FREE MUSIC: J. Cole - "Killers" | The Glorification of Gangster: ART, EVENT & MIXTAPE

Celebrated creative mind Alex Haldi has collaborated with some of music’s biggest stars including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Big Boi, Wu-Tang, Ludacris, J. Cole & LL Cool J, and is putting the finishing touches on his own solo art event May 12, 2011 in NYC at World Monuments Fund Gallery. Exploring the human fascination with organized crime, ‘The Glorification of Gangster’ showcases some of the key players and criminal lifestyles across the globe and many generations. The art at the show will consist of three elements: Fine art (including mixed media paintings on wood), Oversized Typography Murals, and Retro Pop-Art Illustrations. Portions of work sold will be going to charity.

A promotional mixtape is to be released in the next month which will include a series of original music, mash-up remixes, and classic covers by a number of different acts that are all linked thematically with ‘Crime’. The talent will vary across different musical genres (hip-hop, rap, rock, electronic, etc.), and includes music from artists like J. Cole, Kris Kasanova, Voli, Andrew Maury (Ra Ra Riot producer and RAC), Jon Connor, Elite, Ritz, Lyn Charles, Loyal Divide, Neitherfriends, and many more. The download will be free, with a link to donate money to our charity.

J. Cole - Killers by GYMRblog

A Night in The Life of @AWKWORDrap & Friends: From @DD172 to @BlindBarberNYC

Last Thursday, October 21, 2010, we trekked uptown to the New York City showing of "11-4-08", a participatory documentary providing a unique look at Obama's election, sponsored by Dame Dash, the Roc-a-fella co-founder infamous for pouring champagne over the (shrunken) heads of models.

After the screening and the Q&A with the film's "director" (read: editor), we trooped to Dash's new gallery/recording space DD172. The storefront was filled with hipsters and Hip Hop heads, sipping wine and kicking around red-white-and-blue balloons amidst the art installations (which, mostly, are pretty dope).


[Maggie Wall x Jamelah]

Fortunately for us, at some point during the night, thanks to our cool friends in cool places, we got a little private tour of the (now-defunct(?)) basement performance area known as Under 100.





And then, shortly thereafter, the previously conspicuously absent big dog Dash made his "appearance", standing atop a set of sectioned-off stairs for about a minute, looking disapprovingly down at us peons...



That was our cue to bounce, so we hailed a cab for the East Village. We got out at Astor, met up with the homie (Hip Hop producer) ATG, walked down Stuyvesant, past the Abe Lebewohl Triangle...



And on to the Blind Barber, where we took shots and danced with drunk cougars.

Word to NY.


All Photos Shot with BlackBerry camera.