Friends of 'MOFO' - Reflections on Design, Music, Art & Culture

American Horror Rocks!

shawn — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:52:33 +0000

Recently, I started watching the new FX show American Horror story and I think it totally rocks. Learn more and see clips at: fxnetworks.com/originals/

Rest in peace Guru

shawn — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:38:03 +0000

April 20, 2010 (CBS) - Release: Rapper Guru has died at the age of 43 after battling cancer, according to reports published online. The MC, whose real name was Keith Elam, died of cancer-related causes Monday after a “long fight” with the disease. The singer had slipped into a coma after suffering cardiac arrest in March. Producer Solar, who was a friend and collaborator of Guru’s, released a statement published in the report mourning the rapper’s death. “The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” he said. “Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.” –

So what did Guru mean to me? I will say that back in the day, we didn’t have 24 hour media, mp3’s or itunes. Hip Hop was still something “the kids” listened to, and what got me through a NYC day was a good cassette tape in my little grey AIWA walkman. One album would have to suffice as you changed trains, or waited on line for your school lunch. That album came in the form of “Hard to Earn”.

What was Guru to me? Guru was a music maker that reflected my reality everyday. His no nonsense voice and lyrics rang true in my ears and for better or worse it was about a man pursuing his dreams against all odds. So when DJ Premiere and Guru AKA Gangstarr brought that jewel to wax…. it was just what put the the iron in my back to keep going. He preached on the mic about what was real, pointing the way when you didn’t know where your going, and when you don’t know where your going when your lost.

Guru was an artist, in all senses of the word. He was an inspiration to people like me and friend William ( Billy G ) Golan who would huddle up on Thursday nights to check out the Stretch Armstrong show and catch the latest lyrics, freestyles and beats of those who saw what Gangstarr accomplished and desired to emulate that success. Later those that knew me well, gazed upon Jazzmatazz poster on my various apartment walls (when I had space for posters ) between other greats like Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane further reflecting our slow and inevitable evolution. The influence was so deep that many years later, when I had the choice of a Gangstarr or RockThe Bells Tour T at the show, I proudly wore the diamond home. Guru and Premiere blazed a trail in that golden time right before Hip Hop blew up, cats started putting away 7 figure salaries and the realest thing in our lives was the contents of our backpacks and the concrete under our feet.

Indeed, it is hard to earn. Rest in peace Guru, we already miss you.

link

“The Planet” reminds me what a day was back in the day. 1993.

Ridiculously Hot Pete Rock

shawn — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 12:48:13 +0000

You ever get to those times in your life when all your music is suddenly stale? I did. I had just moved to south central Kentucky, adjusting to a new life and a new job. Hip Hop had changed or I was getting old or both. Throughout, I never really listened to anything because it was the “cool” thing to follow. I liked music that made me feel, remember something or reflected some emotional side of my personailty. When Zach Marco sent me this jewel, I was listening to alot of Kings of Leon while exploring the world of classic country (Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash), it immediately reminded me of the Golden Age. Of the reason I fell in love with Hip Hop in the first place. When HH was gully, had backpack on and there was nothing better than going to a show on a saturday night, floating downtown coming upon a freestyle battle and digging in the crates. I could honestly say that it was just what I needed at the time for some perspective. Its ironic that we call the golden age of hip hop, the time when we were actually in the poorest state.

Z.
“made me nostalgic for dubbing Eclipse/Riz’s Halftime Show off the radio in high school. but these have to be all pretty recent verses over late-90’s-sounding, underground beats. lovely.”

S:
“What?! I’ve been listening to so much (hip hop) garbage lately, I had turned to country music. But when your first love takes care of you…you gotta feel it. Thanks for bringing me back from the brink in such an palpable way. Wow.”

Peace,
S.

link
HIP HOP MIX – live radio – 60.1 MB MP3 FORMAT

Snow Day

shawn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:17:46 +0000

Jorge Bañales is truly a renaissance man. We worked together for a short time at MAYA advertising in posh D.C. Georgetown and he would constantly surprise me with some hidden skill, creative break through or philosophical insight. From playing bass to being a king on the wheels of steel Jorge will readily explain that house music is not for everyone. For only the true believers know what its like to be at one with the bass line, for a short moment to let everything go and let the stress evaporate over the vibrations of wood floors and a chicago style therapy session as the big beat hits you.

Jorge was snowed in this year under record snow falls in our nation’s capitol and sent me this note:

The Bedroom DJ series continues. While it was “snowing like crazy” I downloaded some songs with the word “snow” in the title. It starts out strong, then goes into this more subdued place, that it never quite gets out of… until the end…

Snow Day (39:54) / Jorge

1. Powder Snow – Original Mix / Alex Aguilar
2 Nothin’ But Love, feat. Snow – Original / Onionz
3 Snow Damage – Kiyoshi Shimizu Remix / Toru S., Kiyoshi Shimizu
4. Snow in Spring Time – Runaway Remix/ Roland Appel
5. First Snow – Original Mix / DJ Shine, Teknostep
6. Snow Day – Original Mix / Justin Martin
7. First Snow – Original Mix / Sanya Shelest
8. Yellow Snow Conspiracy – Original Mix / Lunacy Sound Division

Download and enjoy.

link
TRANCE – ELECTRO MASHUP 85 MB MP3 FORMAT

DJ RKNY

shawn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:42:02 +0000

I met DJ RKNY at LaGuardia Community College in Queens N.Y. At the time he was my Music and Entertainment Editor at the Student Newsmagazine “The Bridge”. With a vibrant personailty, a great laugh and a hug, Rocky is the type of dude that can not only fill a room with his presence but with a mighty sound that will get your head bobbing. Always ready to rock a party, you can find Rocky spinning all over the five boroughs of New York, from the beats of the boogie down to the latin flavors of Jackson Heights he offers a full palette of booty shaking.

I will be creating a new site for DJRKNY and should be ready to launch this Fall at the latest.

link
HOUSE-DANCE 32.3MB MP3 FORMAT

Tim Burton at MOMA

shawn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:24:44 +0000

Taking inspiration from popular culture, Tim Burton (American, b. 1958) has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking as an expression of personal vision, garnering for himself an international audience of fans and influencing a generation of young artists working in film, video, and graphics. This exhibition explores the full range of his creative work, tracing the current of his visual imagination from early childhood drawings through his mature work in film. It brings together over seven hundred examples of rarely or never-before-seen drawings, paintings, photographs, moving image works, concept art, storyboards, puppets, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera from such films as Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, and Beetlejuice, and from unrealized and little-known personal projects that reveal his talent as an artist, illustrator, photographer, and writer working in the spirit of Pop Surrealism. The gallery exhibition is accompanied by a complete retrospective of Burton’s theatrical features and shorts, as well as a lavishly illustrated publication.

Respira

shawn — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:59:22 +0000

My good friend and photographer John Guerrero is having an exhibition at the MILK gallery in NYC. 450 West 15th Street. John and I went to school together and I have had the pleasure of seeing him pursue and accomplish his dreams. He has worked as a professional photograher for over 10 years and has a keen eye for fashion, still life and abstract urban montage. Like all true artist, he effortlessly wows us with each new image and reminds us of fleeting substance of life. Respira means breathe in spanish, so inhale, exhale and allow his ethereal style to connect shutter and soul.

March 1 2010 – March 16th 2010

For more information on Milk Gallery – visit their website at: http://www.milkstudios.com

Hello world!

shawn — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 03:27:19 +0000

This is an experiment with wordpress. I found that I wanted to share some things that I come across both in my professional and personal life and have been impressed by the sites that I have seen lately using the wordpress blog platform. This is just another wordpress blog but I hope that It will give me some insight into what to expect from a good cms. I appreciate that such open source projects exist and that they give us all the power to use the internet in new and creative ways. Wish me luck and if you have something that you would like to post…please do not hesitate to contact me.

Image: http://www.justsell.com/lions-and-gazelles-on-the-start/