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

I don’t know about the anime video, but this mash up of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley and “Frontier Psychologist” by The Avalanches is just absolutely delicious.

My roommate just turned me on to this guy. Apparently he opened for Conan O’Brien in LA. He’s unbelievable.

This stuff is just straight notdrugs. Sweet mashups of both audio and video together by Ricardo Autobahn of Spray

And by the Cuban Boys.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the Internet!

Noticed this today. Sound like the double-down to anyone else?

Certainly makes me hungry for the Colonel’s secret recipe!

Right now if I had to pick the biggest star in comedy it’s easily Zach Galifianakis, which is funny because he deserves what he’s gotten but is the type of guy who doesn’t want it. If I had to pick the biggest up-and-comer I’d probably go with Donald Glover. The dude is fresh, stylin’, versatile and hopefully still on the rise.  I say hopefully because he’s still got a ways to go.  I’d love to see him get a hit movie or two before we officially dub him hot shit, though it doesn’t hurt to have people like Tina Fey in his corner (he wrote for her on 30 Rock before landing the part of Troy on Community).

But who’s next? Which comic’s name is gonna be rolling off the tongues of all the young dames and dudes in the not-too-distant future? I work at a comedy club so a lot of names are always on my radar. Personally I love this guy Nick Thune. I’d be impressed if you’ve heard of him because he’s not on TV or in movies a lot but his stand up is legit. He’s like a younger, better looking Mitch Hedberg without the whole awkward, druggie, dying young style to him. I saw this performance back in January and I was on the floor.  I’ve seen him perform with and without the guitar and while the act works both ways there’s just something about the strumming that juxtaposes a certain drama with his ridiculousness that makes everything just come together seamlessly for me.

You can also peep his album “Thick Noon“.

So Chatroulette is clearly the next big thing in the world of all things webby.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not facebook or twitter, but it’s big and it’ll be around for a little while.  Why?  Because of people who find awesome things to do with it like using it to perform, be funny, make movies or play games with people (or just fuck around).  Obviously not everyone has a webcam and most people don’t have the patience for penises and weirdos to go back to Chatroulette more than once or twice.  But as long as people are doing brilliant stuff like Ben Fold’s did when he took a cue from this guy and improvised songs on chatroulette in front of a crowd of 2,000 in North Carolina, it’ll stick around for a while.

As for what’s next in the world of new media…well if I knew that for sure I’d be a millionaire.  One thing I do know is that everything’s getting more and more mobile.  I just got on foursquare the other day.  It’s essentially a game you play with your friends in which you check into the places you go to and earn points and badges.  Sounds kinda lame and a little big-brother-freaky, I know BUT it’s still new.  Imagine if you add advertising to that.  You’re trying to decide which bar to hop to next with your friends when you get an alert on your phone saying something like, “Hey, you’re just a block away from Bar X, head in now and show them this message and you’ll get a free shot.  You lucky dog you.”  Now that’s a big brother I can buddy up to.  I’m not saying that foursquare is the next twitter (far from it) but keep an eye out for that sort of technology to become a part of your everyday life.

NBA Jam is Back!  Yeah, you heard me right, you’re favorite video game ever and the greatest, dunkingest two-on-two basketball game of all time is back.  Or at least it will be next Christmas when EA sports unveils NBA Jam 2010 for the Nintendo Wii.  That and a handful of screenshots are as much as I can share for certain right now, but knowing NBA Jam’s history of hidden characters like Bill Clinton and Will Smith speculations have already begun about a possible Obama hidden character.  Personally I’d love to see a Lady Gaga character, I couldn’t imagine a more fearsome opponent charging up the court, flaming b-ball in hand, jumping 10 feet off the ground and throwing it down with a “BOOM-SHAKA-LACKA”

Dwight Howard looks to be the coverboy for this glorious remake.

Looks cool, but there's way to many men on the court. This is supposed to be a two-on-two slamfest, not a basketball game.

Nice dunk, but I'm confused about that whole Supersonics thing since they don't exist anymore.

BOOM-SHAKA-LACKA!!!

UPDATE

Here’s the trailer for this piece of magic:

Fans of video games and violence gathered in Sydney to raise awareness about getting an 18+ rating for games in Australia. Because Australia only has up to a 15+ rating in their system they don’t get some of the best and bloodiest games leaving them ill-prepared for the pending Zombie Apocalypse. These guys are awesome.  They got dressed up and made up like zombies and stumbled through the streets moaning and gnawing on each other.

Zombie Protestors

I'd hit it.

Check more pics here.

If you haven’t heard about the PS22 chorus then I want you to check out this new website. It’s called www.youtube.com. They’re a fifth grade chorus from the NYC who became a web phenomenon last year and parleyed that into several TV appearances and this opportunity to perform for Beyonce and Gaga. This years class has proven to be just as talented. Here they are with Matisyahu. Real dope!

Dear Kid Cudi,

There’s something I gotta get off my chest so I’ma be straight with you; I do NOT like “How To Make It In America”. It has it’s moments and lord knows I want it to be good…but it isn’t. It moves too slow, it tries to hard and I hate all the characters (except for Luis Guzman of course). But I don’t blame you. If I were you and somebody said, “Yo, you wanna come be on the newest, hippest HBO show? We’ll only give you a line or two per ep and you can hook up with a different hot chick each week,” then I’d jump at the opportunity. And I still love your music, especially this jam “Pursuit of Happiness” feat. MGMT and Ratatat:

Thanks for the sick song and even sicker video.

Happy Hump Day.

Much Love,

Portman