Q: How has hip-hop changed since you helped found it in the early 80s?

A: Hip-hop went through different stages, from the beginning in the streets of the Bronx, to the whole Tri-State area and then to the rest of the United States and the rest of the world. Now it’s an international movement. I predict it will become intergalactic as we become intergalactic humans traveling to different planets in our universe.

Q: Is there anything that worries you about the state of hip-hop today?

A: What worries me are these so-called radio stations with program directors who don’t play all the different flavors of hip-hop. They should play the old with the new, 24/7, 365 days a year. A lot of these program directors are just jiving around and not playing all the good music for the people.

Q: Anything else that troubles you?

A: A lot of times, when people say hip-hop, they don’t know what they’re talking about. They just think of the rappers. When you talk about hip-hop, you’re talking about the whole culture and movement. You have to take the whole culture for what it is.

Q: Is that frustrating?

A: It’s very frustrating, because many people who keep claiming “I’m hip-hop” don’t really know jack-crap about hip-hop. They’re just following what they see on MTV or what they’ve read in some magazine. But they never come back to the architecture of hip-hop and the pioneers of hip-hop.

Q: What are some encouraging trends in hip-hop?

A: It’s brought more people together on this planet, with many so-called races and nationalities, than all the politicians put together. That’s the greatness of hip-hop culture. When people can be among each other and party together and feel good.

Q: You’ve always gotten people interested in what you’re doing as an artist. What’s the secret to making people excited about your work?

A: It’s all based on funk and spirituality. You treat people with greatness and greatness will come back to you.

To see the full article click HERE

Q: How has hip-hop changed since you helped found it in the early

International street artists are currently conquering the art market, with auction houses, collectors, and galleries demanding top prices for their work. This book and DVD package features interviews with key artists including Banksy, Futura, Ramm:ell:zee, Os Gemeos, Invader, Barnstormers, WK Interact, Zevs, Blek le Rat, André, Noki, and Eine. Graffiti-inspired street art pioneers Futura, Ramm:ell:zee, and Blek le Rat discuss their own work, how street art was born out of the days of subway train graffiti, spraypainting and tagging, and how the new movement of street artists are doing things differently.

Filmed in New York, London, Paris, São Paulo, and Tokyo, the accompanying documentary shows the artists at work: Zevs practicing his “Visual Kidnappings” of advertising billboards, Blek le Rat sticking up outsized stencils, Os Gemeos painting their lyrical, folklore-inspired murals; and Invader putting up his unique mosaic wall tile images.

Goetz Werner is a TV director and print journalist, and a regular contributor to Lodown magazine. Sebastian Peiter is Managing Director of UK based TV company Urban Canyons Ltd, and Series Producer of the URBANATION TV series.

Didn’t get that hip-hop vibe the last time you walked into Starbucks? Well, things are about to change.

Just a short week ago, Starbucks released it’s first hip-hop compilation titled Back In The Day: A Summertime Hip-Hop Mix. The songs on the album hail from hip-hop’s glory days of the late 80s and early 90s, a beautiful time when you couldn’t walk down the street without hearing a fresh beat and smooth rapper. A decade when hip-hop greatly expanded its audience, but still stayed true to its original art form.

The artists featured on the album include: De La Soul, D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Queen Latifa, Coolio and many other rap legends. The compilation of songs were selected with the hot summer sun in mind and the album gives of that warm, chill vibe that is necessary for all outdoor summer event.

Sneke, a world famous graffiti artist from Seattle, Washington’s hip-hop scene, created the album’s cover art.

Back In The Day will remind you that coffee and hip-hop really do belong together.

It’s not clear whether Nick Brandreth is a full-time photographer and part-time adventurer, or if it’s the other way around. The New Jersey native can usually be found behind the lens, on a mountain bike, building trails in the woods, or with his small pack of Brittany Spaniels. While growing up, Nick was a wrestler competing on the state and national level.

First famous for his art and then famous for being famous, Jean-Michel Basquiat is a legend. And nowadays, every legend deserves their own movie.

Here’s where Tamra Davis comes in. Davis who was a friend of Basquiat’s filmed an interview in 1985, where their mutual friend Becky Johnson asked questions and Basquiat subtly and brilliantly answered. The footage from that interview has never been shown publicly before, but now over 20 years after his death, Davis has put together a movie surrounding that interview. Besides for the actual interview footage, the movie includes commentary from close friends of Basquiat like Julian Schnabel, Fab 5 Freddy, Annina Nosei and Suzanne Mallouk giving us details on the artists remarkable, yet short life. The Radiant Child allows us a glimpse into Basquiat’s brilliant mind, but leaves us saddened that a man who was so innovative and  possessed such talent couldn’t stick around for longer.

Basquiat began his career as a graffiti artist and later became a neo-expressionist painter with Andy Warhol as one of his top admirers. On August 12, 1988 Basquiat died of heroin overdose in New York City.

Jean-Michel Basquiat will forever be remembered.

The Radiant Child is in theaters now.

You might not realize it, but you know Chris Robinson. He’s a film director who creates music videos and television commercials, and he has helped define hip-hop culture with his iconic images, all of which spring to life through his inimitable lens.

Robinson’s videos employ strong imagery and unique locations to help explain the true meanings behind the songs, showing the artist as a real person beyond all of the expensive jewelry and fancy cars. His vision shatters boundaries and, more important, helps break new artists.

His clients make up a who’s who of hip-hop royalty, including Jay-Z, Nas, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne and, of course, T.I. As a matter of fact, T.I. is debuting his new video for “Got Your Back” (featuring Keri Hilson), which was directed by Chris Robinson right here and right now. And as an added bonus, our friends at K-Swiss were able to turn the lens around on Robinson and ask him some important questions about his life and career.

By: Lauren Schwartzberg

Ever since Yo! MTV Raps, MTV has marked its place in the advancement of hip hop culture and became a safe place to discuss the changing spirits and attitudes of youth around the world.

For the first time in 3o years, MTV has finally decided to make a big change for themselves and have  created a brand new logo. To promote the new design and acknowledge its historic evolution, MTV has created a series of commercials. These ads exemplify the adapting spirit of today’s youth with specific examples of sub-cultures ranging from the new possibilities of graffiti (above) to a group of diversified skateboarders and a duo of young DIY philanthropists.

The newest generation of youth of today are growing, defying stereotypes and becoming true individuals. MTV enters the scene to document it.

]]> http://respect-mag.com/graffiti-x-mtv/feed/ 1 http://respect-mag.com/jef-aerosol/ http://respect-mag.com/jef-aerosol/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:12:22 +0000 Lauren_Schwartzberg http://respect-mag.com/?p=1275

Think beyond Banksy. I know he’s one of the most well known graffiti artists alive, but there are other artists that are just as good, maybe even better.

Introducing Jef Aerosol, a legend of street art. Aerosol began with stencils in 1982 in France. With other French artists like Blek Le Rat, Miss Tic, and Speedy Graphito, he pioneered a new way of artistic expression – breaking the limits of gallery spaces and canvas format. Aerosol has helped the streets become a free and open exhibition arena.

Aerosol initially explored ‘copy-art’ in the late 70s, creating collages and distortions of photos using all the possibilities of a photocopier. He gradually moved to stencils, influenced by 70s-80s underground rock bands. Characters are the focal point of Jef Aerosol’s art. Whether they are cultural icons or anonymous people, their attitudes carry a genuine emotion, magnified by texture effects, contrasted colours and provoking wording. Like the best photographers, he can catch the truth of an instant to reveal its universality.

Aerosol lives and works in Lille. His art is present in many private collections around the world as well as on the walls of cities like Paris, London, Lisbon, Chicago or Shangai. His artworks are regularly auctioned in Paris by Arcurial and in London and New York by Bonhams. Over the past 30 years, Jef Aerosol has been exhibited in numerous galleries and has participated to various street art festivals internationally.

Information courtesy of The French Art Studio

Hope 2009

Chicago 2007

London 2007

“That’s the good thing about photography to me. Once you do it, it doesn’t matter what happens after that. Nobody can take it away from you.”

-Mike Schreiber

Mike Schreiber Photography

Good things come from Converse. They created the first basketball sneaker, continue to sell one of the most classic, simple, recognizable sneaker’s on the market and John Varvatos designs for them- enough said.

We couldn’t think they could possibly get any better, but fortunately for us, they proved us wrong. Converse has come out with their second “Three Artists, One song” collaboration The first, in 2008, brought us “My Drive Thru,” an upbeat, instant hit by Pharrell Williams, Santogold, and Julian Casablancas. This summer the killer trio of Kid Cudi, Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend) and Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast) have come together to bring us “All Summer.” The track is light, airy and will instantly become your summer 2010 theme song.

The above video exemplifies the fun you should be having while listening to “All Summer.” Chill with friends in a quaint little country house, don’t worry about a thing and, most importantly, wear huge masks of your own face. Just your typical summer day.

“All Summer” is produced by Batmanglij. Download it HERE.