Hip Hop favorites: Roy Ayers and Pete Rock in LA!

Last week, I entered a competition to win tix to see Roy Ayers and Pete Rock as part of the Homage series of gigs. Sadly I didn't win and that's why I'm sat at home blogging instead of at the gig ;)

"Homage is a music series that pays respect to the musical giants that have forever altered the way we listen, sample and love music."

The question was..."Name five rap artist who have sampled Roy Ayers." You could probably name 25 artists, but here was my list... 

• Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth “Searching”
• Funkdoobiest “Dedicated”
• Jungle Brothers: "Sunshine"
• A Tribe Called Quest "Keep it Rollin"
• Brand Nubian “Wake Up (Reprise in the Sunshine)”

 If you need a reminder here are the tunes to nod your head to! Top billing goes to Pete Rock!

Xmas 2011 shopping list #1

I've gladly fallen off the consumer tip lately. (Check out the Spend Thrift for what I'm feeling.) But, this morning's email from HUF had me wondering what will I add to my Christmas list. (Certainly not an "Occupy Wall Street" t-shirt from Rocawear/Jay Z!)

HUF x Haze 2011 collaboration

If Haze looks familar it's cause he's the man behind so many hip hop icons...

"When Hip Hop commercial identity was in it's infancy, he created imagery and direction for top artists. He counts among his accomplishments, the logos for Tommy Boy Records, Cold Chillin and EPMD in addition to LP sleeves for Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and others." @149St graffiti history website.

"New York City graffiti-artist Eric Haze made his debut on the streets of Manhattan in the early 1970's, writing under the tag name 'HAZE.' Taking his efforts underground into the NYC subway scene soon after, HAZE quickly gained notoriety during the 1980s in the art and graffiti world through his trademark letter-forms and unique hand style. This distinct and inimitable style proved crucial to HAZE's success in later years, as he opened his own design studio in 1986, becoming one of the first graffiti artists to authentically capture the street art and hip hop scenes through graphic design. After years of designing imagery and direction for some of hip hop and street art's finest, HAZE turned to marketing himself, and in 1993 launched his own clothing and design line, which has come to be recognized as one of the original producers of street wear as we know it today.


Coming from a similar street-scene background through skateboarding, HUF-founder Keith Hufnagel has come together with HAZE in a collaboration that encapsulates HAZE's very distinguishable graffiti lettering style with the clean aesthetic and design of HUF. As part of HUF's Holiday 2011 Collection, the HUF x HAZE collaboration features a series of three t-shirts, a snapback hat, and skateboard deck designed by HAZE. For more information on HAZE, visit www.interhaze.com." HUF

LA street graffiti vs. The Buff Squad

Hey there websters! Since June, I've been consumed with traveling and managing a new work project, but I'm back...Expect more posts on my favorite stuff as I backfill some of the events I didn't write about!

Here we go....Archive #1.

Driving around town in the summer I spotted these fellas out on the streets. "The Los Angeles Beautification Team" buffing some parking lot walls and street utility boxes. I'm glad they are not whitewashing the legal pieces I snapped somewhere between Echo Park and West Hollywood.

As the title says, "Please Don't Buff".

Mr. Big Stuff...R.I.P. Heavy D

Tonight, I heard a surprising sound on my local NPR radio as I approached the terminals at LAX in my car. KCRW was rocking Heavy D. That wasn't surprising in itself, but not just one tune, two tunes, then another, then two copies chopped up! It was LA's DJ J.Rocc mixing up.

Then I knew...Heavy D had passed!



I first visited the leafy suburbs of Mount Vernon on my first visit to New York in 1989. There was no reason to go up there except I knew two Bristolians who moved from the UK to New York in the 80s. Scott and Richard I think...It's been a while. Since then I read that Heavy D moved to Beverly Hills, CA where he sadly died this week.

To commemorate Here are some mixtapes to remember Hev by...and don't sleep on the Westwood interview. Love him or hate him, he really takes us back and gives Heavy D time to share some fireside stories.

MARLEY MARL HEAVY DEE TRIBUTE MIX FOR WBLS by DJ Marley Marl



Backfill story #2