Koohl Cardi is an artist that I recently came across from my friends over at Elusion Clothing. After listening to a few of his tracks, I know that he’s destined for greatness. He raps about real-life situations that people can relate too, which is very refreshing as these days all you hear from rappers is about drugs, women, cars, and clothes. Hit the download link below to download his “Midnight Snack” mixtape.
DOWNLOAD LINK: Koohl Cardi – “Midnight Snack” Mixtape
Here’s a re-cap of our good friends over at NiceKicks.com grand opening of their first retail store which opened up in Austin, Texas on February 27th. The doors opened up at 11am with hundreds of people lined up outside the store. Bun B was present for the opening of the flagship store to meet and greet customers and release the official Nice Kicks x Bun B tee.
On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, The Leaders of the New Cool, the premier traveling showcase featuring emerging urban artists, returns to New York City! In the last 6 months we’ve hit NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles with capacity shows featuring the stars of tomorrow.
The upcoming Leaders of the New Cool NYC installment will be particularly special as we’ll be debuting the “Don’t Quit Your Day Job” contest based on Angela Yee’s Sirius Radio segment of the same name. The “Don’t Quit Your Day Job” winner will be selected by our industry panel featuring Shani Gonzales (National Director A&R, Def Jam Universal), Walt Jones (Manager of A&R Creative, Sony ATV Publishing) and Ryan Press (National Director A&R, Warner/Chappell Publishing).
Following “Don’t Quit Your Day Job”, we will have the featured performers…
Curren$y
Stalley
Skotch Davis
Tiara Wiles
Nero
Mikkey Halsted
Esso
Rich Hil
Hosted by Angela Yee (Sirius)
Sounds by DJ Absolut (Hot 97)
Don’t miss the one music showcase that counts. Like Q-Tip said about the last NYC installment of The Leaders of the New Cool…”This is the future!”
$10.00 Pre-Sale Tickets Available Now –> http://tinyurl.com/lotncnyc
Full Interview HERE
G5-Gi feels like now is as good a time as any to leave his mark on the industry. He has mainstream marketability, but his stand against “cookie cutter music” is what makes him appeal to all music lovers. Out of Upstate New York G5-Gi has an unique and distinctive sound. He initially got people listening after making an appearance on DJ Green Lantern’s Monster Mash volume 2 mixtape in early 2008. Shortly thereafter, he appeared on the So Far Gone Tour with Drake.
I just recently caught on to G5-Gi a few weeks ago, so hit the jump to get to know him…
Where you reppin:
Upstate NY, where its colder than a mufo!!!
Introduce yourself:
I’m the CEO of hip-hop’s fly fraternity First Class G5-Gi aka Sean Corey. I’m an ambassador for organic hip-hop, and I am here to save the world.
Where did the name G5-Gi come from?
G.I. is acronym for ghetto intelligence, that was the name of my big brothers first EP. That EP went “Hood Gold.” You, know about 300-500 copies sold out the truck around the hood.
Main musical inspirations:
Well there are a couple phrases that inspire me the most. “No cookie cutter music” and “Rid the bullshit” But Marvin Gaye, Al Green, B.I.G., and of course the big homie Curren$y the Hotspitta all are dope spins.
When did you fall in love with hip hop?
At the age of 12. I would always go with my brother when he hit the studio. Its like he loved it and he used to tell our story through the music. I would sit there and zone out. I mean, I was a shorty, so I had to just sit there. But, the beat and the rhythm kinda just pulled me in!
Current projects we should be looking out for:
Well I been on this crazy mixtape grind. “Free Quality Music” is what I call it. I’m making sure no sleeps on me, because its free!!! So right now that’s my wave. The next title project is called Adultswim. Also, I’m working on a project with Trademark da $kydiver and Kashflow out in New Orleans – I can’t give you anymore detail than that but its dope and be on the lookout for that. Shout out $upervillan Inc.©
Previous work that we should know about:
Most definitely yo should know about DJ Green Lantern’s Monster Mash vol. 2. It was released in 2008. That’s what got the people listening to G5-Gi and taking me seriously. [shit, that’s when I started taking myself more seriously. Laughs]. More recently, I have the Ear Drum Kush tape circulating online, and the follow up, Free Lunch [download]. I also, have tracks galore floating around in cyber space – a google search [G5-Gi] should bring it all home.
If you had to pick one song that defines your career to date, what song would that be?
Willie Hutch – “The Glow” [laughing] I know you remember that old classic flick Berry Gordy wrote and directed “The Last Dragon.” It was on that sound track.
Why should the readers and fans give you a shot and listen to your music from here on out?
First and foremost, MY MUSIC IS FREE [smiles]. Also, I put my life on all these tracks. Sometimes I rap about what growin up in the hood and being different is like, sometimes I rap about what I dream about. Either way, it’s me raw uncut and unscripted. I package it all up in a cool ass delivery for you. In my music there is something for everyone. Even my mom’s listen to it – the dope boys and skateboarders are diggin it too. Oh, and did I mention its Free?
If you could only take one record on a deserted island with you, what album would that be?
It would have to be Queens Bridge native Nature “For all Seasons” Album hands down.
What’s next for you?
Besides my reign of “killin these blogs,” I’m gonna continue this six month run of putting out free quality music and hoping the world just knows my name and my music when that run is complete. I’ve learned that with the direction of music, for an artist to be respected you have to prove yourself and keep giving people product. I will continue to rage war against the machine I’ll tell you that much. I just want everyone to know my name honestly.
Any shout outs or last words?
Shout out to my team First Class that’s my team look out for them, I’m just the cover boy for a fly fraternity of rap spitters. Trust me! Shout out my manager D. Jackson. Shout out $upervillain Inc©, most importantly, Shout out everyone reading this post and to my fans old and new, and anyone who has ever took the time to listen to a G5-Gi track because without all of you my voice would be null and void. Oh and definitely shout out Kevin Nottingham (dot) com for looking out and keeping the people in the know about who is up next in the game. Let me just say shout out to anyone I didn’t mention, if you showed me love and been down the whole crazy ride you know who you are, so charge it to my brain and not my heart.
“I pushed the tape release date to today because I didn’t want the court date to be the sour taste of the day. I changed the track listing around and some tracks got cut. I wanted to put out a tape full of feel good shit. You know that Mars Blackman type of vibe. I brought back a few fan fav joints like Maria, Shake It Off…”
– G5-Gi
ALL our Cross Colours are on sale!! ORDER UP!! CLICK HERE
Dee & Ricky – Episode 1
“Sometimes people live life as spectators and some are active participants in life’s processes. Twin socialites, Dee and Ricky, live life with an ADD mentality switching through scenarios like a Ritalin deficient pre-teen with a remote control. Following the two on a day in the life takes us from the bustling Lower East Side of NYC to the hoods of Staten Island and back as the two show us the makings of their omnipresence on the NYC scene. The creativity of their customized clothing, the inner workings of their entrepreneurial Lego Brooch empire and dinners with up-and-coming art star Kehinde Wiley are all on display as Creative Control brings you Dee and Ricky – Episode 1.”
Click HERE to watch the full video.
A pair of brothers who are trying to build a fashion empire brick by brick on Staten Island say its success is the result of unique exposure. NY1’s Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.
For twin brothers Dee and Ricky Jackson, their foray into fashion began by simply being seen.
“Being ubiquitous and around all the time. We would go to random parties and or being like in the downtown scene and we just acquainted with people and people just loved us. Us being us. Being different. Always bringing something cool to the table,” said Ricky Jackson.
At the moment, that table is full of LEGOs, the building blocks of the business they run out of their home in Staten Island’s Arlington Terrace Apartments. The 21 year olds make being fashion moguls seem like child’s play, creating handmade items, like heart pins that sell for anywhere from $50 to $125. It’s an idea that clicked with designer Marc Jacobs as well as some big name celebrities.
With no business degree or high school diploma, the Jacksons say they’ve learned how to build a business the hard way and they’re still learning. Their pieces aren’t trademarked, and while there are knock offs, they say nothing compares to a true original that bears their signature — a LEGO logo of sorts.
“We had a couple of pieces printed, like our faces printed on the tile. It’s our exact faces but like a cartoon,” said Dee Jackson.
“I feel like if you’re gonna buy it from us, you’re supporting us, because we started it and it’s all about respect and support,” said Ricky Jackson.
Now that their LEGO empire has clicked, the brothers are busy building up their brand. They recently teamed with designers Max and Maggie on a line of silver LEGO-inspired jewelry that will be on sale this year at Barneys.
The young men are also branching out to other nonconventional materials — like ties and shirts made from Tyvek. They’ve also created bags and laptop cases out of vintage starter jackets they mostly obtain off eBay.
Jay-Z and Lebron James are among the clients shelling out hundreds of dollars for these one of a kinds. And while they are happy creating what they like, when the idea strikes, what they ultimately want to create is something even bigger. They want the Dee and Ricky brand to act as an umbrella, allowing them to be ubiquitous in any number of different fields.”
“Inspired by HiBlogTV stoners doing their Mike Posner imitation, Dope Couture works up a comical new collabo t-shirt with Posner featuring the Drug Dealer Squirrel character. The shirt features a sexy squirrel character among a re-appropriated Gucci crest design tagged with a reworked Braintrust logo on the backside. Only 200 shirts were produced for men and only 100 shirts were produced for women. They will be available via the Dope Couture online store and as well as in-store. These drop on January 29th, 2010.”
Thoughts?
Filmed in Dubai over 5 days and nights.
Shot on the Canon 7D, 2×5DmkII and one Panasonic GF1
Thoughts?
