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Archive for May 2011
AdiZero Crazy Lights
The adiZero Crazy Light has been pushing hard with some aggressive new ads that literally take a piece of their on-court rivals. Now comes the latest installer of adi's 'The 'Other' Guys' campaign, where a Jordan Fly Wade is split with an axe to demonstrate the comparative lightness of Derrick Rose's new kicks. Adi's been something of a fringe player in basketball ever since Michael Jordan famously caved in to the Swoosh hard sell and signed with Nike despite his boyhood love for the Three Stripes. Will this new combative attitude helps adidas make a meaningful dent into the Jordan juggernaut? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqlOSmsGnRo&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2A1Vfomcs&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Es7eYlO1NI&feature=player_embeddedWhen Fish Ride Bicycles
The Cool Kids
Ill Gill.
In the world of arts; fashion, music, poetry and culture collide to create revolution. Revolution being change, not only a representative of the political anarchy often mistaken as synonymous with the term. In my 23 years (whew), there have been few artists who have lived controversy free while making an impact, by few .. I mean none. One of my favorites who dabbled in singing, writing , rapping and performing spoken word poetry was Gil Scott Heron. A noted spoken word poet/ conscious rap pioneer/ singer who hailed from Chicago, Illinois. Sadly, I just received news that Gil passed on 5/27/11, after decades of providing fans with his voice. The incomparable Gil Scott Heron died in New York at 62 years old, his career which was put on pause due to a drug indictment was just slowly making a turn as he was featured on Kanye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy " and as he featured Nas on his single entitled " New York is Killin Me". Gil's voice comforted you on Kanye & Common's "My Way Home" and Gil reminded you that 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised'. ILL GIL made his mark. Well, I can’t say I remember the first time I heard Gil Scott Heron’s work..but I can say I remember the first time I listened. You see, Gil is classic…his raw honesty is effortless and evident. I bought Evolution & Flashback: The Very Best of Gil Scott Heron in ‘99 upon (re-buying) a few classic albums ( Illmatic, I Am & Black on Both Sides ). When I finally came around to indulging in his revolutionary masterpiece, I realized I’d discovered something I thought I had already found. I found inspiration from someone I was already inspired by. I fell deeper in love with Gil’s pure way of being poignant while speaking to both the ignorant and educated. Gil gave me what Tupac gave me. He gave me the middle-man to intelligence and reality, he combined the experience of the ghetto with the knowledge of politics and civil rights. I was addicted to his food for thought and the CD knew it. Gil gave me humor like comedians Richard Pryor and Paul Mooney, while stirring in the harsh truths of racial politics. Gil gave me the staunch belief of Garvey and Malcolm X and stirred in emotion so that it wasn’t too hard to swallow. His words were shrouded in sentiment and strength, simultaneously. With talent comes controversy but true genius will always overcome obstacles.I'll always look at Gil as an inspiration because he was resistant and fearless. His poems could make any neocolonialist or supremacist cringe at the thought of liberation. Gil still spread his message. At the show that I was blessed to see in NY at the Malcolm X 125th Street Park, Gil finished performing and said ” y’all still coming out to hear an ol’ fool ramble ” .. the crowd cheered, laughed and applauded. The reality was that 61 year old Gil was one of our last active elders known and respected on a worldwide scale. He sang, he spoke his pieces and he flashed that alluring,mysterious and mischievous smile at the audience all while being a catalyst for change. I really, really, really love(d) Gil, he IS revolution represented through art to me. I hope to make an impact like he did one day.I’ll always reflect his consciousness & humble heroism.
REST in POWER Ill Gil.
We here at Fashionnerrd honor and remember a true cultural icon.
From Fashionnerrd to you. In Memory of one of the best poets to ever touch a mic.
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Sound Serpents !
So, I'd like to think that I have an experienced ear...( I am pursuing Audio , you know ) ... however it doesn't take a genius to recognize the purity in the voices of the leading lady(s) of electro-pop & trip-hop groups : Dragonette & Little Dragon. In the last few months, Dragonette (formed in 05) has resurfaced with radio smash "Hello" [{ famed French ElectroDJ Martin Solveig}]. Dragonette has a glorious and unique indie-techno rock sound with Martina's voice as the driving force. Little Dragon, the Swedish band (formed in 06 ), has made appearances on the Gorillaz' Plastic Beach album and are working on their third studio release entitled ' Ritual Union'. The band is currently touring , so if you're impressed with their sound be sure to check them out at your nearest venue...their live sets are KILLER. Lead vocalist Yukimi has an ethereal sound backed by 80's inspired rhythms or smooth jazz-hop that is sure to lift you up! Little Dragon- Runabout Little Dragon- Night Light Dragonette- HelloEar Candy : Afta 1
Seasoned producer and the ultimate epitome of electrohiphopexperimentalsoul , Afta 1, has been quietly making a storm amongst the instrumental listening community. Heavily supported by Gas'd and talented artists such as Nikko Gray and Esthero, his remixes and reinterpretations are simply for the cool and collected. Afta's latest release on his bandcamp is a tribute to the late legend Michael Jackson.
Afta 1 & Esthero's 'Superheroes Remix' | Nikko Gray's '4 Paged Letter Aaliyah Tribute' | & | Afta 1's 'Love Suite '
Enjoy & let Fashionnerrd know what you think of 'em!
Ear Candy : Kate Earl
Here's an (oldie but goodie ) by an Alaskan indie artist, Kate Earl. Kate's captivating voice landed her songs from a digitally released album on TV shows Private Practice and 90210. I fell in love with the beat and Kate's smooth but experienced voice. Here you can keep up with Kate as she constantly updates fans with exclusive demo recordings and free downloads : KateEarlFrom Fashionnerd to your ears ! [ Kate Earl - Cant Treat Me That Way ]
Lykke Love
Lykke Li, 25 year young Swedish indie breakout artist has been consistently releasing and performing ... FIRE. Her premiere album released in 2008, Youth Novels, featured the well-known ( Drake sampled ) ' Little Bit'. This March, Lykke dropped her sophomore album, and has been dropping videos left & right to capture the essence of her songs. As Lykke embarks on a US Tour, she has been well accepted by indie listeners as well as commercial radio stations. Lykke's even been shown love by the writers of Fox TV's Glee, who featured her song in a segment performance by the cast. Her latest video : Sadness is a Blessing, directed by Tarik Saleh features Lykke acting a muhf#@*in' fool at a restaurant as a scorned lover. From live sound arrangements including tambourine's, flutes, harmonicas and xylophones to accompanying Q-Tip of (ATCQ) perform ' Can I Kick it? ', Lykke has proven to be the ultimate entertainer ( not to mention she's HOT ) . The new album , Wounded Rhymes features writing from Lykke , Björn Yttling & Rick Nowells ( writer of songs from Carlisle's 'Heaven is a Place on Earth' to Legend's 'Green Light'. So far, I've been listening to it.. everyday. The undertone is dark, but warm and sultry but seemingly tragic since its almost ALL about love. I encourage you to invest in it.. she has a digiPack album release selling for (£8.99 = $14. 50 ). Check Out Lykke's series of videos released on her album website Wounded Rhymes & enjoy a Fashionnerrd music treat : I Follow Rivers ( The Magician RMX )Lil Wayne featuring Rick Ross – John (Official Version)
An unfinished cut of Lil Wayne and Rick Ross‘ new video ,’John,’ leaked in April, but now the official version, directed by Colin Tilley, has been unveiled.
The video features Wayne and Ross in an abandoned warehouse, spitting rhymes in dark, edgy quarters. Smoke, bats, tire mountains and a tricked-out wheelchair help create a distinct aesthetic for the song.
“When I first talked to Wayne about the video, we had just done the ‘Look at Me Now’ video, and he really liked the whole feel of that video, how there was just so much goin’ on and just the whole energy and colors and all that,” Tilley told MTV. “That’s pretty much what they gave me when they gave me the song. They were like, ‘We just love that energy and we want that whole vibe from it.’”
Although the initial video leak did give fans a sneak peek at ‘John,’ Tilley says the two versions differ greatly. “To me, it’s night and day, just because every single shot in the video has something different,” he said. “It’s got some kind of surprise for everybody’s eyes. I like to create an experience when you’re watching video. It’s got different animals, just crazy stuff.”
‘John’ is featured on Lil Wayne’s upcoming ‘Tha Carter IV’ album, which is slated for a June 21 release. The rapper recently wrapped his taping of ‘MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged,’ which premieres on all MTV networks on Sunday, June 12 at 9PM.
Mayer Hawthorne – Impressions (Free EP)
Mayer Hawthorne and the good folks over at Stones Throw Records have just released a brand new free EP of cover songs. Download link is available below as well as a little background on each record from Mayer Hawthorne. Enjoy!
1. Work To Do This one features my live band, The County: Quentin Joseph on drums, Topher Mohr on guitar, Quincy McCrary on piano, and Joe Abrams on bass. It was recorded live in a radio station studio somewhere during our Winter 2010 US tour. The tapes recently surfaced, but nobody can remember exactly where we were. The song is originally by The Isley Brothers, and that’s the only version I was familiar with until we started playing it in our live shows and people would come up to us and say “hey, loved your cover of Average White Band!”. 2. Don’t Turn The Lights On My favorite track from Chromeo’s latest LP. On the surface it’s an electro-funk, dance floor filler, but underneath is a brilliant love ballad with lyrics that reminded me of something from Tyrone Davis. Dave1 (of Chromeo) told me the song is about a guy who falls in love with a ghost, so I wanted my version to have an eerie, ghostly feel to it. Quincy McCrary played the creepy piano solo at the end. 3. You’ve Got The Makings Of A Lover Textbook Northern Soul from a little known Dallas, Texas group called The Festivals. I was digging for records in NY with my homey DJ Kurse, and the shopkeeper played the 45 in the store. Both of us immediately ran up to the counter and said “yo! what is THAT?!”. The original version was recorded in the late 60s, and the mix isn’t very good. I wanted a version that I could bump. Quentin Joseph played the drums and we recorded them at Sam Beaubien’s studio in Detroit. That’s Sam playing the trumpet as well. 4. Fantasy Girl This song was written and composed by an amazing man from Pasadena named Steve Salazar. He was born with a heart condition and passed away at the young age of 27. Before he died he recorded one incredible album of demos in the mid-70s with a band called Shorty’s Portion. Peanut Butter Wolf found a copy of the album and I loved it so much that he gave it to me (thanks Wolf!). The vinyl had a handwritten note tucked in the sleeve that was addressed to anyone who could help the band with management, a record deal, radio airplay, etc. I’d estimate there were less than 300 copies pressed. That’s my Dad playing pedal steel guitar and Topher Mohr shredding the guitar solo on my version. 5. Little Person Jon Brion is not from this planet. He penned this song for the soundtrack to Charlie Kaufman’s film “Synecdoche, NY”. I didn’t get the film at all, but I really got the soundtrack. The original has only female vocal and piano, but I always heard a larger arrangement. Hubert Alexander played some of the piano and I did everything else. 6. Mr. Blue Sky This one also features my band, The County, and was recorded live, in one take, in a tiny makeshift tent, at a festival in Dour, Belgium. Here’s the video from that recording session…Download: Mayer Hawthorne – Impressions
Big Sean – What Goes Around (Produced by No I.D.)
Here we have the latest offering from the G.O.O.D. Music spitter, as he puts down the finishing touches on his upcoming album which is due out in a few weeks, Finally Famous: The Album. “What Goes Around” is produced by No I.D. and is a more commercial-friendly record as you’ll notice, and sets the tone for the highly anticipated release set to drop on June 21, 2011. Big Sean – What Goes Around (Produced by No I.D.) by HypetrakOpening Ceremony x Warriors of Radness “Beach Crew!” Collection
Featuring fresh, day-faded pastels and nostalgic sports silhouettes, Beach Crew! is a tribute to oceanside guys and sunny surf girls. With an array of emblazoned tanks, T-shirts, shorts and more to choose from, all you’ll need now to celebrate the season is a partner in crime. Check out the limited edition collection below and purchase now through the Opening Ceremony online store.The Generic Man 2011 Spring/Summer Sportsman
The Generic Man introduces three new colorways in the brand’s Sportman high top for Spring/Summer 2011. Produced with premium leather, the kicks are offered in a navy and off-white colorway, accented with brown upper detailing, canvas paneling, black laces and white midsoles. Additionally, a tonal black pair is seen in a textured leather with white accents. Look for these now through The Generic Man retailers worldwide. Source: DunkRonnie Fieg x ASICS “Ultra Marine” GT II
Ronnie Fieg officially presents his latest creation with ASICS: the “Ultra Marine” GT II. He explains the shoe in-depth: “The GT-II is a silhouette I’ve been working on for 3 years and have been extremely patient going back and forth on samples until I got back a pair I felt was the one. OK, enough about my emotions… Let’s get into what everyone is wondering, who is Bibiana Julian and why does she look so familiar? This 23-year-old Dominican beauty from Miami was named ‘Best Cheerleader’ by FHM during her rookie year with the Miami Dolphins and also models swimwear in her hometown.” Stay tuned for release details as they come.Foot Locker's "Sneakerpedia"
Sneakerheads the world over now have a virtual place to congregate and swoon over their favorite kicks with the creation of Sneakerpedia, a Foot Locker production. Just as the name suggests, this interactive site is a place to find detailed information regarding sneakers, from year released, to colors available, to even materials used. Users of Sneakerpedia also have the option of uploading their own pictures to show off. The site is still relatively new so the information is kinda limited, but the concept behind this project is extremely promising so give it some time to really blow up. Check it out here!
Star Wars Gangster Prints
Artist Nicholas Hyde is the man for re-imagining our favorite Star Wars characters into straight up gangstas. He's added a fun twists to each character and dubbed them with new gangsta names to epitomize their new personas and all. These prints are now available as accesories for various Apple products and can be purchased at Society 6 now.
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