You might have guessed that one of my favorite things-- besides traveling and lemon meringue pie-- is a legit gangsta rapper indie collabo. So when one comes around, I must put it up, for hip hop meeting other genres of music is the future.
I mean, fuck the auto tuner and Lady Gaga-esque weak fake techno beats, ("Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas, anybody?), I am talking creative creations here!
So I caught wind of this Ghostface Killa/Beirut track via SMoody and it is definitely slapworthy. Ghostface killah is known for his innovative use of simile and each one of his songs comes along with a story worth listening to. In conjunction with Beirut's use of quirky orchestra instruments that produce a certain sense of fuzzy magical realism, it's undeniably catchy and dope. Please slap:
Yes Yes Y'all And You Don't Stop
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I've always envied filmmakers because of their eye for a good shot and their ability to make ideas and visions into something others can view...Lauren Slusser, rising senior at UCLA and Oakland homie, is one of these filmmakers who have mastered the art. She stopped into the store today and told me about her film, The Dinner Party, which you can watch here...It is funny, poignant, and for lack of a better word, cute. I very much enjoyed it, and hope you do too...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Whilst at the Roc...
We were toiling away all day on this particular 9 to 5...Ceebz put me up on game during this loooong period of time about his sister, Ria. She does a bunch of notable art, and I highly suggest you peruse her site:
I like her self portraits in particular, as well as the combination of mysticism, animalistic base urges, and her way of silently questioning what is real and what isn't. Preeetty dope if you ask me.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
On my Radar-iohead
AmpLive, former Zion I DJ, has branched out on his own, making an album of Radiohead remixes called Rainydayz and it, to say the least, slaps. On this particular track, Del Tha Funky Homosapien throws down a questionable verse...but the song is still undeniably catchy and AmpLive's classic hip hop style mixed with Radiohead's electronic beats creates some very cool music. Listen...
I like art. I like architecture. I like fashion. I like art, architecture, and fashion. I like...
Behold the fusion of all three likes. Miuccia Prada has joined forces with architect Rem Koolhaas (I wonder if Rem created a witty pseudonym that is supposed to go hand in hand with his career) and the city of Soeul, Korea to create the Prada "Transformer". This huge tetrahedron installation holds a movie theater, an art exhibit for Prada, and many articles of Prada clothing, and it will be finished off with two enormous cranes built on top. It will also shift shape once it is flipped-- the walls becoming floors, the movie theater morphing into another shape, and the perspective of the building changing in its entirety. I am always in awe of such innovation...how does the human mind have the capacity for such structure?? Dope, is all I can say.
What is it?
A story? A piece of art? A blog? A mindless page of editorial crap?
Dopeness personified?
You be the judge...
From the Headlines...
The UCs are in bad shape.
The funding shortage is at a current 813 million dollars, and it will only get worse from here. President Mark G. Yudoff has finally managed to fenagle the UC Regents round, but even now, things are looking bleak. Furloughs and salary reductions will alleviate about 25% of the University of California's financial woes, but that does not even cover the overenrollment, overspending, and underfunding that the UCs have been plagued with over the past couple of years.
The state is shortchanging the public schools of California by more than 1 billion dollars during the fiscal year of 2009, and will take more money by the end of 2010.
California's education system is completely skewed. As regent D'Artagnan Scorza has said to me on a couple occasions, "your schooling should be free; completely free and clear," and I agree. Why should students have to go into hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt for something that is their given right? Doesn't the government understand that by putting more money into schools, crime rates will go down, gang violence will lessen, more jobs can be created to get us out of this depression mess...It seems like such a no-brainer... how come it isn't happening?
What can we do? What can I do? My student fees are about to go through the roof. Mr. Schwarzenegger, what the fuuuuck is your plan?
More:
Good afternoon! After watching Paris Je T'aime last night waaaaay up in the Oakland Hills, I wholeheartedly recommend it to any romantic/ short film enthusiast/ fan of good movies. Paris Je T'aime consists of eight or nine short films about being in love-- whether it be with family, a significant other, or nobody at all-- in Paris, and each 5 minute short takes place in a different quartier or arrondissement. It is witty and engaging, and you should go see it. Yeah, like now, maybe.
TheCoolKidList also informed me that they are making a "New York I Love You" which could potentially be as, if not more glorious. Wowie.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Speaking of Yves Saint Laurent...
Found this video from 1959 of The Man Himself being interviewed in France. Even if you can't understand French, it is interesting to look at his mannerisms and examine his soft spoken, gentle persona...his id is completely visible through his horn rimmed glasses...
And in a rare moment he draws a special design at 3:14...
Missoni on Display
Ever since the exhibit of Vivienne Westwood at the De Young, and then Yves Saint Laurent's incredible display at the same museum in Golden Gate Park, I have been anxiously awaiting yet another fusion of couture and culture...and although it lies approximately 5371 miles away, London has now hopped on the bandwagon; The Estorick Gallery in North London is holding an exhibit entitled "Workshop Missoni: Daring to be Different". 
"Daring to be Different" displays rows of faceless mannequins donning brightly colored, zippy striped and patterned articles of clothing that have come to be so synonymous with the house of Missoni. Not only is there a "fashion through the years" timeline of the Missoni dynasty, the exhibit also brings it close to home, boasting early watercolors painted by Luca Missoni herself when she was about 7 years old.
Looks dope. Wish I could go...but until then I'll just stay in bed.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Aus Sauce showed me this videomaker, MACAFRAMA-- a young man from the Bay Area-- who shoots short films starring his bearded track bike riding ironicly flannel clad friends. Despite the fact that these pseudo hipsters can be a bit tiresome, this one caught my eye. It was filmed in San Francisco, with "She's a Rainbow" by the Rolling Stones (a personal favorite,) as the background song. Just the cinematography, music and shots of the SF Bay Area are worth it alone...
MACAFRAMA Trailer from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.
Check it out! That's all for now.
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