Ubisoft / Shaun White Skateboarding
By John H Lee | July 27, 2010 | 0
Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal (1961-2010)
By Chad Hinson | May 5, 2010 | 0
If you’re a true hip hop head, you probably remember the exact spot where you were standing and the pair of sneakers you were wearing the first time you heard “Jazz Thing” by Gangstarr.
Hip hop and jazz, a ridiculous combination at the time. Even crazier to think bebop and swing records could be cut in with an 808 and a big boom bap beat. The craziest yet, the fact that a poet - a true lyricist could pull it all together with a butter-smooth voice and an on-point delivery, dropping the science of African music and the power of jazz.
Heads a little newer to the game could probably tell you the club they were at the first time they were blessed with “Mass Appeal.”
Here you had the evolution of gangster rap. Real stories from the urban landscape but with a bugged out beat and a neck-popping bassline. Think of all of those kids bobbing their heads while this joint played. Once again, Guru hit us with knowledge. A finely crafted lesson plan on what it takes to make it in the shady world of hip hop and what happens to phony rappers that stepped up false.
There’s probably even a hipster out there or a jazz afficianado that has their favorite joint from the Jazzmatazz catalog. Once again, Guru took risks and broke new ground in the music industry. Revisiting his jazz roots, here he grabbed old school jazz musicians and combined them with established, as well as up-and-coming hip hop artists. “Loungin’” led the way, but all four volumes reinvented the genre.
Regardless of your involvement with the culture, there’s no denying that Guru, born Keith Elam in Boston, Massachusetts, later representing Brooklyn to the fullest, had an influence on the game and all those involved. Whether you are a DJ, a beat-maker, an MC or just a fan, Guru’s presence no doubt effected how you approached your craft...and your headphones.
Sadly, Guru lost his battle with cancer on April 19th, 2010. After suffering from a heart attack in February, he was never able to properly recover and spent his final days in the hospital with his friend and long time collaborator Solaar.
While there’s a ton of drama surrounding his death and the future of his estate, there’s no question about his legacy and the long-term positive effect Guru will have on the industry and hip hop culture.
Peace and Blessings.
Sony rips off Blu.
By John H Lee | February 2, 2010 | 0
I call [blatant] Copyright Infringement. Check out aging pop sensations Train’s Soul Sister video and tell me they didn’t rip it straight off of Blu’s work, right down to the camera angles, and the trailing “stylistic” colored whitewash. Motherfuckers.
Here’s Blu’s video he did with David Ellis.
Blu, you might want to give Sony Music’s legal team a buzz and have them send you a nice check. For fuck’s sake.
An Open Discussion Across the Aisle
By John H Lee | January 30, 2010 | 0
Giuliani go EAD!
By John H Lee | January 29, 2010 | 0
And to think people credited him for cleaning up New York. ‘Nuf Said.
R.I.P. Vic Chestnutt
By John H Lee | December 29, 2009 | 0
Often morose, but always entertaining, Chestnutt lived in Athens, GA, and began his career in the 80’s with an album produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M. He died of complications related to an overdose of muscle relaxants on boxing day, last week. He was 45.
Sarah Palin Flees her supporters.
By John H Lee | November 21, 2009 | 0
We try and stay away from politics usually but this was an interesting video we came across. In Indiana last week the Palin book tour abruptly decamped and tried of scramble out of town after Palin decided she didn’t really want to sign any more books. About 300 families who had spent over 6+ hours waiting for their books to be signed left disappointed after they were assured their books would be signed.
M.I.A.’s a pompous scheister?
By John H Lee | November 5, 2009 | 4
We received an email from Samia Malik (ihtgw), a young designer who is trying to find some justice in the creative process. Here’s the text in full:
“After much contemplation I’ve decided to write this, mainly working out, that I’m one of the victims who has not much to loose, and also considering that; I don’t hesitate being vocal about uncovering the truth. Here goes:
In 2007 a couple of months before launch of M.I.A’s 2nd album, her brother Sugu contacted me via myspace to work on, design samples for M.I.A’s KALA album merchandise t shirts. I emailed a few samples of my work to Sugu and he liked them, from there I had a meeting with M.I.A. Before meeting started; Sugu asked me to pretend we were mates, as in we hang out together, this was not true at all, because, as I said we met on myspace, only to discuss M.I.A’s merchandise t shirts and there was no friendship beyond that. This was the first indication that things were slightly dodgy. First meeting with M.I.A; she gave me her art work, looked at samples of my design work, explained what she likes and didn’t like. This gave me a good indication of how to work on: design layout and what materials would be best to use for type of design she wanted to achieve.
M.I.A. President Tee shirt
Within a week or two I had all key merchandise samples ready. This all required a good 5 days work week, involving: leg work, buying/ choosing materials, having meetings with printers explaining how the art has to be designed on t shirt, and matching different material with different colour t shirts. On top of this, there was more bits of work, they wanted me to do such as: designing a collection and a few other t shirt prints. After all this was completed, all key samples were sent to M.I.A; she liked the samples.
Next meeting was arranged; by this meeting I had to be straightforward about my freelance rates, as there was no discussion of this at the start. 2nd meeting involved talks about: quote, quantities, t shirt colours, logistics, further design ideas, and also this meeting took over 3 hours. The meeting before this, I was waiting for a good 2 hours and M.I.A didn’t even show up. For me this is serious valuable time, that I can invest in my own work. In 2007 I was working on developing my label, I was not looking to do any work experience, I’ve had my fair share of useful work experience in my late teens and early twenties. In first meeting with M.I.A, I had no idea of exactly what I was expected to do, therefore I had I no time to think about freelance rates, and contracts before hand. By the last meeting I knew; there was no way I could do all this running for scraps, I had bills to pay. I went away put together quotes for; dealing with manufacturing 5000 t shirts. Without any exaggeration, my quotes and freelance rates were fair and realistic. But if M.I.A agreed with my quotes then she would have to sell t shirts on her webstore for an extra £10/£15.
About a month went by; after emailing these quotes, and there was no reply from M.I.A’s team, I thought they didn’t like the samples, and weren’t going to use them. M.I.A launched her webstore in early August 2007, and she was selling t shirts I sampled, technically I had had 50% design rights over those t shirts. I spoke to one of my long term business advisors, who has worked in the fashion industry for atleast 30 years. He was adamant that I take further action; he heard, a very similar story from another designer about MIA.
This was not a simple copy right issue, it was a technical copy right issue, only specialist design lawyers are skilled enough to work on these issues. They understood my case, and agreed that I had rights over each one of those 5000 t shirts. These lawyers cost £400 an hour, there was no way I could afford to hire these lawyers, so I had to put the case on hold.
In the past couples of years I’ve come across similar stories about M.I.A. What triggered me to write this today: recently I found out MIA president T shirts (t shirts I sampled), were her best selling merchandise t shirts. When I first heard this, I laughed it off, but it kept on knocking on my head in past couples of days. Fact there’s no mention ever by MIA that I even worked on designing those t shirts, she could have even given me that much credit. I have tried to discuss above issue with MIA and her team, but there is NEVER no response. A fews months after all this happened in 2007, I received a message on myspace from Afrikan Boy, who said maya and sugu, recommended he contact me for t shirt designs. And no, there was no work with Afrikan Boy; I laid out costs and contracts from the first second and he never replied. THE SHAME!
From all this I learnt it was absolutely vital to layout contracts before any discussion of design work proceeds. Another reason I decided to write this because as humans, we are all responsible for each other; if anyone reads this and passes the word, it might save someone else being used abused victim of MIA and her team.”
[ED - Essentially what it comes down to is that M.I.A.’s brother, Sugu, probably shafted this girl and then pocketed the money. M.I.A.’s folk - a response?]
Blu and David Ellis
By John H Lee | September 28, 2009 | 0
Bon Iver going on hiatus
By John H Lee | September 23, 2009 | 1
Last night at a sold out show in San Francisco, Justin Vernon (the man behind Bon Iver), announced to the crowd that after this tour the band was taking a break. Or in his own words via Spinner:
“"This is the last tour that we’re doing with this thing, and after this we’re going to take a break,” Vernon told the audience. Thanking not just his fellow musicians onstage but also the entire crew and opening band, Megafaun, Vernon said, “I don’t think we could ever do it again with anybody better.”
That means all we as music fans have to look forward to, until he comes back, is pics/video/attendance at the Graveyard show on Sept. 27th. Enjoy the video up top too, because it truly is a heavenly moment captured on film.
Issue 23 The Collectors