MIXTAPE: JOEY BADA$$ x 1999

It's been a bit too long since I last listened to an Artist whose music filled me with an overwhelming need to run about, declaring whomever's greatness to any ready and willing Being. Well, not since King Kendrick. See, I had taken a self-designed vow to remain somewhere between partially, to entirely detached from what mass media has to offer. At least, long enough to sift out what matters (to me) and what doesn't. Which is a bit ironic and paradoxical in nature, come to think of it, considering my titles and position and all. I enjoy social/mass media, however, it has its Demons. But I digress. I, like most, I'm sure, have relied on my very own roaring and overflowing Love for music to orchestrate my search for that which suits me. Musically, of course. But this had not entirely been the case in finding Joey Bada$$'s debut solo tape, "1999". Oddly enough, I learned of this thriving, Brooklyn-bred Hip-Hop Artist via the visual for "Hardknock" on MTV Jams. It - the video - to me - stood in great disparity to the new, yet poorly designed mold of today's music that is often seen on most large media platforms. And, for MTV to publicise it, amplified my excitement threefolds.

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.34 x MENACING MUSTARD

[26-4-12] - Menacing in the sense that it haunts me. I recall a certain period, just some weeks ago, I subconsciously wore the colour mustard for an entire week. I didn't notice until I began reviewing the photos taken over that time and colour stood boldly and tauntingly in its consistency. Ah! I love the colour; don't get me wrong. I see it as a safe tone for folks, much like myself, who loathe and dread the colour yellow.

On a more menacing side of things, my friend who took these, failed to tell me my blazer was crookedly-placed on my shoulders. There's nothing I dislike more than a flaw in proportion; drives my slight OCD up the wall. It makes for a sour sight. It's just simply unpleasant. And, I don't like it. Ha! Peace.

PHOTO-DIARY | NEW NEWS, BREWS, + SHOES

[23-5-12] - Literally just snapped these moments ago. Which means, I am currently sipping out of my favourite cup, filled with my idea of a rich blend of mocha, accompanied by divine bites from a toasted and buttered bagel and perusing some of my mum's newest magazines. OK, I'm totally flourishing, but you get the picture. Literally, you get the picture.

My mum has bought me yet another pair of sneakers. When will the madness stop? Ha! Nah, I'm kidding. I totally skimp on buying shoes, anyways, so sweet mum's generosity certainly helps. They're a bit remniscent of the UO canvas-sneakers, but with slightly thicker soles. Which is a great thing considering the fact that after a while, the UO pairs thin out due to constant friction. Or poor quaility. Or a bit of both. Crazy enough, these are cheaper; a cool 12 bucks + change. Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x UNSUNG + UNDONE

[21-5-12] - I relished in a great deal of thrill while photographing and constructing this outfit. For one, it was an infusion of colours I seldom pair together - black and brown. But see, it was alright in this case being that each garment's texture detracted from the usual distaste incited by the sight of the pair.

These images possess a certain distinguished, bestselling-author-sort-of-feel, don't they? Peace.

TEFFILOSOPHY VOL.19 x TEFF, THE TERROR

I am a self-serving Artist. I am a Servant to myself and to my Art alone. I do not create for You; I create so that I may Be and breathe, and do so, easily.

My quest is self-fulfillment. I must maintain allegiance with the Self as well my as Artistic integrity. I will not lend my allegiance to an audience knowing that the consequence is an inevitable loss of a sense of self. I must remain diligent in my pursuit. I mustn't allow my quest be derailed by nonsensical frivolities. I must remain open to all that makes me feel Love and whole and engaged and focused. This is something like a manifesto - The Expressionist's Manifesto, if you will. Too often, I have observed and experienced the crowd's hunger; their unending ability to remain dissatisfied. I have concluded that happiness is derived from selfish acts. Even the selfless are selfish. Selfless acts are often an extension of one's selfishness. To desire good fortune for others so that you, too, may equally be granted the same Peace is selfish. It is not a terrible thing to be selfish, no. It's all in the manner in which you go about it, however. Does this philosophy bring you terror? Good. Terror incites fear and often you will that fear is as great a motivator as Love. But it must first be manipulated. Be slow to speak, be quick to think. Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x BROOKLYN HOOLIGANS

[21-5-12] - B.I.G's "Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn" are the exact lyrics that came to mind upon gazing up in my closet in my home in Upstate, New York, only to find my old pair of Timberland boots staring down at me. Overcome with excitement, I reached for it and began to marvel at how polished the navy blue suede appeared for a pair of shoes that were so old. They're sized at 9M, however they felt a big large wearing them yesterday. With socks on and all. They're such a classy pair. I remember wanting to purchase that colour in an effort to stray from the ever-so-popular and typical wheat-coloured pairs. What's crazy is: I'd still sport them today. In fact, I think I have started already. Ha! Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x THINK STINK-PINK

[19-5-12] - By what means is growth measured? Could it be measured in a timely manner? Or by age? Certainly not by either 'cause both factors are co-dependent; with time, comes age. Sure, there's growth in your physicality, but can the same be said for your mental and emotional?

The movement of growth is steady, yet gradual; never instant, leading up to the moment of realization. The moment where you are met with the thought, "wow, I have changed a lot". For some, growth is overwhelming great, while others, it's quite the contrary. Speaking for myself in terms of inheriting philosophical wealth in Love, completely unaware on how impactful and how magical and how freeing it would be. I had grown to fawn over what spawn out of introspective thought. I had grown to not feel overthrown by the power that was bestowed upon me. I had grown to celebrate Life, truth, Love and of course, myself. Which brings me to the outfit and the circumstance about its photographing process. As I was constructing this yesterday, I realized it was comprised of most colours with a pink undertone. I used to loathe the colour pink. I could not BElieve I was draped in it and had grown mad in my enjoyment. Hence, stink-pink. As far as photographing goes: my lack of self-shooting ailed me deeply as I faced a great deal of frustration while beginning. I am incredibly without patience and was almost immediately ready to call it quits after exhausting all the ideas that arose to the top of my head. But I didn't. I tried and tried. Eventually, I got the shots I wanted. Perseverance is key. Peace.

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.33 x SPRING-SPRUNG

[29-3-12] - Wow, can barely believe this segment has reached 33 volumes; that's sort of cool, I suppose.

Yeah, so about the outfit. As revealed by the date, this was taken two days after Spring solstice; the weather was at its absolute best and I felt possessed by the need to reflect that in colours, so to speak.

A 1000 WORDS x SERIAL-KILLER CHIC

[9-3-12] - These were taken by my twin, Buch over Spring break. Prior to its eruption into the sphere of trends, I had a strong liking for velvet and suede textures. I am a sort of a texture connoisseur. I am probably more drawn to texture than I am colour.

I bought this maroon dress a few weeks prior to Spring break and was literally overly excited to wear it. I'm rarely excited about garments like that, honestly. It's a couple sizes bigger, but that's what makes it incredibly fun. Peace

VIDEO: BLVCK SCVLE | SP./SUMMER 2012 LOOKBOOK

Like most people, I first learned of the clothing brand, Black Scale upon its collaboration with the A$AP Mob late summer, 2011. Over time, my fondness evolved as a result of their habitual use of the colour black in their merchandise as well as the conceptual aspect of their designs. I visited the site, skimmed its content and was immediately impressed with the exhibition and exposition. Proper use of grammar, great visuals - elements that speak highly of the quality of the brand. Upon visiting their store out in SoHo, New York at the start of the year by chance, I fell smitten with the overall appeal and yet again, presentation which is chiefly what inspired my hunting down this video.

However, I am sharing this for two particular reasons: 1.] the video concludes at 3:33 2.] "Learn while you [teach]". Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x A QUEEN'S BID

[13-5-12] - Yesterday was Mother's day and as most of you know, it is the child's place to behave accordingly to your Mother, the Queen's bidding; gifts, nurturing, a day at the spa, perhaps and so on. However, to my surprise, I got a gift? Ha! I was submerged in an utter state of confusion like, "Mum, today is [your] day, not mine!" I was excited nonetheless. I have always longed for a classic pair of off-white Converse's, with a sole adorned with red and blue trimmings. My only issue is that the canvas is perforated. Eh, but the fact that my Mum bought these for me--on her day--incites endearment. Ah! It is nourishing to have a loving Mother. Loving parents, in general. Peace

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.32 x HYMN DE POLKA

[17-4-12] - I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about pairing a polka dot top and bottom, but the two colours were overly complementary and mood-fitting. Yeah, that's all I have. Peace.

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.31 x TEAL-BLOODED

[15-3-12] - It was the first day back to school from a fun-filled spring break and I still longed to vacate. The weather was taking a turn for the better, yet still strewn with remnants of a dull winter. I can not express enough or in greater magnitudes, how much I love Autumn and Spring. When the temperature is seated at a cool 60-72 tops, I am at ease.

The weather was great. I was clothed in one of my favourite colours, teal and armed with one of August Wilson's most distinguished plays, "Fences" - great play, by the way; I recommend it. Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x DIRTY DIANA

[01-01-12] - What baffles me beyond measure is how these were taken on New Year's eve up on till midnight, yet I am just getting around to posting it. How not-so-uncharacteristic of me. HA! But I digress. Yeah, these were sort-of my New Year's gift to myself.

I entertained the idea of wearing black through the this year, but as you can plainly see, I have failed miserably at this task. I am heavily in Love with the concept behind outfits that are constituted of black garments. It speaks highly of character and class and awards an unspeakable amount of sophistication. When constructed of the right, complementary pieces of course.

PHLO FINISTER x CROWN GOLD | EP

How ironic is it that I discovered Phlo Finister's music upon the submersion of various episodes of Disney's "Recess"? Sure, there's the slight difference between Finster and Finister, but at first glance, I did not notice. Muriel P. Finster plagued the playground something terrible, didn't she? But, I digress.

Upon giving this EP a listen, I was immediately taken by her bold choices in instrumentals. And, by its completion, I can firmly state she did them justice. This young Queen possesses a soulful sound similar to that of Erykah Badu, which she sampled one of my personal favourites, "bag lady" on the fast track. Phlo goes on to sample Tupac's classic track, "Hail Mary". Intrigued to see what more Phlo has to offer to the music world. Visit her personal site to keep up. Click the jump to see her latest video. Peace.

A 1000 WORDS x MISCELLANEOUS MIX

A collection of findings I photographed within the past 2 months or so. Thrilling to be surrounded by a myriad of colours on a day-to-day basis. To immerse oneself in the sentiments each colour inspires is a thing of Art in its respect.

Had to take a couple shots of my Reebok classics; first pair of sneakers I've purchased since High-school. I'm a big fan of the Reebok, Adidas and Puma brand. I like Nike, yeah, but still-- I fancy Jordans, too, but its steep prices inspires distaste. Isabel Marant's sneaker line is amazing, not to compare high-fashion with urban brands, but, hey, since we're on the topic of sneakers.

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.30 x ADORNED THORNS

[27-3-12] - Let's see, what to say? How can I go about telling tales about this day? Whoa, I certainly had no intentions of rhyming there; slip-of-tongue. Well, it was Spring Solstice, so I suppose that's grand. In fact, that is grand - the first day of Spring; my second favorite season.
The title of this post, "adorned thorns" has its origin in the constellation of my current thoughts. The title, as you may have assessed, is paradoxical in nature; representative of much more than the operating premise of Man. This is a topic I've delved deep with some friends, but I'd rather not divulge the content of said dialogue; entirely too much and too deep for a post that is only meant to serve as a presentation of the outfit, worn on the 27th of March. So, yeah, I digress. Peace.

TEFFILOSOPHY VOL.18 x A TALE TOLD BY TIME

There will come a time where you will set a flame and attempt to burn the blame.
There will come a time where you will bear fame where you once bore pain.
There will come a time where you will bear pain where you once bore fame.
There will come a time where you will rise where you were once coldly slain.

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.29 x CITRIC ACID

[25-4-12] - I initially constructed this outfit for a self-shoot, but I, too, opted to have my friend take some full-body shots for me the following day. I'll include the shots I took under the jump!

CAMPUS-COOL VOL.28 x BOUNDLESS, LIMITLESS

[24-4-12] - I recently purchased a new lens - 50mm f/1.8 which means I just inherited a brand-new challenge. See, the lens is equipped with both manual and auto-focus capabilities, but it's manual for my camera's model. Eh. No sweat; I've come close to mastering self-shoots which was most important to me. I realized I haven't been doing that as much lately, but that's all about to change. After all, that is what my blog is/was built on - self-portraits.

I painted my nails a pastel peach (by Revlon), accented with olive-green metallic tips this past Monday night and I have since then been marveling at the contrast between both textures. See, I have a thing for textures.