All City Blackbook event @ 5 Pointz (My hip hop summer pt.3)

The second All City Blackbook event was held below the subway train tracks behind the legendary 5 Pointz paint warehouse in Queens.

This block party wasn't just a celebration of graffiti art, but represented the other hip hop artforms...b-boying (a b-boy 1-on-1 battle with $200 and a huge trophy at stake was well attended!) DJing (with Lord Finesse of D.I.T.C. (Diggin' In the Crates) crew represented on the turntables spinning breaks.) But, no M.C.s, although Large Professor, OC and AG were all billed, I didn't see them perform. Still a dope ass hip hop event.

All City Blackbook crew. On2 (left)

Lord Finesse. D.I.T.C., All City Blackbook Show 

Winner: b-boy Crazy, Crazy Force Crew, Switzerland (left);
Runner-up: b-boy Lehsé, Amen Zulu Skillz, France (right)

  All City Blackbook crew with b-boy Crazy

"Ready to Rock" b-boys in the cypher, All City Blackbook Show

I didn't get to see any of the O.G. graff heads paint the main wall: TATS Cru, TC-5, Yes2, CES, but lots of graffiti VIPs passed through on this day - check out my photos.

BG183, Tats Cru

REM 311 tribute (left); Yes (right)

CES (left); Doves, TC-5 (right)

Big shout to old skool party flyer king, Buddy Esquire, and Joey who kicked it with me. And always cool to see James Top. You'll find some of Buddy Esq's flyers at the Hip Hop Cultural Center in Harlem. I got one signed copy as part of the Joe Conzo "Born in the Bronx" catalogue which was supposedly limited to 250 copies.

Joey and Buddy Esq. (right)

Clash of the hip hop elements: B-Boy vs. Graffiti

I'm in New York and tomorrow is the Rock Steady 33rd Anniversary. But, also on Saturday is the 5 Pointz All City Black Book Show!

Clash of the hip hop elements! Which one would you choose?

The 5 Pointz event has Tuff City crew (CES, YES2, MED), TC-5 (Sye, Doves, Rozone, Totem) and Tats Cru (BG183, Bio) and numerous others. Lord Finesse is spinning tunes and Large Pro, OC and AG from D.I.T.C. on the mic! Oh, aaaand there's a 1-on-1 b-boy open circle.



I think I'm going to stay in Queens. And it's not because the Rock Steady gig is $25 and the 5 Pointz event is free ;)

UPDATE: Read about "My hip hop summer" here - words, pictures and video.

Crewest gallery featured on Karmaloop TV

CREWEST GALLERY from KarmaloopTV on Vimeo.

Man One is interviewed by Karmaloop TV, the street clothing retailers. Hear about the Crewest Gallery's foundations and the work that gets exhibited in this great downtown Los Angeles space.

I've come here to see TC-5, Doze Green and others and discovered new artists like Dabs and Myla which Crewest brought over from Australia.

Complex reps old skool graffiti

Complex magazine used to be a must-read, until I got doomed out by the relentless marketing of yet another re-issue, special collaboration between Brand X and Designer Y, or limited edition! But what else do you expect from a magazine that boasts "Buy. Collect. Obsess" on its spine!

However, Complex sometimes goes old skool, back to the time when style wasn't just about the money and the marketing. I stumbled upon this fashion shoot in the...Girls Gallery section ;) Snigger!

Check out the TC-5 graffiti. I'm not sure all the artists are part of that infamous crew, but it takes me back to the 80s! Those guys came through Los Angeles recently at the Crewest Gallery. If you missed that read more in this posting.

TC-5 New York's old skool graff legends rock LA

If you are down with New York graffiti then you'll know some the TC-5 (The Cool Five) crew members...Claw Money, Doze Green, Kaws, Lady Pink and Mr. Wiggles.

But, there are unsung heroes who slipped by me, so I spent time at Crewest Gallery's pre-show opening for "Revolutions" to speak with "Shirt King" Phade, Keo and Aevon, who schooled me on TC-5.

The show runs til March 28th with the opening reception and “Piecebook: Reloaded” book launch (featuring many of the Tc-5 members) on Saturday, March 6th, 2010, 6pm to 9pm.

On Saturday, March 20th, 2010, 6pm to 9pm there's a fashion show featuring garms painted by TC-5 as well as live painting on t-shirts and live music by The Milky Way and a special set by DJ Computer Jay.

The last chance to see the show will be at the closing reception on Saturday, March 27th, 2010, 6pm to 9pm will feature live painting and surprise guest D.J.s.

The Crazy 5 Blade was in the original TC5 (The Crazy 5) from the 70s. Later management was handed to SEEN (TC-5's SEEN is not SEEN from United Artists...who was first is a matter for those in the know!) @149th St. has a brief history. Aevon said that Phade was passed the presidency, but it eventually accepted by SEEN. You may have seen his work under the name TWICE or his other "nom de plumes."

I'm not sure when The Crazy 5 converted into The Cool 5, but I do know the Crewest Gallery show has works from some of the pioneers of the New York Graffiti scene. I got myself one of three Doze Green original drawing in wax crayon on paper. Other work are on mixed media: wood, paper, metal and canvas and all pop with the same energy of classic old skool graffiti.

Garms If collecting art ain't your thing, then Crewest has a dope TC-5 limited edition t-shirt for you. As long as you're a size L and above then this shirt has your name on it!

Going back...This video copped from TC-5's website was directed and produced by Henry Chalfont of Style Wars fame. Hear the breaks and check the style (Spank's glasses are pure sci-fi!)  This documentary really captures the energy and excitement of the time.

Brim's words explain why hip hop lost some of its passion in New York, but luckily that energy lived on in Europe and Japan:

"Like, a couple of years back it...the whole hip hop culture stuff wasn't organized like it's organized now...now you walk down the street...you see kids breakdancing, like they see it in the movies, you have graffiti in the movies, you got breakdancing in the movies, you got posters in the train about breakdancing, you got albums of rappers...this whole hip hop subculture of the ghettos is about to get big."