Kanye Tells Stories

Pardon the influx of Kanye West stuff today, but there's no denying that he's got some very interesting projects on his plate. (Via Hypebeast) He recently appeared on VH1 Storytellers with an interesting set that really pushed the boundaries of his performance art. On the futuristic, minimalist set, Kanye laid bare some of the emotion that went into 808's & Heartbreaks while giving us some new interpretations of the classics. Aside from the off the cuff comments on Chris Brown and that shag, a great series of performances and some soul searching from today's hardest working man in the biz.

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Say You Will

Louis Vuitton x Kanye West

(Via Hypebeast) More leaks of Kanye West's new sneaker-design project with Louis Vuitton have been leaked ahead of their June 2009 debut in stores. Some are just new colorways of old models (like the pink soles above), but there are also a few totally new designs. Kanye has said that he is considering taking a break from music to hone his design skills, and this may be his cup of tea after all. Something to fall back on...

Charles the Hamilton

(Photo courtesy Marco P.S.'s flickr)

Earlier this week, I posted videos of Complex Magazine's Leaders of the New Cool, including one up-and-comer named Charles Hamilton. He's an irreverent rapper with geeky tendencies that I really like. He moves flawlessly from samples of classic Sonic the Hedgehog to Modest Mouse, and it all makes sense in the Hamiltonian logic of things. If Kanye and Common drafted the blueprints for the new face of hip-hop, Charles Hamilton is laying down the foundation.

Download his mixtape Sonic the Hamilton here. [Standout track: Fans Are Cool]

KAWS exhibit opens in LA

From the line of fanboys I saw snaking around the corner of the Honor Fraser gallery Friday, KAWS's west coast gallery premiere was a resounding success. I was planning on making it to the opening to see the artist among his work, but the line was way too long even two hours after the doors had opened. Perhaps next week...

Read what The Los Angeles Times had to say about 'The Long Way Home' here.

Leaders of the New Cool

Last fall, Complex Magazine profiled 5 of the freshest acts on the hip hop scene in an impressive feature entitled "Leaders of the New Cool." We're talking the absolute best in music, style and attitude. In the blowing up hopster movement (think hipster meets hip hop), these are the new heavyweights:

1) The Cool Kids


2) Charles Hamilton (expect more on him later)


3) Wale


4) The Knux


5) B.O.B.

KAWS in LA

(via hypebeast)
Pop artist KAWS was featured last Sunday on CBS News as he slowly turns his pseudonym into a household name. I'm a big fan of his work with Kanye West and N*E*R*D, not to mention his take on the Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants.

KAWS's first showing LA starts this Saturday at the Honor Fraser Gallery on La Cienega. I'm hoping to make it down there to see it all unveiled.

Welcome to the Heartbreak

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.
(via hypebeast)
This is Kanye's newest clip. It's amazing what he has been able to pull off with distorted pixels and chaos. Takes a couple of views to truly get it, but once you realize the genius behind the marriage of images and music, it's mind-boggling. (Don't readjust your computer: The medium is the message.)

Pepsi Rides the Obama Bandwagon

Saw this add for Pepsi on TV yesterday. The Superbowl ad is presumably meant to dovetail with the cola company's latest billboard campaign that focuses heavily on the call for change inspired by the Obama campaign (see Current's take on it). Featuring video of rapper-turned-social activist Will.i.am rapping over Bob Dylan's 'Forever Young', the commercial succeeds in defining a new generation of social activism driven by optimismmm.

Zen and the Art of Kanye West

Kanye visits Big Boy's Neighborhood from qdeezy on Vimeo.

Through tragedy and an ever-expanding musical repertoire, Kanye West's avant garde approach to art and design has turned the one-time Chicago beat-maker into a global ambassador for hip hop. Although I'm a big fan of his music, it's his outlook on life and the state of things that I really respect. Watch this clip of Kanye discussing life, those gay rumors and the Chris Brown-Rihanna blow up.