HOW TO GRADUATE COLLEGE WITHOUT STUDYING Does life have you down? Are you sick and tired of going to school? Do ya wanna start making the big bucks now? Well lemme fuckin’ tell ya, your lazy-ass is in luck... Just go online and google up “diploma mills,” and pave your way to your crooked-ass new future. This is for real. All you really have to do is find an “accredited” school of your choice and follow the quick & easy steps that will lead to your “success.” I would list some of these sites, but I think that would be taking it a bit too far. and thank goodness that there won’t be too much studying involved; most of the schools that I’ve looked into count good ol’ fashioned “life experience” as the only requirement needed towards your diploma besides cash money. “Life experience, psssh, I got plenty of that.” Just make sure you got your paper up, as these puppies don’t come cheap— most of these schools want a couple grand to make you appear to be smrt. but Don’t you worry ‘bout spending a ton of money, as you will soon command the respect of those around you with your new B.s. in Bidness Admin, or whatever you should so choose. Don’t believe me, take a look at some of the fine folks from the Bush Administration or in the CIA, they were hip to the scheme. I’m currently in the process of receiving my doctorate in Criminal Justice. Ahh, fuck it, here’s a sponsored link to a site that pops-up when you google “diploma mills” that boasts: “Earn Legal & Verifiable B.A., MBA, Ph.D and b.s. Degrees. No Coursework!” Enjoy. http://glendaleuniversity.com/
HOW TO BUILD A BADASS POTATO GUN Okay, okay. Now pay attention. Today we are going to learn how to make a potato gun. Sounds like fun, huh? You can bet your sweet bippy it is... So let’s get to work. The launcher is assembled as follows (listed rear to muzzle): 3” Female adapter with cleanout cap>12” of 3” sch40 PVC pipe>3” coupler>3” to 2” reducer bushing (spigot x slip)>Either a 2” FPT Adapter (spig x FPT) or a 2.5” section of 2” sch40 PVC pipe>Female Adapter (slip x FPT). Next you will have your pass through barrel which will be 51” of 1.5” sch40 PVC to give you a 1:1 ratio (don’t believe all the old 1.5:1 ratio stuff. for this chamber a 1:1 ratio will outperform a 1.5:1 ratio.) Feel free to adjust the barrel length to suit your needs. The barrel will have a 2” MPT adapter as well as a 2” to 1.5” bushing on it. Looking at the breech loading page will make the barrel plans much clearer. Now for the ignition. Do whatever you wish, but I would suggest a lantern lighter. The chrome thing on the launcher near the end cap is a lantern lighter with a knob that I fit on it. Google the proper lantern lighter installation method. Also, keep the lantern lighter towards the back of the launcher, this way it is possible to change flints without removing the whole assembly. Now get your ass out there and blast a spud or two. Be sure to be safe, though. My thanks goes out to http://www.advancedspuds.com/ for making this all possible.
UR: What up! How are you? Dt: I’m pretty good, actually. thanks for asking. Enjoying another day of life... UR: Tell us a bit about yourself. Dt: Well, I’m an emcee/beatmaker that goes by the name of Details. Really, I’m an artist with a lot to say. I take my time when I write and try to be as creative and inspiring as I can be. UR: When did you start rapping/ producing? Dt: I started rapping back in high school with a few friends I used to write graffiti with. It was more of a thing to kill time, but soon became one of my favorite things to do. My process was very slow at first, but I eventually became better at it with time and effort. As far as the beatmaking goes, I started there a little after that with the homie, Fewch. My beats, like my rapping skills, got better with time. UR: What motivates you to make music? Dt: I have to be inspired to make music. If I’m not inspired, I have a really hard time being creative. I can make bullshit, but I try to make everything I do high quality. UR: What’s it like hearing yourself on a track? Dt: It’s actually pretty weird; It has its phases. I usually don’t like the way I sound till I’ve listened to it a few times. It’s crazy. I think it’s due to the fact that I’m a perfectionist—I’m never fully satisfied. UR: What are you currently working on? Dt: I’m currently working on a group project with my crew, From Outer Space, which consists of Marvel, Kalm and myself. It’s gonna have some of my own beats as well. I really feel we’re a lot different than your average Fresno emcees—don’t sleep on From Outer Space! UR: What’s your stance on graffiti and street art? Dt: Well, I love graffiti, and I’m a big fan of street art. but I feel graffiti has gone the wrong path as of late. I remember
having fun painting graf: I used to walk down Kings Canyon road with a can in my waistline with no problem, but that’s all changed. Now, it’s a serious crime. You gotta watch out for the police, and crews are gangs—it’s all fucked up. I got a lot of love for the people out there still doing it for the right reasons. UR: Why hip-hop? Dt: I don’t know, just everything about it. I’ve always loved hip-hop. I used to break when I was small, I’ve painted and I’ve even owned tables. I mean, shit, why not hip-hop? UR: Where do you see yourself fitting into the world of hip-hop? Dt: You know, I’m not trying to fit into anything, I’m just trying to create quality music and hope people can relate and enjoy it as well. I’d love to do hip-hop on a larger scale with more listeners—but my way. UR: What makes you stand out? Dt: Today’s hip-hop is really robotic. Nobody has a mind of their own. I try to stay away from what’s in and considered the standard. What also makes me stand out is the quality, time and effort I put into my music. UR: Where do you see it all going? Dt: I’m just trying to express myself with it for the moment, but hopefully it’ll open doors to a lot of different opportunities. UR: What music are you currently listening to? Dt: Right now, I’m actually listening to a lot of old-school hip-hop, late 90s stuff and oldies. I’m not really inspired with a lot of the music that is out right now. UR: Any shout-outs? Dt: Definitely. Big shout-out to God, my family, NH Crew, From Outer Space, the homies, and to anyone that’s been a part of my life, good or bad. and, of course, undr rpblc.
UR: What up! How are you? 4am: I’m good, great, awesome, blessed. UR: Tell us a bit about yourself. 4am: Well, my name’s Jason Chavez. I’ve been DJing and making music under the name 4AM since 1995, before that I called myself DJ Superfly. I’ve been fortunate enough to play music across the U.S. and Europe, both as a DJ and a member of Octavius, Black Fiction and as the producer for MC Dopestyle. UR: When did you start DJing and producing? 4am: I did my first sample and tape experiments back in 1992-93. I was too broke to buy any gear, though. so I made tape loops on my double deck cassette player and scratched on my parent’s home stereo. In 1995 I got my first set of turntables, then in 1999 I got my first sampler. UR: What motivates you to make music? 4am: I feel like everyone has their reason to live—some know it right away and some never really realize what their’s is. I’ve always known that I’m a musician. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I also feel like my drive to create coincides with my need to bring joy to a mass populace that is stepped upon and stressed out beyond belief. People need music, art and literature; It’s very important. otherwise, we’d all be a lot worse off. UR: What are you feeling when rockin’ a crowd? 4am: Joy. It’s an exchange of energies between you and them: a mutual sharing of joy through music. It’s also a form of meditation, when you participate in music (either playing or listening/dancing), you sync to the rhythm. A crowd of people dancing usually shares the same heart rate. it puts everyone on the same page, in the same headspace and in some form of harmony. UR: What are you currently working on? 4am: I’ve been doing a lot of re-edits and
recently finished a full length original project called Astronomy, which can be downloaded for free off my blog along with a plethora of re-edits and DJ mixes at: http://dj4amsf.tumblr.com/. UR: What’s your stance on graffiti and street art? 4am: It’s always existed and always will. Cave people wrote graffiti to express their hopes, fears and questions. I feel like street art deals with these same basic principals, but in a much more sophisticated manner. Just like I’m driven to make music, there are peeps out there driven to stir emotions through street art. so, yeah, very important. UR: Why hip-hop? 4am: I was born in 1976, my parents gave me “Rapper’s Delight” on a 12” when I was 6. I was way into records already by then, and they didn’t want this weird disco record with people talking on it anymore, so they gave it to me. It wasn’t rap to me yet, though. it was a long song that said funny things. As I got older, I started to realize that there was a genre called rap. For me, it started with Run-DMC, The Fat Boys, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Kool Moe Dee, MC Shy D, etc. It wasn’t until 1989 or so that the stores I bought music from actually had a rap section. That was a big deal back then, a whole section of rap tapes—no more sifting through the rock or r&b sections looking for hip-hop. I remember my stepdad thinking that DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were abrasive. that’s how foreign rap was then. It wasn’t the dominant musical culture. It was non-melodic, loud and scary to adults. Hip-hop was the youth movement of my generation and it really appealed to my experimental nature. Hip-hop was born from a generation of youth that didn’t have easy access to music programs in school, so we recycled existing sound, did tape collage, combined contrasting elements, manipulated recorded sounds with our hands and, later, on computers and midi. Hip-hop may be the most experimental
music to ever exist. You can make hip-hop out of anything—and we do. Think about it, the dominant musical culture of the day had its origins in the huge sound systems and sound clashes of Jamaica. Then, it made its way to New York where it eventually gelled with German electronic music, gay disco and the new wave/punk movements happening there (check out “Planet Rock” for proof). How could I not be completely taken by this new, subversive music? UR: Where do you see yourself fitting into the world of hip-hop? 4am: honestly, I’m not sure yet. I’ve been doing this for a long time now and every time I think I have myself figured out, I realize that I don’t fit into any current marketable mold. I think that’s for the critics to decide. I consider the majority of the music I make to be hip-hop, but most fans of the music today wouldn’t agree with me. UR: What makes you stand out from the rest? 4am: I have a unique sound, of course. it’s a combination of my influences, but I can assure you, my combination of influences is quite unique. UR: What are you doing with it now? 4am: I’m laying low for the moment. The state of music today is troubling; the industry is crumbling. Many labels and artists seem to be clutching at anything they can hold on to momentarily and exploit. It’s a free-for-all, especially in rap. The rap game is the new crack game: peeps are flooding the market with product and snatching up as much quick revenue as they can. UR: Where do you see it all going? 4am: We’re at a crossroads right now. I’m focusing my intentions towards the days where audiences and labels cultivated an artist. There’s a reason why we’ll never see another Bob Dylan, Roberta Flack—hell, even another Radiohead—in today’s climate. If you don’t move units right away your record gets shelved, it gets no further promotion, and you
become a tax write-off. We’ll either see the industry implode and witness the cultivation and rewards of creativity going back into the hands of artists and people who have love for music, or the devil will win by crushing the last beacons of creativity and start growing pop stars in test tubes and incubation chambers. UR: What are you currently listening to? 4am: I listen to a lot of DJ mixes from the late 80s and early 90s like DJ Evil Dee, Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Tim Westwood and Mr. Magic. I’m also way into the more recent releases from Portishead, The Doves and Raphael Saadiq. I dig the re-edit scene quite a bit, too, think Pilooski, Leftside Wobble and Mindless Boogie. There’s a re-edit dude (or group, I’m not sure) called Shoes, they’ve done a lot of creative soul edits and reworks, I’m really digging their Of Miles Davis remix EP. I keep coming back to Scott Walker as well, The Drift is an amazing LP. Oh, and the new Clipse album is bangin’. UR: Are you involved in any collaborations? 4am: There’s a couple of things brewing, but nothing’s certain yet. UR: Any shout-outs? 4am: I’m eternally grateful to anyone and everyone who comes to me with an open mind and really allows me to get down. I’m also grateful for anyone that will ask me questions and allow me to go off into my many tangents. Thanks.
UR: Wha’s happening Knistt? KN: Nothing much, just being me. UR: When did you start writing? KN: In 1984. UR: What crews do you write for? KN: GTLRs, RxR and FGS. UR: What crews have you written for? KN: My first crew was FCRA, then I wrote for RC, KB and TFk. UR: What names have you written? KN: My first name was Spade. Then I wrote Fest for a little bit, Serf for a little bit and Werf for a little bit. And what else... Scribbler when I was young. [laughs] That’s about it. UR: Did you water your grass this morning? KN: Nah, only in the trees. UR: What motivates you to paint so much? KN: I just like to have fun with it. UR: How do you feel about the current graffiti game? KN: It’s kinda wishy-washy... But it’s all good, you know. It’s just a different cycle than what we came up doing, You know. that’s all it is. UR: How often are you painting these days? KN: Almost every day. If not I’m working, I’m working on something new to paint. [laughs] UR: Why graffiti? KN: I paint graffiti because...I just like to. I just like the format of doing letters. UR: Do you pay for paint? KN: I pay for paint from time to time. I rack paint from time to time. Both. Either or. It all depends on how the day plays out. UR: Where do you see graffiti going? KN: There’s always something new popping up in graffiti. At one point in time there was 3-D—you know—everyone thought it was the shit. Everyone did it and it died out. it comes back. There’s a lot of other shit that’s just popping up: Different styles, styles that have been done before—but they just keep popping
up. People are also starting to do more things besides just lettering, but still graffiti related. A lot of things just popping up for graffiti, so we’ll see where it goes. I don’t see it dying out anytime soon... UR: How do you feel about all of these internet fame graffiti writers and crews? KN: I would have to say that they’re kinda wack as fuck. Because—you know—where does graffiti belong? Most of the time you see it on the streets, everywhere, and that’s where it belongs. Some people just overplay the computers and shit. I mean, fuckin’, go! get up! Get off the fucking computer and get up! UR: Have you had any difficulty with the law over graf? KN: Yep, a couple times. UR: What the fuck is up with the buff? KN: Well, now that everyone and their mom wants to do graffiti, the city has to stay on top of it. So, just to keep it out of people’s faces, they’re buffing everything. And that’s wack too because... They’re just wack. UR: How do you feel about Cali’s harsher new graffiti laws? KN: Well, it sucks to be us, because other places don’t have it as bad as we do. I really can’t say too much about that because I’m just gonna do what I do, regardless. UR: Alright, lightning quiz round... Coke or Pepsi? KN: Neither one, they both taste like shit. UR: Rusto or Krylon? KN: Ahh, any day Rusto. I used to be a Krylon fiend till they fucking sold out. [laughs] UR: Montana or Ironlak? KN: Well, fuck, either one of the motherfuckers can sponsor me—I don’t give a fuck. Put it like this, I’m not a handicapper, I’ll use all the shit—even Wal-Mart paint, Rhinolite—All that shit. UR: Walls or Trains? kN: I don’t play favorites. you know me, I’ll do it all.
UR: Octomom or Khloe Kardashian? KN: Any day Octomom over Khloe Kardashian. You getta play with the kids. [laughs] UR: Magic Mountain or Great America? KN: Disneyland. UR: Bud or Coors? kN: Budweiser or Coors? Ahh, fuck—I used to drink King Cobras... [laughs] King Cobra’s the shit! UR: Lasers! Thins or Fats? KN: All the time fat caps. Fat cappin’ it. UR: Streaks or Markers? KN: Streaks. They last longer... Fuck a Magnum: they’re cool when they first start off, but they look like shit in a couple years. UR: Guns or Fisticuffs? KN: Fisticuffs!?! [laughs] UR: Alright, alright, with that done, where do you see yourself going in the future? KN: Underground. UR: Do you plan on doing any design work? KN: I hope to get into some video games. UR: Do you have any art shows coming up? KN: None that I have planned. If I can ever get around to something, or just sitting around to do it—I’ll have something coming up. UR: Maybe some new name street bombing... kN: Yeah, you know how that goes... UR: How do you feel about all the beef that goes along with graffiti? kN: That shit’s overplayed, man. Some kids out there just be doing it just to be doing shit. Sometimes you just gotta fuckin’ slap the shit outta one of those kids to let ‘em see how it feels. UR: What’s crackin’ with the GTLRS? KN: You know, the homies are doing what they do. Ain’t too much crackin’ with us. All of us are older now and got kids, cars, houses and everything else. Everyone’s got their situations handled. We’re not doing too much now, but we did in our pasts. UR: How often can you see your influence in others graffiti? KN: Shit, man, I see that shit a lot, yo. I
feel that a lot of it has to do with the way I come across people. I see it a lot. As long as you don’t take it to the extreme and start hating on my shit—like I took his shit and ran with it—it’s all good. UR: Who are your biggest influences? KN: There’s a lot of motherfuckers, man. Um, lemme see: T-Kid, Ewok (AWR), Dream (TBK), Peso, Werk. There’s a ton of people, man, Raos, he’s a new comer and he’s in my crew. There’s a lot of motherfuckers, lemme think. yeah, it’s a whole lot. UR: Any good chase stories? KN: Ahh, shit! I got too many, man... I’ll tell ya one, one that I got fucked up on. One day it was me, Boms, I think Phasoe and Frees was with us. It was a gang of homies over at the Poverello’s and shit. We were all bombing the little yard and trains and everything else over there. Next thing you know someone shouts, “one time!” We all split up and started cutting out different ways. Frees and I cut out towards Ventura Avenue down the tracks, when the next thing you know the fucking cops started jetting down the tracks straight at us. There were two lines of trains laid up right against the wall, so we cut through ‘em and I jumped a razor barbwire fence. I jumped that shit, and bam, I landed on a fucking nail... “Ahh, Fuck!” Then I noticed that my arm was all fucking warm—I fucking cut the fuck outta my arm on the razor wire fence. So I started running, and it was when I was running that I noticed that when I straightened out my arm, blood was squirting straight out my fucking vein! I was like, “Oh, shit!” Luckily the fence that I hopped was to a warehouse that was just closing. I saw the last guy out the gate just before he closed it. Bam! I ran into the warehouse; Fucking hiding out in there. I took off my shirt—I had a fucking white t-shirt on like a fucking idiot during the daytime. I wrapped that shit around my arm, turned that shit bloody fucking red. Next thing you know, here’s the ghetto bird flying around; cops are flying by every which
way. I’m just sitting there in the warehouse panicking like: “Fuck! I’m gonna get rolled! I’m bleeding to death! I’m gonna die! Shit!!!” I was there for like a couple hours, just laying low, waiting for the heat to die down. Next thing you know, this girl I was dating, Lorraine, comes smashing through the area. I’ll always remember the sound of her fucking engine for this one. So I stared hollering: “Right here! Right here!!!” and bounced over another fucking razor wire fence with my arm all fucked up. I got in the car, and I remember her daughter saying, “What’s that you got, an owie?” and we smashed the fuck out. After that, we got to the crib. I cooled out and got to the hospital later that evening. That was a hectic one, for sure. UR: Damn. On that note, you got any shout-outs? KN: Yeah, I’d like to give a shout to all my crews, all the young homies coming up, Waste, Raos, Swear, Frees, Par, you, of course, Sharky, and Mom and Dad (RIP).
UR: What up! How are you? BE: What’s up, brother. UR: Work. What’s crackin’ with you? BE: Same ol’ thing, man, just working away. UR: For starters, tell us a bit about yourself. BE: Well, let’s see... I was born and raised here in California. I started getting really into painting the last couple years. I’ve done a lot of traveling to arts fairs and festivals throughout California, and just recently I decided to give myself a little homebase in downtown Fresno at Broadway Studios. UR: So word ‘round the campfire is you’re selling a lot of paintings. how’s that treating you? BE: The word is true, man. Luckily for me, I’ve kind of captivated an audience, and I have plenty of work coming in especially with commissions. I attribute this to having my studio and gallery at Broadway Studios And by giving the general public a place to come and see my work, rather than hustling a website or hitting the streets. So, yeah, it’s working out well. UR: What inspires you to paint? BE: You know, lots of things inspire me to paint. Everyday things like love, nature, sunsets and the clouds. Especially the clouds. I’m really big on watching the way that the sky, clouds and ocean combine in harmony with the sunset. it really inspires me. UR: What rewards do you receive from your art? BE: Just doing art in general is really rewarding for me. Making that connection with other people who love the art as much as I do, or those who find a message that I was trying to convey through my works is really, really rewarding. UR: Where would you like to go with your art? BE: I would like to have my art seen by everyone if possible. I’d love to do a
mural. I like putting my art on websites, social networks and just kind of bouncing my ideas and what I want to get across to other people by listening to what they think about it. UR: How did you transition from being a Marine into the artist that you are today? BE: The Marine Corps is actually one of the biggest reasons why I do art. Art is therapeutic for me. without playing on the whole post traumatic stress thing, I just would like everyone to know that art is therapeutic for me in that sense. And then the experiences that I had while in the Marine Corps play into some of my pieces: memories of friends, memories of events, things that we did, etc. In fact, I plan on doing a series here pretty soon that will show the public some of those experiences that I had and, hopefully, give them a look through the eyes of a post-war veteran. UR: How has working with Reza Assemi and Broadway Studios helped you as an artist? BE: Well, first let’s talk about Reza. Man, that guy’s a visionary. He’s doing a lot of work for the downtown area and for the artist community. I think it’s good thing because he, himself, is an excellent artist. And the things he does, especially with his projects like the Ironbird Lofts, the H Street Lofts and the Broadway Lofts...All of these things he puts his artistic touch into. So it’s not just that he’s building a new apartment complex; it’s something special. They’re lined inside and out with art... it’s just really good for the artist who wants to be able to live and work in the same area and not have the burden of a commute to and from their workplace. Take Broadway Studios for instance, here Reza has offered artists somewhere really affordable to work without limitation. It’s great, you can come in and do your work, find fellowship with other artists, open up to the public with ArtHop and, most importantly, Enjoy
yourself. UR: Do tattoo and graffiti culture play a part in your works? BE: Yeah, man. tattoo more so than graffiti. Without incriminating myself, I have done some graffiti in my life. But the tattoo industry, which I was in for a couple years, really helped push my art in some kind of direction. It’s not something that I’ve really stuck with, but I always fall back on it because I’m real passionate about tattoos and the culture. You can kind of see that influence in some of my pieces with their flashy, twisted or dark feel to them. That’s what I got from the tattoo industry. UR: Why Fresno? BE: You know, that’s a good question. Fresno for art is kind of a tough sale. When I came to Fresno and met Reza, I went around putting in applications and portfolios to other galleries and studios. Reza and Broadway Studios just gave me this excellent feeling inside; it’s almost like a vortex of a place for art. I remember stepping into the building for the first time and it just felt amazing. I was especially fond of the backside where my studio is. There are artists there that have the same drive and determination that I do. We’re there every day for up to 16 hours a day. I remember thinking to myself how this just feels right. Yeah, I could’ve gone to L.A., I could’ve gone to San Francisco, but Fresno just felt right. and it still feels good to this day. I also want to see where it’s going. There are a lot of things going on downtown. people are responding to Broadway Studios and what we’re doing there. And for the time being, it’s enough to keep me here. UR: When did you start painting? BE: Well, I’ve been painting my whole life—nothing too serious until, maybe, the last 4 or 5 years... I started out doing sketches and cartoons at a young age—I even designed my own comic books. Later, I got involved with the tattoo industry
and really started painting when I got out of the Marine Corps. That’s when I really started focusing on refining my techniques and learning about different styles. So, all of my life, really. I do have paintings from childhood, but I’ve only taken more seriously over the last 2 years. UR: Now, let’s get into a few hypothetical situations if that’s alright with you... BE: Yeah, for sure. UR: The world is ending tomorrow. What do you do? BE: If the world was ending tomorrow, I would eat, make love, and then I would paint my last painting and try to preserve it in some way so the next life cycle could stumble upon it. UR: You get the button thing from that flick The Box, where if you push it you get a cool million, but someone you don’t know has to die. What do you do? BE: Well, a million dollars is a lot of money, But, like the movie, I understand that there are consequences for everything that we do. A million dollars isn’t really worth the life of another human being to me, So I would have to decline the offer. UR: Alright one more. You’re Brewster from Brewster’s Millions. Thirty mill in thirty days: go! BE: Okay, here we go... New wardrobe. Lamborghini. Yacht. Vegas. Vegas Again. Vegas one more time. And then plan my funeral because I’m sure that either all the drinking in Vegas or someone I pissed off along the way is going to come back for me. UR: So now that that’s done, what shows do you have coming up? BE: Okay, coming up, every first Thursday always at Broadway Studios between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. I have Margaret Hudson on February 4, 2010, for ArtHop, Friday February 5 for a private viewing and February 18 for north Fresno’s ArtHop. All three of those dates are scheduled to be between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. I’ll be serving wine and food.
It’s going to be really impressive—I’m doing a “floating flowers” exhibit. Other than that, I’m planning on doing West End which is coming up in August. That’s in Sand City and is an outdoor event. It’s going to be well worth the trip: a three-hour drive from Fresno. But it’s near Carmel. you can see the ocean from the event and there’s going to be a huge party hosted by the Hawthornes. UR: What’s it like working with Margaret Hudson? BE: Margaret Hudson is so amazing. I’ve been meeting with her off and on for the last 4 months. I’ve spent some time at her home chatting and getting to know her on a more personal level, rather than just going to her exhibits or her Earth Arts studio. She’s just an amazing person. When she talks about art, she talks about it with such enthusiasm. What gets me is that she hasn’t been painting that long—she’s more well known for her pottery—but she just talks about painting unlike anyone that I’ve ever heard before. Painting just being so exciting, fresh and new for her. Her paintings are revered, although I don’t think she thinks of them in that way. It’s a very humbling experience to be around her. UR: Where would you like to be 5 years from now? BE: 5 years from now my dream would be to be chilling by Catalina Island looking at either the ocean or the island from my yacht and painting landscapes of the island, ocean, sunsets and sunrises. That would be my dream. UR: What’s your favorite thing to paint? BE: My favorite thing to paint is clouds, hands down. Clouds just speak to me. I get lost looking up at the sky, dreaming big, thinking of my past and of my future. I really enjoy painting clouds in my pieces and letting them take on their own story. UR: That’s pretty much all I got, any shout-outs? BE: Yeah, I want to shout-out to all my fellow artists at Broadway Studios. Shout-out to Reza for giving me the opportunity to work in downtown and doing everything he does for all of us. and a shout-out to undr rpblc for giving me this opportunity to be in the mgzn.
UR: What up! How are you? CB: I’m alright. Trying to stay warm; it’s freezing in New York City right now. UR: Tell us a bit about yourself. CB: I’m a Frenchman living in NYC. I’m passionate about photography, street art and Jamaican culture. UR: What’s up with your name, Charles le Brigand? CB: My name is Charles Le Brigand or Carlito Brigante, it depends. I like to confuse people. Carlito Brigante is the name of the character played by Al Pacino in Brian de Palma’s movie Carlito’s Way. After using Carlito Brigante as a nickname for a couple of years, I have recently decided to translate it into French, and it became Charles Le Brigand. Brigand means bandit or crook. UR: When did you start taking pictures? CB: I started taking pictures 3 years ago by pure coincidence. I found a point and shoot camera on a bench in a park. Since that day, I’ve never stopped taking pictures. At the beginning, I was documenting street art, and I was absolutely obsessed with it. I was essentially doing frontal close-up pictures, which from a technical point of view was not very exciting. But since NYC has a very active street art scene and artists like to put up pieces all over the city, documenting their work has taken me throughout the five boroughs: From Spanish Harlem to Bushwick, Long Island City to Sheepshead Bay, Bedford-Stuyvesant to Flatbush. I discovered the real Nyc. the one I like to call “RottenbutBeautiful.” UR: What motivates you to take pictures? CB: Good question. It’s also hard to answer. But I think it’s the selfsatisfaction. I love nothing more than the feeling of taking a great photograph. UR: How would you describe your style? CB: Instinctive, impromptu and, most definitely, urban.
UR: What are your 2 favorite subjects to shoot? CB: I am fascinated with Brooklyn and its inhabitants. I have a preference for street portraits, which in a way combines the 2. The borough of Brooklyn is so culturally rich and diverse that by switching neighborhoods it seems like you end up in different parts of the world. I love to ride my bike around and stop whenever I see something interesting: a face, a car, an abandoned building, a stencil, a shadow, a door or, if I’m lucky, a fusion of different subjects. Second would be street art. Street art is ephemeral; always on death row. Time kills it, and the only way to preserve it is on film. I try to go beyond just documentation and attempt to capture the environment and the vibe of the neighborhood the piece was placed in. UR: Name one thing you haven’t shot yet but always wanted to. CB: Africa: Its people, its landscape and its chaos. UR: What role does culture play in your photography? CB: Urban culture fuels my work. UR: If you could shoot one particular individual, who would that be? CB: I have a long list of people, but I’ll give you two names—One’s dead, one’s alive—Miles Davis and Muhammad Ali. UR: Digital or film? CB: Digital. UR: What camera(s) do you shoot with? CB: I don’t think that gear’s that important. You can take magnificent photographs or just crap by using a Lomo, a point and shoot or a $7000 Leica M9. The result and the creative eye behind the lens is what really matters. UR: How do you feel about post-processing via Photoshop, etc.? CB: In photography, post-processing is something that’s always existed. In the film era they used to do it chemically, the only difference is that nowadays technology allows us to do it easily and quickly. It is, however, a tricky process.
Photoshop and other software can easily destroy an image if not used correctly. On the contrary, if done accurately, it can transform a good image into a tremendous shot. But there’s no way heavy post-processing and filters will ever mutate a bad photograph into a great image. I feel too many photographers over-alter their images, which make them look inorganic. Personally, I like to tweak my pictures a bit in order to give them more energy, but I don’t spend too much time on this process. Again, what’s important is the eye and the raw picture. Oh, one think that I hate is high dynamic range imaging—I find it very tacky. UR: What keeps you up at night? CB: My current projects: Chemiserie Charles Le Brigand and a portrait that I am doing on a very talented band called Nicholas Kopernicus. also Downloading reggae music keeps me up at night. UR: Can you tell us more about Chemiserie Charles Le Brigand? CB: I’ve launched a t-shirt line called Chemiserie Charles Le Brigand based on my Miles Davis “Afro stencil” design. It all started as a way for me to blend urban photography and design. I received really good feedback on both the tees and the photographs, so I decided to launch a brand. It was also my first experience with professional models in photography. Very interesting. UR: Any shout-outs? CB: Many. Shout-outs to undr rpblc mgzn, M-Lo, 57 Krew, Julius at Laid Back Radio, Jason “Classic Beatz” Minnis and Seon Gomez from Nicholas Kopernicus, Jef Aérosol, Billi Kid, Cheto, Oleg, NosE la NariZ, Luna Park, Ron Brodie, Blanco, Veng and Chris from Robots Will Kill, Eric F, Los Invisibles, The Dude Company and New York City—much respect and admiration.
UR: what up! How are you guys? AT: Yo! N8: Great! UR: How long have you been tattooing? AT: 2 years now. I passed my apprenticeship a year ago—came in swinging. N8: 6 years. Although the first 2 were, unfortunately, unsupervised out of my house. UR: What started you in the industry? AT: I’ve always been fascinated with art. That’s why it took me so long to get started—I hadn’t seen too many good tattoos in Fresno. I was dating some chick that lived above a tattoo shop, and I smoked weed with the owner a lot. I was just messing around one day at the drawing table and he offered me an apprenticeship. I dropped everything in my life (including the chick) and focused on tattooing. N8: I’ve always been obsessed with tattoo art. Even when I was painting graffiti, I was painting tattoo imagery. UR: What’s your background in art? AT: I’ve always drawn. I originally wanted to be an architect, but architecture takes a ton of school and math (which I hate, BTW). I painted some graffiti for a couple years. I never ever thought I would be tattooing. I definitely didn’t chase it down—tattooing found me. N8: I have an extensive background in graffiti art (thanks Lords Crew!). I’ve spent countless hours sketching, painting with acrylics, watercolors—you name it. UR: What do you like about your job? AT: Almost everything...the freedom, the respect. N8: The control kicks ass; we have the final say so. It’s definitely not like a Mickey-D’s gig where you have to push bullshit with a smile for minimum wage. UR: What do you hate about your job?
AT: Most tattoo artists are assholes and creeps, and I’m stereotyped to fit in with that category, so I’m on the defense a lot. The ignorance of some customers. the disrespect from other tattoo artists. clothing logo tattoos... N8: Smelly feet, famous “F’s” and flu season. UR: Any good advice for young kids wanting to get tattooed? AT: Do your homework. You only get one shot at a tattoo. I see so many good young kids covering themselves in their homies’ shitty practice tattoos. It really upsets me that people don’t take their tattoos as seriously as they should. Not that I know everything, but I wish some kids would be more patient, take their time, really figure out what they want, and then commit to the piece. But then again, cover-ups and fix-ups make me a ton of money, So—I don’t know—take it seriously. N8: Educate yourselves. Pick your artist. Don’t go to A guy who’s super good at traditional art and ask him for bio— unless, of course, he’s super good at bio, too. Basically, there’s the right guy for every piece. UR: How long have you been painting with watercolors? AT: About 7 months. N8: I’ve been painting with watercolors for 11 months. UR: Who are your influences? AT: For tattooing I’d have to say: Matt Shamah, Curt Baer, Mike Malone, A.P. and Shrewsberry. When it comes to painting, Curtis Haggerty and Mike Bennett have both been a big influence to me. Then there’s always my Dad and Ron Burgundy. N8: When it comes to tattooing my influences are: Adam Barton, Seth Wood, Jonas Uggli... shit, there’s too many to name—Curtis Haggerty, Dan Miggs, Roll0— and the list keeps going... UR: What do you think of the sudden popularity and trendiness of tattoos and tattoo artists? AT: The game’s over-saturated. Most of my competition is little punk kids who can
hardly draw a circle, much less tattoo. I really wish tattooing were as sacred and protected as it once was. then again, I’ve only been at it for a short time, so who the fuck am I to say anything? N8: It’s a phase. The truly dedicated will prevail! UR: What other jobs have you had? AT: [laughs] I’ve worked at a car wash, a golf course, a pizza joint... I’m an American male that smokes weed—I’ve done my share of shitty jobs. I think that driving a forklift for 3 years was the best. N8: Bartender, assistant brewmaster, glazier and drug dealer. UR: What’s next? AT: Stop by the shop if you’re in the area. We’re not gangsters or trashy assholes, we just tattoo well. La Luna Loca, 1095 N. Fulton st., Fresno, Ca., 93728. N8: There is no “Next.”
UR: What up! How are you? JB: All good, thanks. UR: Tell us a bit about yourself. JB: I’m a photographer. I’m interested in the urban space and the different ways in which people use it. My work focuses on individuals and their transgressions within a social space. Which, as a result, questions the way social space operates. Apart from that, I like to paint, draw and I dabble in a bit of graphic design. UR: When did you start taking pictures? JB: I started taking photography seriously in 2004. It was at a time in my life where I didn’t really know what to do with myself, and I felt like I didn’t have any sense of direction in life. I felt like I had a lot of built-up energy and creativity inside me. I wanted to pursue something that made me feel good about myself and let me be creative. I found photography and never looked back. UR: What motivates you to take pictures? JB: The different people I meet, other artists and like-minded people motivate me. I’m also motivated in the way that I want to show people something else apart from their everyday. UR: Why street art? JB: I’m very interested in the way that people use public space as a gallery for their work: the way that some individuals see the streets as a blank canvas. UR: Are you currently showing your work anywhere? JB: I’m not currently exhibiting work anywhere, but I have a few things in the works. I’m also looking into new ways of presenting my work in the future, so watch this space. UR: What are you doing with it now? JB: I’m taking photos regularly and trying to push my work as far as it will go. I’m doing some stuff with Graphotism, and I’ve been spending more and more time in the studio. I’m always looking for new
opportunities, and I always put 110 percent effort into whatever I do. UR: Where do you see it all going? JB: I see myself doing more studio shoots with models, and I would also like to do some collaborations with other artists. Who knows what’s going to happen next? I sure hope it keeps getting better, though. It would be nice to see some more money coming in so that I can give up my day job. UR: What music are you currently listening to? JB: I’m really into music, and I’m always buying new material. I’m mainly into rock and hip-hop. Recently I’ve been nodding my head and rockin’ out to Edan, Beck, Task Force, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Jons, Cock Sparrer, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, The Ramones and Fun Lovin’ Criminals. My days of being a solid hip-hop head are long gone. I listen to a bit of everything, but it’s all about the mood I’m in. For example, it wouldn’t be good to pump Motörhead on the way to dinner with my girlfriend, and it would be better if Jack Johnson weren’t playing before a rowdy night out with the boys. Do you get where I’m coming from? UR: I heard that. If you were to shoot anyone on earth, who would it be? JB: That’s a tough one. It’s hard to narrow it down, but at this moment in time I would have to say anyone from Seventh Letter Crew or MSK. UR: What keeps you up at night? JB: My girlfriend. UR: What camera(s) do you shoot with? JB: A Nikon D300, a Nikon FM2 and a Hasselblad. UR: Digital or film? JB: Both. I love film but, sometimes, it’s more practical to shoot digitally. it really depends on what I’m shooting. UR: How do you feel about post-processing via Photoshop, etc.? JB: I keep manipulation of images down to a minimum, and I’m strictly against the cropping of final images. I don’t like photographers who think they can save
almost anything in Photoshop. UR: Any shout-outs? JB: I would like to thank all the artists and photographers who have inspired me. Thank you to the graffiti crew who got me started with my first graffiti action shots. Thank you to my girlfriend for putting up with me—it means a lot. And a Big thanks to undr rpblc for the opportunity!
Clipse Til The Casket Drops The Clipse is back at it again and killin’ it! This album is all that I have pretty much listened to for the last week or so (aside from any other albums that I might be reviewing for this particular issue). On the album opening “Freedom,” Pusha-T makes his current position clear stating, “I just don’t feel nothing, I’m numb by the will to gain.” Understandably so, considering the duo’s rough last year or 2. The Neptunes keep shit slappin’ throughout, especially on the boisterous and almost obnoxious “Popular Demand.” Malice on the track “Door Man” frankly explains himself spitting: “if the good die young, then the greats go to jail... I hope you snitches burn in hell.” Although I’m not feeling a couple of tracks, go get this album, you’ll thank me later.
Rockstar Games GTA: Episodes From Liberty City
GTA: Episodes From Liberty City and it don’t stop! Here you have the choice to play “The Lost And Damned” as Johnny the bad-ass biker dude, or “The Ballad Of Gay Tony” as Luis Lopez, the hood. Either way you’re gonna blap motherfuckas, jack cars and do what it does. A fresh approach to the GTA franchise allowing you to play as different characters, while wrapping up the tale of the stolen diamonds from GTA IV. Not only does EFLC hook up twenty or so hours of great gameplay, it does so at an affordable-ass price of only about forty bucks. So what the fuck you doing, go snatch up a copy and catch yourself up on one of the most successful game franchises ever. Brakka, brakka, brak!
Baller on a budget Cheesy Salsa Dogs
Sega Bayonetta
Here you guys go, I’m letting you in on one of my secret “I’m a broke ass” gourmet recipes. Boom, get yourself your favorite brand hotdog and zap that li’l guy up in the microwave. Meanwhile, grate up some cheddar on the side. Bust out some salsa from the fridge. When the dog’s done, toss that guy up on a piece of bread (you know I can’t afford any hotdog buns). Boom, top that dooder off with cheese and zap it again for twenty seconds. Next, pour on the salsa and... waaalaaa!!! Cheesy salsa dog supreme-o player!!! As far as I’m concerned, one of the best quick-snacks out there. She tries to talk shit about this one. Well then, why is it every time I cook up a couple they always trying to get a bite, hmm??
My sister put me on to this one. She had downloaded the demo, so I got up on that real quick... and before I knew it, I was hooked. The graphics are super stylish and sharp and, not to mention, Bayonetta, herself, is freakin’ hot! Her attire is entirely comprised of her hair, and when you bust out a sick combo move (of which there are a ton) her hair gets in on the action leaving her sexy-ass scantily clad. Then there’s the over-thetop storyline and some one-liners that are just retartar. You can thank the Japanese creators of this game for being as careless with their interpretation of western culture as we’ve been with theirs. And you can’t forget about the easy to engage but totally awesome tortures Bayonetta busts out on her enemies. All said and done, this game is tons of fun. Play it.
The Grouch Three Eyes Off The Time “Daddy’s home. I kick my feet up and live life the largest.” Pretty much. The Grouch has stayed working, pumping out dope album after dope album for the last 15+ years. This album is no exception to the rule. I do feel that we’re seeing a more mature/mellow side from the Grouch on this one, though. That’s probably just his experience kicking in. The Grouch is still maintaining his: “Independent as fuck! Now I got a house and a truck,” typeattitude, though. It’s fresh to watch folks flourish doing what they love. I don’t know about that “I’m Dreaming” track, though. But you know what they say, different strokes for different folks. Grouch’s still killing stage shows to boot, I managed to catch his show for this album. one word: yep!
SLprod Second Life No, not that crazy, nerded-out virtual world where you’re actually considered cool, but the French graffiti video. Tons of good train action here—from live painting to breaking into different layups—they’ve gotcha covered. I swear that guy Ocho was up in every city they went to. Dood’s a monster, or at least it would seem so in this video. Then you’ve got your usual drunken bums, news clips, etc. There’s this one kid who was throwing bucket paint on doors and signs and shit. he also was painting the sidewalk solid gold and silver: Sorta tight, I dunno. Watch out for the soundtrack on this one, though. they’re on some whole other shit over there... To me, that’s a good enough reason to just pump-up my own jams instead. Next time I would like to see some more street bombing.
Activision Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 If you haven’t gotten up on this one, I don’t know what kind of rock you’ve been living under. but wake the fuck up: Video games are dope! And not only are they dope, I’m now ready for a war with Makarov and Russia. I’m just waiting till the media gets hold of what goes down in the “No Russian” campaign. All B.S. aside, MW2’s gameplay is amazing and the graphics are of some of the best yet. The game campaign does run a little short, only about 4-6 hours, but it’s fun nonetheless. You should also know that this game is addictive. The big homie Knistt (see interview) got caught up playing this earlier this week and is purchasing a 360 after playing MW2 for only an hour or so. Fuck yeah.
Oreo Cakesters Peanut Butter Crème I just picked these little slammers up at the local Circle K to see what all the hype was about... Well, Oreo got it right on this one, two fluffy cakes with some orangeass peanut butter filling smack dab in the center: How could you go wrong? I think these doods have been on the market for a while now, they are just new to me and maybe to you, too. I recently saw a bag of coconut M&M’s out there in the land, but I had to take a pass on those bad boys. That just doesn’t sound like something I’m gonna fuck with. Anyhow back to the Oreo Cakesters, these taste like a Reese’s peanut butter cookie cake, yeah. And At a buck twenty nina, you pretty much hafta snack ‘em.