design.hip hop

Re-inspired anew

2013-08-09T17:49:00.001-04:00

Designing more jewelry, re-inspired from the night before.

Haven't touched this blog in a while but saw this video and wanted to document the moment. It feels like I'm encountering what I need right now... including this documentary, "The Art of 16 Bars." More food for the course I think I was missing back in the days of my thesis. What will it inspire if anything? We'll see.

Can't Stop Won't Stop mix - East Bay Digital

2011-08-06T23:34:00.001-04:00

Mmmph... need to get back to school. Check the Can't Stop Won't Stop mix on East Bay Digital. An audio timeline of hip hop told with words, interviews, and the corresponding music. Amazing...
via DJ Icewater

Jabbawockeez - Devastating Stereo

2011-08-03T00:38:00.000-04:00

Jabba and the Bangerz... nice.

Under the Influence - Opening Reception

2011-07-12T01:28:00.001-04:00

The opening reception of Under the Influence is tonight! There will be 400+ so do come early! Art, beer, beats... and book signing! So thankful to be a part of it along with:

212 Magazine, 907 Crew (UFO, SADU, DROID, Tony Bones, OZE 108 and GEN II), Ader, Antonio Kel 5MH, Alice Mizrachi, Archer, Avoid, Brian Life, CAM, Cash4, Darkclouds, Destroy Rebuild, DOMS, Don Morris, Endless Love Crew (Royce Bannon, Matt Siren, Celso, Infinity, Abe Lincoln Jr), Ellis G, Eric Jordan, FARO, Jamel Shabazz, James Blagden, James Top, Jesus Saves, Joe Conzo, John Breiner, KA, Keely, KEO, KingBee, Kosbe, Martha Cooper, Miguel Ovalle, Mike Schreiber, Moody, ONE9, Over Under, Pesu, Raid, Robots Will Kill, Rodeo, Sophia Maldonado, TMNK, Toofly, Tuxedo, URNewYork, and ViK.

Under the Influence - BKHHF Art Show

2011-07-06T08:37:00.003-04:00

I have the great opportunity of participating in the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival's 1st Art Show this year. I'll be showing a few pieces from my thesis presented slightly differently. The show is packed with some awesome artists. A few things aren't finalized yet but I'm working towards contributing the best way I can. It's crunch time so that means I'm running around with little sleep.

But most importantly, the deets, because a show wouldn't be a show without awesome people to come check it out and that means you! Please come support the show and reception if you can!

"Under the Influence"
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 2011 Art Show
Celebrating the influence Hip-Hop
has had for multiple generations
within the artistic community.

powerHouse Arena 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY
Show open July 13 – August 7

Opening Reception Tues July 12, 6:00 – 10:00PM

The Voice - Battlefield

2011-06-30T23:59:00.000-04:00

Final performance from Cee Lo and Vicci from The Voice... The kids killed it! So fierce!!!

Nights Like This

2011-06-28T21:05:00.002-04:00

Caught up on some TV. This from the BET Awards... they don't make em like this no more.

Exchange

2011-06-15T02:01:00.002-04:00

What I'm peepin tonight. Love Salah's message at the end... exchange and learn. True true... Those are some of the most engaging types of conversations. You can talk about your likes and dislikes but to talk about life experiences, culture and religion, you expand your mind and your souls connect if only for that moment. The dancing is pretty impressive as well. Check it out.

via WOD

Mind full

2011-06-05T17:46:00.001-04:00

We're constantly hit with distractions and attractions
Looking from this way to that
Hoping and wanting that one or this one
Wishing this would happen or that
But who makes those decisions
Who chooses to give us what we get
We do and we can
Through our thoughts and actions
We make true what is in our hearts and minds
Be it fear or love, it comes to life
Whether we realize it or not
Want it or not
What's in our inner sanctum is what comes forth
So be mindful of what you think, want, say, do
Be mindful of what your mind is full of
Be mind full instead of what is in your heart
And know that what is then there, will be what's you.

* Had the urge to take take to keyboard and type what came to my head. Not claiming it to be more then that. Thanks.

Hip Hop Genius

2011-05-31T12:42:00.005-04:00

Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High School Education from sam seidel on Vimeo.
AMEN!!! Utilize what kids love to inspire them to learn! Such a simple concept yet when it comes to hip hop it's clouded by stereotypes and fears. Even my Uncle had said this past weekend that hip hop is the only music genre where you hear of so much violence and crime. But that's not what it's all about. Plus you can turn that negative into positive. People in the community have.

It's a similar sentiment that I had when doing my thesis. There is so much more to hip hop in its culture then some know. So much love, passion, positive influence hidden in the negative stereotypes. There IS genius in hip hop. We just need to open peoples' minds. I hope educators can get over their fears and take heed.
Thanks Scully!

RIP Gil Scott Heron

2011-05-28T13:34:00.001-04:00

Mmm... Wish I had caught him live while he was still here... RIP. Thankful to live in a time where the OG's, pioneers, and revolutionaries still walk this earth. Gotta remember to not take it for granted.

Model Citizens NYC 2011

2011-05-05T12:11:00.001-04:00

Design week is coming up next week. Of the many independent shows, I was happy to be a part of Model Citizens last year. I'm looking forward to checking out the goods this year. The pop-up shop is bigger and better as well. Show and shop open to the public so check it out!

EDIT: This year's Model Citizens NYC design show has really outdone itself. It truly is bigger and better then last year. I didn't participate this year so I decided to help out. Since it wasn't ready for the store, Mika suggested I wear my new necklace design while at the show and put out some cards. Thanks Mika! Good call on making an editorial version! The necklace turned some heads and folks were definitely interested.

Summertime, summertime

2011-05-01T22:49:00.000-04:00

Sumertime, summertime... it's what many of us are waiting for after the long cold snowy winter. The Nocera original brings back memories... so does Corina's version (Lil Jon whaaat!). But this version by Mos Def makes me groove... makes me think of rooftops on a hot summer night or cruisin by the beach with the top down. Enjoy.

pseudo pizza

2011-03-30T00:50:00.002-04:00

Latest cooking inspiration occurred when stumbling upon salami with no nitrates or msg at Whole Foods. Was also thinking about the panchetta and potato pizza I had at Zero Zero with Michelle back in SF. So here's my version with brown rice tortilla (trying to cut out wheat), fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce seasoned to taste, uncured salami, grape tomatoes, fingerling potatoes which adds texture, then more sauce. This is the third try and it came out great! Just be generous with the sauce. Since it's a tortilla, you get a bit of crunch on the edges but the middle is very soft. Fine with me, I fold it up and eat NY style! The tortilla is more of a vehicle to get all the toppings into my mouth anyhow!

DIFFA Dining By Design

2011-03-29T23:57:00.004-04:00

After installing the dining space for work at the 2011 DIFFA Dining By Design, I went back to check out the other table designs. Diners would actually be eating at these spaces that evening. My favorite, aside from Area's of course, was the Coca Cola table complete with their own classic Navy chairs made of recycled aluminum and recycled plastic. Even their dinnerware was made from Coca Cola glass. The D'Apostrophe dining space inspired by the work of David Wojnarowicz was pretty interesting as well. Aside from a lit table and furry walls, there were mirrors angled up above. I wonder what it's like eating with everyone watching.

The other structured dining space I liked was Ralf Lauren's. It feels like you're dining alfresco.

The winner amongst the professional designs was the platformed dining space surrounded by sheets of falling water giving the diners the experience of dining in a "twilight summer rain" by Evette Rios for Hayneedle. The winner among the student designs was my alma mater, Pratt Institute mentored by Alfredo Parades. The structure was made of interesting patterns of cardboard, the chairs were wrapped in rope, and the decorations were made out of paper.

Area table design

2011-03-24T10:47:00.014-04:00

I had the great benefit of working on a themed table design at work. The New York Times asked my boss to design one of their tables for the DIFFA Dining By Design fundraising event for AIDS prevention. It runs in conjunction with the Architecture Digest Home Show at Pier 94. It was several weeks of prep work including a couple 10 hour days. It was tedious but rewarding and I was thankful to put my industrial design skills to use on this project. What follows are some detail/process shots of the mini beds. Items I worked on: the mini beds and newspapers, fabric squares, platforms, and set-up of the space. Enjoy! Click here for final photos of the table design by Area.

1/16th scale of the Area Bruno bed designed by Anki Spets and Magnus Lundstrom.

Bed pieces cut to size and ready for assembly.

I made the hardware by hand with wire. Tedious attention to detail needed to ensure the "legs" are the same height.

I made a small hole in the wood for more stability to place and glue each piece of hardware.

Mini bedding and clay figure by my co-worker Karen and boss Anki.

The Bay is Waacking

2011-03-23T09:19:00.005-04:00

When I was back home the beginning of this year, I was able to support the first day of my best friend's waacking intensive. It'd been her wish to cultivate a waacking community in the Bay Area, our hometown. She took her mission very seriously, doing the research and interviewing og's so she could get the history straight.

It was a beautiful event filled with warm positive open energy. The perfect setting to learn, let loose and find yourself in the dance. No judgments, just dance. And from my experience, if you want a style of dance that's freeing, this is it. It's an amazing release... sassy and fun as well for the ladies and the fellas!

Check out this vid by Funk'd up TV documenting the beginnings of the Bay Area Waacking movement. So proud of her and so great to see the community come alive! And it's only just begun so keep a look out for more events. And if you don't know what waacking is, she breaks it down for ya in the video.

Waaacking/Punking workshop intensive by Tiffany "Jimini" Bong January 3-8, 2011 at City Dance, SF.

Check the super fun and fierce battles here. They only learned the style in a few days!

G Funk

2011-03-19T15:29:00.001-04:00

I don't think I realized how much I miss me some G Funk... Looks like this was made a few months ago but an appropriate tribute to Nate Dogg by DJ STEVE1DER.

NATE IN '08 (MIXED BY DJ STEVE1DER) by DJ STEVE1DER

De La Soul - Trying People

2011-03-15T02:03:00.000-04:00

Hip Hop Positivity

2011-02-23T05:05:00.006-05:00

Check out all the members of the Bring It Back Tour. This round table is nuts! The positivity coming out of this is awesome. Love love love it. In awe and happy to see this movement, the selflessness, and the wisdom.

The Bring It Back Tour brings the elements together this Friday Feb. 25th in SF. There will be an emcee competition, b-boy battle, DJ showcase, and live art and... it's free! New York and Miami to come.

Also on Thursday Feb 24th at Club Six in SF, a fundraiser for a clinical trial for Noah Stout, Kanetic Source's son, who at four years of age was diagnosed with a rare and fatal brain cancer. Noah's story brings tears to my eyes...

Cop some aerosol art

2011-01-28T02:17:00.001-05:00

Bay Area legend Nate1 curates another show, this time at DJ Qbert and Yogafrog's Thud Rumble Gallery in San Mateo. The ABC Show features exclusive works by legendary Bay graffiti writers Apex, Bam, and Crayone created for this gallery show and available for sale. Items can be shipped so you need not live in the Bay. Check the photos and contact the gallery if you'd like to stake your claim. Otherwise, check out the show closing Jan 29th!

The ABC Show @ Thud Rumble Gallery
Closing Jan 29, 2011
Featuring new works by Apex, Bam, and Crayone.
Curated by Nate1

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone has a great New Year! Love, good health, and lasting happiness to you! Please be safe. See you in 2011!

Graffiti Verite & Mixtape Inc.

2010-12-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

The cold weather makes me want to stay indoors so I did. Here's what I watched while staying warm. Learned a bit about LA graffiti culture and about the mixtape machine. Get in their heads and understand the why and how.

Nike Free + Music

2010-11-20T15:22:00.001-05:00

This came out in April while deep into my thesis work but I haven't seen it until now. There are so many things I love about this. It's an awesome way to utilize technology and exemplify the flexibility of the Nike Free Run+ shoe. It also creates it's own language of play deriving from both DJing and a little bit of dancing. I would've loved to see what more dancers could have done with it though. So fun. Check the video on how it's made below as well.

via Rael

ESPN covers Ultimate Bboy Championship 2010

2010-10-29T02:32:00.001-04:00

UBC 2010 - hosted by Mr. Freeze
Ahh... the beauty of hip hop and art/dance. Respect and U-N-I-T-Y! Gotta love it.
"They see themselves as a part of something bigger. Something that transcends nationality."
"This dance represents a unity that didn't exist until we got into hip hop. The fact that it's bringing people together the way it has, that's the beauty of it." - Crazy Legs

via NastyRay Mora