6ixtoys have been bubbling under our radar for a while. Based and gigging out of Liverpool this seven piece funk monster are signed to First Word Records, the excellent Leeds hip-hop record label. Their cover version of the Prodigies Voodoo People was the sound that caught peoples ears and it’s a stomper of a track. Anyone who is based in Leeds and fancies winding down the weekend in style should check out their gig at the Sunday Joint @ Hi-Fi.
We asked Associated Minds if they fancied getting in the pagan spirit and alchemist Meta Beats took up the challenge like Bram Stoker. As mysterious as a derelict mansion full of characters from another world, this specially Halloween themed mix appeared out of the dark. Carefully crafted, this is some hip-hop-from-another-dimension sheeet and the perfect tonic for anyone who wants a shiver down the back of their neck this Saturday night. Grab your trick and treating mix for free here and then check out the Associated Minds site and their recent article for Bonafide.
What could be a better than spending Halloween learning to beatbox with tutor and kids entertainer Biz Markie? Gotta love the Biz purely for his ability to make his audience to go WTF.
As Halloween comes to the boil, what better than to feature a man who is a magician with words? Sage Francis vocabulary goes all the way to 11 and he proudly flies the flag for the outsider.
I first came across Sage Francis at a gig he performed with Buck 45. It was a kinetic and hilarious set and subsequently Personal Journals became one of my favourite hip-hop records ever. Blurring the line between rap and spoken-word, Sage deals with diverse subject matter flitting between being disarmingly personal to polemical - his Healthy Distrust record is a potent anti-war record and that condemns the military and political apathy - to goofing around - his freestyle sparing with Apathy is a real gem. Go back in the day and listen to Sage when he was starting out by downloading his True School Session podcast.
Adidas and in particular their Superstar shoe have had a tight relationship with rap and specifically Def Jam since the early 80s. With a long line of collaborations over the years their latest joint effort sees Redman, Method Man and Ghostface each serve a superstar as well as a Forum Mid and a Stan Smith. Personal favourites are Red’s “Funk Doc” Red Superstar and Meth’s Dark Blue and Turquoise Superstar which without a crazy amount of colours or something like horsehair and diamonds are both eye catching. With the line also including efforts by Young Jeezy the Def Jam collection is widely available now in places like Size? and Crooked Tongues.
Having served up uninspired, readily available dunks most of the year Nike SB have released the Brain Wreck, a joint effort with regular collaborator Todd Bratrud. An interesting effort which includes detailed stitching on the inside to resemble a human brain. These Dunks are likely to stay US only and your best bet to get hold of a pair is eBay for around $200 US. One dunk that will be hitting these shores is the now infamous Gucci Dunk High. Having been cancelled in 2005 these should now be with us next month. Also worth keeping an eye out for from Nike SB is the Stefan Janoski which is of the boating shoe style that is becoming increasingly popular. Samples with a possible release for next year include a Black Corduroy and a Peacock design.
On a psychedelic arty tip the legendary cartoonist Robert Crumb has got together with Vans on a line of sneakers which include a Fritz the Cat slip on and a Mr Natural Sk8 High. Along with two other models this line should be in the UK shortly and is a welcome addition to Crumb’s contribution to fashion having previously worked with Supreme.
Speaking of Supreme to wrap things up the chaps at Sneakernews have posted a nice gallery of their joint efforts with Nike and Vans. Covering everything from the infamous and very expensive Dunk Low’s from 2002 to this months Micro Check old school Vans available at Hideout it’s a nice tribute to Supreme’s understated but always very prestigious and exclusive designs. O F
Hot damn! Dam-Funk produces what Gruff from Neon Neon would term ‘glossy’ music. The futuristic LA funkster has mined 80s boogie, soul and electro to produce some modern funk from another galaxy. Layering vintage synths and back-in-the-day drum machines, his new LP Toeachizown is out on Stones Throw towards the end of November and sounds like something Kit from Nightrider would roll to. Oh and did we mention that Dam-Funk features in Bonafide 03? Well we did now.
Best Joined Up have always been really helpful to us, so it’s good to repay the favour. Check out their new site and be sure to bookmark it as it’s sure to develop over the next few months. For anyone who hasn’t been to one of the Best Joined Up nights before, we can’t recommend it enough; DJs, artists and also the opportunity to do your name in a 3-D freestyle just like you used to do in the back of text books at secondary school. A top notch night.
A rather chaotic interview from the charmingly chaotic Ricky Powell - dude constantly sounds and looks like he’s in a different place from where he’s at. In this interview he’s in the studio with artist and clothing producer SSUR. This excerpt is part of the excellent Dithers documentary that focuses on street-art innovators. As an aside we’ll be showing the follow up doc, The Run Up, at the Leeds International Film Festival, 9 November.
For Dithers and related goodness check out what Upper Playground/Walrus TV are putting out. Man they never sleep.
For all the Landhan sartorialists. Street‐fashion brand WeSC, aka clothing label for the intellectual slacker - think Jason Lee, Mallrats/Chasing Amy era - are clearing out their sample cupboard and giving you the chance to pick up a bargain in the process.
The sale is being held at the WeSC showroom, 3 Little Portland Street, London, W1, and the bargain hunt/bun-fight starts at 10am sharp on Wednesday 21st and ceases on Saturday 24th.
As the grey shades of Autumn appear and the recession shows no sign of easing up for us hardworking folk - have you seen the price of chocolate bars these days (!?) - why not treat yourself and put a smile on your face.
The 1980s inspired artwork shouldn’t work and yet it does. Warp’s latest boy-wonder Hudson Mowhawke is making a name for himself as someone who doesn’t stick to the safe option. His debut LP Butter is out shortly but in the meantime try these tasters; Opps is fantastic, an ode to club hedonism and a perfect slice of urban electronic soul that melts in your ears like butter spread over hot toast. Nice if you like sort of thing.
