Shepard Fairey

It's not exactly news that Shepard Fairey has gone from being a street artist to the most known name in art.

Last year he created one of the most iconic images of the century which has now earned him an unjust lawsuit by The Asscoaited Press for copyright infringement. As if the lawsuit wasn't enough Shepard was also arrested by suspiciously Boston Police on the night of his art show. It has now been reported that the Boston police may have violated his civil rights and may have even tried to use Shepard's arrest as a catalyst to incite a riot in front of the show as a way to implicate the mayor of Boston as a supporter of a criminal.




I could only imagine the roller coaster this last year has been for him. I actually got to hang out with Shepard on a few occasions and even went bombing with him. Shepard played a huge role in the skateboarding/street aesthetic culture when he moved to San Diego. He created a lot of the earlier Obey Campaign designs in SD before eventually relocating to Los Angeles. He was enormously influential in the SD skate/art community.

For what it is worth I felt compelled to write this post because I have a huge amount of respect for Shepard. I've been privileged to meet a lot of the people I've looked up to in art, music, fashion, film, and the like and there is nothing I respect more than humility. Shepard has earned his stripes. He has bombed his posters and imagery all over the world and been jailed for it more times than you can count. He is the real deal. He remembers everyone by name and even when he's in the middle of huge installation or a dj set he'll stop what he's doing and shoot the shit with you. He is very open about where he gets inspiration from both in his design and concepts. He is an avid historian of youth/music culture and seeks the authenticity in everything he touches and puts his name on.

When I was beginning to design my second line for Militree Shepard was cool enough to let me convince him that Big L needed to get the Shepard Fairey treatment. My point was that Big L deserved to be in the same pantheon of artists that Shepard had immortalized in his posters, I told him that there will be a million 2Pac and Biggie tributes, but that Big L was as equally talented, but was murdered in the midst of his prime before gaining main stream attention.

See below:



The point is this:

Some people get successful and forget where they came from and why they started doing what it is they do in the first place, but thankfully Shepard Fairey is not one of those people. He is opening doors that were once closed to our sub-culture and is making a path so that others can follow his trail. It's hard to see the true impact of a legend when they are in their prime and it is usually only visible once they are no longer with us, but if you look for the signs carefully you'll see it is happening right here and now.



Links:

OBEYGIANT

Clay Davis

This picture is only funny if you watch The Wire.

"Sheeeeeeeeeeiiitttt...."


See below if you want in on the awesomeness that is Clay Davis:

Would You Rather

I've been thinking about coming up with some more interactive features for SDTW and "Would You Rather" is something I do at work all day so why not include you all in on the fun and somewhat heated discussions that spurs up when you get a real tough one.

So let's go ahead and get this started.

Would You Rather



Have your girlfriend/wife/special someone have only one leg for the rest of her life which would be removed painlessly in her sleep.

Or...



Would you rather she have a permanent mustache that could not be shaved off or removed or altered in anyway. We are talking Magnum P.I style 'stache for life.

Put your answers and reasons in the comments.

Inglorious Bastards

Quentin Tarantino is back. This time with a movie about Nazi hunters. Is there a better villain than the Nazis? I think not. Unless you count zombie puppy rapists, but I still think Nazis are probably a bigger draw at the box office.

Photo of The Day

I wish I could pull off this look.

Photo of The Day

Simple.

The Muslims = The Soft Pack

Anyone who says good music never comes out of San Diego is pretty much right. San Diego does not have any of the things you need to mold great bands and the like.

San Diego has poor areas, dangerous areas, swap meets, gun crime, and that whole lot, but the biggest culprit or reason why no good music ever comes out of San Diego is the sun.

Yup.

It's the gat damn perfect year round weather which soaks into your body and f*cks with your brain. It makes it's victims apathetic and just plain old unmotivated. It's also hard to be extremely pissed off when you're wearing shorts in January.

I'm digressing. The Muslims are actually really good. Too good for San Diego at least. They now go by the name The Soft Pack which isn't bad, but it certainly sucks when compared to its predecessor. As far as sound I would say they are sort of Velvet Underground ish' maybe a little Stooges thrown in for good measure. I'm no indie rock expert so I can't call it, but "Extinction" is my new favorite song at the moment and that has to count for something.


Track Listing:

1. Right and Wrong
2. Beside Myself
3. Call It A Day
4. Future Rock
5. On My Time
6. Religion
7. American
8. Extinction
9. Nightlife
10. Bright Side



Download:

The Muslims "Self Titled"

Vybz Kartel "Ramping Shop"

I'm sure only 3 people who read SDTW have any idea what this about, but essentially the Jamaican media is all up in arms about a popular style of dance called "daggering" which is just basically a way more involved form of freaking that has been around for years.

Recently a lot of big tunes that focus solely on the subject matter of daggering have been called into question.

So our buddy Vybz Kartel decided to write a response to one of the writers of The Gleaner that put him on blast.

I just find it funny how one of the dancehall's biggest "badman" penned such an eloquent and well thought out response.

"Kartel begins the letter … “This is a response to an article written by Esther Tyson and supported by the rest of the social hypocrites who claim Rampin’ Shop is musical poison.

Ms Tyson, the “devastating impact on the psyche of Jamaican children” is not caused by ‘daggerin’ songs but rather by socio-economic conditions which leave children without free education, single-parent homes, (or shacks), the lack of social infrastructure in ghetto communities, unemployed and disenfranchised young men with no basic skills who are caught up in the ‘gun culture’ cultivated by our politicians in the 1960s-’70s, all faults of the governments (PNP and JLP).“

He goes on to say … “Rampin’ Shop is just as easily accessible to the public as are porn sites on the internet via laptop or phone; as accessible as ‘R’-rated movies or carnival revellers ‘daggerin’ uptown in broad daytime on our local and cable television stations.“

He closes with … “Ms Tyson, the “decent, well-thinking citizens of Jamaica” as you put it, love Rampin’ Shop; only a few hypocrites are against it, at least publicly. I encourage you to use your obviously lengthy spare time to write about things that actually affect the nation …“

It's no secret that hip-hop/rap have become the modern day soap opera. I can't say that I don't follow it to some degree i.e 50 and Officer Rawse, but when people start talking about how this dude is hard or that dude is the hardest I tend to laugh because nobody really knows.

I came across this insightful article that seems pretty legit on some of hip hop's biggest goons and the actual street credentials cited almost like a term on paper on hardness.

My boy Uncle Murda made the list, but you should already know that.

Link:
Best Rap Goons

If you can't find the humor in Blazing Saddles then you are missing the point entirely.

The last line is the best.

Nike SB

Here's a small peak at a new Nike Blazer SB that my partner Justin designed. It's all about the details kids.

Youth Of Today

Youth of Today was practically a revolving down when it came to people leaving and joining the band. Members of the band have come from bands like Judge, Death Before Dishonor, Gorilla Biscuits, Straight Ahead, Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All, just to name a few.

None of that really matters because this is just straight up positive hardcore.

Get it.

Download:
Youth Of Today "Break Down The Walls"

SDTW Turns 1,000!!!

That's right. This is the 1,000th post. I don't know whether I should be stoked or concerned that I may be a blogging junky.

At any rate thanks to all the people who check SDTW everyday and send emails.

MF Doom Vaudeville Villain

I think Doom is an acquired taste. He isn't the best in my book by any means. I consider his music more of what I call "headphone rap". It's stuff that I like to draw to or put on when I'm not doing anything. Doom rhymes mostly in non sequiturs, but will sometimes pen detailed albeit bizarre stories about fictitious comic book like worlds and what have you.

Love em or hate em he probably isn't going anywhere.

And by the way when is that Doom/Ghostface album dropping? It was supposed to happen like 3 years ago. Get with it guys.

Download:
MF Doom "Vaudeville Villain"

Big Daddy Kane Trailer

Kane ruled hip-hop before you even born. Hopefully this documentary makes it to theaters.