black sports online

looks like the guys over at black sports online needed some writers, and what's better than writing about something you consume yourself in practically everyday?

feel free to check out their site, http://www.blacksportsonline.com

but going forth, specific articles will be posted here as well.

ecosmart fire - the zeta

one of the most ridiculous yet amazing fireplaces, i have ever seen. the zeta, made by ecosmart fires, an australian brand. (www.ecosmartfire.com)

i don't think it gets any fresher than this for a fireplace.

credits: kanye universecity

3sixteen - spring 2009 collection

3sixteen, a line out of nyc has been around for a little bit, but before, they were known for having some pretty distinctive graphic tees, and a couple cool urban designs here and there. for some time now, they slowly have been taking steps at re-inventing themselves, and in their spring 2009 collection video... looks like that process is complete.

the video takes on a life of it's own, and has a high aesthetic value as a video itself. mix that in with some some original apparel design, and you have a whole new brand. the detail put into each shot is incredible.

not to mention, you have to love the line at the end of the video..."redestined for greatness."

3sixteen

lupe: hip hop is dead

with all the japanese cartoon hype going on, lupe is makin sure people know that he is not doing the indie thing under the name percival fats, and that percival is a real person, born percival hindenberg fats. “I like those kids a lot,” he said on the okayplayer.com forums. “Met the bass player overseas last year and their publicist/manager is a good friend from like childhood. May sign them. Not me singing though.”

guess only time will tell. but lupe is out there right now making even more comments, talking about the general state of hip hop. “I feel like hip-hop is coming to sort of a..i dare say…an end???...no pun intened,” he explained.
”It’s not the same energy…hasn’t been for a long time…just a bunch of nothing out there…take it how u may…I hope the new vanguard proves me wrong and brings back the day of substance minus the webcam video to announce its return.”

“Not ‘end’ in the since of cease to exist,” he clarified. “But more so transform into something else so expression is more meaningful…I put question marks on it because I still question my own thoughts about the feeling. But so many “what the fuck?!?!” moments have piled up so incredibly over the last few years that it begs a rethink of the trajectory of the art form."

lupe is one of many mainstream hip-hop musicians in the past few months coming out and saying that hip hop is dead. but with only 2 full-length albums behind him, hip-hop as a whole will definitely raise an eye-brow about lupe saying such. or is this just the beginning of his transition to...indie?

lupe also goes onto talk about fresh new faces, the cool kids and anthony hamilton are in the vanguard that he speaks of, and that he hopes their thought-provoking mentality will change and shape a new way into reviving hip hop.

lastly, though no timetable was set...lupe promised that his final album will be out a lot sooner than expected, and that is no longer entitled lupEND but now going with the alias of everywhere.

credits: XXL

adrian tomine

adrian tomine is mostly known for his comic strips in the new yorker entitled "optic nerve." typically simple illustrations, tomine's work is typically comical masterpieces with precise detail in all his sketches.

a couple really good sketches have resurfaced on booooooom. can't help but appreciate the piece above, "sneakerheads."
check out adrian's site, http://www.adrian-tomine.com for more work.

credits: booooooom!

the brainforest

brainforest, a large piece by gerda steiner & jorg lenzlinger is a fusion of both artist's styles at their best. steiner was originally a wall painter and lenzlinger was creating stalactite-like forms when they joined forces in 1997. having only seen a few of their pieces, i truly believe this remarkable piece is their finest.

check out the full gallery at booooooom.

jay z + radiohead = jaydiohead

jay z - one of the biggest, most successful rappers alive right now.
radiohead - one of the biggest rock bands -- it's debatable -- ever.

what happens when you put it together?
according to popular dj, minty fresh... jaydiohead.
a 10-track album mash-up...download it for free at jaydiohead dot com.

japanese cartoon

so word in the hip hop world is a new interesting musical taste by the name of japanese cartoon. apparently, the dig here is, it's a side project by lupe fiasco. already sounds enticing. throw in the british accent lupe flows with, his new alias as percival fats, and no longer hip hop that you would initially assume. he's in complete punk mode.

sounds a little sketchy now, right? not going to lie...the vibe he's kicking is pretty unreal.

however, lupe is saying he's not even the main singer, but rather he's producer, and a good friend of percival fats, lead singer of japanese cartoon, and that he is only financing the band.

the two tracks that are hitting the web right now are "heirplanes" and "army."

check them out via myspace, which has only been up since christmas.


credits: hypetrak

wale and them nike boots

wale (pronounced wah-lay) has been around since 07 with a couple of mix-tapes here and there, but the d.c. native had a strong end to 2008 being featured on tracks with the roots, kid cudi, rhymefest, schwayze, m.i.a. and lupe fiasco. his latest track chillin meant to be on his 2009 mix tape back to the feature was leaked towards the end of year. the track was produced by cool and dre.

the hip hop world knows him for his track back in 07, nike boots. but the track is being resurrected lately with a remix done with lil wayne, and a video was released with chris robinson's hands on it. chris robinson has been known for directing videos for alicia keys, nas, big pun, p. diddy, ginuwine, usher, brandy, t.i. and busta rhymes.

check out wale's video.


Wale "Nike Boots" video (Directed by Chris Robinson) from Elitaste on Vimeo.

nike boots.

precize

precize is an up and coming producer, and is making some pretty fresh beats.

and he's making a little bit of headway over there in nyc with his beats getting put on the most recent ralph lauren ad. not only is the music behind the ad pretty incredible, the video itself is shot remarkably.


Rugby Ralph Lauren Holiday 2008 Collection Video from GFCnewyork on Vimeo.

credits: hypebeast