I don’t know….I just don’t think the West Coast understands hip-hop music like how the East would. I think I read someone’s testimony from the Bay on how he remembered the days when Dipset ruled the world back when he was in high school. The statement alone wanted me to spit on my computer and choke the living shit out of him. But I guess you can’t blame a young buck like that. Rap music is at the bottom of the toilet and what is considered hip-hop today is just a forecast of what this music will get to in the next ten years. Enter Rock The Bells 2008 at the Shoreline in Mountain View. I don’t think no one in the crowd really understood what was in front of them. These were all the premier artists of our (my) time from Wu-Tang to De La Soul to Redman and to the almighty MC himself….Rakim Allah. I walked around and found people asleep on the grass while Mos Def was performing Miss Fat Booty. Like for real?! No for real! Jesus….

Street wear was in full effect as usual. Seems like this stuff goes hand in hand considering music is almost a reflection of the streets or the ghetto but I hardly think it consists of rainbow colors and foo-foo ass fonts. Considering though, this is as real as you can get. A lot of start up companies trying to earn their ends with self promoting and just word mouth, something I respect more now then ever. Also later on, some guy almost OD’d on liqs or weed. He ended up pissing in his pants and just spazzing out in the grass. It was pretty intense but the staff ended up taking him away on a stretcher and probably throwing him in the slammer for drug abuse.

Highlight of my night was seeing my all time favorite group (A Tribe Called mutha-fucking Quest!) perform live once again. God I miss the days where slow dancing kissing was the next best thing to sex at a house party! Gotta love the early 90’s. Tribe did all they could do within a hour and half set but I would have liked to hear Hot Sex and Sucka Nigga. But a venue like this has its disadvantages with all these great acts. First off, each performance was no more then an hour long excluding Tribe which headlined the event. Second, the amphitheater was just too big. Hip-hop is not rock and I don’t think it can get all people hyped to the point where girls are taking out their tits and dudes are rockin’ out wit their cock out. An intimate concert would be more fitting for me in the long run. Rock The Bells is/was cool and for $50, I can’t get mad at that price at all (minus the $11 beers and not allowing me to take in my DSLR!). Oh, all these photos are iPhone photos with mad photoshop touch ups. I did what I could.

Some new work by Chilean artist Basko Vazko, Marco Zamora and Jesse Reno at FIFTY24SF gallery next to Upperplayground San Francisco.

Epic Sam Flores painting lurking in the shadows above. I would say one of his most significant pieces to date and it is just some decor in a closet.

Bought some kicks (again). Thanks to folks at HUF……only one more to complete the set. Click the pic to see the kicks.

Some alone time. Before heading out the the Art Unlimited show at Fatlace, decided to skate for a couple of hours at 3rd and Army. Sometimes I don’t know my place in skating. I can’t skate ledges, I can’t skate transitions, I can’t skate manny pads, I can’t skate jump ramps….but after all this, it takes only a 50-50 grind and an ollie down three stairs (yeah I said it…three!) to put a grin on my face and stroll out of there with some sort of my dignity. Shout out to Sweets from the HUFset crew for hooking my up with some Blazer SBs. I appreciate it homie.

Fatlace HQ. I think it has been about almost 8 years since my discovery of what Fatlace was (which oddly enough introduced me to the sneaker culture and the crack site known as NT). I was telling this to Reign (nice meeting you finally)….it is a strange thing that I am on the Fatlace blog lineup and I only been to the actual store about three times in my whole life. I hardly know anyone on there and I never really figured that my content plays a significant role in what Fatlace represents as a brand, culture, or even a store. But regardless I am appreciative and it was pretty much no brainer in going to this art/design show. Some really great talent being displayed but my favorite bit of stuff had to be the sweet cruisers by Jason from Shorty Fatz. If it wasn’t for the crazy hills in SF, I’d smob around in those with a custom chain handle bars and a gold tooth in my mouth to boot. Make sure to check out the show if it is still there or to at least to see the awesome Koi fish mural that is on the wall there.

And something totally out of topic, this is a result of only about 4-5 days of skating. That is pretty weak considering. I am not the ollie king or nothing but paying $60 for a pair of these is kind of a waste. I should have just flossed these out like a true poser…..I think I am sticking with Blazer SBs.

INTRO

RUSS MILLIGAN

EDUARDO CRAIG & TONY MONTGOMERY

JEREMY REEVES

JIMMY CAO

DAVE BACHINKSY 

I caught myself being mesmerized yesterday. Just kind of frozen with just thoughts racing in my mind from all different direction. I contemplated life….where I am at today, where was I not only so long ago, where am I going in the future. Sitting there grasping a cup of wine and listening to Francesca dedicate my favorite song of hers to me, I felt calm. A split second thinking about so much at once and just like that….it was gone. These are things in life that I sit here and think to myself, only if you were here to experience this with me. It would have been fun….it would have been good times. Thanks to Francesca for letting come to per pow-wow and sit and meet all the amazing musicians and artists. Make sure to check her out this coming Friday at Broadway Studios in North Beach area. Visit her site for more info and ticket information and I’ll see you there.

Shot some pics with my Canon G9 point and shoot at the N.E.R.D. show last night. Pretty amazing to see a million dollar man dancing like a 5 year old juvenile, flinging his arms and kicking his legs as if to throw some sort of a hissy-fit on stage. Pretty good show but not the greatest I’ve ever seen (Jurassic 5 and Incubus still take the cake). I would have expected for them to at least do a two hour set (since they started the show late) but it ran for about a little over an hour. But still, fun times and with the excitement from the crowd, there was just so much energy at the show….like a cosmic orgasm. Peep my other blog for a video and mind my turd ass voice when trying to sing along.

Been watching this all day. Interesting to say the least but I think the best part of it is the awesome soundtrack. Fits the topic well……enjoy.

Made my way to DLXSF yet again to get another fresh deck (Anti-Hero > Alien Workshop) and I ran into this piece on the side of a liquor store.

Continuing on with the Rob and Fong show, decide to venture to some uncharted territories to San Mateo to the local skate park there (My bad Phil…get you on the next skate mission for sure). Over there, ran into two of then funniest pieces of shit skaters that literally made my guts bust out of my ass. I never had so much enjoyment talking fourteen year olds telling me that I was a bitch for hating on Ryan Sheckler and that I needed to slang insurance to better my life since I was a old piece of shit. Check out the synchronized no-look kickflip up above….and yes, they both landed it first try whiling raping me with their eyes.

Later in the night, went with my homie Mark (Thanks for ruining yet another photo with those Chinese eyes dude! Fuckin’ chink bastard!) to Cobbs to see Pablo Francisco. Pablo is like a grown little boy with A.D.D. that likes to promote gay movies with his movie man voice while intimating Arnold Schwarzenegger as a gay lover. The dude is funny but I think Katt Williams is a little more suitable for my taste. Kind of glad I can get back on the show circuit again and really get benefit the perks of SF. More to come tomorrow….can’t wait!