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May 31, 2007
Habitat. NY High Design for Bus and News
Habitat. NY High Design for Bus and News: The little things can make all the difference. In Philadelphia they made subtle changes to the city's aesthetic and it felt like people's pride increased. In New York, they're set to drop some heavy redesigns for their bus and news stands.
As reported by Treehugger: "Apartment Therapy notes that new bus stops and news stands are popping up all over New York. Cemusa, a Spanish outdoor firm, is installing the first of 3500 bus shelters, 330 news stands, and 20 public toilets in a billion dollar contract that is the culmination of a process that started in 2002. They are designed by Nicholas Grimshaw Architects, made from 95% recyclable materials."
Read more information + view pics of NY's design for bus and news [Here]
Posted by taj at 11:38 PM
Fashion. Style Week Jamaica
Fashion. Style Week Jamaica: Happiness is strong photography matched with punchy writing. The Fader is on their game. Dorothy Hong and the webternetter-blogist have combined to give us one heck of a look at Style Week Jamaica. Kudos famo!
From the Fader: "Roadblocking a good chunk of downtown Kingston this past weekend, Saint International’s Style Week was spine-tingly epic. Why bother with snoozy plastic tents when you can have a massive pyro-tastic runway smack-bang in the middle of a Caribbean street!?! With bonus orchestral choir and marching band! Fireworks and drummers aside, the designers that rep’d for the Islands showed us how color and theatrics are really done..."
Read more from Style Week Jamaica at the Fader [Here]
Posted by taj at 11:08 PM
Event. Megatronic Sale at Reed Space
Event. Megatronic Sale at Reed Space: Everything you need is at the Reed Space. Gear, Sneaks, Art, Books, Mags, Music and more - you really can't lose. It's one of our favorite spots. So it goes without saying that we were geeked to find out about their sale.
From Jeff Staple's blog: "This Thurdsday (today) the 31st, Reed Space will be having a very big sale. So big in fact we rented out another space for it. It's right next door to Reed Space. 151 Orchard Street b/w Rivington and Stanton. You scratch our back and we scratch yours. We need to reclaim some storage space. You need some fly gear at low low prices. Whaddasay?" Check out the details after the jump.
Visit the Reed Space online [Here]
Reed Space Sale
151 Orchard Street b/w Rivington and Stanton
(next door to Reed Space)
Up to 80% off everything!
***CASH ONLY***
Thursday, May 31 - Sunday, June 3rd
1pm-7pm (Thurs and Fri)
12pm-7pm (Sat and Sun)
Posted by taj at 10:46 PM
Art & Design. A Humanitarian Perspective
Art & Design. A Humanitarian Perspective: Most of the world's money resides with 10 percent of the population. Much of the remaining 90 percent are left with faulty systems and weak resources for opportunity. Dr. Polak proposes something different. How do we reverse the ratio?
As reported by the NY Times: "'A billion customers in the world,' Dr. Paul Polak told a crowd of inventors recently, 'are waiting for a $2 pair of eyeglasses, a $10 solar lantern and a $100 house.' The world’s cleverest designers, said Dr. Polak, a former psychiatrist who now runs an organization helping poor farmers become entrepreneurs, cater to the globe’s richest 10 percent, creating items like wine labels, couture and Maseratis. 'We need a revolution to reverse that silly ratio,' he said.
Read more about design that solves problems for the world's poor [Here]
Posted by taj at 10:20 PM
May 30, 2007
People News. Steve & Bill at D!
People News. Steve & Bill at D: Gizmodo makes the best reference to this epic event*. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs took the stage tonight for the Wall Street Journal's D - all things digital conference. After a day of announcements (i.e., the new Apple TV that plays YouTube clips & a DRM free iTunes) fans looked forward to the two computer icons coming together on this rare occasion.
As the Wall Street Journal reports: "Bill Gates and Steve Jobs wasted no time in their much-anticipated joint performance at D in trying to one-up each other — with compliments. 'Bill built the first software company in the industry. And I think he built the first software company before anybody in our industry knew what a software company was,' said Mr. Jobs. 'What Steve’s done is quite phenomenal,' Mr. Gates responded, going on to comment on the 'incredible taste and elegance' with which Apple’s Mr. Jobs has pursued new products. 'His ability to always come around and figure out where that next bet should be has been phenomenal.'"
Read more about Bill and Steve at D [Here]
Posted by taj at 11:51 PM
Link Heavy. All things Kanye!
Link Heavy. All things Kanye: The Kanye engine has begun. Get ready world. A little more than 10 days ago we wrote about Kanye's lead single, Can't Tell Me Nothing. Ever since then it's been a deluge of audible goodness from the maestro. So the question remains, where do we begin?
Below, we've attempted to compile the latest information and releases from the Kanye camp. We've got everything from videos, to mixtapes, to youtube vids of him sitting talking about what's to come. If you've found another piece of the promotional puzzle, don't hesitate to give us a shout and we'll be sure to include it. Overall, we've done this because we recommend pretty much everything Kanye is doing. His creativity is appreciated at the DM headquarters.
Kanye looking to release Graduation early [Here]
Tracklist:
01. Kanye West - Friday Morning, May 25th, 2007 (Intro)
02. Kanye West - Stronger (Snippet)
03. CRS (Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West & Pharrell) - Us Placers
04. GLC - I Ain’t Even On Yet
05. Kanye West - Can’t Tell Me Nothing
06. Common feat. Kanye West - Southside (Snippet)
07. Common - The Game
08. Kanye West - Porno (Interlude)
09. 88 Keys feat. Kanye West & Malik Yusef - Stay Up (Snippet)
10. Talib Kweli feat. Kanye West - In The Mood
11. Bentley feat. Pimp C & Lil’ Wayne - C.O.L.O.U.R.S.
12. Kid Sister feat. Kanye West - Pro Nails
13. Kanye West - Young Folks
14. Kanye West - Interviews (Interlude)
15. Common - The People
16. Big Sean - Get’cha Some
17. Consequence - Don’t Forget Em
18. Sa-Ra - White! (On The Floor)
19. Ne-Yo feat. Kanye West - Because Of You (Remix)
20. T-Pain feat. Kanye West - Buy You A Drank (Remix)
21. Kanye West - Throw Some D’s (Interlude)
22. Kanye West - Throw Some D’s (Remix)
23. Tony Williams - Dreaming Of Your Love
24. Really Doe feat. Jennifer Hudson - Magnetic Power
25. PM - Hater Family
Download the mixtape [Here]
Thanks to Renzo and Duchdown* for their contributions to Dork.
Posted by taj at 10:45 PM
People. Red Play Initiative
People. Red Play Initiative: Zizou may be retired, but he's still doing amazing things. His collaboration with adidas, the Red Play Initiative, harnesses sports development in challenged countries to assist in their fight against health and schooling issues. Be sure to support the cause.
As reported by Hypebeast: "Longtime adidas sponsor, Zinedine Zidane and the Adi Dassler Fund have joined forces with the adidas “Right to Play” Red Play Initiative. This program works under the belief that the global game of soccer/football has the power and ability to have a worldwide effect on global society. Starting June 1st, replica balls will be made for sale at adidas stores in Europe and the US and websites such as adidas and RightToPlay.com in select countries. September 1st will see the program extend into Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. The balls will retail for 5 Euros or $10 USD."
For more information check out the adidas Red Play Initiative [Here]
Posted by taj at 10:32 PM
Audio. Stones Throw Podcast #21
Audio. Stones Throw Podcast: A friend once said it's all about baby steps. They weren't lying. Slow progression is a good thing, but balancing that against ambition is tricky. So when we were discussing music labels and who's been consistent over the years, only a few came to mind. One of them being Stones Throw Records. They've effectively built a brand with thoughtful slow progression. Their careful navigation places them beyond assimilation and compromise.
One of our favorite contributions from Stones Throw is their podcast. Most recently they released Madlib Remixes 1997 - 2007 mixed by JRocc. As they describe it: "In time for Madlib's upcoming Jaylib Remixes disc on the new Champion Sound CD, JRocc goes through the Invazion archives for 10 years of remixes. Some of these are unreleased, some are rarely heard, others are just plain dope."
Listen to Stones Throw Podcast #21 [Here]
Posted by taj at 04:15 PM
Art & Design. Jamie Hewlett
Art & Design. Jamie Hewlett: Form collides with function in London. Jamie Hewlett, the artist known for his work with the Gorillaz has supremely tagged a train in promotion of Monkey: Journey to the West. We spotted this fresh news on Cool Hunting.
As they report: "This is how public transport should be done. Unveiled Monday and traveling back and forth between London and Manchester, this tricked-out locomotive from Gorillaz artist, Jamie Hewlett, is to promote the forthcoming circus/opera he's involved with called Monkey: Journey To The West. It's based on an ancient Chinese legend and the music has been composed by Hewlett's partner in the cartoon band, Damon Albarn. The show kicks off this year's Manchester International Festival which runs 28 June - 15 July 2007."
Read more about Jamie and the festival [Here]
Posted by taj at 04:03 PM
Art & Design. Tokyo Design Premio
Art & Design. Tokyo Design Premio: Ping did it again. Check out their coverage of Tokyo Design Premio in Milan - a glimpse into upcoming Japanese design. The work is inspiring. Sometimes we sit and stare at this stuff for hours.
As reported by Ping: "As a starter, PingMag already served you some mouth-watering design bits from last month’s Tokyo Design Premio in Milan. But, of course, we won’t spare you the delicious main dish: A colourful Sashimi platter of the Premio as part of the largest international design event, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, with its four hundred showrooms. Get ready for a bit of visual stimulation from some savvy Japanese design pieces."
Read more about Tokyo Design Premio [Here]
Posted by taj at 03:37 PM
People News. Wooster on Spring
People News. Wooster on Spring: Remember the 11 Spring Street project? We do, and it was rad. We loved the event. It reflected art in a way that was inclusive yet personal and intimate. The folks over at Wooster Collective are releasing a book and they want your help.
As reported by WC: "As some of you might know, for the last few months we've been working closely with the designer Paula Scher on developing a book about the 11 Spring Street project. In the days and weeks after the event, we received emails from people around the world who shared with us their stories, their photos, and their appreciation. As part of the book we are developing with Elias/Cummings, we want to include stories, quotes and images taken by people who attended, as well as those who followed the project from afar via the Internet. If you'd like to have your thoughts or photos considered for the project please send an email."
Contribute to the Wooster on Spring book [Here]
Posted by taj at 03:04 PM
Link Heavy. Returning more organized
Link Heavy. Returning more organized: Everyone needs a vacation. Dork just finished their's and it felt great. Thanks for baring with us as the post rate slowed down. Last weekend felt like a retreat. We took time to reflect, relax and also enjoy the friendship that's developed over the years. So get ready world, Dork is back from vacation with more energy and organization.
In our quest for being more organized, we spotted this great post from Unclutterer at Apartment Therapy. As they report: "This picture of Al Gore at his home office is making the rounds on the Mac blogs because it shows his sweet computing set-up. What caught my attention, however, was the crazy clutter surrounding the former veep. How’s he going to save the world if he can’t find the keys to his hybrid? Mr. Gore needs to point his awesome 3-screened Mac to Unclutterer’s tips on office organization and our series on paper clutter and magazine clutter. Don’t worry, Mr. Vice President, there’s hope for you yet!"
Read more about Al Gore's clutter [Here]
Posted by taj at 02:40 PM
May 24, 2007
People. Kenna
People. Kenna: Sometimes you have to show people your face--just ask Kenna. The guy is modest to a fault. When he opened for No Doubt early in his career, he decided against identifying himself. Kenna wanted the music to be the focus, not him. So he was noticeably missing from all of his music videos. This was definitely a cool concept, but ultimately not the best business move.
Well, Kenna has regrouped. He collaborated with childhood friends, Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams on the aptly titled Make Sure They See Your Face, due out June 19. Here's what he has to say about the album: "It is our responsibility to manifest our best attributes and gifts in the most dynamic and brilliant ways in order for others to see it and want to elevate themselves. I can only hope that people will hear the music and know that I aspire to be well and share in that well being."
You can find more info on Kenna [Here]
* You may have seen Freetime already, but it never gets old. It's still one of the most innovative concept videos ever.
Posted by james at 09:59 PM
May 23, 2007
Art & Design. T-Post
Art & Design. T-Post: This idea is too fresh. T-Post redefines tradition and shapes it into a new expressive medium. It's more than an ironic phrase on a tee-shirt. This is clothing-journalism.
From their site: "Subscribing to T-Post is a lot like having a subscription to a magazine, but instead of receiving magazines in your mailbox - you receive t-shirts. Every six weeks T-Post designs a t-shirt based on a current news item and prints the shirt's topic on the inside." You may not always hear about T-post's story from traditional news media, but in their opinion, you should have.
Read more about T-Post at their site [Here]
Posted by james at 08:22 AM
May 21, 2007
Art & Design. Web 2.0 Neglecting Good Design
Art & Design. Web 2.0 Neglecting Good Design: It's the common battle of form versus function. Web 2.0 sites are caught in the intersection of this balancing act. Although user-contributed sites lean heavily toward function, have they foresaken form?
As reported by BBC: "Hype about Web 2.0 is making web firms neglect the basics of good design, web usability guru Jakob Nielsen has said. He warned that the rush to make webpages more dynamic often meant users were badly served. He said sites peppered with personalisation tools were in danger of resembling the "glossy but useless" sites at the height of the dotcom boom."
Read more about Web 2.0 neglecting the basics of good design [Here]
Posted by taj at 08:35 PM
May 18, 2007
Habitat. Ubiq
Habitat. Ubiq Philadelphia: Calling all sneakerheads and fashionistas in the Illadelphiatic! One of our favorite stores is back. Ubiq is open and they're making a bang. This Saturday they're hosting the launch of Undefeated's spring summer line. As usual the sneaker blogs are all a buzz with the info.
Check out one of the best, Freshness. Here's their take: "UBIQ, the sneaker and streetwear institution in Philadelphia reopened last Saturday after several months of renovation. The new store features a shiny new layout and rich warm spaces through out the building as well as a roomy gallery space. New to the mansion-like-store is a dedicated space for VANS; now you know where to get your VANS in Philly! In addition, Undefeated clothing will launch at the store tomorrow, May 19th. When visiting Philly make sure to include UBIQ in your travel plans." Congrats to Ubiq, glad to see you back.
Read more about Ubiq and see some pics [Here]
Posted by taj at 06:09 PM
Events. Design Blogfest
Events. Design Blogfest: We love it when creative-types get together. This is an event you don't want to miss - New York Design Week's Design Blogfest. It all goes down tonight at The Apartment on 101 Crosby Street, NY.
Mocoloco has a nice write up on the event: "What better time than Spring and New York Design Week for another Design Blogfest party. It’s official, Apartment Therapy, TreeHugger, Curbed, MoCo Loco and Blogfest newcomers The Apartment, Cool Hunting, NOTCOT and Cribcandy are throwing a party on May 18th in NYC and you’re invited. This time we’ve partnered with The Apartment (thanks Stefan!), we’ll be using their space in SoHo on Crosby. It’s from 6pm-9pm and we’ll have food and drink on hand compliments of Swich and 10 Cane Rum. Thanks too to Freeset for the graphics."
Read more about the event at Mocoloco [Here]
Posted by taj at 02:23 PM
Art & Design. Umbra Clocks
Art & Design. Umbra Clocks: Clocks are a great opportunity for functional art. The pic above is a good example of how old school cats saw the artistic opportunity in clocks. But, if you're looking for something more modern, Umbra Clocks are spot on. It wouldn't even matter if they stopped telling you the time, because they would still look great on your wall. Whether they're glass, nickel, aluminum or plywood, each Umbra clock is simple in design yet bold in effect.
The Compass, Spirella and Pinnacle would look best against a painted wall as their design allow for the color of the wall to be shown through the clock giving maxim impact. Available in various shapes, sizes, with numbers or not, there is one to fit your own personal design style.
Read more about Umbra and their clock design [Here]
Posted by marsha at 01:21 PM
People. Madlib and a Gazillion Tunes
People. Madlib and a Gazillion Tunes: Integrating filtered beats and personalities is a talent. Madlib gets lost in his world of creativity. While others are pulled out of this musical idealism, the foundation he's built with his partners and label, Stones Throw, allows him to stay there. As a result, he's one of the most prolific artists of our time.
As reported by Pitchfork: "Considering the amount of material the man has released-- not to mention the fact that he probably has months of music that has yet to see the light of day-- my theory about Madlib is that he is actually a bubble-man of sorts, rolling around all day in a human-sized, music studio version of a hamster ball." Read more about Madlib and his creative personalities at Pitchfork. It's a great article.
Read Pitchfork's article on Madlib [Here]
Posted by taj at 01:03 PM
May 16, 2007
Link Heavy. KanYe West *Full Version*
Link Heavy. KanYe West: The snippet is torture. Really it is. It does the job though. We already respect Kanye West and his music but the recently leaked tracks that he produced for the forth coming Common album “Finding Forever” and now the leaked 30 second snippet from what is said to be the lead single off of his rumored September release “Graduation" leads us to believe he is going after the crown for being the best that ever did it.
The artwork for the single is amazing and only adds to the allure. Takashi Murakami is a legendary artist and Kanye West teaming with him on a project is next level for hip-hop. Kanye has reportedly teamed up again with producer/musician Jon Brion again on this new album and Kanye’s mom, Donda, calls this his best LP yet. Let’s all hope she is right, we have no reason to believe it won’t be. *Mega-Update* Full version is now available for your listening pleasure on The Fader.
Listen to Kanye's Can't Tell Me Nothing! from the Graduation [Here]
Posted by dechazier at 12:56 AM
May 14, 2007
Travel. Cedar House Sport Hotel
Travel. Cedar House Sport Hotel: Enjoy outdoor adventure in style. The Cedar House Sport Hotel combines modern design and luxury with outdoor fun. Set in Martis Valley, CA - near Lake Tahoe - Cedar House offers hiking, biking, kayaking, golf and much more. After which, relax comfortably in the contemporary and minimally designed room and continue your adventure.
This child and dog friendly hotel is a perfect alternative to the typical site seeing vacation. Enjoy the sites, adventure and health at Cedar House Sport Hotel. Dork recommends it.
Read more about the Cedar House Sport Hotel [Here]
Posted by marsha at 12:12 AM
May 10, 2007
Audio. DM Rootdown Show 7
Audio. DM Rootdown Show 7: We're back! It's another installment of DM's Rootdown Radio Show - brought to you by Ken Peebles. Thanks to everyone writing in and supporting the show. This episode has some of our favorite tracks. We hope you'll enjoy it.
Words by Ken: "From Dilla to Prince Paul, show 7 looks to production's greats for inspiration. I flipped through a few different ideas before going with tracks that have that good ol’ thump." For more, be sure to read the rest of Ken's playlist selection after the jump.
Coming at you with another installment, listen to DM Rootdown Show 7 [Here]
1. Prince Paul feat. Breeze – Steady Slobbin’
Breeze Evablowin! I love this dude. The voice is crazy. He’s also the all star emcee from Prince Paul’s concept album Prince Among Thieves. I can’t even get into how important Prince Paul is or even an accurate break down of this track. All I can tell you is that it’s fun as all get out and the best thing to listen to first thing in the morning.
2. Q-tip – Wait up
I’m a reformed Amplified hater. It may have been Dilla’s futuristic sound at the time, or maybe I was still getting over the whole Tribe Called Quest break up but for whatever reason I didn’t give Q-tip’s first solo venture a chance. Breathe and Stop was cool enough, but it was so….club. Where’s the jazz? My thinking was a little cloudy back in the Jansport years and I believe it was at least a year before I picked up Amplified for myself to see what it was about. What a refreshing surprise. J Dilla is really the captain of this ship. It had such bounce and clarity. The jazz was firmly in place had I simply listened for it. Wait up was the albums opener and a good mission statement. Dancing keys and agitated horn stabs perfect for jamming at home, with enough bounce and bass to make noise in the club and in the car. Tip and Dilla were here for a good time while still making great music. In retrospect I wish more albums followed this ethos.
3. Rah Digga – Lessons of Today
As with the general release process I remember a good amount of hype surrounding Rah Digga’s debut. I think there might have been a little bit of drama around this getting held back too. Either way once I heard the single Tight I was pretty much sold, but when I hit the record store with only enough money for one purchase I ended up choosing random underground rap single # 352. I remember my man Kris was with me at the time. Kris was one of my ‘Oh I don’t listen to rap’ converts. He was actually out shopping at a couple different stores and we met back up at my girlfriends place in Toronto. We broke out our purchases and he had Digga’s album in the pile. He was surprised I hadn’t picked it up. I really wasn’t feeling like I was missing out, but then he proceeded to drop the CD in his Discman and I quickly realized my error. This thing was pounding! I lost it. A quick check of the producer list solved a lot of the mystery. Pete Rock, DJ Scratch, Mr.Walt, and a host of others had laced this with their finest. This joint was supplied by DJ Premiere. Another great example of less is more as well as how a strong bass sample can carry a tune. It’s one of personal favourites. It’s too bad that as with most of the Flipmode Squad not much seemed to come of Rah’s career but she at least left a mark and a large impression on this hip hop fan.
4. Gza – Publicity
The Gza has one of the strongest voices in rap. I remember being down at the basement of Dr.Disc in London with this 12 inch in hand. At the time Mad Skillz had started to re-emerge on the scene after taking a few years off to ghost write for everyone in the industry. There was another dude downstairs who had the last copy of Skillz ‘Ya’ll Don’t Wanna’ 12 inch. That track was on Rawkus and produced by Hi-Tek. I was defenceless in needing to have it. We talked back and forth for about ten minutes before settling on a trade. I felt I was the victor, and not to hate on Skillz but I think I lost out that day. This is second in a series of concept raps where Gza uses names of whatever, in this case magazines to break down the science. Backed by a strong high hat and anchored by a beautiful string sample this is just another exhibition of Gza’s incredible talent on the mic.
5. Pete Rock feat. Big Pun, Noreaga & Common – Verbal Murder 2
Three of the games strongest rhyming and one of the best to ever touch the boards equals pretty hard to lose. This is off of Pete Rocks original Soul Survivor LP. Being that this is a Pete Rock production showcase picking tracks off of here could be done blindfolded. I had been following Pete’s career, but in fact I was turned on to this album through the retail environment. I was shopping around at a place called Noise and heard the track #1 Soul Brother and lost my mind. How I managed to hear that before the single Tru Master remains a mystery. Regardless I had to have it and was extremely excited to turn the speakers up hearing hit after hit. On this track a performance from Common and Big Pun meant I should be predestined to enjoy it. It is though the weird wandering guitar and thumping bass that keeps me coming back for more and more.
Posted by taj at 11:47 AM
Art & Design. Takashi Murakami
Art & Design. Takashi Murakami: Blending fine art with pop culture is a science calculated by the greatest. It's one of our favorite art applications. It's the bold embrace of inclusion that opens the exclusive works to a broader audience. Warhol did it, and now many say Takashi is Japan's version of the late great artist.
As reported by the Times: "The unmistakable aroma of incense wafted through the Gagosian Gallery on Madison Avenue one afternoon last week. It wasn’t the only hint that business was not as usual. Instead of chicly dressed gallery assistants, demure Japanese ladies in colorful kimonos greeted visitors. In the central gallery stood the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. In place of his usual garb — baggy cargo pants, T-shirt and sneakers — he was done up in a traditional hakama, his hair pulled back in a neat bun, with his signature round glasses and wispy goatee. 'Welcome to this very special tea ceremony,' he said."
Read more about Takashi Murakami [Here]
Posted by taj at 07:51 AM
May 09, 2007
People. Tabi Bonney
People. Tabi Bonney: Washington, DC has never been known for producing quality rappers. Go-go is the city's soundtrack. Tabi Bonney is trying to change that notion.
If you know anything about DC, you know they're on some next ish. He represents all of that, but he's still doing his own thing. Most importantly, Tabi is putting the world on to DC slang. His latest track, Lunchin' gives context to a word and his city, simultaneously. [Photo: Dorothy Hong*]
You can find more info on Tabi Bonney and listen to Lunchin' [Here]
Posted by james at 02:53 PM
People. Gloria Steinem
People. Gloria Steinem: Gloria Steinem has never been afraid to fight. Her life has been defined by her bold activism and the world is a slightly better place because of her efforts.
The Ms. Magazine founder continues to battle at 72. She has widened her focus from women’s rights, equality and freedom; to 21st century slavery and human trafficking. In an interview with Tom Ashbrook she discusses the half-hidden world of debt-bondage, sex slavery and outright servitude.
You can listen to Gloria Steinem's interview [Here]
Posted by james at 02:50 PM
Link Heavy. Kanye Speaks (and we listen)
Link Heavy. Kanye Speaks (and we listen): You've got to love Kanye West. I mean, the guy says whatever the hell he wants and sometimes, we agree. Kanye has returned to Complex and we couldn't be happier. Here's what he has to say about streetwear:
"I’m allover-printed to death. Hoodies, hoodies, and more hoodies—how many more streetwear lines can we take? They say hip-hop is dead, and in that argument, people always give props to the originators. In the fashion world, we’d say, let’s give props to Supreme and Stüssy. And you gotta give Bape props. People say the concept of being cool should be anti-the-establishment. The reason why people dis Bape is because they are so big that now they are the establishment. Like Gnarls Barkley now isn’t the same as when people were just emailing the song. (Side note: I can and can’t believe that Gnarls Barkley didn’t win the Grammy.)"
Read the rest of Kanye's diatribe [Here]
Posted by james at 01:59 PM
May 08, 2007
Link Heavy. Portfolio
Link Heavy. Portfolio: Over time, I've become fascinated with the art of making money. Yes, business is an art form. There's beauty in seeing an idea come to fruition. It doesn't matter if that realization is monetary--it's still art.
Condé Nast Portfolio is a new kind of business magazine. Instead of the typical concise, analytical stories covering topical news, Portfolio runs long-form features and pays close attention to style. Their approach is sure to bring in readers who would normally never read a business publication. Portfolio also has a great website, filled with interesting videos. Check this clip about the rapid growth of Dubai, after the jump.
Posted by james at 03:01 PM
May 07, 2007
Musings. The Greatest YouTube Clip Ever
Musings. The Greatest YouTube Clip Ever: YouTube is awesome--that's obvious. But every once and a while we're reminded and we fall in love with the site all over again. The all-star rap tribute to Arsenio* was the last YouTube clip that really floored us and we're happy to say it has happened again.
It's a clip from a 1983 James Brown concert. James sees Micheal Jackson in the crowd and asks him to get on stage and do something. Mike accepts the invitation, sings beautifully and busts some crazy dance moves. Then, JB spots Prince and tells him to join them. Prince emerges from the crowd, riding piggyback on the shoulders of a burly, middle-aged man. He grabs a guitar and kills it! If you haven't seen this, get ready to be blown away.
Posted by james at 12:39 PM
Art & Design. Cao Fei
Art & Design. Cao Fei: Cao Fei's work is exciting. We spotted her photography on Artkrush* and were immediately enamored. This particular piece, UN-Cosplayers, is a 2006 photograph of Beijing residents wearing role-playing costumes. The project revisits the theme of her 2004 COSplayers film, which captured Chinese youth acting out anime fantasies.
Cosplay is slang for costume play. Cao Fei began her project by following Guangzhou youths, who dressed like their favorite Japanese manga heroes. In her more recent series, Cao Fei casts older Beijing residents in the same absurd roles and inserts them into typical street scenes. Like we said, her work is exciting.
You can find more of Cao Fei's art [Here]
Posted by james at 10:25 AM
May 05, 2007
Link Heavy. Vote for Queen's Pawn
Link Heavy. Vote for Queen's Pawn: URB's NEXT 1000 gives its readers a chance to be tastemakers. URB provides the bios, photos, and music; and users get to post comments and pick their favortite artists. We're supremely stoked because Queen's Pawn has been included in the NEXT 1000. We've been into their music since Randomly Flip*.
As reported by URB: "Wu-Tang pretty much nailed that whole chess mythology bit into hip-hop's history and now Queen's Pawn is speaking up for the most "worthless" piece on the board. The duo, Pesky makes the beats and Ali Bey (of Rise and Shine) makes the rhymes, fit together like a the checkered squares on a chessboard--and it's not a scam. Their debut album, 1000 Points of Light is simple in construction yet infinite in potential, never afraid to call out those that need callin' out or to simply have fun. It's a yin-yang centered in real hip-hop, and we're pretty sure that the Wu had something to say about that, too."
Check out URB's NEXT 1000 and be sure to vote for Queen's Pawn [Here]
Posted by james at 11:44 AM
May 03, 2007
Link Heavy. Sa-Ra Creative Partners
Link Heavy. Sa-Ra Creative Partners: This link has weight. One of our favorite sites, Keepin it Right has an interview with Taz Arnold from Sa-Ra. The group recently released their long awaited album Hollywood Recordings. Check it out.
As reported on Keepin' it Right: "Taz Arnold is one-third of the bi-coastal production collective Sa-Ra Creative Partners. In prepping for his groups “Hollywood Recordings” LP release and trying to stick to a list of penciled in items on his “to do” list—one being this interview—Taz was requested by Hype Williams for a shoot in Japan for a Kanye project. His apology fell onto deaf ears. If Hype Williams told me to be at the airport to meet for a shoot in Tokyo I’d drop the list too."
Read more of the interview at Keepin' it Right! [Here]
Posted by taj at 11:23 PM
May 02, 2007
Kicks & Tees. Jason Markk Sneaker Cleaner
Kicks & Tees. Jason Markk Sneaker Cleaner: If you're a sneaker fan like we are, you don't want to miss this. Jason Markk released a new accessory for sneaker enthusiast - the ultimate sneaker cleaner. We know many of you like to buy shoes and keep them on the shelf, but we wear ours around here. You might even catch us playing some street soccer in our favorite Nikes. It's nice to have a reliable cleaner that will extend the life of our kicks. Jason Markk's sneaker cleaner is quality.
In addition to cleaning, we wanted to give the branding some kudos! The typography matched with simple application makes the packaging stand out. Think of Method Brand products. JM has a similar effect on us. There's nothing like good design. Be sure to check out Jason's Premium Sneaker Solution.
Read more about Jason Markk's Sneaker Cleaner [Here]
Posted by taj at 12:45 AM
Habitat. Design Hotel on Flickr
Habitat. Design Hotel on Flickr: Flickr is taking over. They recently won a slew of Webby awards, and they don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Their killer combo of function and form is a formula many aspire too, but fail to execute.
In our daily flickr travels, we came across this great pool of design hotel flicks. Be sure to check them out if you like the interior and exterior design of modern hotels. These featured spots are well done.
View the Design Hotel flickr pool [Here]
Posted by taj at 12:41 AM
May 01, 2007
Art & Design. WK Interact & Kobe
Art & Design. WK Interact & Kobe: WK's work hits us every time. New York City is where we fell in love with his street art. The exaggerated lines and surreal effects mixed with the bold black & white aesthetic force you to take notice.
Last year WK lent his art skills to Kobe for an art installation. There's a great video of the process. As reported from SlamxHype*: "Wooster Collective uncovered a longer length version of this You Tube from last year's WK Interact and Kobe Bryant project… Check it out!" View after the jump.
View more pics from the WK Interact & Kobe installation [Here]
Posted by taj at 12:26 AM