Watch The Throne???

Its been a while since I have blogged anything. Have gone through a lot of changes; sold my camera, Stop pursuing a career in a apparel and just plan on diving in my creative design career again. I am bringing back the blog that I believe not many people read anymore since I was blogging every 6 months or more.
Enough with that that side jargon. I back hopefully for good to talk about art, music, my thoughts, Beliefs (none religious) and passions.

Daily Antics: Artist Spotlight: XXL Freshmen Classes

Every year we wait and look out for XXL's Freshmen class and like any kids in high school you get your new batch of new kids and they in 4 years they become popular and relevant. Its a good article to look back on if your keeping track. High school was always cutthroat in terms of who is going to take over and what oath each artist is going to take and where will they be when they graduate.

Daily Antics: Album Spotlight: Kendrick Lamar- good kid m.A.A.d city

I know everyone is falling head over heels on Kendrick and last night he was passed the torch by Snoop Dogg or Lion as he is currently known as. Yeah I would agree to some point that Kendrick brings a positive feel to the LA and its violent atmosphere, but times have changed. I'm sure that Los Angelas is still an unsafe area to live in but Kendrick is a product of his own environment. It wouldn't make sense to be negative if you want to make record sales in this day and age. Its not that kind of party anymore.

Kendrick is a fairly young artist and fit in the same category as his peers like Drake, Asap, Danny Brown, J.Cole and Big Sean who for the most part are not as nice as Kendrick. Yeah they spit and they make records, but Kendrick brings the lyrical game to an all new high. A positive advocate in a negative ego dominated genre makes him stand out from the rest. Because he stands for whats true and speaks from the heart.

When you watch his interviews, he is real humble and together. Every move seems to be well calculated. Not someone your going to see screaming "thug life" or talking about a beef. He is here to share his story and share his life with the world, which means he isn't going to get much hate from people and if he does it will be because they're just not feeling him. I can admit I wasn't always a Kendrick fan because my favorite songs circles the east coast and music particularly from New York.

Kendrick came at the right time. Hip-hop needs something new a uplifting artist like Mos Def, Talib or even a Common. I know people like to say Hip-hip is dead but there were genres before hip-hop that took a back seat. Hip-hip is the streets, always evolving never staying the same. My personal view on an album is that I cant compare to "Illmatic" , "Ready to Die" or even "Reasonable Doubt" because they re classics for a reason. You can not call an album a classic if it hasn't even sat on the shelf for a year. You can turn on Illmatic and still bump it today, will Kendrick's music live on for years that remains to be seen, but until that time we listen to the album and embrace Kendrick's music for the time being.

There are a few tracks that I like, I'm not no to remember track lists. For the first 2 weeks all i do is listen to the album. Sometimes the name has an influence, like judging a book by its cover, but "Poetic Justice", "Money Trees", "Sing About me, I'm Dying of Thirst",and  "Compton" and for a 17 track album that's a lot of tracks to like, but he puts in work. You never know how well an artist is until they drop that debut album. There have been a fair share of mix tape rappers and rappers that can only do well with feature they can not hold up an album them self.

So far Kendrick has done his thing, from Section 80 and Overly dedicated. If an artist can maintain that hunger they have when the first start rapping they will continue to be successful and thus far Kendrick has done that. It should be fun to see what Kendrick has in store, because this album just might have made him the artist of year, but he has some stiff competition with Kanye and 2 Chainz.

That being said grab the album I did....good kid m.A.A.d city:

Daily Antics: Art: Illustration

The daily antics is a movement. Its a way of life, what people do when they wake up and how they achieve the success in their life and how they go about doing their day to day.

This post is a bit different this post is a bit more egocentric because it about me and my hard work. 

The illustration that I work on from a day to day basis:

Art has always been a passion of mine ever since I was young. From a young age I have been in to art and now I am able to do what I want when I want. My creativity crosses different mediums and different techniques. I went to school form 2 years for something I have always done. Not to say that illustration is the only thing that I am able to do, but it has become something that I am known for. I believe the most traditional use for art is the pencil and the paper pad.

The way I go about making the illustrations I find someone primarily someone that I'm listening to and go from their. I think from the first day I started I have not stopped:

I recently had gone wild on a new batch of artist which feature; Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, Asap Rocky, Frank Ocean and Nicki Minaj. I do artist that are know, but no to far up in the sky that they don't remember where they have come from. I believe everything has a meaning and everything if done right and well thought out can be done right. 

Peace  and keep pushing... there will be more to come from myself and this Daily Antics movement I'm trying to share with the world.

Daoly Listen: Meek Mill: Dreams & Nightmares (Intro)

Meek Mill's isn't one to shy away from going in on a track and thanks and this intro is no different. He sums his album in this intro and from this intro alone makes me want to go out and buy. Talking about his dreams, which turn to nightmares. Peep the intro after the jump:

Daily Grinders: Kanye West

Daily Grinders is going to be something new to the table that highlights the inner workings of  people and their hustle. From all walks of life we looks to touch on who's doing what and how they came to this point and where they have come from. 

Today we highlight Kanye West.

Daily Antics: Heavy Rotation

Its been a while and yes this may be said one than once, but I feel like I have come out of my slump and I'm back to wreck havoc on the bored and tired blogs that you may all read. Why am I on the attack I'm not and why should you read my blog cause I don't have an obligation to be nice to anybody other than my brother and my mother. That being said I would like to introduce you to my rotation of music as of late. 

Lets start from the top left. "The Heist" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. I like this album for the one reason hes dope and that claims comes from the fact that when their is a white rapper I have a tendency to listen more because they don't have the came blah, blah, lingo that their black counter parts can use. Their use of words and subject content has to be a lot more creative. Track like; ' Same Love" and "Thrift Shop" make this album a cut above the rest. Well thought out and well put together.  Its a great recipe fro success when you can rap about anything like being gay. Not saying Macklemore is gay, but he touches on a subject that many wont touch. I bought The Heist and am happier because of it.

Daily Antics: Mark Ecko "Lets get weird"

Never been much of a fan on Marc Ecko and his style of graffiti or art work for that matter, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect what Marc has done for the hip-hop/ graffiti culture. I was web skying and came across a video of Marc at his finest.
I love to view another artist work space or even see how they go about making their creation. Everyone has a different way of going about their daily antics and Marc is no different.
From the rough sketch, to the rending process to the final illustration. Take a look at the process:

Tattoo in beginning stages...

It has been quite some time and I'm sure at this point nobody is really reading or listening to anything I have to say, but I have lived grown, got promoted and look at life in many different ways. I started drawing again and I'm working on my sleeve that I have wanted for the better part of 3 years.

Good news is I have come up with some art work, I just don't know if its what I want or do I want more. Decision if life can haunt you or bless you. Funny how things work that way.

Frank Ocean -Blue Whale

Well Frank comes out, but I'm not talking about his recent event. Blue Whale is the latest tracks from Mr. Ocean is rapping and believe me it's dope. You would think that your getting that when you click on some Ocean music your going to hear vocals, but dude lets you know he could spit. Take a listen for yourself...

Drake: Club Paradise/Free Spirit

October's very own is killing it and this week is no different. With his third installment to drop in October on the 24th. Drake has released 2 tracks in less than 24 hours and the Toronto native is killing, although his recipe has stayed the same since So Far Gone, but people are still chopping at the bit to hear drake dish out out so good music for the people. Club Paradise is named after a famous strip club in Toronto. Free Spirit is another track released on Saturday, I figure Drake was in the mood to let the fans in on some new shit.

Das Racist! What is you ask. They are not, but they do make dope music. That make alternative hip-hop 

very unconventional when it comes to much, with jokes and puns. Its definitely something that the evloutiobn of hip-hop needs. Make music fun again, make fun and not always talking about drugs, money, guns, cars and material things. Gained their fame from the internet like many acts Das Racist seems on the verge to making it big. Hailing form Brooklyn it seems that the east coast rap is slowly but surely making it way back to the city it was born in. With only 2 mixtapes and an album to drop later this year. Das Racist has a unique style that can not be duplicated. Their music seems to be so far out there sometimes you wonder what the hell they smoke to come up with the things they do.

Everything is Purple!!! That the very first thing i heard when Asap Rocky dropped purple swag, the funny part is the track is actually catchy. I'm so used to music sounding like its from one the southern states I stopped listening to a very large majority of the music that has been coming out. I heard "Harlem is what I reppin" and i thought we might have another Waka Flaka on our hands but that seems to be more further from the truth that anything.

Lookout: Frank Ocean

Just when you thought Odd Future only talked about rapping, killing and telling Steve Harvey to Fuck off. There has be an unsung hero in the group that only the true followers would know of. Frank Ocean is vocalist that recently signed to Def Jam and also part of the new cult craze Odd Future with Tyler The Creator.

Artist of the Decade: Who ran it better?

The time has come to Debate between two hip-hop/rap juggernauts.  Nasty Nas versus Slim Shady, yes the witty lyrist against the often out spoken rapper from 8 mile. The debate continues with artist of the decades.

The Collection

I love collection especially random collections. I believe I am collector of the rarest form, one that collects, but not one that collects from a-z or not in any particular order. My magazine collection varies from vibe, the Source, XXL, Wax Poetics and even Complex. I had a conversation with my cousin and him telling me that I am not a collector, just one that sees and grabs. I think differently hence the post. 2011 is the year of collecting for me and as I right this post I am about to red some Complex spread and Respect spreads.

I think a good collection consists of good quality and your our twist on things. Yes, its easy to go through 1-10 but wheres the fun in that. Why not collection albums? why just not include mixtapes. Collections are fun and to look back at things only brings great memories and old times. When you think about it we all collect in some kind of way, just some of us are a little better or strict about it. Thats was my little rant about the collection and all that jazz.

Favorite Album of 2010

How could you go wrong with this album. I dont think you can. Yes, it easy to jump on the bandwagon of XXL and The Source, but when I have been a fan of Kanye's since College Dropout to 808 & Heartbreaks it only makes scence. This albums seemed to be a coming of age for Kanye, his hiatus had been the 1st break since his mother passing. Ye' pours his heart out in every song. From "Blame Game" to "Hell of A Life" Kanye's album shows that moving to Hawaii and putting yourself in isolation is a great way to make the album of the year.  The G.O.O.D Friday music drops also served a teaser to the eventual classic. Although the album was leaked early. The masses still went out to buy the album and support Kanye trophy album. Many classic lines: "When you chase the pussy it's a sin/But if it fall in your lap, it's a blessing." ,  "And I know it’s superficial and you say it’s just clothes/But we shopping in that motherfucker and it just closed.". Well calculated moves are what made this album so dope. How could you not drop an album at the end of the year and have it not be considered dope especially since Kanye has been known to be in the spotlight like with Taylor Swift, running on stage acting a fool and oh course the "George Bush, doesn't like black people" statement. 

Check out the Spotlight I did on Kanye I few months ago:

Brotherly Love?

Philadelphia happens to be my favorite football team and this topic has been on my mind for sometime now. Philly really loves it brothers, from McNabb to Allen Iverson to Michael Vick. We all know A.I used to rule the hardwood back in the 90's until he decided he was bigger than then the team and never wanted to show up for PRACTICE!
As for football in the 1999 NFL draft Philly was booood for their 1st round pick of Donavan McNabb, which in the end turned out to be probably the best decision they could have made. This year the love continued by trading their 1st love for their second love and much younger running threat. Yes, the dog fighter its an unfortunate title and I wish it didn't follow him around but he did the crime.
My really reason for this post is to ask: why does Philly always take a chance on the risky brothers, but are ready to ship them out when they not longer can produce. Maybe its sports, but I think for a much as Philly loves you, they can hate you just as fast. It could just be me but let me know what you think. Just on of those opinion posts.

Im Back...

Sorry for the lack of post folks sometimes in like too much of anything is bad for you. I have been working the 9-5 very aggressively and been just living life in so many words. I have been on the internet a lot crafting ways of promoting the Daily Antics brand and overall networking.

I just wanted to show you a few perchases I have picked up along the way...Well I mean while I was networking and writing posts for the my website, having interviews and talking to people about t-shirts. Yes, the t-shirts are still in the works and I know I have been talking about them for some time, but good things happen to those who wait.

The first image is my new Only_NY hoodie that I felt was a necessary buy because the way it brings me back to my to the good old graffiti days. When having a marker, and a few stickers in your backpack were very necessary items to add to the arsenal. 

Fuck/Luck is t-shirt made by the folks at IdeallClothing. I didn't know the meaning behind it initially and later realized, that its not luck that we have its hard work and determination. Luck is one of those things that people clutch on to as a safe belt. I haven't worn it yet for the simple fact that its a white t-shirt and I'm waiting for the right day to rock a solid piece of design like this.

Last but not least this must be probably the illest shirt I have ever seen bought from the folks at Rocksmith. If you listen to a lot of music which I happen to you will have noticed the image at the bottom portrait baby Christopher Wallace, the same baby from Ready To Die as the little white baby that grudge group Nirvana (album cover) once had. Its a clever way of putting two dope album together in one image. 

Its not much but bare with me people I will be back with some of those great images you all know and love I just had to get away for a while and open my eyes to the world like friends, family and those you have yet to me. Stay safe and to those in America happy thanksgiving to all.

Peace,

Rihanna & Cee-Lo Album Review