Designers Row
Uncle Russ Reachs Out To @kanyewest #100
Found This Via Rapradar.com But Uncle Russ is Sincere what do ya’ll Think ?
It’s been a pretty hectic week for Kanye. Yesterday, Russell Simmons retreated to his site and penned a letter in support for Mr. West. As always, Uncle Rush knows best.
Dear Kanye,
I have early recollections of Damon Dash calling me and forcing me to put you on Def Poetry Jam. I knew your record, “Through The Wire”, but I didn’t know much more. When you took the stage on Def Poetry Jam that night, and spit those genuine, heartfelt words, I witnessed your specialness that Damon had emphatically told me about.
From that moment on, you became a poet who has inspired the poets. I have proudly watched your career since then, and in case someone has missed the obvious, you are making a historical impact on music. Your life story took a tough turn with the passing of your mother. Although we grieved with you, we never really knew how much pain you were in. We witnessed your moment at the MTV Music Awards and many of us dismissed it as, “oh that is just Kanye being Kanye.” The hard part of all of this, is that we have all had moments in our lives that have been challenging, painful and hard to overcome, however most of us just hide our emotions and never deal with that inner-struggle that we face on a daily basis. As an artist, Kanye, you have always looked inside for your inspiration…always exuding emotions that are in us, but that we never expose. That is what artistry is about…to look inside for what is unique. With your journey towards a higher level of consciousness, a journey that we all are on, you have shown through your art a commitment to greatness.
The thirty minute film you most recently made was beyond brilliant. Brilliance is not a word that can even begin to describe your ability to paint vibrant, vivacious, colorful yet muted paintings of poetry, music, costume, art, design and most important, passion. The passion you put into your new album is why I stayed up all those nights in the early 80′s trying to get DJs and radio stations to play our records. I knew this day would come. Actually, maybe I didn’t know, but I really, really hoped it would. I didn’t work this hard when I was your age to watch the culture go the wrong way. And you, my friend, just took us to another level. I am simply in awe.
With this power, as you know, comes great responsibility. I am saying nothing you haven’t heard before. When you spoke about President Bush during the Katrina telethon, it was not the particulars of your words that mattered, it was the essence of a feeling of the insensitivity towards our communities that many of us have felt for far too long. It was the image of the President, our President, the President of the United States Of America, peering out the window of an airplane, as the people on the ground were drowning, that hurt us the most. For centuries, our people have relentlessly tread water as hard as they could to stay afloat, and here we were, literally drowning, and it felt like the President was insensitive. There is no need to apologize, Kanye. You spoke from your heart and that is all we will ever ask from you. Don’t be afraid of the press, as your art is your blueprint, thanks to Jay-Z, your big brother, we will always carry our destiny in our own hands. You are are an artist whose art is masterful. You are a servant to this world who no matter how hard it gets, keeps on giving. Giving gifts that inspire us, challenge us and motivate us to be better family and friends.
Keep on, Kanye. Keep on. We love you. We cherish you. And we will always have your back.
-Russell Simmons
Read more
Pocket Guide: Men’s Fall | Winter Trends 2010-2011 recap
This covers a few basic fall & winter trends that all Urban Gentlemen should know… to see the full fashion choices PDF visit the Post @ The Urban Gent
Okay, we have something more to hold you guys over until our, well, “surprise.”
We’ve created a Mini Pocket Guide for Men’s Fall|Winter 2010-2011 Trends and Styles.
Crew necks: You may or may not have noticed the change, but designers are slowly switching back to the classic crew necks and moving away from the wide scoop necks and trendy v-necks. Of course you can still do a slight V if needed, but a classic crew will suit you, and all your masculinity, best.
Selvedge Denim: Everywhere I go, I find myself getting into “deep” conversations about selvedge denim… people are obsessed, some are a bit too passionate (usually the newbies), but it’s understandable. Be sure to invest in atleast one pair of selvedge denim.
MINI Lesson on Selvedge Denim: “What is Selvedge/Selvage Denim?”
Selvedge denim is basically premium denim, its the crème de la crème of the denim family. “Selvedge” describes the way the fabric is produced. The denim is made on a shorter loom, making the time to create them longer. In a pair of selvedge jeans you can actually see where the weaving stops and is finished by the loom… long story short: if you flip a pair of selvedge jeans inside out you can see the production and “self-edged” finish. The quality is higher, the fabric is heavier and more durable, and more thread is used to create them. Some companies mark their jeans on the selvedge with a woven stitch in a certain color. Some even mark the inside selvedge line with their company’s name.
What folks love most about selvedge denim is that you can “wear them in” yourself- so no fake wear marks (even though these days some companies will scuff em a bit). Within 6 months of wearing them the jeans will customized to your body… some will argue longer times, many people wear their’s for a year without washing to “completely” break them in… honestly the “breaking in” time all depends on how often you wear them.
***
Classic Boots: Whether it’s vintage or workwear inspired, you must have a pair of quality classic boots. Some may go with duck boots, others may opt for chukkas, while the manliest will be keen on rugged utility boots. Choose your favorite brand and style in a color that fits your wardrobe and make it your staple. Or choose several to increase your fall and winter footwear options.
Hint Of Camo: You heard it here first. Just give em a hint of fatigue this fall and winter. Unless you’re a solider, we need not see you in all over army fatigue… not yet anyway. Just a hint… a jacket, socks, a bag, whatever you like.
Canvas: Whether you sport a canvas backpack, watch, or jacket… its the chosen material for so many stylish things these days.
Stay Tuned for the Complete Guide.
You might also like:
Read more
Artist of the Week: San Francisco’s One-Man Band, Nicholas Ng, aka, Fiveng
Artist of the Week: San Francisco’s One-Man Band, Nicholas Ng, aka, Fiveng
The brilliant bliss pop compositions by San Francisco one-man band, Fiveng, are immediately infectious, especially for fans of Animal Collective and the long, long list of artists and bands that have made a name for themselves in the so-called chillwave genre; a genre that has quickly become one of the most popular and innovative styles of ‘new’ music in the latter half of the first decade of a new century.
But Fiveng, who is actually Nicholas Ng, is not merely one of the artists along for the ride; he is quickly establishing himself as a respected and amazingly talented artist of his own right. After listening to the five tracks that he has made available so far, Ng is easily one of the stand-outs in “chillwave revolution.”
Despite a much-earned, glowing endorsement from Pitchfork, and positive reviews on other blogs, Ng hasn’t really ‘hit it’ yet. The fact that none of the music junkies we know have ever heard of him is one indicator of that. Therefore, it’s our bet that a lot of people that come to this page over the next week or so are likely to be in for a pleasant surprise.
Ng’s musical arrangements are absolutely genius – from the blissed out synth key playing, xylophones, and Nature samples to shimmering guitars, exotic percussions and glorious vocal harmonies on par with Panda Bear’s. It just blows our minds that this guy no one ever heard of before comes out of nowhere and throws down such brilliant and unforgettable music. Ng’s songs are pop jems that should be in every bloggers mixtapes and on every pop lovers iPod. The best place to start is with the track “Jonah”, a watery, summertime glo-pop masterpiece. That, and the glistening synth pop gem, “Easy”, are two of our favorite songs of the second half of 2010.
“Jonah” – Fiveng from debut 7″
“Give Me A Taste” – Fiveng from debut 7″
Check out his Bandcamp page and Fiveng’s MySpace page.
Read more
Abstract Floral Backgrounds Free Download
Abstract Floral Backgrounds
5eps | jpg preview | 7.03mb
Abstract Floral Backgrounds
5eps | jpg preview | 7.03mb
Download Links: hotfile depositfiles
Read more