Fabolous by Complex

So I flip through dozens and dozens of magazines on a regular basis. And every once in a while I’ll stumble upon a spread that stands out to me fashion-wise. That’s exactly what happened when I came across the Fabolous spread a in the most recent issue of Complex magazine.

The photos display Fabo in a different light fashionably speaking. In his different ensembles, he blended simple tones with bright colored which made them really pop out more. As far as accessories go I really like the purple watch he has on in one pic and the red shades he’s sporting in another.

This photo shoot definitely represents an upgrade for Loso’s fashion sense. Kudos to him and the good folks at Complex.

Plaxico Burress Accepts Plea Deal

Last Thursday NFL receiver Plaxico Burress plead guilty to weapons charges stemming from an incident last November where he accidentally shot himself in the leg in a New York night club. In exchange for his plea, Burress will receive a 2 year prison sentence. Two years in prison for shooting yourself in the leg? Yea I’m not so sure about that.

In wake of the news, a lot of people have come out and stated their disapproval of the decision. I’m certainly one of them. Although I don’t condone Burress possession of an unregistered firearm, he was only carrying it for protection and never used it to threaten anyone. Also, in fairness, the weapon in question was previously registered in Florida and was not purchased off the streets.

Unfortunately for Burress he happened to make this mistake in the worst possible place. Ney York City’s gun laws are arguably the harshest in the nation. Nevertheless, in a world where more and more professional athletes are finding themselves victims of violent crimes, one can definitely see why one would want to protect himself.

Random Acts of Awesomeness: “8-bit trip”

Simply put, I’m a sucker for incredibly intricate stop motion projects that seem as though they took way too much time and effort to create. So needless to say, when I stumbled upon this gem on Youtube I had to share. As if legos could’ve gotten any cooler, right? Well they just did...click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qsWFFuYZYI

Shine On The Line: Orisue

For this edition of SOTL, I chose to cast the spotlight on another of my favorite clothing lines, Orisue. Orisue is a casual clothing line that offers dapper attire for both men and women. The line produces jeans, hoodies, jackets, tank tops and accessories, but arguably their finest creations are their tees.


The general ambience of the line is “west coast hipster”. However, the line is very diverse. Whether it be button ups, shorts or jackets, within this line you’re sure to find the ensemble for any occasion. And it’s sure to be dope.


You can check out the official Orisue website here: http://orisue.com/weblog/index.html

This Is What It Looks Like: Roger Federer

For this edition of TIWILL, I chose to shine the spotlight on yet another unlikely fashionista: Roger Federer. Now most of you may know Roger Federer as that guy who does nothing but win grand slam tennis tournaments. And that’s true. But what you may not have realized is that Rog’ knows how to put together a mean outfit, too.


Federer has proven that he’s not too bashful to make fashion statements both on and off the court. Usually his best ensembles surface at the biggest tennis tournament of the year; Wimbledon. Last year he rocked a dope beige cardigan and this year he came wearing an exclusive jacket with the number 15 on it to commemorate his 15th grand slam championship victory.

Roger certainly does seem to know what he’s doing with the wardrobe. Be sure to keep an eye out for what he shows up in for the US Open this August.

Artists On The Rise: RichGirl

Up-and-coming R&B girl group RichGirl (no relation to “Throw Some D’s” emcee, Rich Boy) has been slowly working their way onto the scene for the past several months. The group, comprised of members Audra, Brave, Lyndriette and Seven, on the surface resembles the likes of Destiny’s Child back in their early days. Not quite sure if the music is as comparable to the afore mentioned quartet yet, though.

Thus far, the group has releases a few singles; most notably: “He Ain’t With Me Now Though”, which is their lead single, and “Smile And Wave”, featuring Chris Brown. Both tracks are pretty solid. At the moment they are in the process of finalizing their self-titled debut album which is slated to release later in 2009.

The way I feel about this group is similar to the way I feel about Day 26; they’re nice, but it’s hard to tell how good they actually are since there’s no real competition for them in terms of other girl groups (unless, of course, you count the Pussy Cat Dolls…yea, me neither). With that said, I wish RichGirl the best of luck.

…And if their group’s career doesn’t pan out, I hope the most popular member (who will undoubtedly break away from the group) has a great solo career!

Late Night Done Right?

As many of you may have already realized, NBC’s late night talk show schedule has undergone some drastic changes over the course of the past several months. Some folks are coming, some folks are going, and some folks are revamping things. I’m here to help you all make sense of modified lineup and provide my own analysis of the new look.

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien - Personally, I think that kicking Jay Leno to the curb and promoting Conan O’Brien to the esteemed role of host of the Tonight Show was a very good move for NBC. I’ve always believed that Conan was the funnier, better host of the two and it was time to make that move. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Conan’s act has lost a little bit of its pop since his taking over the Tonight Show on June 1st. I think that may have a lot to do with the fact that Conan (moving from a 12:30am to an 11:30pm time slot) now has to appeal to the much older audience that he inherited from Leno and, thus, can no longer crack all of the off color remarks that young’ns such as myself had come to expect from him. Oh wells. Conan’s still way better than Leno.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t the most ecstatic to hear the news about Jimmy Fallon taking over hosting duties for Conan O’Brien. It’s not so much that I don’t like Jimmy, I just didn’t really see him fitting the role of a late night talk show host. However, I’m proud to say, so far, he’s proven me wrong.

Jimmy’s hosting skills have improved drastically in the few short months with the show. Also, I like the way he mixes things up and steps outside of the box that has come to be the traditional, contemporary late night talk show. He spontaneously runs out into his audience, engages his celebrity guests in activities (like beer pong), and even breaks out into a freestyle every now and then. Oh yea, the fact that he has the Roots as his house band doesn’t hurt at all.

Last Call with Carson Daly - I’m going to be really honest; I used to hate Carson Daly’s hideous talk show. It was stale, unfunny, and seemed to drag on (even though it was only half the length of most late night talk shows). BUT, I’m happy to say that all that has changed now.

See, NBC has changed the entire structure of Last Call. Where it once was a boring excuse for a talk show, it now feels much more like an original idea. They’ve taken Carson out of the television studio, suit and tie and put him out in the streets meeting with and interviewing up and coming musicians and actors. This feels much more like Carson’s natural habitat and his hosting skills seem to have improved now that he is no longer faced with the daunting responsibility of carrying a traditional talk show. The show does a great job of exposing new artists. Essentially, the recent renovation of the show has completely salvaged its existence. Congrats Carson.

Well, there you have it folks. NBC’s new late night talk show lineup is officially solidified and doing quite well I might add. Yet another reason for me to give in to insomnia….*sigh*

Maroon 5 Covers Frank Sinatra Hit

Recently, rock band Maroon 5 recorded their rendition of crooning legend Frank Sinatra’s hit song “The Way You Look Tonight”. This project is a part of Apple’s album “His Way, Our Way” which is an album commemorating the career of Sinatra by having artists of today perform some of his greatest hits. The whole idea is that this album is going to able to introduce the work of Frank Sinatra to the younger generation while simultaneously introducing some of today’s artists to an older crowd─a brilliant idea if I do say so.

Apparently when presented the opportunity to be a part of this project, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine jumped at it. "He's definitely one of my all-time favorites" said Levine of Sinatra. Personally, I’m a huge fan of both Frank Sinatra and Maroon 5 so this one was right up my alley.

Check out the single here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go-qXfwR6jM&feature=related

Hot Summer Trend: Beads

This summer has thus far been pretty unremarkable in regards to fashion trends. However, a fashion trend that has come up on my radar this spring and summer is wearing beads. Beads seem to be the trendy accessory of the season for males and females alike. Whether they are featured in bracelets, necklaces or even rosaries, beads are currently experiencing a major comeback.

Personally, accessories are often my favorite element of an ensemble for two fundamental reasons: 1) the right accessory(ies) compliments a getup just right and 2) accessories are usually the cheapest part of an outfit. Realistically, beads will likely be a passing fad being as tank tops and mini-skirts will soon give way to hoodies and fleeces. Nonetheless, for the time being, beads just work. Go get you some.

Artist on the Rise: Colin Monroe

If you haven’t heard the name yet, chances are you will soon. Colin Monroe is a singer/songwriter who hails from Ontario, Canada. He first gained mainstream notoriety back in January of 2008 when he covered Kanye West’s single "Flashing Lights". Since then, Monroe has worked with several members of the Hip Hop world such as Drake, Jim Jones and Bun B, while still maintaining his indie rock roots.

The reason I consider Monroe to be a special artist is his versatility. Not only can he play several instruments but he has proven to be able to delve into different genres of music successfully, earning him respect among a wide variety of underground fans.

Monroe is currently working on his next album, Don’t Think Less of Me which slated to release sometime later this year. Keep an eye out for it and his other musical endeavors.

Sneaker Patrol: DC Life Collection – Admiral

For this edition of Sneaker Patrol, I decided to shed some light on a collection of sneakers by DC Shoes. For quite some time now we’ve come to automatically associate the DC brand with skateboarding paraphernalia; and rightfully so. However, it’s nice to see that DC can step outside of their comfort zone to create a very dope street-casual series of sneakers.

These sneakers are right up my alley for several reasons. First of all, they’re high tops, and I’m a sucker for a good pair of high tops. Furthermore, they’re bold. I really like how both the design and color scheme of the front half of the shoe is different from the back. This provides good color contrast and gives you even more ways in which to color coordinate these sneakers with your ensemble.

Now these kicks are definitely not for everyone. They’re loud and proud and certainly not everybody can pull them off. But if you’re the adventurous type, these would definitely be a nice addition to the closet.

The Weezy/Breezy Connection

So apparently rapper Lil Wayne showed some love to singer Chris Brown over the weekend by bringing him out on stage during Wayne’s set and making him a part of the performance. This took place during the Virginia stop of the America’s Most Wanted tour that Weezy’s been on this summer.

Brown basically came out and filled in for Drake (who had re-injured his knee two nights before and was, subsequently, forced to pull out of the tour) during the performance of Young Money’s single “Every Girl”. Brown also paid tribute to the late icon Michael Jackson by performing the hit single “Billy Jean”. After which, Wayne implored the crowd to make some noise for “the new Michael”.

This was a pretty bold move for Brown as it was his first appearance on stage since the altercation he had with his girlfriend back in February. However, it was still relatively safe considering he was in front of his hometown fans. I guess it’s all about taking calculated risks. Nevertheless, I wish Breezy the best of luck in straightening out his life and getting his career back on track.

"Nation"-al Treasure

By now, I imagine many of you have heard about North Carolina rapping prodigy, J. Cole. He is a talented young rhymer who is being ushered into the game under a pretty large wing. Jay-Z has taken a particular interest in the abilities of J. Cole. So much so that he has decided to make him the first new artist signed to Jay’s newfound record label, Roc Nation.

The story is a familiar one. One day, J. Cole was summoned to Jay-Z’s office in Ney York where he fought threw the angst and nerves to put his talents on display before one of Hip Hop’s greatest. Jay was so impressed that he had to scoop him up.

J. Cole is riding into the game as yet another member of Rap’s vaunted “freshman class”. He is similar to many of his classmates in the sense that he’s a hybrid; he both raps and sings on many of his tracks. In doing so, he manages to bring back the soulful vibes of 90’s Hip Hop and R&B.

Be sure to listen to J. Cole’s latest mixtape, “The Warm Up” as well as keep an eye out for his upcoming music.

The Return of ABDC

Generally, I don’t get too attached to TV shows. Truth is─most of them aren’t any good. However, one particular program that I’ve always made time for is MTV’s hit show America’s Best Dance Crew…and I make no apologies for that.

I’m basically infatuated by the show. The dancers, their back stories, the incredible routines they come up with each week; it all makes it a spectacle worth watching. I enjoy the show so much that I even suffer the intolerable nuisance that is Lil Mama to watch. I consider that no small sacrifice.

The good news is the show is back for its fourth season. Hopefully this season brings us more talented and creative crews that keep us on the edge of our seats week to week. Catch the premier episode of ABDC Sunday, August 9th at 9pm on MTV.

In the meantime, you can check out the official ABDC website here: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/dance_crew/series.jhtml

Shine on the Line: Obey

For this edition of Shine on the Line, I wanted to cast the spotlight on one of my favorite clothing lines: Obey. Founded in 2001 by renowned artist Shepard Fairey, Obey is a line that features iconic prints which are just as likely to be found on building walls and street corners as t-shirts and hoodies. Chances are you’ve seen one in a city near you.

The reason that Obey initially stood out to me is the profound emphasis they put on the artistry of their craft. Their designs are unique, authentic and often times politically driven. That’s something that you just can’t say about a lot of lines out there these day. And when it comes down to it, the bottom line is their clothes are dope.

Bravo, Obey. Keep doing your thing. To learn more about Obey, visit their website: http://obeyclothing.com/

Tattoo Smattoo?

Another thing that’s caught my attention recently is the tattoo frenzy. Nowadays, it seems as though more people are taking the lead of their favorite performers and athletes by covering their bodies with tattoos. To me, this seems a little crazy. At the risk of sounding uncool, covering one’s body in tattoos just seems like a bad idea to me.

The good news is that we live in a free country, which means people can do whatever they choose with their bodies. Furthermore, there’s nothing wrong with having a few tattoos and, in truth, they do look good on some people. I’m not hating on anybody’s grind. However, although the concept of showering one’s body in tattoos may work out for the rich & famous celebrities and athletes of the world, it may not be the best way to go for Joe Shmoe.

Unfortunately, if you ever plan on holding down a 9-5 ever again, going with forearm, hand or neck tattoos just might not be such a great idea. It’s sad, but true. What’s more, many of the people who cover their bodies with impulse-driven ink have the attention span of a king sized Snicker’s bar. I wonder what they’re going to think about their tats when they’re 40…Yikes.

Artist on the Rise: Mike Posner

Here comes another up and coming artist to look out for. Chances are you haven’t heard of Mike Posner yet but it’s likely you’ve heard of a few of his cohorts like Wale, Kid Cudi and Big Sean. Posner is a 21 year old singer, songwriter and producer from Southfield, Michigan. He is part of a group called Mike Posner and the Braintrust which released its first mixtape “A Matter of Time” this past February.

The jury’s still out on this one but he certainly is gaining popularity among underground fans. We should be hearing a lot more from Posner as he is set to release his second mixtape later this fall and his debut album in 2010. So be sure to keep an eye out for him.