Not Drugs – Art, Graffiti, Music and Culture for the Almost Grown-Up

I’m gonna get straight to the point on this one (for the videos speak far louder than my words).

Stussy, a clothing brand that originated in Orange County, California, hit big with DJs in the 80s. Recently,  they decided to produce the 3-part documentary series about Dilla (who flashed the brand when he was at his peak). The company is now owned by Frank Sinatra, Jr., but that’s a whole other article for another time. Let’s get back to the issue at hand.

Rockin' the Stussy Brand.

This half hour doc focuses mainly on how Dilla arrived in L.A., and what he did while he was there. It starts with his first encounter with Madlib, and how they become inseparable. Then it dives into what Dilla did music wise and how he reinvented the game, while at the same time, reinventing himself as a beat-maker. The doc features a handful of rappers that influenced Dilla’s career (Peanut Butter Wolf, J.Rocc, Frank Nitty, and various other DJs), as well as engineers, photographers, and label reps that Dilla worked with.

Even though the doc isn’t award winning quality (and as an aspiring hip hop documentary filmmaker) there are a buncha things I would have fixed to make it more pleasing to watch, but really why I want you to watch it is for what the dudes in the project have to say about Dilla. Seeing as I got real into him right after he passed, I never got to see him talk live or anything. So trying to understand him through his comrades in arms, now, is really the best we have (next to listening to his music, which, even when he was alive, was probably the best way to understand him).

So, now, I’ll stop babbling so you can watch these videos. Here’s the three parts in order. Enjoy my friends.

Stussy – J Dilla Documentary Prt3 (of 3) from Stussy on Vimeo.

Dwb.

I just got this video in an email. I know Mr. Williams was high fiving these guys a couple days ago, but the only thing I can really get behind about these guys is the one guy’s beard.

Go to 1:30 into the video and check it out. He sounds like Nas too. Sort of.

-Winn

Just happened to catch this and decided it should be put on blast before I started the work day.

This is Thom Yorke, lead singer of everyone’s favorite(as of 2009) alternative band, Radiohead.

He’s playing a benefit party at the Cambridge Corn Exchange for England’s Green Party.

If you’re enjoying a snow day on the Eastern Part of America…give a listen to these new songs he’s playing.  If you happen to be on the west with me…get your ass back to work…after you watch these videos.

Really beautiful songs…I think.

One.

It’s 6:30am. I awoke to my phone’s buzz. I don’t have to be in work til 11am, and normally I’d roll back other and ignore any advancements my phone makes towards me until I was ready to participate in the day. But I was curious as to what was poppin’ off at such an early hour. So I checked my phone, it’s a text from my boss: “The store’s closed. Have a good snow day.”

Snow Day? Do we have those in the real world?

Three years ago, while I was still an undergrad, the college I attended had it’s first snow day in over 30 years. All buildings closed; no classes, no anything. As a college student, when something like that happens, there’s only one way to cope: hammered. You drink all day while giddy-ing up in the snow, then you take a nap and get a second wind when you arise for part 2. It’s the only way to deal with a shut down of that sort. But is it suitable to relive those times now?

When I was 9, snow days were as close to Heaven as I thought I'd come.

It’s 10am now, and I’ve ate a homemade breakfast and will soon shovel my sidewalk. After that, I may read my book, watch a movie, or write more for you to enjoy on your, possible, snow day. Is this what a snow day has come to? Am I okay with it? We’ll see how this day plans out.

Until I return, watch this video (over and over and over again) of Stephen Curry (from the Golden State Warriors) completely ruin Birdman (aka Chris Anderson of the Denver Nuggets) with this shot that occurred last night.

Dwb.

I’ve been on this cat since my buddy The DJ Formerly Known as J-Styles (aka Tuggle) introduced him to me about 3 years ago. He had this album that had recently come out called Below the Heavens and I just kinda pushed it aside and gave my dude the nod like “Yeah, I’m sure he’s real good.”

But Tuggle stopped me and said, no, listen to him, the kid’s from L.A. but he’s got some spit in him. And the guy on the drums, Exile, is nothing to shake off either. So I listened, and then I listened again, and then I listened again, and in February of 2010, I’m still listening.

"No pun intended to live."

Now I know I’ve talked about this kid before (and I call him kid because he’s not too much older than I am), and I’ve discussed my feelings of him with you in that prior voice, but this is fo’ real for real now. No jokes, all seriousness. But you can smile if you want to. Love the smiles.

Back to the matter at hand, Blu has come out with some solid stuff in the past three years, but I feel like this year might be the year he finally becomes elite. He’s one of my favorite rappers presently, and I’ve passed the word along to everyone I know that listens to not just hip hop, but music, period. I think this is the year where Blu becomes known. You know?

If you checked my top mixtapes of the year, you also saw that he topped that list of mine with his mixtape HerFavoriteColo(u)r. If you haven’t already obtained it, here’s the link. If you have any doubt in what hip hop can do, listen to this. Blues galore and loads of sick flowetry. In no time, you’ll be Doubt-free. Money back, guaranteed (ha!).

Now that we’re all caught up, check this site out that Blu and comrade in arms Mainframe put together:

http://newworldcolor.com/

Take a minute on the site and lemme know when you’re back with me.

You back? Cool. Let us dribble on.

Mainframe’s an out-there kinda dude (him and Blu did an album called Johnson&Jonson that’s worth a listen), so some of the stuff is kinda unique, but it’s all for the better. But Blu doesn’t stop there. Another kid, Fashawn, who I have had a man-crush on for a bit (and who I’ve also mentioned a bunch of times around this block) and Blu have been performing shows together, along with Exile, and throwing down some dirty dimes, my friend. That reeeeeaaal dirt.

An album with Blu, Fashawn, and Exile would be DOOOOOOOPE.

There’s this semi-mix that’s about 35 minutes long (something like 19 tracks put into one long track) that they put out — putting some of Blu’s tracks and some of Fashawn’s tracks together, along with Exile’s production. I’ve heard some of it before, but it’s still a dope 35 minutes of muzak. Get it here, as always, fo’ free — remember, I’ll never ask for money as long as you don’t give me any, deal?

I’ve said a lot. Too much? Never. And just to continue to leave that delicious taste in your mouth, here’s a video for the track “So(ul) Amazing” off of that incredible album Below the Heavens. Pure love. From me to you.

Dwb.

Some ill shite I happened to come across today.  Thought I’d spread it a little further.

I’m really enamored by the way these Creative Control cats make their videos.  It’s fresh, it pops…it’s a got a certain feel to it that I can’t help but notice.  It puts me in a trance almost…just almost.

CURREN$Y + STALLEY: ADDRESS from Creative Control on Vimeo.

Current obsession = Band of Outsiders.  Mostly because I have no idea where to find it at all.  Like…it’s getting a little ridiculous.

The old 70s feel.  The lackadaisical style…almost incidental style.  That’s what I’m going for in 2010: an incidental style so good, that it comes off as accidental.

I feel like it may be hard to pull off, but this clothing line is doing it.  On the regular.  With a blog.

Could Not Drugs take a hint from this?  The Answer is ______.

One.

You have to agree here, it wouldn’t be a Wu Tang album if it actually came out on time.

Raekwon, Method Man, and Ghostface’s new album (supposedly to be named Three the Hard Way but we’ll continue to call it Wu Massacre because, well, I like it better) is now, yes I’m gonna put the stamp on it, officially going to come out on March 30th of this year. Nuts. Here’s the first cut from the album, entitled “Our Dreams”. Download, fo’ free.

The trio, which Raekwon wants to name The Bastard Swordsmen, have been at work since they collaborated on a track from Raekwon’s recent album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 called “New Wu”. The song was dope and all three wondered what it would be like to work together on an entire album. Meth was the one who wanted it, Ghost wasn’t against it, but Raekwon still had another solo project in the works called Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang. Eventually, he co-signed with the other two and it began.

The first release date was a bit of a push for them (mid-December) and the second, well, let’s just say there needs to be at least two push-backs for the album to even seem real. But now, there’s been multiple confirmations of the March 30th day of reckoning, so I think we can all breathe a sigh of release. There’s even been a pretty solid, but still tentative, track/production/guest listing for the album. Looks banger-esque.

Acclaimed Wu-Tang producer, Mathematics, has released a mixtape to promote the album, also. I haven’t given it a good listen yet, but I doubt it could be too bad. Try it on for size. Let me know what you think.

Also, something to be on the lookout for, the first leak, which I linked to above, has a music video in production. It’s supposed to be out soon, but until then, here’s some behind the scenes for you to pass the time.

Can. Not. Wait.

Dwb.

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a classy pair of sneakers.  I’ve had some dope sneakers.  I’ve had some ill sneakers.  I’ve had some shoes that made me look fly and I’ve had some shoes that made me look “hard.”  (These shoes eventually fell a part and made me look homeless.)

However, I don’t think I’ve ever had a pair of shoes that made me look classy.  And that’s what I’m going for in my next shoe purchase: class.

I want my foot game to be oh-so-fancy.  I want people to look at my feet and say, “Oh, his foot game is rather dapper.”  I’m well aware that no one says foot game except for me…but it’d be cool for someone to think along those lines.

I think Pointer Footwear‘s new Spring/Summer 2010 shoe, The A.J.S., may be the answer.