Vans x Proper

Californian sneaker brand Vans and retail store Proper have teamed up to create what i think is a cool collaborative effort. The 3 shoes in the collection are the Native American, Authentic Low and the Chukka Del Barco LX. Im feeling the Native Americans and the Chukka's in a big way. I've gotta find a way to get hold of these. Anyone in Cali for xmas?

 

Check out the interview with Proper's owner here

Nas x NexusVII x Stussy

Nas will be performing for one night only in Tokyo on 12th December. Stussy & NexusVII have teamed up to create a set of tees featuring one of New Yorks greatest lyricists.

If your in the Tokyo area from 9th December when the tees go on sale, im an XL!

Source Hypebeast

Introducing Robin "Bang Bang" Van Persie

We won 2-1 today thanks to two quick goals from Robin Van Persie who i've always nicknamed "bang bang". The reason for this is because he bangs everything like his offside goal today from 20 yards out on his right foot. 

As much as we've had bad press this season this month hasn't been too bad. We've qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, beaten Man U & Chelsea and our kids made Wigan look a little silly! Who said there was a crisis at Arsenal? Im blatantly trying to cover up loses to Stoke, Villa & Man City. 

Anyway, im off to do a little jig like i did when we beat United

Two big ones

Q Tip being the scholar of old school hip hop he is, im glad to see that he’s come out with this. I think it’s rare to see someone from the old school staying relevant in today’s musical environment. It’s good to see him back!

Q TIP - Getting up




Common’s been doing his thing for a hot minute, another rapper from the old school, but he’s stayed relevant while keeping his artistic integrity. It’s great to see a conscious rapper achieving commercial success. And this will no doubt endorse his reputation as a proper artist although having Pharrell on production always helps.

COMMON - Announcement

Make or break

For Arsenal fans today is make or break in regards to our challenge for the premiership title. If we don't beat manage to beat Chelsea today our domestic season is all but over. I cant remember the last time if ever a team has lost 6 games and won the league. With Aston Villa in 4th place and there next 3 games (Everton, Bolton & West Ham) all winnable our Boxing Day clash looks like the next chance we have to get back into the top 4.

I really do think we are more suited this year to do well in the champions League although i wasn't too impressed with our display on tuesday against Dynamo Kiev. To be written off before December...that's not a good look, especially for a team that earns approx 3 million pounds every home game (where are the sigings Arsene? Again; that is another post in itself)!

Im hoping we do well today and at least dont get beaten. Oh, and i hope Robinho & Co. run up on United like they did to us last week. Heres for hoping!

Show & Tell

I'll let you into a little secret...me and R1 used breakdance. To be specific, we were into popping. When i was at high school I used to dance every friday night before wrestling with my boy Skank religiously but didnt really get into the art form until i bucked R1 at college and he lent me Breakin. Turbo changed my view on breakdancing (Ozone was kinda swag still) and made me wanna learn more and take it a little more seriously. I did for a while but it didnt last long as i was still trying to balance Football and Athletics at the same time.

What made me laugh the other day when me, Phanz and R1 went out was this guy randomly wanted me to dance (lets get this straight from early...it was a little dance off ting and he try hand me the baton). I declined but Phanz was on dis ting telling people "dunno why his being shy, he can dance ya know"! For me, those days are over. I wouldnt say i've lost it, just that im a little rusty and to be honest, dancing/clashing a drunk person is not the way i wanna get back into the game!

Back to the title of the post. 

I saw this and was glad to see a young guy do his ting in class in what seems to be a show and tell (more show). I was good, but i think this guy has a little edge over me...just a little.

She Glows - Wiley feat Kano & Ghetto

For me, Wiley is the king of grime and helped to push the scene as an artist to where it is today. He seems to be spreading his wings now as an artist and is trying new sounds which is cool.

When i heard the artists that where on this tune i got excited. Played it and realised that the Vocoder has really attracted artist's that you wouldn't really imagine singing on a tune attempt just that.

Erm...what you saying?

Thoughts on KANO

In my opinion UK’s grime artist Kano is one of the best, if not the best the UK has to offer. BUT does his back catalogue of tunes really justify that accolade? In my opinion NO. I’d have to say "P’s and Q’s" is probably the most iconic track he’s made to date, and for me that’s pretty disappointing, if you compare that to Dizzie or Lethal B. I’d go as far to say his mix tapes are far better than the albums and that isn’t a good look. Don’t get it twisted he’s my favourite M.C from day, well him and D Double E, and he’s one of the few that blew and I feel that he hasn’t really fulfilled his potential YET... What do you reckon?

PHANZ

I think I’d better introduce myself. Those that know me already know my name, those that don’t; you can call me "Phanz". My friends and I started this blog to talk about fashion, music, mad nights out, current affairs, debate, and most importantly our hustle, 'LIFE' which is the biggest hustle there is no matter what it is you do. My background is in marketing, I run an events company and try to have my hands in as many pies as possible. You wouldn’t be incorrect in saying im that aspiring entrepreneur.

Catch you soon!

Phanz

The circus that is Arsenal FC

Its been a mad few days for us Arsenal fans. Our French International centre back decided to run his mouth in the press about our team lacking courage, in fighting and how he needs to win something this year. The outburst was the final straw for many arsenal fans, former players and Le Boss who decided to strip him of the captaincy and drop him from the weekends away game to Man City...which we got 'run up' on 3-0. I then read today in the paper that after Gallas' demotion from the weekends side, he would be reinstated in the starting line up for tomorrows clash (which Im reluctantly going to) against Dynamo Kiev...WTF!??! How can you demote the brudda from the team for being a numskull yet apparently place him back in the proposed starting line up if he says sorry to you and the players? All the fans i have spoken to believe that he should be left to sit on the bench for the remainder of this half of the year until we can find a replacement in the January window. Not too sure about that myself, but i do think he should hold bench for more than 1 game!

On to the future

Meet our new skipper Cesc Fabregas.

His undoubtably one of the best midfielders in the country and Im glad his at my team but i have slight reservations about him becoming club captain. His age isn't an issue for me, as Wenger has shown his trust in the players we have. If your good enough, your old enough! Im just concerned as an arsenal fan that this new role will only possibly add another year onto the duration of time Cesc stays with the club. His a winner and although he has been a shadow of himself in regards to last season performances which i feel partly comes down to the lack of protection he has beside him (that alone is a whole new post...believe), his gonna want to be surrounded by winners or players that share the same mentality. I don't feel the club have any true winners who will give there all or are used to winning things. I really hope this kid stays around but will not blame him for leaving if Le Boss doesn't pull his finger out in January and safe our season from complete despair. 

The Champions League is our best bet this season and i hope i see something positive from tomorrows game to back up my opinion. Heres for hoping!

Sales, Sales, Sales

The amount of emails i received at work on friday from friends and family about sales and reductions at stores was ridiculous, I swear i must have received about 20 emails that consisted of Gap, Threashers and Selfridges vouchers. 

What i failed to receive through my persie was an email about the Digital Gravel sale. Now, digital gravel are an american based online store that go hard when it comes to sales. They always start off at 25% off leading to 50% off everything over a number of days. It's currently at 35% off and after looking around the labels i like (Addict, Mishka, The Hundreds, 10 Deep, Obey & Penfield) nothing seems to be in an XL! Hopefully you'll have better luck. Happy Shopping

M.O. Remix - Asher D

Remix of Asha D's M.O. feat Durrty Goodz & Sway. Who went in the hardest???

Cash in my pocket - Wiley

New tune from the "king of grime" produced by Mr Mark Ronson . Another Wiley masterstroke? 

We 'Work It'

Another saturday night, another family tree outing. 

We headed down to Visions Video Bar in Dalston for 'Work It', their monthly dance. Me and fellow branch members Phanz and KB where in attendance. 

Phanz 

KB...'Ard bodied!!!

Phanz & KB

Hostess with the mostess - Tina Turnover 

Crowd

2/3's of Kesh was in town...

Our friend from last week with Giantism - B

Erm...what's up with Phanz's mouth?

The effects of Sia - Little Man

All in all a good night out again. Heavily enjoyed the garage and Drum & Bass parts of the nite...the nostalgia!!!!

Did someone say credit crunch?

Its no secret that our friends in Dubai have paper...serious paper! When you grandma was complaining that its costing her an extra £10 to fill up her Nissan Micra, the big players in dubai where seriously eating!



I'll turn your attention to dubai itself and over to the much talked about Palm Island where everyone whose anyone has a home on the man made resort. At the forefront of the resort is the Atlantis Hotel that cost 1.5 billion dollars to construct. On thursday they held the opening ceremony that reportable cost 20 million dollars with A list celebs Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington & Robert De Niro all in attendance. Take a look at the ceremony that was bigger and had more fireworks than this years olympics in Beijing.

Juice on a school night...

I went down to Slam City Skates on Wednesday with one branch of the Family Tree (Phanz) to see the Vans Syndicate Exhibition. As a '08 vans wearer I thought it was only right for me to go down and check out what all the fuss was about. I promise the rumour of free drink and possible nibbles didn’t sway my decision to take a trip into London on a school night!

The exhibition was pretty good with a couple cool photos on show downstairs. The free beer was flowing and everyone seemed pretty merry! Tried to get this network ting popping off but vaguely remember phanz saying something along the lines of me being limp.....I wont elaborate on that although I probably should!

We then headed down to the after party at the Macbeth in Hoxton Street but not before a pit stop at KFC. Oh yeah....the drama trying to get to Old Street with the poxy Piccadilly Line on some joke ting was not a good look!

Finally got to the packed pub, got a quick drink and headed upstairs to the beer garden. On the way to the garden we saw the walls plastered with pictures on ladies on the toilet with there knickers down...obviously. I remember seeing the price list for those pics at £85 a pop!!!
Anyway, as we headed to the beer garden we managed to find a seat and got talking to this cool guy called Alan that works for the company that put on the snowboarding event at Battersea Power Station a few weeks back. His a keen skateboarder so I think I'll be in touch soon...

Back downstairs we, they started to play a bit of grime and flipped it and banged some Mobb...I went a bit nuts at this part! Shortly after a band came on but I can't remember their name....all I looked at was the drummer (no homo)....he was sick!!! Im learning to play the drums so was glad to see a talented drummer playing live.

11pm and living in South London with no Victoria Line...it was time to head home. Went out side the pub and noticed a chip shop next door. Went in and ordered a portion of chips and was mortified when the chippie said he didn’t have any onion vinegar!!! I know there's a credit crunch and its hurting the vast majority of people but the amount of chips that I got for my £1.30 was a joke ting. I swear, I got about 30 chips!!!! 30 chips and no sign of onion vinegar...the man could see that I wasn’t happy and tried to pass me his dry, stain up tomato sauce...joker!

Reluctantly ate the chips, jumped on the train from Old Street and went home. Apart from my experience at the chip shop it was a good night.

Make sure you check out the Vans Syndicate Exhibition down stairs at Slam City Skates before 12th January.

Not to self - walk with your camera!!

Saturday night hustle...

So me and members of my family tree went to a dance on saturday held at the ICA London. We got there about 12:30 and the queue was pretty big. The queue consisted of your typical 90's hip hop and indie types....well sort of. One of the female bouncers was on some hype talking bout we all have to wait till 2am until they'll be letting people in (the dance ended at 3am, there was no way I was gonna wait till 2am). Slowly but surely, people in front of us started to leave the queue, obviously feeling that free entry to a dance in london that's bangin out hip hop aint something to stick around for! I really didn't mind though cos we started to get closer to the door so we knew it was only gonna be a matter of time before we got in. The bouncers started letting people in on the basis of 1 in, 1 out and as we where at the door, the bouncers wrapped up some yout who was a little worse for wear whose 2 friends followed - we were in! Walked in to the sounds of some nostalgic ol'skool hip hop and was greeted by a familiar face. The crowd looked like they where having fun so we got straight too it and joined in. The dance was pretty good. They had a cool photo booth with the resulting photo being shown on a wall via a projector. They had house party also being played for everyone to watch but by the time we got in there it was finishing (pissed that I missed the dance off scene). After a few drinks and nuff skaning the night was drawing to a close. The last tune of the night was Boyz II Men - End of the road - that's when we knew it was time to bounce!

After saying our goodbyes to the faces we knew, we started saying hello to faces we didn't, notably a tall lady whose name I won't mention! After a little small talk (no pun intended) she started talking to my boy on some sizeism tip - she wanted some rizla but was mocking his height (I swear this chick is my height - I'm 6ft 3)! He wasn't having it obviously but kinda let her feel like she won the war.....minutes later we saw the young lady that suffered from giantism flat on her back....my boy couldn't contain himself.....ok, none of us could.

All in all, a good, night especially in the times of our current financial crisis.

I need to go out to more dances like this, although in fairness these are the only sort of dances that I have been attending in the last 3 months....I'm starting to miss and feel out of touch with funky house.

Pics from the dance can be found here

The hustle begins...

Its the beginning of a new chapter. Time to monitor how we Hustle 'Ard...