Raekwon + Method Man + Inspectah Deck + Ghostface Killah - "Flying Daggers"

If you take Detox out of the conversation, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 has to be the most highly anticipiated and postponed album ever. For the last four years or so, rumors have accumulated surrounding an album meant to match it's undeniably classic counterpart. With the release supposedly around the corner, Rae's finally hit us with the first single, a Wu family cut that sounds like a return to their mid-90's heyday. Meth steals the show, but all four dudes go in over a beat lifted from the J Dilla archives, complete with kung-fu samples a la 36 Chambers. We all know expectations can flop a project, but with more material like this, I think we can expect OB4CL2 to be on point.

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Raekwon + Method Man + Inspectah Deck + Ghostface Killah - "Flying Daggers"

Elvis Costello - "The Beat"

"Well, if you only knew the things you do to me
I'd do anything to confuse the enemy
There's only one thing wrong with you befriending me
Take it easy. I think you're bending me"

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Elvis Costello - "The Beat"

The Death of the Postal Service?

It might be all bad for post offices in the future. The internet, and more specifically email have severely damaged the age old method of communication. Honestly though, how many of us have mailed a letter out of our own volition in the past six months, without the prodding of a parent? Post offices need to switch it up fast before they become extinct, like Dinosaurs and Cybikos.

(Business Journal) “New technology is profoundly affecting services in both the private and public sectors, including traditional mail delivery,” said acting comptroller general and head of GAO Gene Dodaro in a statement. “Compounded by the current recession, the volume of mail being sent is dropping substantially, leading to a sizable decline in revenue,” he said. GAO recommends the Postal Service work with Congress and other stakeholders to develop a more sustainable restructuring plan.

The Postal Service’s problems may continue to worsen even after the recession ends. Both consumer and business customers are using traditional mail less and less in favor of e-mail and other means of communication. Mail volume last year fell by 9.5 billion pieces to 203 billion pieces and it is expected to fall to 175 billion pieces this year.

The Postal Service anticipates mail volume will continue to remain flat or decline further over the next five years.The USPS is expected to post a $7 billion loss this year. It has outstanding debt of $10 billion and may have a cash shortfall this year of $1 billion.

In order to meet payroll and other expenses this year, the USPS hopes to delay payments to its retiree health care fund. It is also closing post office locations, cutting jobs and freezing salaries. It may also reduce mail delivery from six days a week to five.The GAO report says the Postal Service isn’t undertaking cost-cutting fast enough. It also suggests it explore opportunities to generate new forms of revenue.

Full Article Here

The Death of the Postal Service?

TLC - "Baby, Baby, Baby"

Was there anybody as fresh as TLC in their prime? If you didn't grow up slappin "Waterfalls" or "No Scrubs", you probably had a big sister that did. I think too often, when people discuss the greatest hip-hop artists, they write females out of the equation. Especially those who bridged the gap between R&B and rap. I mean sure, magazine or TV top-lists always clumsily keep some gender equality in mind, but how many times do you hear two dudes our age talkin hip-hop and even mention Salt-N-Pepa or MC Lyte? Most Plies fans probably think Latifah is just an actress. Bottom line is that this game wouldn't look the same without the ladies having blazed their trail. Realtalk. Fellas, call me sweet if you want, but I know the girlies feel me on this one.

TLC - "Baby, Baby, Baby"

Ghandi On Happiness

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony"

- Mahatma Ghandi

Ghandi On Happiness

The Clipse ft. Pharrell & Keri Hilson - "All Eyes On Me"

Everybody's favorites are at it again. October will see the release of Till the Casket Drops, the highly anticipated fourth studio album from Malice and Pusha. As dope as "Kinda Like a Big Deal" is, it's still good to see these two working with the Neptunes. As far as I'm concerned, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. "All Eyes On Me" isn't their strongest work together, but a heater regardless. The Keri feature can't hurt either.

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The Clipse ft. Pharrell & Keri Hilson - "All Eyes On Me"

Can You Top This?

Oscar threw us some gold last night, so we thought it only appropriate to share the wealth. Some And1 soccer for lunch. Jeon Kwon, not to be confused with international hip hop phenom J-Kwon, is a street soccer magician. Dude pretty much dances with the ball. Even though his competition is lighweight suspect, his bars are undeniable. 1:35 is on some Hot Sauce shit. Most importantly though, Jeons efforts, along with Juans below serve to support the idea that we can be dope at anything if we put some time into it. There's nothing we can't do, only shit we haven't tried yet. Bowties.

Can You Top This?

The Artwork of Juan Francisco Casas

Would you believe me if I told you each of these drawings was done by ballpoint pen? The detail Spanish artist Juan Francisco Casas puts into each of his sexually charged works makes it seem almost impossible, but apparently it's true. When considering how realistically he renders light, texture and motion, it makes the work that much more impressive. This is the kind of thing you can't help but be inspired by. If Juan can make something so perfect with just a pen, there's no telling what you or I could create using a paintbrush, a trumpet or even our own two hands. Sky's the limit I suppose. Check out more of Casas' work here.

via loudreams

The Artwork of Juan Francisco Casas

Nike Air Jordan VIII Commercial

Another example of Nikes cross marketing prowess. Starting with the VII's, a wonderful marriage between MJ and Bugs that culminated in Space Jam. But on a more important note, this is for all the bruhs that fuck with the VIII's. Tcase got a pair, Young Bob's got two. A.K had the black lows. Kof and I fucked with the Aquas. Doms probably got some too. No matter who you were, when you copped some VIII's you knew you were coppin a "refined J". As a part of the Jordan line, the VIII's wern't a mainstream kick, yet MJ rocked them on his way to his third title, and also did this in them. Visually, the VIII's were on some other shit, dual straps with the velcro raises eyebrows even today. Girls that didn't rock them always threw out the, "I like your shoes," even if you were rockin a nasty color, and the girls that rocked them you'd think about wifin up.

Nike Air Jordan VIII Commercial

Easy Star All-Stars - "With A Little Help From My Friends"

First off, this is a dedication to my friends. Secondly, it's a good opportunity to put folks up on Easy Star that don't yet know. The All-Stars are a reggae band based out of New York who specialize in covers of entire classic albums. In 2003, the band released Dub Side of the Moon, covering Pink Floyd's masterpiece, following up with 2006's Radiodread, a dub translation of OK Computer. Their latest project is Lonely Hearts Dub Band, a song-by-song reinterpretation of the Beatles album that changed everything. "With a Little Help" is one we all know and love. Find some good friends to post up with, twist something up, and let this one set the mood.

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Easy Star All-Stars - "With A Little Help From My Friends"

Leopard vs. Hyena vs. Lion

For all the music, art or fashion and other human creations we can post, nature at its best always has the edge. There's something so fascinating about the fact that shit like this happens every day somewhere in the world whether we see it or not. Did you know leopards can climb trees? Did you know lions can climb trees? Ok, maybe you did. But you didn't, and neither did I. A chance to watch something we don't usually get the chance to: a crucial struggle between three predators. Enjoy.

Leopard vs. Hyena vs. Lion

The Girls by Tony Duran

Photographer Tony Duran came so correct on this collection. From his Iconology series, this work features Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, two of the most iconic beauties in the game. The challenge with photographing icons seems to be how to capture them naturally, and in an original way, since so many people already take their picture every day. These pictures strike a perfect balance between sexuality and elegance, capturing what it is that makes these two so captivating in front of the camera.

via kanye

The Girls by Tony Duran

Zion I - "Coastin"

My Bay folks already know Zion I is a movement. This February, Amp Live and Zumbi dropped The Take Over, one of the most musically diverse and inventive hip-hop albums to drop in a long while. A few months later came the video for "Geek to the Beat", still one of the dopest videos I've seen so far this year. The next single is "Coastin'", featuring K Flay, and once again the visuals are on point. Both videos from the album have been impressive in that they rely on creativity and compelling imagery, even if the budget is limited. The independent grind may be tough, but folks like Zion I will continue to be able to do their thing even as would-be major label stars flop themselves time and again. The difference is originality and true talent. Zion I has both.

Zion I - "Coastin"

Avant Garde's Revaluation of the Dollar

Props to Hypebeast's Phillip T. Annand for digging this up. Annand found this piece in an issue of Avant Garde, an art and design magazine that was published between 1968 and 1971. In this issue of the publication, various artists were asked to reimagine the one dollar bill with which we are all so familiar. Focusing on social criticism and satire, as well as an attention to color and design, each of the reinterpretations are dope in their own way. Like a lot of great art, this project required the artists behind it to take an everyday, commonplace subject and turn it into something visually exciting or provocative.

via hypebeast

Avant Garde's Revaluation of the Dollar

Rickey Goes

Rickey Henderson has to be one of the cleanest ever to do it. The fact that he once stole 130 bases in a season sounds like I made it up. The fact that he stole 1406 of them during his storied career gives you an idea of just how hard he was going. Rickey was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday almost unanimously, after a storied career that spanned nearly four decades. W&B honors the self-proclaimed "greatest of all time", and a true Town legend. Oakland stand up.

Rickey Goes

Chromeo - "I Can't Tell You Why"

Chromeo makes some cool music. Falling somewhere between synthpop and electro-funk, the Canadian duo made noise two years ago with their Fancy Footwork album, along with the video for "Bonafied Lovin"'. Now, Chromeo is back with a cover of the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why", that sounds like a really good imitation of Discovery-era Daft Punk. Enough with the parallels though, this one is settled. Killin it on the vocoder (the real one, no DOA). Looking forward to more from these two.

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Chromeo - "I Can't Tell You Why"

Apple Tablet: the Rebirth of the Album?

Apple is already killing the game in so many ways. For multiple generations of consumers it has become increasingly clear that they just make the best products in their field. Now the Financial Times reports that Apple is on their way to offering a small but fully functional personal computer, ready for release this holiday season. The Tablet looks to present some serious competition for other music players, as well as the Kindle, as Apple has been in talks with both music and publishing companies regarding the project. From the Financial Times:

The device is expected to be launched alongside new content details, including some aimed at stimulating sales of CD-length music, according to people briefed on the project. This news comes amid rumors of a recent collaboration between Apple and the four major record labels (Warner, Sony, EMI and Universal) on the project. The touch-sensitive computer will have a screen that may be up to 10 inches diagonally.

It will connect to the internet like the iPod Touch – probably without phone capability but with access to the web, and to Apple’s online stores for software and entertainment.

Apple is gambling that it can succeed where everyone else has flopped, including Microsoft, which tirelessly pushed a tablet-ready version of its Windows operating system as a personal favourite of founder Bill Gates.

The entertainment industry is hoping that Apple, which revolutionised the markets for music players and for phones, can do it again. “It’s a portable entertainment device,” said one entertainment executive. “It’s going to be fabulous for watching movies.”

Recording industry executives said Apple planned to use the larger screen to offer new services such as interactive booklets and liner notes that come along with purchases of entire music CDs.

Full Article Here

Apple Tablet: the Rebirth of the Album?

Ohio Players - "Sweet Sticky Thing"

Over the years, The Ohio Players' Honey has become known as one of the crucial funk albums of the 70s. Revered by artists in hip-hop circles, Honey is a record most music heads have probably come in contact with, in one way or another. Known for their sleek funk sound and controversial covers, the Ohio Players were one of the premier bands of the funk era. "Sweet Sticky Thing" is a jam for the late night. Only appropriate.

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Ohio Players - "Sweet Sticky Thing"

Zach Galifianakis on Conan O'Brien

If you've seen The Hangover, you know this dude is funny off top. Galifianakis, who starred as Alan in the summer blockbuster is well on his way to being the next comedian to blow up on the Hollywood scene. The category is littered by folks who got their big break in the same type of summer comedy. Steve Carrell, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Jason Segel to name a few. Looks like you can add Zach's name to that list soon. Conan does a solid job as usual with the interview. Outta pocket at times, but seriously entertaining. Tyson story starts around 5:00. Comedy.

Zach Galifianakis on Conan O'Brien

Kanye West: Live at the Chicago Theatre

It's no secret who has the most theatrical live shows these days. From the background singers, to the extensive live instrumentation, to the flashing lights, his shows are full fledged productions. Last night, Fuse TV aired Mr. West's "Stay in School" benefit concert, an effort to raise attendance in Chicago public schools. Students who kept their attendance up last year were honored with a free ticket to watch Ye do his thing live on stage. Here's part 1 of the set, with performances of "Flashing Lights", "Through the Wire", "Put On" and "Hey Mama". Check here for part 2.

Kanye West: Live at the Chicago Theatre

Creative Ads In Unusual Places

It seems as though the best ads are the ones that disrupt our daily routines and demand our attention. Public spectacles are nice, and might work best for drawing people in by harnessing the attention of a collective group of people. Sort of on that, "What are all these people looking at, I should check it out," type thing. After the spectacle however, creative visuals compel us to notice an artifact initially, and then receive it's message as an intended result. Here are some ads that do just that. Enjoy.

Mondo Pasta

Fedex Kinkos

Folgers Coffee

via oddee

Creative Ads In Unusual Places

Mayer Hawthorne - "Maybe So, Maybe No"

For what it's worth, Mayer has the W&B co-sign. The dude just understands what makes a great soul song. And not the polished, plastic sound of most modern R&B. Real soul. There's some grit in it. The lyrics and melodies speak directly to you, taking you to a different place and time. If "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" isn't in your life in some form, it should be. The Detroit-based musician will be dropping A Strange Arrangement this fall on Stones Throw. I, for one will be making that purchase.

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Mayer Hawthorne - "Maybe So, Maybe No"

Ocean Life Up Close: Kuroshio Sea

As the second largest tank in the world, Kuroshiro Sea is one of the premier destinations to experience life in the open ocean. Holding 1,981,280 gallons of water, the tank holds 78 species of fish and four whale sharks. It's a trip though, the ocean was here before we got here, and it'll be here long after we leave. Another world that is so foreign to us. Thanks to Kuroshiro for bringing us a bit closer.

Ocean Life Up Close: Kuroshio Sea

He Got Game

Scenes like this are why Spike is the realest out. He Got Game is a film about a lot of things, touching on the culture of sports in America, as well as race and incarceration, among other things. But more than anything, what Spike relates here is the beauty of the game in its simplest form. The music, the setting, the cinematography; it all adds up to a poignant and perfectly executed scene. Father and son. One on one.

He Got Game

Sunsets & Smiles

We woke up around noon. Last night was a long one. Cocobaba had never been on the boat before so we decided to take it out for a spin. Ben had the trees on deck, I brought the slaps. We copped some cantaloupe for the ride, and picked up some bad ones on the way. For once the Police wern't hounding us, rather they were singing in the background, adding to the day. We sipped coronas in the sunshine, so we were on one, settled. We got back to the beach around five, and collapsed upon the softest sand. We laid out and laughed about where we had been and joked about where we were going. Those were the days. Life had treated us well and we were appreciative. We felt invincible. I looked into the sky and whispered to the clouds, "I hope these moments last forever."

Sunsets & Smiles

Neon Indian - "Terminally Chill"

There are too many folks putting out inspiring music in the world today. The internet is a unique platform that levels the industry playing field, and gives little-known and unusual artists a chance to get some shine. It also gives listeners like us the opportunity to hear them, giving us a ridiculous selection at our fingertips. If it wasn't for all that, I wouldn't know about Turkish producer Alan Palomo's side project Neon Indian, and we'd be missing out on a slap. "Terminally Chill" is off the upcoming Psychic Chasms album. Artwork is icy.

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Neon Indian - "Terminally Chill"

Oakland Voters Approve Marijuana Tax

Trees are just becoming more acceptable. A general shift of perception that has been changing ever so slightly over time. It seems like people are beginning to see the hypocrisy of some laws in America. Are the laws on alcohol and tobacco in line with the laws against marijuana when analyzing the effects of each? The voters of Oakland have made a statement. How will the rest of the country respond?

On Tuesday became the first city in the US to assess a tax on marijuana. State and national advocates of the tax say the victory is a significant turning point in the history of cannabis use, paving the way for taxation in other communities and states and establishing more social acceptance of marijuana use.

Opponents say an irreversible threshold has been crossed, opening the door to more crime and heavier drug use.

By a wide margin of 80 percent to 20 percent, Oakland voters said "yes" to Measure F, which asked: "Shall City of Oakland's business tax, which currently imposes a tax rate of $1.20 per $1,000 on 'cannabis business' gross receipts, be amended to establish a new tax rate of $18 per $1,000 of gross receipts?"

"The voters of Oakland have sent a message to the nation that cannabis is better treated as a legitimate, tax-paying business than as a cause of crime and futile law-enforcement expenditures," says Dale Gieringer, California state coordinator for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

The city estimates that the measure will raise $294,000 in additional tax revenue in 2010 and more in future years. Some say the measure will provide funds to help offset the city's current $83 million deficit as well as allow police to direct their limited resources to more serious crimes and drug offenses.

Full Article Here

Oakland Voters Approve Marijuana Tax

Underwater Dance By Mark Mawson

Mark Mawson is Australian based photographer. By dropping paint into water, Mawson has created a series of underwater images. Using a strobe light to illuminate the splotches, Mark captures his pictures through an underwater tank. Once submerged the dueling consistencies create these incredible images, the shapes mimicking colorful dancers in the spotlight.

via todayandtomorrow

Underwater Dance By Mark Mawson

U-N-I - "Land of the Kings"

You have to appreciate artists who are willing to try new things. After teaming up with producer Ro Boulevard for A Love Supreme earlier this year, the L.A.-based tandem is back with a new sound for Land of the Kings, incorporating live instrumentation with a touch of indie rock. The song is solid, but the video is something else entirely. Director Tomas Whitmore gives us his vision of the land of kings, making this maybe their most compelling work yet. W&B certified.

U-N-I - "Land of the Kings"

Band of Outsiders for Sperry

Simple yet sophisticated is the '09. Another offering from Band of Outsiders. Featured here are the Sperrys, in a low and mid style. The neutral gray gives the shoes versatility while the brown provides a settled contrast of colors. Rockable with shorts or pants, these can become the go tos. Those settled kicks for the picnics and barbeques.

via hypebeast

Band of Outsiders for Sperry

Trey Songz - "You Belong to Me"

Trey is doin it. "I Need a Girl" is a settled single, and with a key feature on "Successful", he's been shutting down the airwaves for the last couple weeks. Last week, Trey dropped Swagga Like Songz Vol. 2 (get it here), and once again he gets on some of the hottest beats of the moment, plus a few originals. Kellz diss over "D.O.A." is comedy. Gotta say though, him over "Paper Planes" was way cleaner than "Birthday Sex", but Volume 2 still has some hitters on deck. "You Belong to Me" is one of them. Lights should be down low for this one.

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Trey Songz - "You Belong to Me"

(Footage Released) Lebron Gets Dunked On

It's out. Technology these days, nothing goes unseen. But I wonder, did this dunk really warrant the tape to be confiscated? Hoopin is hoopin, we all get dunked on. Props to worldstar though, they stay on top of it. Lebron didn't even get dunked on that bad though. Nike, was that really necessary?

(Footage Released) Lebron Gets Dunked On

Paul Simon - "I Know What I Know"

Cotdamn. Graceland is just a really, really good album. Just about any song from it can put a smile on my face in seconds flat. Think 80s pop rock takes a trip to South Africa. If you've never had a chance to listen to Paul's 1986 classic, pick up a copy whenever you get a chance. Find it on vinyl and you're super winning. "I Know What I Know" is what we might call a settled slap. More summer music.

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Paul Simon - "I Know What I Know"

Baboons Go Bad on Tourists

Ok, this shit is just too funny. Apparently the baboons at the Knowsley Safari Park in Prescot, England have developed a habit of attacking visitors' cars and dismantling their luggage containers. The baboons, who have supposedly "been issued Anti Social Baboon Orders", attack in large gangs, a phenomenon that we are lucky enough to see caught on tape below. Couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to. Much appreciated Nicholas.

Baboons Go Bad on Tourists

The Sartorialist Book by Scott Schuman

Scott Schuman is the creator of the Sartorialist, one of the most widely read fashion blogs on the internet. A former show room owner, he left his position in 2005, taking a digital camera along with him. Going about his days, Schuman would photograph people in the street who's fashion choices he admired and appreciated. Compiling the pictures and putting them on the internet proved a smart move, as today the Sartorialist is read by people worldwide, and was selected as one of Time Magazine's Top 100 fashion influencers.

With the growing popularity of the blog, it was only appropriate for the Sartorialist book to follow. The highly anticipated book will be released to the public on August 12 and will be published by the Penguin group. For anyone who even slightly fucks with fashion, the Sartorialist is a necessary resource, an eclectic ode to fashion at its best.

The Sartorialist Book by Scott Schuman

Schwarzenegger's Budget Plan

California legislators have recently reached an agreement with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on a tentative plan to close the state's $26 billion budget gap. Schwarzenegger's massive financial overhaul contains no broad-based taxation, instead opting for extensive budget cuts for social services such as children's healthcare, local government, the welfare program, public education and universities. In total, the new budget contains $15.6 billion in cuts. Also included in the cuts are large cutbacks for the prison system, reducing the number of inmates and laying off prison guards.

When do we get to say enough is enough to fiscal conservatism? Can we really expect to have a fair and just society, when the burden of budget cuts fall squarely on those who need it most? Year after year, Schwarzenegger has consistently cut funding for education and just about every other public service, yet he has also been unwilling to raise taxes in any significant way. The reduction of prison spending, including the early release of some prisoners is probably a positive (given the absurd statistics of incarceration in California) but the facts of other crucial cuts in spending are still troubling, to say the least. If this plan gains enough support, it will cut billions in spending for public schools and healthcare and shut down over two dozen state parks.

Don't get me wrong. Balancing the budget is no easy feat, and $26 billion is a lot of money (try this). But there seems to be a fundamental problem with the theory that cutting social services will be economically beneficial to the state: it lacks foresight. A healthy state economy is built upon healthy infrastructure, including good schools, hospitals and transportation. Depriving people of their equal opportunity to the tools necessary for success only serves to preserve the current economic hierarchy, causing economy to stagnate instead of growing. Is it unreasonable to consider significant tax increases in place of drastic cuts that undermine our potential for economic growth and cause such widespread suffering? Just a thought. Read up on the buget plan here.

Schwarzenegger's Budget Plan

The Flaming Lips - "Silver Trembling Hands"

When asked about their new Embryonic album, Lips frontman Wayne Coyne said "some of it sounds like John Lennon but if he got together with Miles Davis and they went back in time, but there was a supercomputer that they could figure out how to work." Now I think I have an idea of what he was talking about. Not that I expected any less, but this one is really on some other shit. Challenging and brilliant. Few artists know how to use the recording studio as an instrument in the way the Flaming Lips do, a talent that explains why the texture of their music just sounds different from anything else out. Embryonic drops in September.

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The Flaming Lips - "Silver Trembling Hands"

Joseph Carnevale's Barrel Monster

Joseph Carnevale is a Raleigh, North Carolina based street artist and guerilla photographer. Says the part-time construction worker of this piece, "it was something I had to do". The 15-foot monster, crafted using barrels from a construction site got Carnevale arrested on charges of vandalism, larceny and destruction of property. Hamlin Associates, the construction company, chose not to press charges, and has since commissioned the young artist to create a replica of the structure. The Raleigh Police Department is still hatin though, insisting on following through with the charges. Joseph, we fuck with you and wish you the best. Jake I see you.

Full Story Here

Joseph Carnevale's Barrel Monster

Kid Cudi feat. Kanye & Common - "Make Her Say"

Another visual offering from the G.O.O.D music coalition. Dope off top because of the departure from the images of girls, money, and jewelery that we've seen for the last decade. There's a natural air to this video which is refreshing, further related through the complimentary colors used throughout the video. Attention to the aesthetic was a primary focus according to Cudi, "We wanted to go for a real abstract and iconic-looking video, something real artsy. It’s really dope,” he said. “It’s almost like there’s still shots and there’s movement going on in them. It’s really trippy.” Gaga cameo would've been nice but a settled video all around. Appreciated.

Kid Cudi feat. Kanye & Common - "Make Her Say"

Photography By Greg Williams

Greg Williams is one of those photographers that has added to the definition of glamour over the years. Shooting models and celebrities from various walks of life his name has become synonymous with splendor. Lending his talents to various commercials and campaigns such as Agent Provocateur and Esquire, Greg Williams works can capture the essence of a distant time or place. Reflections of the moments as they were lived back then.

via trendland

Photography By Greg Williams

"Today Was A Good Day" Featuring Paul Rodriguez

To celebrate the release of the third installment of Paul Rodriguez's signature shoe, Nike SB has created a short commercial covering a day in the life of P-Rod. The slowed cinematography helps emphasize how truly dope these tricks are. Ice Cube cameo is the cherry on top.

"Today Was A Good Day" Featuring Paul Rodriguez

17 Year Old Becomes Youngest Person to Sail Around The World

I wonder how he felt the morning he woke up knowing he was about to embark on a journey around the world. This past Thursday Zac Sunderland returned to Marina Del Rey after 13 months at sea. An amazing feat regardless, his efforts are more notable when you note his age. At 17 Zac Sunderland is the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo. His achievements speak to the dreamers, "As far as you know inspiring people, the main thing today would be that ... society puts younger people like 15 through 18 in kind of a box, that no one's really expected to do much," he said. "You know, they kind of just tend to go to high school and play football and that's pretty much it, you know? There's so much more potential that people can do with the right motivation and the right ambition in life so, you know, my thing would just be to get out there and do hard things. Go for it." I mean why not?

17 Year Old Becomes Youngest Person to Sail Around The World

88-Keys - "The Friend Zone"

When the two were working on The Death of Adam together, Kanye said of the project that it was the best hip-hop album he'd heard since Late Registration. The best album since '05 might be a stretch, but not by much. 88-Keys, known before for his production work with Mos and Kweli (among others) put together a pretty ridiculous concept album, following the story of Adam and his losing battle against "the power of the punani", to borrow a phrase from 88 himself. "The Friend Zone", featuring rock band Shitake Monkey, is the latest single; an anthem for the dudes stuck in a pretty wack position. Director Yoram Benz went kinda Breakfast Clubbish on the video. Dopeness.

88-Keys - "The Friend Zone"

"The World As I See It" by Albert Einstein

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it can no longer wonder, no longer marvel and is as good as dead. His eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of this mystery- even if mixed with fear- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, even with our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man."

Read the full essay Here

"The World As I See It" by Albert Einstein

Shaquille O'Neal On Bashouts

Before Lebron and Dwight redefined the term domination, Shaq was known as the definition of such. This is just a reminder. I think Shaq has the best dunk to dunked on ratio. I can't even remember a time when Shaq got dunked on. Shawn Bradley on the other hand.

Shaquille O'Neal On Bashouts

Thom Yorke - "All for the Best"

Can't say a lot about Thom that hasn't already been said by just about every music critic on the face of the planet. The dude makes amazing music. Though his and Radiohead's songs aren't always instantly accessible, it's the kind of music that just grows on you. Every time you listen to one of their albums (or Yorke's fantastic solo album Eraser for that matter), you find something new to appreciate. His cover of alt-rocker Mark Mulcahy's "All For the Best", is a good example. On first listen I liked it. Now I can't stop playing it.

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Thom Yorke - "All for the Best"