Hip Hop History

"Hip Hop History" with J Timbo and Jimmy Fallon.

:: When I read the description of this video, I was all "this could be real bad."

:: 1/3 of the way through the video, I was like "ooh, I'm embarrassed. I like this."

:: Then 2/3 of the way through, I was all, I was all "mm mm. Not embarrassed anymore. This is rly good."

They do Seed 2.0! This video took me by the hand through my childhood, high school, college, and then to a frightening place where a big crowd of overweigh white people try to sing and move to Jay-Z.

Bravo Timberlake, Fallon, The Roots!

Collage: the antirational and semi-intentional

Collage is really the practice of a theory of knowledge: antirational and semi-intentional, it takes coincidence and chance materials as part of its method and inspiration. By eliminating transition, it embraces ambiguity, improvisation, speed, and multiplicity of meaning. It is expressive, but not primarily self-expressive. It does not place priority on closure, nor on conventional notions of completeness. In the constant conversation between unity and disunity, juxtaposition plays with omission and collision. It loves the energy of disruption and dislocation. Apollinaire, his contemporaries and their aesthetic heirs were more interested in creating inventive disorientations than in delivering packaged unities.

-Tony Hoagland

via

How Ink is Made

This little vignette on how ink is made... made my day.

I love my iPhone as much as the next guy, but long live traditional print media!

y'all ready for this?

Nineties music videos were all about crash zooms. And more crash zooms. In this video for 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready for This," we reach the pinnacle of this "aesthetic."

I dare you to watch this video full screen and neither (a) get a headache nor (b) fall out of your chair. I double dare you.

[thx joe, for the link!]

Xmas gifts from the Lakers

It's 116 degrees out

You can't stand it. I know you can't stand it. Ya can't stand the heat!

Reality TV in 3D!

How ahead of his time was Albert Brooks? In the trailer for his feature debut Real Life (1979), a film that predicts and lampoons reality TV, he uses 3D (!!!) as the hook. He uses the exact same conventions we use today - whoa! stuff there's flying at the camera!!! There are reasons why he's Albert Brooks and the rest of us aren't.

May the Schwartz be with you

A funny video of Jason Schwartzman demonstrating The New Yorker's iPad app, directed by Roman Coppola.

Do his eyes really do that?

Taxonomy of Rap Names

Pretty cool infographic. Someone should make an interactive version of this where when you mouse over a name, a pic pops up and a verse plays.

Also, there's apparently a rapper named "Shorty Shitstain." You come to Helms-a-Lee to learn.

via Fred

Feels like Fall

The clouds and the chill tell me we've officially transitioned from Summer Spring to Fall.

I got a Kabocha Squash from Silverlake Farms on Friday. I'm going to oven-roast it tonight (work) tomorrow night (work) Thursday night (again) Friday night (jesus. worrrrrrk) Saturday morning? maybe? If it's not spoiled yet? like this. nom nom.

And our sartorially-inclined pal Scott Schuman says it's time to transition to light jackets and long legs. I say he's right.

it goes: fun/passion/fighting/winning

Or so says the bad ass 10-year old Krish.

This makes me want to play some pong. But what doesn't?

Also, thank you HD-capable Digital SLRs for making our daily internet video experience so, so purdy.

via Jeff

PONG from California is a place. on Vimeo.

say it ain't so

My sleeves have been rolled up for years, duking it out with time and energy for success in work, friendships, and love. It's not easy to invest in all three (not to mention family and fitness) and still collect dividends.

I stumbled upon this poem, and convincing as it is, I hate to think that he's right. I still think I'll catch my opponents with a haymaker and find the perfect balance.

The New Yorker, May 18, 1998, via

Les Frenchies

Silvain Chomet's long awaited followup to his Triplets of Belleville is The Illusionist, an animated adaptation of Jacques Tati's final script.

Speaking of Tati, RIP Claude Chabrol.

Dylan and Google - flips, not clicks

Labour Day

Wood engraving of a trade banner, June 14, 1873.

via

ooooh gaaaawd....double fridaaaaay!

Yet another remix/mashup/versioned out instance of Double Rainbow.

This time with minimalist artist Donald Judd's exhibit.

aw yeah.

via Reference Library

Untitled from VJ Peter Rand on Vimeo.

WWII Trumpeter

A 90 year old veteran of World War II talks about the power of music.

It's tha 1st of tha Month

get up, get up, get up, cash your checks and get up