19o1:

Hey everybody, do the Predator Shuffle!

check the two minute mark for the Danny Glover cameo.

YES. ALL 25 YEARS OF MY LIFE HAS LEAD UP TO SEEING THIS VIDEO. NO WORDS.

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child
Directed by Tamra Davis
2010

New documentary from Tamra Davis on artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. I’m a fan of both director and subject so I can definitely get into this. I got into Basquiat and jazz music when I started design school, so to me this is on point. Oh, to be a young starving artist.

Sidenote: big fan of the Blue Note style typography

The Equals - Live in Germany
1967

I really wish these guys were a lot bigger than they were. They pioneered the whole mixed-race garage/ska style waaay before The Specials. Combined with the Jagger-esque swagger of the lead singer and Eddy Grant’s songwriting and guitar these guys could/should have been huge. Oh well, thanks YouTube.

Hip-Hop 101: DJ Jazzy Jay & Afrika Bambaata Teach White Kids How To Scratch

First of, how next level was Bambaata’s mohawk? Second, fast forward to around the 4:18 mark for a lesson in music promo and viral marketing. Classic hip-hop moment.

Brings a new subtext to the lyric: “Peace to Bambaata and Jazzy Jay!”

via mooreslaw

“When I Grow Up I Wanna Work In Advertising”
Spoof ad by Meyocks Group

Sooo on point.

thnx @velhetica

Howard Zinn (1922-2010)

Since the Civil Rights movement in the 60’s, Howard Zinn has been a huge figure in educating people on the history of oppression and dissent in America. His book A People’s History of the United States, is definitely a primer on some of the most influential and inspiring speakers of our time, as well as being the unofficial guide to counter-culture. If Noam Chomsky had the appeal and entertainment value of a Ken Burns documentary, it would be like a Howard Zinn book. Really, anyone (ideally, EVERYONE) should read his works if you are looking for some inspiring civil disobedience or anti-war writing outside of a Thoreau or Upton Sinclair novel.

My ideals definitely side towards the left, but regardless of your political beliefs or views on war and government, it doesn’t hurt to read up on what’s on the other side of the fence. Many people tend to forget (or typically, aren’t taught) that a lot of some major, major policy changes in the US have been due to a single person or a small minority demanding change, and at least Howard Zinn made it a goal to put a spotlight on those unafraid to voice their opinions.

Last month, the History channel aired THE PEOPLE SPEAK, a special on actors/musicians reading epic speeches from Zinn’s book, which is currently available for pre-order online. This is cool if you’ve always wanted to hear Viggo Mortensen do a Civil War re-enactment or want to see the guy who used to host Nickelodeon GUTS do his version of an Abbey Hoffman speech. Either way, I’m glad stuff like this is out there to inspire people and get them THINKING.

Can we please get a RAAAAAAAANDY x Wu-Tang collab already? BTW, I am still gonna roll with my RZA = Mel Brooks analogy.

via 19o1

MC Miker G & DJ Sven - Holiday Rap
1986

Chromeo wishes they could sound like this.

Sam Cooke - Blowin’ In The Wind
1964

Dial Hard trailer

Stella Artois did these fake French New Wave trailers for American films earlier this year. This one is Die Hard, done Godard style.

8 Kilomètres trailer

Stella Artois did these fake French New Wave spoof trailers of American films earlier this year. This one is for 8 Mile, with beatniks battling in a jazz club instead.

Stella Artois and The Auteurs presents Le Recyclage De Luxe Online Film Festival: featuring 7 essential French New Wave films, for free, this week (Dec. 15th - 21st)

More info here: http://www.theauteurs.com/stellaartois

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
2007

Jackie Brown opening credits
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
1997

Song: Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street

Philip Michael Thomas - Just the Way I Planned It
1985

NEVER FORGET: Tubbs once had a music career