#Street art on the roc

[steezylad]

[yeswearemagazine]

The Side Look of a Barcelonese #2 052 : Casa Batlló, Antoni Gaudí, 1 906, Barcelona. © Stop the Roc :

The Side Look of a Barcelonese #2 052 : Casa Batlló, Antoni Gaudí, 1 906, Barcelona. © Stop the Roc :

[dbguidebook]

Backseat Behavior. #societythings

[kicksaddictny]

Moncler x Roc Nation designed by JAY-Z: Genius is Everywhere

JAY-Z, the creative polymath and entertainment industry titan, has established an empire that transcends multiple industries, reaching a global audience. Moncler, originally a pioneer in protective mountain outerwear, has expanded its Genius platform beyond fashion, venturing into art, design, entertainment, music, sport, and culture. The Moncler x Roc Nation collaboration, designed by JAY-Z, symbolizes boundless creativity, blending shared experiences and ambitions from diverse perspectives. The result is a collection and manifesto that epitomizes the belief that genius is everywhere.

This groundbreaking partnership was revealed at The Art of Genius event during London Fashion Week in February 2023, where JAY-Z and Roc Nation unveiled "The Art of All." In this grand yet intimate presentation, the focus shifted from the artist to the broader creative community. Through state-of-the-art sound pods, thousands of voices were woven into an emotion-driven musical piece, embodying the idea that creativity is a collective experience – The Art of All.

The collaboration champions the idea that genius is everywhere, inspiring people to find and use their voices. Moncler and JAY-Z narrate this powerful story through a film manifesto, set to music from The Book of Clarence (produced by JAY-Z) and narrated by artist SAINt Jhn. Directed by video artists Páraic and Kevin McGloughlin, the film draws parallels between the ascent of mountains and the urban climb of everyday genius. It juxtaposes stunning outdoor landscapes with striking images of JAY-Z and Roc Nation’s New York City, blending natural and urban environments. From sheer mountain rock faces to downtown skyscrapers, the film conveys the campaign's core message: genius is everywhere.

Set to launch on January 24, 2024, the Moncler x Roc Nation collection designed by JAY-Z is a masterful blend of iconic silhouettes and a restrained color palette of white, khaki, black, and vibrant orange. Classic Moncler designs are reimagined with a distinct New York City swagger, resulting in pieces that effortlessly radiate casual luxury. From leather bomber jackets and oversized hoodies to reversible styles with intricate details like hand-embroidered logos and crystal-embellished graphics, the collection represents the fusion of fashion, music, and storytelling.

From the mountains to the city streets, the Moncler x Roc Nation collaboration declares that genius is everywhere, just waiting to be expressed and celebrated.

www.moncler.com

[semtituloh]

Via STREET ART UTOPIA

The voice of ice

Mural depicting an Inuit woman from the arctic regions by David Villaécija at Roc de Boronat 66 in Poblenou, Barcelona, Spain 🇪🇸: https://streetartutopia.com/2022/11/21/the-voice-of-ice-mural-by-david-villaecija-in-barcelona-spain/?fbclid=IwAR2LwzsAWWz05QEP-bYjX1oA0Oq1LOeYyuzpgI7ZGEGHEuM9wMSg4ulN0f8

[vwvolkswagen]

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Volkswagen Tiguan

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Volkswagen Polo

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Visit Us Today - Volkswagen Showrooms in Delhi

If you're ready to experience the elegance and performance that Volkswagen is known for, we invite you to visit one of our Volkswagen showroom in Delhi. Whether you're interested in the sleek Volkswagen Polo, the powerful Volkswagen Tiguan, or the adventurous Volkswagen Taigun, our dealerships in Delhi East and Noida are ready to serve you.

Step into the world of Volkswagen today and discover what makes us a leader in the automotive industry. Our team is committed to providing you with a car-buying experience that exceeds your expectations.

[grandhotelabyss]

Thoughts on "prestige tv"? I could never get into compared to "cinema", even when everyone was raving about "Succesion" it just had something repulsive to it and why I never checked it out (and funnily enough, it seems to be forgoten by now...)

Yes, it seems pretty ephemeral. People still talk about The Sopranos, I guess, in an annoying and semi-ironic way—I never watched it and don't intend to—but most of the other "prestige" dramas of that time are gone (Six Feet Under, anybody?). Gilmore Girls has been retconned into "prestige" but was teen trash at the time. What's next? "Welcome to the OC, bitch!" Often what survives to be "classic TV" was not regarded as prestigious at the time. The "prestige" network TV in the decade before the "prestige" HBO shows, for example, was represented by ER and NYPD Blue. Who remembers those? We remember The X-Files among the dramas of that era—a semi-trashy cult/genre thing from the disreputable fourth network—and a handful of sitcoms of varying degrees of intellectual ambition or artistic merit (Roseanne, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Friends, Frasier). But even these might disappear with generational turnover: once the people who grew up with those shows and the immediately subsequent generation who watch them as kind of "anthropology" of their parents' time are gone. Can TV be timeless? It's very topical, very zeitgeist, not to mention killingly commercial. When I think of the Boomers as a generation, I think of ads for Thirtysomething I remember seeing when I was a kid. I've never watched one second of Thirtysomething. Do you even know what Thirtysomething is, élèves? L. A. Law. The Practice. China Beach! I'll Fly Away! These were important! People talked at the proverbial watercooler! Suddenly Susan. Hearts Afire. Party of Five. The Class of '96. Where are they now? I'm not even saying it's all bad. Some of it was good. Do you know what Roc is? I keep telling you to watch Aeon Flux and Millennium. But somehow you just can't hold on to TV. One knows in general about I Love Lucy or about All in the Family, but are they watched? What about, e.g., Maude? Hill Street Blues? The finale of Cheers was a cultural event at the level of a presidential election—when's the last time you heard of Cheers, except trivially as the antecedent of Frasier? The sole surviving sitcom from the '80s, something one would still watch for pleasure, is The Golden Girls—which, to be fair, is really funny, probably the funniest sitcom ever, and deserves to survive if anything from that medium does.

My answer is rambling, I know, and reveals my '80s/'90s rather than '00s/'10s TV knowledge, but its emergent theses are these: 1. TV with its topicality and commercial drive isn't likely to make for great art; and 2. what does become great art is not always the art designed or reputed to be "prestigious" in its own time, the latter often being merely middlebrow. You will tell me I have to watch The Sopranos. The whole concept's too cute, though, and the people who like it are annoying, and, speaking of cinema, the first two Godfather films are true Shakespearean tragedy in a pop genre (mafia, etc.) of which I am otherwise skeptical.

[bboyplankton]

2023 Hip-Hop/Rap Albums

Killer Mike – Michael

Larry June & Cardo – The Night Shift

Nick Grant – Sunday Dinner

Don Toliver – Love Sick

TOBi – Panic

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – Welcome to Collegrove

El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game

Reason – Porches

Belly – Mumble Rap 2

Key Glock – Glockoma 2 (Deluxe)

Dave East – Fortune Favors the Bold

Conway the Machine – Won’t He Do It

Nas – Magic 2

Lloyd Banks – The Course of The Inevitable 3: Pieces Of My Pain

Armani White – Road to CASABLANCO.

BigXThaPlug – Amar (Deluxe)

Mick Jenkins – The Patience

Larry June & The Alchemist – The Great Escape

Bas – We Only Talk About Real Shit When We’re F****d Up

Nas – Magic 3

Jack Harlow – Jackman.

Premo Rice – Portrait of the P

IDK – F65

Noname – Sundial

38 Spesh & Conway the Machine – Speshal Machinery

Doe Boy – Really Doe

Big K.R.I.T. – Regardless It’s Still Timeless – EP

Westside Gunn – And Then You Pray For Me

Boldy James & ChanHays – Prisoner of Circumstance

Statik Selektah – Round Trip

Moneybagg Yo – Hard to Love

Deanté Hitchcock – Once Upon A Time

Grafh & 38 Spesh – Art of Words

Busta Rhymes – BLOCKBUSTA

Offset – Set It Off

Doja Cat – Scarlet

Shy Glizzy – Flowers

Juicy J – Mental Trillness

Lady London – S.O.U.L.

Russ – Santiago

Paul Wall – The Great Wall

DJ Drama – I’m Really Like That

Animé & Kaytranada – KAYTRANIMÉ

Hit-Boy & Big Hit – Surf or Drown Vol. 2

Tee Grizzley – Tee’s Coney Island

K Camp – Spin the Block – EP

38 Spesh – Gunsmoke

EST Gee – El Toro 2

Jeezy – I Might Forgive… But I Don’t Forget

Gucci Mane & B.G. – Choppers & Bricks

The Alchemist – Flying High, Pt. 2

Curren$y & Trauma Tone – Highway 600

BiC Fizzle – Clark Street Baby

Curren$y & Jermaine Dupri – For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1

The Alchemist – Flying High – EP

Styles P – Penultimate: A Calm Wolf Is Still A Wolf

Jim Jones & Hitmaka – Back In My Prime

Logic – College Park

Lil Wayne – Tha Fix Before Tha VI

Curren$y & Harry Fraud – Vices

Smoke DZA – Worldwide Smoke Session, Vol. 2

BiC Fizzle – Chosen 1K

BigWalkDog – Playoff

Wale the Sage – Running From Time

Vic Mensa – Victor

Ace Hood – B.O.D.Y.

Gucci Mane – Breath of Fresh Air

J Rocc – Beatitudes

Swizz Beatz – Hip Hop 50: Vol. 2 – EP

Royce da 5’9” – The Heaven Experience – EP

Dave East & Crunch Calhoun – 30 for 30

Wiz Khalifa – Decisions

Jay Worthy & Roc Marciano – Nothing Bigger Than the Program

Rick Ross & Meek Mill – Too Good To Be True

Drake – For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition

Elcamino & 38 Spesh – Martyrs Genius II – EP

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday 2

Metro Boomin – Metro Boomin Presents Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse

Moneybagg Yo, GloRilla, & CMG The Label – Gangsta Art 2

Big Scarr – Frozone

A Boogie wit da Hoodie – B4 BOA – Single

Mozzy – Kollect Kall – EP

BigXthaPlug – The Biggest

Cam’ron – The Lost Files: Vol. 1

Gunna – A Gift & A Curse

Blac Youngsta – Blac Sheep

EST Gee – MAD

Amir Obè – after

The Trackoholics – Spirits

Big Scarr – The Secret Weapon

Dame D.O.L.L.A. – Don D.O.L.L.A.

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia – Sardines

Jidenna – Me, You & God

Quavo – Rocket Power

Lil Uzi Vert – Pink Tape

Macklemore – BEN

Kash Doll & DJ Drama – Back on Dexter: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape

Rowdy Rebel – Back Outside

Jay Rock & Rob49 – Crowd Control – EP

Tyga & YG – Hit Me When U Leave The Klub: The Playlist

Gucci Mane – 1017 Up Next – EP

Moneybagg Yo, BIG30, & N Less Entertainment – We Connected

Lil Yachty – The Secret Recipe – EP

Ice Spice – Like..? Deluxe

[noloveforned]

no love for ned is all set for our usual 8pm to midnight slot tonight on wlur. listen live or catch up whenever by streaming last week's show on mixcloud!

no love for ned on wlur – september 1st, 2023 from 8-10pm

artist // track // album // label personal and the pizzas // pepperoni eyes // raw pie // slovenly dick stusso // part-time apocalypse // s.p. // hardly art the real distractions // beach men // stupid 7" ep // perennial / k tha retail simps // easy street // live on cool street // total punk blithe // no comfort holden // head is mighty // alias velocity girl // malibu // setting the night on fire with rock and roll ep // (self-released) green/blue // all eyes awake // woman life freedom- music for iran, volume two compilation // free them now the five year plan // useless // 1985 // old bad habits who is she? // thursday // goddess energy // father/daughter sissy fuzz // don't fear (the reverb) // footnotes // jigsaw rikki rakki // bad news // breaking skin // (self-released) the go-betweens // boundary rider // oceans apart // yep roc terry de castro // separate light // you can't separate light 10" // scopitones al green // perfect day // perfect day digital single // fat possum pearla // about hunger, about love // oh glistening onion, the nighttime is coming // spacebomb sorry about dresden // relax, it's tuesday // let it rest // saddle creek ned oldham and jordan perry // pink arrow // three new songs ep // (self-released) arthur russell // not checking up // picture of bunny rabbit // audika säje featuring ambrose akinmusire // never you mind // säje // (self-released) alabaster deplume featuring momoko gill and mettashiba // did you know // come with fierce grace // international anthem angel bat dawid // nuclear war! (oui ennui cosmic off-ramp remix) // red hot and ra- the remixes compilation // red hot organization saba and no id // back in office // back in office digital single // (self-released) black moon // how many mc's... // enta da stage // wreck raw poetic and damu the fudgemunk // ease side // away back in // def pressé nimsins and ovrkast. // something soon // me vs. me // lofiction salami rose joe louis featuring soccer96 // akousmatikous // akousmatikous // brainfeeder tom tom club // genius of love // stop making sense (deluxe edition) // warner market featuring tanaya harper // everytime // market cassette // healthy tapes grade school // are you my girl? // how to make wooden planes // kingfisher bluez pretty in pink // radishes // pillows // subjangle / hidden bay lachlan denton // you // furnishings // bobo integral helpful people // wrong way rainbow // brokenblossom threats // tall texan

[womanexile]

With Hollywood in turmoil and many industries in upheaval with strikes- TS was bound to get drawn in…

twitter.com/jaleelshaw/status/1681250884477501441?s=20

Um, interesting thread. There are other music peers that were larger than TS who had stronger ties & influence at the time. She tries to lead by example. But at the same time, she has to balance her ties in the industry in order to be effective- play the long game.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_(service)

TIDAL is a Norwegian-American music streaming service, launched in 2014 by Swedish public company Aspiro. Tidal is now majority-owned by Block, Inc., an American payment processing company

TIDAL Artist ownership "During the press conference, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk, Jack White, Madonna, Arcade Fire, Alicia Keys, Usher, Chris Martin, Calvin Harris, deadmau5, Jason Aldean and J. Cole were introduced to the stage as "the owners of TIDAL". Eric Harvey of Pitchfork stated of the artists who co-own the service, "These are the 1 percent of pop music in the world right now, these are artists who do not answer to record labels, do not answer to corporations." Lil Wayne joined in 2017, KW left in 2017.

"In March 2015, Aspiro was acquired by Project Panther Bidco Ltd., [Jay-Z helmed company bought streaming service for $56.2 million] which relaunched the service with a mass-marketing campaign, promoting it as the first artist-owned streaming service. In January 2017, SprintCorporation bought 33% of Tidal for a reported $200 million. In March 2021, Block*, then known as Square, agreed to pay $297 million for majority ownership of Tidal. In June, 2022, through the disclosure of the Annual Stockholder Meeting 2022, Block reported that the stake acquired in the Tidal music service was 86.8%.

Block is helmed by Jack Dorsey- former founder of Twitter. Around TIDAL transaction he also donated $10 million to Beyonce non-profit foundation. Also some other issues arose.

peopleofcolorintech.com/articles/did-jay-z-finesse-jack-dorsey-into-buying-tidal/

capitalxtra.com/features/lists/richest-hip-hop-deals/jay-z-los-angeles-mayor-eric-garcetti-and-president-and-chief-executive-officer-of-live-nation-entertainment-michael-rapino/

Jay-Z in 2008 signed a 360 partnership w/ Live Nation [Ticketmaster & Roc Nation (2008) is owned by Live Nation] Deal helped him globally. Other 360 deals- Madonna (LN) & Drake (UMG) twitter.com/RuncieDan/status/1509936617733038084?s=20

variety.com/2017/music/news/jay-z-and-live-nation-200-million-deal-1202423886/

TS Warning: Billboard Woman of the Decade 2019 youtu.be/ZVpkFb9-fts

genius. com/Taylor-swift-the-future-of-music-is-a-love-story-lyrics The Future of Music Is a Love Story [Jul. 7, 2014 Wall Street Journal]

Where will the music industry be in 20 years, 30 years, 50 years?

Before I tell you my thoughts on the matter, you should know that you're reading the opinion of an enthusiastic optimist: one of the few living souls in the music industry who still believes that the music industry is not dying…it's just coming alive

There are many (many) people who predict the downfall of music sales and the irrelevancy of the album as an economic entity. I am not one of them. In my opinion, the value of an album is, and will continue to be, based on the amount of heart and soul an artist has bled into a body of work, and the financial value that artists (and their labels) place on their music when it goes out into the marketplace. Piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically, and every artist has handled this blow differently

In recent years, you've probably read the articles about major recording artists who have decided to practically give their music away, for this promotion or that exclusive deal. My hope for the future, not just in the music industry, but in every young girl I meet…is that they all realize their worth and ask for it

Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is. I hope they don't underestimate themselves or undervalue their art."

Reputation Poem taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/index.php/wiki/poems/why-she-disappeared-2/

When she looked around, her skin was spattered with ink forming the words of a thousand voices Echoes she heard even in her sleep: “Whatever you say, it is not right.” “Whatever you do, it is not enough.” “Your kindness is fake.” “Your pain is manipulative.”

Sweet Nothing Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other And the voices that implore, "You should be doing more" To you, I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it

They said the end is coming Everyone's up to something

Lots of scrutiny- but I wonder if streaming was a topic of business (Dec 2014)? She had removed her catalog from Spotify in 2014 - but came back June 9, 2017

billboard.com/music/pop/jay-z-justin-timberlake-taylor-swift-apartment-why-6406542/

JT was part of group that bought MySpace in 2011 & sold it to Time in 2016

Interestingly she started seeing CH in 2015. (Part owner of TIDAL). So probably had to be a bit careful on streaming stance.

Another factor: SB influence/agenda

businessinsider.com/why-taylor-swift-got-off-spotify-2014-11

usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/11/07/taylor-swifts-spotify-decision-drives-debate/18634219/

I feel that’s why vinyl is making a comeback. CDs now are kinda outdated which is crazy to me cause I remember when they started. But people use their phone now for everything. But people like to collect vinyls and they cost more than a cd. It’s a shame how little artists make streaming.

[steezylad]

[ausetkmt]

Everybody’s got a story to tell, but few bios, memoirs or anecdotes are worthy of being rehashed like The Notorious B.I.G.’s for the better part of the last three decades. By now, plenty of us are well-versed in the cliff-notes and general details: Local Brooklyn hustler and underdog finds success as a rap star, puts his crew on, reaches unfathomable heights of fame and survives a high-profile beef before being gunned down in cold blood before reaching his prime years.

But, with an origin as layered and rich as Biggie’s, there’s always more to learn, particularly about the man behind the Versace frames and the music, which we’re reminded of with the release of Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell, the new Netflix documentary detailing the rapper’s youth and the events leading up to the release of his debut album, Ready to Die. Built around rare footage filmed by Biggie’s close friend, Damion “D-Roc” Butler, and interviews with his loved ones including his mother, Voletta Wallace; friends Suif “Gutta” Jackson and Hubert Sam; Junior M.A.F.I.A. members Lil Cease and Chico Del Vec; jazz musician Donald Harrison and more; Biggie: I Got a Story to Tellis a candid look into the life and times of a certified rap phenomenon that gives new context to his origins. The project was executive produced by close friend and Bad Boy collaborator Sean “Diddy” Combs, as well.

As the annual anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.’s death looms closer, the doc arrives right on time to celebrate the life, music, and legacy of one of the greatest rap artists to ever step in a vocal booth or rock the mic.

Here are nine intriguing facts from Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell that even his most die-hard fans probably never knew. Peep them below.

1. His Connection To Clinton Hill

The Notorious B.I.G. may have represented Brooklyn as a whole to the fullest, but the late rap icon has long been synonymous with the borough’s Bedford-Stuyvesant section, one of the more notorious and crime-ridden neighborhoods in New York City. However, while Biggie frequented Bed-Stuy and became a local fixture during his teenage and adult years, he actually was raised in Clinton Hill, a working-class neighborhood bordering the Stuy that was infamous in its own right. St. James Place, the block Biggie grew up on, may have been a mere few blocks from the streets he ultimately rose to fame on, but as a youth, Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy appeared to be worlds away from another in his eyes.

2. His Family’s Roots In Jamaica

Caribbean culture is embedded within hip hop — from the art to the figures in it — with The Notorious B.I.G. being among the most decorated rap artists of all-time with West Indian roots. Despite being born in Brooklyn shortly after her arrival in the United States, Biggie’s mother, a Jamaican immigrant, made an effort to keep him in tune with the culture of her homeland. Going on annual trips to Jamaica during the summer throughout his childhood, Biggie soaked up the lifestyle and the atmosphere of the island, where he attended local jams and concerts with his uncle, Dave Wallace, one of his earliest influences as a musician and creative.

3. His Love of Country Music 

Hip Hop played a prominent role in shaping The Notorious B.I.G.’s identity, but his interests extended beyond that box due to sounds playing within his household. A lover of ballads and country westerns, Voletta’s musical taste was in stark contrast to what one may expect from the mother of one of the greatest rap artists to live, but rubbed off on her son, who once admitted to not being able to fall asleep without listening to country music, a revelation shared by close friend and classmate Hubert Sam.

4. His Favorite Rapper

Being “Your Favorite Rapper’s Favorite Rapper” is a cocksure claim that has been made numerous times on wax and otherwise throughout hip hop history. But, I Got a Story to Tell actually provides a large segment of rap fans with Biggie’s idol. During the documentary, close friend Suif “Gutta” Jackson reveals that The Notorious B.I.G.’s favorite rap artist was fellow Brooklynite Big Daddy Kane.

5. The Junior M.A.F.I.A. Member Who Introduced Biggie To The Crack Game

Within the music world, Junior M.A.F.I.A. is viewed as a rap crew, but according to several figures featured in I Got a Story to Tell, it doubled as the family that helped transform The Notorious B.I.G. from a timid, yet studious youngster into a street hustler. Chico Del Vec was key in that evolution, as he was the first person to introduce Biggie to the crack game and influence him to become a dealer himself during the late ‘80s.

6. The First Rap Albums He Owned

Coming of age right as hip hop was blossoming as a culture, The Notorious B.I.G. was an avid rap fan, as he and Sam consumed the music, fashion, and lingo every chance they could get. While Biggie’s mother was far from well-versed in rap, she inadvertently played a pivotal role in fostering his love for the genre with her purchase of the debut albums of Run D.M.C. and The Fat Boys in 1984. These tapes were the first two rap albums owned by the BK phenomenon, who took wrinkles from each act to eventually incorporate into his own style years after the fact.

7. Where He Recorded His First Demo As A Rapper

Back when he was rhyming under the name MC CWest, The Notorious B.I.G. teamed up with Sam to record a demo tape. With granted permission by their parents, the two combined their allowance money savings to book studio time at Funky Slice Studios, a local recording hub in downtown Brooklyn, where the pair recorded their first song. Rhyming over the Toto “Africa” instrumental, the recording, which was Biggie’s first as a full-fledged rapper, was an early indication of his talent.

8. Roland Young Being The Inspiration for “Miss U”

At the beginning of the Life After Death cut “Miss U,” Biggie pays homage to his late friend “O.” I Got a Story to Tell delves into the inner-workings of Biggie’s relationship with his deceased homie, otherwise known as Roland “Olie” Young, one of his earliest champions who inspired him to pursue a career in rap. Unfortunately, O, who was killed in 1992 in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn following a drug dispute with his uncle, Carl “I-God” Bazemore, was unable to see Biggie reach the pinnacle of fame. Nevertheless, he remained a central figure in his story.

9. The Backstory To Biggie’s Legendary Rap Battle On Bedford Ave

Prior to the internet, The Notorious B.I.G. went viral in the streets via the first clip capturing the then-teenage rapper verbally assaulting an unsuspecting foe on mic. The video, which was filmed on Bedford Avenue in Bed Stuy, features Biggie rocking the crowd and helped create the buzz that caught the attention of local DJ 50 Grand and legendary spinner Mister Cee. However, what many fans do not know is the opponent that he was facing in that particular battle or the backstory of how it started. After getting heckled by a local rapper named William “Supreme” McClune, whose rhymes are featured in the doc, Biggie rips his adversary to shreds, establishing his rep as the hottest rap prospect in Bed-Stuy.

[ardl]

This is Ka as James Hampton: externally, a Washington DC janitor like Ka is a firefighter; in private, the self-appointed Director, Special Projects for the State of Eternity. In secret, late nights and weekends, taking scavenged detritus the streets gave him and slowly, laboriously and silently crafting a huge work of deeply felt, personal and visionary art. (And like Rammellzee, not only did he find God and art in the garbage, but as an untrained artist of color, he was locked out of the support and accolades he deserved.)

After Hampton died of stomach cancer at 55, the garage’s landlord found the throne. He’d had no idea what Hampton had been doing in there, though Hampton had once said to him: “That’s my life. I’ll finish it before I die.” It’s only dumb chance that the landlord didn’t toss it all in a dumpster, and that his newspaper ad caught the eye of sculptor Ed Kelly, who brought art collectors and Robert Rauschenberg to see it.

The throne is now in the Smithsonian, where it belongs, but by a near miracle, a lucky break. The assistant director said that walking into the garage “was like opening Tut’s tomb.” On a bulletin board in the corner of this garage tabernacle, Hampton tacked a quote from Proverbs 29: Where there is no vision, the people perish.

As Ka said to Brimmers:

Hip hop don’t have a museum like this yet but if we have, I want to be a wing. I want to be my own fucking room, the Ka chamber right here. “At the time he was doing it, there wasn’t a lot of light on it, but yo, we went back and checked it, that shit was incredible”—that’s what I want. Van Gogh, he wasn’t revered, he cut his ear off and killed himself later on. That man wasn’t known until years after his death — he needed to have known what he was during the time he was alive. The difference between one listener and no listener is a universe. There is a dope MC out there that you and me don’t know about. Trust, there is someone in his or her room, dying, “why does no one care about my shit.” When they get their one listener that loves him or her, it’s an awakening. You can breathe. You become free.

Ka would’ve been Rap James Hampton, if not for GZA. This is where the path in the woods diverges from all those ‘whatever happened to,’ every ‘had a dope 12” in the ’90s’ artist. He gives copies of Iron Works to family and friends, and someone gives it to GZA. Somehow — think about how many demos a dude like GZA must be handed on the daily! — GZA listens to it, and he feels it.

And just like how GZA anointed Killah Priest thirteen years earlier by giving him the entire “B.I.B.L.E.” track on Liquid Swords, he crowns Ka by giving him a slot on Pro Tools in 2008. As Ka told RBMA: I’m going to the booth and I spit the first verse….Then he looks in the booth and was like, “You got more?” And I was like, “I got twenty years more. What you need?”

The joint is called “Firehouse,” a secret inside joke, as it’s years before the rest of us find out Ka’s profession. And the beat is by Roc Marciano, pre-Marcberg. This is ridiculously freighted; in a movie it’d be a lazy contrivance. Two of the most heavily acclaimed artists of the next decade, brought together by the Genius, the Wu Scientist: spooky action at a distance. Ka’s lyrics are already laden with what’s to come, where he’s been: Slow and steady win the race, step aside, let the tortoise by.

[dijonbeaune]

La Karrière de Villars-Fontaine fête les lumières

La Karrière de Villars-Fontaine fête les lumières

Le site des Hautes-Côtes de Nuits va scintiller de bonheur samedi 7 décembre. Entrée libre, soirée immanquable.

Lyon a sa fête des lumières, Villars-Fontaine aussi. Entre les parois décorées par la quatrième édition de Street Art on the Roc (18-25 août derniers, vidéo ci-dessous), de nombreuses animations scintillantes auront lieu : retraite aux flambeaux avec le père Noël en personne au pied…

[stillunusual]

Roc Nation’s Paving The Way mural featuring Kalvin Phillips, Albert Johanneson and Lucas Radebe

[watercitysurfclub]

Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs ft. Roc Marciano // Street Religion