Jammyland, the legendary record shop in the LES must close it's door tomorrow as it looks for a new home. This shop is filled in every inch and corner with ska, rocksteady, dub, reggae and beyond- from the sixties, seventies and even some selected boxes of more current riddims. Although it's online shop will continue to grow and take on a new direction, I must say, I am personally furious with myself that I didn't get there earlier to clean up on 45's. Run by the shop and see if you can get your hands on whatever is left in the shop today!
Hey, peep my photoblog for recent events including Golden Ladies @ Soloman's Porch, Miles Davis Tribute @ Retreat and Waffletronix2 @ Adios Babylon.. Here
I'm really exited about my collaboration with my buddy and fellow artist in crime, Jelsen Jargon for THE WORLD AT LARGE // LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS SHOW that my friends of The Love Movement (TLM) are curating in the Limbo Gallery, San Diego. The peeps at the TLM invited me to the show a few months ago, and I decided to get Jelsen on board as my collaborator...Unlike musicians like Sarah, I don't get to do a lot of collabs normally, unless I specifically seek it out. This was one of those projects, and I'm ready to do more!
The show's proceed will benefit The International Humanity Foundation, a San Diego-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides free education and community leadership development, as well as operates orphanages and famine feeds, for the poorest of the world’s poor in Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya. I have been involved in several benefit shows in the past and am always ready to contribute my art to the CAUSE. Read more about the show here.
step one...I did the portraits step done! [photo: Stephanie Land] I picked Jelsen's childhood portraitto draw. Jelsen is bad! Here is his brilliant typography he just drew off the top of his head. It reads WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE. We worked hard on this for 4 nights in a row. [photo: Stephanie Land]
Check it out!!! Our friend, Eagle Nebula Eagle Nebula just let me peep this video of Sadat X from Brand Nubian, in which she is featured!!! We can't wait for her new album, Cosmic Headphones to drop in August.
Yes, I'm back on the topic. I've got toys on the brain.... A while back, I was at the house warming of Diamond Girl and Lichiban, and we got on the never ending topic of toys.. Babeland was brought up as the place to shop for books, toys and what ever else tickles your fancy. Last week I finally justified a reason to make a visit, so I hoofed it from Noho to the LES for some goods.
When I walked in, the spot had a great atmosphere: appealing to the eye, a huge variety and the vibe didn't make you feel uncomfortable or in the spotlight. Not only could you grab anything from non-toxic vibrators to man toys, but the ladies working the floor were educated and eager to help.
I learned a little about the G-spot, lubes and toy sanitation before I finally found a $60 gem I could commit to.
What's fresh about this spot is that they have a variety of toys for first timers that are 20% off ( some as cheap as twenty dolla's!), they have a blog to keep you posted and connected with other Babeland fans and they offer a 10% discount to working pro's..
Swing by!
Lower East Side Store 94 Rivington St., New York, NY 10002 212.375.1701
Soho Store: 43 Mercer Street New York, NY 10013 212.966.2120
Also be sure to sign up on the site to enter the contest for $1,200 worth of toys and merch..
FROM THE SOURCE is the fruit of an idea we planted back in the winter. We are all here. Creative women on the same journey carrying the same message. We planted a seed of a female collective based on our mutual love and support for each other's creative work and our desire to grow and blossom together. The world cannot be whole without the balance and the complimentary existence of the male and female creative force. Our collective energy is like an ancient tree whose roots draw from the heart of the world and whose fruits bear the seeds of future branches of art and music and anything in between.
FROM THE SOURCE is a place where we come together to build and shed our light to the world. It is a celebration of our connection to the Source. We are coming together to reconnect ourselves and help others in their journey to the source within. Love is the message.
On Thursday May 8th, 2008, come meet us and be part of this very special event featuring three amazingly talented performers, Yolanda Zama, Sarah White and Eagle Nebula. This is our inaugural show initiating future collaborations, projects, performances, so stay tuned for our future events. We also invited the beautiful designers of MISSBRUNO to showcase some of the pieces of their new line. To learn more about them, read our interview with them below this post. ----Lichiban
Thursday, May 8th 2008, Doors open: 8pm, Show starts at 8:30pm Location: SMOOCH, Organic Cafe and Wine Bar, 264 Carlton Ave (off of Dekalb), BROOKLYN 11205 [Take C to Lafayette Ave, G to Fulton St + 5 mins walk] FREE EVENT !! [flyer design by Lichiban]
OK, so let me introduce the ladies.
YOLANDA ZAMA singer/songwriter/writer/healer/supawoman!////////////////////////////////////////////// [photo: Protius] WHAT DO YOU DO? I write, I sing, raise my boy, and dream up a perfect world TRUE BEAUTY IS…unapologetic, true to itself... BEATS…mirror the rhythms of my heart TRUE SEXY IS…loving the hell out of the God who made you MUSIC IS MY…food ART DOES NOT…discriminate MY NIGHTS ARE…learning my new friend, Garage Band THESE 3 TURN ME ON…an inquisitive mind, discovering new worlds, 85% dark chocolate SELF-KNOWLEDGE …is hard to find ENOUGH OF …the starving artist! MY CREATIVITY IS…has yet to be fully cultivated TRUE POWER IS…honoring those who came before you LIFE CAN BE THE...so much damn fun! TO LOVE IS TO…get out of your own way I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE….mah mama said so!
Also make sure to peep Sarah's photo blog to see more of her photos of Yolanda.
SARAH WHITE singer/emcee/photographer/stylist/writer/healer/supawoman!/////////////////////////// [photo: Protius] To read Sarah's answers, go to the earlier, introductory post we had up here. Also, make sure to check the interview with Sarah on my personal blog. Check lichiban.blogspot.com to read it.
We are super exited about Sarah's upcoming solo album scheduled to come out this year. Sarah's been busy banging out tracks after tracks and blessing several collaborative projects (Arch_typ, Papastomp, Manifest, DJ Don Cuco) with her completely unique vocal power.
Check Sarah's page to see more photos and to get a taste of her new album.
EAGLE NEBULA singer/MC/poet/stylist/educator/activist/supawoman!////////////////////////////////////// Hailing from Inglewood, Ca via thee great tower of creation, Eagle Nebula springs fourth to bring you joy and truth in the form of magically rhymed verses. Riding on the wavelength that carries the new paradigm of hip hop music like Ashanti royalty, she has come to uphold the very essence of hip hop—a gift from the universe, manifested though ether as sound, to regenerate, inspire and heal. As a crown reminds a queen of her royal place to lead the people, when Eagle Nebula rocks her cosmic headphones, she is reminded of her duty to speak universal truth and bring light to the masses who have been shrouwded in darkness and dispair. Look out for her debut album "Cosmic Headphones" soon to be released on the ePistrophik Peach Sound label, produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow and executive produced by Dudley Perkins. [photo: Artistic Bling] WHAT DO YOU DO? I'm an emcee TRUE BEAUTY IS… the essence of ones soul shining bright! BEATS…good beats can heal the world TRUE SEXY IS…inner peace MUSIC IS MY…attempt at transmolecularization ART DOES NOT…be tryna act all cute MY NIGHTS ARE…filled with astral travel THESE 3 TURN ME ON…knowledge, wisdom, understanding SELF-KNOWLEDGE …is the reason you came to the planet in the first place ENOUGH OF …war, murder, capitalism, the idea of poverty, MY CREATIVITY IS… just another manifestation of the most high TRUE POWER IS…in the intention and will of the spirit LIFE CAN BE THE...time to use your superpowers! TO LOVE IS TO…partake in the sweet waters of life! I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE….i'm on a conference call with my ancestors
+++ Discography Pattie Blingh "Sagala" featured on the song Rebelyouthwithskill w. Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow Yann Kesz. "Breaks Capture" featured on the song Wonder
Eagle is dropping a heart-stopper LP soon. Stay tuned, it is going to be the bomb! Get a taste of her music on her page.
Sarah White [photo: Protius] & Yolanda Zama [photo: Artistic Bling] Behind the scenes [photo: Lichiban] Eagle Nebula [photo: Artistic Bling] Sarah White [photo:Protius] Yolanda Zama & Eagle Nebula [photo:Artistic Bling] Sarah White aka Artistic Bling [photo:Lichiban] Sarah, Eagle, Yolanda, and Dj Don Cuco[photo:Lichiban] Protius [beatmaker, photographer] in action. Check here to listen to his music [photo: Lichiban] TO READ AN INTERVIEW WITH SARAH WHITE AND TO SEE MORE PHOTOS AND BACKSTAGE SHOTS, GO TO LICHIBAN'S BLOG.
We live in a new era. The female side of our collective human creative conscious is experiencing a massive renaissance. It is a creative energy that is much needed for our world today having global economic, military and ecological disasters waiting to happen around the corner. After centuries of being kept out of the educational systems, we finally have a chance to shine and contribute equally to the world by birthing not only the new generation of creatives BUT ALSO the new generation of concepts, art, music, film and everything in between.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Shirley & Marjorie of MISSBRUNO
I've been following the creative journey of these two fly ladies since last year when I first saw their amazing scarf collection while sailing the net. Living in Brooklyn and having a first-hand chance to experience of BK's endless creative output, I start to realize how much of world's global aesthetic is shaped by visionaries I encounter daily. These ladies combine hard-working enterperneurship with a flawless artistic vision. Missbruno's avantgarde creations prove that fashion is a body art and can be one of the most immediate form of self-expression. Check out and give some love to these badass talents on their website and myspace page. Also, come take a peek at some of the newest collection Shirley and Marjorie are going to be showcasing at the upcoming FROM THE SOURCE show at SMOOCH on May 8th. Below is their joint answer to the ongoing WRONGLIPS questionnaire.
WHAT DO YOU DO? Design for the line missbruno, make films and good music. WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? Brooklyn and Croix–Des-Bouquets, Haïti. TRUE BEAUTY IS… imperfect and character. BEATS…Right now we’re up on Icy Demons, Coupé Decalé and Shuggie Otis. TRUE SEXY IS… without question. MUSIC IS MY… belt. It holds everything up. ART DOES NOT… like getting flowers on birthdays, Valentine’s day or Christmas. MY NIGHTS ARE…complicated! THESE 3 TURN ME ON…#3 pencils, finding and falling in love with new music, cheesy musicals SELF-KNOWLEDGE … is being able to see the colors bouncing off of everyone. ENOUGH OF … wearing those kaffiyeh! That is unless you are showing your solidarity with Palestinians. MY CREATIVITY IS… inspired by graphic prints and African fractals right now. TRUE POWER IS… declaring and living your independence. LIFE CAN BE THE...like the aso oke fabric we like to cut from. Individual strands of silk & cotton are weaved together by one hand to create something that’s unlike any other. TO LOVE IS TO… make a revolution every day. I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE…missbruno awakens the explorers in us...from digging for fabrics in unlikely places to planning our next adventure in the Caribbean. THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE…are on fiyah! WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? We’re all over www.missbruno.com ..
This beautiful Harlem-bred lady has one of the most impressive resumes I've encountered in a long time. She is a visionary at heart and she's got all the skills to realize her ideas: she acts, directs, writes, produces. I will let her bio speak for itself...I warn you this is just a partial intro, to learn more about her and read her full list of achievements, check her page here.
WHAT DO YOU DO? dream, study the human condition, make pictures WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? the space between pleasure and pain - it's warm! TRUE BEAUTY IS…unmasked, raw emotion BEATS…make me feel the earth again TRUE SEXY IS…unbridled passion tinged with a sense of humor, kindness without expectation MUSIC IS MY…lifeline ART DOES NOT…close the door MY NIGHTS ARE…pulsing fire THESE 3 TURN ME ON…rhymes, wit, creativity SELF-KNOWLEDGE …is the roadmap to freedom ENOUGH OF …holding back from bettering one's self, dehumanizing people MY CREATIVITY IS…expansive, spreading through the cracks TRUE POWER IS…regenerating love LIFE CAN BE THE...only reason you need TO LOVE IS TO…cultivate growth without using fear as a weapon I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE….the tides of my life tell me so! THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE…considers no ceiling and stretches to a boundless sky WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? where the wild things are
"After a brief spell in the music industry, she decided to pursue acting with the goal to push beyond the boundaries of how women of color are perceived in theater and film, to approach roles varying in depth and range. She has worked in notable venues such as Ensemble Studio Theater, Center Stage, Repertorio Español, HERE and with companies such as Cornerstone Theater Company and Project 400. She has also performed at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café in Miguel Pinero’s one-act, Sideshow (HOWL Festival ’03). Her versatility has driven her to work on the British play, Gut Girls and worked on the timely play, De Donde and several pieces by J. Anthony Roman at the Rebel Verses Theater Festival. With aspirations to also direct, she has worked as an assistant director for Glory Sims Bowen and Charmian Creagle at the Looking Glass Theater’s 2003 Spring Forum, which then led her to make her directorial debut the following year in the East Village’s Red Room Theatre with an original play, Checkmate. Film is an equal, if not significant passion, having worked on several shorts, including St. Paul [Kulture Machine Productions], which won Best Short at the NY International Latino Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Columbia Student Film Festival in 2005. She was among the leads in the award-winning short, Collision and her most recent short, Suavecito, premiered at the 2007 NY Int’l Latino Film Festival.
She's is currently co-producing and acting in one of the pieces titled GONE -"The loss of innocence and love in the time of war" in NO MATINEES, authored by J. Anthony Roman, which features la creme de la creme of NYC talent from June 10-15th @ Centerstage. For more info check the myspace page or website.
On the cine tip, she was one of the leads in the short film, Departure, by Mauricio Alexander, where she played a painter. She's is also writing her first short, entitled Breathe Easy." Whew, this woman is unstoppable!
"Life can’t get any worse for Hero until he finds himself resurrecting a friendship, recovering love and saving his soul in the dawn of the summer blues." Tracy is also a producer, having successfully completed HERO THE GREAT, where she teamed up with writer/director Juan Caceres, after their initial partnership on Juicy. The film was awarded the Honorable Mention in Narrative Film prize at the Humboldt Film Festival. Stay tuned as Hero will be making its way to the film festival circuit in 2008.
Jammyland, the legendary record shop in the LES must close it's door tomorrow as it looks for a new home. This shop is filled in every inch and corner with ska, rocksteady, dub, reggae and beyond- from the sixties, seventies and even some selected boxes of more current riddims. Although it's online shop will continue to grow and take on a new direction, I must say, I am personally furious with myself that I didn't get there earlier to clean up on 45's. Run by the shop and see if you can get your hands on whatever is left in the shop today!
