant stardom, it’s hard to define what’s truly fresh from what’s just popular. It’s a debate plenty of us have had many times over, and one that comes to light when considering the rise of A$AP Rocky. I think Dom understands. So when A$AP’s latest visual offering hit the net sometime last night, I thought twice about throwing it up. Has A$AP become trendy before he’s even dropped an album? Maybe so. Nonetheless, I’ve watched this video like six times.
January 24, 2012
WILD ANIMALS BY ROP VAN MIERLO
It always seems like we should show the illustrators and authors of children’s books more love. Personally, I credit folks like Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Bill Watterson, Maurice Sendak and Shel Silverstein for stretching out my imagination as far as it would go when I was a kid. I suppose what distinguishes the great from good in that category are the books you can flip through fifteen or twenty years later and still be blown away by their creativity or their power to convey complex ideas in deceptively simple ways.
Whether or not it’s intended as a children’s book, in the traditional sense of the word, Rop van Mierlo‘s wordless Wild Animals collection has that same sort of classic feel and elegant simplicity to it. Billed by van Mierlo as “a wild book for civilized people” and “a sophisticated book for wild people”, Wild Animals is a collection of gorgeous watercolors, done in a playful, gestural style that almost recalls Rorschach inkblots. Aside from that, the award-winning work is self-published, and now in its second printing. Read on for a closer look inside, or cop here.
January 24, 2012
UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US: THE STORY OF NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL
I don’t listen to Norwegian black metal. Until about two hours ago, I couldn’t have told you anything about it, and after spending the better part of that time learning about it, I can’t say I’m rushing to find a download link. But Until the Light Takes Us is just a fascinating film, and for that hour and a half I was immersed in a subculture completely foreign to me. Released to mixed reviews in 2009, the film is the product of directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell’s vision, a documentary compiled through years of interviews and archival footage with some of Norwegian black metal‘s most controversial figures.
That most critiques of Until the Light center around the overly sympathetic, romanticizing tone it takes toward its subjects only makes sense. The story of black metal is, after all, primarily documented as a result of controversy– a series of church burnings, a handful of murders, and some grisly suicides, to be more specific. Beyond that though, the film explores the troubling ideology behind those actions, and behind a cultural phenomenon that captured the world’s attention at its peak in the mid-’90s. For those curious enough, it’s an experience, to say the least. Read on for the full movie.
January 23, 2012
RAVEN SORVINO – “OPRAH WINFREY”
Oprah is one of those people that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I feel like for our generation, more than anything, she’s a symbol of success. From humble beginnings to the top of the world. As soon as I heard the hook to “Oprah Winfrey” at Raven’s listening party last week, I knew she and Hyphen had a banger on their hands. And as a Raven Sorvino single, it seems only logical.
Paper Girl, slated to drop this week, is the story of a woman driven by her own vision of success, and along with the motivational anthems comes top notch production from Language Artz’ own The Adjicktivz, Nobody Famous and The U, among others. Last week, Max and myself had the unique opportunity to experience Paper Girl before the official release, receiving some firsthand insight into the inspiration behind each track. From Oprah to Dilla to her own mother, Paper Girl is, like any quality debut, a collage of different influences and experiences, and a mission statement for Raven’s movement. Below peep the trailer for the album, executive-produced by The Formula, and available here Thursday.
January 23, 2012
WEEKEND LEFTOVERS (1.20.12)
It seems like the collective Internet is breathing a sigh of relief today. At least the part that concerns America anyway. Big ups to everybody involved in stopping SOPA and PIPA dead in their tracks, and talking some sense into at least a few of the politicians planning to lend their support. In the spirit of toppling those particular pieces of legislation, I figured we should celebrate by providing some free, downloadable new music we’ve been digging lately. Among other things, the new year has already brought us new, quality material from Santi, Raekwon, Sleigh Bells, Azealia Banks and a handful of others. And just for good measure, there’s also a few favorites from the end of the year. Highlights include the latest from Nicolas Jaar, the Clams Casino K.R.I.T. remix, and The Internet’s Natural Born Killers-inspired visual for “Fastlane”. Happy Friday.
January 20, 2012
NEW JACK CITY: VINTAGE STREETWEAR FINDS A HOME IN SAN FRANCISCO
I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve copped clothes from a store. I had to let Urban go once I realized the thrift shop down the street had the same gear for half the price. Nonetheless, there is still room for the dope brick and mortar in the 2012. Enter New Jack City. Stumbling upon it one day while walking through San Fran, I was pleasantly surprised by the intimate shop. Dedicated to the world of vintage streetwear, New Jack City sports one of the best collections of vintage pieces I’ve ever come across. Vintage Ralph Lauren pieces hang next to Starter jackets and caps, that lay next vintage tees that’ll have you reminiscing about the 90s. In short, New Jack City is that spot to make that special cop that everyone will show you love for. Read on for brief Q&A with store founder Bryan Walsworth on his purpose and motives for creating the store.
January 20, 2012
SOPA AT A GLANCE
Surely your web browsing experience has been hindered in some way today. Whether you’ve tried to research something on Wikipedia, or search on Google, you’ve probably come across the words SOPA or censorship somewhere along the way. While Will highlighted the main issues of the bill last month, a recent video on behalf of fightforthefuture.org sheds light on the potential risks we face if the Protect IP Act passes. With language that serves to elucidate the true intentions of the bill, this short video offers valuable insight into Protect IP Act and the battle for net neutrality. You can also join the petition to stop SOPA and PIPA here.
January 18, 2012
GLENN LIGON’S AMERICA
Glenn Ligon is certainly not the first artist to use America as a conceptual framework through which to explore his own identity. But through some combination of Ligon’s unique experience in America, and the biting wit and keen insight he brings to that discussion, his contribution stands as something definitive and original in contemporary art. Most noticeably, Ligon’s art is about being black and about being gay in America. But far from transparent or obvious criticisms about race or sexuality, Ligon’s work is highly conceptual, offering personal meditations that match the complexity of the subject matter he’s approaching.
Sunday, January 22nd marks the last day of Ligon’s America at LACMA, a large-scale, mid-career retrospective commemorating the 61 year-old artist’s life and work so far, and all I can say is that I wish I had gone sooner. The exhibit is both rich in ideas, and diverse in style and form, showcasing Ligon’s evolution as an artist through a comprehensive survey of stylistic experiments. Neon signs reading “America” and “Negro Sunshine” welcome viewers. In another room, huge prints of images from the Million Man March tower above. Perhaps most common in Ligon’s work, however is the use of text, as messages about identity, repeated poetic mantras, and excerpts from a chorus of different voices of black American history– Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Pryor, or early ’90s Ice Cube– line the walls throughout.
January 17, 2012
INTRODUCING STAR SLINGER
There’s a thin line between busy and cluttered, and Star Slinger‘s hyperactive, glossy brand of sonic experimentation toes that line carefully. Taking a careful selection of R&B and hip-hop favorites, and molding them into uptempo, technicolor collages, Star Slinger’s remixes have been popping up pretty regularly on music blogs, almost across the stylistic board, over the past year or two. Aside from the remixes though, the U.K. producer’s own original compositions have struck a chord as well, with the latest coming in the form of “Dumbin’” and the recently Memphised-out “Chain Dumbin’”, a collab with Juicy J and Project Pat.
What’s emerged from that body of work–his recent single, the remixes, a Dilla-inspired collection of instrumentals–is a certifiably signature style. Skittering drums, waves of sugary synth, pitch-shifted chipmunk-soul samples and smooth textures all serve to distinguish his aesthetic, creating a mood that translates as his own in any context, from pool party to pregame. Below is a handful of favorites from Star Slinger, including “Chain Dumbin’”, available now, along with a remix from Diplo, right here.
Download: A$AP Rocky – “Peso” (Star Slinger Refix)
January 17, 2012
STYLE & SELF RESPECT: A CONVERSATION WITH JUSTIN BARCO
Justin Barco is a busy man. As a stylist, designer, model and budding actor, much of Barco’s life epitomizes what many have come to both cherish and loathe about Los Angeles. Born in Guatemala, and raised in Long Beach, it was Justin’s look that first caught my attention; a vibrant mix of old and new that celebrates the eccentricities of high fashion. A fixture of the Los Angeles nightlife many only hear about, I caught up with Justin on his way to a private party for will.i.am, allowing for a unique glimpse into his thoughts on style, women and the importance of individuality.
January 16, 2012
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ON ACTIVISM
January 16, 2012
STARTING SIX FEAT. MANN – “THIS AIN’T WATER (THIRSTY PART II)”
It started with “Thirsty”. A party anthem that went viral off the strength of a memorable video and an infectious hook. Six friends from the Bay who came together to form the Starting Six. The year was 2009. Fast forward to today and the Six are still in motion, forming a grassroots movement that has gotten the attention of mainstream radio, while simultaneously sweeping up college campuses up and down the West Coast. Today, to say the Starting Six has a following is an understatement. Performing alongside the likes of artists from J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, to Major Lazer and The Cataracs, the Six’s movement goes to show how far you can take it when your team functions as one. Alongside slaps including “Paper Planes” and “Puff My Dro”, the Six’s latest effort, “This Aint Water,” finds us right back around 1:20am at the peak of the function. Can you see it?
Download: Starting Six feat. Mann – “This Ain’t Water (Thirsty Part II)”
January 15, 2012
INSIDE THE MIND OF TOM FORD
“If I have fun when I’m designing something, and I love it, and I’m passionate about it, you can actually transfer that to whatever it is you’re working on. And a woman flipping through a rack will stop, and say, “Wow, that looks cool, I want to try that on.”
Celebrated for rejuvenating the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent brands, launching his own, and then turning around to direct an Oscar nominated film, it seems as though Tom Ford’s creativity knows no boundaries. Born in Texas and raised in New Mexico, Ford always had an idea of where he wanted to be, “I had imagined a certain life for myself so when I turned 17 I moved from New Mexico to New York,” he remembers. From there Ford blossomed into the creative he is today, using a background in architecture to inform his designs. In short, it worked. Catapulted to the pinnacle of high fashion Ford’s work has become synonymous with success. In this short documentary, we get a glimpse into the mind of Tom Ford, sharing insight into the importance of uniting passion and work, the perils of design, and why he takes up to five baths a day.
January 12, 2012
DO iPHONES CAUSE SUICIDES?
On paper, no. I for one, have not come across any person that has thought of or committed suicide as a result of an iPhone. However, in the town of Wuhan, China, some 300 have threatened to do just that. Well, not exactly, let me rewind.
Foxconn, the single largest private employer in mainland China manufacturers many of the products we cherish so deeply in America. Motherboards, camera parts, tablets and yes, iPhones are just some of the products that Foxconn manufactures, making up a sizeable chunk of the $150 billion consumer electronics industry. Employing close to one million employees themselves, Foxconn is responsible for nearly 40% of that revenue annually.
So what’s with all the suicide talk? Well, since 2007, 17 people have committed suicide at one of the various Foxconn plants throughout China. So frequent are the suicides that giant nets have been set up around the exteriors of facilities to prevent against people jumping. Most recently however, some 300 workers threatened to commit suicide at one Foxconn factory in response to the companies unfair labor practices. According to various reports from anti-government Chinese news sites, Foxconn employees had asked bosses for a raise but in response were told to either quit with a months worth of compensation or keep their jobs at their usual salary. While most workers decided to leave, the company never compensated the remaining workers. What resulted was today’s breaking news in regards to the suicides.
January 11, 2012
