Category: musically relative

05 24 2012

CREATIVE DIALOGUE WITH SANTIGOLD

 

in my interactions with friends, i feel as though much of that interaction is conversation. i am constantly sharing & providing information on a number of platforms, using technology as a tool to educate. not even just to educate those interested, but to educate myself & excite others like myself who are hungry for information. i feel as though our modern times have allowed us a greater opportunity to take on self directed forms of education. whether creative or academic, we have the tools, its all in how we utilize them. for me, my work is heavily driven by research. i am constantly fact finding, researching & redefining the ways in which i communicate, which has allowed me to inspired in a much greater capacity. the music i listen to,  the ways i am attracted to images, the ways i am able to articulate how i am moved artistically by different elements is what separates me from others in this age of digital culture, more specifically in the blogosphere.

amidst this separation, i continue to look for other creatives like myself. the dialogue i am able to have with these creatives i find along my way is what is driving me in this new phase that i continue to refer to. the importance of this dialogue is what shapes & refines my vision, the ways i am able to quench my sense of expression. it’s my way of outwardly connecting with you, to provide a greater sense of art as it relates to culture & each of us as human beings. this interview with santigold is in that lane of dialogue. wide ranged in the discussion of artistic freedom, culture & how this culture differs from aspects of the past is exactly what i am looking to convey in my work, in my connection that directly correlates me to you. much like the piece i shared on tom ford, this is completely necessary for me to share in order to clarify my vision accurately.

santigold is a recording artist, producer & writer. hailing from philidelphia, santi ‘santigold’ white attended weleyan university as a double major in music & african-american studies. prior to her work as a recording artist, santigold worked at epic records in A&R (artist & repetoire) which seen her responsible for scouting & developing talent at the label. 2007 seen santigold stepping into the spotlight with her debut album which was critically acclaimed & allowed her to tour for two years, which she mentions in the above interview. santigold is recognized as an artists of the new school, blurring culture lines & fusing them with new, innovative sounds. awarded for her breakthrough contributions in music, santigold continues this effort with her sophomore album, master of my make-believe which is currently in stores.

click here to purchase the album

05 15 2012

STYLE VS. SOUND: RYE RYE

from baltimore to billboard, it’s been a long time coming for ms. ryeisha berrain, affectionately known as rye rye. i’ve watched her shake that shit to the ground & twerk her way to the top- from being hailed as billboards ’21 under 21′ to her entrance into film as an actress. before nicki minaj or lady gaga, rye rye was taking meetings with industry heavy hitters & developing her style, both musically & fashionably. when it comes to over the top style, hood appeal & a rapid-release flow- rye rye is that bitch. very few artists showcase a true, individualized style & with rye rye she has developed a thorough sense of delivery. categorically considered electrohop, rye rye was an artist developed on the baltimore club scene. a native of baltimore, maryland, she started performing at 16 & quickly garnered attention from the industry after meeting DJ blaqstarr. it was through blaqstarr that rye rye was able to connect with musical & style impresario, M.I.A. it appears as though rye’s meeting with M.I.A. has allowed her the creative freedom, to be the artist she is, innately. between 2006 and 2007, rye connected with M.I.A. & power producer diplo, through blaqstarr & was asked to go on tour that year. still only a junior in high school, M.I.A. began to feature rye rye on remixes and other tracks. i remember the first feature i heard of rye rye’s, it was the verse she dropped on the remix to ‘paper planes’. that song was massive that summer & i heard the track on someone’s myspace profile, immediately following my discovery of the track, i was asking “oh, my god! who is that girl?”

after being signed to M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T. label through interscope, rye rye began recording her debut album. with noted performances, like her appearance at SXSW in 2010, rye rye has made a significant mark & continues to do so through her representation of individuality. what i love so much about rye rye is the amount of style put into the things she does. she has a clear image that is very distinct & unmatched in music. it’s not just the clothes she wears, but the energy she puts out & verses that she spits. as the second artist i have selected to feature for my on-going style vs. sound series, rye rye fits into the framework of this segment perfectly. when you see her & hear her, it’s consistent. it’s what i refer to as a visual sound; a sound so powerful that when you hear it, you also see it. i have a very clear vision for how i perceive women, whether in fashion or music & i love when women can successfully merge the two. rye rye, from her style to her lyrics- impacts you. a clear indication of a new wave in music, rye has been a standout in my mind both sonically & stylistically, for years. over time, i have seen her evolve more greatly in the spotlight. rye rye adds a new dimension for women in music, her approach in all forms is fearless. it’s that undeniable, irresistible attraction to her that truly makes her an even brighter star. with the release of her mixtape, “RYEot PowRR (2011) we were able to experience yet another expansion of the artist known as rye rye. outside her successful features on assorted soundtracks, EP’s or indie albums- rye rye has always added who she is as an artist to what she is involved with.

today marks the release date of rye rye’s debut album, “GO! POP! BANG!“. originally slated for a 2009 release, recording for the album began in early 2008, with rye rye’s mentor M.I.A. at her side every step of the way. the sound & overall image of the album from artwork to production is one that embodies the energy of the project’s title. with beats that go bang & a few flecks of pop for the mainstream; producers bangladesh, redone, play ‘n skillz, r3hab, so japan, mayru, christian rich, egyptian lover, blaqstarr & the neptunes have all made remarkable contributions. the album is refreshing in that, it creates a sound for an artist. that artist being rye rye, who oozes individuality so vividly that anything she touches is just an accent to who she is, creatively. standout tracks, in the order that they have been sequenced on the album are “holla holla”, “drop”, “rock off shake off” & “crazy bitch”. with the influence of her baltimore club music roots ever present, i love that the producers on the project act as amplification. it’s so sonically on-point to what we’ve come to know rye rye as; through lyrics, stuttering beats & psycho-sonic instrumentation. simply put, i like hood bitches & rye rye gives you that in your face energy that is so necessary for today’s musical scene. it’s not shy or held back, it’s high energy & definitive dance music. rye rye’s third single for the album, “boom boom”, which samples a 90′s club hit by the venga boys is currently climbing the dance billboard charts & it’s clear that there is not only a space for rye rye in the game; but a thirst for an artist of her caliber.

a perfect fit for this style collision with sound, ryeisha berrain is a muthafuckn star. the album boasts songs that have long been associated with rye’s musical catalog, including her infamous “shake to the ground” & the hard-edged “bang”. with features with other avant-garde artists like M.I.A. & swedish electro-queen robyn, as well as rappers tyga & akon- the album is a well rounded vision of dance music for the future. i support new forms of music that challenge the boundaries that have been put on the industry. the album successfully merges an indie edge while transcending with true pop potential; allowing gangstas & glittering girls to share the same dance floor. simply put, rye rye is the shit & her album is an emphasis of that logic.

click here to purchase the album

02 13 2012

WHITNEY HOUSTON: AN AMERICAN ICON


statuesque, poised & powerful- whitney houston is the first icon i’ve ever known & loved in my life. upon learning of her death this past saturday, i scrambled to find confirmed reports & quickly began to combat posts on facebook & twitter by posting an apparently dated ABC world news post, from september. my attempts to dispel the horrible news did nothing; the story & word spread like wildfire- all over facebook & trending on twitter, ‘rest in peace whitney houston’. i’ve said it before- first, before fashion; it has always been music. as the first individual in entertainment i paid any mind to- her voice, that striking & self-assured presence- that is the whitney houston i knew & idolized. before i was able to speak, i was sitting in front of the television watching her music videos, fascinated by what appeared to be a black barbie with an incredible voice, dancing & smiling on MTV. as i’ve made apparent in my pieces here, i’ve always been mesmerized by beauty, glamour & the glossed world of the industry. my obsession with glamour began with whitney houston. with her staggering string of seven #1 hits that laced the airwaves throughout the late 1980′s & her interviews that seared through the television on BET, VH-1 & countless other news casts & television networks- i was infatuated. the voluminous hair, the performances she had clad in gowns- it was vivid, memorable, unforgettable. an instant icon, even when she first hit the musical scene in 1985.

there are very few icons that i give unending praise to; considering how the entertainment industries have transformed over the last two decades. we’ve seen the definition of ‘superstar’ transgress, dramatically. true stars, real icons & actual superstars affect the culture in which they are a product of- there’s no room for gimmicks, no need for bullshit to make up for what is lacking in talent. i highly doubt the world will ever get to experience another talent the size equivalent or even close to that of whitney houston. along with michael jackson, the only other individual who has been able to change the perception of blacks in the mainstream or popular musical sector was whitney houston. there is no arguing; individuals who know & follow popular culture or musical reception, as closely as i do, can do nothing but agree with me. when whitney took the stage, when those songs cut through the speakers- pure & sophisticated; you weren’t thinking about color- just talent. what the industry has done to artists of value is truly tragic. the pressure & media speculation drive true talent to dark corners; where they become isolated for their greatness. a rapid release type of industry that creates ‘stars’, only to spit them out in the next instance, only victimizing & strangulating real talent from stepping into spotlight. with whitney, she was the last of her breed, perhaps the only. as, quite possibly, the greatest voice of all time, she needed no other talents other than her voice. no need for songwriting credits or even composition skills- the voice was astounding enough all it’s own. whitney became the poster-child for what diva’s were, she became the prototype for what every other female singer was to aspire to. her entrance into film broke, further, the barriers for women of color being cast for leading roles.

i won’t take this opportunity to speak on reports, cause of death or the turmoil that whitney often became engulfed in, in more recent years. as big a star as she was, this world could not handle the talent of whitney houston properly. with a tarnished legacy, riddled with negative press reports, the whitney houston that should be remembered is the whitney who allowed our musical culture to progress. her image, her presence was one that generations learned from- she coached legions on how real stars do it, with poised & graceful stamina, with earth shattering conviction & confidence. as my phone burst with multiple message alerts from cousins, friends & an email from my grandmother- i sat, crying with pulsated breath. i remembered begging my grandmother to buy me a magazine, which featured a story on whitney, at the grocery store during the mid-90′s. after purchasing it for me, when we got back to the house, i began to tear the pages open with excitement; staring at her image thinking of how beautiful she was. i began to read the article; the words ‘addiction’, ‘tantrum’ & ‘suspicious’ splattered on the pages. the magazine i had begged for was, in fact a tabloid. disgusted by this realization & with my dreams of one day becoming a singer & superstar like whitney; it was in that moment that i learned how talent is portrayed by the media. from that point on, i didn’t pay attention to the press regarding whitney, rather, i’d sit & listen to the records- that’s where whitney had her glory. performing on stage- that was where she was & is untouchable.

sitting in my grandmother’s living room as a child, i would go to a corner where her vinyl records were kept, next to her record player & stereo. there was whitney’s second album, whitney, on vinyl. i wasn’t allowed to touch the record player, but would sit there looking at whitney, clad in a long-length satin gown, curls flowing upward from her head, her autograph in the lower right hand corner. this was glamour, this was beauty, this is what stars are made of, i learned. not aware that the album i held in my hands had landed in at #1 in 11 countries & won whitney a grammy for best female pop vocal performance; nor that more hits & more records would be broken in the years that followed- i went off of what whitney put out, musically, her power- vocally, is what solidified her as a star in my mind. the most frequently played song of my life, without a doubt, is whitney’s “greatest love of all”. the sound of whitney’s voice had become so regular to me during the beginning stages of my life & onward through my adolescence that she became an extension of me. she was this place of perfection that no one could understand, that no one could touch. it’s that grace, sophistication & striking ability to entertain that will forever be associated with whitney; i will remember what made her a star. as a female of american musical history, whitney houston raised the bar so high that she, herself, could not surpass it. what whitney houston has contributed for individuals of color in mainstream entertainment will remain unmatched. there will never be a greater icon than whitney houston.

†

01 31 2012

STYLE VS. SOUND: LANA DEL REY

my connection to music has always come before my connection to fashion. as a child, i would sit in front of the television watching whitney houston videos on MTV, admiring her voluminous hair & the paint splattered music video direction for ’how will i know’. these moments weren’t me as a child, during toddler years, but as an infant. in my attraction to music, i’ve been able to directly associate style with sound.  i’ve said it multiple times- sound inspires style for me. what i find particularly interesting about music, is the incredible need for image; especially in today’s industry. here in america, that concept of ‘image’ has significantly taken over- artists are able to transcend onto billboard through great style, while lacking actual substance & talent. it’s no secret, image is everything. not just in america, but around the world. there exists this small percentage of artists that have substance, talent & are able to serve an image so slick that it cuts into your heart. there also exists a percentage of artists who have the talent but falter in the industry through lack of a proper image. these individuals exist where true art lives. in 2011, females dominated the charts & as early as it has been in this new year, a few key artists have been generating a buzz in the vein of style versus sound.

among that small percentage of artists of the new school is lana del rey. after causing a stir on the indie circuit last year, LDR has been readying the release of her first major label released album, in the form of the highly anticipated “born to die“. out today, january 31st, i have said it numerous times- lana del rey is america’s answer to adele. before you start throwing discs of “21” at me, sit back & let me count the ways in which i feel. in america, the need for astounding image, sexualized presence & diversified inspiration is needed. beyond a want, the reason these types of artists are needed in america lies in the culture. speaking more specifically to the need for diversified inspiration; america has become a multi-cultural melting pot. most individuals i know are of mixed raced, combined ethnicity or have been born in other regions beyond the united states. in school, i’ve been fortunate enough to be in the presence of such company. it’s easy for those born in america to lose their sense of heritage amidst the heavily influenced culture that america has become. with my mother & grandparents arriving in united states in the late 60′s, the term ‘that’s the american way’ was heard often. overtime, in the last 40 years, we’ve successfully intergrated into american society. while our traditions & cooking still in tact, other than my grandmother & grandfather, none of my relatives have an accent & cannot be as easily placed, ethnically, as other individualized. we’ve become americanized. in growing up, we learned the difference between our more ethnic ways & how to differentiate them from the caucasian forms of behavior that were expected of us from society. being of combined ethnicity, i learned etiquette from one side of my family & learned ways of humility, struggle & preservation from another. this portion of learning for me is what made & makes me who i am. through my own life, i’ve looked to represent myself in what i believe is american. through pride, strives to be the best & in execution. in looking for where i fit in society, ethnically, i have been able to identify with more diverse forms of style, inspiration & sound. i often look for the same themes of diversity from my own life in my own stylized interests. what i’ve grown attracted to, musically & fashionably, often represent this theme of diversity. i feel as though musical artists are the best reflection of the culture & lana del rey’s sound emulates this. her sound is not easily placed, much like me & my family, but is still distinctively american in it’s saturation of varied influences. creatively, forms of symbollism that appear be intertwined in lana’s video imagery, sound references & even just her vocal delivery, represent a diversified artist who has directly been impacted, not only by music & style, but by the culture. for the more simple minded, she’s different. del rey represents the difference- the widely inspired in the overexposed, commercial music game.  

in recent years, we’ve seen an uproar of new artists who have gone to greater lengths to conceptualize certain image directions with the help of more consistent image delivery through sound, advertising & overall branding. artists like amy winehouse, janelle monae & lady gaga have been a few key players in promoting these forms of musical direction. sound & style, in today’s market, have collided head on. artists are viewed as, well, artists- more than ever. these leaders of the new school have made it nearly impossible for lacking industry prototypes to even enter the charts as everything polished & poised seems to take center stage. adele’s debut album, “19″ (2008) went quadruple platinum in her native of london & the follow up, “21″ (2011), is now the best selling digital album of all time in the united states; also landing #1 in 26 different countries. both albums were promoted through sleek, modern yet classic styling as the sound of the album was driven by inspiration of motown. amy winehouse, another great of the united kingdom, had noted success on her debut album, “frank” (2003) , which seen winehouse taking on aspects of jazz & fusing them with influences of hip-hop & soul music. for winehouse’s follow up album, “back to black” (2006) she took inspiration from girl groups of the 60′s & created a breakthrough album which took home the grammy for record of the year & song of the year that same year. amy’s image of troubled, beehived & bad ass was in full effect following the release of “back to black”. it blurred the lines of image & reality so well that it actually contributed to the success of her album & it’s lead single, aptly titled, ”rehab“. janelle monae, whom hit the scene with a set of concept albums in 2007, released albums in the form of suites. monae’s image of android, baby doll, soul singer has had noted success in music & mindful attention to image is to credit for monae’s signature tuxedo. the consistency of her sound, as it impacts her style, has garnered the singer grammy nominations for best contemporary R&B album, as well as a nomination for her 2010 single, “tightrope”; which was also nominated for a grammy under best urban/alternative performance. most famous of all the image driven artists of our modern musical age, hands down, is lady gaga. her larger than life, performance-art stage presence & big budget talent that backs it; has catapulted her to the top of the dance & pop charts, keeping her in the press, on the blogs & on the covers of the countless magazines, every year since her debut in 2008. with a string of grammy, MTV, billboard music, american music & world music award wins to her credit- gaga has single handedly proven that image is, indeed, everything. her 2008 debut album, “the fame“, got her just that- fame. equipped with a disco stick, platinum blonde hair & piano skills that slay- gaga has cited david bowie, madonna, michael jackson & queen as her image & sonic influences. while each artist is a complete & separate package from one another- all exist in the same lane due to their manipulation of style.

in no attempts to discredit the talents of adele, but with the intent to contrast as a reference of the united kingdom’s own; i feel that lana del rey is america’s answer to adele. with what adele has accomplished, musically, in mind- the american recording industry would be silly not to respond to this beckoning call from our friends across the pond. being the american answer, lana is backed by beautiful production, an artists’ mentality & appears to thrive in a wealth of musical inspiration that ranges from eminem to britney spears to frank sinatra- all american. much like winehouse, who was then followed by adele, lana’s image is an homage to a certain style era & that look is clearly translated through every aspect of her image from production influences, to album artwork, magazine spreads & music videos. it’s the painting of an artist, that’s what branding has become. that’s what branding is intended to be. to clearly mark separation through distinction- both artists, adele & del rey, exist in the same lane in terms of overall image- their theme, their delivery & their method of execution. not in the same lane, identically, visually- but in the same lane considering that both use image as a motor to drive their sound. as we’ve seen, this pattern of stylized acts have surfaced over the course of the last few years & upon debut, most have record shattering resumes that continue to flourish each year. lana is the latest type to hit the scene & hard. this month, in anticipation of the album, she graces the cover of interview magazine in russia & germany, as well as a cover for billboard magazine & marc ecko’s complex, to name a few. with a gang of interviews & images floating around the internet, lana is well placed in a catagory of music that seems to be hungry for what she has to offer. with her album hitting stores today, it’s already hit #1 in 11 countries & currently sits atop itunes as the #1 album in the united states. the method in which de rey uses symbollism through her music videos, plus her ability to poetically fragment words to inspire style, this will prove to be a winning combination.

when listening to the album, the feel of cinema is ever present. you cannot listen to lana’s debut record without the feel of escapism. you become enveloped in the production- entranced by the fantasy of the image that lana paints with her voice. often lyrically based in the depths of despair, through emotion that we try to forget; you can’t help but become immersed in the music which suddenly means so much more when you actually see lana sing. as it relates to fashion, del rey has proved to be quite the favorite; performing at christian dior’s beijing runway show & being heard as the runway soundtrack to the houses’ haute couture show, just last week. boasting song titles like “blue jeans”, “video games” & ”national anthem” – the american theme is filtered in & out of lana’s image, inspiringly. in the way that adele has become the new face of british music, inspired by another time & effortlessly assasinating the charts, i believe lana represents this same feat, from an american standpoint. through powerful style, sexually-tinged lyrical undertones & addictive use of language- lana is all the things the american market is looking for but is too afraid to give way for. as the first of many installments to follow, lana del rey is one artist whom does not settle with just a sound or just style, rather she successfully merges the two in such a way that greater forms of creative artistry are shown & represented in the mainstream. it’s these artists that allow our musical culture to progress. [source]

01 02 2012

HOW HIP-HOP INTRODUCED ME TO HIGH FASHION


before kanye was name dropping polo, before puff rocked the shiny suit & long before mary j. blige was hailed as new york’s best dressed- a little female from brooklyn glided down an escalator in black fur & taught me to never have time for fake ones. from that point on, i learned more & more about the finer things- the gabbana girls rolling in a mercedes e-class, glasses of cristal, buttered leathers & chanel; lil’ kim kicked the door in, upon arrival in 1995. image for rap in the 90′s became more lavish than ever before & lil’ kim was of that standard. as a part of the east coast rap sector, kimberly jones was one of few that took to rap to spit about high priced whips, bad bitches & sexual repertoire that broke barriers. for female rap, for black women & for history in general- i had never seen anything like lil’ kim. i was too young & knew well enough that i wasn’t allowed to have, or even consider, asking my mom for kim’s double platinum 1994 LP, “hard core”. that said, my cousin angelo played the album so often that i didn’t need a copy of my own. in lieu of the albums release, he even had kim’s infamous hard core promo poster- which caused a stir at my grandma’s house. kim appeared clad in a silk leopard print set with gold jewlery & a matching silk negligée with feathers, her legs spread open- groundbreaking. kim’s approach was in your face & revolutionary for female rap at the time. “i used to wear moschino, but every bitch got it- now i rock colorful minks, because my pockets stay knotted…”, lines that still, to this day, bring an insane sense of nostalgia to me. when looking back at the subject matter, the sexually driven lyrics of kim didn’t phase me- it became the norm & almost desensitized the culture. it was very clear with myself & others around me that the game had truly changed at that point. it wasn’t the character of sexual provocation, nor was i interested in the rebellious nature of kim’s flow. kim was the first rapper i took an active interest in, being that she represented & embodied all elements of glamour that i had always been infatuated with. she spun these glamorized visuals into sonic silk, lyrically & visually, she combined the hard edge of the streets with illustrious dreams of money, high end shit & unfathomable income brackets. as lil’ as she is, kim was a rap fantasy come to life & she shook the ground beneath me.

that approach to style & how it was translated to music video imagery- that attracted me to kim. the fact that she was poised to be rap’s marilyn monroe & that she was able to kick an ill 16 bars along with some of rap’s heaviest male figures struck a cord with me. fast forward to now, those same elements of interest are still mirrored in things i love & dedicate time to. whether supermodels defying industry odds & collecting checks, women in entertainment defying the odds has always fascinated me. throughout high school, i was always looking for ways to represent my own interest in ways that were a bit unsuspecting. perhaps i was much more clever than other students, in my ability to mask things that seemed irrelevant, somehow finding ways to tie my love to academic curriculum. in my government/economic class, my senior year in high school, we were asked to bring items that were ‘distinctively’ american in to class. my own perception & easy judgement of the individuals i was with, at that time- i knew that the other students would bring in ford logos, mcdonald’s french fry cartons & other miscellaneous bullshit, in half assed attempts to complete the assignment- you know, obvious shit. our teacher, the illest of my high school experience, mrs. collier, said that all items brought in for the project would go onto the wall. now let me tell you, when it comes to the opportunity to have individualized spotlight, believe i will stretch beyond myself to stand out. which is what i had intended to do even with this minor assignment. it was one of those classes that all of us cool kids had together, which basically meant that every move counted, it was a pack of alpha-high school-socialites. as suspected, i arrived to class that day; checking for items that other kids brought with them- the ford emblem made it’s cameo, as did the the mcdonald’s fries carton. typical. the order went around the room & each said why their piece was ‘distinctively american’. i sat prepping my words before it came time for me to speak. when it came to my turn, “jeremy, what did you bring that is distinctively american?” (pause, all eyes on me) “i brought this cover of vibe magazine, which is the first national magazine to represent urban entertainment & hip-hop culture; hip-hop started in the bronx, which is in new york, which is in america”. the class sat there for a few seconds, seemingly stunned; mrs. collier agreed saying, “you’re absolutely right, hip-hop did start in america”. the eyes of some of the jocks were glossed over as some of their faces dropped as i could see the look of, “why didn’t i think of that”. as a prime example, it was moments like that which separated me from others in my circle during that time. which is why i’ve decided to take every opportunity to let you, as the readers, know- this whole thing im doing; it’s not some falsification or front, this is who i am. this isn’t some phase, it’s about a clarified representation of how & who i am through my interests & artistic tendencies.

my interests, my topics of discussion here; have been greatly influenced by a number of elements over the years. as a necessary subject for me to discuss with you, in this new phase of my literary expression; let me make very clear that hip-hop has played the largest role in my level of taste, my expectation of quality & my balance of contrast in taking the hood & combining it with the haute. lines like “so i look sick, in my 6 with my christian lacroix” led me to later learn about christian’s incredible career of couture & french history. from kim name dropping exotic vacation spots, international shopping locales, lavish interior designs- all that was interlaced into kim’s flow from the mid-90′s to the present & opened an entire world up to me. styled during the 90′s by misa hylton, whom was a member of the bad boy camp under sean “p.diddy” combs, kim blazed many trails for women in urban music & rap, with style. she took the level of showmanship beyond any expectation before nicki minaj, lady gaga & katy perry- colored wigs, crazy outfits, moments where you were thinking, “what the fuck is she wearing?” – that was kim, first. while the industry politics of kim’s image in the present & where her career is now will be left undiscussed, look to another blog for that- i wanted to take an extended moment to pay homage to a woman who taught me, immensely, about of style, glamour & fantasy. as the first rap bitch to rock chanel- no one exaggerated style like kim. for  introducing me to a world of designer labels, outrageous verses & larger than life beauty, lil kim will always be a queen to me; for what she represents for women. fearlessness.

10 16 2011

editorialesque » mary j. blige for elle

shot by thomas whiteside, the queen of hip-hop soul, mary j. blige appears incredibly chic for the pages of elle. draped in fur for the november issue, mary was styled by christopher niquet with hair & make-up by dante blandshaw & d’andre michael. stylistically, mary has come such a long way. growing up, i remember so many style moments in her career. from her bursting on the scene singing real love in a baseball cap & jersey to her ultra glam moments on the cover of her share my world LP when she rocked white framed fendi shades, ’til now- mary continues to evolve both as an artist & a style icon. here, mary’s growth & poise as a strong black woman are evident. i love these images & am so proud of mary. with a new album dropping november 21st, mary’s journey continues through new music, blossoming career moves & humanitarian efforts. hailed as new york’s most stylish, mary timeless. my heart is so full looking at how amazing mary still is after all these years.

imagesource | tfs

10 02 2011

rihanna for british vogue, november

through the lens of alasdair mclellan, rihanna blazes the cover of vogue uk for the month of november. from kanye debuting on the runways of paris with his collection to this, there is a greater power that is pulling me closer to fashion during what has seemed to be a lull in my own personal interest. beautifully blonde & in armani privé on the cover- rihanna continues to dominate while on tour, internationally & currently recording the follow-up to her “loud” album. shortly after the release of her “we found love” single, this cover appears & im sure that rihanna’s fan base is ready to attack. my jaw literally dropped after seeing this cover & im exceptionally impressed with the cover shot, the styling, the choice to shoot her blonde- all creative elements work perfectly. im completely blown away by how beautiful this came out. ladies & gentlemen, this is a cover.

imagesource | tfs

10 01 2011

kanye west debuts collection in paris

of the flocks of designers in new york, london, milan & paris- it becomes more & more difficult to get noticed, each year; with fashion evolving into an even bigger global monster. this season has been especially different for me; im not one to allow the opinions of others to sway how i feel or the way i perceive different elements of design, or certain aspects of style. as the summer/spring 2012 show season nears it’s end, i find that i have not covered runway as i have in seasons past. intentionally, i’ve made greater efforts to allow myself to become much more of a spectator & then allow myself to look back to see what stands out, what has let me down & what has inspired me. as a writer, i’ve found a certain degree of power in my own voice. this isn’t one of those, ‘im a blogger so i’ll say whatever the fuck i want to get a reaction’ types of situations on my site. i write when i have something to say; i write when my inner thoughts are so powerfully raging, that i can no longer keep them to myself. fashion is about a reaction; it’s about a response to creativity & kanye west’s debut collection drew that type of response.

now ignore the whole ‘christian dior denim kanye tweet’ incident often affiliated with my site & just consider the world of musical celebrity. who comes to mind? in the realm of pop stars, that often annoy us or grow cold one month after their album has dropped- certain stars can’t seem to escape the headlines, tabloids & yes- the blogs. women are an exception in music- they can sell sex without a problem, there’s a market for it. for men, the market is a little bit different. when you’re a male artist- whenever the combination of style & male come into play it’s all of a sudden a question of gay or straight. now, consider this world of musical celebrity & break it down even further. that break down is usually much easier to analyze when you break it down by genre. you have artist like lady gaga, though not original- her level of innovation in terms image as a pop star cannot be ignored. living & breathing in a hybrid-genre of hip-hop & pop; artists like nicki minaj blend the lively artistry of lady gaga, while fusing that gutter girl, hood shit from the streets of jamaica queens- allowing a successful combination to be seen. for these artists it works- both have changed the way that music is viewed in our modern times of the avant garde, the over the top & the ‘what the fuck is she wearing’. for male artists- there is only one & his name is kanye west. since his debut on the rap scene as a producer in 1996, kanye has consistently risen the bar for what it means to be an artist as a black man living in america, existing in the confines of hip-hop history & rap music. while many might not be familiar with his complete set of skills- i find that more people are distracted by negative headlines, labels of ‘asshole’ or ‘egotistical’ to even look & consider that this man has dramatically changed the face of not only hip-hop, but for art as a whole. from complex stage shows to eloquent rap verses that can inspired & offend you all the same, kanye west has taken to the runways of paris fashion week & unveiled a higly anticipated collection which has everyone from the new york times to the hip-hop heads around the world talking.

the collection has been kept under wraps for a few years now, after kanye’s unreleased sportswear collection, pastelle, never seen the light of day. well, if you don’t count that one jacket he wore, which put the urban blogosphere into a tail spin; but that’s besides the point. debuted for the summer/spring 2012 season in paris- buyers, editors & other designers were all present to see what kanye has been working on. for those who haven’t been up on game; the design team consisted of central saint martin graduates & was also heavily guided by consultation from louise wilson, a course director at central saint martins & louise gray, a london based designer. this isn’t one of those posts that drums the details & leave no opinion or personal thought; however, i thought it was completely interesting to see what others had to say about the collection. the new york times’ cathy horyn, whom i love, bashed the collection for ‘bad fit’ & glaringly discussed that kanye’s only skill was in ‘causing a scene’. that said, bergdorf’s heavy-weight fashion director, linda fargo gushed about kanye’s taste level & even shared that kanye seemed to ”react to everything she was reacting to” a couple seasons ago, while both sat front row at a fashion show. though kanye doesn’t wear meat dresses or call his fan’s cutesy names- his level of personalization through style has always been evident since he released his debut rap album, “the college dropout”. the album, which represented raising the bar for hip-hop to me; hosted kanye’s verses where he talked about polos, vuitton & sneakers. in the time following, a slew of images circled publications where kanye was infamous for rocking a vuitton monogram back pack- a move which had everyone at every high school clawing for the affordable bootlegs & gave birth to the name, “louis vuitton don”.

through all of these years, i’ve watched kanye’s taste level evolve. in the ways i’ve felt that hip-hop has taught me of fashion- in those same ways kanye continues to teach a new generation. my fascination with hip-hop is directly associated to the fantasy elements of it. im not talking strippers or sports cars either- im talking champagne, designer brands & beautiful girls who rock chanel. the collection, though criticized by many; is clean, fresh & inspired by our modern times. i had sensed that kanye would take this collection somewhere like paris, because that’s just what he does. i’ve heard so many people bitch about the fact that he put leather & fur on the runway for spring- to which i respond- he’s kanye-fuckn-west, why would he not do that? in terms of model cast, which is what i base a collection on as well- jourdan dunn, anais mali, karlie kloss, anja rubik & shu pei all walked in the show while chanel iman closed. with a few exceptions, the models were on point as were some of the designs. i did notice the lack of fit in some areas- but for a first collection what was seen was solid. the problem with fashion, in a lot of ways, is that good is never good enough. while that may pose a problem- it also presents opportunity. opportunity for those entering to aim higher, work harder & create something that is unlike any other. i’ve heard criticism of overt references to similar designers but don’t feel that what was presented was anything other than kanye. new to the fashion game, as a designer, there was a certain level of style & personalization that i felt. regarding the design, there is a true & fresh perspective coming in, which i applaud. i’ve posted two of my favorite looks here & am very excited to see how the collection progresses into the fall as well as it’s reception on the editorial front, not to mention whether there will be a campaign, who’ll be cast for the campaign & where the collection will be sold. if kanye is doing fur in the spring- imagine what he’ll do for the fall. strong collection & a valiant effort for the first one out. mr. west has, yet again, raised the bar.

05 18 2011

fashion on film: gaga by gaultier

05 12 2011

memoirs of a gaga: the v magazine cover series

through the lens of inez + vinoodh, lady gaga appears for the highly anticipated asian issue of V magazine. a total of four covers will be released & each cover sees gaga, styled by nicola formichetti, outfitted in mugler. known for her over the top approach to style, gaga has changed our peception of musical artistry & challenged our views of beauty while creating a clearer path of relativity between both music & fashion. while i love the covers & admire the styling direction taken- i don’t quite understand how lady gaga fits into the definition of “asian” for the asian issue of V magazine. granted the explosive presence of asian models in fashion this year; wouldn’t it have been more suitable for them to devote an all-asian model cast for the cover series? with models liu wen, shu pei, tao okamoto & fei fei sun slaying the high fashion scene, an asian female model cover series would’ve been more than possible. granted the popularity of gaga, im leaning more towards the fact that she can sell a cover faster, to the masses, than a couple of chicks us fashion kids are screaming for every month in the glossies. with contents that focus on asian models on the inside, beyond gaga, there is much more of this issue that is far more interesting & historical. a year in the making, this is not an issue you want to miss. purchase the hard-bound collectors edition here.

imagesource | formichetti