I just wanted to extend a special congratulation to Vintage Limited artist Wordsmith. Earlier last week, his “Bridging the Gap” LP, which he cut with the legendary Chubb Rock, was named the fourth best music album of the year by a local artist. Check out the review by Baltimore City Paper feature writer Bret McCabe.
http://www.citypaper.com/special/story.asp?id=19446
Back in March, I gained exclusive backstage access to Sonar, Baltimore’s premier venue for live performances. At that time, I didn’t have this blog, but figured this was as good an opportunity as any to post exclusive photos I took at the show. That evening Rakim and 80’s legend Chubb Rock were passing through town for one night, and the place was packed wall to wall, mostly with older hip hop heads. But it was also reassuring to see younger ones as well who could appreciate two Golden Agers doing their thing.
The concert event was sponsored by Busy B Ent. If you recognize the name, then you’re in the know. Busy B was made famous (or infamous) during one of the first recorded rap battles ever. His opponent? None other than Kool Moe Dee. Busy B lost that night, but it became a jumping off point for all future battlers and is still talked about as a watershed event in the history of hip hop culture.
Our own artist Wordsmith was also on hand at Sonar and took the stage during Chubb’s set to hype up the crowd. If you didn’t already know from following Wordsmith, he recently finished up a collaboration album with Chubb Rock called “Bridging the Gap” and we expect it to be distributed through Koch sometime soon. In the meantime, his first solo album “Vintage Material” is scheduled for March 2010. So be on the lookout!
Afterwards, I visited Chubb and Wordsmith in the green room (yes, those rooms are literally green) and snapped a few photos and we all talked a little bit. Chubb needed to push off eventually (he had a show in Michigan the next day), so we parted ways, and I was off. I also got a shot with him.
Those of you who wanted to see more of our model, our clothes, and good graffiti don’t have to pick! Your boy Trey P. is hooking you up with exclusive photos from a shoot I did earlier this year for DC’s hottest entertainment magazine On Tap.
The model is one Samantha Reynard (you saw her in this season’s lookbook), the graffiti is an ongoing project of Tons of Fun, a museum/show venue/art collective located off North Avenue in Baltimore City, and the clothing…well…it’s Vintage, baby.
A lot of the photos have been wasting away on my computer’s hard drive and I figured it was time to share them with you guys. Drop a comment or two and let me know what you think and if you want to see more! It’s a way for me to share my love of art with you all.
God bless
So I’ve recently been thinking about my top albums for 2009. I’ve come up with a handful in no particular order. I encourage any of you who haven’t to go take a listen.
Modern Marvels by Theory Hazit - there’s just something about a beatsmith who is deadly on the turntables and can also rap over his own beats that makes Modern Marvels a remarkable pick for me. Great lyricism, solid production work, and guilt-free samples makes Theory Hazit one of my all-time favorites.
Make sure you pick up a copy from my friends over at Sphere of Hip hop.
Attention Deficit by Wale – the rapper who told us about chillin’ in DC with Lady Gaga before the new pop queen became Ms. Thing and who broke through a DMV sign in the video (reminiscent of NWA’s “Express Yourself” video) made his big break this year. What I didn’t expect to hear on the album were songs like “Contemplate” and “Shades” which speak to issues that not even his Rockafella friends like Jay-Z could get at. I agree with another magazine when they said “Wale is the thinking man’s Lil’ Wayne. His range is one reason why he stands out this year.
Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City by Ghostface Killah – get past the incessant sexual references, which at times becomes tediously repetitious, and you’ve got a high-quality album that punches through with great production value. And with cameos by Kanye West and Ne-Yo, there is plenty of extras. Notable is the almost unstoppable use of R&B vocals mixed with hip hop that gives the album a catchy, whimsical feel despite the R-rated subject matter.
Before the Twilight by JustMe – The one-part rapper from the Scribbling Idiots crew will be lucky if he sells a couple hundred copies, and yet still, in my mind, Before the Twilight ranks as one of the most complete albums of the year. There’s no doubt that JustMe pulled from an almost endless reservoir of experience to create a banger that talks about his faith in Christ, his love for his wife, and more mundane things such as how they patch up holes in Kentucky using ducttape. Hats off to Commissioner Gordon and the slamming beats that find their way onto almost every track without fail.
Second Season by Yoshi Blessed – This is perhaps my sleeper entry because I’m sure when most people think of a Japanese emcee they immediately want to sleep on him. But Yoshi Blessed is one guy who demonstrates just how far the traditional influences of hip hop reach across borders and oceans. Yoshi might speak Japanese over his tracks but his ear is all a tribute to the West (as in Western Hemisphere, not West Coast). Tracks like “Blind” “Father” (a collaboration with Braille), and “Amazin’ Love” are some of the reasons why Yoshi comes across as a true talent. I hope to hear more of his positivity in 2010…even if I’m at a slight disadvantage for not speaking his language!
Just wanted to drop my readers a quick note. Here at Vintage, we’re constantly making moves while at the same time balancing jobs and families. Thursday night, I had the pleasure of catching up with up-and-coming MMA fighter Dave Daniecki. Daniecki, who is undefeated in professional competition, will be joining the Vintage Clothing Limited family as we set our sights on another venue where heart, determination, and willpower all play a significant role. We’re proud to be sponsoring Daniecki and we’ll keep you posted with more as it comes together, and in particular with a major event he’ll be headlining at Baltimore’s First Mariner Arena in March 2010.
Souls of Mischief just dropped a new album this week and it reminded me of when I last heard these cats on ‘93 Till Infinity. The Bay area group with their upbeat delivery made room for other acts to follow like The Pharcyde. Back in the days, every so often a savvy DJ at his radio station could spot talented lyricists with something to say and give the song the radio play it deserved. And just as we use music as a way to remember milestones in our lives, ’93 Till Infinity was one of the more notable jams the one semester I spent at the University of Maryland in College Park. The beat was hypnotic. The rhymes were quick, carefree, and a break from the harsher West Coast gangster vibe that was murdering the scene (literally).
Back in those days, the guys were on Jive Records but have since made off on their own label these days. When I think vintage material I think Souls. You can talk all you want about instant classics (Kanye does it all the time), but if people are talking about your music 16 years down the road, wishing you back in the game but knowing the genre is too far gone to feel it, a genre that subsists only off what my man Kaboose calls “Bubble Gum Rap,” then there’s something to be said for longevity.
As the line from the song goes, “It’s the pits not being dipped.” True dat.
I found this pretty cool. I don’t think Wale himself will be present, but those in his inner circle who report back to Mr. never-wear-the-same-thing will. And they are using the next three Mondays in December at Pure Lounge to find talent to open up for Wale’s big return-to-DC concert on January 1st, 2010.
Return to DC? Well, if you haven’t heard, Wale has blown up a bit and he’s been traveling the country on the excitement surrounding his new album, which has been receiving critical acclaim (4 stars by XXL). I actually thought it was a great first effort and I’m a fan. So do you have the talent it takes? Go down to DC and find out for yourself.
The Louis Vuitton Don is back and this time he’s hinting at a return to fashion. If you remember, E Online! was first to report a few months back that Mr. West cancelled plans to bring out his line, due to time constraints and possibly not enough interest. Since then, he’s been forced to play second fiddle and do collabs with Louis Vuitton on their line of upscale tennis shoes. Things have however changed when last night West was spotted in Sweden and informed the crowd that he was currently working on a project with Fendi in Rome and was in Sweden to check out the fashion scene. Is this the beginning of a new beginning? Could we see a Pastelle line by Spring 2010? Time can only tell. But knowing West and his insatiable desire for attention, my thought is simply this: don’t sleep on him!
If you’ve been combing Karma Loop (www.karmaloop.com) lately looking for a jacket or coat to set off that perfect outfit or just something to help brave those frigid winter temperatures, you may have come across Triple F.A.T. Goose. The F.A.T. means “for artic temperatures,” and although you might not make it that far south for the winter, when it’s cold outside, there’s nothing that holds its own quite like the Goose.
If you’re young and your teen years were spent in this past decade, you might not realize that when Run D.M.C. was still putting out hits, when Public Enemy was telling us all to fight the power, and gangster rap was just taking off on the West Coast, Triple F.A.T. was holding it down as the premiere heavy coat outfitter. When the company first exploded on the scene in 1987, like Nike Air Jordans and Starter jackets, having a Triple F.A.T. on your back was a status symbol that most of us couldn’t afford.
After almost twenty years in remission, F.A.T. reemerged last season with some killer drops and they are doing more of the same this season. But they haven’t stopped with heavy goose-feather stuffed coats, which has traditionally been their market niche. They are also enlisting a full range of clothing wares, including hats, vests, sweatshirts, and t-shirts – all of which look fabulous.
My favorites have to be the faux leather hat with ear flaps and the gorgeous dual stripe nylon down jacket, which is currently available through Karma Loop and comes in at 190.00 dollars. Throwing a Triple F.A.T. over my Vintage t-shirt seems like a smart fashion assignment, now all that’s missing is the green to do it!
