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

Oddissee's People hear what they see

Underground old school MC and producer Oddissee grew up in Maryland. Although he planned to enroll in a visual art school, he started focusing on hip hop. 


Whilst working at A Touch of Jazz Studios his music career really kicked off with the Musik Lounge production on Jazzy Jeff's Magnificent album(2002). 


Oddissee joined the low budget crew( with Kev Brown, Cy Young and Kenn Starr) and released the Foot in the Door EP( 2006, Halftooth Records), mixed by Jazzy Jeff. 


In 2008 the producer signed with Mello Music Group. Heavy bass line productions and tracks such as 101, Mental Liberation, Everything changed nothing, Odd Reasons and Traveling Man followed.


Furthermore he created the hip hop group Diamond District and had the chance to work together with hip hop icons J-Live, Talib Kweli, Little Brother and Apollo Brown.


People hear what they see, Amir Oddissee Mohamed's proper debut album(Mello Music Group) took some time to compile but then that's logical as it represents his personal path towards self-actualization.


With lyrics tackling serious matters as materialism, the economic crisis(American Greed, Set you free) and real-life relationship experiences(The need superficial, Thinking Maybes), this self-reflective album is worth an attentive listen.


Tracklist:

1. Ready to rock
2. Do it all( with partners XO and yU)
3. That real
4. Let it go
5. American Greed
6. The Need Superficial
7. Way in way out
8. Thinking Maybes
9. Another's grind
10. Set you free
11. You know who you are
12. Think of things

Halftooth records:
Instrumental Mixtape Volume one 2005
The Remixture Volume 1 2006
Foot in the door 2006
Instrumental Mixtape Volume 2 2006


Oddissee Music:
Odd Summer 2009
Odd Autumn 2009
Odd Winter 2010
Odd Spring 2010


Mello Music Group:
101 2008
Good Tree EP 2008
Mental Liberation 2009
New Money
Traveling Man 2010
Odd Reasons 2011
Rock Crek Park 2011
People hear what they see 2012

Jill Scott's Crates Remix Fundamentals

Hidden Beach Label released the first volume of Scott's Crates Remix fundamentals Spring Summer Feeling, an eleven -track album of highly dance-able productions. 
Producers and DJ's such as Ca$e Boogie, Bruce Walker, Jacques Richmond, Kyle West, Mr Mig, Ron Trent, Teddie Vee and all time favorite funky DJ Jazzy Jeff delivered their versions of Scott's songs. 
Volume 2 will be available on the 31st of July.


Tracklist Volume 1:
1. Can't explain
2. Bedda at home
3. Talk to me
4. Whatever
5. Spring Summer feeling( tribute to Minnie Ripperton)
6. Come see me
7. Slowly Surely
8. Golden
9. Brotha
10. A long walk( A Jazzy Jeff redux)
11. Love Rain

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.

DFace - aPOPcalypse

D* face, a multimedia artist who isn't afraid of experimenting with the possibilities of new techniques, grew up in London named Dean Stockton. He developed an early interest in graffiti, comics, cartoons and animation. 80's skate influences such as Jim Philips and Vernon Johnson inspired him in that extent that he dreamt of becoming a skateboard photographer. The book Subway Art and Spray can art created such an immense impact on him that it finally changed his life.

After attending an animation course he worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Out of sheer boredom he started doodling little characters, the beginning of his 90's vinyl sticker crusade. His omnipresent adhesive characters appeared on traffic lights, lorries and walls throughout London, still his playground up to this day. 


Driven by sharing his outlet in urban space, he continued exploring street art's possibilities. There's no technique the artist doesn't use: stenciling, screen-printing, spray, stickers, posters, painting, sculptures, canvas and installations.  


This pop art lover refers to his work as aPOPcalyptic subverting consumption imagery. Recurring elements in his work are the winged balloon D* Dog, wing icons, celebrities, cartoon characters and super heroes, all symbols he reworks to make them relevant to today's society and our popular culture. According to him altering advertising is the most direct way to make people think objectively about our media-saturated environment. 


His winged versions of Marilyn Monroe, Che Guevara( CliChé), Kurt Cobain and Queen Elizabeth II with exposed skulls criticize society's fixation with fame and celebrity. 


For his "Her Royal Hideous" campaign he designed £ 1O notes to criticize the queen's authority as he doesn't believe she represents good value for money.


D*face dropped four oversized Concrete Cans(2008 ) in Hyde Park, Covent garden, Trafalgar Square and outside the Victoria and Albert museum.

Shocking, subversive, nihilistic pieces: we still prefer seeing them in the street instead of some gallery where it simply does not make any sense.


www.dface.co.uk

Wordsworth: The Photo Album

Underground freestyle talent Wordsworth's The Photo Album contains eighteen lyrics-driven tracks.
He previously appeared on albums of Blackstar and A Tribe called Quest's and released his solo debut Mirror Music in 2004. 


Tracklist:


1. Destiny
2. Until I win
3. Betrayed
4. Mirror Mirror
5. Coloring Book
6. Vendetta
7. Knock on my door
8. Don't settle
9. Joy & pain
10. Start over
11. Big dreamer
12. 911
13. The oldest
14. Feel me
15. All I knew
16. Vanish
Bonus tracks
17. Reach
18. No need to explain

Look up... pointing up... Above

Above( 1981) often sticks his work high up in prominent positions overlooking the streets.


He started painting his name ABOVE on Californian trains but soon realized that the trains were moving too fast to instantly grab the viewer's attention. That's why he shifted from conventional letters to the easily understood symbol of an arrow, in the form of stickers, colorful stencils, wooden sculptures, mobiles, installations or spray paint.


At the age of nineteen he painted his trademark arrow pointing above in Paris. Since 2001 the adventurous artist has undertaken self financed annual tours. 
Whilst living in Paris, he attached more than 4000 wooden arrows to walls. When he moved to California(2003), he hung wooden arrow mobiles from high -voltage wires,  allowing them to twist and turn and interact with passers-by. This worldwide crusade was continued with a 2004 USA tour, a 2005 European tour and a 2007 south central American tour, accompanied by fellow artist RIPO and documented by Rodrigo Lopez.


His painted wordplays enlarged, more social and political stencils were being spread, such as the "giving to the poor "(2008) campaign on homelessness and the "first love "(2009) stencil. The naked truth video shows his street art installation of a shower in Copenhagen. His 2010 "Help the neighbor" video tackled the social issues of the Haitian disaster.


Blek le Rat invited him to take part in an indoor gallery show at the White Walls in San Francisco. Luckily Above’s focus remained in public space, placing celebrity arrow mobiles in the Hollywood district( Hollywood video) and modifying the  Banksy piece "Because I'm worthless" into "Because now I'm worth it ". 


In 2011 it was time to tour Down Under, where his first Australian solo show "Here today, Gone tomorrow " featured celebrity icons as Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee, Bob Marley and Princess Diana. 


A globetrotter having lots of fun along the way...


Above’s book entitled Passport: 
ISBN 978-1-937222-03-1

Kool Keith's Love & Danger

Underground lyrical flow pioneer Keith Matthew Thornton uttered that this brand new fifteen track album is to be his last. ( cfr the album's last track Goodbye Rap). 

It might be more plausible to believe some new alter ego will stand up...

Tracklist:

1. The dangerous liaisons

2. You love that

3. Cow-boy Howdy

4. New York

5. Vacation spot

6. Supremacy

7. Impressions

8. The game is free

9. Who's the man

10. Pull your hat down

11. Extra thoughts

12. Something special

13. I never hurt you

14. Lovin' me

15. Goodbye rap

www.koolkeith.co.uk

The London Police

The London Police

The London Police , an Amsterdam based male collective composed of two British(Bob and Chaz) and one American(Garrett), fully exploit the possibilities open urban space offers. Their smiley faced figures are as much an Amsterdam feature as coffee shops and tulips. 


Their multiple headed friendly Lads, which Chaz had previously drawn on flyers, first started to appear in 1998. Clean white papered surfaces were perfect spots to display his hand black marker pen drawn The Lads, often bearing numbers on their feet or bodies. Their bold black and white style, perfect curves and clean lines nicely contrast with the surrounding settings. 


In 1999 photographers Bob and Chaz started working together.
When Garrett, who arrived from San Francisco in 2000, met Chaz drawing one of these characters, they quickly became friends. A couple of months later G was invited to join the crew. Members have come and gone, Chaz has often run the project on his own. The TLP crew regularly collaborates with graphic design magazines, happenings and street artist D* face.


After visiting NY the guys went larger, producing giant lads on walls.
Be it hand drawn or on posters, the lads get up wherever and whenever, from Berlin via New York to Tokyo.

www.thelondonpolice.com

Crossing Thundercut's mind

 Thundercut Walker

Pedestrian crossing signals in New York are being highlighted by Thundercut(1974). 


Thundercut draws attention to these traffic lights by giving the figures detailed outfits and suitable accessories made of hand-cut adhesive vinyl.
The colorful cut out pieces show tiny holes for the dots of light, adding an urban style and a specific personality to the omnipresent walk symbols.


Linked to the specific area the pieces include a posh shopping girl in Soho, a baseball player at the Yankee Stadium, a hip hop man, a Rasta man, ...


A playful, simple idea as this showcases the power of street art to enliven the city.


www.thundercut.com

Kwes Meantime

Twenty-four year old Kwes is an all-round artist: a painter, producer, writer and photographer. At the age of four he started playing an organ, followed by sound recording at the age of ten.


His debut EP No Need to Run(Young Turks/XL) was released in 201O.


The timid London native previously collaborated with Speech Debelle, Micachu, Romy Madley( The xx), ... Last year Kwes, Damon Albarn and a group of British producers participated in Warp's and Oxfam's DRC Music-project.


This still-rising producer's second four track EP Meantime( Warp/V2 records) contains sensitive electronic love songs floating on melancholic distorted synths. (Bashful, Honey, Igoyh, ...)


Who doesn't appreciate a courtly man who's in touch with his emotions?

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

It's so beautiful the things u do to me things u do: femcee Stacy Epps expresses love

                         




Underground femcee Stacy Epps studied African American studies and sociology at the University of Virginia. That's where she and Scienz member Lil Sci formed the jazzy rap duo Sol Uprising. They released Sol Power in 2004.


This lady combines rhymes with singing. Fond of contrast, she mixes soft melodies with hard beats. 
She collaborated with MF Doom( Eye 2004), Madlib, J Rawls, ... Epps and femcee Invincible were asked to join Bahamadia to tour Europe in 2006. 
Her sensual singing on Jazzliberatorz' Clin d'Oeil (2008) track "U do" is a clear example of her laid back rhyming.


Check out her debut solo album The Awakening!(2008, Japanubia Music)
In her own words: "To shine from within is the most beautiful thing you can do. I create music to heal us through sound and vibration."

www.stacyepps.com
www.stacyepps.wordpress.com
www.myspace.com/stacyepps

To all the girls do what you gotta do but it ain't what you do it's how you do

Smart self-reflective women aren't novelties anymore in hip hop. 
Philly native Antonia Reed( 1970) started out as a DJ in the 80's. 
The Arabic words Badia( original creation) and Hamd'allah( thankful to god) were combined in her artist name Bahamadia. This conversational lyricist was musically inspired by Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobbi Humphrey, Stevie Wonder and Minnie Ripperton.

Her smooth flow and intellectual style( Funk Vibe) caught Gang Starr Guru's attention in the 90's, who helped her get a record deal with Chrysalis. Guru's protégée also appeared on the second volume of his Jazzmatazz album.
The jazzy raps of her first singles Total Wreck( 1994) and Uknowhowwedu (1995) once again proved her skill on the microphone. 


Her critically acclaimed full-length debut album Kollage, with productions by Guru, The Roots and DJ Premier appeared in 1996. Her laid back voice and raps were lent to various projects during the 90's, including acid jazz artists The Brand New Heavies and drum 'n' bass artist Roni Size( New Forms). 

From 1997 to 1999 the poet hosted a hip hop radio show in Philadelphia. Goodvibe released her seven track EP BB Queen in 2000, including the track Beautiful Things with Dwele. 


Her inner truth and unique activist spirit were preached with Towa Tei, the Herbaliser, The Roots( Push up ya lighter), Morcheeba( Good Girl Down), Slum Village(One-4-Teen), Talib Kweli( Reflection Eternal), Sade(Sweetback), Erykah Badu( Love of my Life with Angie Stone and Queen Latifah) and Dwele(High).


More recent albums Good Rap Music(2006) and Here(2010) prove that Bahamadia remains true to herself. She embraces all of who she is, the good and the bad, never compromising her integrity or her moral ethics for the monetary gain of the competitive business. 

This strong lady is all about self-knowledge and growth. Her challenge is to become the best person she can be and to inspire others to become the best they. This true honey bun can still look at herself in the mirror at the end of the day.

Sem Rubio's photography

Copyright Sem Rubio
Dennis Busenitz kickflip

Spanish pro skater Sem Rubio(1976, Blanes) was forced to stop skating due to a knee injury. 
He then decided to follow a two-year photography course at Gris Art in Barcelona.
His photography focuses on good times, fun and positivism. 
His black and white pictures of skateboarding friends under minimal lighting conditions are clear examples of his never dying passion, be it on the other side of the lens. 
www.semrubio.com

Unbreakable breakdance Championship 2012

For the latest edition of Unbreakable, held on the 31st of March 2012 at the Lotto Arena, sixteen of the best b-boys showed up for a one-to-one battle. Dutch b- boys Skychief and Menno, Belgians Sam and Lawson, Polish Greku and Kleju, Russian Gun and Yan the Shrimp, American Moms, Domkey and Changubis, Korean Wing, Portugese Lagaet, French Keys, Japanese Yoshi and Spanish Pier battled each other.
Dutch b b-boy Menno won the Unbreakable World Championship 2012.

All-text Jenny Holzer

American installation artist Jenny Holzer(1950) can easily be described as a street artist focusing on content.
Holzer received a BFA(painting and printing, Ohio University 1972 ) and enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design. At the RISD she began to introduce language into her work, an essential element in her public projects. 


She created her first Truisms(1977-1979) on the streets of New York when she enrolled in the Whitney Museum Independent Study program. Initially these Truisms were one-liners on posters. 
Later on these slogans were shared with the public in another form, other media: LED displays, outdoor light projections, ....


Whether pasted or projected, this artist is spreading her reflective message in a humorous way.


Jenny Holzer
Joan Simon, David Joselit, Renata Saleci
ISBN 07148375 47


Holzer's publications:
A little Knowledge 1979
Black Book 1980
Hotel 1980
Living 1980
Eating Friends 1981
Eating through living 1981
Truisms and Essays 1983

ESPO A love letter for you

Graffiti artist Steve Powers started writing as a teenager. 
Became known  for painting his ESPO( Exterior Surface Painting Outreach) on storefront grates in broad daylight. Powers moved to New York in 1994.


Powers stopped his graffiti work in 1999 as he wanted to focus on another type of art.
The Dreamland Artist Club, a 2004 artist collective, repainted Coney Island signs. In 2007 he used his  Fulbright grant to create murals with local youth in Dublin and Belfast.
The 2009 " A love letter for you" project in hometown Philadelphia was realized with over a thousand cans of spray paint and the aid of other artists. They enlightened a neigbourhood with visuals of an epic love letter.


His work has been shown at the Venice Biennale(2001), the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia.
Steve Powers publishes books and is editor of On the Go magazine.


Steve Powers, A love letter for you
ISBN 978-0977652372
The Art of Getting over
1999
Graphic Novel First and fifteenth: Pop Art Short Stories
2005 Villard Press

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!

Reverse graffiti: battling against pollution and decay

This innovative art form consists of creating temporary pieces by selectively cleaning polluted urban surfaces. Armed with a high-pressure washer and stencils clean taggers transform dirty areas into unique biodegradable artworks.


Freed from built up dirt, designs, words, slogans, logos and images are formed by the white unsoiled bits in contrast to the dark tainted areas. Basically when you see these cheap reverse graffiti pieces you would think they were made with black and white spray paint.


Paul Curtis, known as grime writer Moose, was one of the first to use the reverse graffiti technique. This green graffiti pioneer used to work for the Leeds based Soundclash record label and discovered the immense possibilities of cleaning while dishwashing. Moose places stencils against surfaces and scrubs until they are clean using soap, a wire brush and a high- pressure washer to remove the dirt.This clean advertising artist had street branding contracts with Microsoft, Channel 4, Diego and Smirnoff but mainly sticks to his own art. One of the things he likes about dust tagging is to make people think about whether they appreciate clean walls or whether they simply have a problem with personal artistic expressions.


Brazilian artist and self-taught photographer Alexandre Orion(1978) put the first large scale reverse graffiti piece, a series of skulls, in São Paulo's Max Feffer transport tunnel.
Coming clean in street art can be dangerous. But who could object to positive, natural, creative street art? 


It's time for legislation to clean house as these artists are keeping it real.


www.foleygallery.com
www.alexandreorion.com


Article written by Ann Timmermans