Albert Ellis: Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

American clinical psychologist Albert Ellis (1913– 2007) developed the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) in 1955. His Institute for Rational Living was founded in 1959 to promote REBT.

The founder of cognitive behavioural therapies(CBT) was influenced by philosophy(Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius) and psychologists as Karen Horney, Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm and Harry Stack Sullivan. Rational therapist Ellis also worked with sex researcher Alfred Kinsey and elaborated on the topic of human sexuality and love in a number of books and articles .

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy is based on the belief that the client's philosophy contributes to his emotional life. Emotional problems occur when we refuse to accept reality.

It is the individual's perception of reality that causes suffering.

Anxiety, guilt and depression are caused by how people think about events. Our emotions influence our view of ourselves and others. Each emotional tension(fear, depression, anger, guilt, self-pity) comes from irrational thinking. Irrational thoughts are the crucial causes for psychological problems. Negativity is caused by rigid self talk. 

The REBT method aims at identifying non-adequate, problem causing, self defeating, irrational thoughts to replace them with adequate, beneficial, realistic thoughts. As such the client is able to influence his emotions and behaviour.

Critical thinking and approaching events in a scientific, logical manner can help to accept reality.  The more rational and realistic one becomes, the less emotional anxiety will occur.

Rational analysis, cognitive reconstruction and coping strategies are applied to change irrational beliefs and behaviour to replace catastrophic thinking with seeing stressors as challenges.

The essence of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy is a hopeful vision on human emotion and includes taking responsibility for psychological discomfort.

Read more about Ellis' theory:

The Art and Science of Love. NY: Lyle Stuart, 1960.

Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. NY: Lyle Stuart, 1962.

A Guide to Rational Living. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1961.

Humanistic Psychotherapy, NY McGraw, 1974 Sagarin ed.

The ego era: (a)social media and narcissism

Social media allow people to stay in contact with hundreds of "friends". Twitter, Facebook and Instagram portray perfect lives in words and photographs. The question is whether social media make individuals happier or whether they turn us into more narcissistic creatures...

One tends to forget that social networks are being constructed around the ego, which unfortunately plays a prominent role in popular culture.

Researchers believe social media have an impact on a person's self image. In addition they think the way a person represents himself on social media could determinate his self image.

Social media do enhance the amount of digital social responses.

In average individuals look at their smart phones one hundred and fifty times a day, once every six minutes. Obviously it stays a challenging quest to deal with this swiping in a healthy way. For some the overload of impulses is hard to accept. When people are absorbed by the social network, they tend to cultivate their own image instead on focussing on the interaction with others. There's a clear correlation between facebook usage and enhanced exhibition scores.

Researchers from Western University of Illinois state that facebook appeals to our narcissist tendencies. People who regularly update their facebook status, tag themselves in pictures and have a large number of friends, are more likely to demonstrate traits of narcissism. They also demonstrated that individuals who spend one hour or more a day on a social network, have increased levels of narcissism.

Ego psychology emphasizes the role of identity, experienced by a person as a sense of self. Narcissistic tendencies can be found in normal range levels. Healthy ranges are essential for one's self image and -respect.

Named after the Greek myth of Narcissus, Narcissism involves high levels of self-absorption and conceitedness.

The characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder are excessive self-love, inflated self-admiration, self-centeredness, an excessive need for admiration, a tendency to overestimate personal abilities and achievements, extreme sensitivity to criticism and a constant need for attention. Narcissists lack empathy, are unable to recognize others' needs and expect a lot of those around them. These masters in exhibitionism( attention seeking behavior) and the manipulative exploitation of others for selfish ends tend to socialize with people who admire them and avoid social situations where their superior brilliance will fail to be noticed. When being challenged or criticized, they may become aggressive to achieve respect from condescending critics. They often daydream of fame, power, influence and envy others' successes.

Narcissists tend to look for appreciation in social media. The Me generation shows narcissist behavior. Their genuine interest in others is decreasing while they increasingly attach importance to fame, ego and money instead of less shallow values. The focus is on sharing each and every detail of their live to evoke response.

Shouldn't it be: be the best me instead of showing off the best look at me- and my selfie me?

The struggle for female rights still goes on

Time magazine wanted us to strike out the word feminism because the aggravating term is used too often and has little meaning. Time was annoyed by the association of certain celebrities with the word and called out to return to the essence. Managing director Nancy Gibbs has now apologized for including the term in the execution of the poll.

This semantic discussion about feminism proves that some still struggle with a kind of resistance to the term which simply means female emancipation. Banning this crucial concept would be ridiculous.

An objective background about women's struggle for "equal" rights is needed for everyone who wants to understand their position in contemporary society.

Women had to fight for their rights in this patriarchal society. History shows very clearly the painful oppression of women. Learned gender roles have caused misconceptions concerning the qualities of the sexes.

Catholicism, which still discriminates women, portrayed men as far more important than women. Men were allowed to go outside whereas women had to stay at home to do the household.

During the sixteenth and seventeenth century two hundred and fifty women were burned at the stake for alleged relations with the devil. Harmless physical features such as warts were seen as evidence of a contract with the devil. Often the victims were women with little capital and interests in herbal medicine. The end of these witch persecutions coincides with the end of the religious conflicts.

In 1792 Mary Wollstonecraft pleaded in A Vindication of the Rights of Women for a thorough change in women's situation. Her arguments derived from the ideas of the age of enlightenment. Many of these women who fought for their rights during the eighteenth century were decapitated.

Author Olympe de Gouge(Marie Gouze, 1748) first used political theatre to defend her ideas but soon opted for genuine political action. She was the first to zealously advocate social security. In her Déclaration des droits des femmes de la citoyenne(1791) Olympe demanded all rights for women. Two years later she was executed by guillotine.

The first conference for women's rights was held in 1849(Seneca Falls). The abolishment of slavery, the right to vote en the alteration of the marital contract were on the list of demands.

During the first feminist wave the right of education, the right of executing a profession and the right to vote predominated. A clear distinction between the proletarian and civilian women's right movement at that time is to be made. The first fought against the abominable economic situations whereas the latter emphasized the feminist equality idea.

During the nineteenth century many countries experienced the arise of women's organizations. The suffragettes had to campaign for the right to vote in militant protests because they were not being taken seriously.

The twentieth century was labelled by female pioneers. Married women were finally allowed to have a saving's account, to earn their own salary, to be a legal guardian.

The second feminist wave occurred in the nineteen sixties and seventies. This period of flared feminism manifested different ideas and political groups. The problem of the oppression of women was their communal problem. Five groups are to be noted.

Existentialist feminists such as the intelligent French author Simone de Beauvoir applied existentialism on the role patterns between the male and the female sexes. De Beauvoir aimed to ban all ingrained prejudice. Le Deuxième sexe(1949) denounced women's role of the second sex. She openly criticized the female as the object of the male. To free female identity, she emphasized the importance of the existentialist idea of women's responsibility for their own life. Existentialist feminism is based on De Beavoir's analysis of the human condition. Socialization processes have caused role patterns, consequently they can not be justified biologically. According to the existentialist vision women can define their own fate by choosing freedom. They should liberate themselves from marriage and motherhood, emotional dependence and the search for male approval. In addition women need to dedicate themselves to develop their intellect, to participate in the reorganization of society.

Socialist feminism criticized the capitalist influence on patriarchal ideology, victimizing both men and women. Capitalism should vanish to alter the role of the female.

Equality feminism refers to Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique(1963) about the misjudgement of women caused by the attention to their roles as housewives and mothers. It is opposed to the unequal rights of men and women as a consequence of the stereotypical roles of society. Their purpose is the offer of equal development changes for women by participating in societal life and government.

Liberal feminism is convinced that each individual should develop maximally in a righteous society. They see reason as the most important human factor and demand an egalitarian society.

Radical feminism is based on the belief that sex inequality is caused by hate towards women and by male oppression. They believe female sexuality and motherhood have been made subordinate to male wishes and desires. Radical feminists work in three ways: individual liberation by discussion groups, social liberation by means of political actions and liberation from traditional male organization forms. Their purpose is the elimination of the class system based on the sexes. Their propositions vary from androgyny to the glorification of female culture.
 
These five feminist ideologies may overlap. Simone De Beauvoir was also a equality feminist and elements of existentialist and liberal feminism can be found in equality feminism. Although the visions differ, these women were able to co operate for their communal aim: the female right of self determination.

Although female rights have been realized on paper, women are still being paid less for the same job. Now where's the equality in that? More than often these acquired ideals aren't naturalized. Sexist stereotypical role patterns are still being used as an excuse to reject women.

Nevertheless the struggle for equal rights and the improvement of the female position stays a matter of importance for the entire society. If certain communities wish to let patriarchy flourish under the cloak of cultural and religious values, the alleviation of female right violations will be impeded.

Up to this day many women are still considered to be inferior creatures.

Saian Supa Crew never does what has been done

Saian Supa crew, composed of beat boxers and MC's, was formed in 1997. Their name refers to Saïyen, manga figures designed by Akira Toriyama. The three groups(Explicit Samouraï, OFX and Simple Spirit) of this amazing underground collective met at the Nomad Studio.

There were six of them: OFX members Vicelow and Féfé (Féniksi), Simple Spirit members Sir Samuel and Sly the Mic Buddah and Explicit Samouraï members Leeroy Kesiah et Specta. All of them had different origins(Morocco, Nigeria, Guadalupe) and lived in the greater Parisian region. The eclectic bunch's differences resulted in everlasting tracks characterized by a distinctive positive sound and reflective lyrics.

All adepts of Afrika Bambataa's Peace, Love and fun, they always stayed true to the pure essence of hip hop music. 
Saian's communal slogan was "Jamais ce qui a été fait tu ne feras". (you will never do what has been done) Their original blend of hip-hop, beat boxing, soul, zouk, reggae, disco and dance hall was their force, as they were one of the first French rap groups to mix musical styles. 

Influenced by soulful musicians D' Angelo, Raphael Saadiq, Erika Badu, Marvin Gaye and hip hop legends A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde and De La Soul, the vibrant crew easily succeeded in developing their own joyful French style.
Their philosophical tracks focused on moral and social items as hard drugs(Que dit-on ?), racism (La preuve par trois), AIDS(14.02.2002), intimacy between males and females, suicide(La Dernière Séance) and violence in religion(Au Nom De Quoi).

The six members autonomously produced their first mix tape entitled Saian Supa Land(1998), followed by 1999's Saian Supa Crew.

Saian's first album KLR(1999) was dedicated to OFX member KLR who passed away after a car accident. The album was sold more than three hundred thousand times, partly because of the hit Angela.
The record is characterized by beat boxing, theatric interludes, samples of Bachanach, Cosma and influenced by ragga, reggae, zouk and soul. 

Their second album X Raisons(2001), with its satirical interludes, ragga and soul samples, received a Victoire de la musique price for the best rap album(2002). 

The same year they released Da Stand Out EP and performed at the biggest European rap concert Urban Peace. The Saian Supa Crew shows were spectacular: entertaining the crowd with humoristic sketches, beat-boxing and break dancers.

Specta left the group in 2003 to focus on Explicit Samouraï. The same year Saian featured on RZA's The World According To RZA.

In between their second album X raisons and their third album Hold-up, the members engaged in solo projects and groups such as OFX's album Roots, Explicit Samourai's album Rap, Sir Samuel's album Vise pli o and Sly's beat box maxi. 

French DMC champion DJ Kärve joined the collective in 2005. 

Hold Up(2005) featured German singer Patrice(96 degreez), singer Camille(Si j'avais su) and Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am(La patte).
Another mature record, sparkling with positive energy, uplifted with reggae, soul and jazz samples and the traditional beat boxing.

When Leeroy left in 2007, the entire underground collective of legendary performers and exquisite musicians split up.

Will this funky formation make a comeback? We sincerely hope so...

Icy & Sot

Icy and Sot Coke can Tabriz, Iran

With funny artist names referring to icy and drunk and a challenging piece called Beer Is Not a Crime, Iranese siblings Icy(1985) & Sot(1991) are on their way of becoming as good as their role models Blek Le Rat, Banksy, Dolk, Blu and King Stencil.

The young men, who were very fortunate to have progressive parents, grew up in the city of Tabriz. In 2005, the passionate skaters started stenciling skate logos, skulls and computer game images on their boards. Their first amateur stencils were merely made of cardboard and X-Acto knives. They tackled skate parks and the streets, where their stencil and sticker work would be covered up in a jiffy. The brothers also created a giant Coke can sculpture out of a corroded tank situated near Tabriz.

They soon got in trouble because they were using green paint, which the police linked to green protest groups. The young men were caught several times in their homeland, having been interrogated for days at a time. After fulfilling their military service, they were allowed to leave the country. 

Their critical Thief piece, depicting Iranese president Ahmadinejad and Syrian Assad made it impossible to return to their country where street art is highly dangerous and illegal, could even lead to a Satanism charge.

Their universal works about war, peace, hope, love, hate, despair and human rights have been stenciled in the streets of Iran, Turkey, Paris, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco and New York. Dutch street art collectors Klerlx and van Gelderen discovered the stenciling brothers. The boys' creations are represented by their Art Agency. From 2009 on, the duo had gallery shows all over the world, from Teheran, Rome, Paris, Los Angeles, Adelaide to New York.

In 2012, their pieces were shown at Pori Art Museum's Street Art – The New Generation exhibition in Finland. The same year, their Made in Iran show at the Open House Gallery in Manhattan was an incredible success. 

In March 2013, the brothers went on a Four City East Middle West tour, with shows and musical performances by the Yellow Dogs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago. 

After winning the Red Bull Curates: The Canvas Cooler Project, they exhibited work at the Art Basel Miami Beach SCOPE fair(2013). 

They applied their signature stencil of the walking boy, which they have used all around the world. The boy represents all of those innocent Iranian children, who live in crazy surroundings while trying to keep that childlike sense of exploration and innocence. 

Children are often depicted in their creations because their happiness seeking, playful and explorative attitude is easy to relate to. 

Now living in Brooklyn, where spray paint is a lot easier to find, 

Icy & Sot continue their unique social crusade, making plans to go on a European tour.

Icy and Sot Beer is not a crime

icyandsot@gmail.com

http://www.icyandsot.com/

http://www.vimeo.com/icyandsot

http://www.flickr.com/groups/icyandsot

http://www.facebook.com/icyandsot

Make the city playable: The Playable City Movement

Piano staircase Stockholm

The universal Playable City movement creatively reacts to the cold, industrial, urban environment. Running counter to boring, machinelike cities where technology enhances the fear of isolation. A global human counterpoise to the anonymous, monotonous smart city, in which (swiping) screens predominate personal lives.  

The socio cultural movement has traveled to China, Brussels, Sweden, Brazil, Sheffield, Bristol, Italy, Texas, Japan and London, offering a gateway to a city of providence, hospitality and openness. Recently city conferences have been held in Brazil and Bristol. 

Urban planner Claudio Marinho explains that the project arises from the need for an affectionate re-appropriation of public places to get city-centre life back from our bunker-high-rise isolation. He aims to renew cities with landscape (urban memories), texture (human scale) and affection (place appropriation).
Bristol's conference organizer Clare Reddington claims smart cities are over-planned, with people hurrying like lab rats, guided by smart phones and paralyzed by technology. A safe urban playground has become a utopian ideal in the restricted setting of adult managed play. 

The key idea behind the Playable City project is the fact that urban living difficulties may only be addressed by collective action. 
A sense of communal well-being is not an issue to be solved by local authorities(but nevertheless requires their co operation), quite on the contrary: citizens need to be able to take control of their own surroundings. When given this creative ability, citizens can make profound contributions to their living area. The encouragement of public activities brings joy.

Much more than a trivial good laugh, play refers to any kind of pleasant activity which can act as an interlude in the city's functional productivity and stimulate individuals to reflect on what actually makes us human. Play ground cities combine art and play to ameliorate urban living. Self-conscious, artificial interventions are applied to unsettle our self made alienating, concrete cities, which are packed with people and filled with conflict.

There are easy, cheap ways of achieving a more human, friendly community. To add color to a grey, depressing society, many thinkers and artists have been commissioned. From Stockholm's Piano Staircase to Bogotá's traffic mimes, there are no restrictions to make people laugh.
This year Bristol allowed artist Luke Jerram to transform Bristol’s Park Street, one of the main shopping streets, into 95-metre a giant water slide open to the public.  His other low-budget Play Me, I’m Yours project has seen 1300 pianos installed in public spaces in 45 cities around the world. Other humoristic installations included temporary play streets,  a zombie chasing game and a text message conversation with a lamppost.

In Bradford artist Usman Haque designed a permanent installation of fountains and lights that respond to people's movements. Paolo Cirio's Street Ghosts consisted of life-sized printed pictures of people found on Google's Street View. In Britain there are around fifty incredible edible towns and cities, which grow fruit and vegetables for everyone to share. 

This unusual playfulness creates a happy city environment, it connects its citizens to each other and engages them to think about the ways of interrelating community and people.

A tube piano, unexpected light and sound installations, a narrated fairy tale on the way to the office, ...  are all simple but highly effective city interventions to generate an incentive, interesting atmosphere, as if on a delightful exploration in an exotic country.

Playable Cities: the city that plays together, stays together.
Let's all stop taking ourselves too seriously. It's about time we have some fun, play and be filled with wonder!

Giant water slide

A view on the concept of emptiness

In Western culture, emptiness has a negative connotation as it is often associated with depression. 

In Eastern society, the Buddhist concept of emptiness is known as śūnyatā,  a key element to liberate the illusive mind from mind labeling and suffering. 

The ideas of emptiness, alienation, boredom, anxiety, suffering and despair were crucial elements in postwar existentialist philosophy and literature. 

Although it has historical roots in Greek and medieval philosophy, the fundaments of existentialism derive from German philosopher Martin Heidegger's Being and Time(1927).  

This philosophical movement is centered on the recognition of individual existence. 

The absurd, indifferent universe has no intrinsic meaning or purpose. Living in a crowded city, performing work without a passion for it, superficial entertainment, ... enhance the empty, unhappy feeling of human beings.

In contrast to "Pour soi ", Sartre described "être en soi" as a self deceiving state of inauthentic existence, in which an individual avoids responsibility and the freedom of choice. 

Existentialists believed all individuals should face emptiness and be responsible for their actions, by choosing and shaping their own destinies. As soon as a person accepts the concept of emptiness, he will accept the responsibility to live an authentic life by exploring his own possibilities. 

In order to understand human existence, authenticity is necessary. Responsibility, autonomy, commitment and integrity are all necessary ingredients for a meaningful self chosen life. Self-defining individuals freely choose which projects they engage in. These projects of self- understanding reveal the meaning of existence and one's identity. 

As Jean Paul Sartre said: "Existence precedes essence".  
The essence is what we make of ourselves, what we choose to be, who we become.

SpY doesn’t lower your cholesterol

SpY Banana, New York, 2008, copyright SpY

SpY is an anti-conformist street artist from Madrid whose first graffiti attempts took place in the mid 1980′s.

He soon abandoned graffiti to explore the vast variety of other artistic media. He first spread his name by means of posters, then by altering billboard advertisements.

His street art work is based on the observation of urban components which he replicates or transforms to produce innovative urban art installations that comment on urban life. Readapted everyday objects create a dialogue, ironic interventions encourage reflection.

Whether traffic lights, road signs, phone booths, police cars basketball courts or Braille messages, SpY wants his humorous interventions to cause an interpolation in the apathetic urban setting, to surprise people with something unexpected, to awake their ordinary lives and make them smile. 

The essence of street art

The street art movement arose from the graffiti movement, which was a reaction to the injustice poor youth in NY were confronted with.

Imprisoned in their social situations, artists used graffiti as an artistic 
protest against the authorities. The expression form, mostly applied in subway stations and public buildings, provided urban frustrations 
with a sound board, a highly original way to share personal opinions and inspiring, positive messages about politics and social abuse in a dysfunctional society.

Street art is a revolutionary art form based upon the continual relation with passers-by and the environment. The concept surpasses the narrower meaning of graffiti but it did remain loyal to the playground and the direct interaction with the public.

By means of a self devised , utmost unique language versatile artists communicate activist, critical messages about political and societal themes, materialism, consumerism, violence, immorality or propaganda for a good cause: to influence the collective behavior and stimulate reflection.

The use of catchy, popular images easily attracts passers-by, who connect with the recognizable, to mass culture referring symbols such as comic characters, super heroes or celebrities.

The spray cans made room for an immense variety of expressive forms: from collages, murals, installations, sculptures, video projections, stencils, knitta, photography, poster and sticker art, to virtual kidnappings.

Evolved from a territorial subculture into an innovative, surprising, subversive phenomenon, providing each and every one worldwide with free art, street art performs the essential role art should have in the development of insights and perceptions.

With its diverse references, interactive messages and intrinsic motivation the possibilities remain endless.

Soul man d' Angelo is back

American neo-soul artist Michael Eugene Archer(1974), raised in a preacher family, experienced early influences of church and soul music. Belief remained an essential part of his life, physically uttered by verse four of psalm 23 tattooed on his arm.  

In the 90's insecure, glasses-wearing Archer met golden voice Angie Stone. She inspired him and made him feel better about himself with all her love and dedication. They started dating each other, had a son and helped each other produce thrilling tracks such as Everyday. They joined forces on Stone’s Black Diamond album(1999). 

D’Angelo collaborated with Ali Shaheed Muhammad of a Tribe called Quest on his debut Brown Sugar(1995, RCA Records). Stone was in charge of the backing vocals on this album, which earned platinum certification and drew attention to the 90's neo soul movement, along with debut albums by Lauryn Hill, Maxwell and Erykah Badu.  

Collaborations with J-Dilla(So Far to go, Tell me), Raphael Saadiq( You’re my lady; U should be here, Instant Vintage), Erykah Badu (Your Precious Love and Heaven), Mary J Blige (Would you), Lauryn Hill( Nothing even matters, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill) and DJ Premier(Devil's pie) add to his credits.

Following his debut album's success the singer-songwriter went into a four-and-a-half-year absence from the music scene.

Follow-up Voodoo(2000, Virgin Records) won two Grammy awards, for best R & B album and best male R&B vocal performance. 

Redman and Method Man featured on the album’s lead single Left and Right. However it was the second single How Does it feel, produced by Raphael Saadiq, that became an enormous hit. It's sensual video clip was both d’Angelo’s worldwide breakthrough and his downfall. 

Although these two neo-soul master pieces were cited as two of the most excellent R & B albums, his acquired sex symbol status wasn't exactly stimulating his way of living. His focus on the music turned into an obsession with sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. And then it suddenly went silent around him. Self-reflection finally started kicking in when he lost his friend James Yancey aka J- Dilla in 2006.

In 2008 Archer was asked asked to sing on Q- tip's Believe track.(The Renaissance album)

This year the man's comeback tour throughout Europe proved incredulous critics that he remains a neo-soul icon. Accompanied by a sublime band, he is once again showing his multi-instrumentalist abilities(guitar and piano) in a superior show. 

His Ghent Jazz festival jam made mouths gape, hips move, eyes shine and minds feel like making love. 

Nowadays one is often disillusioned by live neo-soul or hip hop performances but this man isn't one of those delusional want-to-be-seen studio artists, he is the true human representation of pure funkiness.

In the words of former partner Angie Stone:  « D'Angelo will always be d'Angelo. «  Respect the talent of the Marvin Gaye of this day.

D'Angelo's 2012 tour band:

Jermaine Holmes

Kendra Foster

Cleo Sample

Rob Lumzy(backing vocals)

Isaiah Sharkey(rhythm guitar)

Jesse Johnson( guitar)

Pino Palladino(bass)

Raymond Angry(keyboard)

Chris Dave(drum)

Studio albums

Brown Sugar 1995

Voodoo 2000

Live albums

Live at the jazz café 1998

Compilations

The Best so far 2008

Remix album

Voodoo DJ Soul Essentials 2000

J Dilla's The Rebirth of Detroit

The Rebirth of Detroit is the first release of Maureen Yancey's new Ruff Draft Records label. J-Dilla's mum asked various artists from the Detroit hip hop scene to perform on unreleased J Dilla beats.


Tracklist:

1. The new installment
2. Detroit Madness( Phat Kat)
3. Big Thangs(Esham)
4. Ride with it( Tha Almighty Dreadnaughtz)
5. Say my name(La Peace, Moe Dirdee, Seven the General
6. Detroit Game( Chuck Inglish and Boldy James)
7. Feel this(  Ketch Phrase)
8. City of Boom(Loe Louis and Beej)
9. Let's pray together( Amp Fiddler)
10. Requiem( Alllan Barnes)
11. Do it right( Fat Ray, Vstylez, Soulman)
12. My victory( Boldy James)
13. Rebirth is necessary(Tone Plummer and Mr Wrong)
14. Dillatroit(Supa Emcee, Nick Speed, Guilty Simpson)
15. Center of the movement(5ELA, Pierre Anthony)
16. Pitfalls(Fat Ray, La Peace, Loe Louis)
17. Do it for Dilla Dawg(Illa J and Frank Nits)
18. Jay Dee's Revenge( Dannny Brown and DJ Dez)
19. Motor City Sparks( Corey Sparks and Beej)
20. House shoes was spinnin( Quelle Chris)
21. The best that ever did it(Jon C and Allan Barnes)

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde: Expanded edition

The Pharcyde reissued their 1992 debut album with bonus instrumentals and remixes. This 20th anniversary edition consists of three discs.

True love is hard to find, just let it find you Reflections on love

Love... the deepest emotion in life, laying warm foundations for the richest form of human relationships. That beautiful mental and physical connection, that much sought after utter unity. That genuine joy in life putting a smile on your face...


Until recently authors, poets and philosophers wrote about love, depicting romantic love as a whirlwind of emotions, passion, fear and jealousy. An exact definition of love is very hard to accomplish. 

The simplest definition could be Robert Heinlein's in the cult classic Stranger in a strange land: love is the condition in which the other's happiness is essential to your own.

Scientific research on the subject has grown tremendously over the last decades. It revealed the importance of love in child development and adult health. The first relationship with the mother is a blueprint for the following ones. Severely psychologically or emotionally damaged people are unable to experience healthy, independent love. 

Psychologists and scientists study the subject of love pragmatically, defining it as an intense affection or preference for someone, so strong that it colors one's perception and conduct. 


According to psychologist Elaine Hatfield love can be divided into two basic types: compassionate and passionate love. 
The compassionate type is characterized by attachment, affection and trust. Usually developed out of feelings of mutual respect and understanding, this type assures an enduring relationship whereas the intense emotions, anxiety and sexual attraction of passionate love are transitory, usually lasting between six and thirty months. 


A good, lively relationship is based on trust and intimacy. 
Genuine loving intimacy depends on the personal ideas on love and the notion that love develops. Intimacy is characterized by the elements of 
care, share, trust, commitment, honesty, empathy and tenderness. 

Reciprocal care or the intensity of positive feelings towards each other is only to be found when two people openly share positive and negative feelings, thoughts, desires and needs with each other and interact. This frankness in sharing is essential for intimacy's growth in a warm enduring relationship. Trust, honesty and empathy are indispensable ingredients in this process of self revelation. 
Caring, sharing and trust lead to commitment. Verbal and physical expressions of tenderness are the most neglected aspects of intimacy.

Masters & Johnson (on sex and human loving 1982) explained that respect enables us to appreciate the other's identity, essential for the long duration of a relationship. Sexuality is another important factor to keep a relationship lively and fascinating. 

In The art of loving(1956) Erich Fromm wrote that love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence. 
Love is an art, just as living is. It requires effort and knowledge.
Fromm believed that self-realization is a necessary condition to attain meaningful love. He defined mature love as a union of two individuals keeping their integrity and individuality. 

Why do we love? 
Because love makes sense. 
Because it brings out the best in us. 


That's love..
Article written by Ann Timmermans

Blek Le Rat filling our modern world's emptiness

Copyright Blek Le Rat 

This revered street artist is best known for his iconic black rat (anagram of art) silhouettes, symbols of the urban environment and of the fear those invasive marginalized animals provoke. 


Blek's style is often compared to Banksy's. Only difference is that Le Rat was stenciling walls while Banksy was still a kid.


While others were doing political graffiti in the 80's, Blek Le Rat started stenciling his rat silhouette on Parisian walls, hoping to provoke others to express themselves in the same way. The preparation( drawing and cutting) of these stencils took him over a week. Around 1981 he stenciled small black rats, bananas, running red men, little faces and a self-portrait. 


Graffiti wasn't criminalized yet, allowing him to create a multitude of rats and tanks all around Centre Pompidou and frankly answering inquisitive policemen he was doing art.


After a couple of years the small pieces developed into life size figures.
Inspired by a photograph of an old man from Belfast, he created the Old Irish Man in 1983. This piece, symbolizing civic courage, was reproduced all over France. Other full size images followed. (among others Andy Warhol, a Woman from Bangladesh, Mitterrand, Joseph Beuys, Jesus Christ, Two dogs mating, ...)


His first and last collaboration took place in 1984, when he and Bergu from Surface Active worked together on a stencil fresco on the Louvre's fences.


Le pochoir became a popular way of expression, as referred to in Le Monde(1986) as L'école de Blek le Rat. His pioneering technique added a new perception upon art and design. His work inspired other stencil artists such as Logan Hicks and Swoon.


After some graffiti charges in 1991, he chose a safer method: posters and cut-outs. Working on paper changed his approach towards working in urban space, allowing him to work in other areas freed from the constant fear of being caught.( e.g. self portrait, French Soldier)


He tackled some ancient mythological subjects(Centaur, Faun) and experimented with Michelangelo's (faun, David) and Caravaggio's imagery( Madonna and Tribute to Caravaggio).
His wish to influence social change became apparent in 2003 when he created his American Soldier(2003) to criticize the Iraq war. He pasted hundreds of posters of the kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas(2005) throughout Paris and pasted tragic fairy tale symbol Lady Diana(2006) on the walls of Tate Modern.


Aware of the architectural impact of image, time and space, his images are always linked to the social urban environment. It explains why his Greek lady was found in multicultural areas. 


His street art raises global social awareness on issues as discrimination, the solitude of the elderly, the homeless, poverty (Woman from Bangladesh), loneliness, people living on the fringes of urban society( Beggars). His pieces have permeated public consciousness and have had a profound effect on people's critical thinking.


Le Rat's art is all about purity of content and imaginative thought-provoking imagery. 


Real life passionate rebellion against art imprisoning institutions, now who could object to that? 


Watch:
Blek le Rat- Original Stencil Pioneer 2006
Bomb It 2007




Article written by Ann Timmermans

Mark Jenkins always in the humour

Embed series Mark Jenkins

American mixed media sculptor Mark Jenkins' fascination for sculpture sprung up after seeing the 2001 Juan Muñoz exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC.

Since then Jenkins has been installing witty street art installations in urban and environmental settings.

His first street art piece was a giant sperm made out of tape at Copacabana beach in 2003. He soon began focussing on figurative self-cast sculptures.

His Embed series composed of dressed human figures installed in urban settings excite passers-by. He placed casts of urban objects as parking meters and fire hydrants in suburban parks and forests(Street Extracts series) to criticize urban expansion whilst his Storker Project consisting of plastic clear tape babies in bizarre locations emphasizes children's vulnerability.

More recent projects are Meterpops( 2005: parking meters converted into giant lollipops), Traffic-go-round, Flowersigns and Storker Twins.

His imaginative art projects are social experiments, acts of psychological self-projection in public space.

The city's his canvas, tape's his medium,  the artist is always in the humour for interactive work.

Article written by Ann Timmermans

www.xmarkjenkinsx.com

www.carmichaelgallery.com

www.lazinc.com/artists/mark-jenkins

http://hirshhorn.si.edu

Copyright Mark Jenkins, The Blah series,
infiltration Art Whino Gallery Washington DC 2008

Transcending the limits of thought

Creativity is not restricted to its artistic interpretation. Basically it is the mental activity of problem solving. When problems become challenges new effective solutions can result from an experimentally thinking creative mind. Creative behaviour requires a certain amount of intelligence. Knowledge broadens the creative mind's views, extends the possibilities to connect ideas and concepts in one's mind. 
Divergent thinking tests( as opposed to IQ tests) measure creativity. Divergent thinking is the ability to think along many paths to generate solutions to a problem.( Guilford & Hoepfner 1971)


Creativity surpasses that one great thought or view as thinking up new ideas is insufficient, ideas need to be reviewed, altered, tested, adapted. Remembering new ideas as soon as they arise and challenging ourselves with though problems to solve, essential skills for creative expression, leads to new behaviour and innovative ideas. 


The creative process is long and complex. With the utmost exertion, patience, hard work and perseverance one might succeed in inventing an exceptional previously unknown solution.


Theresa Amabile( Amabile 1989, Amabile, Hennessey & Grossman 1971) identified 3 components necessary for creativity: expertise in the field of endeavour, creative skills such as persistency at problem solving and the ability to break mental sets, taking risks and the motivation to pursue creative production for intrinsic( internal) rewards such as satisfaction. 
A genuine creator engages in the creative process without expecting tangible pay off for the undertaken actions, external rewards deter creativity! 


Creative people share traits of self-confidence, ambition and perseverance(inner concentration). Inquisitiveness( being susceptible to external stimuli) distinguishes creative people from others.
In addition they are less conforming to societal and other norms and are more likely to take risks( Martindale 1989) .
According to Carl Rogers fully functioning, self realized individuals are highly creative. Characterized by an openness to new experiences these flexible, spontaneous, non conformist personalities never cease to evolve, to grow. Not pending approval of others, they easily face traumatic changes.


Your potential is infinite, be wise, visualize, witness it. Why waste your time focussing your mind on limp shit? Do what you like!


Article written by Ann Timmermans

Lord Finesse The Art of Diggin: Blue Note State of Mind

Got to purchase this album( released January 27 2012)...

Wiley's Evolve or Be Extinct Album

Released on his birthday( January 19 2012) Wiley surpises us with his second EP in a year's time.


Tracklist:


1. Welcome to Zion
2. Evolve or be extinct
3. Link up
4. Boom Blast
5. I'm skanking
6. Weirdo
7. Scar
8. Can I have a taxi please
9. Miss you
10. Money man
11. Customs
12. Immigration
13. Only Human
14. This is just an album
15. Ya Win Some, Ya Lose Some
16. Fire
17. No love lost
18. Cheer up it's christmas
19. Life at sea
20. Daiquiris
21. Confused
22. Highs and lows

Raekwon Unexpected Victory

Raekwon released his newest mixtape entitled Unexpected Victory( January 1 2012)

Tracklist:
1. Intro Unexpected Victory( 9th Wonder)
2. Just a toast ft JD Era( Mark Henry)
3. The Brewery ft Ceazar-n-Reason( Scram Jones)
4. A Pinebox Story( 9th Wonder)
5. Goodfelles ft JD Era & Camoflauge( Pro Logic & Moss)
6. Silk ft Smooth, Sauce Money & Big B( Scram Jones)
7. That Good Good ft Altrina Renee( Scram Jones)
8. Luxury Rap ft Fred Da Godson & JD Era( DJ Semaj)
9. Chinese Marines ft Mobb Deep(Scram Jones)
10. This shit Hard ft L.E.P. Bogus Boys & Dion Primo(The Olympics)
11. Soldier Story ft JD Era(Pro Logic & Moss)
12. MTV Cribs ft Busta Rhymes( Vin Da Chin)
13.A few good men ft Vado & Tommy Nova( Bluerocks)
14. Chupa Cabra ft Capone-n-Noreaga( BT)
15. Facetime( Blockstars & amp; Mantic)
16. Gangsta Cazalls ft Styles P, JD Era, Camoflauge( Statik Selektah)
17. Black Dust ft Tommy Nova & Mean Doe Green( FR3shmen)

DJ Grazzhoppa explains...

Ann Timmermans 4 da Grazz

Where does your name come from?

I picked the name because it looked good for taggin’ .changed the double s to z’s cause who wants “ss” in their name .lol

instead of “er” i used “a”,Herby Luv Bug gave me that idea in the 80’s.

How come you got infected with the hip hop virus in 1984?

By watchin “Wildstyle” & “Beat Street” i really got infected badly.

If it wasn’t related to hiphop i didn’t wanna hear about it .

You live, love, breathe hip hop. What exactly do you like about it?

The beats & scratchin’, the lyrics, graffiti, breakdancin’ & poppin’, i love all aspects of this hiphop universe. Also the fact that you can meet people all over the world and don’t really have to explain anything - it’s a universal connection.Also the fact that hiphop keeps innovating and re-inventing itself.

Now here's a tricky one... which aspects of hip hop culture sicken you?

Nothing really sickens me. i might not dig certain aspects of it but it’s all a part of the big picture.You need some Ying with the Yang.

You always have the choice to NOT listen to something but it’s all a part of it.There’s no law in hiphop and i like it that way. Everybody should be free to do whatever he wants, the crowd will decide in the end.

Are you as passionate about the other elements as you are about DJ-ing?

I was a writer & dancer before.Quickly i was more into makin the dancetapes (80’s electro back then) than actual dancin,that’s why i suck on the dancefloor LOL but i love to see poppers & breakers doin their thing.MC’s amaze me with their wordplay & energy.All elements have been perfected over the years and keep elevating to a next level over & over again.Graffiti art is insane right now compared to the 80’s.

Can you tell us more about working together with the love of your life, shiny lady Mo?

I love working with my wife,she’s so talented & amazing at what she does. Her lyrical skills and her knowledge about chords & arranging is phenomenal.She’s also a true performer you know,always keeping the crowd entertained. She’s my hero !

What's the Back to Scratch project based on?

Well basically we went back to 6 dj’s instead of twelve cause it was gettin’ hard findin gigs with such a massive group.But everybody is still involved.Almost all members have their own projects so we switch dj’s depending on agenda’s.Musically we go back to the core of hiphop.Dope beats ,cuts & having fun.Most compositions came out of freestyle jams we recorded.We listen back and use the parts we like and build songs around them.I like the fact that all dj’s have some musical input.So after touching jazz & world music we went back to hiphop cause we felt like it was needed .We are recording Back To Scratch so stay tuned for the upcoming release.

Which music inspires you?

All music can work inspiring .As a beatmaker i dig thru all kinds of records to find bits.so hiphop, jazz, funk, soul, dub, drum&bass, … depends on the mood i’m in i guess.

All time favourite tracks?

Anything by Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield, Ultramagnetic MC’s,..

Favourite soul food?

my wife’s mac & cheese, yam’s ,Collard Greens (which we can’t get here), cornbread, i love italian food

Any last words...

Be on a look out for my new album “Intricate Moves 2” droppin’ on Chess Move Cartel (London) very soon.Stay tuned towww.grazzhoppa.com for more info.there’s a free download taster on the site.Also check out the Mo&Grazz album on there called “Gemini Remixed”, our 2nd album “Gemini” was remixed by various artists and is up for free download so Enjoy!!!

Also peep the True Masterz album “Tree Of Life” .i laced all cuts on there,beats by MighGawd & superb lyricism by JMega.

http://www.truemasterz.com

A new “Solid vs Green” (Smimooz vs Grazzhoppa) album is about to drop soon too.

Also i like to give a Shout out to: Praverb The Wyse, Reef Ali, M-Dot, BurntMD, Kwote1, Creme De La Creme, BLX, Smimooz, Jaba, CMC,

Thank you for this interview ,wish you all the best with the magazine.

STAY TUNED

Intricate Moves 2 - PromoMix

http://soundcloud.com/dj-grazzhoppa/dj-grazzhoppa-intricate-moves

Dj Grazzhoppa - Partyrocka ft: K-Hill (beat by B.B.Z. Darney)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjbKGHnD_mE

Dj Grazzhoppa - Wanted (beat by Blastah Beatz)

http://soundcloud.com/blastahbeatz/dj-grazzhoppa-wanted-produced

Check him out on:

www.djgrazzhoppa.bandcamp.com

www.mixcloud.com/grazzhoppa

www.djbigband.com

www.youtube.com/user/grazzhoppa

Many thanks to DJ Grazzhoppa!