Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Maestro Knows x DJ Sourmilk Mixtape

LM teamed up with DJ Sourmilk for a little mixtape project that features a recap of all the tunes from season one of Maestro Knows. Downloading it now so I let you know how it goes. If you want in on it you can download it here. Better believe there will be some Soulja Boy on the mix....Turn My Swag On.

***No Souljah Boy***

(via. MaestroKnows / Photo by Zack Wolfe)

Vibe Magazine Folds

Former Chief Executive Officer of Vibe Media Group, Steven Aaron, announced today that Vibe Magazine has officially closed shop. Vibe was one of the last remaining largely circulated hip-hop and R&B focused monthly publication (the last being The Source). Vibe was just putting the final touches on their Michael Jackson tribute magazine when employees got the news.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share some tough news, VMG is closing down effective today, June 30 due to lack of additional financial investments. The collapse of the capital markets has impacted us greatly. Over the past several months, we have actively pursued investment resources while working intensively with our bank to find a solution. But the deal market right now remains very poor and at the end of the day, the lack of investment resources to restructure the huge debt on our small company has made this outcome become a reality."

Vibe was founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones in partnership with Time Warner. It was purchased in 2005 by a private equity company called The Wicks Group. Another sign of the times and the demise of print media.

(via. KansasCityStar)

BlackBook Magazine: Sneaker Guru Bobbito Garcia Revives Pro-Keds

Fernando Cwilich Gil sat down with legendary sneaker aficionado Bobbito Garcia to chat kicks and his latest project with Pro-Keds. Garcia provides some great insight to into his personal collection, favourite spots in New York to grab a bite, and favourite spots to track down footwear. As of late, it seems to be a common trend for footwear enthusiasts and designers is to tackle projects with the less mainstream footwear companies that usually get sidelined by sneaker boutiques. Earlier this year we saw Jeff Staple attempt to revive Airwalk and now Bobbito Garcia for Pro-Keds. It will be interesting to see the price point on these shoes when they come out in Fall 'o9.

You had a streetball / Hip Hop show on an Ivy league jazz radio station. That’s not really a question, more of an observation.

And a good one. I had the world’s first-ever talk radio program discussing playground basketball on WKCR 89.9FM. It was called On the Fence, and came on earlier in the evening every Thursday before me and Stretch Armstrong’s hip hop show. I also wrote the first article on sneaker culture in media history, titled “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict.” It ran in Source magazine in 1991. I also hosted the first TV series ever dedicated to sneaker culture, called It’s the Shoes, which ran for two seasons on ESPN. I could go on but I’ll stop there!

What kicks do you have on permanent ice?

There is no pair on permanent ice in my closet—everything gets worn at some point! There are definitely joints that only come out on special occasion when they’ll be a good amount of heads that will understand what’s on the feet and can appreciate it.

What’s the illest pair of kicks you ever owned?

The illest kicks I might’ve ever owned were the Nike Air Force 1s that I painted circa 1990. I made a white/chocolate store-bought pair and customized them into a pumpkin/white/chocolate creation. Cats were offering me money on the block to do theirs after that! I was years ahead of any brand in terms of doing three-color combos that were off-beat and not team related. It was a good moment. As a kid, my transition shoe from wearing skippies to something official was the Super Pro-Ked. That was in 1975 when I was nine years old. Before that, I was a scrub in the sneaker world!

How do you feel about clubs that frown on sneakers?

I don’t feel any kind of way about clubs that frown on sneakers. I just don’t patronize them! Every venue is entitled to their own rules though, I guess. I’ve never been bounced from a club for wearing sneakers, but I’ve been spinning at APT for almost nine years, and I can tell you that the security may at times not let dudes in who are in a suit and wearing shoes! For real! It’s a real chill vibe, and I play soulful dance music, so you kind of have to wear kicks to get your groove on proper and be comfortable, I guess.

What spots do you like to eat and drink at in New York?

I don’t drink alcohol, but I love to get my eat on, and there are a plethora of ridiculously yummilicious spots I frequent, including Il Bagatto, Camarada’s, CafĂ© Latte, Kiosk, and Strictly Roots.

What’s the most you’d pay for a pair of sneakers?

I’ve never spent more than $140 for a pair of sneakers (Lebron VI U. of Akron exclusives), and that was just this year. Before that, my highest was $110 (Asic Gel Nimbus VII). Luckily, most of the brands send me shoes for review in my Bouncemagazine “Let’Em Marinate” column.

Best sneaker store in the world?

Wow. You’re gonna get me in trouble! That’s hard to say. For me, it’s about stores with friendly, knowledgeable service and a selection that challenges the customer. Sure, there are the tier-zero accounts that get all the exclusives, but then everyone knows about them and there is no surprise factor. I like to take chances, always have, and that’s how I earned my rep in the playground basketball and hip hop worlds for having sneakers that no one else knows. So why do you think I’d tell you where I shop? Hahaha! Goliath on 105th Street, Training Camp on 116th Street off Lenox, and Paragon’s are amongst the stores I currently check up on inventory. The Vault on 8th Avenue between 133rd and 134th streets, too.

You ever think sneakerheads take the shit too seriously?

C’mon, man! Read my book Where’d You Get Those? New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 for an in-depth exploration of your question. I can’t retell what I wrote in it any better.

Why should people cop your limited edition Pro-Keds Royal Flash? You give Keds love in your book, but certain heads might think of them as “those kids’ shoes.” Was that perception a pro or a con?

I’ve already done collabs, including Adidas for the Superstar model 35th anniversary as well as with Nike for their Air Force 1 25th anniversary. I don’t think I can work with more recognized brands or iconic shoes more than that. I love challenges, and when Pro-Keds approached me about jumping in on the 30th anniversary of the Royal Flash, man ... I was more energized about it than the previous ones because I could’ve done the worst color combos and fabrics on my “shell toe” and AF1, respectively, and it still would’ve sold out. Everyone buys those with their eyes closed, they are two of the biggest sellers in the history of the industry. But to do a Royal Flash by Bobbito, and freak it well enough that it would turns heads to want to wear them? Now that’s interesting! Keds were perceived as kids and women’s shoes; however Pro-Keds were absolutely the brand of choice here in NYC during the glory period of playground basketball and hip hop in the ‘70s. When I wear them now, it’s only adults of my generation or older who stop me on the street and say, “What! Where can I cop those? I used to rock those back in the days!” So it will be rewarding to reintroduce a model originally was released in ‘79, but hasn’t been seen since. And my hope, and belief, is that young kids will take to the Royal Flash the same way my crew did. We didn’t see some NBA player endorsing it. It was simply a beautifully designed shoe that had high performance ranks to play in as well. And that’s what sold it. And heads in Harlem ate those up. In all the annals of Pro-Ked basketball history, the Royal Flash was their most flavorful, and functional, sneaker. I professed that in my book when it was released in 2003, way before I knew I was gonna wind up doing a collab!

Sneakerheads and conspiracies go together like stoops and White Owls: That said, why did Bush knock down the towers?

We’ll all find out a decade from now when the government papers get released to the public and the agencies continue their path towards just transparency ...

(Photo by Wes Driver)

Monday, June 29, 2009

Mighty Healthy Summer 2009 Fitteds


We got a sneak peak of these last week when Maestro was in town. Ray gifted Maestro and BJ with a couple of these fitteds that made cameos in Tour Edition episode 4. These two New Eras are part of the first delivery of summer 2009. You have the Mighty Stripe New Era in a black wool featuring a quadruple stacked M with a yellow button and side banner. Second up is the Champ & Varsity cap featuring a patterned under brim and MH interlocking logo.

(via. MightyHealthy)

Joe Wong on Letterman

Diamond Supply Co. Tribute to MJ Tee

Diamond Supply Co will be releasing a Michael Jackson Tribute tee this week. The tee will be limited to 50 pieces and drop at 12pm over on the Diamond online store.

(via. DiamondSupply)

Nixon Rubber Player Black and Purple

The rubber interpretation of the Nixon Player must be a hot commodity as Nixon continue to release it in fresh new colorways. The Player is likely the most iconic watch silhouette or design they have put forth. Following up the yellow of last month is a black and purple colorway. The watch is currently available at 80s purple for $170 USD.

(via. Highsnobiety)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Nike SB Backpack Biege Canvas and Suede

I personally used to be fixed upon the Oakley Icon bags but Nike SB continues to put out a solid line of backpacks with a pretty respectable price point. This time around they give us a subtle biege suede and canvas colorway that is available at Premier for $100 USD. Clean.

(via. CtotheJL)

Piven Update: The Goods - Live Hard, Sell Hard


So I saw Piven at the BET Awards tonight. Hard not to see him as I think he was the only white person in the house. Kind of a Where's Waldo type thing. Made me think that I haven't done a Piven Update in a while - not since the whole mercury fish poisoning Broadway dilemma.

Anyways Jeremy Piven stars in, what is sure to be a box office snoozer and disappointment, 'The Goods'. The only thing that might save this movie is the fact that Piven basically does the same Ari Gold character. The premise of the movie is that Don Ready (Jeremy Piven) - used car liquidator - is hired by a failing auto dealership to turn their 4th of July sale into a extremely profitable event.I'm a fan of Piven and his at times arrogant and cocky demeanor but I don't see this movie grossing any money.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Johnny Cupcakes eBay Vault

Looks like Johnny Cupcakes is cleaning closet. "To consolidate space and to give the die hard Johnny Cupcakers something to munch on, I've created this fun work project. We've been rolling out a bunch of hidden treasures, last pressings, vintage JC shirts, collectors editions, and warehouse findings - on the Johnny Cupcakes eBay vault. All bids start at only .99 cents, so you might even be able to get a t-shirt for .99 cents if nobody else bids on it. Yes, you can use PayPal when winning your auction. And yes, we ship worldwide".

Pretty good idea and seems that "Johnny Cupcakers" are responding well with some throw back tees going for upwards of $51.00 with 3 days remaining. Talk about taking the sample sale to the next level. You can get in on the action here.

(via. JohnnyCupcakes)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Supreme 30% Off Sale

Supreme is having an unheard of sale online. A lot of the items are sold out but if you make your way over there quick you may still be able to get a gem. All items are 30%.

(via. Supreme)

Today's Useless But Impressive Lesson: Trick Shot Mastery


In light of the Cleveland Cavaliers acquisition of big old Shaq, enjoy today's useless but impressive trick shot highlight reel courtesy of Left Lane 6 Productions.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

3sixteen Ties


3sixteen recently released four ties which include a Citrus Plaid, Indigo Chambray, Navy Check Tie, and Deep Blue Linen. The ties are all handmade in NYC which seems to be a reoccurring theme with the collection. The ties are 2.5" across at the widest point. Perfect for a formal or semi casual summer day. The ties are currently available on their webstore for $77 USD.

(via. 3sixteen)

Nike SB Debacle Video Download

Debacle is available for download today here.

Maestro Knows - Tour Edition - Episode 4

Maestro Knows - Tour Edition (Episode 4) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Alife x A.R.C. Clearance Sale NYC

(via. A.R.C.)

El Mercado x Elm Company


LA Boutique, El Mercado, has partnered with Elm Company for a
limited run of wool blend, cotton twill, and denim accented
hats featuring a two tone emblematic Marisol logo. The caps
are being released Friday June 26th.

El Mercado
5287 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
877.931.4086

Monday, June 22, 2009

Rogue Status Interview w/ Johan Esbensen

Where Eagles Dare recently sat down with Johan 'Yo' Esbensen founder and co-owner of Rogue Status and DTA. I have always been curious as to the formation of the brand and this interview really gives some great insight.

A little brand background. RS was started by Johan Esbensen and Rex Holloway in 2005. Shortly after they partnered with Rob Dyrdek. The brand is currently based out of Los Angeles, California.

The interview is a great read. Who'd of thought the co-owner of one of the edgiest street brands is originally from Ottawa? Check out the interview in its entirety.

(via. WhereEaglesDare)

2009 NBA Draft Diary: Jonny Flynn



Kellen Dengler
was in the office a few weeks back talking about this project he was going to be involved in with Dime Magazine and Levi's for the 2009 NBA Draft in New York. Kellen's directing and video editing portfolio includes clientele from Nike ACG and NHTVSN to Boundless NY and Strictly Fitteds and now he adds Dime to the growing list.

Kellen and crew are filming and documenting Jonny Flynn and his week leading up to the draft. In the 2009 NBA Mock Draft the 6'O",172 lbs, 20 year old, point guard was selected 10th overall by the Bucks. Check out the most recent episode as the Syracuse Sophomore heads to Minnesota to turn some heads. You can also view the first two episodes here.

My prediction - 1st round 8th pick overall going to the Knicks.

Monday Morning Playlist: Andrew Chen

For those of you who have been following our Monday Morning Playlists I would like to first apologize for the lack of consistency. With that being said this weeks edition makes up for the lack of a playlist this past Monday.

This weeks installment features the musical tastes of 3sixteen founder and co-owner Andrew Chen. Andrew started the New York-based apparel line back in 2003 with a close friend, all while maintaining a 9 to 5. After a falling out a few years into the project, the two decided to go their separate ways. After some serious deliberation, Andrew decided to stick with the brand and focus all of his energy into his passion. In January 2006 Andrew quit his job, brought on new partner Johan Lam, and re-launched the brand.

The brand, over the past few season, has evolved ten fold. 3sixteen today finds themselves in uncharted territory, straying from its initial tee shirt based collection and now making waves in the contemporary men's market. To say this is an accomplishment is an understatement with neither Johan or Andrew having any formal fashion training. The collection features an impressive array of utility shirts, denim, outwear, t-shirts, footwear and even accessories that include ties, a soon to be released overnight bag, eyewear, and leather goods.

While Andrew focus all hours of the day towards 3sixteen he also finds time to balance his side project NHTVSN. NHTVSN is a multimedia project that was founded in 2007. The NHTVSN umbrella is comprised of a clothing line and an online video magazine both heavily influenced by music, film and pop culture.

Without any further adieu I present to you Andrew Chen's Monday Morning Playlist. And I must admit he has taken the MMP to the next level.

"This wasn't an easy playlist for me to assemble. I wanted to give a broad look at the music that I listened to in high school but then realized that I'd need separate lists for rock, ska and hip hop. Thus you have this semi-focused list of early 90's alt/grunge rock - every song included has a story behind in my tortured youth. For example, the RATM song was part of a presentation that I gave to my US history class on left-wing political influences in music. I still remember my classmate playing stuff from REM and Chili Peppers (all socially acceptable music) and then me breaking out the Rage, with Zach dropping f-bombs everywhere and hating all things government. My teacher was actually quite receptive to the song (I think she was a hippie at some point) despite the clear slants against our educational system. But I'll never forget a wide-eyed classroom of kids looking fearfully at me like I was going to hurt them one day. Good times."

"I hope the playlist helps you rediscover some classics from your youth."


You can download this weeks playlist here. Enjoy.


If you feel so inclined to check out the collection first hand you can make your way over to Openhouse Gallery in Nolita for Michael Williams (A Continuous Lean) and Randy Goldberg's Pop Up Flea taking place Friday to Sunday.


(Photograph by Peter Ash Lee)

Sunday, June 21, 2009

CNCPTS x Nike Premium Yellow Lobster Dunks?

Might as well continue fueling the CNCPTS Lobster hype train. The guys at Lavishlivez caught some footage of Concepts store owner, Tarek Hassan, rocking these yellow and purple Lobsters at the Blue Lobster release this past weekend. My guess is they are either samples or a seriously limited run for friends and family. Rumor is circulating that they were produced in a run of 36. I guess time will tell.

(via. Highsnobiety)

Friday, June 19, 2009

Go Skateboarding Day New York June 21st

Concepts X Nike SB Blue Lobster Interview



Frank the Butcher (Concepts Brand Manager) and Deon Point (Concepts Retail Manager) sat down with Nice Kicks to discuss the most recent Concepts x Nike collaboration and the marketing development and guerrilla advertising campaign that went into the promotion of the Blue Lobster Dunk Low Premium that drops tomorrow. A little fact: There were over 40 people in line at Concepts on Wednesday at 7 a.m. for Saturday's release. That's dedication and even blows the Air Yeezy release out of the water. I guess that the fact that there will only be 200 limited edition packaged releases dropping this weekend has something to do with it. The package will consist of a pair of shoes in the limited HAZMAT foam container, Nike SB tee, hang tag, lace lock and 1 of 2 Concepts x Alien Workshop decks.

(via. NiceKicks)

3sixteen x Quoddy Deck Chukka Peanut Grizzly

The 3sixteen x Quoddy Deck Chukka collaboration popped up online today for preorder. The handmade custom silhouette is exclusive to 3sixteen and only available online.

The shoes are made of Peanut Grizzly leather flipped inside out for a suede finish, and are fully leather lined for comfort. The also feature a full leather vamp, antique brass eyelets, and a hand sewn lock-stitched tip and ticker. The shoe runs size 8 thru to 12 including half sizes. Shoes will ship around July 15 and are available for $345 USD. While you are there check out the most recent accessory addition.

(via. 3sixteen)


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Pinkberry Reunion

Stumbled across a Pinkberry today on Spring Street and thought I would introduce my girlfriend to the swirly frozen goodness. I was actually introduced to the yogurt chain during my interview with Bobby Kim back in November. As you can see Meagen was quite satisfied by her 'huge' helping.

Oakley x Beams Frogskin

I might as well do a weekly Frogskin update. This week we have a nice change of scenery, the Oakley x Japanese retailer Beams collaboration. This time we are served a pair of black and brown tortoise frames with clear lenses.
Should hit Beams in the next few weeks.

(via. Highsnobiety)

Rainy Days in New York: Dog Loves Grandma


One of those cloudy, rainy, down right wet days. Only person in New York with out an umbrella I would imagine. Hypebeast posted this today and it brightened the day. It has been a while since I laughed so hard at someone else's expense.

(via Hypebeast)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Diamond Supply Co. x Maybach Music Group

Diamond Supply has teamed up with Rick Ross and Maybach Music Group for an exclusive fitted and tee collaboration.

(via. NickDiamond)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Concepts X Nike SB Blue Lobster Dunk


After confirmation of the blue CNCPT x Nike SB Lobster Dunk hit the web last week all I could think about was how the store was going to follow up the ingenious packaging from the initial run. A refresher...the first edition of the Lobster Dunks that were released through Boston's Concepts, came in a wooden lobster crate. For the sequel they are releasing the shoe in a custom Hazmat foam container. I am curious as to whether or not the blue elastic band accents will make a return for the Saturday June 20th release.

TH Holy Grail Looting

Maestro Knows - Tour Edition - Episode 3

Maestro Knows - Tour Edition (Episode 3) from Maestro Knows on Vimeo.

Tuesday's Chill Track: "You And Me" - Attack! Attack!

Attack! Attack! UK - You And Me from Cathy Smith on Vimeo.

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Hundreds POST SF Release


If you are in San Francisco this week, I am once again jealous. The most recent chapter of the Rosewood Collection and the infamous POST fitteds will hit THSF this coming Thursday. Might want to go get in line now as they are once again limited to 100 pieces.