DJ D-Sharp has just dropped his very first single, “Definition of a Star”. The track is a west-coast-influenced banger which features Bay Area MCs, Kev Choice and Tony Vic.
It was only inevitable for D-Sharp, a long time producer, to put out his own music after producing songs for artists such as Lyrics Born, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Shock G (Digital Underground), The Grouch and Flipsyde.
(Click Image for Free Track Download)
D-Sharp began his music career at the age of 15, performing at venues all over the Bay Area. He later became the resident DJ at Maritime Hall in San Francisco and then at Justice League, where he opened for acts like Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Living Legends, Blackalicious and Latyrx. His years of hard work paid off when Chief Xcel of Blackalicious recommended him to Quannum Projects MC, Lateef the Truthspeaker (Latyrx, The Mighty Underdogs, Fatboy Slim) who asked him to go on tour. D-Sharp quit his day job and from there, began touring the world with Quannum artists such as Blackalicious, Lyrics Born, Lifesavas, Latyrx, The Gift of Gab; and joined the infamous Quannum World tour DJing alongside DJ Shadow. It wasn’t long before his talents caught the ear of other prominent artists including Lauryn Hill, Clyde Carson, Mike Patton (Peeping Tom), Slum Village, Planet Asia and Goapele — all of whom he has DJ’d for. On tour, he has shared stages with high profile acts such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Outkast, Common, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Pharrell and The Wu Tang Clan.
Today I went out to Oakland to meet up with our Burton and Analog reps to check out the Fall 2010 apparel collections. Most of the time its a bit of a hassle to go to these meetings when most of the buying happens at tradeshows or from the catalog, but I really like going out to met our peeps at Burton because they are really nice, they work out of an amazing showroom filled with awesome snowboards and cool clothing, and it s close by. The big loft space is pretty much exactly what I hope to move into some day for hoodiepeople HQ. The pictures above are Burton’s new retro ad campaign that I really liked and the last pic (second row on right) is of two really old Burton Snowboards, literally some of the first ones ever made. Apparently the owner of Big Dreams is a huge collector and the boards are worth a few grand each. Thats it for now, a little slice of life at hoodiepeople.com.
We just added Married to the Mob hoodies to the website and they are dope. The quality and attention to detail in each hoodie is top of the line. They have a ton of extra detail like sturdy zipper pulls, extra pockets, logos, cool chest pins, and metal drawcords. They’re high-end hoodies for sure…but, besides the craftsmanship MTTM represents feisty and confident women who know what they want. The true Mob lifestyle…As a matter of fact, check out Natalie Nunn from the Bad Girls Club season 4 chillin at the MTTM offices in New York. Natalie Nunn and the Most Official Bitches…how perfect is that? Shop Married to the Mob hoodies now at www.hoodiepeople.com
Twice a year the fashion/apparel world converges on Las Vegas for the Magic Tradeshow. This was our 4th trip and each year we come away with a ton of strong contacts, new brands, and a bit of sleep deprivation from running around to meetings all day and partying it up all night. This trip started off a bit rough, we missed our morning flight so didn’t arrive until 1pm instead of 10am, and everything was taking forever, but we got out to the show and were able to catch up with the reps we had appointments with and didn’t leave the show till after 7. Of the brands we met up with on Tues, Original Penguin looked really strong, Jedidiah was solid for fall and WeSC had a fresh fall collection. I was not blown away by Rocawear, but Artful Dodger (owned by Rocawear) had some dope stuff, and a new style direction with the brand. 555 Soul had a back to basics collection with 3-4 really classic 555 hoodies. Zoo York had a smaller collection from years past but lots of cool stuff, they look strong for Fall. After the show we went to a suite that a bunch of small brands from LA setup to meetup with the guys from AKRA Clothing, they are a small t-shirt company that we met at both the SF Thread Show and Agenda. Over the past month or so I have been talking with them about doing some hoodies and they are def into it. We are hoping to get a limited exclusive on the hoodies to premier them to the world. They have some cool designs and are super focused on great quality so I have no doubt the hoodies will be really fresh.
The 2nd day was much smoother, we met up with Tokidoki (picture to the right is Simone Legno, Founder of Tokidoki on right), they are growing like crazy and the brand is doing amazing stuff across all their product lines (toys, skate decks, clothing, bags, shoes, sunglasses and loads more). Famous Stars had a huge presence with all their different brands (Rogue Status, Wild Ones, DTA), the meeting was rushed but Fall line looks dope on both mens and womens side. We also met up with a small t-shirt brand that is similar to Tokidoki called The Public Zoo, they are launching their first hoodies in Fall and we might get to premier them, but either way they have dope stuff and solid price points. Really cool people at the company as well. .
Saving the best for last we had great initial meetings with both Puma and Adidias, both were stoked on hp and look good for a fal 2010 launch. Adidas is doing some great stuff and the sales rep we met with was brand new but came from the marketing team so he was super dialed into whats going on at the company and seemed like he could def get things done. Overall it was really successful trip, maybe a bit too short but we got a ton of shit done and def good to just show up and network around.
Although last week’s episode didn’t contain as much excitement and intrigue as “The Substitute”, there were still plenty of great moments to keep viewers interested. The episode focused a great deal on Jack and his personality differences in the two universes. Off the island, we found that this version of Jack had a son and that the relationship with him was very similar to the one Jack had with his own father. Jack’s son doesn’t respond to him well nor does he seem all to excited to spend time with him as Jack struggles to find a connection. At the end of the episode Jack manages to establish a positive connection with his son by explaining that he’ll be proud of him no matter what, something Jack’s father seem to never tell him.
Back on the island, Jacob instructs Hurley to lead Jack to a mysterious lighthouse that they never had seen before. During the journey we get to see the old school trek that we became so use to witnessing duringthe first season, especially when Jack and Hurley come across the caves where most of the passengers stayed early on in the series. This was the most interesting storyline of this episode because it appeared that we were approaching some answers to some of the mysteries involving Jacob and his selection of specific people on the island. Although there weren’t really answers provided, there was a new mystery introduced: the lighthouse has a mirror that can see specific points off the island. When the coordinates of the light house are turned to a specific number that corresponds to one of the characters, the mirror reflects a piece f their lives. Jack struggles with this concept because he feels like Jacob is taking his free will and he destroys the mirror. Oddly, Jacob doesn’t seem too upset with the destruction and has other plans in store.
Claire re-emergence played a background role in this episode. She is basically insane and seems convinced that the “others” took Aaron form her. Jin notices she’s a little off and lies to Claire and tells her that Kate doesn’t have the baby….smart move. Claire returning to the temple with Jin can spell danger for the remaining inhabitants.
Overall the episode was pretty good, there weren’t too many new developments and it kind of seems like we’re being set up for somehting big in the upcoming episodes. There is still much to be figured out, especially when it comes to the sides of good and evil in the battle between Jacob and the Man in Black.
All supporters of Hip Hip music are well aware of what’s become of the genre. There are rappers out there who have staked their claim as superior MC’s without offering the product to back it up. Some of these self proclaimed greats might enter the game with a street buzz achieved from the mixtape circuit, a hot single, or endorsements from already well know artists, but one thing is missing once these artists establish themselves—–improvement. Why don’t we hold these rappers accountable for their lack of advancement of their skills? The usual experience has been once an MC enters the game and is successful, they lose their hunger and drive for progress. Obviously there are many factors involved in keeping an artist from reaching the pinnacle of their talents, especially when it comes to rap music and the conditions pushing most artists into the business. But should we just accept those circumstances and give these MCs a pass, or should we expect more from the people representing the genre of music we love?
Hip Hop has become a lucrative venture , and due to its global popularity, there are those who enter the the business with the intention of eventually getting a large pay day. The majority of the MCs in that category don’t have much talent, but might’ve come up with a catchy chorus or a popular theme that will surely thrive in the current market. In that instance, what would be the reason driving someone to improve upon their craft? They’ve already achieved what they set out to do, got paid, and will continue to milk the same formula that got them there until it is no longer appealing to consumers. I can’t get upset with anyone who climbed out of the gutter to the top of the mountain and decided to relax until they fell off. I can’t blame these artists for taking advantage of a fatal flaw in the Hip Hop genre, it is a money driven business that values currency over substance. What bothers me is those rappers that have potential to be great and make no effort to live up to it. There are those who start their careers with albums or mixtapes that leave the listeners yearning for more, but sadly fans are usually disappointed when the second and third efforts are no different or even worse than the first.
In all aspects of life we’re always looking for ways to improve things; the whole cell phone craze for example is the epitome of our efforts to enhance what we use on a regular basis. The same values apply to other forms of technology, school, work, and sports. We should place the same accountability on these rappers. MCs who made a name for themselves shouldn’t be able to just continue to get by off reputation. We should demand a product that’s worth the $15 cost of the cds we spend our money on. Granted a lot of music is illegally downloaded nowadays which might contribute to the lack of motivation of the artists, but people still buy albums and rappers are a lot more marketable than they were in the past due to the overwhelming use of the Internet. We want to to expect more from our favorite MCs so everyone can continue to be provided with good music. I don’t want to be the one to judge, I have plenty of my own shortcomings that I need to address. I could never know how it feels to go from broke to rich in a matter of months and how I would react afterwards. What I do know is that I have integrity and I am always looking to get better at what I do. I want to see these young and up and coming artists passionate about their music so they can live in eternity in the minds of listeners no matter how much time has passed. There are many timeless classics that I listened to over a decade ago that I still bump today. Current MCs should want to create that same longevity and they could continue to make money of their creations. If these rappers don’t make any effort elevate themselves and their music, a couple years from now they’ll be right back where they started without a second chance forthcoming.
Peck the Town Crier is a good ol friend of ours at hoodiepeople.com. Check out their new music video UNDERWEAR. It’s a funky jam with a super funny video. Hope you enjoy it!
Last week’s episode of Lost centered around the most intriguing character in the show—John Locke/Smokie. The “flashes sideways” focused on Locke’s life in the parallel universe and displayed a much less turbulent reality than what Locke had faced before originally landing on the island. Although Locke seems just as angry and frustrated with the world as he was previously, there are some good things present in this universe that weren’t around previously. Locke’s relationship with Helen Norwood is the most noticeable difference between the original time and this new one; he seems a lot happier in this situation than he was before. Back on the island, Smokie, who is now made itself in Locke’s image, leads Sawyer to an unknown place on the island claiming he has answers to to all of Sawyer’s questions, including why he was brought to the island. Once the two arrive at the scene of the cave, one of the island mysteries is uncovered and we learn a little more why everyone was brought to the mysterious destination.
The cave that Sawyer is lead to indeed contains some serious answers. Within it, the names of all the inhabitants that have been on the island are written all over the walls; some are crossed out to represent those that have died while others are aligned next to “The Numbers” that have been so prevalent in the show. These are the same numbers that Hurley used to win the lottery, were on the door of the “Hatch’, entered in the computer at the “Swan” and were supposedly created as an equation to prevent the end of the world. The reappearance of the numbers, 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, mark a pivotal moment in the series. In the cave, which Smokie claims belongs to Jacob, reveals that Jacob in fact assigned 6 names to the numbers: 4- Locke, 8 – Reyes, 15 – Ford, 16 – Jarrah, 23 – Shephard, 42- Kwon. An episode earlier in the series shows that Jacob touched those 6 individuals at different moments in their life times. These characters now are in place to play a very important roles leading up to the conclusion of the series. Smokie explains to Sawyer that Jacob had made a list of these names as recruits to stay and protect the island and urges Sawyer to leave. He then goes on to convince Sawyer that the island doesn’t need protecting, but is he telling the truth? On the way to the cave Sawyer encounters Richard who is terrified for his life. He warns Sawyer not to trust the new Locke and that he trying to kill him and everyone on the island. If we are to believe what Richard is saying and we know the capabilities of Smokie, why are we to believe that Smokie is telling Sawyer the truth?
Its unclear if the cave truly belongs to Jacob, it very well could belong to Smokie and he is using it lure Sawyer to his side. The whole existence of the numbers are still shrouded in mystery, we still don’t know how Jacob uses the numbers and if he is aware of all their other uses. If Jacob is trying to recruit protectors of the island, then it might be tied in with the fate of the world. As it stands now, it looks as if these six names might be the saviors of the island and maybe humanity.
hoodiepeople.com Present: New Music from DJ D Sharp Free download for hoodiepeople.com fans DJ D-Sharp has just dropped his very first single, “Definition of a Star”. The track is a west-coast-influenced banger which features Bay Area MCs, Kev Choice and Tony Vic. It was only inevitable for D-Sharp, a long time producer, to put out his own [...] […]
Today I went out to Oakland to meet up with our Burton and Analog reps to check out the Fall 2010 apparel collections. Most of the time its a bit of a hassle to go to these meetings when most of the buying happens at tradeshows or from the catalog, but I really [...] […]
We just added Married to the Mob hoodies to the website and they are dope. The quality and attention to detail in each hoodie is top of the line. They have a ton of extra detail like sturdy zipper pulls, extra pockets, logos, cool chest pins, and metal drawcords. They’re high-end hoodies for sure…but, besides [...] […]
Hoody Deal of the Week: 35% Off This Week Only + Free Shipping: Save $28 AlpineStars Attn Deficit Hoodie Was $60.00 + $7.00 Shipping / Now $39.00 + Free Shipping Coupon Code: HoodyDealz Check out more pics and all the details of this fresh new Astars Zip Front Hoodie here. […]
Here is a list of the Oscar winners in case you missed it. For more information on the Oscars visit www.oscar.com Writing (Original Screenplay) The Hurt Locker Written by Mark Boal Writing (Adapted Screenplay) Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher Visual Effects Avatar Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham […]
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