D-Nice Presents: True Hip-Hop Stories

Derrick "D-Nice" Jones never ceases to amaze with his creative endeavors. In his latest project, he has gotten some of his peers, who just so happen to also be legendary hip-hop artists to speak candidly about the creative processes behind some of their hits. In the clip below, Masta Ace discusses how he arrived on "The Symphony". It is brilliantly done. lcf



http://blog.d-nice.com/

what was he thinking???

I know we’ve all been there but I’m sure we wouldn’t have gone as far as James Joseph Cialella, 29 of Philadelphia did on Christmas day. Frustrated by the family sitting in front of him in the movies, Cialella shot the father and dumped a tub of popcorn on the son. Why? Because they wouldn’t shut up! Now Joseph, I can’t condone that kind of behavior but I do…understand.
The good news is that the father was shot in the arm and will be ok.

Profile: The Dynasties

I finished my schooling at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. It was one of the best and most creative periods of my life. I was surrounded by such great talent, while being enriched with a flood of creative concepts ideas. I'm still trying to sort them out!! Almost 10 years later it makes one extremely proud to see many former classmates now established in their careers and having made names for themselves in NYC and around the world. My friend Rika is the most current that I would like to briefly profile.
Rika just launched her jewelry line called “The Dynasties”. The brand’s initial offerings are very contemporary and hip. The gold and sterling silver rope earrings show a “Nineties Hip-Hop” influence. My favorite is the gold “Trust Me” broach in graffiti script, another ode to 90's NYC.

If you’re interested, you can contact The Dynasties at Info@thedynasties.com or leave a comment here at lovettcanfly.blogspot.com

walk in his shoes...

No matter what you think of G.W. Bush, he has the most powerful job in the world right now. He, for better or worst represents the free world. So it was surprising to everyone when an Iraqi reporter got close enough this week. I thought the Secret Service would have reacted quicker than that but lets face it. This is the same administration that took 5 days to respond to a drowning city.
Now, for the actual shoe thrower, we are starting to get a clearer picture of who he is. Muntadhar al-Zaidi, who worked for Egyptian based Al-Baghdadia TV did stories on the widows, orphans and most affected by the war. If I were in his proverbial shoes, I may be tempted to throw mine off as well. Imagine your life under a dictator where your civil freedoms are minimal and you work as a journalist. Writing the wrong thing may not only get you killed but also get your entire family and everybody who owes you money murdered as well. Now, imagine your country is invaded. The invaders/liberators did get the dictator, however in the process over 500,000 civilians died (imagine 9/11 happening 100 times). 50 years from now, history may judge Bush favorably. It could possibly turn out that the new Iraq will be a prosperous society someday but right now with rampant crime and unemployment, I would hate to walk in the average Iraqi’s shoes. And judging by Saturday, so would he.

a word from General Grievance: Dudes in The Club

Yo Lovett,Why is it that every time I go to the club there is always those 3 dudes that want to be in the middle of the dance floor, just bouncing to the music? Do they want to lip-sync to every hip hop song that comes on? I mean, they don't dance. All they do is rock and lean with drinks in their hands. They’re too cheap to put their jackets in coat check. They never leave the dance floor and here's the worst… they always hate! If you snatch up a chick that they were eyeing because they didn't have the heart to talk to, they end up grilling you the whole night like you owe them money!! I don't go to clubs to fight. I'm just trying to get my rub on with a female and all these dudes that want to lean, rap, then throw the ice grill or they come up to the chick you cutting the rug with and sandwich the brawd...I'm saying “MONEY I DONT KNOW YOU, IM PUTTING WORK IN HERE!!! Leave me alone and find someone else to do that lame tactic to.” All these residual dudes need stop hating and get some real club gear. I never know how they get in with champion sweaters and some air-force ones acting like they are really doing it. And what's good with cats still rocking Versace button ups? Respect to the NOTORIOUS BIG, may God have Mercy on his soul but those shirts are out! Man, one of the 2steppin Trio had one ON! With some black Nike airs and shades. He kept yelling... "Can you smell what the rock is cooking" then looked around for what looked to me like...Approval. Then to top it off he would lift his shades when he was looking at a chick and raise one eyebrow like the rock use to do. That made him look like a rapist/pedophile. wtf man??...how played out can you be! I'm telling y'all, fix ya shape ups, get your gear right for the clubs, work on a two step. If ya got a bubble goose or one of them Woolrich joints put it in coat check, stop the cipher dancing all night ‘cuz y'all keep bumping into people or stepping on shoes. And stop hating if I scoop up that girl you were eyeing! ......Lovett, I ain’t mad, my dude. I'm just saying!

note: General Grievance is his own man and does not necessarily reflect the views of Lovettcanfly

Thundercut in Brooklyn

There’s nothing like tough times to inspire a spike in creativity. This (now official) recession should be no different. I expect us to reach new heights in music and in the visual and literary arts. My buddy Cesar Baez, a fellow artist whom I collaborate with from time to time, sent me this photo today. On his way to work, he came across this piece by the artist Thundercut. Notice what street it’s on…

Photos courtesy of Cesar Baez

Afrokinetic presents...

If you live in or near Park Slope and love to dance and sweat with no worries...this one is for you

New Show: Life and Times of Tim

Every so often, there comes a hero whom every man can relate to. This character embodies all of our talents and flaws. I’m talking Al Bundy, Everybody loves Raymond, Jokey Smurf, etc.
That being said, I could not believe when I brought up The Life and Times of Tim at work, no one had ever seen it! Tim is everyman between the ages of 28 and 38…just in 2D. The show is cleverly written. It puts Tim in everyday situations and pushes him off the cliff of common sense. This is very funny stuff.
Check him out on HBO.

Caught in the act: Carpe Diem the street artist

jury's duty

My first day at the Brooklyn Civil Court building started innocently enough. I sat through a short, entertaining, yet informative movie in the Jury room that chronicled the history of our system of justice. Soon afterwards my name was called and I was directed to the first interview room with 8 other prospective jurors. We sat through presentations by both attorneys until finally we were allowed an hour for lunch. It was raining pretty hard so all I could do was run over to the nearest Wendy’s for a #1 value meal, which left me with the taste of onions for the rest of the day.
After lunch, the counselors informed us who must stay and who could leave. I was the third name called. I was told that I was picked for trial and needed to be back Monday morning at 10am for its start.

I thought it would be a mini-vacation but it turned out to be, for lack of a better term, death by false testimony. For the next week, I struggled to stay awake while a parade of quacks took the stand posing as specialists. Later, I would come to find out that these doctors made a living by showing up at court a few times a week and testifying for about $5000 a pop. Usually they testified in support of the defendant, which often turned out to be an insurance company. In this case, the plaintiff hired a couple of experts to offer testimony on his behalf. Unfortunately, ‘he didn’t have a chance’ because his witnesses didn’t appear to be the most credible paired with the fact that he was suing for half a million dollars for a fender bender.

Deliberations left me with one lasting impression of the justice system. And I say to you, hope and pray that your fate is never left to a jury of your peers. I have learned that most people don’t care. Some people are too much in a hurry to eat lunch, watch a TV show or get home to take a nap to actually care about someone else’s life. I had upset a juror who wanted me to ‘make up my mind’. She was in a hurry to leave and I was in the way of a unanimous vote. I held out temporarily because I wanted to discuss the evidence objectively one more time. I just wanted to give the poor guy the same fair shot I would expect him to give me. Ultimately, my vote wasn’t needed to reach a verdict. They had enough “No’s”.

On my way out of the court room, I still wondered if we had arrived at the right decision. At that moment I looked up to find the plaintiff on the street corner about 5 feet away smoking a cigarette. He looked dejected. I just kept walking without saying a word.

Life of an Obama Sticker

2 weeks later...

R.I.P. Miriam Makeba

Truly a space oddity

There is one commercial currently on television that I just cannot turn away from. No matter what I’m doing at that moment, I am compelled to pause and sing along with the new Lincoln MKS commercial!!! The clip features some really cool animation set to Cat Power's cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”. The sad thing is that I KNOW the actual product will never live up to the creativity of the ad. Everybody knows Lincolns suck. The ad will probably do more for Cat Power and Bowie than it will for Lincoln Mercury. I say this because it has inspired me to download all of their music into my i-tunes.

Hope: Tale of 2 Cities

Today, regardless of the same old issues I had been dealing with, things feel different somehow. Everything feels a little bit better. As I search my feelings, I can’t deny that some racial pride is there and I’m not afraid to admit it. However, I’m not so selfish as to think that this moment is exclusively mine because of my race. This moment is deserved by the whole planet.
Last night in Brooklyn, people of all races converged on places like Madiba, the South African restaurant in Fort Green, Brooklyn. Traffic was blocked by dancers and drummers as people hugged kissed and partied until sun up. I chatted with my friend Liki, a waiter at Madiba about his feelings. He started to weep as his pride poured out. Liki was born in South Africa. He wanted me to understand how it felt for him, that a first generation son of African soil had become the leader of the free world. I smiled as I tried to understand. He said this event has the potential to change everything in his homeland. My vision had been narrow up until that moment. I had only explored what this momentous election meant to me as an African-American. As Liki and I embraced and separated to turn our attention back to the revelers, I got it! There were people of all ethnicities in this hodge-podge of humanity, all celebrating for their own individual reasons. I suddenly understood that we all share in this triumph, not just for my obvious reasons but even for sentimental reasons that may be known only to you. Today, everything has changed not just for black folks like me but by judging from images we have been seeing from around the world, I would say it has changed for a lot of folks everywhere.

Unfortunately, that change is not seen by everyone as positive.
I called my mother today at work to see how her world has been changed. She got really quiet and whispered to me that the mood in her office was very somber. My mother works in a small town in eastern Georgia. Statesboro is home to Georgia Southern University. Even though it has a large university, it is still pretty conservative. She said that no one even dared to discuss the election this morning. As she was dolefully describing the mood, I could feel how she was envious of the atmosphere I had described in my New York office and on the streets the night before. It kind dampened my spirits to think that my mom, who was a child during the civil rights era, is not able to fully enjoy this moment the way I am here. I do realize that even though she can’t run through the streets of Brooklyn dancing like a crazy man, she does carry a long overdue happiness in her heart that she couldn’t possibly imagine just two years ago. I just hope that those small pockets of America that is resistant to US living up to the fore-fathers ideals will eventually come around. And Hope seems to be catching.

Nov. 4th 2008

Finally, this anxiety that I have been suffering through for seemingly this whole year will be over. It will give way to either jubilation or the agony of yet another defeat. I suspect the former rather than the latter but the Republicans have made crazier things happen in the not so distant past (i.e. Florida and Ohio). I’m going to get up tomorrow morning and vote, not because I feel my vote may be the tie breaker but because my grandparents were sprayed with water hoses so I could have the right to vote. Some may say that our ancestors fought for the right to choose to vote and to abstain from voting if they also chose to. I say, you tell someone that was sprayed by a water canon or bitten by a police dog that you “chose” not to vote… In this election, more than in any before in my lifetime, I feel that voting is my duty.



So, let’s hope that tomorrow, we can start a new chapter in America’s and the world’s history and finally put a lot of those old battles behind us and I can lose this election anxiety.

Plight of Muslim-Americans

Since Colin Powell’s endorsement of Barack Obama last weekend, in which he took offense to the charges being made that Obama is a Muslim, many Muslim Americans have come out to voice gratitude to Sec. Powell for standing up for Muslim-Americans. In his endorsement, Powell questioned the morality of these republican attacks and expressed his beliefs that it is not a crime to be a Muslim-American. Since then, I have reached out to a few of my Muslim friends to gauge their mood and feelings on the presidential race. Below is an e-mail exchange with a friend who happens to be a Muslim-American.

LCF: Quick question dude,
How does it make you feel when you hear republicans “accuse” Obama of being a Muslim like it’s some sort of crime?...

M-A: It pisses me off and I think it is shallow that they try to make it seem that being Muslim is a crime or a bad thing…
It crazy how they played mind games in the NY Post for awhile.
They would print Obama articles and Osama articles or some new information about the Taliban on the opposite page. If you were to ask a post reader what they thought about Obama…they would slip and say Osama sometimes. This happened with a few of my old Colleagues that read the NY post heavily..

The NY Post is owned by the same company that owns Fox News. Do you get the same kind of suggestive journalism from them? Do you see the same kind of games being played?

I don't doubt that it’s happening. But I don't own a TV. I have heard from an associate that Fox News is very one sided, politically.... I don't have a TV so I'm not going have a really person and valid comment. And about the TV things, I'm not on some " TV poisons the mind" it does in a way. But I was remodeling my apt. and never put one up....so after a while I was like f**k it.....I don't need it.

Yeah, Fox is pretty one-sided but on the other hand, so is MSNBC, which leans pretty hard to the left. It is pretty hard to get objective TV news here in America. Since you don’t have television how have you been staying abreast of the events and issues that affect Muslim Americans?

The Internet is a Great source but can also be tainted.... I feel BBC.co.uk is a site to check....and the following: Islamcity.com, Maran.com ( not sure if this is the correct spelling ). They have a ticker on the site that shows the latest headlines dealing with events concerning Muslims...with News, as far as American Muslims issues, I really have to take what I hear with a grain of salt. All news is "edited" by the media....I became a skeptic of the news years ago when a childhood friend was shot and killed. The same story was reported on 3 different channels. We got 3 different stories on TV and when we asked our friends that got interview, what the F**k did you tell them and why didn't you tell them what really happened.....they swore they did tell the same story to each news reporter that interviewed them but the news reporters decided to dress the story up as they saw fit. And I think the same stills happens and with all the technology that is available for editing the media can do a much better job on cooking up a convincing story....

What do you think about the presidential candidates? Do you think that either candidate or their parties have made a serious attempt to address any concerns that the Muslim American community may have going into this election?

Na...You know the strategy on that..."Avoid the unpopular and the unlucky"

The media and Hollywood views us and has labeled us Muslims in a nut shell as " bad " people. If there are still harsh feelings against Muslims in the USA, both candidates are going stay away from us while running for president. Hence the reason brother Obama emphatically makes it a point to say he's not Muslim.. ( This is my opinion of course). He is not even dealing with his old minister. I think partly because he's made himself( the minister) unpopular with the "country" for what he said about white America....and Obama needs white Americans’ votes.... Make sense. So, you can't be seen around people or groups that are un-popular or un-favored.

There are people voting who have loved ones still fighting this war which the media has turning in to a "my religion versus your religion" war.

He'd lose votes.. Everyone’s trying to win
Maybe he'll convert once in office, Insha Allah. :)

Lcf 10/27

here we go again...

our kuntree

don't pull the thangs unless you plan to bang!!

gloves are off

I’ve tried to steer clear of the presidential race as of late but it is becoming a bit of a joke, therefore warranting some kind of comment from this blog. This week it looks as if Sen. Obama is starting to pull away. I don’t make that assumption solely based on the polls, because the polls if nothing else, has shown that they are erratic, especially for a black candidate (i.e. the Bradley Effect). I make this assumption based on the reaction of the McCain campaign this week to Obama and the Polls.

If you’re a guy, you’ve probably been in a situation where you’ve been getting verbally beaten down by your girlfriend. And at this moment you have no comeback because she is absolutely right! It’s your fault and you know it’s your fault but you just cannot concede, so what do you do? You grab at anything! Anything you can use to change the focus of the argument. You bring up that guy who called her last week or even the night she stayed out late with that girlfriend she used to hang out with, the one with the questionable morals who is destined to remain single. However, you better be careful because you have friends that are a lot worse… You may bring up all sorts of nonsense to postpone the inevitable. But your rational self knows that this is just a tactic with no plausible way of working and that you have already lost. You thought you would save a little face…but you didn’t you look a lot uglier.

That brings us back to the McCain-Palin campaign. They know they can’t win on any of the prevalent issues so they are now grasping at straws. And this Bill Ayers thing is just that. We know Barrack Obama isn’t a terrorist and he doesn’t “pall around with terrorist” and throwing his middle name out in some not-so-subtle racial jab won’t win any arguments outside of the base. Who cares if they win the racist vote. The argument is the Economy, stupid!

Please support!!!

Special guest: Janeane Garofalo

New Music: Jamie Lidell. More English Soul??

That Old Soul sound, that has never seemed to lose its appeal in London since the 60’s is again creating a slight buzz in the states. Give credit to Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse for that. The other day while cruising through i-tunes, I came across another soulful Brit. Jamie Lidell’s Jim album is a pretty good soul record. It does have a pop element, which will hurt its longevity but I was impressed with his voice and sheer skill! On my favorite song “All I wanna Do”, Jamie seems to channel the great spirits of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. His harmony on the background vocals are superb and pay tribute to his musical intellect. However, the songwriting gets a little poppy and fails to reach the levels to which his voice really wants to go. It’s a lot like James Morrison’s attempt. Turns out to be Canned Soul…

LH

The Times leans left but so what?

John McCain hates the New York Times! But I have to give to ‘em, their Op-Ed contributors have given us some classics during this election season.
If you get a chance, check out Roger Cohen’s column in today’s Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25Cohen.html?hp

Women's Care

Please read Hillary Clinton’s OP-ED piece in today’s New York Times…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/opinion/19clinton.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

some coincidence...

Last night after work I went to see the film “Traitor” which stars Don Cheadle. I won’t give any of the plot away by telling you that in the movie, the American Consulate in Yemen is bombed. In the movie, it is reported that 8 people were killed in the blast.

Fast forward to this morning: I awoke to CNN reports that the U.S. embassy in Yemen was actually bombed overnight and that 16 were reported killed. How eerie! I wonder had the bombers gotten the idea from the movie?? Not likely since the movie just hit theatres last Friday and terrorist take months and sometimes years to plan these attacks.

Anyway, the movie Traitor subscribes to the same Hollywood formula as others in the “spy action” genre like the Jason Bourne series. However, this film tries to start a dialogue on how religion can be used as a political tool and how it is the obligation of the true faithful to protect their respected faiths (be it Islam, Christianity or Judaism) from those few extremist who tarnish their peaceful natures.

Sarah Palin Interview

Politics of the Day.

courtesy of Marc @ wooster collective

The Other VP's take on the speech

Joe Biden is walking very sensitively. Or is he raising expectations for Palin's Debate performance? hmmm

I’m not going to post anything about this circus we call an election! After I just say this...
Fact: I have more travel experience than Gov. Sarah Palin, who could be our next Vice President!!! That’s scary. She seems nice though...

Banksy in the South

If you’re familiar with this Blog, You know who Banksy is. If you are unfamiliar let me bring you up to speed. Banksy is one guy or a group of world class street artists that go by that name. Banksy’s work is always thought provoking and political as well as efficient.
Banksy recently began a tour of the American South, including New Orleans.
Drop into http://woostercollective.com/ to see what he’s up to and check other international street artist.

say it ain't so

Every so often in life, there is a moment when you realize that something you have believed your entire life is only a reality in your mind. That moment sucks…
Since my childhood, I have been fascinated by dolphins. I don’t know if it is because of my early childhood years in Florida or the TV show flipper but I have always been obsessed with them.
I still love them but the mystique has rubbed off a bit.
Over the weekend, I journeyed to the Sea World Family of amusement parks in Orlando, Fla. I hung out with dolphins for a few days and I can tell you, the permanent smile on their faces can be deceiving. They are not always happy and can be quite vicious. I experienced them up close and they are not all that nice if you don't have a fish in your hand. However they are extremely intelligent and graceful. We tend to forget that they are wild animals and underestimate their size and power! If you see them in the wild keep in mind they are known to kill sharks!!
Anyway, this blog has no point, I am just depressed because I just found out that my favorite cuddly animal ain’t so cuddly.

If you’re in Orlando, you must visit Sea World, their new water park Aquatica or take a day to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove. You won’t be disappointed.
http://seaworld.com/

http://www.discoverycove.com/default2.aspx

DNC:its all love

All women should be proud of Senator Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama this week. Regardless of the politics, It was nice to see them triumphantly shine through their different sets of adverse circumstances. Monday night Mrs. Obama made the case to America that her family is just like every American family. She should not have to but she brilliantly illustrated her family’s story to offset the notion that they are not like all american families.
Senator Clinton, on the other hand, was faced with disproving rumors that she has been less than enthusiastic about unifying her party. Her speech Tuesday night was probably the best speech of her career. Much will be made of Clinton’s authenticity and her true feelings towards the Obamas by those clowns on the cable news networks.
But…
The two ladies met briefly in the back corridors of the Pepsi Center Tuesday and the admiration was authentic enough.

If Georgia and Russia lived in South Central

In case you’re not aware, over the past week, Russia has been in a small war with the republic of Georgia. Georgia was formerly part of the old Soviet Union. And as of late, they have been vying to become a member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) the whole affair is a little confusing so I’ll break it down with a simple street analogy.

Ok, say Russia is this big bully in the neighborhood. He’s just chillin, walking up and down the block listening to his Boom-Box. And there’s this club of little guys who used to hang out with the Bully but now have their own thing. One of the little guys (South Ossetia) decides he wants to go back and hang out with the Bully because he had it better in the old days and most of his family still hangs out with the Bully. He wants to leave Georgia, the other little guy, alone. Now Georgia, always weary of the Bully Russia, started hanging out with another Bully (USA) from another neighborhood. This other bully, without saying, implied that if Georgia did whatever he said he would always have Georgia's back…Now this gave little Georgia some misguided courage. Georgia, all big and bad, decides to walk down the block until he sees his old friend South Ossetia and then hauls off and pimp slaps him! This sends little South Ossetia running back to Big Bully Russia, who happens to be hanging out on the corner playing dominoes! Georgia full of confidence runs up; knocks over the domino table and sucker punches Russia to the surprise of every body on the block! At that moment the DJ’s record skips and Silence settles on the neighborhood except for the sound of people locking their doors!
Russia, now shocked by the audacity of his tiny attacker, decides he will use this opportunity to teach everyone on the block a lesson. Russia beats the crap out of little Georgia until he starts to cry and then sends him running home with soiled pants and dares him to go get his new bully friends….AND THEN, Russia goes to Georgia’s house and sits on his couch, turns on the TV and puts his feet up on the coffee table.
Meanwhile, Georgia calls the hideout of his new friends (USA and E.U.) to seek back-up but to his surprise they all decline to attack Russia. They remind Georgia that he isn’t in the exclusive NATO club yet, he’s still being initiated. The biggest member of the club (USA) does the only thing he can do, he gives band-aids, Tiger Balm and an ice pack to Georgia and then puts word out on the street that if Russia doesn’t leave Georgia’s house, The Bigger Bully club (G8 nations) will be forced to revoke his player card…

And that’s where we stand at the present...

Fashion: G-Star Raw

I was hanging out with friends a few Fridays back in Park Slope, Brooklyn when my pal Mona asked, “Lovett, do you like G-Star jeans? I love a guy in G-star jeans” I smiled and said, “That’s all I wear”. Well, that is not entirely true. I dig Levis too because every so often Levis makes a product that reminds us that they created this whole jeans thing! My point is women appreciate a guy in a nice fitting pair of good jeans.
I love G-star apparel because of the denim quality, fit and forward styling. Some friends and I have been into G-Star for a few years now. My buddy Cesar went nuts a couple of years ago when during vacation, we found a GS Raw store in the Born section of Barcelona. He proceeded to spend a small fortune and I spent more than I should have. We ate at Bocata (think, the Spanish equivalent of Subway Sandwiches) for the rest of the trip.

G-Star is a Denim brand out of the Netherlands that has developed a kind of cult following among the fashion conscious from Europe to Africa and America to Asia . The brand is known for its experimentation and cutting edge style as well as it dark, industrial palette. Check their website for a closer look.

http://www.g-star.com/flash/content.html

Obama in Germany:

I said I was tired of this presidential race. And actually it has not even formally began (the conventions are weeks away). This trip by Barack Obama to the Middle East and Europe has garnered not only my interest but that of the entire world. All the TV pundits want to see if he’ll stumble or make some mistake due to his inexperience. Probably not. Obama is a crafty politician from Chicago; he also has a superior intellect which will allow him to make up for his lack of Washington experience on certain matters. He’s not as green as they paint him, nor is he the outsider that he tries to portray himself as.
Make no mistake about it, I am inspired by Obama and I support his candidacy but I’m not an Obamaniac. Sorry guys he’s not the messiah you may think he is, you crazy ultra liberals! He’s just a very smart and talented politician who happens to have a very unique heritage. And because of that heritage, he has a chance to bring along a lot of people who may feel that the American Dream really isn’t meant for them.
I also like John McCain. He has been an admirable public servant. He comes from a well to do “All American” family, and probably feels entitled to the job! However, he may be finding out that his campaign is in the wrong place at the wrong time. McCain would probably make an adequate commander-in-chief but his potential to elevate our nation pales in comparison to that of Obama right now. He’s just like another old white dude on our coins. He seems to be aware of this. His reaction to Obama’s trip speaks to his desperation. The McCain campaign has whined about press coverage, shamelessly attacked Obama for statements he made at a holocaust museum and untruthfully blamed $4 a gallon gasoline on him. McCain may have witnessed the superb speech that Obama gave today in Berlin in which 200,000 people attended. Obama called for a new partnership between America, Europe and the world, stating that the problems of the 21st century are too large for one country to tackle alone. McCain spoke to about 35 people on his last trip! He must feel overmatched right now by “New America” or maybe he doesn’t. “Old America” may not be willing to give up just yet and still may have a few tricks left up its sleeve like a swift boat ad, God knows the republicans have more than enough “Old money” to do it.

tips

I was talking to an old friend the other day and he wanted to sit me down to school me on the intricacies of maintaining a healthy relationship. It was quite interesting. Here are 2 of the things the wise old man said men should know.

It’s not enough to just listen: When she has a problem (usually it’s with you) it is not sufficient to sit there silently taking it all in even if you intend to correct every aspect of the problem down to every minute detail. It would be helpful to your sanity if you repeated back to her what she has said, showing a full comprehension, and then simply saying you will (not try to) solve the problem. God help you if she has to tell you the same thing again though.

The little things are just as important as the big things: trust me when I tell you that little things, like doing chores and giving her flowers, make the same amount of difference as the big things like taking her to a fancy restaurant or buying her a diamond ring. Don’t believe me, try neglecting either and see if you don’t get the same backlash.

Fashion Forward: Orlando Carreras

About 3 years ago I was freelance designing at Fila’s now defunct New York office. My buddy Craig called me and asked me to come and freelance for him at Sears/Kmart. The Pay was better and the opportunity to work with old friends and colleagues was just too appealing. Upon my arrival, I met Orlando Carreras the no nonsense but never micromanaging director of menswear. Orlando was a joy to work for because of his impeccable style and also because of his thorough understanding of the market. Never have I worked for someone that had better comprehension of current trends. Also, he decided to hire me fulltime, helping me transition from CAD design to knitwear design. For that, I will always be grateful.
In retrospect it seems almost too obvious that eventually he would have to move on to establish his own brand. And so he did… Orlando launched the Orlando Carreras brand last year and has since been creating a buzz (DNR June 16th issue). The brand offers a fresh take on classics such as classic woven silhouettes with prints that are youthful in spirit without being juvenile. He's finds inspiration in everything from contemporary art to a song by Stevie Wonder. True to his explorative and conscious character, he is experimenting with organic fabrics and only uses natural trims. If you're looking for the future of Men’s fashion, Orlando Carreras is the prototype.

for more info:
http://www.orlandocarreras.com/

Cesar, Craig and myself would like to thank everyone who came to either of the two "She" openings or if you just offered us your support. The overwhelming show of support really inspired us to continue creating, even when we think we suck! :)

State of Street Art!

Walking through the streets of Barcelona and Amsterdam not too long ago, I began to realize that I had been seeing the same street art or at least work by the same artists, back in NYC. In case you had not noticed or do not live in an urban center, the face of traditional graffiti has changed over the past 15-20 years. We've gone from the spray-painted burners and tags, which originated in NYC and Philly in the 60's and 70's to a more socially and politically aware type of art form. I think three factors could be part of the reason for this evolution. Those earlier artists have grown up and their artistic philosophy has evolved with them, the globalization of the art-form has infused influences from all over the world into the genre and to put it bluntly...you don’t go to jail for stickers and posters.
Some of the artists who are prominent now are Shepard Fairey, who is famous for the Andre the Giant- Obey pieces that are everywhere. Fairey now has his own marketing firm, which is producing those popular Barack Obama “Progress” posters and stickers. Other modern street artist who have made names for themselves are Swoon, who is known for her painstakingly detailed drawings that she pastes up on walls from NYC to Europe, and the London Police who are known for their funny happy-face character that seems to pop up worldwide. My favorite is Invader. I have seen his space invader tile mosaics all over Europe and all over NYC this year, seemingly at almost every turn! The new graffiti uses everything from stop signs to manhole covers as canvases. The mediums are just as wide ranging. They range from pasted up paper to paint on photographs to wood cutouts, always adding something interesting to the urban landscape.

Above are some photos I took this weekend of work by Swoon and Invader.

You gotta be kidding me!

Here is a little bit of news that might have slid right under your radar...This past Tuesday, President Bush signed a bill that would effectively remove Nelson Mandela and the ANC from the U.S.'s terrorism watch list. Hmm, I wonder why was he on the list to begin with? Aren't those included on that list supposed to be threats to American citizens and our interests. Nelson Mandela never posed any threat to me, or any American i know for that matter. Just whose interest did he ever pose a threat to? Let that run around in your head for a bit.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/07/01/mandela.watch/index.html

Nobody runs to lose...

I do not know about you, but I think I am finally exhausted by this extended presidential race. The way I feel now, if the election was held tomorrow, I probably would not vote. I am sure that will change though.

Because of cable TV and this 24 hour news cycle, in which every fart by the candidates gets coverage, the campaigns are starting to resemble a fight between 4 and 8 year olds (8 because McCain is almost twice as old), each complaining to mom about the other. McCain accuses Obama of flip-flopping…Obama, accuses McCain of pandering.
Isn’t it funny to hear them both claim that the other is a “politician”? It is like watching two mud wrestlers argue about who’s dirtier!

Maybe we started ideallistically, well at least I did. Barrack Obama did seem to be this agent of change that a lot of us wanted to believe in, and he still may win and do an admirable job. However, I think it is unrealistic to think that he will go into the temple, turn over the tables, and kick out the thieves. It is not going to happen. He is not going to totally change Washington! The establishment has worked hard for a couple hundred years to streamline our choices, so that in the Democrats and Republicans we think that we have a real choice…Except that we don’t.

Obama, is definitely still more progressive than McCain but be clear, they are all politicians.

Politics: use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any position of power or control.

So when you hear “Obama changes his mind on finance reform”, or “McCain flip-flops on Immigration” remember its still only politics. They are just doing what politicians do.

Chicks Dig Yankee Stadium

I've discovered the perfect formula! Check this out! I am a hopeless sports fan thanks to my grandfather, who got me involved in baseball and football very early in life. Sports have become part of my genetic make-up. They have had an impact on me from the way I relate to my fellow man (how many times have you heard grown men discuss serious topics only using sports analogies?) to my education (in 4th grade I was the fastest to learn my "7 time tables" because of football scoring). This is not unique to American men either. A lot of my European, Asian, Latin American and African friends have had their lives shaped by Soccer/Futbol. A mistake we (both sexes) make in dating is to try to change our mate. I have had girls try to extract the love of sports from my DNA, only to fail miserably. I have also tried to make girls love sports, which they have sometimes pretended to do because they intended to gain concessions from me later on. I knew the interest was not genuine.
I decided to surprise my girlfriend, who hates sports all together, and take her to a Yankee game. My buddy Erik acquired two tickets to a game and passed them on to me. I called her at work and told her not to make any plans, "I have a surprise for you after work". She also hates surprises, so the rest of the afternoon consisted of her asking me for hints!

Her: Is it a gallery?

Me: there is a gallery there...

Her: Is it a Fashion show?

Me: well, there is fashion for men, women and children there.

Her: Is it Historical?

Me: There is a lot of history there and it will all be gone after this year! (This is the last year the yanks will be playing in the house that Babe Ruth built.)

Her: Is it a film?

Me: They have this giant Hi-Def screen! Really, I am not lying!

When we got off the train at 161st st, the awesome spectacle of the Stadium was undeniable. Even to someone who has never liked sports. I could feel the anxiety coursing through her as we made our way into the game. It had began to rain so we had some time to get some snacks and drinks and leisurely began to walk through the hallowed corridors. We finally sat down and she enjoyed her first Yankee game, clapping when prompted and cheering for A-rod, who delivered with the game winning Homerun!
I explained some of the history of the building (built in the 1920's refurbished is the 70's) and then we went across the street to examine the New Yankee Stadium that will open next year.
It worked wonderfully, No matter what they say fellas, no woman can resist the excitement generated by a game winning A-Rod home run in Yankee Stadium.

! If your girl can, I don't envy you!

Carmina Soul returns for the summer

Over the past three summers, Chris Annibell's Afrokinetic brand has quietly but successfully built a wonderfully cool and easy party where you can really let go and dance (even by yourself, if you wish). The infectious afro-beat, afro-latin and soul grooves accompanied by live percussion are perfect for a warm Saturday night in Brooklyn.

http://afrokinetic.com/

Saturdays!

Now that the weather has broken, Saturday afternoons are full of opportunity in the city. Last Saturday, we enjoyed the Murakami exhibit at the Brooklyn museum. This is a must see! This Japanese artist's work spans almost all genres from fine art and illustration to fashion design.

Another fun idea, is the water taxi. Catch it in DUMBO and take it to the Water Taxi Beach. Lay down your beach towel, take in a hotdog, toss around a frisbee or take a nap till late afternoon. The sunsets over midtown are spectacular. If you have the energy to stick around the beach after dark, the music and dancing rivals the "Zion" scene in the second Matrix movie. I love NYC summers.

for water-taxi beach info: http://www.watertaxibeach.com/

for brooklyn museum info: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/murakami/?gclid=COfh-P3U_pMCFRYLIgodnEJwWQ

the great debate-

I am going to tread very lightly on this next topic because some people may have some very strong feelings. I will also be very careful not to generalize by only offering my opinions based on my own limited experiences. I can’t speak for everyone! However, I guarantee there will be someone who can relate…

When you really sit down and think about, (and you have probably only done this in the shower or on a long drive in which you were bored out of your mind) there are some real differences in the way men and women argue.
Let me first examine the male psyche. Most of the guys I know are logical, linear thinking fellows. No matter where they are from, and no matter who they are in a debate with, they seem to enter into the situation the same way you would enter a boxing match. In the sport of boxing, there are rules that the opponents both agree to abide by. There are no low blows, no hitting behind the head and no hitting after the bell to name a few. Both fighters proceed with a kind of order that make boxing the “sweet science”. Everything just seems to makes sense. Now every now and then, you get a crazy opponent trying to bite off your ear or throwing a stool at you. Yeah that happens, usually with that drunken guy at the club. Sometimes you may even get a third party putting their 2 cents in, which may lead to the opponents unifying to attack the intruder. Remember how Fan Man, or whoever he was, got beat down after parachuting into the ring during an Evander Holyfield fight back in 1993? You should never interfere with two guys settling an issue. It just ain’t smart.
For the most part, unless there are some chemical imbalances, guys generally play by the rules.

Now from my experiences, when the fight pits members of the opposite sex together, the dynamics change drastically! Now there is the guy who still thinks he’s coming to the ring for a boxing match with all the parameters of the sport but to his surprise, his opponent did not come to the ring to box! She came to the ring with the intent to win a WWE wrestling match! Moreover, she’s going to win at all costs. There are no rules against third parties in wrestling (well, there is…but you know). She came to the ring with her manager, Mr. Fuji. When the bell rings, the guy comes out to throw a jab and is surprised by a kick to the groin! "WHAT THE??", he thinks. He has to adapt, but he doesn’t know how!! This just is not logical to him. By the time he regains his bearings and starts to gain the upper hand, her manager Mr. Fuji, throws a metal chair into the ring. He is baffled by the fact that she uses it as a weapon! This analogy is based on my experiences only. However, it does not reflect any experiences I have had with the women I have dated ;)…Now, back to the fight! The poor fella is handicapped because none of this new style of fighting makes any sense to him. He keeps boxing in the hopes that his disciplined skills will bring him victory but he does not notice as she reaches into her leotard and slips her fingers into a brass knuckle.
When he wakes up, he realizes that the ref has just disqualified her for using a foreign object. Luckily, he retains his belt! But she doesn’t care. In her eyes, the fight isn’t over. The guy has to pay! Mr. Fuji jumps in the ring and they both begin stomping the poor guy, while the referee’s efforts to stop the match are futile. They smash him repeatedly with the steel chair. Finally, they stop only because the next match has to begin after the commercial break.

That’s how I see it. Sometimes it just seems as if men and women just play by a different set of rules.

Part2: Near Death...

Part2:

So, I guess now I can clarify my below position.
About a year ago, a small bump appeared on my back. It could have been there longer. It’s been there so long that my previous girlfriend noticed it. However, it was my current sweetheart that persuaded me to schedule an appointment with the dermatologist. I reluctantly obeyed her wishes. The small bump had grown and had all the markings of Melanoma. Because of my ethnicity, I had believed myself to be immune to skin cancer. I don’t need no stinkin’ SPF 30!!! Let me tell you, my beliefs were erroneous! Skin cancer can strike anyone! And even though cases in darker skinned people are more rare than in whites, statistics say that blacks are more likely to die of skin cancer than whites, This could be because of a lack of information and because we don’t seek the same early treatment.

Well, I went to the doctor yesterday and waited for about an hour in the waiting room reading old car and travel magazines. Finally, the medical assistant called me into an examination room and we briefly discussed my reasons for coming in. After she jotted a few things down on my chart she told me to hold tight and the doctor would be right in.

It’s funny, the things that go through your mind as you sit waiting in a cold room. I didn’t want to move too much because the paper that lined the table would make a loud crackle and I didn’t want to make the nurses think I was rummaging around the room. So I tried to sit still. But for some reason, I had the urge to take a Q-tip out of the jar on the sink. I didn’t have the nerve to get up. so I just sat there and stared at the Q-tips like a dog who covets something off of his masters plate but knows better.

After about 12 minutes or so, Dr. Nichols comes in to examine me. She looks closely at the mole, looks at the chart again and then proceeded to tell me not to worry.
She says don’t worry it’s not Cancer. At that moment, I felt a relief that had so far escaped me during my lifetime. Never had I been so worried about my mortality, not because of health reasons anyway.
As it turns out, the mole is the result of an infected bug bite. I have no idea when or where it happened. I worried if it was some bug I encountered in Thailand or the rain forests in Costa Rica. In any case the only way to remove it would be surgery since it had grown inward pretty deeply. I figured it didn’t really bother me now that I knew what it was so it could stay and hangout for a while. And it would be a constant reminder, that yeah, protect your skin dude! You can get Skin Cancer too!

Near Death Experiences

How many times has the adrenaline peaked, the synapses fired at an accelerated rate and you could actually hear your heart beat? If you've escaped this sensation so far, good for you. Although I assure you, one day you most certainly will know what I mean. The best you can do is hope the first time is not your last.

I've had more than my share of these experiences. They never last more than a few seconds but they can take years off of your life, given you even survive. When I was a teen, I fell off a waterfall. My cousins Sean and James fished me out of the drink. Then there were the five or so serious car wrecks I've been in. The most serious of which occurred in Jamaica. I still can't believe Nasan and myself even walked away from that one. Not to mention the time I woke up jailed in Bangkok at no fault of my own (wrong place at wrong time). I was sick for about a month after that ordeal. I just recently came clean and told my mother about that one. She's always wondered aloud how have I managed to live this long.

I haven't shied away from placing myself in some unhealthy situations but what I'm deathly afraid of is going to the doctor. Many guys my age(30+) are. I can understand why. Every little bump, cough or sharp pain can be something potentially serious. I just made an appointment for Tuesday and I'm Pooping bricks. I'm sure I'll be ok but you never know...

hello,

sometimes you have to make up an excuse to have a party. Why not an art opening?