Two Kids From Vermont

Moving On From TKFV

2011-12-01T20:17:00.001-05:00

It's been a long time since there's been a new post here on TKFV and many of you may be wondering what's been going on. Over the past few months I've been going to school at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU, DJing in clubs like 1 OAK NYC and The Darby with and for people like Kanye West, Anja Rubik, and Samantha Ronson, and working with and producing songs for my group, Hugh Cosby & Alan South, and other artists.

I'm posting here today to let everyone know that you can continue to follow me and everything I'm doing for now on my fan page. I will be posting on TKFV again for major updates on new websites and other major things that happen. And I promise, there will be another blog again. But for now check out the link below:

FOLLOW EVERYTHING HERE

David: Vader the Villin x Pittsburgh Verse (Video)

2011-07-06T22:09:00.000-04:00

The homie, Vader the Villin, unleashed this video filmed by Duane Peterson a few days ago. The instrumental is from Mac Miller's "Pittsburgh Kidz Get the Biz. Check out the video above!

Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

David: Moral Fibers Photo Shoot (Clothing)

2011-07-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

Homepage Photo for Moral Fibers (Click the photo to continue onto the website)

A few weeks ago photographer Sarah Kjelleren, model Amy Douglas, and myself went down to NYC to shoot and model for the Moral Fibers 2011 Summer Lookbook. Moral Fibers is a new company based out of Montreal owned by co-founders Matt and Martin. The t-shirts are designed by Haitian artists and have a smart phone QR code printed on the back for potential buyers to scan and check out the shirts on their phones. If the person scanning the shirt decides to buy one, the person wearing the shirt makes money from the purchase. An idea that makes this company extremely unique from the rest. Click the photos for more information and be sure to buy a shirt as well!

Summer Lookbook 2011 Cover (Click the photo to view the full lookbook)

http://moralfibers.co/
https://twitter.com/MoralFibers

David: Mutual of Omaha - My Aha Moment featuring TKFV and Ditto

2011-07-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

Recently Josh (Alan South 1/2 of Ditto), Gray, and myself sat down with Mutual of Omaha to share our "Aha Moment." Essentially we shared a short story of how Gray and myself started Two Kids From Vermont, how Alan and I started Ditto, and how we all have made a team in the last year. Check out the video below:

Gray: Meet Jacob Es

2011-06-27T01:44:00.001-04:00

Meet Jacob Es

So far this summer I have met more people in Burlington than I have in the past few years combined. It seems like there is a huge group of kids who end up at the same sort of parties, and who have a lot of thes same mutual friends. While Jake was not an exception to how I met him, after I heard him spit a few verses during a session at his spot, I knew this kid had talent. As I began to kick it more with Jake and his roommate Zach, its pretty obvious that he has the drive and motivation, as well as the work ethic to really produce music that both he and his audience enjoy listening to. He's got a quick flow with good sound, but can also slow it down and show how he too has a voice. You all should check him out and download his latest mix tape, The Stoned Poet Society. We just finished our second shoot for a music video in the works, so stay tuned for that too. Expect big things from Jacob Es, and catch on before the wave gets "too cool".

David: Toony TuneS & Mr. Mockwell x Conducted Sounds Of Drama (Mixtape)

2011-06-02T00:31:00.001-04:00

After one full listen all I can say is... DAMN. The homie, Toony TuneS, also seen on TKFV through his posts featured as TheManWithThreeNames, just released this tape with Mr. Mockwell. Everything on this mixtape is very different than what is out right now, which makes it so dope. Everyone get used to this guy now. This is the future. Listen and download it below:

<p><p><a href="http://toony.bandcamp.com/album/conducted-sounds-of-drama">Conducted Sounds Of Drama by TheManWithThreeNameS</a></p></p>

Download here - Bandcamp

@TwoKneeTuneS
http://theblogwiththreenames.tumblr.com

David: Frank Ocean x Lonny Breaux (Mixtape)

2011-06-02T00:15:00.001-04:00

This has been out for a minute now, but I've talked to a lot of people and they seem to not know about it, so I'm throwing it up on TKFV for everyone to download that hasn't gotten it. The guys over at KanyeToThe.com compiled this mixtape together with 63 unreleased tracks pre-nostalgia/ultra so if you can’t get enough of Frank Ocean, then you should definitely get The Lonny Breaux Collection. A little fact too, Lonny Breaux was the alias Frank used before he went by Frank Ocean. Download it all below!

Download here - Hulkshare

David: Gerald Walker & Cardo x We Don’t Give a F*ck (Music Video)

2011-06-01T21:42:00.001-04:00

I'm really proud of everything the homie, Gerald Walker, has been doing lately. From going on tour with Yelawolf to this music video below for his song, "We Don't Give a Fuck" produced by Cardo, which was featured on xxlmag.com (click the link to check it out). The video is directed by Etienne Maurice & Quinton Law the video features cameos from Bun-B, Yelawolf and more. Check it out below and support the homie, Gerald Walker:

REMEMBER: On Your Side is available for free download at http://bit.ly/onyourside

David: A Few Songs From Lovecraft

2011-05-27T00:21:00.002-04:00

Lovecraft

The homie, Lovecraft (who's going to the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music program at NYU with me next year), shot over some of his favorite tracks of his to post up on TKFV. This guy has a very unique sound and is probably one of my favorite musicians/artists coming as a freshman to ReMu next year. All songs are produced by Lovecraft. Check everything out below:

Painted Mask - Lovecraft & Nicky C

Black Hole Arcade - Lovecraft

Unagi don - Lovecraft

Donner Party, For 83 - Lovecraft featuring DJ Rhymes

Goonsday - Lovecraft & Nicky C

Spoonguard - Lovecraft

David: How to Make Aman's Shrimp in Coconut Cream Sauce (Video)

2011-05-26T23:14:00.000-04:00

So, I've never put up any food related posts up on TKFV, but two of my friends, Aman and Larry, did this for a senior project at my old school when I lived in Rhode Island and I thought this was worthy of being thrown up as a post. Also for those heading off to college next year and need to save money from eating out all the time who knows maybe you'll want to make some shrimp with coconut cream sauce. Check out the video below and take notes on how to make this delicious meal:

David: TheManWithThreeNameS x RollerCoasterS (Music Download)

2011-05-26T22:42:00.000-04:00

The homie, TheManWithThreeNames (PROduce, The Bully, Toony TuneS), released this song a little while ago titled, "RollerCoasterS." This song has a cool jazzy sound, something a little different than his last song, VegetableS. Take a listen and download the song below:

Download here - Mediafire

@TwoKneeTuneS
http://theblogwiththreenames.tumblr.com

David: The Weeknd x Rolling Stone (Single)

2011-05-26T22:17:00.001-04:00

The Weeknd

The Weeknd, probably my favorite artist out right now, just released this single called, "Rolling Stone." The production on this song is a little different than what you can find on his previously released mixtape, House of Balloons, with a subtle guitar loop while The Weeknd's voice moves easily throughout the track. Definitely a favorite of mine from this guy. Listen and download the track below:

Bonus:

Birthday Suit - The Weeknd

David: Criss Lyric x Yellow Jumpsuit (Music Video)

2011-05-18T22:48:00.000-04:00

Off of his latest collection "Sumnar: The THC Project", Criss Lyric releases this new video for "Yellow Jumpsuit" featuring Korey Lewis, produced by Zulu and directed by Aviles. Check it all out below!

Gray: Stomp and Stack 2

2011-05-18T16:10:00.001-04:00

ATTENTION ALL VERMONT SKATERS! On Sunday, May 22nd from 12-6pm there is going to be the 2nd Annual Stomp and Stack contest at Talent Skatepark. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to enter, as there are two different divisions: Groms (14 and under) and Masters (15 and up). There is a $15 dollar entry fee for Groms, and $25 for Masters, however half of the entry fee will be donated to the Dylan Peters Art of Snowboarding Fund, a foundation to support future snowboarding and art endeavors for kids in the name of the much missed, Dylan Peters... RIP. The other half of the entry fee will go towards the Masters' cash purse. There will be food vendors, sets spun by Lazerdisk Party Sex and your favorite VT duo, DITTO. Come and enjoy the good vibes, and support a good cause! See the Facebook event page for more info!

RECAP:

What: Skate Contest

Where: TALENT SKATEPARK: 2069 Williston Road, South Burlington VT

When: 12-6pm

Cost: Groms ($15), Masters ($25)

DJs: Lazerdisk Sex Party and Ditto

Half entry fees go to Dylan Peters Art of Snowboarding Fund

Check out the footage from the last Stomp and Stack, filmed and edited by the homie Nick Stefani.

David: TheManWithThreeNameS x VegetableS (Music Download)

2011-04-28T15:13:00.001-04:00

TheManWithThreeNameS is Three artists in one: Toony TuneS, PROduce and The Bully. Three varying styles of music from these three artists have made the sound of their music very different then what others have done (in an amazing way). Toony TuneS and myself met out in Los Angeles briefly and have been in contact ever since and anything he puts out seems to be amazing. On this song Toony TuneS lays down the vocals and The Bully raps while PROduce produced this track. Definitely a fan of these guys. Listen and download the song below:

Download here - Mediafire

Twitter: @TwoKneeTunes
Blog: http://TheBlogWithThreeNameS.tumblr.com
Website: toony.bandcamp.com

David: John Lass x Thc: The Hippie Chronicles (Mixtape Download)

2011-04-26T23:42:00.000-04:00

I posted this guy back in February with his first mixtape, Out Of The Box, and now he's back with his second, Thc: The Hippie Chronicles. The first thing I'd like to say before I say any more is... THIS GUY IS DOPE! And honestly I can't name favorites on this mixtape because I am digging them all. Seriously download this below. Big ups to John Lass!

Download here - Datpiff | Limelinx

David: Alysha Nett

2011-04-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

Alysha Nett (My New Favorite Model)

Since I have known about my acceptance into NYU I haven't been on top of keeping up with TKFV as much as I used to, so I want to apologize for that. Things have been very very very hectic lately in terms of getting things off and running the minute I hit the city next year so it has brought me away from here for a bit. So in the meantime I am going to try as hard as I can to continue to post on this blog because I know you frequent readers are probably wondering where everything went!

To start here's a few pictures of my new favorite model, Alysha Nett. She has one of the dopest looks I have ever seen... Plus I love girls with tattoos. Check them out below:

http://alyshanett.com/

David: Sarah Kjelleren's Latest Photo Shoot With Amy Douglas

2011-04-12T22:26:00.001-04:00

Sarah Kjelleren

It's been awhile since I've featured Sarah Kjelleren on the site, which many of you may remember through the "Sarah Kjellereon Photo of the Week" posts. I've decided to do without that post now because Sarah is constantly coming out with something new that a photo a week just doesn't cut it. Before I get started on this post I'd like to give her a huge congratulations for getting into the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, which means both of us will be sharing the city together! It's going to be a crazy four years that's for sure.

Anyway Sarah's recent photo shoot was with the very beautiful, Amy Douglas. Below is a quick summary that Sarah wrote for the post:

"I met Amy a free months ago after asking her through Facebook if she was interested in modeling. We did a small shoot at a local party and became good friends. On a recent trip to Burlington Vermont, we were staying at my house and had some great ideas for a shoot when exploring my yard. Styling the shoot I decided on a vintage nude colored slip with lace that was previously owned by my grandmother. Amy wore the shoes that she brought with her and we used two vintage mink fur jackets. The temperature dropped fast as it became dark out, but we continued shooting to get the final shots. I was extremely excited about shooting Amy and she did a fantastic time especially for her second shoot. Without previous experience with modeling Amy continued to amaze me with her natural talent for working in front if the camera."

Amy Douglas (click the photo to enlarge)

Here's what Amy had to say about the shoot:

"This shoot was a chilling one, literally. Even the cold Vermont air couldn't hold Sarah Kjelleren back from taking fabulous pictures. She made me feel warm, comfortable and beautiful in her vintage styled dress and variety of lovely fur coats. I love being photographed by Sarah because she is not only an extremely talented young lady but she's the coolest, craziest, most down to earth friend anyone could ask for. Her unique style and eye for eccentric and eloquent beauty are portrayed in all of her photos and this shoot is no exception."

Amy Douglas (click the photo to enlarge)

http://sarahkjelleren.com

Flickr

To get in touch with Sarah Kjelleren you can reach her at sarahkjelleren@gmail.com

David: Two New Music Videos From Vader the Villin!

2011-04-11T21:02:00.001-04:00

Vader the Villin in Hawaii

The homie, Vader the Villin, literally just got back from a long trip to Hawaii for a few months and has not wasted a second since he's been back. Below are two videos shot by Duane Peterson here in our hometown Burlington, Vermont. Check them out below:

So far Black Bags by Vader the Villin is my favorite video of his so far. This video was directed by Vader and produced by Sighdafekt.

Hating Hard is also another dope video by Vader that he released yesterday. Different vibe and feeling than Black Bags but amazing once again. The song is produced by KONAMICODE. Check out the video below as Vader sits down and discusses life with Pluto:

David: Gerald Walker to Tour with Yelawolf

2011-04-06T22:40:00.000-04:00

Cardo & the homie Gerald Walker have officially signed as an opening act for Yelawolf on his tour this month. I've known Gerald for the past couple of years now and have seen nothing but progression since the time I met him. I have nothing but props to give for him and what he's done. Excited to see what's to come from this tour with Yelawolf!

In celebration of this incredible opportunity he's releasing another song from his EP titled, We Don't Give a Fu-k. The song is produced by both Cardo & Sledgren, of the Taylor Gang, and will be featured on the forthcoming EP, On Your Side. Check it out below:

Download here - files.me

Gray: SΔBRE VISION

2011-03-30T17:51:00.000-04:00

I dont know about any of you, but I am notorious for losing, breaking, or just straight fucking up my sunglasses. I have gone through three or four pair this year, but lately all I wanna buy are SΔBRE shades. I came across these for the first time at Reserve down on Fairfax Ave. in LA. My first pair were the Heartbreakers, which were a really solid pair of glasses. They kinda reminded me of my 54mm Rayban Wayfarers, but with more squared out frames. I lost these up in Mammoth one weekend, and went sunglassless for a few weeks, which doesn't last very long. I picked up the No Controls in black down at Reserve, and are probably my favorite pair of sunglasses I have owned. They are a little smaller than what I usually veer towards but seriously look good on anyone. All my homies try them on and just want to keep them, and they aren't too expensive either! The thing about SΔBRE that I like is that their frames are all over the place, if you want some shades that are out there, you can find them. Not only are their frames real unique, but they have all these dope color-ways in a lot of different styles *check out the black and white tortoise. If you are in the LA area, go check out Reserve for all the dope SΔBREs, and every time I have been in there I've been hooked with a fat deal, so you can't go wrong there. Who buys sunglasses online anyway?

KOZOI
THE HOMIE SEANY HAS THESE

NO CONTROL
I PICKED THESE UP IN ALL BLACK

MΔDNESS

David: The Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at New York University!

2011-03-29T22:28:00.000-04:00

Last Friday on my way down to NYC I heard back from my dream school and top choice, NYU! I was accepted into the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music with 30 or so other students. In the fall I will be going in as a freshmen in the Producer Entrepreneur program. This really is everything that I've hoped for over the past few months and I'm extremely excited to be in. For those that don't know much about the program it is a professional business and artistic training toward a BFA degree for aspiring creative entrepreneurs in the music industry. People like Lady Gaga have been in this program and producers like Swizz Beatz come to teach and mentor students at the school. So glad this is all becoming true. I've already been talking to my future classmates and the range of musical influences, favorite artists, and personal musical talent is across the board. Being able to create with talented people who make and perform music in a different genre than my own is going to be amazing. I definitely can't wait for this year to start... So if there are any high school teachers of mine reading this post... I'm sorry in advance if I drift off a little bit. My mind is elsewhere at the moment.

Below are some pictures of the studios at Clive:

I'M IN COLLEGE!!!

David: The Snowball Music Festival Recap (Video)

2011-03-29T18:21:00.001-04:00

Recently our good friends in Lazerdisk Party Sex traveled to Colorado for the Snowball Music Festival. Below is a short video recap clip of the festival featuring some artists that performed in the festival (Lazerdisk is wearing the storm trooper masks). The video is shot and edited by Revive Media (William DeSena) Watch is all below!

Bonus:

The song playing is Less Go! (Porter Robinson Remix) by Spencer & Hill. You can get it below:

Download here - Mediafire

David: Vader The Villin x Hating Hard

2011-03-29T17:16:00.000-04:00

Here's a new video from the homie, Vader the Villin. Right now he's posted in LA and decided to make a quick video and song for everyone called, "Hating Hard." Check it out below:

David: Gerald Walker x Nothing Is Ever What It Seems (Download)

2011-03-23T23:12:00.001-04:00

In lieu of the homie, Gerald Walker's first performance at SXSW this week he released a promotional song titled, "Nothing Is Ever What It Seems." Be on the look out for Walker's Taylor Gang & Heavy Hustle presented EP with Cardo on The Beat and his full length project slated for this fall. In the meantime though check out his new song below:

Download here - Hulkshare

David: Two New Songs From Dave Raps

2011-03-23T22:47:00.000-04:00

Dave Raps

Here are two new tracks from the homie Dave Raps. The first track he goes over Frank Ocean's track "Swim Good," which is also one of my favorite songs from Frank's nostalgia/ultra album. The second track he is featured on Mick Stillz, "Kick It," which will be featured on part 2 of Mick's Neighborhood Nerd mixtape series alongside DJ Ill Will. Out of both of these, "Swim Good," is my favorite, but regardless both these songs are dope. Check them out below:

Swim Good by Frank Ocean featuring Dave Raps

Download here - Hulkshare

Kick It by Mick Stillz featuring Dave Raps

Download here - Hulkshare

http://www.daveraps.com

David: Los Angeles, Ditto, OFWGKTA, & The Grammys

2011-03-17T23:35:00.002-04:00

Los Angeles

Yes, I know it's been weeks and I've been promising this post, but things have been so hectic lately that I haven't been able to get to it until now. This is Ditto's trip to Los Angeles featuring our homies in OFWGKTA and the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Friday

To start, Alan South and I got into Los Angeles on Friday, February 11th and of course had to make the first stop at the famous In & Out right by the airport. For those of you who don't know In & Out... I'm really really sorry, but it is the best thing to hit the United States. This trip was Alan's first time out west so it was also his first time to an In & Out. The reaction was priceless. Check it out below:

After In & Out we retreated to our hotel where we hung out for awhile before figuring out our plans. Within an hour or so we went to Taco from OFWGKTA's house, which is also the location where all the OF rap albums and mixtapes have been recorded. When we got there I was introduced to Syd (also Taco's sister), Mike G, and the homie Toony TuneS, which was funny because neither of us realized who each other were until afterwards haha. Alan South, Taco, and myself had a long conversation about what seemed like everything from us, to OF, to girls, to music, and life in general. That whole conversation and atmosphere to begin with at the studio made me realize how smart and put together OF is about everything they do. Below is a little video of the recording booth where all the OF albums were made. It's a little hard to understand what's going on in the video, but Taco is explaining all the graffiti on the wall from meanings, to when they were drawn, etc. Check it out below:

After Taco's Alan and I went to meet up with our homie Anwar, who is also the manager of Casey Veggies. Some of you may recognize the name Anwar from Tyler's recent song Yonker's where he says,

"Rappin' as I'm mockin' deaf rock stars

Wearin' synthetic wigs made of Anwar's dreadlocks"

He was also in our Two Kids From Vermont vs Los Angeles video last year.

He invited us to a Stone Throws event on Hollywood Boulevard at this store called Freak City, but by the time we got there it was already pretty late so we didn't stay for too long. The scene was pretty cool though and there was a good amount of people even at the time we arrived.

From there we went back to the hotel to start over.

Saturday

On Saturday, Taco invited us to hang out at their normal spot where Gray and I met them last year. Pretty much all of the artists from OFWGKTA were there except for Hodgy Beats (who I met quickly last year at the Diddy Riese event with Johnny Cupcakes), Syd, Mike G, and Frank Ocean. I did get to see Tyler, The Creator again though and shot a quick video of him, which you can check out below:

Unlike what many people might think about OFWGKTA and their personalities, these kids are some of the funniest people I have ever hung out with in my life. I don't think I went a moment without laughing the whole time I was there because something funny was always being said or happening.

As the day went on though, Alan and I met up with my good friend Aaron Rovner who is a student at USC. We spent the rest of the night with him going to some USC parties and just catching up. Rovner was the lead trumpet player in my Jazz Band two years ago when he was a senior and I was a sophomore. I saw him last year in February as well during Gray and I's trip to LA. This time around though there was definitely a lot more going on and Alan and I returned back to our hotel tired and ready to start the next day... Grammy day.

Sunday

53rd Annual Grammy Awards Ticket

On Sunday, Alan and I spent the beginning of the day getting ready for the Grammy Awards, which my very good friend Mei Mei Zeprun invited us out to. We arrived at the Staples Center and the day really began.

Staples Center

Our first stop was the red carpet, which unfortunately I did not snap any pictures while I was on it, but Alan, Mei Mei, and I were able to walk with some of the worlds biggest stars. After the carpet we went inside, where the show began.

Inside the Staples Center

There's not much there is to say about the Grammys because I'm guessing many of you watched them on TV at home. The show is pretty much the same, of course, besides the awkward commercial breaks in the middle where they countdown warning everyone that the show is about to go live and everyone needs to get back to their seats. Also if you're sitting close enough that you're on TV they send in extras to fill your seats so that the crowd doesn't look empty when you get up to go somewhere. Below are some videos shot by Mei Mei Zeprun on her iPhone below though. Check them all out:

This was the opening

Rihanna & Eminem performing "Love the Way You Lie"

Katy Perry performing "Teenage Dream"

Dr. Dre & Eminem performing "I Need A Doctor"

Drake & Rihanna performing "What's My Name"

Me, Mei Mei Zeprun, & Alan South

Ditto

And that's pretty much Ditto's trip to Los Angeles back in February. Yes, once again I know a long time ago, but I finally put the post up for everyone to read here at TKFV.

Huge thanks to Mei Mei Zeprun for making this trip possible in the first place and also a shout out to the homies in OFWGKTA for letting us kick it with them again.

http://dittodd.tumblr.com/

David: Ditto on Unbiased Writer

2011-03-14T22:29:00.001-04:00

Big shout out to Unbiased Writer for the post on Ditto! Check out the full article of Alan South and I (Hugh Cosby) over on their site here!

http://www.twitter.com/dittolistening

David: Yung Lotta x Lark On My Go Kart (FreeStyle) [Music Video]

2011-03-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

Yung Lotta

I was first introduced to Yung Lotta from my good friend, Frendy Lemorin, after he sent me his video for "Thrilla N Manila." Now, Lotta is back with a new video for his freestyle over Asher Roth's song, Lark On My Go Kart. I'm digging this song and video a lot more than Asher's version. Check it out below!

David: Criss Lyric's New Mixtape, Sumnar: The THC Project (Download)

2011-03-13T16:16:00.001-04:00

The homie Criss Lyric sent his new mixtape, Sumnar: The THC Project, over to us a few days ago. After being very impressed with his single, "Happy" featuring Nickelus F and Chuuwee, I'm glad to say that I'm digging this whole project after a few listens through. Some of the stand out tracks in my book are, "Thank You," "Happy," "High Hopes," "Cate Harrington," "Serve This Royalty," "Focus," "Jack Frass." Check out the tracklist, listen, and download everything below:

Tracklist:

http://www.crisslyric.com
http://www.beallmighty.com
http://www.twitter.com/HeSoCriss

David: Lazerdisk Party Sex's New Song Tigerblood

2011-03-08T22:45:00.002-05:00

Lazerdisk Party Sex

Earlier today, Lazerdisk Party Sex, released their new song called, "Tigerblood." I remember when Pres was showing me this track a few weeks before they released it when him and I were working together in his studio. This song has a little bit of everything. iPhone ringtones, dancing, head nodding, swag, and a little sex party in between. Big ups to my older brothers in Lazerdisk. They officially played this song for the first time out at Snowball in Colorado, which they rocked. Right now their on root for Miami. Be on the look out for these guys in a city near you in the future! But for now check out the song below and download:

Download here - Mediafire

For more info on Lazerdisk Party Sex check out their Fan Page on Facebook for tour details and more.
http://lazerdiskpartysex.tumblr.com/

David: Casey Veggies x Make It Happen (Music Download)

2011-03-08T15:14:00.001-05:00

It's definitely been quite a year for Casey Veggies after releasing, Sleeping in Class, and joining Mac Miller on his Most Dope tour. Yesterday he released his song, "Make It Happen," featuring Juicy J and Billy Wes with production by Lex Luger. Listen and download the song below:

Download here - Mediafire | Hulkshare

David: Serge Didenko x Bagoflaundry To Ditch (Music Video)

2011-03-07T22:55:00.002-05:00

Above is Serge Didenko's music video for his song, "BagofLaundry To Ditch," which was a single off his previous mixtape, BagofLaundry To Ditch, which was hosted by Clinton Sparks. Serge is a well respected hip hop artist, singer, and producer from Boston, Massachusetts (originally from Russia), who is a full-time college student. Be on the lookout for his 2nd self produced mixtape hosted by Clinton Sparks titled, Serge, coming late April 2011.

Enjoy the music video above and get his debut mixtape on datpiff

http://www.sergedidenko.com
http://www.twitter.com/sergedidenko
http://www.newenglandhiphop.com/serge_didenko

David: Criss Lyric Releases His First Official Leak Off of Sumnar titled, Happy (Music Download)

2011-03-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

Criss Lyric dropped his new track, "Happy," off to us earlier. This is his first official leak off his upcoming project, Sumnar. The song features rappers, Chuuwee and Nickelus F, and is produced by Zulu. I've played this about ten times today and I haven't stopped yet. It's just one of those snowy days here in Vermont where I want to just kick back and relax to some chill music like this. Listen and download the track below!

http://www.crisslyric.com
http://www.beallmighty.com

David: John Lass x Hotbox (Music Download)

2011-03-07T20:59:00.001-05:00

The homie John Lass just shot his new track, "Hotbox" featuring Wister Dice, over to us earlier today in celebration of his birthday. This is a nice mellow track to end the day with. Take a listen and download the track below! Happy Birthday John!

Download here - LimeLinx

David: Justin Timberlake Expected To Start Recording A New Album This Summer

2011-03-07T11:35:00.001-05:00

It's crazy to think that the last Justin Timberlake album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, was released 5 years ago. I'm excited to see what's to come from Justin Timberlake for his next album after his recent absence from the music scene to pursue his acting career. Hopefully he'll bring out that creativity from Timbaland much like he did on his last album. And hopefully everything will come out perfect unlike the 2004 Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction with Janet Jackson haha.

We'll be waiting for what's to come JT!

David: Back in the U.S.A.

2011-03-06T23:04:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm back in the U.S.A. expect to see a post about my Los Angeles trip including pictures, videos, and a little summary. I had no time to work on it while I was out in Spain because of everything that I was doing, but I promise I'll put something up soon enough! Hope everyone had an awesome weekend!

To hold everyone over though here's a little list of things I've been listening to lately. Click the captions to download:

Nostalgia by Frank Ocean (Album)

Causers of This by Toro Y Moi (Album)

Donald Trump by Mac Miller (Single)

French (Toro Y Moi Remix) by Tyler, The Creator (Single)

David: Road to Redemption by ChristianFGY (Trailer #2)

2011-03-06T22:41:00.000-05:00

Previously this was called "Road to Revenge," which I posted in ChristianFGY's TKFV Introduction post back in December. Recently the path for the Canyon Springs High School boy's basketball team has been going extremely well, which lead to this name change. Check out the second teaser below to see a little bit of what's to come:

Gray: Spring Break (so far)

2011-03-04T17:20:00.002-05:00

So it's Friday, and I am wondering where the hell my week went!? This has been my first spring break in college, and damn has it been fun. Instead of heading back to cold VT for the week, I was offered to stay at my homie R Star's house in Malibu for the week. (This kid just got a Twitter... follow him @R___Star) I hit up Mammoth for the weekend, then got back to LA and chilled hard for the remaining days. Mammoth got pounded with 32+ inches on the Friday we drove up, so the rest of the weekend was full of pow runs and sun- some of the most fun I have had all year! Once I got back to LA, we have just been raging and kickin back... I have been filming pretty much everything we have been doing (watch out for a spring break edit coming soon). Here are some snap shots from the videos I have been taking, I hope you enjoy!

Probably the coolest smoke spot ever. Chillin' over the Pacific Ocean.

Spent a lot of time in Jani's hot tub and pool. Such a dope spot.

Shoes and cigarette butts.

About to play some intense games of Skadoosh at Jani's crib.

Playin' some soccer on the basketball court.

No words can describe this moment.

David: Spain Trip - Day 14

2011-03-03T19:37:00.001-05:00

Sofia & Manu talking at the TIE Spain exchange farewell banquet

The Spain TIE exchange is coming closer and closer to till end. And on top of things my converter blew out this morning so I can't charge my laptop or anything else I own besides my iPhone since Manu has what I need to charge it. I'm without a razor though, so I might be a little grizzly when I come back.

Today we went to the school for the whole school day and went to classes and played with the younger kids in the school. Connor and I were assigned to a classroom of four year olds and for about 30 minutes we played blocks and attempted to start a domino line, but it kept getting knocked down by the kids after we put up more than four. After the class Connor, James, Matt, and myself played basketball outside for a few hours to kill time before we went downtown. I slowly was getting my shot back and for those that don't know, yes, I used to be an athlete, but these days I'm 100% for TKFV, music, fashion, and I guess school can be cool too... sometimes.

Connor

Pooja, Becca, & the little kids at the school

When school was finished, Manu and I went downtown to meet up with Connor. Manu and Sofia had to work on their presentation for the farewell banquet tonight, so Connor and I had a little time to ourselves to just hangout and relax. The weather wasn't that nice out later today so we went to a bar to just sit, talk, and watch the soccer games that were on... and for the parents reading here on TKFV, going to bars is just a part of what kids do here in Spain. People simply go to just hangout with friends or watch a big sporting event. Seems like everyday we've been going to bars, but parents we are the most amazing kids in the world and you have nothing to worry about :). Anyway after Manu and Sofia were done we met up with Lucia, Amanda, and our friend Maria. We were with each other for a few minutes and then we went to the farewell banquet.

At the farewell banquet, Manu and Sofia began their speech talking about memories and things we experienced in both Vermont and Salamanca. At the end every Spanish student talked about their American students and gave us a gift. Manu gave me churros (a Spanish food that's really good) and a University of Salamanca hoodie, which I've wanted this whole trip. So Manu if you're reading this, thank you for everything you have been the best host anyone could ask for!

After the banquet we had our dinner. I was munching on the churros for a bit earlier so I was a little full, but I was still able to eat when I was there. The whole time we just socialized with each other as a big group and had a good time.

Me & Sofia

Gonzalo & I

After dinner Gonzalo, Sofia, Manu, Santi, Alyssa, James, Jose Juan, Matt, Cristina, Sarah, and our friend Kata went downtown to the same bar we were at last night with the pool table. I sat and watched Real Madrid win seven nothing and then I completely destroyed in fusbol and got destroyed in pool. One more full day to go and I hope it ends up being a good one. I really am going to miss everyone here. It's going to be hard finally leaving. But for now I'm signing off. I can't charge my computer and now I'm down to 60% battery life. Just enough to hopefully do another one tomorrow.

The end of the game

Santi

Adios!

David: Spain Trip - Day 13

2011-03-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

Downtown Salamanca (Plaza Mayor)

Today was the day we had to present our presentations to people in the school. Pooja, my partner, and myself presented about skiing and snowboarding in Vermont and a little bit about Burton. Our presentation went really well all four times we did it and our video got a really nice response. Below is the video we used for our presentations. We started it around 1:20 each time. Check it out:

After our presentations, Manu and myself went to his grandparents house and ate lunch with them and his uncle. It was my first time meeting all of them and they were all really nice people. I really enjoyed my time with all of them and all the food that they had prepared. Even though it was so short, it was definitely a highlight to this trip so far.

After lunch Manu and myself met up with Connor to head back to his house for a little bit. We hung out and I beat Manu at a soccer video game again (I'm just too good). Connor finally had the chance to get onto a computer too since Luis, his host, doesn't have a computer. The good news of the day came after he checked his email. Congrats to Connor for getting accepted into UVM!

About an hour later Manu, Connor, and myself went downtown to meet up with another big group of people. Matt, Jose Juan, Santi, James, Amanda, Luis, Rachel, Luna, Kata and more were all in our group today and we went to two bars in the area. One of them had a pool table and Kata and myself played against Santi and Manu. We both got down to the 8 ball and unfortunately Manu hit the luckiest shot of his life and made it... after cheating for the whole game haha.

Pool

Matt & Connor

After playing pool it was down to just Manu, Kata, Santi, James, and myself. We all walked out of the bar and called it a night. Manu has me rushing all over the place these days. I don't think there hasn't been a day he's had me running for a car or bus haha. Manu, Manu, Manu.

Adios TKFV!

David: Spain Trip - Day 12

2011-03-01T19:54:00.000-05:00

A part of the cheese factory/farm

Today we had a tour around a cheese factory. We started off walking to check out some of the animals on the property and saw a few sheep to start. Next we saw some tamed bulls that weren't harmless and kept their distance and never charged. So we were actually able to walk into their area and try to interact with them. The whole time I found myself dodging poop piles and hoping my nice dress shoes that I wore on this field trip stayed in tact. But don't worry TKFV I was successful and kept my distance and kept my shoes clean!

Sheep

Tamed bull (at least I think that's what they said it was)

After our outdoors visit we went over to the factory where they make the cheese. They had a nice little lunch ready for us too with fresh cheese, meat, water, and bread. I swear I haven't eaten much cheese as good as what I had today. I couldn't stop hogging the plate just to myself I loved it that much. I'll even be carrying a small package of cheese back to the US with me because it was so good.

Food they prepared for us

After the cheese factory we stopped in a small town to walk around for a few moments. I snapped one picture of the view of the town when I was there.

Once we returned back to the school, James and Matt came with Manu and myself to my house. Manu had to study so I worked on my Spanish presentation on snowboarding and skiing for tomorrow morning and then played a soccer game with them (of course I won I'm too good). Afterwards we went downtown where we met up with Luis, Connor, Amanda, and my new American friend, Kata, who I mentioned yesterday. We all went to the same bar we've been going to almost the whole time this trip and just talked. Jose Juan, Matt's host, our friend James (pronounced Hi-me), and Luis' cousin all came later to sit and enjoy the rest of the evening. Everyone then left except for Manu, myself, and Kata and then our friends Sarah and Cristina joined us for awhile and we watched the first half of the Manchester United versus Chelsea game. Once the first half ended we said goodbye to everyone and went home.

Right now I need my sleep for this presentation tomorrow though. I'll be letting everyone know how it goes! Adios!

David: Spain Trip - Day 11

2011-02-28T19:09:00.000-05:00

Inside the cathedral in Salamanca

Sorry everyone, but I didn't take many pictures today. I'll try to explain everything with the few pics I have though.

To start, we walked around downtown Salamanca and checked out the cathedral, some of the monuments, and the university. The tour was okay, but it was very windy and kind of cold this morning so it was kind of a distraction when we were outside. It seemed like we had stepped into our 50th cathedral while we've been on this trip too since I've seen or been in so many. Besides the cathedral, the monuments, and the quick stop outside of the university though, we stepped inside a cafe where we ate churros and drank hot chocolate. Definitely the highlight to my morning that's for sure.

Another picture inside the cathedral

After our morning festivities Manu, Connor, and myself, met up with a friend of mine who I met on a bus named, Kata. She's also here for an exchange program with a group of American students, but she'll be here until June... so she'll definitely be 10 times better at Spanish by the time she leaves compared to me haha. All of us met in Plaza Mayor and went to a bar for a little bit. We hung out and talked and just chatted about whatever happened to come up. We also started the beginning celebrations for Connor's 18th birthday. After the bar Manu, Connor, and myself had to head to our friend Fermin's house who was having people over. Everyone from the exchange was there and once again I ate way too much to handle. It's been such a struggle over here when it comes to food haha.

The birthday boy Connor enjoying his 18th

After Fermin's Manu and myself went downtown to meet up with Kata again for a quick second. We were only able to walk around for a few minutes before we had to go though. We ran home... and by the way TKFV readers I recommend you never run in two jackets, a t-shirt, skinny jeans, semi dress shoes, and a beanie in low 50 degree weather. I felt like asthma when I got back. And since I still feel like asthma I'm going to get some sleep. I've never been so tired in my life haha. Goodnight!

David: Spain Trip - Day 10

2011-02-27T18:07:00.000-05:00

Segovia

Lazy Sunday wasn't so lazy today. Manu, his family, and myself all went to Segovia and Ávila for the day, both different provinces in Spain. First we drove about an hour and a half to Segovia where we spent the first half of the day walking around town, checking out El Alcázar (a castle in the city), and finished off the rest of our time there at a restaurant. I've eaten a lot this trip, but I think I ate the most today. I started with lamb and a salad accompanied by bread and finished off the meal sharing two desserts with Manu. When I'm back in the United States I think all I'm going to be eating is salad for about a month or two.

Another view of Segovia

Manu & myself

Manu, Myself, Manu's dad, and Manu's sister Claudia

Claudia, Manu's mom, and myself

The cathedral

Another view of Segovia

The menu (I ordered the cordero lechal asado with Manu)

Myself & Manu

Lamb

After Segovia we drove about 30 minutes to walk around in Ávila for a few minutes. We were only there for a little bit because we had to get home, but Manu's family wanted to show me another area of Spain. I enjoyed the views and watching the sun set for the few minutes we were there. After Ávila we got back into the car and went back to Salamanca.

Ávila

Another view of Ávila

When we got back to Salamanca Manu and myself met up with our friends Sofia, Alyssa, Santi, James, Amanda, and Lucia. We hung out for about an hour and then Manu and myself went back home. We ate dinner (and I don't know how I did after all that food I had for lunch) and now I'm about to head off to bed. Goodnight TKFV!

P.S. - For those watching the Oscars tonight can you let me know how they are?

David: Spain Trip - Day 9

2011-02-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

Breakfast

Right now I am extremely tired, but I cannot go to bed without doing a blog post. So, excuse me if this one is a little short haha.

This morning I had churros with hot chocolate. I really love Spanish food I can't get over it. Everything that I've had out here has tasted amazing. It's kind of weird though. America is well known for being fat, but I've eaten so much more while I've been here. For breakfast I had everything that's in the picture above and for lunch I had a potato soup, bread, some egg dish, and then a dessert. I swear my stomach was about to burst.

For most of the day, Manu and myself just relaxed. We played Pro Evolution Soccer on his computer and I beat him every time until our last game where he beat me by one goal at the very end... So lucky haha. Afterwards we went with our friends Santi and James to a DJing/breakdancing event. We were all expecting something a little different, but I was able to itch my scratch for a bit and get my craving out of my system.

Turntables

Santi

Immediately after we went downtown to meet up with all our friends. Unfortunately it was too dark to get any pictures and I only took one that came out really bad which you can see below. We went to a few bars and clubs in the area and just had a good time. I was a little mad since my good friend Connor couldn't stay that long and his birthday is on Monday so I wanted to celebrate with him early. I guess we'll have to figure something else out and I'm sure we will. We are in Spain after all haha.

Horrible picture in one of the clubs

Anyways I am really tired so I'm off to bed. I'll be heading out of Salamanca for the day tomorrow! Adios!

David: OFWGKTA on MTV

2011-02-26T09:02:00.000-05:00

Taco & Tyler, the Creator from OFWGKTA

For those of you that are not following OFWGKTA I think it's time you do. It's crazy to think after knowing them for one year and seeing them the weekend I was out for the Grammy's in Los Angeles how much of a buzz they have generated throughout the whole United States. From Kanye West tweeting Tyler's "Yonkers" as the best music video of 2011 (which recently hit over 1 million views in just one week), to the Jimmy Fallon performance, and now MTV. OFWGKTA has made more than a name for themselves and continues to keep pushing their music into the minds of America and even the whole world. They are here to stay and from the looks of it, it'll be for a long time.

Below is the full MTV Interview of OFWGKTA featured on television two days ago (2/24/11). Check it out below and see why these kids are the next big thing in all of music:

Hit the jump to see the video footage from Jimmy Fallon and the Yonkers' music video.

David: Spain Trip - Day 8

2011-02-25T20:05:00.001-05:00

Salamanca at night

Today was by far the best day that I've had while I've been in Spain. The day started off kind of boring and slow, but it got a lot better as it went on. To start, we went to a farm where they raise bulls to be used in bull fights and cows to breed them or be killed for food. I probably could've phrased all of that a little better, but that's roughly a summary of what goes on at the farm. There were hundreds of acres and different sections where they kept different cows and bulls. Unfortunately the tour got a little boring after seeing the same animals, scenery, and poop piles for an hour.

Bullring

Bulls

More bulls

Cows

After the tour was finally done, Manu and myself rested a bit before we went downtown. Once we were done resting we met up a group of kids, both American and Spanish. We started off with our friends Sofia, Alyssa, Matt, Rachel, Lucia, Amanda, and James and just walked around for awhile checking out a little more of downtown Salamanca. By the end of the night we were easily with a group of 20 or more. And at one point it was 4 guys and 14 girls which was definitely a highlight to my evening :) haha. While we were downtown we began at our friend Alba's (who is a part of the exchange) father's bar. Afterwards we began to walk around and I was able to meet a lot of new people (which is always what I look forward to on any trip I go on). We stopped in a few other bars and just hung out and had a good time. At the end of the night I was talking to my new friends Maria, Celia, and Marta. They taught James and myself some dirty Spanish words and sentences and some Spanish songs. So parents reading this back at home... We are learning so much Spanish haha. Afterwards everyone left and Manu and myself got some pizza again and now I'm at his house watching the NBA All Star game that I missed while he's passed out on the couch. Adios everyone! Tomorrow should be the busiest day of them all!

The Cathedral

Lucia & Sofia

Rachel & Matt

Food at a bakery we stopped at

Manu eating pizza at the end of the night

P.S. - I am officially a part of the family :)

David: Spain Trip - Day 7

2011-02-24T17:53:00.000-05:00

The Americans at Pedro Nieto's ham factory

Today, Manu's sister, Claudia, accidentally set the alarm an hour earlier than we were supposed to get up... 6 o' clock. Manu woke me up at 6:40 after he was done getting ready thinking it was 7:40 and told me to hurry up, so without thinking I threw on some clothes and right as I was about to brush my teeth my alarm went off telling me it was 6:40... A great start to the day. Luckily I had plenty of time to get ready today though haha.

When we got to the school, all of the American students had a class for one hour about Salamanca and the districts surrounding it. Since I got up so early today I was a little tired, so I had a little trouble keeping my eyes open. Plus it felt like that class was taking forever. After the class we got on a 45 minute bus ride, where I was able to sleep for awhile, and arrived at our friend Luis' family ham factory, Pedro Nieto (also the name of Luis' dad) in Guijuelo. We had a long tour around the factory and learned the whole process of what goes through making the meat ready to sell and eat. It takes almost 3 years for one single ham to be ready. After our tour we had some food that was prepared for us and then went to Candelario, a village about 20 minutes down the road.

Some ham and I

The meal prepared for us after the tour

Chorizo

Ham

Matt

Fermin

In Candelario we just walked around and ate lunch. Nothing too special, but we enjoyed the warm weather and the scenery that it had to offer us.

After Candelario we went back to the school to get picked up and Manu and myself went downtown to meet up with Luis, Connor, and our friends, Becca and Beth. We finished the day just hanging out in a bar downtown chatting and having a good time. We had other things planned, but unfortunately those plans didn't work out. Hopefully tomorrow everything will go a little more smooth. But for now I am extremely sleepy so I'm off to bed. Ciao!

Connor & Manu

David: Spain Trip - Day 6

2011-02-23T18:38:00.001-05:00

Myself & Sofia

Before I get into day 6, I'd like to write a personal message to my parents because the picture above is the first picture I've put of myself on TKFV while I've been out in Spain. So mom and dad I am alive and well with no scratches on my face as you can see.

ANYWAY, we started the day much like yesterday (at least the going to school part). We went to school, I fell asleep in philosophy class, attempted to take a test that I couldn't understand, went to technical drawing class, had a brain fart in technical drawing class, and then we went to play a game called, padel (which is a game much like tennis).

Younger kids in the playground

Dani

Manu in technical drawing class

My friend James and myself were partners for the day and we tried to play our friends Matt and Connor two times, but kept getting moved around every time we tried to play them. By the end we finally got our match, but unfortunately we lost 21-19 thanks to James hitting the ball out of bounds. Way to go James haha. After we finished playing padel we all went outside to eat lunch... on the pavement while it was easily in the high 70s today. I had a ham sandwich (and by the way the ham in Spain is ten times better than the ham in the United States) and a drink, which was quickly made warm by the sun. And after that I played soccer, which made things even worse for me haha. But I was on the winning team with 5 Americans verses 3 Spaniards... not fair I know, but they are ten times better than us. After we played soccer I had to rush to the sink to drink the tap water to cool down and then we got on the bus to head back to the school to get picked up to go home.

Padel

Connor at lunch

A few hours later Manu and myself went to our friend Lucia's really big house to eat merienda (which is Spanish for snack and the meal between lunch and dinner). We brought a few pastries for the party and everyone else that came brought food too. I ate A LOT and now I'm sitting here poking at my stomach I built up tonight. On the bright side of things though all the food was good. I have to clap for all the vegetarians from America on this trip because it definitely is not easy to be one in Spain.

Half of Lucia's house

Cristina & Gonzalo

Some of the food from tonight

After Lucia's we went home, where I am typing out this blog post on Manu's couch right now. We ate dinner, which in Spain is a lot later than it is in the United States. We didn't sit down at the table until maybe 10:30PM and I had bread and palete (the front leg of the pig). Manu's parents are yelling at us now though, so I'm off to bed. Adios TKFV!

Manu and the palete

David: Gerald Walker x Ran That Scam (Music Download)

2011-02-23T10:04:00.000-05:00

While working on his newest collaboration EP with the Taylor Gang's Cardo (producer of Wiz Khalifa's "Mezmerized" & "That Good" featuring Snoop Dogg), Gerald Walker took a short break to release a demo titled, "Ran That Scam." Check out the homie's song and download it below:

Download here - files.me

http://gwalkermixtape.com

David: Spain Trip - Day 5

2011-02-22T19:50:00.002-05:00

Manu in his kitchen

I had to wake up at 7 today... but the whole being 18 and it being my birthday made it worth it. I started the day off normally with cereal, toast, and Spanish coffee. Then I went to Manu's school for the first time and struggled listening to what was going on in every class, but I made some new friends and somehow stayed awake the whole time.

Math class

After our classes we were introduced to a small group of teachers and students. Manu said some words about me in Spanish that I hope were good because I couldn't really understand anything he was saying, but oh well haha.

From there we left school and relaxed at Manu's house until we left to go meet up with our friends, Luis, Connor, Austin, and Fermin. We walked around for a bit and we helped get Connor a jacket that he had been wanting the whole trip and then met up with the rest of our friends at a bar downtown to watch the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and Lyon. Manu and his family got me a Real Madrid jersey for my birthday and the game, but unfortunately the game ended up tied 1-1.

My new Real Madrid jersey

The game on TV

The bar

(From left to right) Amanda, Luis, & Sarah

Luna

(From left to right) Sofia, Lucia, & Rachel

Rachel & Luna

At the end of the game I was getting a little hungry so Manu, myself, Sarah, and our friends Matt, Jose Juan, and Cristina all went to get pizza at a place around the corner. I learned how to say bacon in spanish... Bacon. And I shared a bacon and pepperoni pizza. It was better than I expected it would be. And after we were done, Manu and myself went home and now I'm about to go to bed to start day 6 tomorrow!

Jose Juan & Matt

Cristina

Bacon & Pepperoni pizza

David: It's My Birthday!

2011-02-22T11:49:00.000-05:00

So, it's my birthday today and I couldn't be any happier right now! Carmelo and Chauncey to the Knicks, I'm in Spain, and I have the best friends and family in the world! And I mean that, without any of you guys these 18 years would never have been the same. Much love to my mom and dad, much love to all my friends, much love to all the readers here on TKFV, and much love to the other kid from Vermont, Gray! Hope everyone's day turns out to be a great one! SWAG.

Gray: Sunday in the Park: Episode 11

2011-02-21T22:18:00.002-05:00

For the viewers out there who can appreciate some good Bear Mountain riding... Sunday in the Park: Episode 11. For those of you who do not follow this series, "Sunday in the Park"is a series of snowboard edits put out weekly, filmed at big bear mountain in California. My school offered this ski trip where we paid $20 bucks for a bus up to Bear which included the ticket so I was down, especially since I had never been and always wanted to. Some of the most fun I've had out here in California during the day time! Anyway, check out this weeks edit.

Here are the last few episodes of the series too.

David: Spain Trip - Day 4

2011-02-21T18:04:00.001-05:00

Manu at a bus station in Salamanca

Today was our last morning in Madrid. We started the day off going shopping, where I picked up a pair of Converses (and I know in my last post I said I wasn't interested in buying much unless it was one of a kind or vintage, but I was craving my Converses at home so I picked up a cheap pair here).

After we finished up shopping we hopped on the bus to head to Salamanca, which took us about three hours. When we got to Salamanca all of our friends were waiting outside getting ready to greet us with their families. I said my first hello to Manu in Spain and met his mother for the first time too and we drove to his house where I got my first tour.

We ate lunch and I struggled to understand his mother's accent a bit, but I was able to pick things up gradually and was able to respond with a little help from Manu. After we finished eating Manu and myself went downtown to meet up with the rest of our friends and we had our first get together downtown.

My friend Luis at our get together

After our get together Manu and myself went back to his house for dinner with his whole family where I met his father and his sister for the first time. Again, it was a little struggle at first, but I'm getting used to everything slowly. I brought some gifts along with me from Vermont too which I gave to them. So I hope they liked them all!

Anyways, that was pretty much my whole day today. Tomorrow I'll be heading to Manu's school for the first time and celebrating my birthday at night! Day 4 done.

Check out some more photos from the day below:

Downtown

Manu

Gray: Crap Eyewear!

2011-02-21T17:28:00.001-05:00

Recently I have been losing everything in the midst of some very sober evenings... My cell phone went missing last Thursday, probably have lost my LMU one card 3 times last week, and my Sabre Heartbreakers are no where to be found. Luckily I have awesome friends with extra verizon phones so thats taken care of, but the sunglasses issue still needs to be resolved. A homie right down the hall from me was talking about how his brother helped start some company that makes shades weezy rocks, so I was down to check these out. It is kind of a mix between the heartbreakers and wayfarers, but half the cost. The company is called Crap Eyewear, and have been making shades low key for years. It wasn't until 2009 when they put up a website and started shipping these things all over the place, and really started to get noticed. They have 4 frames out right now, including the Beach Party, the Nudie Mag, the Human Fly, and the Juan Jovi. The thing about this company is its not big enough to where you see these all over the place, but dope enough for weezy to be rocking them on the cover of his new mixtape, I Am Not A Human Being. Check these shades out, and support a local southern Californian company!

David: Spain Trip - Day 3

2011-02-20T21:02:00.001-05:00

Toledo, Spain

Another day in Spain and our last full day in Madrid. Today my roommates and myself missed our wakeup call and overslept through breakfast, which was actually kind of nice since I've been pretty tired at some points during the trip and luckily we were able to grab a few things to bring with us on the go. But besides the sleeping perk, today's morning routine became a rushed 5 minute hustle in our rooms to get ready, a rush to put as many bread products as possible on a napkin, and a fast jog to the bus, which we took to Toledo, the old capital of Spain.

Streets of Toledo

Outside the first museum we stopped at

When we arrived in Toledo after an hour bus ride we made our first stop at a museum close by. The museum held some more famous artists including El Greco, where we saw one of his famous paintings, "La Inmaculada Concepción." And by the way, I was allowed to take pictures in this museum so nobody can get me in trouble for this one! It took us about an hour or so to go through the whole museum, where we saw everything from old sculptures, to paintings, to tapestries (some of which took people their whole lives to complete).

El Greco's La Inmaculada Concepción

A small garden and fountain within the museum outside

Tapestry

Once we finished our tour through the museum we went over to the Santo Tomé Church where El Greco's "El entierro del Conde de Orgaz" (considered the third most important painting in the world) was framed. I was not supposed to take pictures of this one either, so excuse the blurriness and don't tell anybody.

El Greco's El entierro del Conde de Orgaz (click for a better image)

After my stealthy moves I tried to put on in the Santo Tomé Church, we went to a jewelry store to kill time before we went to lunch. Unfortunately I couldn't help myself and saw a necklace I really liked so I got it for myself to add to the gold piece I have already. I guess I had to get something while I'm here, but oddly enough I'm not as interested in buying stuff here unless it's one of a kind or vintage.

New necklace

Once the time came around, we made our way to lunch, which was good for the most part and my friend, Connor Scagnelli, and myself tried a famous local pork dish, which was pretty good. Besides that I had a small dish of spaghetti and shrimp as a small course and salmon as an entrée.

Connor Scagnelli

When lunch was finished, our tour guide led us around Toledo a bit and through the narrow streets, which a lot of us wanted to see while we were here.

We made our way through the streets and finally ended up at a famous Cathedral in Toledo. Unfortunately I didn't capture any photos inside, but the architecture was amazing. Here's a website with a few photos found on the right hand side of the webpage taken inside the Cathedral that I was not able to get - click here. An interesting fact that our tour guide told us too was that this Cathedral was the only one in the world with a skylight.

The Cathedral was our last major stop on our trip to Toledo and we returned to the square to do a little bit of shopping (though there wasn't really anything at all) and when we were finished we got back on the bus to head back to our hotel.

We were able to relax for a little bit while we were back, but only for about an hour until we went out for our final dinner in Madrid. To end our short visit to Madrid, we were treated with the famous Spanish dish called, Paella. I've had Paella before in the United States, but tonight was honestly one of the best dishes I've ever had of the meal, which I guess would make sense since it's a Spanish dish and I'm in Spain. Check out the picture below of the meal:

Paella

And that capped off our last night in Madrid. Overall it was a pretty mellow trip to the city, and of course I plan on returning to experience the bigger city life within Madrid in the future, but it was a good first experience for sure. Tomorrow we'll be heading off to Salamanca where I'll be staying with my friend Manu and his family. For now I need to get some sleep. Goodnight to everyone reading on TKFV!

David: Rhythm & Sophisticates United Presents CAMM (Party on February 22nd)

2011-02-20T16:52:00.001-05:00

Click on the image to view a larger version

Our homies at Rhythm are putting on an event at MESA with their friends at The Closet and Ghetto Juice on February 22nd (My birthday... yerrrr) from 6pm - 2am. The night will feature a photography installation from Laura Austin and Hank Foto with complimentary hors d'oeuvres from 6pm - 8pm to provide an intimate viewing experience for the exhibit. From 8pm - 2am you will have the opportunity the listen to stellar tunes from My Pet Saddle and Tomorrows Tulips and a DJ set from Patrick.Dylan to close out the night. The night will be highlighted by a viewing of Rhythm's "this isn't . . ." film series which documents the experiences of their athletes, artists, and musicians.

If you like music, surfing, art, food, dancing, drinks, snowboarding, or just want to be a part of the sound of change you should come and check this event out!

Shouts out to Rhythm! If you're in the area seriously go to this and have a good time for me on my birthday! Swag!

David: Toony TuneS' New Track, Zodiaction (Download)

2011-02-20T16:33:00.001-05:00

The homie Toony TuneS', who I actually met at the Odd Future studio out in Los Angeles last weekend (both of us didn't realize it till later, which was pretty funny), just released a new track called "Zodiation." The songs co-produced by PROduce and Michael Uzowuru. It will also be released on a double EP with Toony TuneS and The Bully with production by PROduce on, TheManWithThreeNameS EP, dropping in March! Listen and download the song below:

Download here - Mediafire

http://toony.bandcamp.com

David: Spain Trip - Day 2

2011-02-19T20:12:00.000-05:00

Monastery in Madrid

Day 2 in Spain was another relaxed day for the most part. We started off with breakfast at the hotel and drove about 30 minutes to a monastery a little outside the city. Unfortunately it was another location where we couldn't take pictures inside so I wasn't able to get much, but our tour guide took us around and told us about the history and the significant events that happened within the monastery. One of the most magnificent rooms was the Pantheon of Kings located just below the church. The whole room was covered in marble and gold with tombs surrounding the walls of different Kings and Queens of Spain.

Library in the Monastery

Afterwards we went to the Prado Museum where we saw paintings from some of the most famous and well known artists including Francisco Goya and Diego Valázquez. Again we weren't allowed to take pictures, but I did sneak a few just for you guys so please excuse the bad angles because I was trying to hide my actions.

Las Meninas by Diego Valázquez (1656. Oil on canvas)
This is one of the most famous paintings of all time

Once we finished touring the Prado Museum we went into the center of Madrid, went shopping, and got dinner. I didn't really want to buy anything so I stuck to trying to makeover some of my friends, which it worked out pretty well with one of them. Cleaner fit for the win, guys get off that baggy look you should be off that by now.

Kilometer 0 (the center of Madrid)

After shopping we went to dinner, which I started off with a three cheese salad, then a steak with a spicy dressing, and finished it with cream puffs for dessert. Day two in Spain done, a lot more to go!

Gray: Wiz Khalifa Drops New Mixtape

2011-02-19T18:11:00.003-05:00

So out of nowhere Wiz Khalifa drops his new mixtape for 2011, Cabin Fever. From what I've heard so far it sounds pretty standard Wiz. There was no build up for this drop, unlike the release of his last mixtape Kush and Orange Juice. Pretty fire though, definitely worth a listen.

Download here - Mediafire | Datpiff

David: Spain Trip - Day 1!

2011-02-18T18:01:00.001-05:00

Royal Palace

Today was our first day in Spain, and it seemed like it lasted an eternity. I was suffering from jet lag and I still haven't slept except for an hour nap in my room and a 30 minute nap, which didn't work out too well, on the plane. On top of that, the hotel we're staying at isn't the nicest place in the world, but my friend Connor and myself were able to explore the area a little more earlier today. We walked along some of the streets, parks, and bridges for most of the day and found a nice restaurant where we relaxed and ate ham sandwiches. I also had my first Burn energy drink experience, thanks to the recommendation from DJ Sum1, and that instantly woke me up for the day (which is part of the reason why I haven't slept much).

After our time exploring the area we took a quick tour of the Royal Palace, which can be pictured above. We were not allowed to take pictures inside, unfortunately, but the architecture and work put into this building was amazing. Also the stories that were mentioned about the previous rulers living in this Palace were interesting as well.

After our tour we were able to relax for a bit and had our first dinner in Spain. I started off with an appetizer of ham and potatoes, had a veal dish as an entrée, and ended with cheese cake. So far a slow and tiring, but good start to the trip! Can't wait for tomorrow!

Below are some more pictures from the day:

David: Dave Raps' New Mixtape, H.Y.P.E.!

2011-02-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

Dave Raps brings you his latest installment H.Y.P.E. which is a must download for all readers of TKFV. Take a listen to H.Y.P.E. and you'll be able to hear why Dave is slowly creating his own lane for himself. This mixtape is full of all original music from Dave himself and sheds light on the mindset of the 20-year old MC. Check out the tracklist, listen, and download the mixtape below!

Tracklist:

Download here - Usershare | Hulkshare | ZombieStars

http://www.daveraps.com
http://facebook.com/daverapsmusic
http://twitter.com/daverapsill

David: Off to Spain till March 5th!

2011-02-17T17:22:00.000-05:00

Right now I'm writing this in the Philadelphia airport waiting to board my flight to Spain! Till March 5th I'll be heading to Madrid for a few days and then spending the rest of the trip in Salamanca with my good friend Manu. This is my first time to Spain and at the moment my Spanish is horrible so I guess we'll see how it goes. I'll be celebrating my 18th birthday over seas though and having the time of my life, but I'll try to keep everyone as updated as possible on how my trip is going over here!

Madrid

In the meantime I'll be putting up a post about Los Angeles and the Grammys very soon!

Salamanca

Hope everyone is having a great week!

David: Off to Los Angeles & The Grammys

2011-02-11T00:45:00.000-05:00

It's been a year since I've last been in Los Angeles, and last trip was a good one, but this one is going to top last years trip by a long shot. This year Alan South (1/2 of Ditto) and myself will be heading to the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards with our good friend Mei Mei Zeprun. We're heading out tomorrow morning until Monday and the awards are on Sunday so we'll have a few days to catch up with some old friends that we met last year. I'll be back next week with an update from the awards though! Hope everyone has a great weekend while I'm gone!

David: John Lass x Out Of The Box (Mixtape)

2011-02-08T19:21:00.001-05:00

John Lass out of Annapolis, Maryland hit us up the other day with his solo mixtape, Out Of The Box. I took one listen to the whole thing and I'm very impressed with what I heard. I recommend everyone check this out! Hit the download link below:

Download here - Datpiff

David: Ditto Presents Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1!

2011-02-07T20:53:00.004-05:00

Here's Alan South and myself's new Ditto mix, Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1! The last mix was only 20 minutes long, but this time around we're giving you an hour of music put together by Ditto! Featured are Lil B and The Pack Mashups. Check out the tracklist, listen, and download the track below!

Tracklist:

1. Hipster Girls vs. Dimmakmmunication (Ditto Mashup) - Lil B vs The Bloody Beetroots
2. Lemonade is Still Popular - Lazerdisk Party Sex
3. Phantom Pt. II (Boys Noize Remix) - Justice
4. Goose - Black Gloves (The Bloody Beetroots Remix) - The Bloody Beetroots
5. Shots (DJ T.O Electro Shot Remix) - LMFAO & Lil Jon
6. MSTRKRFT - Bounce (The Bloody Beetroots Remix) - The Bloody Beetroots
7. Quicksand (Mad Decent 2010 Rerub) ft. Amanda Blank - Major Lazer & La Roux
8. Quicksand vs. Sex on the Beach (Ditto Mashup) - Major Lazer & La Roux vs. The Pack
9. Sex on the Beach vs. Empire Ants (Miami Horror Remix) [Ditto Mashup] - The Pack vs. Gorillaz
10. Empire Ants (Miami Horror Remix) - Gorillaz
11. Metropol vs. Wonton Soup (Ditto Mashup) - Christoph Andersson vs. Lil B
12. I Look To You ('96 Bulls Remix) - Miami Horror
13. Sunshine Hotel - Louis La Roche
14. Hypnotize U (Alex Metric Remix) - N.E.R.D.
15. Starry Eyed (Remix) - Theophilus London
16. Pretty Boy Swag (Lushlife Remix) - Soulja Boy
17. Boyz (The Twelves Remix) - M.I.A.
18. No Hands (DJ Kue Remix) - Waka Flocka Flame
19. Badddd (Remix) - The White Panda
20. The Girls (Samuele Sartini Edit) - Calvin Harris

P.S. - Special thanks to CJ Bowman once again for making the artwork!

Download here - Mediafire

David: Green Bay Wins Super Bowl XLV Over Pittsburgh!

2011-02-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

Aaron Rodgers

For all the people who thought the Steelers would win Super Bowl XLV... Told ya so. Congrats to the Pack for winning the Super Bowl and Aaron Rodgers for winning Super Bowl MVP! Now back to basketball.

P.S. who else was disappointed in that Black Eyed Peas performance at halftime?

David: Maestro Knows And The Very Talented Artist, Yué Wu

2011-02-05T01:30:00.000-05:00

Below is Maestro's newest video featuring one of my favorite artists and biggest inspirations, Yué Wu. Maestro shows Yué Wu around during his first ever trip to Los Angeles and gives us a glimpse into the creativity Yué possesses. Check it out below! The video also features Johnny Cupcakes (who Gray and myself interviewed out in Los Angeles) and Dom Kennedy.

David: OFWGKTA Featured On The Berrics' Text Yoself Beefo Yo Wreck Yoself

2011-02-04T01:39:00.003-05:00

This is way too funny. OFWGKTA. Check it out below:

http://oddfuture.tumblr.com/

David: Ditto Presents Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1 Coming Monday! (Album Artwork)

2011-02-03T22:41:00.001-05:00

I'm sure the cover speaks to everyone. Sloppy Seconds for sure! Myself and the newly named Alan South (previously DJ D-Cutz) will be releasing our first hour long mix for everyone to dance to this upcoming Monday, February 7th.

Get ready for some Ditto mashups! Sloppy Seconds coming to you soon! Shouts out to CJ Bowman for the great job on the artwork too! Check out his website here.

If you missed our first mix or want to listen to it again check it out below!

Swag.

David: Curren$y Inks A Deal With Warner Bros.

2011-02-03T01:34:00.000-05:00

Curren$y

Today, it was announced that Curren$y inked a deal with Warner Bros. A deal that gives him his own record label with Jets International and a scheduled release with The Alchemist titled Covert Coup, which is set to drop on 4/20. Can't wait to see what is to come from this! Curren$y is one of our favorite rappers. We wish him the best of luck with his new label.

If you haven't yet downloaded Curren$y's new mixtape, Return to the Winner's Circle, get it below!

Download here - LimeLinx

David: Two New Amazing Videos From Graham Raubvogel

2011-02-02T23:55:00.001-05:00

We did a big post on Graham back in June as an introduction post. Recently he released these two videos on his Vimeo page for everyone to see. Check them out below:

The video above:

I DWELL IN POSSIBILITY
—Sketching the Future of a 21st Century Education—

Graham was asked by my school district to create a film that envisions the high school education of the future.

The world is changing. Exponential globalization and the growth of the internet have presented new challenges to our nation's struggling education system.

From a student perspective, this documentary explores the problems we face and the tremendous opportunities we are in the position to take advantage of.

The video above:

IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP is Gatsby-meets-the-Y-Generation.

It's a surreal high school dramedy about a young man, Conrad, and the hopes and expectations he has for a girl, that have blown up far beyond reality.

*Merit Award, National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts*

More of my work can be found at: grahamraubvogel.com

David: Mustafa Abubaker's Excerpt From His Upcoming Book, 'Intangibles'

2011-02-02T21:22:00.003-05:00

Former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf and Mustafa Abubaker

Here's a new excerpt from the homie Mustafa Abubaker's upcoming book, Intangibles. Check it out below:

This section describes Amir's first genuine romance with a photographer named Sofia and his unfailing ability to destroy the things he loves. He's an editor at the New Yorker...and he hates it.

It went on like that. Putting issues out, doing interviews and photo shoots together, waking up in each others' beds, cooking breakfast, going out at night for dinner. She told him about Boston, how she couldn't stand it, how she was a basketball fan and Kevin Garnett scared her little cousins when she was in college and since then, she burned his jersey.

Amir rummaged through his belongings, showing her old photographs and a certain letter he wrote when he was nine.

She shared stories of the awkward boys courting her during her puberty-stricken years, rambling phone calls on New Years Eve, ridiculous notes in her locker, expensive gifts for no real concrete reason. Amir shared something he wrote for an 'I Believe' assignment his senior year in high school.

"life isn’t about keeping score. its not about how many friends you have or how accepted you are. not about if you have plans this weekend or if you’re alone. it isn’t about who you’re dating, who you used to date, how many people you’ve dated, or if you haven’t been with anyone at all. it isn’t about who you have kissed. its not about sex. it isn’t about who your family is or how much money they have or what kind of car you drive or where you went to school. its not about how beautiful you are (EVERYBODY IS BEAUTIFUL) or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. its not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, or brown or if your skin is too light or too dark. not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everybody else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. its not about what clubs you’re in or how good you are a sports. its not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will "accept the written you". life just isn’t about these things. but life IS about who you love and who you hurt. its about who you make happy or unhappy purposefully. its about keeping or betraying trust."

Hit read more to check out the rest of the excerpt!

Sofia outshone the sun while he read it to her, his singsongy cadence music to her ears. They basked in each other's insecurity, Amir confessing that he, too, was one of those awkward 14 year old kids attempting to convince everyone he was in love and was going to spend the rest of his life with a girl that didn't even bat her eyelashes at him, that didn't even wave at those weekend gatherings, that changed her entire persona in front of other people.

Sofia, growing up in a house where her father whisked her away to SAT math camps and silly programs at Duke during the summer, felt like she had been robbed of what she wanted. Sneaking in her Nikon, she would snap pictures of the rare scenic nature of it all in secret, drawing perplexed looks from others as they participated in group discussions outside. When she turned sixteen, her father had phoned Harvard, inquired about their application process and within a week, placed an application on her desk.

Hiding this from her parents, she went to the school putting on the notion that she was a ditz. All the brown girls that went to school with her never got along with her; maybe they would have in another world but, in this one, Sofia yearned acceptance and would dumb herself down, would purposely not perform to the best of her abilities so that the popular, soccer player Jared could come by and coax her into an afternoon study session at Caribou Coffee but Sofia knew the truth. She had always imagined she would be the first of her friends to bring a white boy home, clinging to his side as her mother narrowed her eagle-like pupils and her father question him about his parents.

She remembered Jared telling her that it wouldn't hurt, that it would be over in a second and in her mind - all those C's and B's, all those missed days of school, all those incomplete homework assignments - what's it really worth? A night of pure instinct?

So she decided to give the brown boys a chance, to let them prove their merit. Some were original, funny yet there was just this arrogance about all of them. This self-hatred; they all looked so depressed in her eyes, their shoulders with the permanent grip of their fathers.

Sofia occasionally admitted, in the dead of the night, where the only sounds were the thumps of their hearts, that her father’s intern was making money, driving a fast car. Amir took the small talk with a grain of salt; everybody has the occasional yearn. Yet, their love became stronger than a profession.

“I’ll never be a doctor,” Amir would say, wiping away her tears, blessing himself internally for being a fuck up a nice girl would fall for.

“I don’t want a doctor,” Sofia half-cried, half-laughed. “I only want you.”

-

“So Amir, what is it you do exactly?”

“I’m an editor at chief at the New Yorker. I have a MFA in Photography.”

“So does Sofia,” her father replies, over steak and rice Sofia’s mother had prepared. Persian cuisine was a regular at her household.

Amir had been blazed in front of parents before. Graduation parties, weddings, hell - even funerals. The feeling of death engulfed him entirely, an emotion that trapped him in a state of mind that promised longevity. He couldn’t sleep at night, coming up with various theories on what happens after you die? He could not fathom the concept of eternity yet he couldn’t grasp the idea of a set time on this Earth. Waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweat, grabbing his bowl and packing hurriedly, taking one puff at a time to relieve himself. What if hell was just a place where everything you deleted off your computer went, he thought to himself.

But it wasn’t hell. It was Sofia’s kitchen and her motioning him for to converse.

“What do you take photos of?”

“Usually people. I’m fascinated by how people act when no one is looking. The nature of humanity is very delicate and I try to expose some of the imperfections we have.”

“So you’re in the business of humiliating others?”

“I like think of it as keeping people grounded. iPods, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo - these things have taken over our lives.”

“And not yours?”

Amir knew this was going nowhere. He was arguing with the ghost of his past, flashing back to dinner parties at his parents’ colleagues’ houses, men too arrogant to let off their bravado, women too feeble to interject. It was no use, really; Sofia’s father was toying with him, trying to get him to say the wrong thing so when Amir gets up to go to the restroom or start the car, he can begin his analytical approach to his daughter’s romance. A collision with an ugly crash.

Thankfully, Sofia interrupted.

“Tea. Who wants some tea?”

Sipping out of what Amir figured must be the expensive china, he proclaimed himself a burden; such silverware must be normally reserved for Sofia’s father’s rich clients, men with hefty wallets and mustaches that gave off their wealth.

Amir didn’t have much to say. They had small talk, they laughed for the sake of conversation. Her mother asked about his, forcing Amir to dismantle his family unwillingly in front of complete strangers.

“She lives in California.”

“And your father?” Sofia’s mother wants to know, smiling sweetly. She looked as if she really meant it, someone genuine.

“He’s in Karachi,” Amir replied and Sofia’s dad grunted, stepped outside for a smoke.

When it was time to go, Sofia’s mother asked Amir for a moment. He agreed; the night could not get any worse.

Fluorescent lights shone above them as Sofia’s mother crossed her arms and tucked away a waft of hair hanging on the side of her cinnamon complexion.

“Ever since she was a child, Sofia has always been interested in destruction. Incomplete things, puzzles with missing pieces, etc. She has longed for something she can fix, something that shatters her perception of reality. Life is perfect on the surface, Amir. Just don’t let on too much.”

Amir wasn’t sure how to take this. Standing there, completely sober, he took it as Sofia’s mother’s subliminal disapproval. He just nodded and she put a hand on his shoulder, still smiling.

Sofia’s hand met his and it was time to go. Sofia’s father stood there briskly, clutching maybe his 5th cup of tea, grimacing. Sofia’s mother waved and smiled as Amir drove off back towards the city.

“So, what do you think?”

“Of what?”

“Of my parents.”

“They’re alright.”

Sofia was quiet, the humming sound of classic jazz leaking from the car speakers adding a soundtrack to the conversation they both were thankful for. She undid her hair and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Something wrong?”

Amir could have ended it there. He didn’t have to continue the internal torture, the humiliation of being utilized; he was a social experiment. A broken family, a fucked up career path, a pothead, etc. He was everything Sofia’s youth wasn’t. He used to want to be different, he loathed the idea of entering math competitions, of discussing SAT scores with overbearing adults eavesdropping. Now, he was just a pawn in her chess game.

“Why would anything ever be wrong?”

-

It was never like this. Amir didn’t have to try this hard to get Sofia’s attention; it would take a quick joke, a witty observation and she was yanked back into Amir’s world. Now, at dinner, he would eat quietly and she would flip through the latest issue of The New Yorker, offering some quips of advice here and there.

Conversation used to be fluent. At times, they wouldn’t even touch the food. It was a process they had, something Sofia had manufactured. They would show up to their very own Ritz Carlton every night; dress up properly, bring a small inexpensive gift. Amir would show up, suit and all, and pull Sofia’s chair out and pour out the finest wine. They would play a random record to accompany their dining yet mostly it was just laughing and smiling and drinking. They talked as if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks, Amir asking what was new in her life, Sofia asking what he liked to do with his free time even though she knew he loved music. It was as if those 40 minutes took place in another dimension, back to the night they first met.

So, Amir knew where this was headed. This life didn’t consist of choices only to be ignored; living in complacence never appealed to him. Instead, he was at a crossroads. End it with Sofia before she ends it with him, her subliminal disregard for his pondering quips getting to him late at night, disturbingly vivid portraits of Sofia burning his moleskine and laughing. He thought about quitting his job, disposing of his Blackberry and catching the next flight to Los Angeles, maybe he could find his mother again. He was lost and while Sofia spent less and less time around him, he didn’t notice. He was in his own world; solitude defines his life.

It’s the kind of ragged transition that most surround themselves with plenty of friends to have smoothed over. Yet, Amir is making a spectacle of it. Which is, in a way, brave. One of the central points of Amir’s art and career, as people in his life have read them, is that adolescence isn’t something we should look away from, a shameful churning of dirty hormones. It’s the crucible of our identity, the answer to everything that comes later, and we need to look long and hard at it, no matter how gross or painful it might sometimes feel.

David: Free Gucci 2: The Burrrtish Edition (Mixtape)

2011-02-02T00:53:00.001-05:00

Free Gucci (Best of The Cold War Mixtapes) has been one of my favorite remix mixtapes of all time. Yesterday, February 1st, Free Gucci 2: The Burrrtish Edition, was released. This mixtape was put together by Sinden and Mad Decent and includes a list of producers from These New Puritans, Hudson Mohawke, and Rustie with 16 remixed Gucci tracks. Guest appearances can be seen from Wiley, Dream McClean, Ghetts and Slick Don.

Some notable tracks are "Gucci Time," "Brand New," "Party Animal," and "Haterade."

Download here - Teenage Spaceship

P.S. - What do you guys think of Gucci's new face tattoo?

David: Young Trey x They Say (Teaser)

2011-01-30T21:07:00.001-05:00

Above is the official teaser for our homie Young Trey's single, "They Say." The video is filmed by local Vermonter, Duane Peterson. Check it out up top and expect to see the full length video dropping soon! 100 Rackz!

David: Off to Boston!

2011-01-27T00:28:00.001-05:00

For the next couple days I'll be heading to Boston for a school trip... Although I'm kind of just using it as an excuse to get out of Vermont, have a bus driver drive me instead, and go do my own thing. First on my agenda (besides all this school stuff) is to meet with my good friend CJ Bowman. You may remember him from previous posts we put up of him on the site awhile back. Another new Ditto mix is coming out again soon, so we need some grade A cover artwork! Be on the lookout for that to drop soon!

SWAG