September, 2009

Art / Information / sculpture — No Comments
30
Sep 09

Quick Art Lesson Behind 50 Cent’s ‘Forever King’ Mixtape Cover

50cent_mixtape - forever king

I’m sure all of you blog/mixtape heads are familiar with the mixtape art seen above. Ever wonder where it came from? Of course you did, that’s why you’re here. The original artist behind this piece is THE richest contemporary artist of our time. His name is Damien Hirst. He dominated the British art scene in the 90′s and is the richest living artist to date. In September of 2008, he sold a complete collection for £111 million ($198 million). Not bad huh??

The original piece used for the 50 Cent cover is titled ‘For The Love of God’ (2007) which is a sculpture. The sculpture consists of a platinum cast of a human skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds. It was on display at London’s White Cube gallery with a generous price tag of £50 million. Yea….see below for a pic of the original piece. Class dismissed…..

damien hirst - for the love of god

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21 Questions / Art — 3 Comments
27
Sep 09

21 Questions: Ritzy Periwinkle’s Tio Is Erik Estrada

ritzy_p2

21 q

uestions with Ritzy

1. What’s your favorite curse word and why?
I curse all day everyday. I’d have to say that the combo of HOLY MUTHA FUCKIN SHIT is my favorite. For me its very versatile, I can use it as both a positive or negative.
2. Do you think Ghost will ever top “Supreme Clientele”?
whoa. That’s for sure a classic.  I think it is in a league of its own really.  He comes out with bangers and stuff but I think it for him or any artist its hard to recreate a time and environment to top something so amazingly dope from start to finish. You know? I’m  sure 10, 20 years from now it will still sound so relevant and on point. I’m excited to hear his next album “Wizard of Poetry in the Emerald City”. Been listening to that one track “Forever”. I love it. Hope the rest is as good.
3. Who is your favorite graf artist?
I don’t have an all time favorite but I have favorites, all for different reasons. A few are Lady Pink, Chaz, Mac, Germs, Werc, Cache.
4. When was the last time you set a personal goal and what was it?
I set personal goals on the daily. The last one was to KEEP HUSTLIN & GRINDIN!
5. What, if anything, do you actively boycott?
Wack shit.
6. What non-essential item do you always carry with you?
If it is on me then I think its essential.  It might be non-essential to most but that’s cool.
I always carry a mini retractable measuring tape. Why? Who’s to say but I do.
7. How many sketches do you start per week on average?
Honestly not nearly enough. I really need to up my sketch game. I have some new characters I have to develop and I need to get it out of my head and on to paper soon.
8. Who would you like to chill with for a day (dead or alive)?
Wow a day not lunch? then I’d have to say my mom, Consuelo Rivera Razo, when she was 20. I would love to meet her before she became my mom and was an independent woman on her own hustle and grind.  R.I.P.
9. That recurring dream you have, what is it about? Do you dream in color?
The recurring theme in all of them is that I’m being chased or hunted and everyone is suspect. Don’t they say we dream in black and white? Regardless I swear I dream in color. Or do I add color to my memories of my dreams? I have no clue.
10. Would you prefer being the “nerd of the cool crowd” or the “cool one in the nerd crowd”? Why?
I prefer being a Nerd of any crowd, anywhere. I will always be a floater. I’m a nerd and proud of it. Y QUE?
11. When was the last time you spoke to yourself out loud?
HAHHAHAAHAH. That my friend is like cursing. I do that all day everyday. Since I could remember I’ve talked to myself out loud. I spent a lot of time by myself since jump. Me talking out loud to myself drives my man crazy.
12. When was the last time you went a full day without checking your email and why?
I can’t remember must have been when I didn’t have a PDA so at least 4 years ago maybe. I’m sure it was torture.
13. How important is music to your work? Is it a driving force?
Its for sure my driving force. Music fuels my creativity, can calm me down or pump me up, can help me focus or can be a much needed distraction.
14. You must give a lecture on a topic you know nothing about. What topic do you choose?
String Theory. BAZINGA!
15. Do you believe in New World Order conspiracy theories? If yes, do you believe Jay-Z is part of the illuminati?
No and no. I did enjoy reading Dan Brown’s Angel’s and Demons.
16. You get a call. You’ve been informed that you were improperly named. Marisa is going to be expunged from your birth certificate. You’ll need to give them a new name instead that you feel suits you better. What name do you choose?
Ritzy, of course.
17. Any relation to Eric Estrada from the TV show ‘C.H.I.P.S.’ ?
Hijole Madre! Do you know how many times I’ve heard that question since I was born? I got to the point where I just say “yes he’s my tio “ (uncle in Spanish).
18. Midnight Marauders or Low End Theory? Why?
Low End Theory. Why? One word: Scenario.
19. It seems the hardest part of being an artist is having to deal with the business side while keeping your art true to who you are. It seems you’re maintaining that balance that many of us strive for. How did you develop that? Did it come natural?
Why thanks. I’ve been a solorpreneur for a little over 3 years now and I’m still learning how to keep it all balanced. Its hella hard. I’m a hybrid of designer/artist so I think that helps. The concept of it is very natural the execution of it in the real world is the struggle. There’s just not enough time in the day to get it all done. I see why super successful people have a team. I need to learn to release and delegate more.
20. How important is L.A. to your work? Do you feel your work would have the same vibrancy and feel if you were in New York or London?
This town is very important because I have such a love/hate relationship with it. I think my work would definitely be influenced by being in another city. I think where ever I’d go either for 2 weeks or to live, it would maintain a certain vibrancy unless I was in a completely different emotional state.
21. When did you realize that you would be doing art for a living?
Almost 4 years ago when I was at my music industry job and didn’t want to listen to music or go to concerts anymore.  It was sucking my soul and my two loves of music and art weren’t the priority so I boned out. It started off with graphic design and the art started picking up organically. That’s when I was like okay, I’ll say it for the first timers, I’m an artist.

Well…..not really. If you read the interview, you’ll understand. I got in contact with Ritzy and put her through the torture and weirdom of my 21 questions. Is weirdom even a word? Anyways, Ritzy is probably one of the most down to earth artists/designers I’ve never met. And as well, one of her favorite albums is Ghostface’s Supreme Clientele…..’nuff said.

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Art / Videos — No Comments
24
Sep 09

Scion Installation 5: Self Portrait – Final Show & Online Art Auction Trailer

Scion Installation 5: Self Portrait – Final Show & Online Art Auction Trailer from Scion ART on Vimeo.



Ok, nerds….spread the word. All of the art from the Installation 5 national tour is being auctioned off to benefit the arts non-profit Creative Capital. Retna, Codak, Skypage, and others have pieces available until Sept. 30th over at http://www.artnet.com/scion.html. If you like art, be sure to support…..
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Art / Graffiti / Videos — No Comments
24
Sep 09

Slick L.A. Stops by Stockwell Hall of Fame London


Art / Videos — No Comments
24
Sep 09

Mike Shinoda’s Glorious Excess Dies (Pt. 1)



Mr. Shinoda has completed a short film for his Glorious Excess pieces. This is definitely a great vid for all of you art heads. I couldn’t seem to find the full short video on youtube, so make sure you stop by his blog to check out the rest of the video. Oh yea, don’t forget to check out my interview with Mike if you haven’t as yet.
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interview / Videos — No Comments
23
Sep 09

Convo with Saul Williams



OneMoreTune caught up with Saul last year after his concert in Dublin. He touches on everything from David Bowie to graffiti to the first time he heard Public Enemy’s Welcome to the Terrordome. Definitely a fresh interview…
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EPK / Music / Videos — No Comments
23
Sep 09

Kenna – Land 2 Air Episode 1



One of my favorite artists is teaming up with RJD2 for an EP titled ‘Imitation is Suicide’. Kenna is now indie (praise the lord) so I’m sure the music will be even better now that he is free from the dinosaurs. One thing I’m not happy about though….the EP is supposed to available this month and its almost October….still no EP?? C’mon Kenna….don’t play with the nerd (pause).
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Information — 7 Comments
19
Sep 09

100 Useless Facts….for no reason

useless

  1. The first telephones did not have bells and were connected all the time. In order to attract the attention of someone on the other side of the line, one would have to yell, “Ahoy!” into the receiver.
  2. After publishing his famous dictionary, Noah Webster rewrote the bible, replacing all the words he considered were “naughty”.
  3. A nepheligenous is someone filling a room with tobacco smoke.
  4. Van Gogh sold only one painting during his life.
  5. In the original Star Trek series Captain Kirk’s middle name was Tiberius.
  6. 17th president Andrew Johnson was the only president to sew his own clothes.
  7. Ernest Hemmingway founded an annual fishing tournament in Cuba, where he lived for many years. Fidel Castro was the winner of this contest in 1960.
  8. Mark Twain’s favourite cats were named Sour Mash, Sin, Apollinaris, Beelzebub, Buffalo Bill, Zoroaster, Blatherskite, and Satan.
  9. In 1968, Steve McPeak traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles on a unicycle. The trip took him six weeks.
  10. The longest word used by Shakespeare in any of his works is “honorificabilitudinitatibus,” found in “Love’s Labours Lost.”
  11. The original title of the musical “Hello Dolly!” was “Dolly: A Damned Exasperating Woman.”
  12. Spam is so resistant to spoilage that, if kept in the closed can, it may well outlast eternity and will certainly live longer than you.
  13. Spam was first promoted as a health food.
  14. In Korea Spam comes in gift boxes.
  15. If placed end to end, all the Spam ever sold would circle the Earth more than ten times.
  16. When Pedro I became King of Portugal in the 14th century, he had his dead mistress dug up so she could be crowned queen alongside him. Many of the nobles at the coronation even kissed her hand. After the ceremonies they put her back in the box and returned her to her tomb.
  17. It’s illegal in Alabama to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
  18. In parts of Alaska, it’s illegal to feed alcohol to a moose.
  19. You’re subject to fines and/or imprisonment for making “ugly faces” at dogs in Oklahoma.
  20. In Utah, birds have the right of way on all highways.
  21. Mao Zedong, like many Chinese of his time, refused to brush his teeth. Instead, he rinsed his mouth with tea and chewed the leaves. Why brush? “Does a tiger brush his teeth?” argued Mao. As you can imagine, his teeth were green.
  22. Chairman Mao also loved to chain-smoke English cigarettes, when his doctor asked him to cut down, he explained that “smoking is also a form of deep-breathing exercise, don’t you think?”
  23. The groundhog is only accurate in predicting the weather 28% of the time.
  24. Gene Sarazen, a golfer from several generations ago, set the record for the fastest golf drive: 120 mph.
  25. Michael Sangster, who played in the 1960s, had tennis’ fastest serve, once clocked at 154 mph.
  26. Since 1949, the LEGO company, based in Denmark, has produced more than 200,000,000,000 of the plastic elements that make up the Lego System.
  27. There are 102,981,500 ways to combine six of the 8-studed Lego bricks of one color.
  28. The name LEGO came from the Danish, “LEg GOdt,” which means “play well.”
  29. In England there is no difference between a pig and a hog, but here in the states if a pig is over 180 pounds, it is considered a hog.
  30. The specific gravity of your skin and Silly Putty is close enough that doctors have actually used it to align and test CAT scan machines.
  31. Lake Titicaca is known as the largest lake in South America.
  32. The Dead Sea is the world’s saltiest body of water.
  33. The earliest known legal text was written by Ur Nammu in 2100 B.C.
  34. The population density of the state of Alaska is 1 person per square mile.
  35. The original host of “Jeopardy” was Art Fleming.
  36. David McConnell used to sell sets of Shakespeare door-to-door. In order to make books more appealing, he offered free perfume to his customers. Realizing the perfume was more popular he began selling cosmetics door-to-door. And so began Avon.
  37. Some unwrapped mummies had a total bandage length of about 1.5 miles.
  38. Although it’s only 2% of our body weight, the brain uses 20% of all oxygen we breathe, 20% of the calories we take in, and 15% of the body’s blood supply.
  39. Income tax was first introduced in England in 1799 by British Prime Minister, William Pitt.
  40. The coccyx is the only bone in our 200+ bone system that serves no purpose.
  41. The Aztecs had a primative form of basketball called “ollamalitzli.” The difference from today’s sport is that the first person to get the ball through the ring high above the ground had the right to collect the clothes right off the backs of everyone watching the game.
  42. If you were to guess at a number chosen between 5 and 10, you would be wrong five out of six times.
  43. Donna Griffith is credited with the longest recorded bout of sneezing. It lasted 978 days, from January 1981 to September 1983.
  44. According to old historical opinion, Valentine’s Day is a good day to prepare eels for the purposes of magic. It was once believed that eating an eel’s heart would give sight of the future.
  45. The youngest person to receive a driver’s license is a 14 year 8 month year old by the name of Andrezej Makowski.
  46. The most miles ever put on a car is 1,615,000 miles on a 1966 Volvo P-1800.
  47. Renee Descartes, the 17th century philosopher and mathematician, is the person responsible for “x” being the universal variable in algebra.
  48. If you counted at the rate of 100 numbers a minute and kept counting for eight hours a day, five days a week, it would take a little over 4 weeks to count to one million and just over 80 years to reach one billion.
  49. Every day, more than 1,000 gallons of water are lost into space from the top of Earth’s atmosphere. Yet there is about as much water on Earth as there was 3 billion years ago.
  50. Les Miserables has a 3-page, 823-word sentence which is divided by 93 commas, 51 semicolons, and 4 dashes. Rumor has it that someone suffocated from lack of oxygen in the 1940′s just short of the 73rd comma while giving a dramatic reading from the work.
  51. Flag semaphore invented in Europe in 1791 by Claude and Ignace Chappe. Using this form of communication, Napoleon Bonaparte was able to send a message from Rome to Paris in about 4 hours at the rate of 15 characters per minute.
  52. About 40% of the world’s varieties of freshwater fish and more than half of the 8,600 species of birds in the world are in the Amazon River basin area.
  53. The largest stick of incense ever created was nearly 15 feet long and 6 inches in diameter.
  54. Jackie Bibby sat in a bathtub with 35 live rattlesnakes, procuring himself a world record.
  55. The word ‘byte’ is a contraction of ‘by eight.’
  56. The word ‘pixel’ is a contraction of either ‘picture cell’ or ‘picture element’.
  57. The longest one-syllable word in the English language is “screeched.”
  58. The dot over the letter ‘i’ is called a tittle.
  59. Duddley DoRight’s Horses name was “Horse.”
  60. Charlie Brown’s father was a barber.
  61. Of the six men who made up the Three Stooges, three of them were real brothers (Moe, Curly and Shemp.)
  62. Ohio is listed as the 17th state in the U.S., but technically it is number 47. Until August 7, 1953, congress forgot to vote on a resolution to admit Ohio to the Union.
  63. Only 1/3 of the people that can twitch their ears can twitch only one at a time.
  64. Ingrown toenails are hereditary.
  65. The largest city in the United States with a one syllable name is Flint, Michigan.
  66. On the cartoon show ‘The Jetsons’, Jane is 33 years old and her daughter Judy is 15.
  67. Only humans and horses have hymens.
  68. The word “set” has more definitions than any other word in the English language.
  69. The state with the longest coastline in the US is Michigan.
  70. We will have four consecutive full moons making two blue moons in 1999 (January 2 and 31, March 2 and 31.) The only other time it happened this century was in 1915 (January 1 and 31, March 1 and 31.)
  71. The longest U.S. highway is route 6 starting in Cape Cod, Massachusetts going through 14 states, and ending in Bishop, California.
  72. The first man to sail solo around the world was Joshua Slocum, who couldn’t swim.
  73. It took 20,000 men 22 years to build the Taj Mahal.
  74. Vincent Van Gogh painted a picture every day for the last 70 years of his life.
  75. If you stand at the bottom of a well you would be able to see the stars even in the middle of the day.
  76. STASI, the East German secret police, managed to duplicate the scent of a female dog in heat and apply it to the shoes of people they had under surveillance. If they needed to track them down, they just had to let some male dogs follow the scent.
  77. Arnold Schwarzenegger began his transition from Austrian bodybuilder into an American film star when he made his screen debut in 1970 under the name “Arnold Strong” in “Hercules Goes Bananas.”
  78. The Hundred Years War of the 14th and 15th centuries actually lasted 116 years.
  79. Trees, not whales, are the largest living organisms on Earth today.
  80. Karen Roman grew the world’s largest cauliflower, weighing in at 22 pounds.
  81. Charles Dickens kept the head of his bed aligned with the North Pole, believing the earth’s magnetic field would pass longitudinal through his body and ensure him a good night sleep.
  82. The Titanic’s rudder outweighed Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria.
  83. Scientists find as many as 10,000 new species of insects a year.
  84. Worms can have up to ten hearts.
  85. The dragonfly has about 30,000 lenses covering its retina, enabling it to see many images.
  86. More employees are injured in the meat packing industry than any other line of work.
  87. By the time you’re 70 you will have lost half your taste buds.
  88. Low fat foods are more likely to contain harmful bacteria than regular foods.
  89. The largest ball of twine in the world resides in Cawker City, Kansas, USA. It is over 12 feet in diameter, weighs 8+ tons, and never stops growing. More
  90. Average wait in the waiting room of a doctor’s office: 20 minutes.
  91. Black was the only colour that Ford produced the Model T. It was the only paint available which would dry fast enough to keep up with the fast pace of the assembly line.
  92. About 50 ant farms are sold an hour.
  93. The world’s longest mustache is more than eight feet long.
  94. The world’s largest squid was 35 feet long and weighed 2.2 tons.
  95. The fastest speed that a rail vehicle has gone is 6,121 mph or mach 8.
  96. The world’s largest gum drop was 11 lbs, 9 inches tall, and contained 15,250 calories.
  97. The largest tumor ever removed intact weighed 303 lbs.
  98. On the South Pole every direction you look is north.
  99. The world’s first coffee shop opened in 1554 in Constantinople. But it wasn’t until 1683 when coffee was served with milk, sugar, and a strainer was used to separate the grounds from the beverage.
  100. The tuna fish never stops swimming.
Fresh Picks / Music — 3 Comments
18
Sep 09

FreshPick: Alice Russell – All Alone

Alice Russell Album Press Photography

As you nerds know (or prob don’t know or care), I live in London now. Before you ask what the heck that has to do with anything, I’m mentioning it because Alice has a show next month in Camden (or somewhere like that) so I’ll probably be attending. I spotted this over at Kev’s blog and still can’t get over the power this woman has in her voice. I’m definitely looking forward to the show.

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Album Art / Art / mixtape / Music — No Comments
17
Sep 09

Carter – Legal Trappin (Mixtape) Album Art

carterlegaltrappin

The homie cARTer drops his latest offering with yet another classic album cover. Definitely FreshNerd worthy….if you’re not up on cARTer, he hopped on a song I produced featuring LaNiece McKay and gave me a mean 16 bars. Definitely check out his latest mixtape….cause I said so.

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