ARTCRIME SATURDAY NIGHT!

TONIGHT @ 205 CHRYSTIE:

CEX & VOIDSTAR RUNNER DOWNSTAIRS
100DBS & RYAN O'NEILL UPSTAIRS

IT'S GOING TO BE HOTTER THAN A VYBZ KARTEL SOUNDCLASH.

IAM V. JUSTICE

Both of these videos depict violence and life in the French banlieues, only one video ponders it while the other parodies it.


IAM'S PETIT FRERE

V.

Justice - Stress from Freedom Record on Vimeo.

Over a year ago, my homeboy Colonel K Speaks posted the video for "Stress" and recorded his reactions on DC blog, Brightest Young Things. There were a record 56 comments, most of which asserted opinions that the video isn't racist. I'd venture to say the majority of the commenters are Americans. I think we completely misunderstand how race/racism is perceived in Europe. Here in New York City particularly (where I live), it's easy to go walk through the projects into a nice neighborhood, but in Europe the ghetto neighborhoods tend to be completely on the outskirts of town. Colonel K should know well, he lived in the banlieue for a year.

In my humblest of opinions, the video for Stress is racist, straight up and down. I'd go even further by saying it's a vapid attempt at connecting the French ghetto with pop culture (we see this all the time in the States). All the 'punks,' 'hoodlums,' whatever you want to call them, are wearing Justice jackets with the signature Justice cross on the back. What are they, part of the Justice army/street team? This is in stark contrast to IAM's video which appears to genuinely shed some light on a serious issue in France regarding youth and violence. Romain Gavras's (nicely) directed video for "Stress," on the other hand, looks to exploit the issue. (Interestingly enough, Romain Gavras is son of politically-charged documentarian/filmmaker Costa-Gavras).

All in all, the video for "Petit Frere" is genuine; it's exploring a real issue while "Stress" just appears to be completely contrived.

And that's my $0.02.

ANDY KESSLER * REST IN PEACE

Andy Kessler is an NYC skateboarding legend and one of the original members or the Zoo York crew, before Mark Ecko and Ashton Kutcher got involved (vom). He passed away after having an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. Rest in peace, Andy.

FREJA BEHA

Okay, I'm done posting about Freja for the day after this. I know I'm obsessed but can you blame me?



Click here to watch the short video she made called The Writing on the Wall. THANKS TANYA!

GUCCI & FREJA (& some other models)

Look at Freja Beha in the back on the right, showing off her tattoos. She's so effing hot. I can't even handle it.

From the August 2008 issue of British Vogue:

She got her first tattoo, a graphic design low down on her stomach, when she was 16. She hadn't really planned it, but passing by a tattoo parlour late one night, simple decided to get something done. Her modelling career appears to have been similarly spontaneous. "When I was 15 I did a little modelling as a summer job. I didn't think it would become anything serious, but the little jobs led to bigger jobs and two years later I was walking down the catwalk for Prada." And Prada didn't mind her tattoos? "Nobody has minded so far, I don't think," Erichsen says, "but then they weren't in obvious places at the beginning. They were easily covered. Still, I did make a deal with my agent about a year ago: she said I could get as many tattoos as I wanted as long as I didn't cut my hair."

Erichsen now has 12 tattoos - several distinctly visible - as well as a short, boyish crop. "I just felt like it," she says of her hair, "and so I cut it myself. I don't think it affected work either way." Her tattoos include a star under her arm, a gun on the inside of her upper left arm, three circles on her wrist, and various bits of writing, including the phrase "this world tonight is mine", which comes from a PJ Harvey song ("My version of carpe diem"), and the phrase "this too shall pass" ("Obviously I was going through some stuff when I had that done." What stuff? "Just personal stuff"), as well as the word "float" ("as in float through life, don't sink") on the side of her neck. "I just like getting them done," Erichsen explains. "I like the whole process, especially coming up with something you want, which never takes me long. Like the revolver. That's not a heavy symbol for me. I like guns and I think the design is pretty, and once I have an idea I have to go there. I'm definitely hooked on getting tattoos."

NOUS SOMMES LE POUVOIR

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED, PARIS, MAY 1968

One Hundred Tattoos

I would entertain the idea of having a number of these slogans tattooed across my body. Vive la revolution! 1968!

DEAR MJ:

ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHTS
<3

Give Up The Goods

Not only is this my favorite Mobb Deep song, it's one of my favorite rap songs EVER. I had no idea there was a music video for this song, so happy Friday to me.

In Loving Memory

My blog is a bit morbid. I tend to write about/be inspired by death. Anyway, with the one-month anniversary of MJ just passing, I thought I'd share some of my favorite photos of him with you all:










MY PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO MJ:


MJ, REST IN PEACE. I MISS YOU EVERYDAY. LONG LIVE THE KING!