Profound Aesthetic Blog : I AM PROFOUND

Newbies from Oldies (Audio)

2012-01-31T19:43:00.005-05:00

A few days ago two of the greatest acts in electro/dance music dropped some gems on the world, little sparkling signs that they're back on the mission to make us move.

Not much had been heard of now legendary French Dj-duo Justice since they dropped their most recent album this past October, but their new single "On N' On" (remixed/"ruined" by Rick Rubin) is absolutely incredible. With a funky bass beat of 90s Hip-Hop records and the kind of tambourine line that makes you wanna bite ya lip, this track will never (and I mean never) leave your head. It just goes to prove that Justice will probably last forever.

And yet it gets better. After some hibernating (and creating) Miike Snow is back with a whole new ALBUM full of goodies. The Sweedish threesome has released a few songs in the past couple of weeks, including "Black Tin Box" featuring Lykke Li. In support of their new album Happy To You, the band will be headed on a spring tour.

If you haven't been to a Miike Snow show before then you don't know what it means to live. Between the music, dazzling lights and crazed fans dancing and singing the words to every song, it's a near religious experience. You can listen to Black Tin Box below, but check out some of the bigger and brighter tracks from the new album on Soundcloud.

Vans OTW Berlin Launch

2012-01-23T21:37:00.001-05:00

Kings & Peasants Contest Winner

2012-01-20T03:10:00.007-05:00

Picking the winner is just so difficult, but in doing so, we felt the #1 prize should go to, Saud Ahmad. The reason we picked him was because although his concept was different than what we had in mind when creating the collection, it was unique and well expressed. We liked the power in his statement that packed a punch. From the concept of Kings and Peasants seemings so ancient, but in fact just evolving, to the materialism of this world, and our duty as independent free thinkers to free ourselves from that mental slavery to humbling ourselves as all peasants at the end of the day, Saud showed that we ultimately choose who we want to king, be it a higher power, or something/someone that you hold in high regard. At the end it is all about passion.

You may ask, what was our interpretation when we came up with "Kings and Peasants"? Well, we felt our running up, Steven Duong, explained it quite well: "It does not matter if you’re a king, or a peasant because We are all the same. We are all interconnected to each other one way or the other, but we are all different at the same time, we have our own goals, thoughts, feelings, desires, needs, preferences. Profound aesthetic is a brand to bring people together, to relate, to connect. Even though we all come from different places, different point of views, different social classes, and speak different tongues, our minds think and our hearts beat as one." He pretty much summed up what we were trying to accomplish: whether king or peasant, everyone should be able to relate to greatness.

Lastly, we picked Sanna Saeed for beautifully articulating her viewpoint and nicely tying in what the collection meant to her as well as how it related to the overall theme of our brand and concluding that when it comes to Profound Aesthetic, there is always more to the story than just a piece of garment. Well put, Saana.

Congrats to the winners and shout-out to everyone that submitted an answer.

Winner 1 gets to select any one item from the entire website, including the new Kings and Peasants Collection. Runner Ups get to pick either 2 Bracelets or a Tee. Email us at info@profoundaesthetic.com to claim your prizes!

She's So Fly (Video)

2012-01-19T17:03:00.004-05:00

It seems everyone is an "artist" with ambition these days, but there are only a few who prove it. 22-year-old Thais is one of them. Despite being trained as an actress, the Trinidadian native isn't putting on a show. Her desires, creativity, and talent are real. Armed with only a djembe she took to music by covering songs by a variety of artists, from Erykah Badu to Katy Perry. You may have thought you heard every rendition of "Teenage Dream" until you've seen Thais bang it out with a rhythmic twist no one else could have thought of.

While exploring her own talents as a songwriter, she remixed Childish Gambino's "So Fly" and managed to put the indie-rapper (and his production team) to shame. Her vocals are rich and intoxicating as she sings earnestly about that vulnerable moment of meeting someone so fly it makes you stumble on your words. The video of her performing the track in the studio debuted on her tumblr today, but you can check it out after the jump. Thais might be young, but she's hit the ground flying. Within a day of releasing the "So Fly" remix it was playing at Urban Outfitters in the D.M.V. area, the songstress's second home. There's no doubt that this is only the beginning. With such talent and heart, this star is already shooting; we just need to catch up.

Follow Thais on Twitter and visit her Facebook page for more info.

-@sue_elise

The Shit We Say

2012-01-14T17:16:00.006-05:00

If you haven't come across a "Shit _____ Say" video by now then you've been living under an Internet rock. Or maybe doing something better with your time, like reading or something. The whole crazy started exactly a month ago with the original Shit Girls Say YouTube video, a filmed version of the low-key popular Twitter feed of the same name. Written by and staring the original creators, Canadian filmmakers Kylee Humphrey and Graydon Sheppard, with a guest appearance by Juliette Lewis, Shit Girls Say revolves around a man dressed as a woman spewing and reenacting random things said by girls (read young women between 16-35). Form the superficial and mundane statements to the awkwardly phrased demands and qualitative suggestions, the video was a hit because of it's so-called accuracy: many female viewers found it to be such an accurate portrayal that they couldn't help but introspectively chuckle at themselves.

But accurate for whom? "Girls" obviously, but what kind and where from? Before long, a volcano of renditions exploded, each more specific than the other. To be honest, while the original "Shit Girls Say" video was funny it was also pretty clear about what kind of girls it was referencing: middle/upper-middle class preppy White girls. Billy Sorrells's "Shit Black Girls Say" was the natural response to such a homogenous outlook on female communication, and other ethnicities, sexualities, cultures and even genders chiming in with their own videos, such as "Shit Spanish Girls Say", "Shit Indian Girls Say", "Shite Irish Girls Say", and even "Shit Southern Gay Guys Say" to name a few.

However, it wasn't until Franchesca Ramsey came out with her "Shit White Girls Say...To Black Girls" video that the meme's potential for powerful social commentary was realized. Donning a blonde wig and an on-spot valley girl accent, the comedian reveals the innate racism in many "innocent" statements/phrases White women commonly say to their (often token) Black girl pals. As a Black woman, I can concur that at least 90% of these things have been said to me: from "Am I going to be the only White person at this party?" to obsessions with my hair, complete misunderstandings and problematic reconstructions of critical social and historical occurences, nauseating usage of the word "ghetto" and accusations that I'm not Black. The video highlights the fact that White women seem to misunderstand the simple things about their Black friends and earnestly points out the privilege they have to do so.

The humor stems from the ridiculousness in Ramsey's character's belief that every Black person or thing she sees is a friend or relative of her unseen Black girlfriend, that she sees black hair as a fascinating foreign object, and that she has to worry about being the only White girl at the part (the fear within the suggestion itself is alarming). Ramsey points out that White girls often worry about and say things that other people, in this case their friends of color, don't have the privilege of saying. If I worried about being the only Black person at every party, event, or in public space, I wouldn't be able to live. Likewise, if I went around examining White hair like it was a new species and challenging their ethnicity my sanity would be questioned. However, if I took the time to point out these things or suggest that Black and White women behave differently and uniquely to their racial experiences, I'd be labeled a racist (see the ending of Ramsey's video).

That's exactly what some have accused Ramsey of: racism in her representation of the things White people say, completely missing the fact that race and the always available "reverse racism card" allow them to say those things and go unchecked. In the context of these videos however the criticism is a bit unwarranted. The entire meme is built off of an opportunity to expose that different people communicate differently. It started with stating that "girls" have a unique manner of saying things. It's funny but also encourages great self-reflection. And while the way this is portrayed has been labeled problematic (racist, sexist, agist, heteronormative, etc.), the waterfall of remixes seeks to rectify the faults. While "Shit Black Girls Say" and others challenge the hegemonic monopoly held on the image of who/what the average girl is, "Shit Christians Say to Jews", "Shit Girls say to Gay Guys" and "Shit Relaxed Girls Say to Natural Girls" challenge the privileges of certain positions in interpersonal relationships.

Like it or not, we all carry our own cultural baggage that impacts who we are and how we interact with other people, including our close friends. Often times, hidden in our innocuous statements and assumptions are ignorance and the innate prejudices that come with being a certain type of person from a particular place. It's not always serious; sometimes it's just funny. I don't why Black guys (I'm thinking now of my brother) have an annoying way of saying "Huh?" or why girls can be overly complimentary. But at the same time, it's always good to check yourself. I was embarrassed after watching "Shit Girls Say to Gay Guys" because I realized I call my gay guy friends "betch" way too often, challenging their masculinity just because of their homosexuality. It seems innocent enough, but it's also the same assumption that leads men to beating their 1-year-old sons to death (read the article here). Do I really want to be a part of that scene, even in jest? Although it's humor between friends it can be violence between strangers. Practice at home makes perfect outside; if we can learn to be a little more sensitive with the ones closest to us then we'll make great strides with our neighbors.

At the end of the day though, it's not about silencing ourselves--it's about becoming aware and gaining power through knowledge. There's nothing wrong with celebrating and even laughing at our differences or the tensions they cause in good will. Ignorance can be a lot of things, including funny. It can also be painful and dangerous. We all say some shit, but as long as we say it knowingly then maybe we can eradicate the pain and harm and stick with the humor.

@Sue_elise

The Sounds of Life (Glory + lyrics)

2012-01-09T17:53:00.009-05:00

Blue Ivy Carter was born only two days ago but she's already laid her first track.

The daughter of Hip-Hop Royals Jay-Z and Beyonce can be heard on her father's new track "Glory", which he released today on his Life + Times blog.

In the song the media mogul reveals the immense hardships he and Beyonce endured, including difficulty conceiving and a devestating previous miscarriage. Daddy Hov also meditates on his prayers and hopes for his daughter, her future, and how awestrucken she makes him. He reflects on his own father, a subject that's never seen a positive light in Jay-Z's songs, and juxtaposes his failures with Jay's own ideas of fatherhood.

Life just got REALLY good.
Hello Hello Baby Blue!
We are happy to
announce the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, born on
Saturday, January 7, 2012.
Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we
are in heaven.
She was delivered naturally at a healthy 7 lbs and it was the
best experience of both of our lives.
We are thankful to everyone for all
your prayers, well wishes, love and support.
Beyoncé & JAY Z
- The Life+Times

It is a tremendously human song spilling over with love. Perhaps it's made all the more touching because it comes from two individuals who live so much in the spotlight, yet had to keep their private hopes, fears and tragedies to themselves while wearing their public mask. Finally, with Blue's birth the two are able to publically express what she brings into their lives: pure joy.

And although the ending's already been spoiled, nothing will prepare you for hearing those first sounds of a new life--it is the sound of Glory.

Listen to glory on Life+ Time's here and read the lyrics below.

The most amazing feeling I feel
words can't describe what I'm feeling for real.
Baby, I paint the sky blue.
My greatest creation was you.

False alarms and false starts
all made better by the sound of your heart.
All the pain of the last time.
Prayed so hard it was the last time.
Your mama said that you danced for her.
Did you wiggle your hands for her?
Glory! Glory! Glory! Sorry...

Everything that I prayed for.
God's gift, I wish I would've prayed more.
God makes no mistakes I've made a few.
Rough sledding here and there but I made it through.
I wreak havoc on the world!
Get ready for part 2.
A young, smarter, faster me.
So a pinch of Hov, a whole glass of B.

Glory.

The most amazing feeling I feel.
Words can't describe what I'm feeling for real.
Baby, I paint the sky blue.
My greatest creation was you.

Your grandpop died a nigga failure,
then he died of liver failure.
Deep down he was a good man.
God damn, I can't deliver failure.
Bad ass lil Hov, two years old shopping on Savile Row.
Wicked ass lil B, hard not to spoil you rotten looking like lil me.

The most beautifulest thing in this world:
Daddy's little girl.
You don't yet know what swagger is
but you were made in Paris,
and mama woke up the next day
and shot her album package.
Last time the miscarriage was so tragic
we was afraid you'd disappear
but nah, baby you magic.

So there you have it, shit happens.
Just make sure the plane you're on is bigger than your carry on baggage.
Everybody go through stuff.
Life is a gift, love open it up.
You're a child of destiny.
You're the child of my destiny.
You're my child with the child from Destiny's Child.
That's a hell of a recipie!

Glory! Glory! Glory! Sorry...

The most amazing feeling I feel.
Words can't describe what I'm feeling for real.
Baby, I paint the sky blue.
My greatest creation was you.

Allison Weiss

2012-01-03T04:51:00.009-05:00

In 2009, Allison Weiss wanted to make a full length album so she took to a newly formed fundraising site called Kickstarter for help. To her and everyone else’s amazement, Weiss reached her goal in 10 hours and an overnight a DIY sensation was born. Since then, Weiss has become the poster-child of Kickstarter, spoke on a crowdfunding panel at the 2010 SXSW Festival, was interviewed by NPR, the New York Times, Billboard Mag. and Wired, and oh, released several EPs, her debut album Allison Weiss…Was Right All Along and toured the country—all of it funded by Kickstarter. Her recent campaign to fund her upcoming full-length album produced by Chris Kuffner raised $20,000 of an original $12,000 goal in more or less a week. With such a profound impact, it would seem that Weiss is the new prophet of independent music here to save us and defeat the evil music industry once and for all. But that’s not true. She’s not opposed to the industry and considers herself one of the few people who can see the art and fun in business.

In truth Weiss’s success is not due to a calculated attempt at fighting the man, but rather an earnest endeavor to make music and connect with listeners. Her greatest strength has been mastering social media as a way to engage with her fans on a personal level, offering unique prizes and experiences to those who contribute to her campaigns. On the latest kickstarter project to fund Allison Weiss Does it Again, the aforementioned second full-length record, Weiss offered fans the opportunity to pick the tracks they want to appear on a bonus EP. Not surprisingly, the campaign ended in early December and reached the ultimate goal of $30,000 (grand total $30,795). You can easily find hours of personal and entertaining content on her Tumblr and YouTube pages. As for the music, the new album is the loud product of a switch from acoustic to electric guitar. Armed with a full band, her live performances fill you with teenage nostalgia—remember all those shows in the front row, the X’s on your hands, and the thrill of seeing your favorite pop-rock bands? At the same time, Weiss’s introspective look at the finer details of human relationships offers a poignant lyrical experience, one more sophisticated than the “cut my wrist and black my eyes” lines of your Emo days. Currently based in Brooklyn, Allison Weiss starts a tour with fellow Brooklyn band Mitten this week, but Profound Co. was lucky enough to sit down and speak with her before she hit the road. We picked her brain for the secret to a successful DIY strategy (which she’s not certain of), the great benefits of working with friends, Dr. Phil, and of course fashion.

Profound Co.: Where are you originally from?

Allison Weiss: I was born in Michigan but I grew up in Georgia.

PC: When did you get to New York?

AW: About a little over a year ago. It’s awesome, it’s the best! Before I moved here I spent a year just visiting [so] I came back and forth a lot. The first time I came to New York I fell in love with it so any chance I got I would come here. So I already had a lot of friends. When I moved here it was like “Now I’m here forever!” instead of a visit.

PC: You tend to be in the company of a lot of great independent musicians. Are you guys in it together? Are they apart of your team?

AW: One of them, Chris Kuffner, plays bass with me and Bess [Rogers], Ingrid Michaelson, Jenny Owen Youngs and everybody. But he’s actually producing my album, so I go over to his house [and] that’s where I do recording and everything.

Bess Rogers sings on my records. It’s kind of like a lot of people that I work with are also people that are in my band, or I’m friends with. There’s a band called Mitten and one of their members is a sound editor so she mixed the sound on my Kickstarter video. It’s cool how everybody does everything, but also helps out each other at the same time.

PC: That’s also a big part of Do it Yourselfness: having that support base.

AW: Definitely. I feel like DIY is often more like "Do it with all your friends".

PC: In your promo video for your Kickstarter campaign there is a moment where you hold a book about dinosaurs next to a book on the music industry. Is that a statement?

AW: I’m just business and I’m also fun at the same time I guess. I feel like a lot of artists are into the creative side and they don’t dabble in the business, but I love that as much as I love writing songs and performing. Which works out well for me ‘cus I can do a lot of things on my own. So yeah that whole having the music business book and having the dinosaur book, that’s me: business but also having a blast.

PC: Would you ever consider going into the actual business and finding a major label?

AW: I might…Yeah, I totally would. I feel like I’m at a point in my career where there’s only so much I can do on my own. If the right sort of deal presented itself to me I would totally be into it.

PC: But you have done a lot on your own!

AW: Yeah, well my criteria for such a thing would be that I would have to have complete creative control still. It’ll definitely be like, if and when it happens, less of me having a boss and more of me having a partner. I don’t know necessarily what a record label even does these days, but I’m definitely trying to put together a team of management and booking and press. After a while there is so much of it [to do] that I’m not spending enough time on making music.

PC: Considering that you’ve done one record and your own and you are about to do another one, could you walk us through that process?

AW: One of the plus sides is that I can pretty much do whatever I want, so I make my own schedule. I’m on my own timeline. For this record in particular we started recording it actually in January and it was originally going to be an EP ‘cus that’s how many songs I had. But then the more that I was working with Chris Kuffner the more fun I was having, so then it was like “Well what about this song? What about this song?” Eventually we were up to 8 songs in May. So then I was like “Fuck it, let’s just make a full length record, I’ll just write two more songs.” But it took forever because in between all of them I was also doing things like touring and managing my whole career; booking shows and just trying to balance it all. So I guess maybe with a record label it’d be easier to just get things done quickly because then I could just focus on making the music. But it’s cool. I really enjoy it because I feel I’ve grown over the course of the year, and so has Chris my producer. We’ve made a lot of things happen over the course of time.

So then the record was done. I had planned to do the Kickstarter all along but I was waiting for the right moment—I didn’t want to release it before it was ready. Then there were tours; I didn’t want to do a Kickstarter at the same time of the tour because it’s hard to balance what I’m going to promote and what’s going to be the main thing. So it finally came time; all the pieces fell together at once and then I just launched it.

PC: When you say you grew, do you mean you grew as an artist, as a person, or as a business person?

AW: You know, I think it was a lot of all of them. Because this is the first record that I’ve ever written songs specifically for. In the past it was like “Okay, I’ve been playing these ten songs for a year it’s time to record them now.” But with this record we had six songs and then I just started writing more with this record in mind. It sort of also was a concept that I was going for as opposed to waiting until I was emotionally inspired or whatever. I was like, “Okay, I want to write a song about this thing,” or “This is a thing happening I should write about it.” Also I had just moved to New York and right when I moved to New York I went through this big horrible breakup, so I was dealing with that as a human being. Just from November from last year to now it was just this cycle of hating life and being like “Nothing ever works! What’s the point? Screw it!” To now where it’s like “Alright, everything is actually fine. Also music is great. I gotta get back to where I was when I was 17 years old and put this in a song and make a record out of it and actually make a physical thing.”

PC: Does the recording and creative process work as therapy to help you get that out of your system and get back on the horse?

AW: Definitely! I feel like this record is a lot of me… I was thinking of all of these things that I want to write songs about. I was in a period of my life that I was trying to figure out…let me start over. I’ve been really interested in how relationships work and how people interact with each other, and I’ve really liked to hear about other people’s breakups, as weird as that sounds, and if I get to hear both sides it’s even better. It’s just a little bit more of understanding what’s up with human beings and how they’re really cool. So I feel like I wrote a lot about those sort of things on this record and it definitely helped me figure out my own shit and hopefully it’ll help other people too.

<a href="http://allisonweiss.bandcamp.com/track/i-was-an-island-ep-version-2">I Was An Island (EP Version) by Allison Weiss</a>

PC: So you became the Dr. Phil of your friends?

AW: Maybe, except a way cooler and hopefully more attractive Dr. Phil.

PC: You need a better name.

AW: I know right. I mean he does tell people how it is.

PC: Does he really? Didn’t he just get caught with a scandalous divorce?

Aw: Probably, but it just goes to show that nobody knows. Nobody knows what works and what doesn’t. Just because Dr. Phil got divorced doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

PC: Good point. Let’s talk about Kickstarter. In 2009 you met your goal in 10 hours. You’re currently at $20,000 of a $12,000 goal. How do you do that?

AW: I don’t know, I’ve actually been getting a lot of people emailing me lately with “I’ve actually got a Kickstarter how do I make mine so successful?” I don’t really know the right answer to those questions. As far as internet promotion goes, I really just go for it in my own way. There’s not really a strategy to it. I’m not reading any blogs like “How to Use Twitter” or “How to Facebook better.” I think Kickstarter in particularly is probably successful for me because I already had an online fan base going into it, which definitely helped. I think a lot of artists just put up a Kickstarter and think that the Kickstarter people are going to just find their project and donate to it, but you kind of have to know what your audience is and know that they’re there. Then Kickstarter is a tool to monetize your fan base or just ask for help.

PC: What is your relationship like with your fans?

AW: I just love the Internet because I blog a lot. And I’m pretty open and honest and pretty much everything is out there. I like to think of it like—I grew up as a pretty crazy music fan. Like [at] 16 and 17 I would be the kid who would go to a show like seven hours early and just stand there all day long just so I could run to the front, you know what I mean? You’d make friends in line like, “Oh I know that person from that show!” So I try to think of it as “What would I want form me if I was my fans?” What would I want as that kid who loves music from that big artist? So it’s all about having fun. I try to do as many things as possible that will be fun fan experiences. I want to give people the opportunity to get cool stuff and have fun hang outs and--

PC: See you as a person…

AW: Yeah exactly! And not just like, “You’re the fan and I’m the artist and I’m going to be over here and you’re going to be over there and I’m going to sing those songs and you’re going to listen.” That’s so boring!

PC: But you’re also not mother monster.

AW: Yeah, I’m also not mother monster. Mother monster is creepy about it. She’s like “Put up your paws little monsters,” yeah Lady Gaga…that’s a whole different tangent that I could go on. But yeah, she just takes that to a whole new level.

PC: Speaking of tangents, I saw your twitter tangent about Adele’s “Someone like You”.

AW: Dude that song is so crazy. It’s definitely a really sad song.

PC: What’s your favorite city you’ve toured?

Aw: I would go with Vancouver because it’s beautiful and I really liked playing there. I also love the shit out of Chicago. I had a lot of fun and I can’t wait to go back there.

PC: What’s a place that you haven’t been yet that you want to go to?

AW: I really want to go to Europe. I’ve never been over there. I’m hoping in the next year I’ll make it over to the UK and Germany, but it’s also really expensive.

PC: Well, Kickstarter…

AW:I know right! Allison Weiss World Tour!

<a href="http://allisonweiss.bandcamp.com/track/dont-go-ep-version">Don't Go (EP Version) by Allison Weiss</a>

PC: Who did you listen to growing up and who are your influences?

AW: Growing up as a teenager there was a lot of pop-punk, Like Blink 182, Dashboard Confessionals too. I’m into that Emo stuff. But I’m also a huge Rilo Kiley fan, I love Tegan and Sara, and I only recently gotten into a lot of music that I should have heard as a teenager like Weezer and Bikini Kill. I don’t why it took me so long to listen to Weezer before, but last year I just finally understood Pinkerton and I was like, “this is the greatest album I’ve heard in my life”. So that had a lot of influence on the record, Weezer’s first two records. Also a lot of Fountain of Wayne.

PC: Besides “Stacy’s Mom”?

AW: Yeah, they have a record that came out a few years before “Stacy’s Mom” that’s really good. Just like super solid pop-rock songs.

PC: It seems like you do a lot with the acoustic guitar, you’re not just a girl with a guitar. You have a lot of fun with it. It’s not the “whiney girl-with-guitar” bit.

AW: Thanks. I’ve also graduated to an electric guitar. The whole new record is pretty loud. It’s definitely like a rock record.

By: Kristin Winter

PC: Since we’re a fashion company, what’s your ideal style?

AW: I like when people have a whole thing, like really well put together right to the detail.

PC: Like down to the socks?

AW: Exactly! I was going to say the socks. I got some fucking socks on right now that I love the shit out of. You never see them but just knowing that they’re there… Yeah I guess that’s my idea of good fashion. But also people who can rock anything with the right type of confidence. I’m really envious of those people. Anything from a super crazy outfit to a sweatshirt. There are just some people that look really amazing in whatever they’re wearing.

PC: Favorite accessory?

AW: I feel like right now I’m obsessed with my glasses.

PC: If your music had an aesthetic what would it be?

AW: I feel like my musical aesthetic is kind of my own aesthetic, which is a mixture of a teenage boy and then sometimes stepping up my game a little bit and looking a little nicer, like an adult.

PC: Sometimes tucking in your shirt.

AW: Sometimes tucking in my shirt, sometimes wearing a collar.

PC: Ultimately what’s your goal with your music? Where do you want to take it?

AW: Honestly, I just want to keep getting better. I just want to tour whenever I can or want to without worrying about money. I want to tour and make records and not have anything stopping me from doing that. I’m pretty much just going to do whatever it takes to get there an authentic way.

PC: Last words?

AW: 100% forever.

-@sue_elise

Album of a Lifetime

2011-12-30T19:31:00.005-05:00

2011 is coming to close and the question on everyone's mind is "Who gets the title for album of the year?" Kanye West and Jay-Z's Watch the Throne wins the award for "most hyped". Drake takes home the "most singles/bangers" with Take Care. Kendrick Lamar's Section .80 has to get "most important", while Adele's 21 takes the cake for "most critically acclaimed".

However, the winner of album of the year isn't one of the above. He's not even a pop star. He's an 85-year old diabetic man who lives in a nursing home.

Boyd Lee Dunlop was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina but raised in Buffalo, NY. To the unknowning eye, he's just an old man in a nursing home. But to the ear he is an elegant and gifted musician. Over 70 years ago, during the Great Depression, Dunlop discovered a broke-down piano in a neighbor's backyard on Buffalo's east side. From those broken keys and a strong determination to learn, Dunlop grew to be a gifted jazz musician. He made a name for himself in Buffalo's legendary jazz scene that revolved around the Colored Musicians Club, helped train his brother Frankie to be a highly acclaimed world famous drummer, and toured the country as a full time musician after playing in the army and at a steel mill. Through it all however, Mr. Dunlop never recorded an album.

Fast forward to 2011: Mr. Dunlop is in a nursing home, playing an out-of-tune dilapidated piano and entertaining anyone who walks by. One day he greets Brendan Bannon, a photographer with a knowledge of jazz. Bannon happens to know New York producer Allen Farmelo, a Buffalo native. When Bannon sent Farmelo mp3s of Dunlop playing, Farmelo hopped on a plane back home and put Dunlop in a studio and in front of a proper Steinway piano.

What followed next is the happy ending you'd expect from such happenstance. Farmelo assisted Dunlop and two other renown Colored Musician Club players, Sabu Adeyola (bass) and Virgil Day (drums), in recording Mr. Dunlop's first album . Titled Boyd's Blues, the CD's release was celebrated at Hallwalls (part of Babeville) earlier this month. There, in the venue erected by another Buffalo music legend Ani DiFranco, Mr. Dunlop entertained a packed crowd of new fans and a few old band mates who played with Dunlop at the height of his career). It was more than just a CD release show: it was a celebration of Buffalo's rich musical history. The story's since been covered by The Buffalo News, NPR, and The New York Times.

And so, in one year one album transformed an aging accomplished musician into a nationally celebrated recording artist and saved his sound from fading into obscurity behind nursing home walls. Boyd Lee Dunlop's story is one of fate, poetic justice, and love. It's the hometown feel-good story for the holidays and makes Boyd's Blues worthy of the "Album of the Year" title, although the music itself makes it a valid contender. Heartfelt, soulful, and beautiful, Boyd's Blues is a testament to the staying power of a true love for music and a glimpse at the beauty of a true musician's lifelong passion. While we can hope for a followup, Boyd's Blues will keep the music of a legend and the sound of a city's history alive forever.

On How to be a Better Person in 2012

2011-12-26T22:20:00.009-05:00

It's at this time of the year that everyone wants to be a better person. Christmas, whether you celebrate it or not, is commercially and religiously viewed as the holiday of selflessness, and in the days and weeks surrounding it we focus our attention on random acts of kindness, generosity and just being nice. Following Christmas is the seven day crawl to New Years Eve; the final scramble to exorcise our demons in preparation for a new rotation. We make promises and resolutions that we hope will make us happier, lighter souls. Maybe it's just about losing weight but essentially the Holiday Season drives us to be (or want to be) better human beings.

Larissa Sansour

Around this time last year, I was in London and was lucky enough to visit the Refugee Council's headquarters in Brixton, a place that assists and often houses refugees and asylum seekers during the difficult process of filing for asylum in the UK. The grand majority of these individuals come from the war-torn countries of Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq, and often reach the UK by treacherously traveling on foot. In the children's ward, I came across the picture of a yellow flower a child drew hanging on the wall. No one else seemed to notice it, but I moved forward for a closer look. Below the flower he or she wrote: "I am drawing this flower because I am not happy living right now." The beauty and despair of those words shattered me like a stone hitting a pane of glass. Even now as I recount the story, I begin to cry. I can't explain the exact emotion I felt when I read that, perhaps it was shock--shock at the equally devestating and uplifting fact that a very simple expression of beauty and hope through the crude drawing of a flower could counter the deep despair this child felt. No other moment in my life proved to me the true importance of art and the ability to create. However, later that night as I wrote to an email to my partner and tears rolled down my face, I repeated over again that it had to matter that I saw the picture. The ability to create was one thing, but somehow in whatever mystical way the universe works light had to have gained a victory against darkness by me seeing that image and reading those words. It had to matter that the cycle was completed by me being there to receive the message this child so desperately needed to communicate.

Artists always say that they create for themselves and that their works are expressions, but whether it's a song, photo, film, poem, or drawing of a flower, these creations need to be received for the process to be completed. Art is not creative expression, it is creative communication, and while I can't tell you what it means to stand in front of a Picasso, I know that my heart was pulled into the fight for light against darkness that day in Brixton, a struggle that's been celebrated during this season long before fat men in red suits or babies in mangers stole the show. I thought of this story after reading an article on Electronic Intifada about the silencing of Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour by Lacoste. The French clothing company dismissed Sansour from their sponsored art contest because her multimedia project "Nation Estate" was "too Palestinian". A similar act occurred earlier this year in California, when the Musuem of Children's Art in Oakland canceled the planned exhibit of artwork by Palestinian children from Gaza after facing pressure from pro-Israel groups. These instances perpetuate the silencing of marginalized artwork (art that needs to be received), and sadly this time it was done by institutions that are suppose to serve as mediums for such rare communication processes. To lift the silence, even on a very minor level, images from both exhibits appear here.

Larissa Sansour

It's easy, but for a moment let's not get swayed into politics. The purpose of this post is this: the holiday season comes every year, but it cannot go by without comment. There's an effort to not be cliche, but at the same time a fear of being so witty and contemporary it's superficial. So what message can we at Profound Aesthetic, a company that cherishes art, creativity and inspiration offer to our readers during this transitional season? The same one we tell you all year long: grow, learn, explore, share.

Larissa Sansour

Do not be content with everything you've learned so far, find more! Do not settle only for the cannon, the classics, the traditional, and the easy to see.

Put yourself in the fight against darkness with your eyes and your heart; with your ears and your hands; with your mouth and your spirit. Not all art exists in museums or on the radio or in movie theaters. You have the internet as your most powerful tool, use it. There are stories that need to be told and expressions that need to be communicated; find them and share, share always. Bend and stretch yourself into different modes of receiving. Find it, whether it's the graffiti behind the dumpster or the T-shirt you're wearing, or the Spanish poem you would have never read if you didn't take that AP course, or that obscure article swimming between the front page and D7, or the story you would have never heard if you didn't have the patience to listen to your grandmother or baby nephew. Too many go silent in this world. Too many flowers are drawn in hope but never seen. Too many battles in that incessant universal war are lost in all the quiet. Too many messages are not received.

If you're looking for a way to be a better person in the new year, or maybe some last acts of goodwill to do before December runs out, find those messages, even just one, and share. Continue the cycle and keep art alive. Happy holidays and thank you for listening.

-@sue_elise

Legit-N***er in Northface

2011-12-07T18:02:00.003-05:00

If you've ever been in one, you know an interracial relationship is not easy. As much as we want to be a post-racial society (whatever that means), race often intersects with too many other layers of identity for it to not create similarities among those of the same and differences between those of different colors. Who we are and what we value can be attributed to many things (how we were raised, experiences we had), and those things can stem from our race and ethnicities.

But anytime two different people come together, it's going to be hard, regardless of color. What makes it even harder is when everyone else and your environment is betting against you because of color. If debates with your lover about things he/she will just "never understand" aren't enough, the added pressure of people staring at you in public spaces or your family and friends hating on your relationship is enough to make you want to run away. Chicago rapper Legit's new video for the single "A Nigger in Northface" is about this very thing. A beautiful portrayal of love, misunderstanding, and prejudice with a twisted ending, the video makes you wonder just how far from reality the outcome really is. If "post-racial" is the goal, then we truly have a lot of work to do.

The Importance of being Earnest for Ricecakes

2011-12-05T12:39:00.007-05:00

It's not everyday that you see a memorable benefit concert at a firehouse in a Providence, Rhode Island, but that's where I was when I first saw Roz Raskin and the Ricecakes. At the time, they were Roz and one rice cake (guitarist/bassist/ percussionist Justin Foster). "This band is the best band in Providence," someone whispered in my ear. He wasn't just saying that because they've won the title in 2010 either. A few days later at a bar in Newport that usually features Limp Bizkit cover bands and was equipped with cantankerous aged patrons who spoke like Peter Griffith, on the night that the Boston Bruins won the Stanley World Cup, I watched Roz and the Ricecakes in full force rock the whole room with catchy songs that featured, of all things, a glockenspiel.

What makes Roz and the Ricecakes so irresistible? For starters they are incredibly talented. Foster can play just about anything. Casey Belisle is rumored to be the best drummer in Rhode Island (told to me by a fellow Rhode Island drummer) and is also the male vocalist. Roz's heart is almost too big for her small stature, and her tender but light voice reveals its sensibility. Her presence more alludes to the female rocker singer/songwriters of the 90s than the whiney hipster girls-with-guitars of today. Which leads to the most important thing about the Ricecakes that sets them apart from other bands: their charm. Call it New England (more specifically Rhode Island) charm or call it quirky, the Ricecake charm is nonetheless endearing and an important part of their musical aesthetic. Their latest EP Monster Man is full of it. Catchy melodies intertwine with a delightful array of strings, percussion, and glockenspiel to make up the 6 song composition. But the Ricecakes are not just trying to be cute; their charm stems from their earnestness. Their songs carry a dark twinge and can come off like abstract cynical observations, albeit observations from a sensitive optimist/realist hurt by the bleak realities of life. They're honest and heartfelt, and the truthfullness is emphasized by the airiness of Roskin's vocals, her harmonies with Belisle, and the jingle of her keyboard (and yes, her glockenspiel). And while the imagery and tone isn't always as playful as the monster walking in yellow fields on "With a Monster Man" (compared with strong declaration of hate for all people on "Hate"), the Ricecakes and Monster Man never lose the charm.

<a href="http://thericecakes.bandcamp.com/track/hate">HATE by The Rice Cakes</a>

During the show at the firehouse, which was a benefit concert for the victims of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake, Roskin clenched and apologized in between lyrics describing various natural disasters during the ironically fitting "Magma". Too soon? Maybe. Did we forgive her? Of course. It's too hard not to.

The Ricecake charm is just too strong to fight off ( unlike the monster in their debut video for "Magma" seen after the jump). They carry it with them wherever they go, along with a van full of Rhode Island's own Narragansett beer, their proud sponsor. This past summer they proved they could play anywhere, sharing the bill with Lupe Fiasco, Chromeo, and Atmosphere at the Kahbang Festival and entertaining an intimate gathering of friends and fans in my candle-lit kitchen all on one tour. Firehouse, apartment, sold out outdoor festival alike, the Ricecakes woo audiences with their unique brand of kindhearted and truthful indie folk-pop and their charming New England persona. As a band that knows where they come from, it's clear the Ricecakes will take themselves far.

Like the Ricecakes on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Bald-Eye

2011-12-03T11:34:00.003-05:00

Between Kid Sister and Rooney Mara, it's clear that no eyebrows are the new look for the Holiday season.

The Fool's Gold MC sports the look in the new video for Flosstradamus's "Luuk Out Gurl", off of their just released EP "Jubilation". The EP title is no doubt in reference to the Juke music of Chicago (the Djs and Kid Sister's hometown) that they've further popularized through their remixes and singles.

Check out the video below and see if you're inspired enough to join the bald-eye trend.

Murals by Jaz

2011-12-01T17:54:00.003-05:00

Street artist Jaz dropped by Mexico City to leave his mark on its walls. The murals, shown above, resonate with tension and beauty. Originally a graffiti writer, Jaz developed new techniques (such as using petrol and asphaltic paint) to create his signature style of water color-like murals. He started on the streets of Buenos Aires, but his work can now be found throughout Latin and America. The murals feature Latin themes, such as bulls, Mexican masked wrestlers, and the antics of soccer hooligans, expressed through Jaz's unique reinterpretations of their bodies and actions.

For more on Jaz, visit his page on graffitimundo and check out more of his work after the jump.

Happy Holiday...

2011-11-24T23:06:00.005-05:00

Congratulations on surviving everyone's favorite holiday: Black Friday.

Just wanted to remind you however that the day isn't over yet, and if you haven't taken advatange of Profound's holiday sales, you have 4 AND HALF hours left to do so!

Discounted prices AND free shipping and handling. Shopping never felt so good!

Just kidding, we know the real Holiday was Thanksgiving and we should really be celebrating things we are thankful for like family, friends, and having a lot of good food.

Unfortunately we don't have turkey poems or photos of stuffing, but here's a recently released awesome d music video about love, featuring adorable critters and one of the most imaginative animated Fall woodlands one's ever seen.

Big Ups to BASA Studios in Mexico City for animating this video to Marian Ruzzi and Sr. Amable's Una Pieza Mas, a truly unforgettable and melodic diddy that will make your heart swoon.

As always, we here at Profound are thankful for creativity such as this. Enjoy the Holiday yall.

Una pieza más - Marian Ruzzi y Sr. Amable from BASA estudio

Poetry You Can Hear

2011-11-23T12:49:00.002-05:00

In high school we had to write a mini thesis paper analyzing a poem of our choice. Every year someone would try to sneak in hip-hop lyrics, but there was rarely a song that soundly used poetic elements to creatively present a theme or idea. Kendrick Lamar's "Rigamortus" however does. Off of the album Section .80, the song is a dream walk through diction, meter, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, assonance, word choice and all types of metaphors and imagery. Lamar's whipped raps are the cherry on top of a sonically pleasing experience. What's better than the original track? A verse from the godfather of fast rhymes himself (you know I'm talking about Busta Bust) on top of it.

Check out the Rigamortus remix ft. Busta Rhymes to hear a song crafted well enough to be a poem.

Let's Weigh In

2011-11-15T12:56:00.008-05:00

Last night the inhabitants of lower Manhattan were shaken out of their slumber to the incessant thunder of helicopter blades slicing the air and bright searchlights flooding through the windows. In a city that is still recovering from the Post Traumatic Stress of an air born terrorist attack, in the specific part of town where this attack occurred, this awakening was terrifying to say the least. No one knew it was coming and more importantly no one knew why. All one could deduct was that something horrible was either happening, had happened, or was being prevented--hopefully.

If sleep was recovered after this 3am wake-up call, then the morning news cleared up the disturbing mystery. There was not another terrorist attack; the NYPD cleared out Zuccotti Park, home of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

We've been pretty quiet about the OWS movement that's swept the nation and the world. It started with a triumphant wave of hope, a resurgence in the belief of change. But lately it's been falling short of expectations, heading into its 3rd month with a dark cloud hanging over its head. Stories of crime, violence, drugs, sexual harassment, rape and even murder have sprung up in the various camps around the country. As Portland, Oakland, and NYC have been cleared out by police, many are wondering where the movement is headed next.

But that's not what we want to talk about today. What sparked this perhaps long over due post was not the 3am Chopper wake-up call. It was news of this T-Shirt:

We're a fashion company after all, aren't we?

The "Occupy All Streets" T-shirt hit the scenes via a twitpic sent by Russell Simmons of Jay-Z wearing the T, which is available on Rocawear, the mogul's own clothing line. A month ago, Simmons brought Jay's right hand man down to Zuccotti Park for a stroll through the scene. Wearing a gold chain and diamonds in his teeth, Kanye West briefly toured the OWS headquarters before having to leave due to crowd issues. Despite all three very much belonging to the 1%, they appear to sympathize with the movement.

Or do they? Controversy sparked when it was made evident that proceeds of the $22 Tee will NOT go to the OWS movement. The shirt is suppose to symbolize that "change can happen anywhere". Of course, that's if you purchase the shirt for $22-25 dollars from a multimillion dollar corporation that is part of but an even larger conglomerate, the business model of which has been and will continue to be to increase its profit and secure its position through trades, acquisitions, and a investment in pricey luxury goods. In other words, support a movement about economic inequality by giving money to that 1%, which will use your money to remain in the 1%.

To quote the man himself, Hov is not a business man but "a business, man". He also isn't the only one trying to make a profit out of a movement that is apparently against that kind of thing. Maybe it's natural. This is America, the commodification capital of the world. We have Hallmark Holidays. When disasters strike we donate money before we'd think about donating time. We feel connected to homeless children in country's oceans away because we buy certain bottled water, while those children don't even have access to clean water. More importantly, the bottle water we buy is often a part of larger corporate schemes that keep those children from having clean water. If we can make money off of a national tragedy, then why not capitalize on a counter cultural movement? The 60s wouldn't be the "60's" if that never happened. So what's the big deal now?

The big deal now is that this particularly countercultural movement is suppose to be against that kind of thing. The big deal is that our heroes (we all love Jay and Yeezy here at Profound) are in this case the villains, simply by being our heroes. But what does that mean for us?

Are you going to buy the Occupy All Streets T? Would you buy it? Should you buy it? Should you care? We've been silent about this whole issue for a while, but we want to hear what you have to say. Is it alright that MTV and Rocawear can capitalize on the youth movement against economic inequality? Is the movement even a movement in the first place? Hip-Hop use to be a countercultural movement, now (at least in mainstream terms) its the business of some of the richest men and women in America, and they don't go through great lengths to hide it at all. Whose really for the people? Where's our folk music, the artists singing our songs and our stories?

I am not in the 1%. But I'm also not in that 15%. You know, one of those 44 million Americans who live below the poverty level--the ones who can't even afford to Occupy a Park. The ones who are essentially invisible because that 99% doesn't want debit card fees for the debit cards they're privileged enough to qualify for, which allow them to exist within this country as a recognizable person worth something to society. Where do the 15% go? Should they Occupy All Streets? Should opposition happen anywhere? Should they invest $22 in a T-shirt? There's a lot of ironies here, a lot of tensions, and most importantly no right answers. But it's time--been time--for the Profound Community to weigh in.

So tell us, what do you think. Where's OWS headed? Is Jay-Z and Rocawear right or wrong? Where is the change really going to happen and who is going to do it? If half of our generation is in Zuccotti Park, and the other half is in Madison Square Garden Watching the Throne--how do we come together?

A Chance Encounter...

2011-11-09T17:21:00.004-05:00

The glory and magnitude of nature will never be challenged, no matter what innovations or creations our geniuses come up with. Silicone, wires and plastic cannot create the raw beauty that Sophie Clive was lucky enough to catch on film one grey day.

A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena.

EP Review: Chucha Santamaria Y Usted

2011-11-06T22:24:00.009-05:00

In the movie Drive, the lead character is a quiet man. He enjoys driving nice cars--fast. By nature of his hobbies and subsequent employment, he spends his time lurking the orange glow of LA's night-streets. With a cool demeanor, he chews on toothpicks, builds engines, and on occasion smashes a man's head in with his cowboy boots. Like magma under a volcano, our anti-hero hero's rage flows under him waiting to erupt. It's brought out by the surprise and possibility of the dark and its inhabitants. He's followed by an original soundtrack, heavily influenced by 80's synth pop. The songs and their sloppy harmonies compliment the night time scenes, but also work to humanize our hero during the day. They speak to his heart and his magma; to his soul and to the fire running through him.

The sounds of Chucha Santamaria Y Usted's self-titled debut EP, released on Young Cubs, are similar: heavily pop-synth influenced tracks reminiscent of the 80's but with a more contemporary edge. They're not blindly happy pop songs; they're dark, at times foreboding. The thundering Fiebre Tropical, a smash single since the summer, leads in the EP with a vibrant energy and the cool urgency of female vocals lamenting the arrival of tropical fever. By I Came for You, the second track, we know we've entered a dark place--a street-crawling space in which the paranoia of urban living manifests itself in high frequencies, echos, and tingling synths. Fanta Fabuloso sounds like a Passion Pit song turned on its head. Ominous imagery is everywhere: love songs set in the fog, desperate longing and obscured vision, prophetic lizards and moths. Take this bit form Grito de Lares Ridox: "Takes the whole night digging, buried in the mud/ eat their gun with your dancing on our way to the sun/ our new haircut feels like falling down the stairs/ backwards and forwards the jungle pushes us." It's violent--magma rushing underneath the surface.

Yet just like Drive, there is something heroic in the ferocity. Perhaps this is due to the production of Matthew Kirkland, the mastermind behind Chucha's music. Several of the songs could easily be dance tracks. The beats and rhythms are sultry. They're wild and sexy like the curves of the night, and this is only further emphasized by Sofia Cordova's voice. She's stronger when she sings in Spanish, which is not to exoticize; the diction and rhythm add another layer to the music and increase the tension. Always slightly off from perfect harmony, in that lazy way of 80's pop, her vocals are mesmerizing and a bit intoxicating. Between her highs and lows are a sense of freedom, a taste of fear, and a promise of adventure, just like night crawling. Maybe this is the sonic painting of Cordova's Puerto Rico, her home and according to her a place "where the poor are destined to live or die." Chucha's EP gives you chills but it also makes you sway. You'll want to listen to it track by track. You'll find your favorite singles and put them on your playlists. You'll keep the record spinning during parties. And on your drives through the orange glow of downtown or post-sunset subway rides into your nightly journey, this will be your soundtrack.

Rough around the edges but still smooth; dangerous and alluring. It's enough to make you wonder what they'll do with a full album.

For more on Chucha Santamaria Y Usted, visit their Facebook or Tumblr.

Oh Wow, Oh wow, Oh wow...

2011-11-01T16:18:00.008-04:00

The eulogy for Steve Jobs, written and presented by his biological sister Mona Simpson who found her brother after 25 years, was published this week, revealing the innovators last moments and a beautiful poignant perspective on his life. Touching on his genius and creative spirit, Simpson's speech also details the courage, tenacity, and wonderment with which he faced life's final journey and his belief in the one thing he cherished the most: love.

Touching, inspiring, and very humanizing, especially in light of slews of articles and books that focus more on the genius as opposed the man, the speech generates ever more respect for the Apple creator. Full text of Simpson's eulogy can be found after the jump.

I grew up as an only child, with a single mother. Because we were poor and because I knew my father had emigrated from Syria, I imagined he looked like Omar Sharif. I hoped he would be rich and kind and would come into our lives (and our not yet furnished apartment) and help us. Later, after I’d met my father, I tried to believe he’d changed his number and left no forwarding address because he was an idealistic revolutionary, plotting a new world for the Arab people.
Even as a feminist, my whole life I’d been waiting for a man to love, who could love me. For decades, I’d thought that man would be my father. When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother.
By then, I lived in New York, where I was trying to write my first novel. I had a job at a small magazine in an office the size of a closet, with three other aspiring writers. When one day a lawyer called me — me, the middle-class girl from California who hassled the boss to buy us health insurance — and said his client was rich and famous and was my long-lost brother, the young editors went wild. This was 1985 and we worked at a cutting-edge literary magazine, but I’d fallen into the plot of a Dickens novel and really, we all loved those best. The lawyer refused to tell me my brother’s name and my colleagues started a betting pool. The leading candidate: John Travolta. I secretly hoped for a literary descendant of Henry James — someone more talented than I, someone brilliant without even trying.
When I met Steve, he was a guy my age in jeans, Arab- or Jewish-looking and handsomer than Omar Sharif.
We took a long walk — something, it happened, that we both liked to do. I don’t remember much of what we said that first day, only that he felt like someone I’d pick to be a friend. He explained that he worked in computers.
I didn’t know much about computers. I still worked on a manual Olivetti typewriter.
I told Steve I’d recently considered my first purchase of a computer: something called the Cromemco.
Steve told me it was a good thing I’d waited. He said he was making something that was going to be insanely beautiful.
I want to tell you a few things I learned from Steve, during three distinct periods, over the 27 years I knew him. They’re not periods of years, but of states of being. His full life. His illness. His dying.
Steve worked at what he loved. He worked really hard. Every day.
That’s incredibly simple, but true.
He was the opposite of absent-minded.
He was never embarrassed about working hard, even if the results were failures. If someone as smart as Steve wasn’t ashamed to admit trying, maybe I didn’t have to be.
When he got kicked out of Apple, things were painful. He told me about a dinner at which 500 Silicon Valley leaders met the then-sitting president. Steve hadn’t been invited.
He was hurt but he still went to work at Next. Every single day.
Novelty was not Steve’s highest value. Beauty was.
For an innovator, Steve was remarkably loyal. If he loved a shirt, he’d order 10 or 100 of them. In the Palo Alto house, there are probably enough black cotton turtlenecks for everyone in this church.
He didn’t favor trends or gimmicks. He liked people his own age.
His philosophy of aesthetics reminds me of a quote that went something like this: “Fashion is what seems beautiful now but looks ugly later; art can be ugly at first but it becomes beautiful later.”
Steve always aspired to make beautiful later.
He was willing to be misunderstood.
Uninvited to the ball, he drove the third or fourth iteration of his same black sports car to Next, where he and his team were quietly inventing the platform on which Tim Berners-Lee would write the program for the World Wide Web.
Steve was like a girl in the amount of time he spent talking about love. Love was his supreme virtue, his god of gods. He tracked and worried about the romantic lives of the people working with him.
Whenever he saw a man he thought a woman might find dashing, he called out, “Hey are you single? Do you wanna come to dinner with my sister?”
I remember when he phoned the day he met Laurene. “There’s this beautiful woman and she’s really smart and she has this dog and I’m going to marry her.”
When Reed was born, he began gushing and never stopped. He was a physical dad, with each of his children. He fretted over Lisa’s boyfriends and Erin’s travel and skirt lengths and Eve’s safety around the horses she adored.
None of us who attended Reed’s graduation party will ever forget the scene of Reed and Steve slow dancing.
His abiding love for Laurene sustained him. He believed that love happened all the time, everywhere. In that most important way, Steve was never ironic, never cynical, never pessimistic. I try to learn from that, still.
Steve had been successful at a young age, and he felt that had isolated him. Most of the choices he made from the time I knew him were designed to dissolve the walls around him. A middle-class boy from Los Altos, he fell in love with a middle-class girl from New Jersey. It was important to both of them to raise Lisa, Reed, Erin and Eve as grounded, normal children. Their house didn’t intimidate with art or polish; in fact, for many of the first years I knew Steve and Lo together, dinner was served on the grass, and sometimes consisted of just one vegetable. Lots of that one vegetable. But one. Broccoli. In season. Simply prepared. With just the right, recently snipped, herb.
Even as a young millionaire, Steve always picked me up at the airport. He’d be standing there in his jeans.
When a family member called him at work, his secretary Linetta answered, “Your dad’s in a meeting. Would you like me to interrupt him?”
When Reed insisted on dressing up as a witch every Halloween, Steve, Laurene, Erin and Eve all went wiccan.
They once embarked on a kitchen remodel; it took years. They cooked on a hotplate in the garage. The Pixar building, under construction during the same period, finished in half the time. And that was it for the Palo Alto house. The bathrooms stayed old. But — and this was a crucial distinction — it had been a great house to start with; Steve saw to that.
This is not to say that he didn’t enjoy his success: he enjoyed his success a lot, just minus a few zeros. He told me how much he loved going to the Palo Alto bike store and gleefully realizing he could afford to buy the best bike there.
And he did.
Steve was humble. Steve liked to keep learning.
Once, he told me if he’d grown up differently, he might have become a mathematician. He spoke reverently about colleges and loved walking around the Stanford campus. In the last year of his life, he studied a book of paintings by Mark Rothko, an artist he hadn’t known about before, thinking of what could inspire people on the walls of a future Apple campus.
Steve cultivated whimsy. What other C.E.O. knows the history of English and Chinese tea roses and has a favorite David Austin rose?
He had surprises tucked in all his pockets. I’ll venture that Laurene will discover treats — songs he loved, a poem he cut out and put in a drawer — even after 20 years of an exceptionally close marriage. I spoke to him every other day or so, but when I opened The New York Times and saw a feature on the company’s patents, I was still surprised and delighted to see a sketch for a perfect staircase.
With his four children, with his wife, with all of us, Steve had a lot of fun.
He treasured happiness.
Then, Steve became ill and we watched his life compress into a smaller circle. Once, he’d loved walking through Paris. He’d discovered a small handmade soba shop in Kyoto. He downhill skied gracefully. He cross-country skied clumsily. No more.
Eventually, even ordinary pleasures, like a good peach, no longer appealed to him.
Yet, what amazed me, and what I learned from his illness, was how much was still left after so much had been taken away.
I remember my brother learning to walk again, with a chair. After his liver transplant, once a day he would get up on legs that seemed too thin to bear him, arms pitched to the chair back. He’d push that chair down the Memphis hospital corridor towards the nursing station and then he’d sit down on the chair, rest, turn around and walk back again. He counted his steps and, each day, pressed a little farther.
Laurene got down on her knees and looked into his eyes.
“You can do this, Steve,” she said. His eyes widened. His lips pressed into each other.
He tried. He always, always tried, and always with love at the core of that effort. He was an intensely emotional man.
I realized during that terrifying time that Steve was not enduring the pain for himself. He set destinations: his son Reed’s graduation from high school, his daughter Erin’s trip to Kyoto, the launching of a boat he was building on which he planned to take his family around the world and where he hoped he and Laurene would someday retire.
Even ill, his taste, his discrimination and his judgment held. He went through 67 nurses before finding kindred spirits and then he completely trusted the three who stayed with him to the end. Tracy. Arturo. Elham.
One time when Steve had contracted a tenacious pneumonia his doctor forbid everything — even ice. We were in a standard I.C.U. unit. Steve, who generally disliked cutting in line or dropping his own name, confessed that this once, he’d like to be treated a little specially.
I told him: Steve, this is special treatment.
He leaned over to me, and said: “I want it to be a little more special.”
Intubated, when he couldn’t talk, he asked for a notepad. He sketched devices to hold an iPad in a hospital bed. He designed new fluid monitors and x-ray equipment. He redrew that not-quite-special-enough hospital unit. And every time his wife walked into the room, I watched his smile remake itself on his face.
For the really big, big things, you have to trust me, he wrote on his sketchpad. He looked up. You have to.
By that, he meant that we should disobey the doctors and give him a piece of ice.
None of us knows for certain how long we’ll be here. On Steve’s better days, even in the last year, he embarked upon projects and elicited promises from his friends at Apple to finish them. Some boat builders in the Netherlands have a gorgeous stainless steel hull ready to be covered with the finishing wood. His three daughters remain unmarried, his two youngest still girls, and he’d wanted to walk them down the aisle as he’d walked me the day of my wedding.
We all — in the end — die in medias res. In the middle of a story. Of many stories.
I suppose it’s not quite accurate to call the death of someone who lived with cancer for years unexpected, but Steve’s death was unexpected for us.
What I learned from my brother’s death was that character is essential: What he was, was how he died.
Tuesday morning, he called me to ask me to hurry up to Palo Alto. His tone was affectionate, dear, loving, but like someone whose luggage was already strapped onto the vehicle, who was already on the beginning of his journey, even as he was sorry, truly deeply sorry, to be leaving us.
He started his farewell and I stopped him. I said, “Wait. I’m coming. I’m in a taxi to the airport. I’ll be there.”
“I’m telling you now because I’m afraid you won’t make it on time, honey.”
When I arrived, he and his Laurene were joking together like partners who’d lived and worked together every day of their lives. He looked into his children’s eyes as if he couldn’t unlock his gaze.
Until about 2 in the afternoon, his wife could rouse him, to talk to his friends from Apple.
Then, after awhile, it was clear that he would no longer wake to us.
His breathing changed. It became severe, deliberate, purposeful. I could feel him counting his steps again, pushing farther than before.
This is what I learned: he was working at this, too. Death didn’t happen to Steve, he achieved it.
He told me, when he was saying goodbye and telling me he was sorry, so sorry we wouldn’t be able to be old together as we’d always planned, that he was going to a better place.
Dr. Fischer gave him a 50/50 chance of making it through the night.
He made it through the night, Laurene next to him on the bed sometimes jerked up when there was a longer pause between his breaths. She and I looked at each other, then he would heave a deep breath and begin again.
This had to be done. Even now, he had a stern, still handsome profile, the profile of an absolutist, a romantic. His breath indicated an arduous journey, some steep path, altitude.
He seemed to be climbing.
But with that will, that work ethic, that strength, there was also sweet Steve’s capacity for wonderment, the artist’s belief in the ideal, the still more beautiful later.
Steve’s final words, hours earlier, were monosyllables, repeated three times.
Before embarking, he’d looked at his sister Patty, then for a long time at his children, then at his life’s partner, Laurene, and then over their shoulders past them.
Steve’s final words were:
OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.
Mona Simpson is a novelist and a professor of English at the University of California, Los Angeles. She delivered this eulogy for her brother, Steve Jobs, on Oct. 16 at his memorial service at the Memorial Church of Stanford University

This is Halloween...

2011-10-31T15:40:00.005-04:00

Happy Halloween! The funnest holiday of the year (if you do it right). What better way to celebrate than with a video by the master of creepy himself--Tim Burton. The genius behind the Nightmare Before Christmas hit the world with his first stop-motion short back in 1982 when he was still working at Disney. Vincent is in black and white and narrated by none other than Vincent Price, the king of the horror genre and star of Burton's other masterpiece: Edward Scissorhands. The short may or may not be autobiographical but it definitely pays homage to the classics of the horror genre that inspired Burton, including the works of Edgar Allen Poe and films staring Price such as House on a Haunted Hill and The Raven.

And so ghouls and gals, enjoy Vincent, the diary of a 7-year-old twisted tormented soul.....

Cap it Off: Delivery 2 Hats are Here

2011-10-28T15:49:00.004-04:00

The new Profound Co. hat, part of the We the People Collection, is on fire. We thought we'd highlight them a little here and entice you a bit, in case the free shipping isn't enough. As emblems of the Profound ethos of simplicity, the classic snapback design combined with clever color schemes and leather accents make these caps must-have accessories.

Check out the Urban Traveler, Big P Varsity in Forest Green, and 5-Panel I Am Profound Cap below. For more colors and to take advantage of of free shipping, head over to the hat page at ProfoundAesthetic.com right now.

Dress-Up

2011-10-26T17:14:00.002-04:00

Halloween is by far the most exciting holiday of the year---if you do it right.

Having the perfect costume is the key to success on all Hallows Eve, especially this year when celebrations will be raging all weekend long. In case you're not sure what to be Complex's 25 Halloween Costumes That Will Get You Laid might not be the best guide to follow, but it does offer some examples of a golden rule we have here at Profound Co: when in doubt, stay fly.

Check out some of these costume ideas. They may or may not help make you "popular" at the parties but they'll definitely keep you styling throughout the weekend. Warning: if you follow the Complex guide completely it will do some damage to your pocket, so take note, interpret, and create your own version of the costume that works for you. If nothing else, be inspired! There's more out there than zombies and Freddy Krugers. I hear the sexy vampire is in this year...As is drivin' hammer slingin' blood-jacket-wearing Ryan Gosling.

"The Driver"

Bill Clinton--watch out for that $800 suit bill tho

James Bond- Always a good choice

Hans Solo-- for the fashionable nerd in you

Clark Kent/Superman

Because classic is always trendy.

Metals

2011-10-22T10:37:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since we've heard the slightly hoarse howls and shaky vocals of Feist. Grant it, we all still remember her biggest hits and their totally entertaining accompanying videos 1,2,3,4, My Moon My Man, Inside and Out, Feel it All. But what we have missed are the songs that are less pop--the ones that don't make us think she's some type of jazzy folk singer and more of a wise soul flowing out of a guitar.

Her third big studio album came out earlier this month and from the singles that have been released its obvious we may have our girl back. Feist claims that on Metals she accomplishes her goal as a songwriter to move from relaying personal stories to crafting adages and proverbs. Of course, there were songs like this that existed on her last two albums: quiet melancholy and peaceful songs with profound metaphors (see "The Water"). But it's good to know that instead of sandwhiching these songs between fun poppy outbursts, Feist has been able to spend time and attention on crafting an entire album out of them, ideally releasing to the world a book of musical proverbs worth listening to. Here are two singles from the new album, which you can stream right now on her website.

Super Uber

2011-10-17T15:48:00.003-04:00

The Creators Project (NYC) was this past weekend, but its website boasts so many amazing international artists and designers that we could keep posting about them for months.

One of my favorites is Brazilian design group Super Uber, a collective based in Sao Paulo that combines architecture, software engineering, graphic design and a creative sensibility to create interactive multimedia projects for a variety of sectors. Whether working for a school or presenting their own exhibits, Super Uber removes the border between man and machine for a truly interactive experience in which the observer becomes a part of the exhibit.

Super Uber's Reel

Their latest project--the Mapping of Santa Rita-- takes an old church in Rio de Janeiro and turns it into something living and malleable via the technology of projection mapping. Video of this amazing event can be found below in Portuguese, but for more information on how the Mapping of Santa Rita works and Super Uber as a collective head over to their profile on the Creators Project's website.

Occupy Your Screens

2011-10-14T18:14:00.007-04:00

The average person sees 5,000 advertisements per day; 5,000 images, sounds, and words telling us how life is or how it should be. Of course these ads don't reach us through a vacuum. They come at us in our cars while we're listening to the radio, as we surf the web on our laptops, at movie theaters before the previews, when we're reading the newspaper and most notably when we're watching our favorite television shows. We live a mediated life, and it doesn't matter if you get all of your media through one device--you're still a part of a world that is constructed by and consists of media. The truth is that outside of the classroom and life experience, the media is where we get our information about the world. Not to pull an Orwell or any other apocolyptic author, but 9/10 times if the media isn't telling us how to think it's facilitating our thought process.

What's wrong with that? The problem lies that even despite the democratizing digital revolution that makes information and the creation of information accessible to a very broad range of people, media doesn't exist; it's created. In fact it's created and controlled and not by very many people but generally by one of the 5-6 major media and entertainment conglomerates responsible for 90% of what the world sees on screens, reads on paper, or hears through speakers. There's been a lot of ruckus lately about corporate control of finances, but what about corporate control of information? Where are the voices against the small amount of individuals responsible for portraying total populations?

Here's one.

Miss Representation is a film that reveals the long-standing media bias against women and girls in the United States of America and the detrimental real-life effects it has. Written and directed by Stanford Business School alumnus Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film challenges media's history of valuing women only for their sexuality and the under-representation of women in positions of power, both on-air and off. The truth is that despite women making up the larger percentage of the country and college campuses, they only make up 17% of congress. Countries in regions of the world we culturally deem "non-progressive" have beat us to the punch for centuries at having female national leaders, and so have other first world nations such as the UK and Germany. In case you were looking for higher figures, women do hold the majority in a few areas: 65% of women and girls suffer from eating disorders, 1 out of 3 will be sexually assaulted within their lifetime, and they are more likely than men to suffer violence.

The chain of command here is pretty simple: average people are influenced by culture and cultural norms---> cultural norms are perpetuated (and sometimes created) by mass media------>mass media is controlled by only a handful of people and those people are men (women hold 3% of high positions in mainstream media). This has been the situation since the foundation of the country. Isn't it time for a change?

In the 1940's my grandmother was a riveter. That means she went to a factory and built bomber airplanes for American troops during WWII. As men went off to war, women were called upon to fill their shoes in the workplace and they did so with honor and pride. They helped keep the economy running as well as assisted in the American victory in the war. More importantly, even women who did not work in the factories found ways to be deeply involved in and support their country during its time of need. The image of "Rosie the Riveter" is now an American icon and symbol of female power and economic and political influence. These influences have only increased in the time since as women continue to seek positions of power and make contributions to the political and economic spheres. Unfortunately, their voices aren't as loud as they could be. Today, most of the images we see of women emphasize their breasts or how well they dress. Today, women fight harder than ever to be heard instead of simply seen. This imbalance limits the voices and perspective represented within our country's leadership. It limits girls from growing into the world leaders they dream they can be. And further it leaves many suffering from the pains of adolescence as those girls attempt to grow into the women they've been told they're "suppose" to be. Men should be concerned about this too, for everything a woman is constructed to be is based off of what a man isn't. Boys struggle to fit definitions of masculinity created by this constructed difference.

Miss Representation is premiering on OWN on October 20th at 9pm ET. You can find or schedule screenings near you via the film's website missrep.org. The demand for change is in the air, but change in this instance doesn't require a systematic upheaval. It requires us as media consumers to question the images we are constantly fed and to fight them in our daily lives. Feminism today is a dirty word, but so is misogyny. You can participate in the empowerment or disempowerment of women in your daily life through your words, actions and dreams you have. We know it's popular right now to Occupy Wall St., but it's been dire to Occupy Your Screens. How can we question the power hierarchies that leave us in unequal economic conditions without challenging the hierarchies we actively participate in and that effect what we believe?

- @sue_elise

Chris Milk @ The Creators' Project

2011-10-13T17:18:00.005-04:00

The Creators Project is back in the USA this weekend, setting camp in Dumbo, Brooklyn. As a brand that prides itself on celebrating creativity and innovation, we'd be untrue to ourselves if we didn't blog about this brilliant event that brings together artists, musicians, and thinkers from around the world to share their work with each other and the public ('fo free!).

Here's an excerpt from the website to explain a little bit more what the Creators Project is all about:

The Creators Project is a global network dedicated to the celebration of creativity, culture and technology. At a time in the history of the arts where digital technology has revolutionized distribution, democratized access, and re-imagined the scope and scale with which an artist can create a vision and reach an audience, The Creators Project is a new kind of arts and culture channel for a new kind of world.

We'll be posting videos of our favorite featured creators later, but this first one is a must see. You've probably heard all about Arcade Fire's dazzling interactive performance at the past Coachella that involved giant balls of multi-colored light falling from the sky (seriously!). Well, here is the mastermind behind the project, Chris Milk, and his production team discussing the production process two-weeks prior to the concert. Dedicated to finding new ways for people to experience familiar platforms, Milk and his crew of smart and technologically savy thinkers produced a moment that challenged the concept of music videos, outdoor exhibitions, live-experiences, and concert crowds interaction with the music forever. They called their project "Summer Into Dust". Check out the video after the jump.

For more on the Creators Project, click here.

Reconsider Columbus Day

2011-10-10T16:30:00.006-04:00

Fact: the indigenous people of the Americas don't have a national holiday. There isn't a single day in the calendar year dedicated to appreciatiating their achievements and contribution throughout the centuries or the massive sacrifice they suffered and continue to suffer as a result of exploitation, colonization, slavery and ethnic cleansing at the hands of the "explorers", "discoverers", and "founding fathers" of the North and South American continents; men like Christopher Columbus and those who came after him, and especially those who stayed.

It's obvious that history cannot be redone and that the brutal carnage released upon these people cannot be fixed or rectified. But what can be done is the simple recognition of one fact: the economies and legacies of the greatest and most wealthiest nations on the planet throughout history would not have been possible without the violent exploitation of indigenous people.

We at Profound Co. simply ask that while you are enjoying your holiday please, reconsider Columbus Day.

It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn

2011-10-09T11:07:00.004-04:00

It's hard to dance with the devil on your back

so shake it out.

The world is pretty much ready for another harmonic and inspirational Florence and the Machine album; one filled with pounding drums, ringing choirs, and the overwhelming vocals of a woman who believes in the power of music. Thankfully, we don't have to wait too long, as the songbird's Ceremonials will be released this Halloween. Turns out she's as excited as we are, speaking back in September 2010 about how her team and self have gone "properly intense". How true that is will be revealed on the 31st, but the video for the first single "Shake it Out" proves that at the least this album is pure Florence, done proper.

The story of Shake it Out is one of vanquishing demons and uplifting oneself from the weight of confusion and exasperation in order to victoriously dance. Even if this appears to take place at the Masquerade from Romeo and Juliet, Shake it Out's already become a heavily blasted anthem. Check it out above, and visit the Florence website to pre-order Ceremonials now.

The Coolest Thing on the Internet

2011-10-07T10:42:00.004-04:00

Beyonce never looked so cool.

And I'm not talking about the baby bump or her new video for "Countdown". Well I am...kinda. Let's just say that if you like the song and video then you have to see it/experience it through this perspective. And if you haven't seen or heard anything yet, this is the best way to be introduced.

Yooouuu Tuuube

From the mind of creator, programmer, internet journeyman and YouTube enthusiast David Kraftsow, you can now experience Bey in every color, angle and direction. Kraftsow's program Yooouuu Tuuube has been available since 2009, and while you can construct your own Yooouuu Tuuube experience, there may not be a better single or video for it then the just-released "Countdown". Click the link above and oh, make sure you put it on flux.

Kraftsow's site dontsave.com has other nifty YouTube sourcing projects to melt your mind with. Personal favorites are YouTube Rave, which turns your YouTubing experience into an all out rave featuring the song of your choice (I suggest David Guetta's Titanium ft. Sia), At My Funeral, an eerie but interesting look at how people would plan their funerals via You Tube videos, and first person tetris, all of which you can participate in. Despite being in the hot seat with the mighty Goliyath Google, who sent him a cease and desist letter, this David continues his user-sourcing projects that offer a refreshing new way to see and experience the video jungle that has become YouTube. It may not give it order, but it makes a lot of fun of the chaos.

Create your own Yooouuu Tuuube video or find out what's "better than bieber" at dontsave.com NOW.

A Profound Impact: Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T18:29:00.007-04:00

If you have not heard the news yet than you are perhaps a member of the very small population that has somehow not had at least 3 aspects of their lives changed by this man. Yesterday the world lost Steve Jobs, who had spent his last handful of years courageously battling pancreatic cancer. So much can be said and has been said of this man, but for the sake of simplicity perhaps it is best to summarize his impact on the world as such: he turned a mundane fruit into an internationally recognized eternalized iconic image. Stop for a moment and think about what you're doing: How are you reading this post? How did you even find it? Are you listening to music? If so on what device? Where do you go to purchase it? How are you sharing it, this post, and every other bit about yourself with the rest of the world? If you're in a cafe, library, study hall, airport, or simply walking down the street, what kind of device is everyone else on? The answer to all these questions will either directly or indirectly take you back to that one image: Apple. In 1976, Steve Jobs and his colleagues created the first Apple computer, and since then the world has never been the same. But it was not just the technology that made a difference: computers had existed and would continue to exist without Apple. So would the internet and email, etc. . It is the genius innovative and determined spirit with which Jobs approached his technology that made all the difference, and there is nothing wrong with stating that the digital revolution we've all come to witness and experience would not have happened the same way without him.

Have you ever seen the movie Toy Story? What about Finding Nemo, Wall-E, or Monster's Inc. Actually, name any other animated movie that's come out in the last 20 years and dazzled a child (and adult's) eye, and you can trace its origin back to Jobs as well. While on hiatus from Apple, Jobs went on to create Pixar as the animated-film powerhouse we all know today. The success of its first film brought the animated movie back to life. So much so that even non-Pixar made films would not have been possible without the precedent Toy Story set and the new place for imagination it created.

Jobs's eventual return to Apple however generated the iGeneration we belong too. There isn't really a need to continue listing every individual accomplishment and invention. We already know them, even if we don't know them. Because the plain truth is this: Ever since 1976, the mind of Steve Jobs has changed the entire media and entertainment industry, how we communicate, share, and relate with one another, and increased the number of innovations made possible by a myriad of other creative divergent thinkers in the digital age. The old saying of "standing on the shoulders of giants" holds true, except today one could more or less say that the current digital innovators (who are without a doubt also swiftly changing our lives) are standing on the shoulders of one giant: Steve Jobs. Whether as followers, competitors, or simply users, there are thousands of people and ideas that would not exist without this man. With that we wish to pay our respects to his legacy and honor his life, although there is no doubt that the name, work, and image will stay with us forever.

Thank you Steve, rest in deserved peace.

For extra inspiration, please read the text of his tremendous speech at the 2005 Stanford University Commencement Ceremony.

Bidoun: Avant-Garde Gap Fillers

2011-10-03T16:38:00.005-04:00

Starting in 2004, Bidoun has stepped up to fill the void of coverage on Middle Eastern art and culture. A collective of artists, critical thinkers, writers, and scholars Bidoun operates on a number of platforms, most noticeably publishing, curating, and educational events. As a literary magazine, the group gives voice to and raises awareness of the movers and shakers of Middle Eastern societies who may fly below the dominant Global radar but have stories worth reporting. In their last issue (#24 Sports) for example, writer Curtis Brown debunks and expands the story of Omar Sharif, the man rumored to have represented Egypt in the 1964 Olympics as a contract bridge player. Although untrue, his real-life endeavors to popularize the sport are far more adventurous than the Olympic fable.

In the art world, Bidoun has curated the work of acclaimed avant-garde artists and featured them in installations around the world. More recent projects include Noise, which opened at the Sfeir-Semler Gallery in Beirut, Forms of Compensation, which opened at Art Dubai, and Bidoun Library 1.0, which was last seen at the New Museum in New York City.

As of last week Bidoun released issue #25. This latest issue and more information on projects and other Bidoun works can be found online at http://www.bidoun.org. If you're in New York City, be sure to visit their Chinatown storefront to experience Bidoun live and get a grasp of the offline activities of this groundbreaking organization.

From the article "Inglorious Bastards" by Meera Subramanian on the art & culture of hunting with birds (# 24 Sports). Photo by George Awde

Little. Egypt. Wavy.

2011-09-29T17:42:00.005-04:00

It is not hard to hear Rob Roy and realize that something different is going on. His style of "experimental hip-hop" (as some would call it) is really an example of evolution that every successful art form goes thru. Instead of copying and pasting like so many rappers, Roy truly puts his own touch, intentions, and visions of creativity into his flow. His music videos typically follow his path of freshly rehashing images and styles that are already familiar symbols in the hip-hop world. That's why it's great to see he has a new single and video out. "Little Egypt Wavy" is full of the peculiar but cleverly structured rhymes Roy is known for, as well as elements of the then and now--both visually and sonically. The somewhat distorted bass-line resurrects the early 2000's while the visual effects and synths keep us present. And then there are the sweet last two minutes of the song filled with harmonic 90s riffing--the kind that will have you singing "so wavy for you" in the shower for the next week and a half.

Follow Rob Raimon Roy on Twitter: @robertraimonroy

We the People Promo

2011-09-28T22:53:00.005-04:00

Here is the promo for the lookbook of Profound's Fall We the People Collection: Voyage to the American Dream.

Based on the concept that we the people as a whole work individually to construct the American dream within our everyday life, the We the People Collection aims at providing inspiration for the daily voyage. Together we are the people.

Come Dream with Us....

Mid-West Standup!

2011-09-27T14:10:00.003-04:00

Blue eyes and blonde hair, Charles Andrew Bothwell looks like the Midwest, but his features aren't the only way he represents the region. For the past two decades, the Midwest has been pumping out some of the most prolific hip-hop with Bothwell's hometown of Minneapolis, MN at the center of the movement. Bothwell aka Astronautalis joins the Twin-City hip-hop ranks in the company of Atmosphere, P.O.S., and Grieves, but make no mistake: his style, flow, and hybridity are all his own. His fourth album This is Our Science dropped earlier this month and the video for its first single "Contrails" hit the web yesterday. Joined by former tour mate Tegan Quinn (of Tegan and Sara), Astronautalis strolls the street as a well-dressed lyrical blind man, spitting out that Midwest rhyme and diction like it's his first language.

For now, you can peep the video here at Paste Magazine.

Astronautalis on twitter:

@astronautalis

What is Missing?

2011-09-24T18:26:00.005-04:00

One of the top stories on NPR's homepage today was a story on the future of ocean sounds. Not the noise of crashing waves but rather the sounds of ocean life and the noises that are interfering with them. The ubiquitous sounds of ships have effected everything from fish migration to whale calls. These drastic changes in animal behavior could mean devastation for the larger oceanic eco-system.

The article brings to mind the content of Whatismissing.net, an online environmental memorial dedicated to the loss (or future losses) of the planet. Created by Maya Linn, the artist responsible for the Vietnam Memorial, the website creates multi-media layers of disappearing natural phenomena in the form of plot points placed around the globe. As of this past Earth Day, site-visitors are allowed to upload their own "memories" creating a unique, creative, and interactive way to conceptualize the affects of climate change. However, the project is linked with a foundation that donates funds towards environmental advocacy. The videos featured here were a part of a series put up in Times Square by MTV's Creative Times public art project.

Lake Branding

2011-09-22T12:37:00.007-04:00

Here is an example of an opportunist: How do you make a lake stand out in the land of 1,000 lakes? By giving it an image, a character, a brand. Art director of Cargo Collective and graphic designer Nicole Meyer decided to do something about the lack of enthusiasm surrounding lake logos by bringing a sensitivity to aesthetics to the table. Every day Meyer will release a new logo specifically designed for each lake in Minnesota on Branding10000lakes.com. The catch? This will take her 27 years to complete.

While it's not tied with any board of tourism or commercial endeavors, Meyer's project and dedication proves a simple point: there is no limit to how art and creativity can be applied. The astute eye can craft even the most mundane things into profound aesthetics.

Find out more about Meyer or her site or follow her on twitter. And see more lakes at Branding10000lakes.com.

Busy Being Born: DJ Mehdi

2011-09-16T14:41:00.006-04:00

It is with our deep sadness that we announce the death of a true innovator in the music scene, French-Algerian producer and turn table genius Dj Mehdi. Known throughout the global hip-hop and dance music worlds, Mehdi began as a hip-hop producer who broke out on the scene by mixing the basslines and beats of Hip-hop with the grooves of French electronic music. Eventually signing to Ed Banger Records, Mehdi released numerous solo albums and mixtapes that have inspired the likes of Daft Punk and A-Trak and shook the French and global dance scenes with their extremely catchy and creative tracks. Along the way he has collaborated with and remixed songs by artists such as Chromeo, Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z andSantigold. Last year Medhi and friend Riton launched Carte Blanche, combining Dj forces to produce even more infectious tracks including the hit "Do Do Do" featuring Kid Sister.

His death, the result of a very tragic accident involving the collapse of a glass balcony at the dj's home, has stunned the music world. Famous clubs in Paris closed their doors to show respect, Chromeo rescheduled their tour in order to fly out to Paris, and everyone from Drake to Hot 97 weighed in via media to share their deep sorrow at the loss if a truly groundbreaking artist. The French minister of culture Frederic Mitterand called Mehdi "one of the most dynamic and inspired artists of the young hip-hop and electro French scene." His value can be better understood through his music, so with that I leave you with some of my favorite Mehdi pieces.

RIP DJ Mehdi

1977-2011

"A turntable magician, but also an audacious producer, a virtuso of mixing completely different musical genres, Mehdi Faveris-Essadi..."

- Frederic Mitterrand

Youth Anxieties

2011-09-12T15:47:00.007-04:00

For my whole life I've dealt with extreme anxiety... Weird...bizarre things. Things that only I know. So I started writing these songs. Not just about my anxiety, but about my past and my present...I know that if I can be honest about what is inside my mind, there will be others that will be able to relate to it.

- Trevor Powers (Youth Lagoon)

It's easy to dismiss anything or anyone trying to represent the "youth culture" of today, especially since that tends to indicate some expression of an over-jaded, over-privileged, and unworthy-of-analysis mass culture rooted on some level in the "hipster" lifestyle. But sometimes, its worth noting that the magnitude of growing up is truthfully overwhelming. The older I get, the more thoughts keep me up at night, the more I try to figure out what's next in a time when the usual steps don't exist anymore and even actual adults don't know black from white. Adulthood is disappearing, or transforming, or something like that, and what's left in its place is this extended period of confusion and anxiety. You can call it something else if you're a scholar, or "the hardworking years" if you're old school/an optimist. Personally, most days I try to find the positive in the bigger room for growth and experimentation this leaves us, but some days (and nights) I'm just plain scared. It's not only about having a career or social security either. There are fears about who I'm going to be, who I want to be, whom I'm going to love, where I'm going to live, and what will make me happy, among others. I'm not alone. Sometime around the middle teenage years we realize this forest of unanswered questions awaits us; maybe we've known it all along. Either way, it's overwhelming, and not something to be scoffed at.

This sense of inundation is exactly what 22-year-old Trevor Powers tries to express via his musical project Youth Lagoon. Through songs that act as journal entries, Trevor is able to record the dancing thoughts that keep his heart racing and breath short, ideally for an audience that will be able to relate. Sure his music is semi the product of the aforementioned "youth" culture, in which social media create rockstars overnight and artists that have never played outside of their state are suddenly booked for national and international tours. Yes, his airy vocals and minimal, synthy-instrumentation are basically ubiquitous in indie-music these days. But what's different is the heart and mind behind his music, the lost child represented in Powers's vocal timbre, and the growing pains harnessed in the crescendos and tensions of his music. We can all relate.

The latest Youth Lagoon video for the single "Montana" just premiered. It is a beautiful depiction of man reliving memories of growing up in the Mid-West while he's searching for a certain ghost that hasn't stopped haunting him since childhood. Erie? Sure. Poignant? Yes. Worth watching? Definitely.

For More on Youth Lagoon, visit his page on Fat Possum records or follow him on twitter.

Youth Lagoon - Montana from Tyler T Williams on Vimeo.

- @sue_elise

100 Years of Fashion

2011-09-09T15:21:00.003-04:00

In honor of all the Fashion bru-ha-ha, check out this cool vid that flips through 100 years of London fashion in 100 seconds. It also goes through 100 years of dancing but, what's important this week are the clothes.

Da Boss

2011-09-09T13:14:00.006-04:00

Chances are you're probably already familiar with the work of El Jefe. His designs are almost ubiquitous in the independent music scene, and his non-musical clients include Dreamworks, the New York Times, NPR, a few universities, and the 9:30 club in DC. Based in DC, El Jefe design is a one man show run by illustrator and "failed rock star" Jeffery Everett. While his portfolio is diverse, Everett is most famous and called upon for his illustrations, which combine vintage imagery with fringe culture iconography and neo-noir elements. As an ex-aspiring musician, Everett works closely with each band to create the perfect concept for the posters, often finding inspiration in the music and lyrics of certain songs. The stories behind the posters (which can be found on the El Jefe website) express this unique relationship between the music and the artist. Take for example this recent poster for the Horrible Crowes:

Anyway, here are some more posters by the legendary Jefe. To purchase one (or two or three) visit his website www.eljefedesign.com

- sue-elise

Gentlelady

2011-09-07T21:09:00.009-04:00

It's taken us a few days to get over Erykah Badu after having a whole weekend of her live performances. This past Saturday the Profound Co. booth was front and center when she hit the stage at Rock the Bells, and besides being blown away by her set, we were really diggin' her outfit. Badu has been as much of a idiosyncratic trend-setter as she has been a neo-soul queen. From headwraps to afros, she never ceases to create fashion out of fused styles. Her latest look is that of the Gentlelady: masculine apparel with a feminine touch. See photos of her RTB attire Below:

Photo via Brooklyn Vegan

Photo via Consequence of Sound

It's a common misconception that Profound Aesthetic, which specializes in T-Shirts and accessories is a men's clothing company. This goes for any other company that doesn't make separate lines solely for women. While there is validity to doing this, there is also nothing wrong with blurring the lines and combining styles. We at Profound Co consider ourselves a unisex clothing company, so we thought we'd discuss the Gentlelady look, or as it's more commonly called "tomboy femme".

The phrase "tomboy femme" describes clothes that are not traditionally "girly", but worn with an elegance, grace, and flare that can emphasize the softness of femininity while also redefining what it means to be "feminine". Traditionally a Tom Boy is a girl who partakes in activities more associated with boys, but that doesn't mean she wants to forsake her womanhood. Gender politics aside, tomboy fem is a style for women who want to look good and feel comfortable in what makes them happy, even if that means crossing a few lines. By appropriating men's clothing, women who dress in tom boy femme style are expressing their individualities as the women they are rather than being limited by what they should be. At the same time, many women are simply appreciating fashion and being stylish. It's doesn't have to be an identity; in many cases it's just a choice. But enough explanation, in honor of Badu, fashion, and the encouragement of a truly creative style, here are some photos from one of my favorite user-generated fashion tumblrs Tomboyfemme.com, which routinely posts all things Gentlelady. Fellas, appreciate the swag. Ladies, maybe try it for yourself?

Profound Visionary: Erykah Badu (video)

2011-09-02T12:32:00.010-04:00

Last night I had the extreme privilege (and luck) to see Erykah Badu's dj set at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan. The wait was long, the place was packed, but once everyone lucky enough to get a stamp had filed in the show was on. Before Ms. Badu appeared, a young man by the name of Adrian Younge and his band blew our ears off with the sound of his eclectic LA multi-instrumental rock-funk-soul-jazz. Dressed in dapper grey suits, Younge and his band, a group of obviously seasoned LA rockers, played something like the soundtrack to an intergalactic voyage. Two guitars, a bass, a keyboard, a synthesizer, drums, the occasional saxophone and a sprinkle of jazz flute created a cornucopia of sound with a tone similar to Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi's Rome. At times I felt like one of the songs just missed getting on a Kill Bill soundtrack, but that may be because the drummer resembled Quentin Tarantino. In reality, Younge composed the score for the Black Dynamite, a parody of 70's Blaxploitation films, from which Younge is also inspired. As dynamic as his sound was, it was clear that most of the audience was there to see Ms. Badu, so the end of his set was highly welcomed.

Walking on stage in a sports coat, vintage (and used) fedora, oxford shirt, beige tweed pants and golden riding boots, Erykah Badu smiled at the roar that immediately came from the anxiously awaiting crowd. She introduced herself by stating her long list of aliases, professed her love for music, and then began the set with a choppy mix of "A Mili" by Lil Wayne. It becamec clear that she was just dusting off the tables once the neo-soul queen began to playfully tease the audience with classic hits, contemporary bangers, and a few of her own diddies. While many hoped she would sing a diddy or two (which she couldn't due to her headlining appearance at Rock The Bells tomorrow), experiencing her dj set was a true intimate treat. It's incredible to watch a passionate artist geek out and vibe with the music that turns her gears. Add witnessing that to the fact that the same tracks get you going as well and you have a moment in which the souls of the artist and fan intertwine within the sound waves and bass. The atmosphere was filled with compassion and love for music. As we danced Badu two-stepped, and together we paid homage to the musical legacy bonds us all together. "Hip-Hop is bigger than religion," she has exclaimed many times, but explains flawlessly in the interview below. After feeling the spiritual interconnectedness that flooded the smoky room, I'd have to agree.

"Everything comes out as some form of creativity for me, and art. And it's an effortless thing for me. It's pretty much how they made me. I embrace that part of me. I was encouraged throughout my life to express who I am, or who I thought I am."

-Erykah Badu

Spiritual, fearless, soulful, Erykah Badu has had a 20-year long career, although her music and presence never gets old. She has worked with legends of the industry, and continues to collaborate and inspire. Personally, she's been my hero since I was 10, for her style, confidence, and overall artistic aura. If you haven't been able to see her at Rock the Bells, or perhaps are unaware with her genuine magic, enjoy the interview that was released yesterday by MADE in Berlin as a part of their Visions of Visionaries series.

VISIONS OF VISIONARIES WITH ERYKAH BADU from MADE Blog on Vimeo.

Creativity is Freedom. Creativity is also the absence of fear....I guess the braver you are the deeper you go into your craft, whatever that may be.

Back to School Special: Weavers

2011-09-01T15:21:00.004-04:00

Back to school time is time to take a look at some great Fall fashion. Phillip Lim's men's Fall 2011 collection is full of handsome angles and sharp accessories, like the desirable black leather " 31 Hour Bag". Aesthetically pleasing video that features the Fall collection after the jump.

The MountainTop

2011-08-31T18:52:00.004-04:00

In the past century, there is no public figure whose legacy stands more profound than Martin Luther King Jr. That is why the nation is rejoicing at the unveiling of the D.C. monument, fifteen years in the making, dedicated to his honor. At this same moment, the theatre community is also celebrating the life of MLK a few states away. The Mountaintop, a new play by Katori Hall that shook audiences in the UK has finally come to Broadway. Its audacity is apparent in the names of its lead actors: Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. The play takes place the night before Dr. King's assassination in his hotel room in Memphis, hours after he delivered the "I've been to the mountaintop" speech. It's only 90 minutes long with no intermission, but the minimalistic setting is sure to bring out palpable passion and humanity between the two actors. For more information about The Mountaintop and how to attain tickets, please visit its official Broadway website here. The play opens in late September, but for now here's Samuel L. Jackson discussing what he hopes audiences, particularly young audiences, can take from the piece at this time of national reflection on Dr. King.

Magma

2011-08-28T18:38:00.003-04:00

Because after earthquakes and hurricanes, what comes next?

A while ago we posted about Roz and the Rice Cake's kickstarter to fund their new video. Well the d.i.y. band teamed up with independent production company Crash Boom Bang Media and this is the final product: a monster vs. the people....or is it the other way around? You decide while enjoying the video for their infectious single, "Magma".

Transit Shutdown

2011-08-27T15:40:00.002-04:00

In preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, many East Coast cities have shut down their transit systems, including the most famous public transportation system of them all, New York City's MTA. In honor of this humbling event, here's some cool transportation art. Fadeout Design's TRNSPRTNATION is a series of typographic subway maps, composed out of the names of stations along the various lines. Today we salute NYC's famed and currently abandoned subways, but you can also buy posters to other Irene-targeted cities like Boston and Washington D.C.

In all seriousness, our hearts and minds are out to those facing the storm. Be safe and secure. We advise you stock up on water and non-perishables, but here are some links to other Hurricane Irene resources.

National Hurricane Center

Ready.Gov Hurricane Preparedness

http://crisislanding.appspot.com/

Deluth Packs

2011-08-24T19:11:00.005-04:00

the Scoutmaster Pack

We couldn't wait for Summer Eleven to get here, but unfortunately in only a few short weeks it will be that time again. But we won't leave you hanging high and dry, as we are always dedicated to the good looks. Profound Co. will be releasing some new and exciting things for back to school time, so here are some things you can compliment the new goodies with.

Deluth Packs!

Hand-crafted in the USA, reliable, and elegant in their rugged simplicity, Deluth Packs will hold your books and laptops while also keeping you in style. The famous Scout-Master Pack has been resized to accommodate all your back to school needs. Check that out and a few of our other favorite packs after the jump.

Kendrick Lamar, ADHD

2011-08-24T15:02:00.003-04:00

The Life + Times released Kendrick Lamar's new video for the single A.D.H.D. At first listen, the song is just another pitless party track, but Lamar's delivery and lyricism weaves a more intimate hypnotic story about the mindset lurking behind drug use.

You know why we crack babies? Because we born in the 80s, the A.D.H.D. crazy....

The song has a throwback feel mixed in with contemporary synths. Lamar, who claims a supernatural encounter with Tupac inspired his work, has just been crowned the new King of the West Coast by none other than Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog. He's sure to bring the crown to new places while also keeping its legacy alive.

I'm at a house party tripping off my generation....

Earthquake Music: Flo+the Machine

2011-08-23T14:38:00.004-04:00

In case you haven't evacuated your city yet, an earthquake just hit the Virginia-DC area and shook the whole east coast. Despite the eye-rolling of Californians, whose own state is just two shakes away from becoming an island, we here on the Atlantic are wondering what could have caused such terror. What's that you say? A shift of plate tectonics along a fault line? Okay fine, but let's be a little creative here. Did the earth tremor in sadness at news of the passing of legendary Motown songwriter Nick Ashford? Maybe it was freaked out that Selena Gomez covering Nicki Minaj's Superbass is considered rapping. More than likely, it involves something more geological. But maybe, just maybe, the earth was stoked to hear the just-released first single off of Florence+ The Machine's upcoming album. It's just a guess, but either way That's What the Water Gave Me is full of Florence's powerful vocals, haunting choral harmonies, and rain-dance percussion, all of which she promises will be highly featured on the new album set for release in the Fall.

Watch here on Vevo

Summer Fever

2011-08-21T11:11:00.004-04:00

It's not always cool to follow trends, but if the hot topic is an irresistible synth-pop track that also serves as a metaphorical f---k you to early Spanish explorers, an exception can be made. Chucha Santamaria Y Usted's Fiebre Tropical has made its way around the web this summer, and today we tell you it's for good reason: it's simply feverish. Enough has already been written about the duo and how they're so cool for being transplants from one location to another like the rest of us, so we'll skip all that. Just listen and download the song over at rcrdlbl. You can thank us later.

For more on Chucha Santamaria Y Usted, visit them on MySpace and Facebook.

All Time Yeezy: Diamonds are Forever...

2011-08-15T15:54:00.004-04:00

With this in mind let us understand: "Watch the throne" is not a threat--it's been taken. The two have simply decided it's time for the rest of the game to watch itself be ruled.

Last week Kanye West and Jay-Z dropped the most anticipated album of the millennium. It didn't take much to set the music industry, blogosphere, and arts & culture sections ablaze. Simply the idea of the two Hip-Hop atlases teaming up for a project lit the match. But any Roc-A-Fella fan knows Watch the Throne is not the first time 'Ye and Jay have worked together. Long before "So Appalled" or "Monster", Kanye was a lowly (but highly talented) producer shaping the sound of key Jay-Z albums such as The Black Album and the Blueprints. It was back then in the early 2000s that the Chi-Town rapper started working his way up the ladder, the Roc-A-Fella chain in his eyes. 11 years later, the title of the duo's recent album announces his current position, but one song out of the many in between truly introduced his consigliere status. Half a decade ago, this song proved that Kanye West was not simply watching the throne but possessed an open invitation to sit by the King's right side.

Title: Diamonds From Sierra Leone (remix) ft. Jay-Z

Album: Late Registration

Producer(s): Kanye West, et al.

As soon as the beat drops in on the eerie James Bond sample it's clear that this is a serious song. Yeezy spends the first verse discussing the little-known controversy of blood diamonds, ending on the note that while conflict diamonds bring shame there is one diamond that will always shine. It's important to remember that at the time there were numerous rumors spreading about the health of Roc-A-Fella Records, from Jay's highly discussed split with long-time partner Damon Dash to issues within the A&R department. Kanye takes the time to carry his chain and label with this song, but it's during the second verse when Jay-Z makes an unexpected but solid entrance that we realize the Roc isn't going anywhere. It's simple and perhaps even a little cocky-- he interrupts Kanye's verse about the strength of the label to assert Roc-A-Fella's and his power ("Yep, I got it from here 'Ye, damn"). However, the changeover is so flawless and confident that it's not hard to believe him. Hip-Hop heads geek out over the exchange between the two MCs. Little 'Ye's introduction to Don Hov's smackdown on all haters and doubters is a large statement: this label is the label, and these two are its leaders. Sure enough, five years later the duo are sharing similarly flawless exchanges on the history-making album that turned the media and entertainment industry on its head.

With this in mind let us understand: "Watch the throne" is not a threat--it's been taken. The two have simply decided it's time for the rest of the game to watch itself be ruled.

Fav Line: Kanye: Over here it's a drug trade/we die from drugs/ Over there they dying from what we buy from drugs.

Jay-Z: I'm not a business man I'm a business, man/ Let me handle my business, damn.

Final thoughts: If you waiting for the end of the dynasty sign/it will seem like forever is a mighty long time. -Jay-Z

On some one 'o clock, two 'o clock WAKE UP

2011-08-13T03:14:00.002-04:00

Never sleep, DON'T STOP

You can NOT pass on this track or this album. Metermaids, the gnarliest Brooklyn hip-hop duo on the scene just released the first single off the much anticipated Rooftop Shake album produced by the legendary 9th Wonder. This track goes out to all the insomniacs and night crawlers (or incessantly jet-lagged travelers). Click the link under the soundbar for a FREE download and follow these boys on twitter to stay in the know about how to cop the album.

WAKE UP

GRAVEYARD SHIFT - Metermaids (prod by 9th Wonder) by Strange Famous Records

Welcome to the Jungle...

2011-08-13T03:04:00.003-04:00

I recently crossed paths with the director of this video who described it as an "experimental hip-hop music video." Over his burrito and my growling stomach, he urged me to watch the vid, and sure enough the intriguing visuals, select camera angles and choice editing give off a trippy vibe. The song sounds like what a hipster panther listens to as he prowles at night, so Jungle is an appropriate title. Stixx, an underground Brooklyn MC on the rise, has more where this comes from according to director Pascal Youance who will be the mastermind behind the rapper's following videos. Check it out

Eat, Move, Learn, LIVE

2011-08-11T12:19:00.003-04:00

Rick Mereki, an Australian independent filmmaker, recently released the final product of the project of a lifetime. The old saying is that big things come in small packages. Mereki crafted three one-minute videos out of "3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles...2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage." A big thing in a small package indeed, especially when the short shorts express the grandeur of living life that Mereki was aiming to capture. Sure the cost of traveling to a dozen foreign countries probably cost an arm and a leg (it was made possible for Mereki with the support of an Australian travel agency), but the film's leading man doesn't do anything too extravagant. Instead he relishes in the simple; taking lessons from street-artists, walking around a city to see what it has to offer, and eating good food, in whatever form it comes in.

Eat, Move, Learn and live. By following these simple steps, you'll find that the graceful magnitude of living come to us in small moments; the one-minute shorts of life.

The Lady doth Protest too Much

2011-08-07T14:39:00.005-04:00

The art of aggression in music has been given a bad rep. since Eminem's whiteness raised visibility to the threat of his homophobic wife-killing fantasies. The trend continues as critics and audiences debate what's to make of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All's violent lyrics and presentation. But Scroobius Pip's Introduction, the video for the first single off of his upcoming solo record "Distraction Pieces", is a refreshing demonstration of graceful aggression, contained (literally, as you'll see in the video), precisely aimed, and deftly delivered.

Pip's album will be available via Strange Famous Records. Follow him on twitter here.

Gun Hill Road

2011-08-05T16:44:00.003-04:00

We try to stay true to our name in terms of the content we cover, but it's not everyday the mainstream media provides us with something profound to talk about. Today is different.

This friday marks the theatrical debut of Gun Hill Road, an independent film that won

over audiences and critics in the festival circuit and now finds itself in limited theatrical release across the country which is much more than other films of its caliber and audacity get to see. Named after a well-known street in Bronx, the film's location, Gun Hill Road tells the story of a father who returns home to find he has lost his hold on his family, more importantly his son who is now in the process of becoming his daughter. Centered on the struggle of this Latino family, the film has been lauded for tackling the topics of race and gender, and how they intersect in working-class urban America. Furthermore it stars Harmony Santana, an up and coming transgendered latina actress from New York City and was made by Rashaad Ernest Green, a Bronx native who based the tale on a family he knew. Colorlines posted a phenomenal interview and story on the film, which can be read here. Check out the trailer after the jump, and visit Gunhillroad.com for more information on the film and where you can see it.

How Beautiful Are You?

2011-08-04T11:45:00.004-04:00

If you've ever wondered what you'd look like as a "beautiful person", Julian Wolkenstein's "Echoism" Project can show you. But that's only if you believe that symmetry is the basis of beauty and that there's a possibility for a more beautiful you. As in, your potential for beauty supersedes all that you already are and have been. The project takes submitted portraits via their webcam or the Echoism iPhone app and alters them to create symmetrical images of the user. Some of these pictures look funny or cartoonish, but others border realism and make you wonder, as Wolkenstein puts it, "what do you look like? what are the things that make you look like you...is it you at all? Do you have a best side?" How beautiful are you?

Check out the over 20,000 images from 157 countries at the Echoism website. If you're feeling particularly brave or curious about your good looks (and if you could look better), submit a photo yourself.

Fun, fun, FUN

2011-08-02T12:47:00.003-04:00

The Fun Fun Fun Festival lineup was just released. It's so good its Satanic.

We are 138.

2011-08-01T21:52:00.006-04:00

"You just need your surroundings and you can evolve"- Mark Ong aka SBTG, takes viewers through his creative process and roots growing up in the perceived restrictions of Singapore. Finding inspiration in the simplest of forms, SBTG creates the "138" shoe collaboration with FICE Boutique in Salt Lake City, Utah and explains how the Misfits inspiration guided the collaboration. On the surface the film purposes to expose the cerebral world of SBTG and an emerging sub-culture in Singapore, but the film becomes deeply personal as SBTG reveals how his experiences have affected his work and current mindset. The collaboration shoes are available at ficegallery.com

Wood Collection II

2011-07-31T00:38:00.003-04:00

Bring your sweet loving. Bring it on home to me....

http://profoundaesthetic.com/wood.html

Death of Communication, Company of Thieves

2011-07-29T14:14:00.005-04:00

Cannot get enough of this song. There is something about a strong female voice, loud but feminine, singing over an explosive melody and clashing snares and cymbals.

Company of Thieves, "Death of Communication"--the howling and earnest single from the second album of a band that never gave up and whose members put their hearts and souls into every song and show. Since 2009, COT has been a powerhouse of love, creativity, and passion, and you can hear it in their music. Running From a Gamble, their bold sophomore album dropped earlier this spring and it is amazing. The explosive and vivid video for "Death of Communication" is a visual declaration of that fact.

Company of Thieves on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube

Bike City

2011-07-28T14:06:00.003-04:00

Motor City is known for a lot of things: its cars, its music, its food. But after an economic recession or two the famed city has fallen on some hard times and its wheels have stopped spinning--almost. A young filmmaker and Detroit native by the name of Alex Gallagos made this short documentary about his city and the people who ride around it day and night. On the surface it's a movie about bicycling but what emerges is the story of neighborly grass-roots organization and community building through a fun, healthy, and environmentally friendly activity that is also a great tool for social justice.

Detroit Bike City from Alex Gallegos

New Things at Profound Co.

2011-07-27T11:54:00.005-04:00

The summer is half over but it's been far from lazy for the Profound Aesthetic team. Recently the brand has been moving and shaking with some great achievements to prove it. Here are three among the many.

1) Profound Aesthetic is now available at Urban Outfitters

What to the what what y'all! Now you can find your favorite brand at one of the hottest clothing stores around. We're pretty proud of this one. Currently available online are the "World is Yours" and "Dream in Color" tees. Order 'em OR check them out in your local Urban Outfitter

store!

2) Next, for that other half of summer make sure you get your PROFOUND AESTHETIC TANKS! In the wake of temps soaring over 100 degrees, we stepped up our goal of keeping you looking cool by launching a line of temperature lowering tank tops that feature signature Profound Co. designs. Head over to the Profound Aesthetic site to check them out, and be sure to take advantage of the limited-time FREE SHIPPING offer.

3) Profound Aesthetic is proud to announce our sponsorship of the Mind your Mind organization out of Canada. This non-profit works to remove the stigma away from mental illness and provide a safe space and digital outlet for youth and young adults to share their experiences, find resources to help them cope, and be inspired by other youth, adults, and celebrities who come together to build a community, raise awareness, and find strength in their struggles. Please visit Mindyourmind.ca to find out more about the organization, how to participate, and/or how to support it with a meaningful contribution.

We're moving and grooving as the sun stays high. Be sure to follow us on twitter and facebook to stay updated on the latest Profound Co. happenings, and check out the tumblr to watch us work!

Watch the Throne | Documentary

2011-07-22T21:38:00.007-04:00

who you know in this world that can take it this far?

watch the throne | August 1st 2011

All-Time Yeezy

2011-07-14T16:31:00.006-04:00

The weekly series dedicated to the best of 'Ye continues. This week's song is a love ballad of sorts...

Title: Homecoming ft. Chris Martin

Album: Graduation

Produced by: Kanye West, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell

It's not always easy to love your hometown. Sunny places like Miami or LA seem almost impossible to hate. Beautiful, bountiful, familiar; what more could one ask for? But some of us don't come from such sunny places. Some of us come from the rusted-over forgotten Alexandrias of the Mid-West and Northeast, once flames of a shining industrial empire and now cold, haunting concrete jungles. They suffer from population depletion, poverty, broken economies, hardened mindsets, and most importantly cold, long, dark winters. Yet despite all this, we love our birthplaces and childhood stomping grounds. We grow up in them, we find love in them, and we learn from them. But then comes the fatal day when the native sons and daughters must say farewell to their small ponds and dive into larger bodies of water full of better opportunities. It's a heartbreaking decision, and creates a complicated relationship.

Do you think about me now and then? Do you think about me now and then? 'Cus I'm coming home again, maybe we can start again...

Homecoming is not a particularly fantastic song, but everything about it embodies the sadness of this complicated relationship, from Chris Martin's vocals to the harmonic piano to the black and white video. The song, taking a page out of another Chi-town rapper Common's book of metaphors, briefly details Kanye's relationship with his beloved home city of Chicago. In the video the rapper/producer/megastar drops his flashy designer suits for a winter vest and scarf. The arrogance melts off his face and is replaced with contemplative melancholy. The point is simple and universal: no matter where you go or who you become, you can never entirely turn your back on the place that made you. . Chicago might not be as bad as some of the other rust-belt cities, but it's history is hard and its winter harder. It's been the birthplace of some of the most amazing rappers, artists, and musicians for decades, but they all had to spread their wings and fly at some point. This song makes the All-Time Yeezy list because the tension between loving your home and having to leave it to find success is deeply human, and this song can always be a brilliant reminder of Ye's humanity and artist's struggle.

Favorite line: And if you really care for her/then you never woulda' hit the airport/ to follow your dreams...I guess you never know what you got 'til it's gone/ I guess that's why I'm here and I can't come back home/and guess where I heard that?/ When I was back home.

Get Familiar: Jay Electronica

2011-07-14T14:07:00.004-04:00

"I think everyone he knows becomes dependent on him, because he helps us see who we really are."

-Erykah Badu "Foreward by Erykah Badu & Just Blaze" Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)

He's been called many things: A nomad. A poet. A savior. Hip-hop's Jack Kerouac. But really, who is Jay Electronica?

Jay Electronica was born on September 19th, 1976 in the Magnolia Projects of New Orleans, Louisiana. His history is almost as much of a mystery as he remains today. Always fascinated by stories, coupled by his love for comic books, he says, when he was nine-years-old, LL Cool J's classic "Radio" was his calling to Hip-Hop. After that, he knew what he wanted to do, and he knew he wanted to do it well. He soon became a disciple of the music genre, rapping for his family, where he would stop mid-rhyme to begin telling a story - something that still resonates in his music today. He began combing his way through the catalogs of Gangstarr, Wu-Tang, The Geto Boys, Too Short, and NWA.

He left home at 18 to attend Minister Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March in Washington D.C. in October of 1995, after gaining interest in the religion after he met a member of The Nation of Islam near Xavier University. When he returned home New Orleans wasn't the same, so he decided the world was his oyster and knowledge was his goal, and decided he wanted to pursue his rap career in New York - but he got distracted along the way. He lived in Atlanta where he became familiar with The Nation of Gods and Earths and the120 lessons. He traveled to Denver to reconnect with his mother who moved there. He lived in Detroit and recorded with Shady-affiliated Mr. Porter and the great J Dilla. When he finally made it to New York in the late 1990's, it was hardly the rap mecca he once viewed it as, but it changed everything for Mr. Electronica.

Always charismatic, Electronica befriended many people in his journeys, and those people would come to help him out beyond his wildest beliefs and set him on his path to greatness. Rashad Smith, a Junior Mafia producer, passed Jay's music onto the legendary Just Blaze. A rapper named Supa Nova Slom introduced Jay to the renowned Erykah Badu who, upon hearing Jay's material, was so inspired she launched her label, Control Freaq. Jay and Erykah are now long time significant others, and have one child together.

Jay Electronica gained the attention of the Hip-Hip community in 2007 when he released Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge). This 9:13 minute piece of continuous music contained no drums and samples all it's music from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The piece has five movements and four verses from Electronica. In between these verses are audio clips relating to his interests, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, The Prestige, and Turtle's Can Fly, as well as a clip from a speech by Elijah Muhammed are all interpolated into the piece. While the final product is pretentious, overwhelming, and jaw dropping, the strongest aspect of the tape is also the most important. Jay Electronica's rhymes are the shining star.

"I told her that being a mortal is the portal to the true nature of growth, the Christ-like Buddha man / that's why I never spit the traditional garbage of a knife fight, bright lights, white ice to the fans."

"Call me Jay Dogon I'm on some Sirius shit."

His raps touch on many wide raining concepts that are as follows, but not limited to, UFO's, the Kennedy assassination, DMT, The Illuminati, voodoo, sun gods, Groundhog Day, religion, politics, and most importantly, a call to arms to end reestablish the importance of lyrical depth in Hip-Hop. He is a student of the world, trying to bring knowledge back to what has become a stale genre.

After he dropped Act I on his Myspace the rapper was surrounded by swarms of hype. People expecting him to change Hip-Hop and return the genre to a golden age of lyricists. His previously recorded music began leaking online, in mysterious ways, adding to the allure of the reclusive Electronica, who deleted his official Myspace after the rise in popularity of Act I. For the next three years he remained relatively quiet, scarcely releasing songs, until 2009 when he dropped the Just Blaze produced, unexpected hit "Exhibit C." It took everyone by surprise when DJ Enuff of Hot97 made it the Heavy Hitter of the Week. Since then however his next project, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn), has been pushed back since December 2009 and in 2010 he only released twelve songs, with the majority being features. However, in November of 2010, Jay-Z announced Jay Electronica as the newest signee of the already blossoming RocNation, and the hype was back as if it had never left.

Under RocNation, Jay has already dropped four songs, and last week took to Twitter to announce that Act II had in fact been completed during his time in London. He claimed that Jay-Z, Bun B, and a few others had heard it in it's entirety, which Bun B confirmed on his Twitter account, but refused to release any details. As we wait for his debut album, Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Pledge), now is the time to get acquainted with his past if you haven't already. I've compiled a mixtape titled Let There Be Light as a (near) chronological account of Jay Electronica's catalog thus far. I don't wanna hear anybody complaining "Hip-Hop is dead" or "rap is stale, no one is doing anything new," because if I hear you say that, I know you haven't listened to Jay. I hope you all take the time to pay this man the respect he deserves, because if you don't now, your gonna have to when he drops Act II. Download the tape down bottom, and view the official video for the still unreleased "Dear Moleskine."

Jay Electronica - Let There Be Light

Loose Fit, Hard Work

2011-07-12T13:17:00.004-04:00

The video for Loose Fit's newest EP Table Beggars is perfect for the hot hot heat of a summer afternoon. Not only is it visually stunning, but all the water splashing can offer some voyeuristic relief. On the real, this product of British director and animator Abbie Stephens is truly the result of long hours and extremely detailed work. It's amazing how so much effort goes into only 3 minutes and 39 seconds of final product.

To get a better understanding of the meticulous process behind this intriguing video, check out the "making of" vid after the jump and visit the vimeo page.

The Roots for John Varvatos F/W 2011

2011-07-09T03:18:00.002-04:00

John Varvatos commissioned The Roots to perform an exclusive track for this promo for his Fall/Winter 2011 Collection. Love the visual.

A Love in Us

2011-07-08T14:42:00.004-04:00

I'll admit it, I've been a little disenchanted with Hip-Hop for a few months now. Ever since I went to Bamboozle and heard rapper after rapper spew nothing but profanity and ego-bloated similes across the park from the only stage dedicated to Hip-Hop, I've worried that the music has gotten lost. As the older examples lead increasingly garish dark twisted fantasy lifestyles and younger artists skip personal development to follow their tracks, it sounds like the heart of the art form is shrinking. The enlightenment lessens. Those that disturb do so unconsciously, and not many are reaching or searching or daring. I've been longing to hear something real, not a boastful success at mimesis or over-inflated shock track. As a performer, this frustration has become a new theme in my music, but as an avid-listener it's put me on the hunt. Always keep hope alive.

Occasionally, I'm rewarded. Last week in came in the form of Neon Signs by Mr. J Medeiros. Today, via a recommendation from a friend, I found the NYC/London collective The Love in Us.

The group is a "collective of young individuals" who use art as a form of expression and love as the inspiration. In their own words:

"We aren't to be confused with any lame/loser/hippie/false revolutionaries, we just love to create."

To that we at Profound Co. say "Here, here!" The latest theloveinus project comes from its creator and founder Erick Arc Elliot. His latest album Almost Remembered dropped this summer and its exactly the real sound necessary to keep Hip-Hop alive.

Erick, a Brooklyn native, is not skimpy or irresponsible in his lyricism. His flow contains determined passion, similar to the earnest sound you hear when J. Cole first enters your headphones. But Arc Elliot, a long time producer, also understands the importance of a good beat beyond its aesthetics. Therefore, he makes his own. As he's also a graphic and web designer, the whole album is pretty much DIY. There may not be a more satisfying feeling for an artist then to be involved in every aspect of a project. The wholesomeness of Almost Remembered is equally satisfying for a listener.

The album is a 20 track blend of multi-genre synthetic and electronic sounds, and includes two enticing tracks that feature indie electro-ambient bands Hellacopter City and Glasser respectively. Yet these are cushioned by smooth songs that utilize staple hip-hop beats and jazzy R&B grooves. It's hard to fit a lot of different sounds in twenty tracks without being either repetitive or in-cohesive, but on any track if Arc Elliot's flow and/or the vocals provided by Kaya fall short the sonically dynamic beats carry the listener on to the next without disappointment. Think of Frank Ocean's Nostalgia without the choppy distraction of too many obvious samples. From the honest introduction of "Pimptroduction" to the comic and heartfelt "in memory of" closer "Uncle Bernard", Almost Remembered is an earnest trip through the heart and soul of a true artist, creator, and human being.

You can listen to the album here and be sure to keep up with A Love in Us.

<a href="http://erickarcelliott.bandcamp.com/album/almost-remembered">Almost Remembered by Erick Arc Elliott</a>

- Sue-Elise

All-Time Yeezy

2011-07-07T13:39:00.003-04:00

Title: "Touch the Sky" ft. Fiasco

Album: Late Registration

Produced by: Just Blaze

There isn't too much that can be written about the fourth single off of Late Registration. To put it simply: "Touch the Sky" is a great song. The Curtis Mayfield "Moving on Up" sample sets the tone for the song's story and anchors the track like only a solid gold oldie can. A jubilant tale of West's ascension to "hip-hop legend" status, "Touch the Sky" is a cross between the old 'Ye who fought to prove himself and the arrogant mogul he's become. The video is a perfect compliment. Shot in 70s style by Chris Milk (director of "Jesus Walks" and known now as the mastermind behind "the Wilderness Downtown" project), it features hilarious cameos by Nia Long and Tracee Ellis Ross and introduces the world to a young crowd-pleasing Lupe Fiasco. At the end of the video, Kanyevel crashes and bursts into flames attempting a record-breaking rocket jump across the Grand Canyon, a sign perhaps that Kanye knew his rise to glory would not come without a few falls. Still,the ascent is worth it all. That's what the song is about, and before the rocket crashes and burns the superstar beams with life and joy as he flies above the crowd; the beauty and tragedy of success.

Favorite Line: While Jay-Z's is "I think I died in the accident 'cause this must be heaven," I prefer "I'm trying to right my wrongs/ but its funny them same wrongs helped me write this song".

Americana

2011-07-05T14:32:00.007-04:00

"Space Program", Jonathan Wateridge

Americana- Things associated with the culture and history of America, especially the United States.

What makes something a piece of Americana depends on whom you ask. For many, the term brings up the sights and sounds of county fairs and kitschy art vendors. Others perhaps think of Art Deco and the classic styles of early to mid nineteenth century USA. You know, the times before Alaska was even a state. On the Fourth of July, the birthdate of the country and therefore all things Americana, the essence of the country is celebrated in the most American way possible: by blowing things up.

Whether you donned some red, white and blue, barbecued, and/or watched some gunpowder explode in the sky, or maybe didn't celebrate the holiday at all, we hope you can at least enjoy some art that represents modern day Americana.

Jonathan Wateridge based some of his latest paintings on the tension between reality and re-presentation. The "Another Place" series depicts of the making of an American fiction film about a large tragedy. The process is a fictional documentary of fictionalized humanity, and as such it invites the viewer to feel distant and familiar at the same time. What's more American than cop shows, blockbusters about catastrophes, and keenly observing the world from a safe distance. If you are unsure, turn on a TV (home of American Culture since after Alaska became a state) and observe for yourself.

Profound Tumblr

2011-07-02T20:36:00.003-04:00

Recently, Profound Co. crossed "make a tumblr" off our list of things to do. The goal of the photoblog is to share a little bit of our lives with you all as we work, hustle, and play. The Profound Co. blog keeps you up with what's on our minds and the tumblr lets you see through our eyes. Check out some of our visuals, and be sure to follow the Profound Co. Tumblr.

All-Time Yeezy: Part 2

2011-06-29T17:35:00.004-04:00

Here's the second installation to the latest Profound Co. series "All-Time Yeezy", a series dedicated to the songs that made the beautiful dark twisted fantasy known as Kanye West.

This week:

Title: Jesus Walks

Album: The College Dropout

Produced by: Kanye West

A song that is very much an autobiographical statement as well as huge success for Kanye, Jesus Walks proved that the rapper had truly made it just by its existence. Many in the industry believed that a religious single would never make it to the radio, especially for a hip-hop artist, and Kanye was rejected by a number of record labels after playing the demo. Not only did the record go on to top charts and win numerous awards, but it also received tremendous critical praise and had a huge impact on both the religious and Hip-Hop communities. Regardless of religious affiliation, the feeling of recognizing the tremendous weakness of basic human nature and need for an association with a higher divinity is an incredibly personal, terrifying, and humbling experience. Yet Kanye manages to musically and lyrically capture this expression while also making social commentary in a mere four minutes. Actually, he does this within the first thirteen seconds. As listeners, we first hear the alarming shouts of a chain gang leader, followed by the voices of the men in chains themselves. By the time the eerie "Ooh's" of the gospel choir roll in, goosebumps have risen. Historically, chain gangs were institutions of modern slavery. Composed of society's most downtrodden, particularly African-Americans and the poor who may have been wrongfully convicted, chain-gangs performed backbreaking and soul-wrenching hard labor in the burning sun of America's south. With only their faith and voices to affirm their existence, chain-gang members would often sing songs that cried out to God and/or humanity. The desperation yet bitter fight for life and salvation heard in Kanye's lyrics about millennial society echo the sounds of the chain-gangs, bringing "Jesus Walks" to a folk-song level. Christian or not, as humans we can all empathize with the inescapable personal struggle between darkness and light we all experience throughout our lives.

As for the video, its chilling visuals speak for themselves. The most stunning of them however has to be the clansman carrying his hand-made burning cross, lighting himself on fire in the process.

Favorite Line: The chorus-- God show me the way because the devil's trying to break me down/ The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now/ And I don't think there's nothing I can do now to right my wrongs/ I wanna talk to God but I'm afraid cus we ain't spoke in so long.

Neon Signs (video)

2011-06-27T13:47:00.004-04:00

Been feeling MC/producer Mr. J. Medeiros for a minute now. His tracks are smooth and his rhymes are positive and poetic, things always nice to stumble upon in the hip-hop game. Check out the video for "Neon Signs", a true and vulnerable love song. You can purchase the track and the rest of Medeiros's new album Saudade on iTunes.

Twitter: @mrjmedeiros

Forever in our hearts: MJ

2011-06-25T13:50:00.006-04:00

I recall sitting in my car in the parking lot of the sprint store (where I worked at the time) on a quick 15 minute break when I picked up a call from my brother to hear three words which would change the complete course of my day. "michael jackson's dead" he said. Although i've been blessed enough to never yet experience the loss of a loved one, in retrospect, the feeling I got when hearing MJ was gone was made me feel like I lost someone I personally knew. Michael Jackson made much more of a significant impact on my life than I consciously realized. He embedded the idea into my head to always be the best at anything that you do. To strive for and constantly pursue greatness but be humble and have the utmost care for all humanity regardless of race, status or any other societal factors. He made me realize the beauty and incredible importance of the imagination and how it can take you to the most elevated heights.

He was the greatest entertainer to ever live. Hat's off to the massive impact he's had on not only all things music, dance and art but overall humanity as a whole. A life cut short but an impact which lives on, forever in our hearts.

Dark Girls (video)

2011-06-24T11:37:00.007-04:00

Speaking of self-hatred....

Every culture has its "problem" physical trait. Whether it's curly hair, curves, skinniness, height, eye color, etc. The Black American community is not the only community that struggles with the issue of skin color. Like most biases it has deep historical roots. Yet what's most interesting is how it has manifested over the centuries; it's existence is blatantly obvious but its consequences are never discussed. They remain hidden not only to the larger population, making cross-cultural understanding and empathy difficult, but skin-tone biases have become so naturalized both in and out of the Black community that those who suffer the most are barely conscious of it. The little girls who pick the lighter-skinned dolls or white dolls as "smarter", "prettier", and more "good" than the darker dolls are not knowingly choosing to hate themselves. That is why it's so important to give voices to these silent stories of internalized hatred; hatred so buried deep within that the sufferer doesn't even know she can not hate herself. Films and stories like this function as ways of bringing the unconscious to the surface and inspiring resolution---if done correctly.

If done poorly they're merely pity parties; collective groups of victims finding strength and encouragement in their numbers and survival, and empowerment in the old "Suddenly I'm not so alone!" feeling. Don't get me wrong, that within itself is an amazing and powerful sentiment that is worth giving weight to. But it provides little momentum--collective sharing is a unifying action, but not a mobilizer. When injustice and suffering is prevalent, awareness should be followed by action.

This is one thing hopefully Dark Girls brings that Good Hair, another promising documentary, did not: action in the form of knowledge. Hair, conceived and made by Chris Rock, did shed some light on important facts of hair-consumption in the Black community but it failed to answer the question that it presented in it's trailer: why is Chris Rock's daughter taught to believe her hair is bad? Instead of finding the answer, the film simply portrayed women who already believed their hair was bad and their outrageous spending habits, as if to chastise them for not thinking otherwise rather than revealing why it is so difficult for them to do so.

The Trailer for Dark Girls, which like Good Hair is a film about black women made by black men, shows the same glossing-over potential as Hair. There's a lot of thorough and beautiful storytelling but little history. An example of important history is the fact that the hair and skin-tone biases are related to each other, and that both have to do with slavery and certain social standards that were set during those times and upheld by popular culture and media in the 19th and 20th centuries, a trend that continues to this very day. It's important to understand how these biases relate to even broader histories, like those of class and gender in America, and how these tensions intersect with Black American identities to produce such unique problems. It's these revelations and arguments that can start real conversations, and all people inside and outside of the community need to be having real conversations. The more awareness coupled with active conversations and calls for change, the more likely we as a collective sociaty can truly overcome this otherwise ignored century-long issue. For only when we all come together, Black AND White, rich AND poor, male AND female, gay AND straight, gender conformitive AND gender variant (because sexuality and gender expression are very much linked to the hair and skin-color biases)--only in this unity can we truly demand a change to our values and practices that create the deep pain present in the Dark Girls trailer. This film was able to be made because these changes have not occurred, and they will continue to not occur if we all don't recognize and check our participation in their existence.

Dark Girls is to be released in the Fall/Winter of 2011. For more information about this truly important and moving film, "Like" it's Facebook page (the conversations on the page alone are a sight to see) and visit its website, officialdarkgirlsmovie.com