NEW WORK + FREEBIE :: Nikki NTU :: Muse

I'm pleased to present the first of my Lichiban presents music & art collabo series, the album cover I just finished for a Wronglips featuree, Brooklyn-based songstress/ MC, Nikki NTU's debut release, A History of Dreams... Nikki's commitment to produce honest & fresh music with a rebellious spiritual message sets her apart from most other MCs today. Her lyrical flow is at times like a punch in the stomach, at others like a heart massage. The album produced by the one and only Melo-X who really outdid himself on the production end. Both artists are from the Brooklyn-based cosmic artist collective The Galaxy Riders/A.L.I.E.N. A History of Dreams is set to drop on June 2nd, and to get a taste of what you expect of this amazing album, they are giving away another new track, Muse. DOWNLOAD it here!

Also Nikki's earlier track from the album, Birth of Venus, has gotten over 6000 downloads already, if you haven't gotten it already, make sure to get it.

As for my part, I will post a more detailed post about the inspirations for this cover and a step-by-step photo log of the project. I also designed Nikki's blog & logo, which you can check here. Stay tuned for this much-anticipated album coming soon...(and yes, it is going to be free!)

SEED IN THE CITY :: for the love of house...

If you love soulful house and people who can dance even in the tightest space without knocking you over, then check out this party that my good friend Bradford James is throwing this weekend.

Saturday May 23, 2009 10:00 pm

A party that started in New York City in 2003 returns back to the BIG Apple... well Williamsburg, Brooklyn to be exact...

We are excited to re:plant
Seed In The City
with resident Dj's;

Deknology (Seed) NYC
Bradford James (Seed / Shelter Records / Utopia) Boston
Nef Nunez (Seed / Deepa Grooves) NYC


10pm till 4am
$5 Before Midnite or w/RSVP before Saturday
$10 After
21+ / Positive Vibes
Open Bar 10pm - 12am

rsvp@seedrecordings.com

**** SPECIAL NOTE!!****
If you rsvp before Saturday we will honor the $5 cover charge ALL NIGHT LONG!!! otherwise its $10... btw did we mention theres OPEN BAR DRINK SPECIALS TILL MIDNTE!!!
Thats what we are talkin about! Dope Venue, Dope Vibes, Dancing, Drinking & Socializing!! Please take advantage of this!!!

Mamas love....DJ VADIM :: U Can't Lurn Imaginashun

Im so excited to cop this new release from Dj Vadim! Be sure to grab this one out fresh from BBE.
'one of the best album's of the year' URB'powerfull, visionary futuristic soul music' The Guardian

'a breath of fresh air..' New York Times

'the John Coltrane of hip hop soul returns triumphantly'

' vibrant , bumping soulful boom bap' The Village Voice

' the man with his finger on the pulse, delivers a highly enjoyable aural ride' BBC.com

' you need to be bumpin this ish!' vice

'infectious, sassy, breathing new life...' IDJ

' the russian hip hop supremo delivers something to shake your booty to' Daily Star

come listen on
itunes.com
bleep.com
www.myspace.com/djvadim
www.facebook.com
www.djvadim.com

+ check the sick remixes. Julien Dyne, Lil Ste, Astronote, EWH, + the exclusive grime meets regggae dub remix of 'Soldier' ft uk grime spitters - wretch 32, kyza smirnoff, orifice vulgatron(foreign beggerz)

check live shows ths summer - LONDON/ MOSCOW/ ST PETERSBURG/ CHICAGO/ LA/ NYC/ PARIS/ BERLIN/ COPENHAGEN/ SAN FRANCISCO

Dont miss it, THIS FRIDAY!

New York, NY – May 22, 2009 premieres Noble Technique Arts & Subculture Arts Fest. The New York based art collective, Noble Technique, presents the first of a four - part event series highlighting New York City based arts and subcultures.

This festival will be celebrated in a four-part series, individually focusing on Dance, Skate culture, Kicks (sneaker) culture, and the Body Arts.

The first is "DANCEINFUSED" and is a unique window for viewing the culture of dance and celebrating everything about it.

“DANCEINFUSED” is presented in a 7500 sq ft. interactive loft space at Die Fabrik in NYC’s Soho district. The opening reception from 9pm – 11pm features the work of photographers, painters, and videographers on their interpretation of dance, as well as a collection of autobiographical work of well - established representatives of dance. The rest of the evening continues until 2am with performances, interactive displays, and a celebration with music provided by Hardy Boys featuring DJ Lloydski and Blu Jemz.

Performances throughout the evening feature the Hip Hop Dance Conservatory, dance photographer Lois Greenfield & The Dario Vaccaro Dance Project, Broadway dancer/choreographer James Kinney and NYC nightlife’s, Roela LaMazing, interactive demonstrations by Voguers, Capoeiristas, B-Boys, B-girls, Burlesque, and more. An ongoing exhibition of the visual displays will continue for the rest of the weekend, May 23 & 24, 1pm - 7pm.


Anyone interested in this experience should RSVP at guest@nobletechnique.com


Noble Technique: DANCEINFUSED
Featuring:
Dance: The Hip Hop Dance Conservatory, Lois Greenfield & The Dario Vaccaro Dance Project, James Kinney, Joshua Pelatzky, Roela LaMazing, Shyrelle K, Melanie Ninja of House of Ninja, and more.
Art & Photography: Lois Greefield, TONE, Michael J. Seamans, Roger Lanoue Jr., Anthony Cunanan, Concep, Elyssa Pierre, Joseph Romanoff, Sarah White, KT, +snowflake, Shawn Bishop-Leo, and more.
Music: Hardy Boys featuring DJ Lloydski and Blu Jemz, and more
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009
Time: Opening reception 9pm-11pm, 11pm - 2am
Admission: $10 w/ RSVP guest@nobletechnique.com, $15 door
Venue: Die Fabrik , 38 Howard St, 5th floor, Soho, NY, NY, 10003
Trains: 6, N, R, Q, W to Canal St.

THE STREETS :: INDIE

Check out female graffiti artist Indie's fly feature on VIMBY. She's a mother of three, works for herself, and uses graffiti to lift the spirit. Truly inspirational. Peep her work here.

Brooklyn, we go hard...THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS

Saturday May 23rd 2009
PUBLIC ASSEMBLY 70 north 6th street Brooklyn, NYC

The Good People at HustleMode, Lioness Extravaganza, Loft Boys Media & The Elan Group Present:

THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS
featuring live performance by

Raye 6
TreZure The Empress
Ihsan Muhammad
Suzi Analogue
Janine
Shamz Le Roc
Natasha Corbette
*plus special guests*
$10 in advance or on the guestlist
$12 general admission
to purchase tickets: click here
to get on the list send an email to girlofmydreams@hustlemode.com For press and media inquiries send an email to press@hustlemode.com

Mamas love..."That Nola D" by Nola Darling *Boom Boom Pow Remix"

"That Nola D" by Nola Darling *Boom Boom Pow Remix" from Nola Darling on Vimeo.

BOYS & CLOTHES Magazine seeks a boss chick!

WHAT IS A BOYS+CLOTHES BOSS CHICK?
As a B+C Boss Chick, you'd be the official style representative for your city. Contribute your fashion and lifestyle tips and picks to our readers via our blog twice a month and our tri-annual print magazine. Share what your city's bossiest stylistas are wearing and how they're living.
THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
Check out the Boss Chick Style Commandments and send a few of your best flicks and a brief summary telling us why you're the official go-to fashionista who needs to be the rep for your city! Email your submissions to info@boysandclothes.com
Read more about what it takes to be BOYS+CLOTHES BOSS CHICK HERE

Mamas love....WONDER-FULL!!

WONDER-Full (XI) Stevie Wonder Tribute

SATURDAY MAY 16, 2009


* WONDER-Full (XI)
Annual Tribute To 
Stevie Wonder
*


w/ DJ SPINNA & BOBBITO a.k.a Kool Bob Love


Tickets Available @
Fat Beats (NYC) 212.673.3883


Pieces (BKLYN) 718.857.7211

As you might know, at the last two Stevie Wonder party, DJ Spinna, Bobbito and Keita of Keistar Productions were lucky to have the legend bless the house with his amazingly charismatic presence at the last two annual tribute parties....We don't know if he'll do it again yet a third time, but either way, this party is one of the most wonderful parties of the city! This is love.

Not to be missed!!
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/64120

Don't Sleep on the Ladies Nite party :: May 13, 2008

Check out the Don't Sleep on the Ladies Nite party tomorrow at the Delancey.

Shout out to my super-talented artistas Vanilla Medallions and Cee the Photographer!

Zen Art Meets Responsible Design: Interview with BOA

A couple of weeks ago, I had a chance to meet BOA, founder and head designer of Object Interiors. Our meeting led to a long exchange about what it means to be an artist in our craft, about sustainable design, about our affinity for wood and organic materials and about our love for the creative process itself. I went home after our inspiring meeting and immediately checked out her site...I was completely blown away by her work! Object Interiors, a company she founded and where she serves as the head designer is a space where minimalist aesthetic meets zen spirit and eco-friendly design. The materials used in constructing her pieces range from cork, eco-felt fabric, bamboo, recyclable aluminum, reclaimed beams from 19th century industrial mills, water-based lacquers, and other eco-friendly media. Her furnitures create an environment that gives a sense of harmony and clarity of mind. I envision having her pieces in my home could lift my spirit on a daily basis...isn't that what all artists strive for?

BOA studied graphics at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has worked in a variety of different media over the years before stumbling into the world of interiors and furniture. She has over 10 years experience in this industry, previously working as a furniture buyer, furniture sales rep, interiors / prop stylist and magazine art director. Having been brought up on St. John, US Virgin Islands (a national park) her aesthetic is heavily influenced by nature.

YOU CAN CHECK OUT HER LATEST CREATIONS AT THE UPCOMING BKLYN DESIGN EXPO this weekend May 8th-May 10th, 2009. See flyer below for details.

Lichiban: You mentioned the first time we met that you are the only "black female furniture designer doing modern furniture". How did you end up being a furniture designer and what would be your advice to aspiring designers?

BOA: "I first got interested in the field when a close friend opened a furniture showroom back in 1991 and hired me as the sales rep. I started hanging around the designers and collecting their work-Instead of getting paid a salary I was one of those "Will work for furniture" people. LOL. However, I got sidetracked into fashion modeling and did not come back to this field until 1997 . I had a serious physical injury and had to re-assess what I wanted to do with my life and I quickly realized that my love for art & design-basically all things creative-had never died. I took a job in a furniture showroom and learned the business from the ground up.
My advice to aspiring designers is to take classes or apprentice: know your stuff-know architecture, construction, material constraints but also learn the most important aspect of how to be a business person as well as an artist. To succeed in this industry requires a significant financial investment so write a business plan. Get really clear on how you will distinguish yourself from the next designer that is your competition because the competition is fierce-especially in New York. And I would say have faith and believe in yourself because that is 50% of your success."

L: I believe that all craft that is mastered and is done with a passion is art. Would you agree?

B: "Yes, yes, and yes!! Here in the western world our culture separates art from life. in traditional cultures all over the globe, the two are interchangeable and inseparable. Everyone in the community has an opportunity to fulfill their creative expression: women in many parts of Africa build and decorate the houses; children make pottery; Clothes are designed and sewn. Paintings are done on tree bark or walls-the list goes on. I have such reverence for art that is motivated from within and is not 'art for art's sake' as it is here. No juries or art critics to decide what is or isn't considered art. Just an individual, their imagination and some raw material."

L: Do you see yourself as an artist?

B: "Absolutely. I am first and foremost an artist. That description comes right after me being a woman. I trained in fine arts and worked in a multitude of media-sculpture, painting, jewelry design and graphics. What I'm fighting to try and change now is the perception that design is not art. Why does a lump of clay molded into the shape of a rock warrant a spot in museum and an exceptionally crafted chair doesn't? is it just because it's functional? Whose decision is it that function somehow negates or mitigates aesthetic appeal? Whose to say that you or I can't find inspiration in our daily lives from looking at a beautifully designed rug?"

L: Your furniture designs are eco-sensitive. Could you tell me a little bit more about what that entails?

B: "I coined the term Eco-sensitive because I feel that Eco-friendly is played out. almost anyone is getting away with calling themselves Eco-friendly these days whether they truly are or not. What I mean is that with every product I bring to the market, I consider all aspects of production in a way that supports living sustainably. For instance, I design in Brooklyn and manufacture nearby: Brooklyn, Staten Island and Jersey, to minimize fossil fuel usage from trucking long distances. I print everything on recycled paper. My materials are usually sustainably harvested wood veneer, other material with high recycled content, reclaimed wood beams, steel that can be re-purposed later and I pay particular attention to my finishing process. Most people don't know that the furnishing s they live with everyday off-gasses toxins into their indoor environment because the finishes contain harmful solvents. I use water based lacquers, no VOC paints and plant-based oils for all my finishing. Every detail of every component is carefully considered. I think living in Northern California so long made me into this super crunchy person I hardly recognize."

L: What’s your favorite medium to work with?

B: "Virgin wood that was just cut down, BUT I had to give that up when I decided to become a responsible designer. I love wood like no other love-it's just where it comes from that's an issue."

L: What are you going to show at the upcoming BKLYN Design showcase?

B: "My Live Earth" collection based on inspiration from botanicals and nature."


L: What’s the latest project you’ve been working on?

B: "Man, I'm a crazy multi-tasker so I have my hand in so many things right now. A video blog of design around the world, lecturing at high schools to young girls about design-I've got a lot on my plate. Just trying to take it one day at a time."

Mamas love....DHUNDEE EPK

Our homie, Brooklyn-based dj/producer Dhundee (Brooklyn Bounce, Sugarcuts Inc.) just dropped this EPK. Dhundee who has already established himself as a killer DJ, plays several instruments and is a dope producer and I'm very excited about his upcoming debut album featuring some of my favorites such as Waajeed, Sarah White, Kissey Asplund, Cecilia Stalin, Stimulus, Nachy Bless among others. Stay tuned for news about his album and check out his new blog.

Dhundee & my beautiful girl Sandra. you'll see this woman around..esp. hosting the TASTE crew's signature parties at 105 Rivington on Mondays with resident DJs Moma & Stimulus. check her blog here.