Category — NY

Interesting new Diesel ad campaign. Funny. Although I’m still on the fence about the use of the word stupid, the campaign is really geared towards the non-conformists who don’t mind taking risks….

I’ll admit the ad makes me re-evaluate the word “stupid”.  I doubt the intention of the campaign was to make the word “stupid” the hip euphemism, but it clearly speaks volumes about pursuing dreams and taking chances.

I went through a lot of old magazines the other night. Many of them were from my formative years, and were close to 10 years old. I happen to come across what I was looking for–an issue of Mass Appeal I had purchased due to my interest in the underground hip-hop scene. I can’t lie I was an unadmitted backpacker at the time (note: when someone tells you their not a backpacker there’s a good chance they are), and would routinely go down to Fat Beats to buy vinyls of songs I already had on CD or on mp3 OR couldn’t find on the internet or couldn’t buy anywhere (Disc-O-Rama doesn’t always sell underground music). I was that much of an enthusiast. As ass-backwards as it might sound, there is a comfort in purchasing a vinyl over a CD, but that I’ll go into in another blog entry.

It doesn’t just stop at Mass Appeal. Buried in my collection of old magazines are issues of Vice (back when that ish was raw–and I mean RAW[II]) and yes even Complex (I also have old issues of Don Diva and FEDS, but just like the aforementioned vinyl, I’ll save that for another entry). Perusing the pages of these magazines took me down memory lane . It was magazines like this that influenced me to move towards writing. More importantly they conjure up a feeling of nostaligia that defined pre-and-post 9/11 New York for me. As weird as it sounds but there is a driving connection that I have with these magazines. These magazines were my introduction to underground culture, which as it evolved has turned into the present streetwear/hipster culture and essentially become mainstream. It’s here in these pages that authentic street  culture and art is documented, unadultered and accurately presented by those who were genuine gatekeepers.

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This is my Friday night. I know everyone jokes like I’m always in some meeting and it sounds like I’m crazy. But it really be’s like that.

Capeman ‘59 Trailer #1 from Eric K on Vimeo.

And it’s not only dope because my sibling wrote and directed it. It’s genuinely well put together. Interestingly enough the project is based on real-life gang member Salvador Agron, who coincidentally took college courses at my alumni.

…for the most obvious rap video to get posted around the blogosphere. Lol. But in all seriousness this song/video is a classic. It’s a Queens thing. Maybe Rek and I will do a remake. Ha.