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Saturday, June 1, 2013

The Gifted


If it were told from the masses then you would believe talent is only attained as a gift. That throughout the onslaught of people who enter and exit this world only a few are chosen to rise above all. The haunting secret of the talented or THE GIFTED is that they realize the relentless work and energy put into their craft to make them appear godly among mortals. To what heights do you wish to ascend to? What greatness are you willing to reach and how tirelessly are you willing to work at it? Life isnt not just a mere game of whose blessed and whose not, that would make things too simple. Tell that to a kid from the inner cities of Chicago, Detroit or New York who start off with NOTHING... Life is about THE GIFTED, those who understand their talents and realize that the work isnt done. Those who not only wish to succeed but to bring the world to its knees. Theres many great things to aspire to but can accomplish them? Can you inspire the inspired? Are you THE GIFTED?


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Detroit




There is a certain elegance, power and strength to Detroit. Most young people living today unless you are from there have no clue of the significance the city has played in progress of culture, arts and economy of modern day America. At one point in the city's tumultuous history it was the heartbeat of America, General Motors and Ford controlled the automotive industry while Motown literally produced every legendary black recording artist of its era.


Unfortunately those days are gone now and whats left is a city with a fall comparable to that of ancient Rome. Detroit is like the rich woman who lost everything, she may not be what she once was but you can still detect her pride and sophistication. 

Detroit's Beautiful, Horrible Decline
 Spanish Goth Theater


Maybe its in the name, Detroit obviously hints at french ancestry (City was founded by French-Canadian Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac) there is a adherent subtle flair and sophistication to the old architecture, even the ones considered ruins. Detroit is glorious from an artistic standpoint, even at its low point. Anyone with mild taste will stand in awe of the vacant old Detroit Central Station, it majestic. The GM building has uniqueness, the Joe Louis Fist personifies the city's tough culture, the Spirit of Detroit statue is elegant and strong. The Fox and Fillmore brings that theatrical flair. Detroit screams revival, and once it does it will be the toast of America.





The city will return, it has to. Whether it is back to its prominent form remains to be seen but it will come back to a form greater than what we see today. The city that's known for its Joe Louis sculptured fist of course still has that fighters chance. All that it has been through will only make it stronger on its rise to the top.

Quicken Loans Building



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JAM OF THE DAY 6/1/13


WALE- Love Hate Thing


MUSIC : WaleMusic
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The Movement- DEMF


In the age of grandiose rave music festivals Detroit's Electronic Music Festival (DEMF) maintains its underground indie roots while still appealing to a larger audience seemingly every year.


At first glance when you look at the line ups for this years Detroit Electronic Music festival there is no names that stick out..... well that's if you are some new aged house music listener whose musical depth consist of Skrillex's Bangarang Album and Avicii's Levels record( No offense to them, great artist :) ). This years DEMF was special, with legends like Carl Craig, John Digweed, and Richie Hawtin shutting down the stage, veterans like Nina Kravis and Brodinski, the avant-garde Rrose, Big Gigantic, and new comers like BIG CHOCOLATE and Dantiez Saunderson(Son of techno legend Kevin Saunderson) making a name for themselves this was the perfect blend.


I felt some sense of  a spiritual rite of passage happening as I stood in the pouring rain watching Big Gigantic close out the festival. It felt like I was being baptized into a new life of coolness. At points it was cold, a bit rainy (Coughs* "ALOT RAINY" Coughs*) but the weather never overwhelmed me, the music and the atmosphere was just that good. At times I forgot it was raining, just engulfed in the music. In the end that's what festivals are all about.. the experience, this was a 3 day experience of what you get when you put the right music in the right place with the right people.


Much can be said about the success of this festival. There are alot of electronic music festivals going on at just about the same time yet that doesn't stop the success of DEMF. What draws the fans back every year is that the people remember the roots. Like a puppy who embraces its mother the fans know where home is, Detroit and Chicago started this music its only right that the festival feels original. DEMF isn't TomorrowLand, Ultra, Electric Daisy or Electric Zoo ... its DEMF, cemented in its own space amongst the festival Goliaths.




Photo Credit: Douglas Wojciechowski
Photo Credit: Joe Gall
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TIME

National Time clock, former Cass Technical High School building, 2009

How impressive, something so fleeting of ones possession is also so vital. Something one cannot possibly obtain but merely hope to manipulate, if that. Its special. It demands your attention yet doesn't desire it, or you, or anyone. It just IS! That is the grandeur, the "Piece de Resistance"... Something that is forever here, never dies, never lives, just IS! Our lives we search for ways to conquer, how vain can the human vessel be to believe such a feat is attainable. What makes us? What makes this? Does it even exist or is it something we've made up? TIME. AGE. DEATH. Stand in awe of its glory.

"Time is less about life and more about death."
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Black Sabbath



Black: \blak\ very dark in color <his face was black with rage> (2) :having a very deep or low register <a bass with a blackvoice> (3) : heavyserious <the play was a black intrigue>.

When you talk black you are talking serious. People with an affinity for black clothing tend to make a statement. Here is some of the best looks in black for some of our favorite people.

Jay Z
Kate Moss
Rihanna
Natalie Portman
Kim Kardashian
Kanye West
Johnny Cash ( The King of All Black)
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Portals


For every action there is a reaction, would you believe that every move you make ultimately determines the outcome of other moves to come? Even the small ones? Life is like portals, depending on which one you go through alternate outcomes will arise. There is a controlled randomness to life, even though things may come unexpected there is also a unique ability of tipping the hand to control and direct outcomes. One day, one correct or incorrect action can change your life forever, for better or worse a new portal will open.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T. S. Eliot

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YEEZUS



There is no middle ground with Kanye West. Very rarely do you hear people say "He's okay" Most feelings about Mr West are geared toward the extreme, its either "Kanye West is a talentless douchebag" or "Kanye West is the greatest musician/rapper of our generation." Bold claims? Maybe, but it all depends on who you ask and through what lens you choose to view americas human exclamation point...the guy they call "Yeezus".


Its that time of the year again, its Yeezy season. Love him or hate him he sure does know how to push the right/wrong buttons. They say one cannot know how far they can go unless they are willing to go overboard, Kanye West's career is a true example of that. Kanye has pushed buttons that had not his skill level and music prowess be so high he would be banned from the face of the planet. There are those who hate him and say vicious things but what you can't call him is "talentless".





Mr.West by all accounts and by leaps and bounds is the most interesting, avant garde, and polarizing figure in hip hop and the cheif "button pusher" in all of music. Kanye being Kanye was on full display this past week when he debuted the campaign for his new album entitled "Yeezus" a very clever play on words using his nickname Yeezy and the christian savior Jesus Christ. Some may see this as blasphemous, or see it as creative expression. Either way from the looks of the new songs "New Slaves" and "Black Skinhead" (debuted on Saturday Night Live and guerrilla style on buildings from a projector) the new Yeezus album is going to be some kind of incredible that we dont see in hip hop very often these days.

YEEZUS ALBUM ARTWORK
Music should be about pushing the envelope and provoking emotion, somewhere along the way the music has become predictable and cheesy. When someone is willing to go to the lengths that Kanye does to get his point across then we all should pause and give it a listen. June 18th's "Yeezus" album drop will be a moment in hip hop history most fans wouldn't dare miss.

NEW SLAVES

BLACK SKINHEAD

MUSIC: KANYE WEST VEVO


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JAM OF THE DAY 5/22/13

Numbers on the Boards!



Music: Pusha T Vevo



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Balmain - Olivier Rousteing

In 2011 at the age of 24 Olivier Rousteing became the head designer at french fashion house Pierre Balmain. Take a deep breath.. you heard that right. At that same age while most of us will either be stuck with a job we don't like or jobless Olivier is at the helm of one of the worlds most prestigious fashion houses. 





Balmain is a not just a brand, its a lifestyle. The dark colors and bold patterns screams confidence for the individual wearing it. Balmain is one of the rare fashion lines that can seamlessly fuse casual wear and couture and make it look cool and approachable. For the common person into fashion many of the styles in high end wear can seem a bit much and overt. Balmain although can be ambitious also has a simplistic and ready to wear feel.






Sky is the limit for Rousteing. He is in rarefied air being that he is so young given so much power in the fashion world. He has been compared to the likes of a young Marc Jacobs in terms of being a prodigy and there is no sign of falter to come. Balmain rests in the hands of a 26 year old creative genius, expect nothing but quality and youthful innovation for years to come.

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Th Art and The Covenant


Religous imagery has always been some of the most powerful in the art world. The beauty and majesty of the art is the vivid stories the artwork tells fused with opulent and illustrious colors. The blues are more blue, the reds are that of blood, the golds feel royal. All of these things combinded with the symbolic and powerful energy created through the art and drowned in religious context makes every quality piece of artwork a powerful experience... Indulge.

Tiffany Angel stained glass
Italy's best church art
Italy's best church art

Architecture
Italy's best church art

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