Stevio...LA LA Lovin' It?

I'm British-born Chinese from Bristol, UK. I’m LA-based. I’m a hip hop aficionado. After 15 years in London I moved to LA to pursue a new career and outlook on life.

Back in the 80s I was a DJ. In the 90s I contributed to the world's first street style exhibition at London's Victoria & Albert Museum. In 2011, I had my first interviews published. Today, I’m keeping busy with music, art, photos and writing.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas is here again?! What's fresh from Santa's grotto?

Christmas shopping for B-Boy can all be done online if you know what's hot. Here's my list of what's happening in hip hop gear. I'll be updating it when I add more to my Wants List. (This post is for Christian in Munich who complained that I don't post often enough. Ja! I know!)

MHI x UNDFTD x adidas original
These sweet kicks will have you burning up the pavement no matter how cold it gets outside. My favorite urban camo outfitter, Maharishi, has teamed up with west coast California sneaker purveyor Undefeated to release this limited version of the ZX5000 running shoe and (Kareem Abdul-) Jabbar basketball sneaker. Expect to pay US$160-170 if you can find them. Being re-stocked this month at MHI.


Adidas ZX5000 · DPM: Disruptive Court Print (source: MHI)

ADIDAS JABBAR MID. Adidas Jabbar Mid DPM: Disruptive Court Pattern (source: MHI)


See these shoes in action in this adidas Consortium video.



Tupacsquiat hip hop pop art
I discovered Naturel, a Washington D.C. native and hip hop fan, a bit late. But, thanks to 1xRun I was able to check out Naturel's whole Tupacsquiat series. 1xRun has been upping the game for limited edition prints from lesser known artists to others who have earned their collectible status. Read more about Naturel here with a great interview published by Hypetrak.

Tupacsquiat series, Naturel (source: 1xRun)

"When I started this project a few weeks ago, I thought the whole Tupac and Basquait idea would be a cool little mash up, but then I started to realize that these two had very similar lives and careers. I realized that both Tupac and Basquiat were very crude in their craft. Tupac wasn’t necessarily the best lyricist, he didn’t construct the best songs, but they were straight to the point. The crudeness, honesty and the instinct within those songs struck a chord. It was the same thing with Basquait, he wasn’t the most painterly of painters, but he was so instinctual that it embodied what it was to be an artist. Straight from the gut, straight from the heart. 
This piece is a visual rendition of what you feel when you hear Pac’s music. It has more song titles, various quotes and a few lyrics throughout. Basquiat had a few paintings with boxers and he would create these boxers flyers where he would refer back to old infamous black boxers. It was the same thing with Tupac, he was close with a lot of boxers and fighters. The night that he was shot he was at the MGM wanting Mike Tyson fight, that’s the figure in the middle there. There’s a few lyrical references, the car with the rose in front of it, that’s the car that he was in, which kind of goes back to Hail Mail with “do you wanna ride or die?” There’s a reference to Thug Passion with Alize + Cristal. There’s a bunch of different tattoos in there, “Only God Can Judge Me” and “My only fear of death is coming back reincarnated” " Naturel 

"Zulu Rainin' Hell" mix by Jimmy, mixtape on vinyl
You can get this limited vinyl pressing from Cut Chemist here. Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow have been touring this year in the US and now Europe with Afrika Bambaataa's crate of sureshot beats and drumboxes to show you how the origins of hip hop got formed. That show in LA was high energy.

Zulu Rainin' Hell mix by Jimmy, Afrika Bambaataa (source: Cut Chemist)

"Parallel to the Renegades of Rhythm Tour where Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow pay tribute to Afrika Bambaataa by playing directly from his legendary record collection, Cut Chemist dropped the timely "Mix By Jimmy," available now for the first time and on VINYL ONLY by Boo-Hooray. 
"Take a peak into the exclusive material from hip hop pioneer DJ Afrika Bambaataa. 'Mix By Jimmy' features recordings Bambaataa had pressed to acetate for spinning live at shows in the late 70's and early 80's. This mix includes entirely unreleased material along with demo versions of hits like "Looking For The Perfect Beat," "Renegades of Funk" and "Planet Rock."
Listen and take a trip through the deepest part of the most important music collection of our time." Cut Chemist

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

DJ Jazzy Jay schools us on beat-digging

The legendary Jazzy Jay gives us a rare tour of his record collection, courtesy of Fuse TV. And yes, he does spill the beans on the break names!

Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush) and Jazzy Jay, Tools of War, 2009

"You couldn't get no files, there was no YouTube or Limewire or downloading...What? You're crazy! 
"I got into the culture of hip hop early on in the developmental stages in the Bronx back in the mid-70s...There was always a sound eminating from [Afrika] Bambaataa's window...he was the one who inspired me to go to the next level...[D.J.] Red Alert was the one who taught me how to D.J.
"I just remember this crazy looking white guy standing in front of the booth...One day he got up the nerve and he introduced himself to me. He was Rick Rubin....he said, 'Listen, I want to start a record label.' We didn't have no plan to have anything to be first...let's just make a song. At that time, the only artist we had was me, andbeing I wasn't a rapper it was lucky we had T [La Rock] at least he had something to say. You'll notice it was Def Jam 001 - which was 'It's Your's,' 002, 003 are all my tunes. 
"And 'Chillin' In the Spot' I just made up a beat on the DMX and Russell [Simmons] came in with Andre Harrell one night he was drunk from a party. 'Hey we ain't got nothing to put on this record, throw Russell in the booth...' " Jazzy Jay



"It was a thing, a challenge to play those songs before anyone else played them, so you got the tag, the credit for bringing that song out. Now, Bambaataa has so many tags, so many credits 'cause he was the master of records. But, you have people like [Grandmaster] Flash, DXT, Coolade...cats that contributed to the Sacred Crates...the foundation that hip hop, the whole culture was built." Jazzy Jay

Jazzy Jay produced

S.S.O. Orchestra, "Faded Lady," 1976 (not "Shine Your Light")


Diamond D "I Went for Mine," 2006


Def Jam releases

Def Jam 001 - T. La Rock "It's Your's," 1984


Russell Rush and Jazzy J, "Cold Chillin in the Spot," 1985


Bambaataa sureshot...Sacred Crates

Rhythm Heritage, "Sky's the Limit," 1978


Wild Sugar, "Bring it Here," 1980


Cerrone, "Rock it in a Pocket" (Live), 1978


Juice, "Catch a Groove," 1976


King Ericsson, "Have a Nice Day," 1977


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Friday, November 09, 2012

Universal Zulu Nation 39th Anniversary - NYC


Despite Hurricane Sandy and Northeaster (Nor'Easter), the Universal Zulu Nation are celebrating 39 years of "Peace, Love and Having Fun!"



Together forever the event also marks the 38th celebration of hip hop culture. Huge!

For the latest event news and location information please check out Tools of War's Facebook page. Here's a summary of this hip hop weekend:

Friday 9th 
Gramacy Theater 8pm-4am (Check out the tickets here.)
Electro Funkin Breakz! . Feat. Tc Izlam, Afrika Baby Bam, Soul Slinger, DJ JJ Frost, DJ Nigel Richards, DJ ICue, DJ Power, S.T.R.A.F.E., Newcleus, Cozmo D, Mc Globe, Freedom Williams, MC T.R.A.C. Jamal Jamalski Mitchell, MC Supa, K-Swift, Myzeyesis, DJ Odyssey, DJ Paul-C, DJ Vandal, DJ Wally Pish Posh, DJ Odi, SOUL SONIC FORCE and more! Co-Hosts: MC GLOBE & Freedom Williams

Saturday 10th
Buckwick 12pm-7pm
UZN 39 FAMILY DAY EVENT: BUSHWICK BROOKLYN!
There will be various M.C. performances, D.J. sets, graffiti art showcases, dancing, workshops, arts and crafts, food/drinks and more! FREE entry for all and open for all ages.
Gramacy Theater 8pm-4am (Check out the tickets here.)
Feat. Young Guru, Kool DJ Red Alert, GrandWizzard Theodore, DJ Tony Tone, El Da Sensei, King Russ, Samsunn and DJ Ayce International, Tone Trump, Peaceful Order of Warriors and more. 

Sunday 12th  
National Black Theater 2-7pm
MEETING OF THE MINDS @ the National Black Theater 2031 5th Ave Harlem between 125 & 126 St. NYC. Free to all but donations are most welcome!

S.O.B.s 8pm doors
D.J.s Jazzy Jay, Johnny Juice, Rockin' Rob, Chuck City, Peril (Uzn Australia) Lady Love, Mel Starr, Chuck Chillout, Rich Medina plus performances by The Crash Crew, Son of Berzerk, Tricky T, Black U.N, Queen Bleu Nile, M-7 Rayvon and Johnny-Wa Boogie Boys, Sequence, Donald D, Quintescence, Santa, Zieme, Yungstar 6/3, MC Stik-E. Co-Hosts: GrandMaster Caz & Baron Ambrosia.

Poppa Large!  Here's a dope moment from last year's event. Kool Keith (Ultramagnetic M.C.s) and D.J. Marley Marl (Cold Chillin'.)

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B-Boy Summit gets Fox 11 News love

Thursday night was b-boy night on L.A.'s Fox 11 News.


Apart from the cliched Venice graffiti walls backdrop this was a great community news piece by Heidi Cuda that gave respect to the b-boy culture and the message of the Universal Zulu Nation: "Peace, Love and Having Fun!"

"The thing about b-boying and b-girling is the cultural part of hip hop. The culture of respect...diversity...knowledge of yourself and people." Asia One, B-Boy Summit co-founder

Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

#Puma reps old skool...never fades [#oldskool #hiphop ]

Searching for info on Def Jam I stumble upon this series of videos sponsored by Puma.

Remember back in 2007-8 when Puma released a whole series of old skool hip hop shoes and garms? I got myself a Puma MTV hooded sweatshirt and the second release (grey on white) of the Vaughn Bode "Cheech Wizard" Clydes (but stayed away from the horrific sweatshirt!?)

These five video interviews by Fab 5 Freddy celebrate and promote that 80s-era in New York when hip hop was becoming the tour de force it is today. Watch them all! Ricky Powell, Dr. Revolt, Fabel and Walt Fraiser. Credit where credit's due.

"In the first of a five part collaboration between VIMBY and PUMA, Fab 5 Freddy, the original host of Yo! MTV Raps discusses the beginnings of hip hop and introduces some of the names that changed the game forever. School is in session." Vimby









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Saturday, December 11, 2010

LA's Beat Swap Meet is happening Sunday [#hiphop #DTLA]

If you're in Los Angeles you need to check this out. The Beat Swap Meet happens again..."over 35 record vendors and collectors from all over California and the surrounding states."


If you're not buying you can still get a treat from Beat Swap Meet resident D.J.s - Abel (Fakshuns), AC The PD (Hip Hop http://Philosophy.com Radio), Analog (Beat Hackerz), Charlie Rock (Rock Steady Crew, Dojo Soundz), Chikaramanga (TRES Records, Giant Panda), Clenz Roc (Immortal Fader Fyters), C-Los, C-Minus (Fantastik 4our), Counterstryke, Earlyworm, Gabe Real (More Fire, Fly-Ball), Jawa (Scratch Academy, King of LA 1st Place), DJ Jim, Kidragon, Kiwamu Omae, Listen Recovery Crew (Fresko, Rich Spirit & Renz), Raichous, Val, & 671 (Station 23 Radio)

The Universal Zulu Nation will be in the house, Rock Steady Crew will be in the house! LA O.G.s C-Los and C-Minus will be in the house!

I even heard that if you take your broken turntable(s) D.J. Abel will repair it on the spot?!

Time:
12noon-6pm

Location:
Grandstar Jazz Club
943 N Broadway (aka Sun Mung Way)
Los Angeles CA 90012

Beat Swap Meet is an All Ages event. 

Free entrance if you take edible canned goods. Please bring at least one canned good. Canned proceeds go to the LA County Rescue Mission's. (http://www.urm.org)   

Thank you http://Vimby.com!
(http://vimby.com/video...)
 

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Thursday, November 18, 2010

Planet Rock tribute t-shirts [#planetrock #hiphop #oldskool #koolherc]

Hip hop fashion comes and goes, but some things are eternal. And when a company calls itself Sedgwick and Cedar, named as a tribute to D.J. Kool Herc and the foundations of hip hop, we expect great things.



This season it has launched a range of t-shirts (for New York Fall?! ;) ) to celebrate the Soul Sonic Force hip hop anthem, "Planet Rock." Not only are there four fresh t-shirt designs from different corners of the world, but also mixtapes to accompany each shirt. You can just download the tunes, but you'd be foolish to miss out on the garms (shirts!)

  SC73 presents a mix from DJ Wonder inspired by Planet Rock NY by sedgwick&cedar

Shopping cart I got the Japan and UK shirts. That Japan shirt is complete with silhouttes of Zoro from Wild Style! And the UK shirt had to be bagged...do you remember UK Fresh '86 at Wembley Stadium? Oh mate, a weekend of hip hop: Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Lovebug Starski, DJ Cheese and Word of Mouth, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Just Ice...The list goes on! My man Jason (Hit the Ground Running) got a press pass for that show and got pics galore. The Street Sounds record label design on this shirt is the program for the weekend!





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