In My Shoes ft. Torae
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[one_half_last]Growing up in Brooklyn in the 80's was the coolest. Hip Hop was bursting on to the scene, the fashion was crazy & Michael Jordan was on his was to becoming a basketball God. Not only was I viewing his super human feats on the court, I was watching his feet on the court, and in February of 1988 Nike released what is in my opinion the greatest Air Jordan sneaker ever. It was the 3rd sneaker released between the two parties & it was a doozy! Now being a March baby I really wanted these sneakers bad for my birthday but kids my age were getting robbed left & right for their kicks back then. It was a long shot but I asked......and got rejected, we really didn't have money like that back then anyway but moms just hit me with the it's too dangerous excuse & shattered my hopes & dreams.
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It would be a number of years before I had another shot at obtaining these beauties. Without dragging you through my various failed attempts at getting the 3's I'll just fast forward to 2010 when I FINALLY got my first pair of retro Jordan 3's (black cement color way to be specific).
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[one_third]As an artist in the public eye it's important for me to always show up fresh from head to feet & the Jordan 3 never let's me down no matter what the outfit. I've walked the red carpet, hosted events, performed all over the world & have interviewed your favorite artists wearing this sneaker.
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[one_half_last] I can recall landing in about a foot of snow in Germany back in 2012 and all I had to rock was my trusty 3's.
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They're fashionable, comfortable & durable. My oldest pair I've had about 2 years but they've been through it all with me. Anytime they retro I try to get a couple pair at least at retail price, but my latest pair I paid a pretty penny for (Thanks to Flight Club). My closet holds over 100 pair of sneakers, but none compare to my beloved Jordan 3's.
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ARTOTV: Come Get It Bae (Put On Your Robe)
[one_fourth]What happens when you mix six silly Pharrell fans, two of them being Artoholiks with cameras, three beautiful girls and a make up artist all in one room? Well after a few hours you'll get a video that covers a track off of Pharrell's GIRL album titled "Come Get It Bae" that highlights the make-up skills from local make-up artist Charlene Lee by documenting her process then having her models pose in silly faces while dancing to the selected track.
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The idea was sparked a few weeks ago after Iquan and Guru both listened to and loved the entire GIRL album. The two discussed and decided that they would do something based off the album to showcase their growth in video production while creating yet another fun story for Artoholiks.com. Sticking to the script of highlighting creatives, Iquan decided to hit up an old friend of his, Charlene Lee, with the idea of her gathering a few young ladies while he and Guru document the entire process.
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[one_fourth]Why make silly faces? We wanted to do something different, majority of the time models are serious and sexy. We figured, since the song is fun and since we're doing this out of fun, why not make it fun and silly. To see more photos click here!
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Produced, Directed & Edited: Iquan Worthington
Shot by: Guru N & Iquan Worthington
Make-Up: Charlene Lee
Models: Melanie Cohen, Yessenia Ventura and Dayos
BLUEPRINTS TO MY MIND/UNDERCONSTRUCTION PART 3
Remember episode one of Urban Exploring when we caught up with our homie Verbally Visual? When he was in Newark to shoot video for a track off his Under Construction Poetry album? We'll guess what? The video was released today and we're pleased to debut the video for BLUEPRINTS TO MY MIND/UNDERCONSTRUCTION PART 3 right here right now! Enjoy!
One Donut 4 Dilla mixed by DJ Laytonic
For those of you who don't know, James Dewitt Yancey aka J Dilla aka Jay Dee was a legendary hip-hop music producer who mastered the art of sampling and helped influence a generation of music lovers and many musicians to come. Artists like Kanye West, Questlove, Pharrell Williams and Madlib wouldn't be the artists we know them as today if it wasn't for J Dilla. He is a producer's producer and has made underground hits for artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, Common, The Roots, De La Soul, D'Angelo, Tha Pharcyde and many more.
Eight years ago in February 2006, he passed away due to complications of lupus and a rare blood disease that he had been struggling with his entire life. Before his passing he left the world with countless volumes of work, many of us already familiar with and others that have recently been discovered and waiting for future release.
I've been a fan of J Dilla since the early days of 1996 when I first heard De La Soul's "Stakes Is High." There was an energy and vibe behind the music that I couldn't put my finger on. It was full of life and excitement and it motivated me to find more music from this musical genius. What started as a liking became an obsession. I made it my goal to find any and all things Dilla and have helped carry the torch to keep his legacy alive by telling everyone about him and sharing his music.
February is best known as Black History Month, but in the hip-hop community since his passing, this month has also become known as Dilla Month. To help celebrate this man's legacy, I've put together a mix of some of my favorite Dilla beats from my personal collection. Good music. Strictly vinyl. Turn it up ! Enjoy below...
In My Shoes ft. Andres Jimenez
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[one_half_last]Back in 2010 NIKE made a huge push on all of their vintage products and I felt the need to have a pair. I loved the silhouette, the fit, how light they were in my hands. The soles were so narrow yet they still gave me support. They also had a nice vintage patina on them, which made them look even better.
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[one_third]From a very young age, clothes and sneakers have been important to me. What I choose to wear on any given day will always let you know how I feel. The price tags never really mattered to me, it was more so about quality, construction and what the colors or brand represented. In regards to my closet, I always refer back to “Classics” or “Basics” when building my wardrobe.
In the same year I purchased these kicks, we (Tritonic – A Creative Agency) won another ADCNJ Award and I participated in a fashion blog called Hello Mr. Daily specifically as Mr. Friday.
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[one_half_last]Later in 2010 I did some traveling and my first escape was to Montreal. A mini get-away with a few of my Hello Mr. Daily friends, this trip was strictly to party and explore. The following month I went to Chicago for my creative agency Tritonic. At this time I was the creative director and principal of the agency, we were helping our client The James Hotel in Chicago and NYC. In November I flew down to Mexico to participate in my sister’s wedding, it was such a beautiful experience to be down there with friends and family. And finally my last stop was home, Colombia to be exact, visiting my family after working hard all year. It was truly relaxing to be back in the motherland with no worries at all.
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At this point in my career, it was important for me to remain excited and fulfilled in everything I did. So I matched my hard work with hard play, by exploring the world, because I’m aware that staying fresh on what’s new is important to staying creative. I also felt the need to try working on something new, something to balance myself. Having Tritonic was fun and surrounded me with people I enjoyed. But I needed another outlet, and I found that in digging and spinning music. Throughout it all, I kept traveling to places like Boston, Montreal and even London.
[one_half]DJing and Records went from a hobby to a passion, which developed into a Vinyl Culture Collective called Open Crates. We’re now approaching our second vinyl release with Pat Van Dyke being our first and DJ Center coming out in April of this year.
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Since I’ve had these sneakers, I’ve closed up one creative agency, joined another agency as a joint venture, left and started one all over again. In 4 years, I’ve put thousands of miles on these sneakers. I’ve been blessed to have traveled all over North America, South America, the Caribbean, even hit the UK with them. They’ve been with me during hard times but also at my feet for moments I’ll cherish the rest of my life.
Urban Exploring: Starter Club House (Special Edition)
Last week we got an opportunity to get a sneak peek into the Starter Clubhouse, which is now open in NYC's Times Square at the Paramount Hotel.
The clubhouse offers Starter NFL, NBA, and MLB Satin Jackets, as well as limited edition collaboration products under the premium Starter Black Label. We were amazed at the merchandising of the space as well as the assortment. Products ranged from Satin Jackets to Snapbacks, Crewneck Sweaters and knit hats. Not to mention they're killing it when it comes to collaborations by teaming up with folks such as Dee & Ricky, Stussy, Slo Bucks, Kith and more. The shop is now open through the end of February to the general public, so be sure to stop in and shop their one-of-a-kind apparel. Shout out to Starter for letting us come through, we definitely enjoyed the tour before the doors opened. Oh yeah, if you choose to swing by, be sure to tell them the Artoholiks sent you! Peace!
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Photos & Video: IquanW & Guru
Styling the Intern
OVERVIEW While now a days we all wear many hats just to make it in this crazy world, we also find ourselves accommodating our style to match the many hats that we wear in order to suite our lifestyles accordingly. But not everyone understands how easy it can be to create different looks without going too far left. Our intern Guru N is taking huge steps into learning the creative industry, so we’re prepping Guru for each possible scenario. Of course we have to school him on his fashion presentation as well. Without breaking the bank a.k.a shopping on a budget, we put together six scenarios and environments that you’ll catch creative’s like ourselves in on the daily. Enjoy!
At the Agency – As he aims for the Jr. Content Creation position it’s important that he sets himself apart from the rest of the snot noses within the pack of youngsters. This look will show his boss that he’s mature, clean cut and focused on detail. This look is simplistic, traditional and safe.
MEN EASY CARE CHECKED LONG SLEEVE SHIRT This soft, wrinkle-resistant shirt features special tailoring to keep its shape in a vibrantly colored gingham check.
SOURCE: UNIQLO COST: $34.90
BOTTOM – MEN SLIM FIT CORDUROY JEANS These slim-fit corduroy jeans offer warmth and a lengthening look. Dyed for extra-sharp color. 99% cotton, 1% spandex
SOURCE: OLD NAVY COST: $34.90
SHOE – OUTDOOR CVO TRAINER SNEAKER Classic trainer sneakers with color block cotton canvas uppers topped with rolled cotton laces. Complete with a cushioned foot bed and a color block rubber mid sole. Finished with a textured rubber sole for optimal traction. UO Exclusive.
SOURCE: Urban Outfitters COST: $29.00
After Work at the Cafe – When he’s on top of his game the colleagues will take notice and want to be around him. This look is for the quiet moment that he’ll get outside of the office, when he’s dodging all the employee gossip talk. The highlights of this look is the All-Son Runt Shirt Jacket paired with a Brixton Supply beanie, layered on top of a basic yellow Uniqlo henley for a pinch of color.
TOP – All-Son Runt Shirt Jacket Awesome jacket from All-Son. Durable woven cotton in an allover leopard print with a button placket and topped with a removable hood. Complete with front and chest pouch pockets and finished with button closures at the cuffs. UO Exclusive.
SOURCE: URBAN OUTFITTERS COST: $69.90
BOTTOM – Stapleford Utility 5-Pocket Pant Classic 5-pockets pant from Stapleford. Faded cotton construction topped with side pouch pockets and a zip fly with button waist closure. Complete with rear flap pockets with button closures and cinch tabs at the waist for a snug fit. Finished with a slim fit leg and a side coin pocket. UO Exclusive.
SOURCE: URBAN OUTFITTERS COST: $59.00
SHOE – OUTDOOR CVO TRAINER SNEAKER Classic trainer sneakers with color block cotton canvas uppers topped with rolled cotton laces. Complete with a cushioned foot bed and a color block rubber midsole. Finished with a textured rubber sole for optimal traction. UO Exclusive.
SOURCE: URBAN OUTFITTERS COST: $29.00
Recap: Munny Social (August)
On August 25th in Downtown Newark at Elbowroom, 30+ Munny Lovers and Artoholiks met up to create, eat, chill and enjoy a niche event on a summer afternoon. Head Artoholik IquanW created this event to share a passion point that he discovered earlier this spring. Since he received a great response on his collection via the internet, Iquan decided to create an event in which he could physically show off his work, share tips and create a fun event for friends and local artists.
Starting at 1pm, guest arrived prepared with their tools and ideas for their custom Munny experience. Upon arrival, each guest was greeted with a bag that contained their Munny, a black Sharpie, Art is Dope buttons and stickers from Branded Baron. The process was simple... get your bag, name tag, and get stamped! Guests that RSVP'ed via Meetup or Eventbrite were stamped with the RED Artoholik Astroman, certifying them as an Artoholik. Guests who did not RSVP were welcomed and stamped with a BLACK Artoholik Astroman. Once guests received their name tag, they were directed to pass the name tag to the host from Elbow Room. The host then used the tag to complete attendees food order and bring guests their selection. In addition to being used to grab a bite, tags were also used for goodie bag drawings and photos. Goodie bags contained swag from Modern Amusement, Sprayground and Branded Baron.
Throughout the event, Artoholik AleeshaW ran giveaways, entertained guest with jokes and then put all artists on the spot by making them share their inspiration for their custom Munny. "The event turned out better than planed" said IquanW who had only 2 weeks to prep for the event. Between Aleesha and Iquan, they had to sell tickets, brand event, order supplies, connect with sponsors and partners and lastly, gather team. Speaking of event team, Laytonic provided the sounds for the afternoon while Guru documented the entire event via Photo and Video and then a last minute co-host Shirley jumped in to decorate and make every guest welcomed. "This is what the Artoholiks are about!" said AleeshaW.
Guests included local Artists Jerry Gant, Lauren Craig aka (Inafabworld), Forever Audacious, Hycide and Andres Jimenez. Munny Social was also blessed with very talented artists such as Steve Cancel, Joe Baron, Dominiqué la Reine and surprise attendees Steve Janowicz and Randy Smith. While Dominiqué la Reine had the best and most talked about Munny, Iquan's old high school buddy walked away with the best design award. We're working hard to get the 2nd Munny Social together, in the meantime enjoy these beautiful images whipped up by the Artoholiks own IquanW and Guru. Enjoy!
Peep more photos on our flickr or facebook streams.