Art Nouveau Magazine.

Nas recently told reporters, “I’m just a Queensbridge n—a that got rich. … I love pissing people off and stirring up stupid mutha—-as.” Well when he decided to title his upcoming LP Nigger it pissed alot of people off. I was of course thrilled. I’m sad to see he had to change it. I think he should have stuck to it–but oh well. Anyways here is the album cover to his now untitled album which drops July 1st, the same day as Art Nouveau Magazine’s Issue #4. The album cover, which was leaked to the Net, shows Nas’ back severely scarred by what seem to be whip lashings, with the horrific scars forming the letter N.

Guess who’s getting the last laugh? Upper Playground LA, with Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol’s respective retail spaces are. With “The Last Laugh” they will be celebrating their grand opening tomorrow, May 31st, from 1—8PM. There are three retail spaces celbrating the grand opening. A fourth retail space serving as a revolving concept space next door will be occupied by Roland Sands Designs.

Upper Playground LA will also be unveiling their FIFTY24LA Gallery, with an opening show featuring the works of Usugrow, Sam Flores, Jeremy Fish, David Choe, Herbert Baglione, San, Retna, Saber, Alex Pardee, Ron English, Doze Green, Slick, Armsrock and David Ellis. 

For more information hit up UpperPlayground.com.

Source: Juxtapoz Magazine

Streetwear and Hip-Hop music go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. So it’s no surprise that one of the biggest streetwear lines hooked up with one of the top underground rappers for a collaboration t-shirt celebrating the release of Wale’s new mixtape “Mix tape About Nothing.”

You can listen to the mixtape [HERE]

 HUF, the famed San Francisco streetwear/skate retailer started by Keith Hufnagel, must really heart Los Angeles. The clothing line is expanding and opening their 5th location in Los Angeles Saturday, May 31st. The special Satin Sk8-Hi’s are enough to be there. Check it out if you’re in the area.

HUF Los Angeles
410 N. Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Source: Hypebeast 

Krink was recently featured on CNN with a 2-minute long video. Krink is a maker of high-quality markers and inks that is made for use both in the streets and in studio environments. The video covers the beginning of Krink to its dominating state today in the art supply market. They also talk with Craig Costello, the founder of Krink, on how everything got started.

Watch the video [HERE].

Source: Mashkulture

One of New York’s leading sneaker instiutions, Rivington Club has seen collaborations One of New York’s leading sneaker institutions, have seen collaborations with a variety of althetic brands. In their latest team-up with Lacoste, ARC brings forth another dimension of the brands identity with the strong choice of graphics and colors. This collab is set for a July release–right around my birthday time wink, wink–and will be at retailers including Rinvington Club in NYC, Barnery’s NYC, Dover Street Marker and Dieci Corso Como Source. More pics after the jump.

Source: Hypebeast

(more…)

Imagine yourself as James Bond, MacGyver, Houdini, James Dean; people who lived their lives with adventure, love, struggle and strength. We have heroes, role models and rare individuals that inspire the inner navigator to become something great. For Christopher Jernberg this is one aspect that drives his passion for life. With his next collection of pieces entitled Master of Any Situation, Jernberg opens a portal into his complex state of being.

Born into a life similar to that of a Hollywood movie, and then later dumped into harsh reality with loss of money, respect, and ability to find fulfillment, Jernberg had to create a new existence. In his text-paintings words of inspiration and qualities like: enlightened and able, concepts like: improvise, modify, adapt, and overcome and entities such as Jason Bourne, Andy Warhol, and Bruce Lee create a unique autobiographical mosaic. Jernberg explains the “goal in mind of being a better navigator in any situation, internally and externally, redefining my identity and activities; studying nutrition, philosophy, history, wilderness and urban survival, martial arts… mostly anything that made sense in regard to getting a grip on What Is and How-To.”

His art is not only a visually appealing and thought-provoking message but represents a philosophy of life. The pieces are direct, harmonized and lucid in Helvetica and Old English font. Each letter seems to bleed into the other with intentional connectedness, brush strokes stretching to the edge of the canvas creating obscurity in each frame. Often combining different pieces of art creating a collage of imagery the whole then becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Master of Any Situation opens at Gallery Three Annex/DA Arts in San Francisco on Saturday, June 7th and will show through July 19th. Details at www.shootingallerysf.com/gallerythree.

Words: Juxtapoz

So the vocoderized vocals in Hip-Hop don’t seem to be going anywhere–at least anytime soon. Lil’ Kim adds her name to the already high list of whose who rappers that used or are using the effect in their hits. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and now Lil’ Kim. Anyways, the song is kinda hot. It’s not hooky, or catchy, but it will grow on you. Check it out for yourself.

Click Here to Download Lil’ Kim- Respirator

And it seems as if rapper Common and John Legend have more in common than being on the same label–like wanting to hear their usually mellow music played in the club. Both are going in the direction of dance music for the latest efforts. John Legend hooks up with Andre 3000 for his song “Green Light” while Common hooks up with old friends The Neptunes to produce his 80’s nostalgia single “Universal Mind Control.” Both tracks are no doubt bangers, especially the Common track, but are going to alienate their strong fan base. What do you think?

Click here to download John Legend-Green Light
Click here to download Common- Universal Mind Control

Los Angeles artist Carlos Ramos has a solo exhibition of new work titled Natural History Museum Part I coming up at Corey Helford Gallery. For his first solo show in LA, Ramos replicates the natural history museum experience for his audience, fusing the natural world with the art world.

A series of twenty-four large-scale paintings based on classic grand dioramas and a special installation of skeletal structures will transform the gallery into an epicenter of flora and fauna. The concept of the exhibition is based on Ramos’ childhood fascination with natural history museums and the “authoritative” impression they made on him growing up.

Developing a show around a cohesive theme as well as expanding the size and scale of his work mark an exciting new direction for the artist, which has allowed him to explore environments and characters more freely than in the past.
Natural History Museum Part I will open on Saturday, June 28th and will be on view until July 16th. More info at coreyhelfordgallery.com. 

Source: Juxtapoz

One of the biggest, if not the biggest streetwear lines will hold it’s fashion show for it’s new summer collection The Movement Thursday May 29, 2008 at the California Market Center from 8pm - 11pm. With free drinks, food, gift bags, photobooths and all for $5.00 this event sounds like a catch.

RSVP at dressright@danceright.net 

Brandi Milne’s Wonderland solo show will be held at CoproNason gallery on Saturday, June 7th. The show will be filled with pieces that will instantly bring you back to the wonderful world of childhood. Check it our if you’re in the area.

Source: Juxtapoz

You’ve probably already seen the flyers and stickers all around your city of the catchy slogan, “When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold!” They belong to Atmosphere and they’re to promote his new release When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. He’s made his site uber interactive and added a feature which allows users to bomb and tag any on the internet. They even give you a heap of weapons. Go hit up any site. We recommend Art Nouveau Magazine. Wink Wink! Check out the wack shit i did here.

Concepts and Nike SB will team up for a collaborative NIKE SB Dunk called Lobster. The shoe will launch Saturday May 31st. The limited edition shoe is inspired by the seafood heritage that exists in New England. The shoe is available exclusively at Concepts. The first 200 pairs include limited packaging, which includes a t-shirt, lobster claw rubber band, condiment box and a poster. The special pack will be extremely limited to 200 pairs, and will retail for $150 USD and the first 50 pairs will come with a special, limited edition wooden box.

Source: Hypebeast

                                                      Charles Fredrick Worth

Born in England he moved to France in 1846 where he was hired by a well known Persian drapery. He married and French model who modeled bonnets and shawls. It wasn’t long  before he started to make a name for himself in the fashion industry. While married Worth created simple dresses for his wife, it wasn’t long before customers started asking for their own version of worth gowns. His style and art of simplicity revolutionized the French fashion industry in the 19^thcentury; creating gowns for more with fewer materials taking away the excessiveness of ruffles and frills, Worth redefined the female shape.

His creations were worn by some of the finest and most elite from the Empress Eugenie, actress Sarah Bernhardt and notable Courtesan Cora Pearl who was known for her elegance and sexual appeal, she only wore Worth’s gowns because she believe they attracted wealthy men which was proven to be true overtime. She was linked to be the mistress of Napoleon III and many other prominent gentlemen of the 19^th century.

 Worth gave is customer elegance posse and well crafted gowns. After his death Worth’s two sons Gaston and Jean-Phillipe started the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture which directs which mediates fashion institutions and couture houses.

Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie. Apparently Pulp Fiction is artist Kareem Rizk’s favorite film too. Rizk will hold his first solo exhibition featuring 20 new works on canvas called Pulp Fiction at Phone Booth Gallery in California. Visit phoneboothgallery.com for more info.

If you’re in Barcelona check this event out. The Bancal Bancal studio is a new project started by three London-based frenchmen Ivan Smagghe, Danton Eeprom and Tim Paris plus british dj/producer Pete Herbert. From this “Franco English resistance bunker”, as Ivan describe, had already originated some cool tracks including 3 remixes from Ivan Smagghe & Tim Paris (aka It’s A Fine Line) out on Marketing, Tsuba and Soma, one EP + one remix from Ivan Smagghe & Danton Eeprom (aka “La Horse”) due to be released on Fondation and Kill The Dj + one EP with Tim Paris and Pete Herbert (aka “Challenge”) out soon on Marketing. Some Danton and Tim material is also in the pipeline. Bancal Bancal is also a club night featuring Pete Herbert, Danton’s twisted live act and an extensive back2back dj performance from Tim and Ivan. The first edition took place in Paris at Rex club and feedback from clubbers and press has been amazing so far. On thursday june 19th, they will bring the show out of France for the first time, here at BeCool in Barcelona.

In the disco room upstairs Crack & Speed’s Jef K,