Sad news emerged last week as punk svengali Malcolm McLaren passed away due to mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.
Best known for managing the Sex Pistols he was also quick to recognize the many parallels between punk and hip-hop, despite the stylistic differences of the two genres. And in many respects McLaren introduced the UK to hip-hop via the much sampled Duck Rockalbum which he produced alongside post-punk guru Trevor Horn in 1982.
DJ Premier displays his typical musical erudition with this tribute mix which you can stream here or download from Premos’ blog.
If you can stomach the explosions, check out DJ Premier on Westwood TV talking about his relationship with Guru and discussing his current health situation. Still in the hospital with not much news or bare facts as to what’s going on unfortunately. Get well soon Guru.
Red Bull Reporter launched in March 2009 and gives young writers, photographers, film-makers and presenters the opportunity to go on assignments. That’s live, real time reporting not this remote blogging business. Those lucky enough to be selected get to cover sport, music and cultural events and have their work published.
On the back of last year’s success, a new raft of assignments are coming up and a call out for entries is currently being put out. For urban culture vultures who like to use their ink for writing rather than graffing, there is the opportunity to visit Berlin and report on the Red Bull Flying Bach. Taking place on April 23rd, the Red Bull Flying Bach is a B-Boy show with a difference; B-Boy group the Flying Steps perform to classical music in the stunning surroundings of Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie concert hall.
If this opportunity appeals and you want to get involved, upload the examples of your work to the Red Bull site and be judged by site users and the Red Bull Editorial Team.
Kicks and Canvasis a new exhibition by Soleheaven and Zero Cool Gallery, and features 21 artists customizing 21 pairs of kicks and 21 canvases. Running until 18th the artistic talent involved includes Goldie, Insa and Mr Jago and representing Leeds Jon Lawrence. Jon provided visuals for issue 03 of Bonafide and his sculptural work puts a new twist on iconic hip-hop products. In other words, it’s proper boxfresh art.
DJ Shadow has just launched a radio station and it’s worth checking out for the Dante Carfagna programme alone. No airplay chatter which in one respect is disappointing in another it isn’t – Carfagna chooses astounding track after astounding track that has you scratching your head wondering why you’ve never heard them before. I guess that’s why he’s a vinyl collecting deity and most of us aren’t.
If you’ve not heard of the man, try and track down his brilliant, effortless work released under the sobriquet Express Rising on the Memphix Records label.
Boombox pic courtesy of photographer Dan Medhurst, who has always brought professionalism to our wooly art direction ideas and made them look the biz.
Rising UK rapper and full time doctor, a combination that would make most Daily Mail readers heads implode with confusion, Chima Anya celebrates the release of his debut album Doctors Orders this month with a show at Camdens Bar Fly tomorrow night. Peep the video for Death, above, and check the natty freestyle over Flying Lotus’ Hello Schizo below.
Floating around three central characters; video addict/artist Thierry Guetta, an LA-based Frenchman who moves from being behind a shop counter to being (permanently) behind a camera before becoming Mr Brainwash (MBW); Banksy and Shepard Fairey. The film begins describing how Guetta picks up a camera and ends up documenting the street-art scene and how that leads to him building a rapport with Bansky and finally the launch of his artistic career (sic.) as MBW.
Kind of like Hustle but stripped back with a Who’s Been Framed DIY quality, the magic of this film is that those who have made it are experts in the dark arts of deception and myth making. …Read More.
