updates and updates

couple of random pics and videos i took in NY with my new phone. It was my first time using it so the videos will appear shaky, but it's all good enjoy

pac man arcade at the uniqlo store

common projects madness at odin. ( dedication to osa lol)

yao ming. His wife is a giant. We had the same flight, He literally had to stoop low to move around the plane. I cant believe he is 300 pounds

Vids

My brother's graduation @ parsons

Graduation was long, but this part was well worth it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2I9qWYYz0



nom de guerre
one of the illest stores in ny. This vid does no justice at all. The footage is shaky, it was my first time using the camera on the phone, oh well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Foe8VHPv8T8




NY Randomness

underground, anything goes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMvyW-GLp5A

This is official, the niceguys will be at tipping point store on june 19th. Its not a performance, it's just a mixer event. Check em out, and meet em. Free food and free beer.

I know u've been seeing some of us rocking sneak peek of what should be coming out

10 plagues or makot mitzrayim as the hebrews call it shows how God used one man to destroy an empire

Blackberry storm. This is prob. one of the best shirts i have ever designed. Most shirts i design have an inside meaning, but the simplicity of it really makes it appealing. This shirt is dedicated to Yves Saint of the niceguys. I call it the blackberry storm because Yves writes his rhymes on a blackberry. The storm signifys his lyrics, because he spits that thunder. But the main reason why i like this shirt alot is because of the color choice. It is in black and that symbolizes how nobody knows yves saint like his mixtape name. Yves has been working hard to get his music out for so long. He has been doing his thing for a while now and nobody knows him. This shirt represents his life in music. Simple but has alot of history in it

whether he smoked weed or not, phelps is still a champion for real.

another special easy yves saint collabo shirt. EYS not YSL. Get familiar, Queens is the new rive guache

For the past couple of weeks, school has been a pain. This semester has proven to me why graphic design isn't something to joke with. I am working on a project where i have to redesign letterheads, business cards, envelopes, billboards and a shit load of stationery for the musuem of funeral history in houston. ( i never knew anything like that existed, i know its a crazy project). The reason why this assignment is very hard is because we aren't allowed to add any cliches in the campaign like coffins, crows etc. We really had to think outside the box and come up with different ideas. For the past 9 weeks to be exact, i have been drawing and laying out ideas for my final. Shit is hard. For my project, i used an owl to represent the company. Crows are the easy way out, but an owl def. brought something different and interesting. Since the company is about the history of funerals, i wanted to make sure i use something that related to it in a non- cliche manner. Below are a fraction of work i did for the project

membership card ideas

letterhead ideas

letterhead ideas

business cards

I got a shit load of stuff i came up with. I will post the final stuff as soon as its done

Like i said earlier, Graphic design ain't a joke. Not too long ago, i posted a project i was working on which was a photography book on the Nigerian culture in houston called: NIGERIA IN HOUSTON- PEOPLE AND CULTURE. Well here are some pics my cousin ( preciate the look out fam) and I took for the book . Above is the book cover. It should be done in less than a month

The one and only moms.

Still working on it as we speak. Shout out to Osa in New York, get at me when u head back. Shout out to my parents, nothing like them. Thanks for the talk we had. Shout out to S dot in india. I heard u'r comin back next week. Big shout outs to Matt & Robin, who just came back from nigeria. Real shit right there fam. Shirts are not on sale, i will keep you posted on when though. Lastly i just found out vibe or xxl posted one of my shirts last year lol. If anyone can send me that issue, i will give out 2 shirts. It was around APR- SEPT 2008 in the fashion section. Shout out to melo for the tip. I also found out about this last week. Check it out

http://www.nigerianreunion.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=viewcategory&catid=24&Itemid=45

I was notified that i am nominated for t-shirt designer of the year for the nigerian reunion event coming up next month. Honestly its not even about winning or losing, I'm just honored to even be recognized in the first place. Check out the link and make sure you support the event.

Lastly, i gotta leave yall with a laugh, i dedicated this to Christians lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwRDfO2yYMU

NY state of mind

Ok i was around alot of spots but got lazy to get pics of all of them, but below are just pics of the timesquare. I was just testing out the camera. And yes they are boring as hell. Photography isn't my strongest tool but eh. i ain't perfect.

Free what do u think of this shot? lol

This is where the blog get cool. Remember in my last post, i was going to show you a perfect example of non-cliche branding. Well people this right here is it. Ladies and gents, this is brooklyn circus. I have been keeping up with them recently and the crew are doing an amazing job in reaching outside of their culture

* - means the pic was taken from their blog
Dj Kohey ( pictured above). Thank you for allowing me to take pics of the store and givin me the opportunity to broadcast the amazing work the crew is doing. I will let you know if i end up using this as the book project, i am working on

*
like i said, this is a classic example of thinking outside of the skin color. Brooklyn circus started at 2006 as a streetwear boutique, but has really grown over the past years into something more dynamic. Shit is on point. This is what i call classic, not " urban" or " black" or whatever.

*
Super cool intern alex from france.

*

Brooklyn circus does not only sell top notch brands like nudie, sebago ( they had tons of colors, shit was sick) but they have their own inhouse label which is consists of military inspired jackets, peacoats, chambray button ups etc. Brooklyn circus also has a reputation for making one of the best varsity jackets and wrist accessories at the moment. I was mad to find out they were all sold out when i got to the store

some brooklyn circus goodness

kohey

make sure u check out their blog for more updates. They had an event this weekend which i missed because of my brother's graduation. Check em out, this is something you don't want to miss
http://www.thebkcircus.com/blog/

This store is really on a kind. Unfortunately sunday will be the last day of business. Yes i heart is closing down. Fortunatley i strolled around to pick up on some stuff before they shut down

i heart

i heart stocked some of my fav. european streetwear brands like tonite, perks and mini, surrender, ctrl. Even though new york really lacks in streetwear, this store really had its own lane. Truly the last of a dying breed. I really don't know why it will be closing down but the recession is really getting some of my brands like obedient sons, number nine, tonite etc. Well hopefully this isn't the end of everything they i heart crew has worked very hard on

some i heart goodness.
shout out to the bro graduation
i leave tommorow, and can't wait. NY is too active, i need to relax, but its still goodtimes. There were many other spots i checked out but like i said i was camera lazy, but the i recorded so many random events in ny on my phone. I will try and upload them on youtube. I got some cool shit on the way. Easy and CCCHHHHUUUUCCHHH.. wait hold on, eversince i left the niceguys have been getting some blog love. good shit on work, they got their sneaker pimps video out now.

http://vimeo.com/4779552

Houston Sneakerpimps Pt.1 from Evesborough Films on Vimeo.

check out the blog roll the niceguys have been getting

http://the4thquarter.net/2009/05/23/u-n-i-x-sneaker-pimps-houston-video/

http://the189.com/music/u-n-i-x-the-niceguys-x-sneaker-pimps-houston

http://imflashy.com/?p=11307

http://soulassassins.com/?p=9924

http://2dopeboyz.okayplayer.com/2009/05/22/u-n-i-x-the-niceguys-x-sneaker-pimps-houston-video/

http://www.eazeest.com/2009/05/sneakerpimps-houston-w-uni-nice-guys.html

http://a1hh.com/wordpress/?p=3389

http://www.xclusiveszone.net/2009/05/vid-houston-sneakerpimps-part-1.html

http://bananaclipse.com/2009/05/22/houston-sneakerpimps-part-one-uni-the-niceguys/

http://onenecktwochains.blogspot.com/2009/05/u-n-i-nice-guys-sneaker-pimps-in.html

http://conceptcitymusicblog.com/2009/05/22/video-houston-sneakerpimps-part-1/

http://whateyethought.com/2009/05/22/vimeo-houston-sneakerpimps-part-one-u-n-i-the-niceguys/

http://hiphopblips.dailyradar.com/video/vimeo_houston_sneakerpimps_pt_1_video/

http://www.blnk.com/music/blogs/view/244189

Pretty major. They have an event at the tipping point store next month. Stay tuned on that. We got more coming. Out and one

NEW YORK i'm back at it

Just landed not too long ago with the fam, right now i am stayin in my brother's apt in lower manhattan. I actually came to NY mainly for 2 reasons.

1. My brother's graduation from parsons
2. There is school project that i am working on that requires me to take lots of pictures. I felt NY would be the perfect spot to carry out the assignment. So u will be seeing alot of pics this week. This project is kinda tough and i haven't decided what my subject is about. So far its between THE NIGERIAN CULTURE IN HOUSTON or STREETWEAR. I took alot of pics around houston last week, but this trip will determine where i will go with this project. So i will be hitting up some official spots in brooklyn to capture the culture. I have to make a coffe book table in 4 weeks, so its def. grind time tomorow. But first things first my..
..OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER - I am not tryin to be a photographer, i know its the in-thing to do these days, if i had it my way, i would illustrate this project from start to finish, but i gotta make an A lol, and secondly i suck at taking pics badly. Above is a perfect example. This picture i took with a $700 camera of my new common projects sneakers looks like an i pone flick. And the shoes look mad beat up too. Collins Metu, i need to holla at u. Free where the fuck u at, i need help in adjusting my ISO and shutter speed.

check the future helmut lang himself

http://www.wmagazine.com/w/blogs/editorsblog/2009/05/19/parsons.htm

this is only the beginning

my brother has come a long way, and so far, its lookin really good. He graduates this friday and he is already in the process of starting his own label. I have seen some of his concepts and so far so good. The above pic is one of many dresses he designed and constructed from scratch in school

another set of garments he constructed

precise tailoring and detail. Like i said, only the beginning, you should be watching out for him pretty soon. I will keep yall posted on whatever he's up to

one of his other creations being modeled

His amazing portfolio and sketchbook

great postures and ideas. He really has worked hard on getting to where he is and believe me it's working out nicely. The reason why this is really exciting is because i like seeing shit like this. When black people do things properly and it is compared to the greats and not falling under cliches. For years people have always come up to me and asked me for advice on how to be better artists, designers and how to set themselves apart. The best answer i can give to anyone is this
" If u ever do anything, broaden it to a wider audience."
For example u never hear " white" movies, but u hear " black" movies. If u are watching a tyler perry movie, u are watching a " black" movie. The problem with that is that he is limiting himself to a specific audience, and that to me will never get to u be the greatest. If i am watching a spike lee movie, i am watching a movie, not a " black" movie. Alot of these movies u watch that are considered classics that are done by white people, u never hear people say " that's a great white movie." but they say it's a great movie. There isn't anything really wrong with just sticking with your culture, but i think to achieve greatness you have to go beyond. Ok let's talk about fashion for example, and i will keep this 100. Now look at the greats in the fashion industry like helmut lang, tom ford, yves saint laurent, co co chanel. People never label them as " white" designers. People see them as legends, pace setters, fashion designers and tastemakers that changed the game. Now if u look at the African community in fashion, there really hasn't been on that level because black people tend to stick to what relates to their culture only. For example fubu, phat farm, diddy. We don't call this fashion, but we coin it as urban. Everything black people do, whether its in movies or in any creative media, we call it urban, afrocentric etc. but we never put it on a wider scale. ozwald boateng is a perfect example of someone who went outside of that box. My brother is also a future example, he is not a walking cliche, and i believe when people see his work it will be labeled as a masterpiece not " black" art. I too am a perfect example, i took a yoruba term " dobale" and named it my t-shirt line. Surely you would expect me to talk about nigeria all day with my line, but it is the opposite, and so far the feedback has been positive. I don't usually give myself credit but i call it genius if i took a yoruba term and made everyone relate to it, understand its meaning and expanded my audience. I want people to see my work and not think of my skin color, but my mind. We may not be the same skin color but we all have one mind, and with that we have the potential to be great. I know its cliche to say this but people we should not only think outside the box, but outside the skin color. That my friend will set you apart from the rest. Stay tuned for more updates. I have a perfect example i will show to you tomorrow. Brooklyn it is. Peace