December 20, 2010

MARQUISE HENRY: SKATEBOARDING IS FOREVER

It feels like I haven't posted any skateboarding on here in a long time. As I was writing that last sentence I remember Joon's game of skate that I posted not too long ago. Speaking of Joon, this is his homie Marquise Henry. You guys know him. If you skate or were ever a skateboarder, you have probably owned products from most of the brands he rides for. This is quality. Skateboarding IS forever. Enjoy.

December 15, 2010

WHAT I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO

It's been a while since I've posted any new content, but now that Fall quarter is over I'll try changing that. I'm currently in the process of writing some new music for a couple different projects and getting more ETRNLST threads printed. Even though I've been struggling with this horrible machine (my laptop), I've managed to keep up with my musical needs.


J. Cole's latest mixtape Friday Night Lights is one of two albums I've had on heavy rotation. I personally think this is a step up from his last release - The Warm Up. Click the album cover to download the mixtape.


The other album I've been listening to a lot lately is Miguel's All I Want Is You. It's really dope how much he's done in the last few years - from doing work with Blu and Exile on Below the Heavens to where he's at now - a nationwide tour with Usher. Good job, Miguel!

December 4, 2010

ETRNLST ONLINE SHOP


Our online shop is up and running! So far we have one shirt for sale, which is the Drip Tee that I'm sure you've all seen by now. From now on, everything we release will be available here.

December 2, 2010

ETRNLST DRIP TEE + RELEASE INFO



Limited quantities of the first shirt from the new ETRNLST collection (Drip Tee) will be available online tomorrow. I'm really excited about this release, as well as all the upcoming releases I have planned for this collection. I started a blog on tumblr for ETRNLST earlier this week too. Make sure you follow us to stay posted on everything we're working on.

Read the full post regarding the release here.

Photos courtesy of Stephanie Bwrede.

November 21, 2010

MAESTRO KNOWS X HALL OF FAME

Maestro posted at 449 N. Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles. Looks like he made it to the Hall of Fame!

Levi Maestro recently teamed up with Hall of Fame to release a special limited edition sweater, available now at Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. I picked up mine on Saturday morning during the in-store and chatted with Maestro for a few. He has a ridiculously busy schedule! I have so much respect for this guy. Thanks again, Maestro.

The front of the sweater features a clean "M" logo, while "Making My Way to the Hall of Fame" is written across the back. Black and yellow, black and yellow! Please excuse the pole cutting through the picture.

November 19, 2010

INTRODUCING... THE LEFT FIELD


My homies Stevie D and Kevin make up the Hip-Hop collective, The Left Field. They released their first mixtape Hit The Ground Runnin earlier this week and it's super dope! Oh, and I'm featured on one of their tracks too! These guys will definitely be shaking up things in the IE and LA real soon!

Opposites by TheLeftField

Click on the album cover below to listen and download The Left Field's mixtape.


Follow The Left Field on Twitter and add them on Facebook!

November 14, 2010

JULIAN VS. MATEO

Another Friday skate session with friends. This time we ended up at Palomares in Pomona. Great weather makes for greater skateboarding! Towards the end of the session, Julian (aka Joon Speaks) and Mateo (DOnUt Clothing) played a friendly game of skate.

Yes, Julian is wearing pink jeans. Mateo was having an off day. I blame Julian's choice of attire. We'll see what happens in round 2.

November 12, 2010

FILM IS FUN

I developed my first two rolls of film from my Minolta earlier this week. I think the shots came out pretty good. The last time I shot film was probably sophomore year of high school, and I was using a disposable camera. I like film.

Here are some of my favorite shots. I'll be posting more of my pictures on my Tumblr blog. Follow me!




November 8, 2010

LET'S KEEP MOVING

A couple hours ago, my friend NAK posted a new song online. It's a tribute to the late, great producer, Nujabes. I was really excited when NAK posted the cover art for "Keep Moving" last night. Nujabes was, hands down, one of the best, and NAK's rendition of the song definitely does the original composition justice ("Counting Stars").

NAK has such a dope style. If you've ever heard his music, you know NAK has an aggressive style of lyrical delivery. Nujabes' style of producing, on the other hand, is soothing and full of jazz. How do the two fit so perfectly? Just listen and you'll understand.

I think NAK is a great story teller and an incredibly talented emcee. His music spreads positivity. We need more positivity.

Thank you, NAK.
Thank you, Nujabes(R.I.P).

Click the cover art bellow to listen to (and download) "Keep Moving."

November 6, 2010

CHINO SESSION

Early morning skate sessions with my homies are the best. The weather is nice. Skate spots aren't too crowded. Life is really good. I don't have any pictures of us skating because...we were skating! MC Prototype, Joon Speaks, and I spent the morning at Ayala Park in Chino, where we met and skated with some people visiting from France!

We got lunch at Lee's down the street from the skate park. The sandwiches were good, my Italian soda was great, and the workers there were very nice! The food is inexpensive, as well.




October 30, 2010

PATIENCE AND A 35MM

A lot of things have been happening in my life that have really been testing my patience. Some situations I can control, and some I can't. It's how you deal with these situations that build you up and help you become a stronger person. I could have just sat back and complained about everything going wrong, but I got up and did something about it instead. Keeping a positive outlook on life is not always easy, but the fact that you are sitting here right now reading this is a blessing. I'm not trying to preach or get religious, but we are very fortunate to have the things we have. Our sight, hearing, and all these opportunities before us are overlooked far too often. Every once in a while we have to step back and reflect on life. Not only to be thankful and to stay grounded, but to stop taking things for granted. I've been getting better at this over the past year, but I'm still learning.

How does a 35mm camera tie into this? I bought this Minolta from a thrift shop in Pomona earlier this week. I've been used to shooting digital and all other forms of technology that give us instant gratification. It's not like that with an analog camera. You have to wait and be patient until your film is processed to see the results of your work. Funny, it wasn't until after I purchased the camera that I realized how it connected with everything going on.

Be patient and enjoy life.

October 24, 2010

MAESTRO KNOWS SWEATSHIRT PRE-RELEASE


Yesterday afternoon, Maestro announced via Twitter that he would be pre-releasing his new sweatshirts near Shayan Afshar's shop in Downtown Los Angeles. When I got there, the shop was empty and no one else was waiting, but me, so I thought I missed it. One by one, more people showed up, and within minutes, we went from strangers to friends. It wasn't much longer before we saw Maestro running up the sidewalk.

It's so amazing how something like Maestro Knows can bring together different people, who might not have met otherwise, all for the love, respect, and support of this online-based show.


There was a cool breeze in Downtown, so those sweatshirts came in handy! They're limited to 80 pieces (40 crewnecks and 40 hoodies). It feels good to say that we got the first ones! Plus, you can never go wrong with a nice crewneck or hoodie. The design was hand drawn by YuƩ Wu. Look though his site. You might recognize some of his other work.


According to Maestro, he will be releasing the sweatshirts this week through his site. Stay posted for more information by following Maestro on Twitter(@MAESTROKNOWS).


This is my new friend, Jackie. Isn't she adorable? It was her first time meeting Maestro. She said his show has a pretty big following in Guam, which is where she lived before moving to Los Angeles.


I'm about 6 foot-something, but I still feel pretty short standing next to Maestro. Can't mess with this B-Boy stance though!


October 15, 2010

EMPIRE MINDSTATE AT INKSLAM 2010

Inspiration is everywhere. I'm proud to say that my friends inspire me and continue to inspire me everyday. If you have been following my blog for a while, you might remember this post from April, which featured my friends, Shane Romero and SuperB. And yeah, that's MC Prototype in the second video. You didn't know he got down like that too? Now you know!


Shane, SuperB, Proto, and the whole Empire Mindstate slam team competed in the annual Ink Slam about a month prior to competing in Nationals this summer. Enjoy these two videos and be inspired.

October 8, 2010

DAILY DUELS 7

So, I'm sitting here at The Bakery with MC Prototype and DJ Nickyboi, and I figured I should post a blog about Daily Duels tomorrow. If you remember from a few months back, ETRNLST made its debut at Daily Duels 6, where I was also battling. I won't be battling at DD7 though. Instead, I'll be performing a short set of some songs I've been writing.

I'm not big on calling everyone I know to get them to come to my shows, so let's pretend this is the invitation. I hope I see some familiar faces tomorrow night, and some strange, new ones too! Bring your friends, significant other, or grandparents for the love of Hip-Hop.

Lastly, ETRNLST will have a booth set up all night! Bring some cash to get a great deal on some of our Summer '10 threads. What does that mean? Am I talking about a special one-night-only sale? Who knows...

October 3, 2010

JULIAN CASABLANCAS | 11TH DIMENSION


This is the greatest music video I have seen in a really long time, and quite possibly my new favorite (not that I ever had a favorite music video). I've been a fan of The Strokes since they released their first album when I was still in middle school, and Julian Casablancas' solo debut is up there with some of the best Strokes' recordings.




Actually, when I first got to high school, one of my closest friends and I would go to thrift shops and dollar stores to buy cheap shirts and jackets to "try" and look like The Strokes. We never really succeeded, but I did get a couple cool jackets out of it, which, surprisingly, I still have!

Back to the video... not only is it visually appealing, but there's a purpose for everything and everyone represented in the video. Each time period, climbing different levels of the pagoda, and even the mannequins play important roles in this music video. Watch it a few times, if you have to, to take it all in (pause). I say you watch it a few times either way, since it's such a great video! Buy his album too. It's amazing!

September 27, 2010

JOON SPEAKS | BLACK & YELLOW

Two nights ago, my good friend Joon Speaks (aka @BoycottJoon) released his version of Wiz Khalifa's song "Black and Yellow." Instead of writing a cliche club anthem, Joon talks about the reality of what black and yellow is... oil and gold.

Listen to the track and download it here.

September 21, 2010

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

I haven't been updating this blog as much as I'd like. To say the least, things have been pretty crazy lately. If you keep up with my blog, you already know I started writing for Aster Magazine. If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this.

This past weekend I did my first interview for Aster with designer, Victor Wilde. I think it went pretty well for my first interview. The full story will be up soon.

Besides all that, I've been getting more into photography. I'm trying to get some ends together to pick up a new and better camera. For now, I'm posting some of my work on this Tumblr blog. IF YOU LOVE PUPPIES, YOU'LL FOLLOW ME. Who knows where this will take me. I just love taking pictures.

Click here to see more of my work.

PS. New ETRNLST is on the way. 

September 14, 2010

CURTISS KING - "FINALLY" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Hip-hop is an ever-changing art form. New music is not always everyone's cup of tea, and honestly, there aren't many artists I truly believe in anymore. If I take the time to write something about this music, it's because I believe in it.
Curtiss King's music is refreshing and it stands out amongst the blur of new music that's flooding the airwaves. He makes honest and personal music that you can feel. Too many "artists" try being deep and honest in their music, but honesty is something you can't fake. There's a sense of sincerity in Curtiss King's music that's hard to find these days.

His latest effort, Jet Pack On E, is definitely his most personal album yet. This is the fifth video installment from Jet Pack... for the song "Finally." Watch the video and listen/download the album here

EROK PRESENTS: SPEAK! - "YA KNOW"


This is the second video Erok (Ek5obition) has done for my friend Speak!. Like the last video for "Infinity Rap Bars," this video is packed with proficient raps, jazz hands, bangs(not the rapper), and a beard that just won't quit.

The track was produced by Afta-1, who recently released the beautifully arranged album, FORM. Listen to it and support his movement. Love is real.

September 13, 2010

COCA COLA BEATS PEPSI

This weekend my good friend Julian Ransom (Joon Speaks) released a track called "Coca Cola."  This is the first time I've ever heard him spit, and you know what... he can spit! Last time we went skating, he told me he was working on some music, but he was keeping it on the low until it was ready. Click here to listen to the track and expect more things from Joon Speaks in the future.

Oh, he models for TITS, too. This guy is everywhere!

September 6, 2010

ASTER VISUAL INDEX

It's been over a week since I've posted anything new here, and I apologize for that. I've been working on some new projects, as well as getting ready to make ETRNLST's next line of products. I'm equally excited about all my projects, but one is definitely a lot different from the rest.

If you follow me on Twitter, or have befriended me on Facebook, you might recognize "Aster" from some of my posts this past week. I'll take the time to announce it again here. I am now a contributing writer for my good friend's online (and soon to be in print) magazine, Aster.



Inspiring and motivating other people is one of the greatest things a person can do. Aster offers that inspiration. Their visual index is a collective of creative and awe-inspiring work, from music to architecture, and everywhere in between. I am humbled and honored to be part of their team.

Take some time to look through the site and browse previous posts. I've already published a couple write-ups, which you can read here. We have some big projects coming up in the near future. Any updates can be found on the site, as well as Aster's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Stay creative.

August 27, 2010

NIKE STADIUM NY PRESENTS: MAKE SOMETHING!! WITH ARI MARCOPOULOS

The power to positively inspire and motivate another person is an amazing thing. I watched this video over and over, all day, and I still found myself smiling everytime. It's a hard feeling to explain, but this two minute video is very special to me.

With the help of Vice Magazine photo editor Lele Saveri, legendary photographer and film maker Ari Marcopoulos teaches a group of kids in New York City the basics of photography and putting together a zine. Ari, Lele, and most importantly, the kids, get it done, all while keeping a strong D.I.Y. mentality.

The message in this and every other video in the Make Something!! series is obvious... MAKE SOMETHING! The only person that can hold you back is yourself, so if there's something you want, go get it!

August 25, 2010

RONNIE FIEG PRESENTS: "THE COVE"

Inspired by a trip to the Bahamas, Ronnie Fieg's new Gel Lyte III's beautifully represent the tropical serenity of the Caribbean. The shoe features an all blue upper with white accents and a grey midsole. As I mentioned in my post about Ronnie's Cultureshoq Gels, this guy definitely has an eye for design...and models!

Colombian model Soraya Yd laced up the new Gels for this shoot on a private beach in Aruba. All the shots were taken by none other than Fieg himself.

I can't wait to see more detailed product shots; I'm curious to see what materials were used (sneaker geek moment). No release info has been announced yet, but according to Ronnie's blog, more info is coming soon.

Oh, and if you know me, you know I've got a crazy infatuation with women with curly hair. Thank you, Ronnie!



August 20, 2010

REVIEW: KANYE WEST - POWER (REMIX) FEATURING JAY-Z & SWIZZ BEATZ

I hope, by now, everyone has heard the original version of "Power." If not, you've been sleeping too long. When it was first announced there would be a remix of the track featuring none other than Jay-Z, I was sold. Together, the two never fail to impress, whether it's on an album track or a remix, such as "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)" on Late Registration. Jay and Kanye compliment each other well, and some of each artist's most memorable verses are on tracks they record together.
It's no surprise the "Power (Remix)" is no different. Lyrically, both emcees went in on this track, and on the production boards, Swizz Beatz put his unmistakable signature touch on the track. The end result is a great song, but it still leaves me wondering what the rest of the album is going to sound like.
Oh, and if the name SNAP brings back any memories, listen all the way through the track for a sweet and nostalgic surprise. Now that you've read through this, press play and start clapping!




Music courtesy of Hypetrack
(I do not own the rights of these pictures)

August 16, 2010

RECAP: MISHKA ECHO PARK LUNCH TRUCK DAY

If you haven't eaten from an LA lunch truck, you don't know what you're missing. These mobile fusion restaurants are the future of street cuisine. A popular combination among many of these food trucks is blending traditional Mexican dishes with a variety of Asian ingredients. That's not it though. There are plenty more unique food trucks in business, which means, you have a really good chance of finding exactly what you want.

Mishka invited four popular Los Angeles-based food trucks to their Lunch Truck Day at Mishka's Echo Park location. Although it was a little hot, beautiful Southern California weather all day, and, of course, great food!

Coolhaus, Mandoline Grill, Frysmith, and Lomo Arigato parked out front the Mishka store on Echo Park Ave Sunday, ready to serve the hungry customers lined up on the sidewalk. I was excited to see Mandoline Grill again! They are definitely one of my favorites! Each of of these trucks serves up one-of-a-kind meals with prices that'll make your stomach AND wallet smile. Follow them all on Twitter to know where they'll be next.

Shout out to Greg and Andrew at Mishka. These guys are always holding it down. It's always good chilling with them. If you missed Lunch Truck Day this time around, come out to the next one. Your stomach will thank you.





Don't mess with Eric (Lomo Arigato) or he'll cut you!

Alife make great sneakers!
Coolhaus serves their ice cream sandwiches in an edible wrapper. See, now you can eat paper and not get in trouble for it!
Greg(far left) and Andrew(middle) finding some shade. Andrew enjoying some food from Lomo Arigato.
These dudes are from Virginia. They decided to pack up and fly to Cali just because. These guys are living right!
Look up next time you walk into Mishka in Echo Park.
Andrew approved of this shot.
I forgot the first dude's name(sorry), Greg, and Kevin. Not too sure why he's carrying that bottle of pesticide though.