Our first production was completed for The Whoevers and features a music video for “Spectacular Vernacular,” the second track off of the Renovations album. We shot in various locations in Humboldt and Wicker Park in Chicago using two Mark II’s (5D,7D).
Special thanks to J. Arthur and Dotkom for giving us a great track to work with.
Artist Unknown
Ever miss a day of work or school with no excuse? Then, you dread going back because you know you’ll have to explain the yourself? Me too. So, to avoid wasting my good excuses on a post explaining why I haven’t been able to post, like most hiatus stricken bloggers do, I’m just gonna walk in the room unnoticed and and act like nothing happened lol.
Now to direct your attention elsewhere; remember when this guy came back?!
You read it right. We’re bringin you some digable items for some VIP prices. Email us for details.
More items soon to come. Got some Fresh Threads of your own? Email us with images and we’ll spread the word!
Nike Air Jordan Flight Club Sweater
Chicago Bulls 5th Title Starter Tee
Old School RED/BLK/WHT Nike Windbreaker
AJ 19 SE
This sound bite needs no description. Just consider that we’re consuming much more than we create in this system that forces us to eat everything that’s served and outcasts those who’d rather starve. Stay thirsty.
Peace in.
Photo courtesy of eli.com, copyright believed to be Virgin Records
Whether it’s nostalgia taking affect for those born in the mid-to-late ’80s, or there’s just something magical about the tunes, the truth stays that the hip-hop/r&b jams of the ’90s hit the spot like no other for a lot of Chicago cats and kittens in their 20s. The same can be said about what I saw in SF during my last visit.
On that note, I was chatting up with some friends this past weekend and a conversation about Michael Jackson (R.I.P.) lead to one about Janet, which led to another about the fliest ladies of the 90s. Getting into the subject goes beyond their music and vocal ability of course because we’re talking about the 90s! The golden age of music videos where the ladies’ had the voices combined with the moves and styles that I’m sure gave a lot of fellas their first . . . crush.
Going into an entire list here in one sitting would be overkill and Top 5 overall just won’t cut it. So we’ll take a look at the early years and call this the Top 5 ladies of 1990-1993. Read on for the list and videos. Continue
Photo from WashingtonPost.com
This isn’t a political forum. There’s no liberal or conservative, left or right, bipartisan or independent. On that fact, I’m not here to impose any dedication to either side. I am, however, inclined to criticize the lack of interest and involvement that this youth generation has maintained since Obama’s inauguration.
Last night the President addressed our nation. He talked about our areas of success and also those that call for improvement and while the outlook was presented positively, there was an undertone of nostalgia, or somber reflection. He reflected on a time that most of us have only heard about, in what seem today, to be fairy tales. A time when you didn’t need a degree for a good paying job, benefits, or security for your family. A time when hard work and motivation would almost guarantee you success.
Some of our parents experienced this golden age; succeeded because they worked hard, and struggled so their children wouldn’t have to. Others experienced only the pursuit, but accomplished something within that pursuit that presented us, their children, with opportunities that they never had. I grew up listening to my family’s stories of chasing these opportunities. They wanted everything that this country had to offer and left everything they knew as their homeland so their children would have a chance at the life they dreamed of. Are we living those dreams?
After his speech, I checked Facebook to see my friend’s reactions but found myself in a social network of disappointment. I don’t have a million friends on there, but surely enough to pick AT LEAST ten who watched and reacted to the address. Instead I found the usual viral vids and updates on what someone just ate or were about to eat.
Out of the few that did watch, half responded with the notion that it’s all “bs” anyway. Now, as stated earlier, this isn’t a push for one side or the other but in a country that’s rooted in the participation of it’s people, sitting around and saying “it’s all ‘bs’” just isn’t helping. If you’re not part of the solution . . . You finish the rest. I guarantee they weren’t saying that during the Obama election or inauguration. They jumped on the bandwagon and voted for change. So, where’d they go?
The sad truth is, the lot of us have lost interest because Will.I.Am and Kanye aren’t pushing the campaign. Diddy is no longer threatening anyone to “Vote or DIE”. Simply put, the trend has faded and now it’s easier to just ask, “What’s the point?”
So here is mine. With the Obama election, the youth voters fueled the victory more than any other category out there. The youth culture placed a man of color in the White House. If at that time, we made it our prerogative to brush politics off as “bs” there’d probably be a different man on that stage tonight addressing a very different nation. What happened to that pride? Did it fade with Obama’s face on the T-shirts? Are we consciously protesting or are we just lazy? Most of us are so quick to knock the government but don’t fully understand it. We tear it apart and blame it for everything that’s wrong but don’t stop to consider what life would be like growing up somewhere else.
This isn’t a push for Obama, or government, or any political interest for that matter. It’s just that the older I get, the more I realize the divide that we, the youth culture, have created for ourselves isn’t focussed on liberal or conservative values anymore. It’s an ocean that separates the few who understand that we need to care if we want things to get better, and the many who just don’t care at all.
The truth remains that we’ll never be able to change the world. The world is changing with or without us. It comes down to deciding if we’re gonna be part of that change for the better. Stay thirsty my friends.
Peace in.
Translation: "The Plain", with food anything but...
The Basics:
Price: 10-15 bucks.
Where?: 4011 North Elston Avenue. Chicago, IL 60618
What: Authentic Columbian food at a reasonable price.
Special Notes: B.Y.O.B, Good for Parties(spacious dining room)
The Run Down
I remember it like it was yesterday. I had passed out after a long night of boozing and jamming out to “old” mid 90′s music. The sun seeped in from the living room blinds and I awoke, not hungover, ready to take on the day. However, my first task wasn’t what errand I needed to run, or where I had to be, it was the most important meal of the day…Linner.
Some of you reading this might be confused, Linner? Well, let me clarify, I didn’t wake up until 3pm. Too late for breakfast, too late for lunch, but too early for dinner. The meal that I was going to eat HAD to set the tone for my day. After pondering for about 20 minutes, all I could think of was McDonalds, KFC, or Taco Bell. Frustrated, my friend and I got in my car, and decided, “Alright..the first thing we see, that’s what we’re gonna eat.” I turned onto Elston and using my peripherals spotted “EL LLANO”. Short on money, we didn’t know if this was the place for us, until we saw the sign on the windows that said, “1/4 Chicken with Rice and Beans 4.95″, and “Ribeye Steak with Rice and Beans 4.95″. We finished our pre-meal cigarette, and walked in. From the outside, you can’t help but think this is one of your dinky, run-of-the-mill Mexican joints. But the inside is a whole different story. The restaurant is quite large, with plenty of tables to fit any size party you’re with. The walls are tastefully decorated with Columbian artifacts and paintings, complimented by a beautiful wall mural that sets the tone of the restaurant. It became apparent to me that this was a restaurant not only proud of its culture, but more importantly, proud of their food.
I knew right away that I wasn’t going to settle for one of their lunch specials. This was the place. GO BIG OR GO HOME. I flipped through the menu, immediately caught off guard by the prices. Trust me, thats not a bad thing. The name of what we ordered is a little difficult to pronounce so we just asked to have #13. Now, my friend and I can eat…but this plate filled us up easy:
Best BANG for your BUCK.
On the Plate: Beans, Ribeye Steak, Sausage, Rice, Fried Egg, Fried Plantain, Yuca cake, Fried Pork Skin, Avocado
On the Side: Looked/Tasted like a Green Tomatillo Salsa of some sort. Either way, it was GREAT. But beware, it has some kick to it!
Best thing on the plate by far was the Fried Pork Skin. They had this way of cooking it that preserved the tenderness of the meat and fat, while still making the skin crispy, and crunchy. I’ve had this before at ANOTHER Columbian restaurant before, and I nearly broke my knife trying to cut into it. This one sliced like BUTTER. The sausage was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Subtly spicy, with bite and snap, the way a good sausage should be. The Ribeye was thin, but you can’t expect a 30 dollar Ribeye to show up on a 15 dollar entree. Again, it was well seasoned, but not the star of the dish. The beans and rice soaked up the flavor from the meats, and when you pop that egg over the rice, the unity of flavors is one that anyone, and everyone, should get to experience in their lives. I used the Yuca cake to soak up any more of the meat juices/bean sauce/egg yolk that were left. And lastly, just as a cherry tops off a sundae, there was the fried plantain; that not only completed my meal, it also cleansed my pallet.
To wrap up, EL LLANO is a diamond in the rough. Service was excellent, and they provided an environment that is truly, one of a kind. Unfortunately, I did not take advantage of the B.Y.O.B, but fear not, I’ll be back soon…and I hope to see you all there.
4.95 are you out of your mind?!
I planned to let the “Sex With Strangers” review ride out through the weekend but after seeing the latest vid. put out on Hollywood Holt’s blog, I had to get movin on a response. Let’s start by taking a look at some of his early work that never worked for me.
This first vid came out years back and it’s a given that styles are gonna switch up over time. Except, I did head over to Double Door in Wicker Park last summer to see K-Os and couldn’t see much difference in the tracks Hollywood was dishing out to stick around to the end; and he was promoted as the main event.
Then today I found this one. Even though it’s not an original track (beat courtesy of Kanye from TI’s track), this vid’s got some real depth. Davy Greenberg’s work on the vid matched the tone of the track. Hollywood’s not “stylin” this time. He’s talking Chicago politics, gun control, violence and has some passion vibing through on the issues; versus his typically playful tracks. Other tracks aside, I really respect the work put into this.
Hollywood Holt -- Welcome to the World (freestyle) from Davy Greenberg for Elephilms on Vimeo.
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