Saturday, April 26, 2008

BlackFlag Approved Reading

In The Great Words Of KRS ONE .... You Must Learn !
In one way or another these books have documented the Birth of our cultural lifestyle. You will enjoy the history these books provide, from early stages of skating, Bombing, B-boy, and just being FLY! Each book will give a glimpse in different worlds, that in the end collide to give birth to this lifestyle. Just a quick read and you will understand. Thanks to all those who made these books possible and a MUST have!! Be Sure To Stop By The Shoppe to get your copy!
BlackFlag Approved !

Back in the Day:by Jamel Shabazz (Photographer), Fab 5 Freddy (Introduction), Ernie Paniccioli. Shabazz's photographs celebrate the "cool" style of early hip-hop culture between 1980 and 1989. Though his work is firmly rooted in the tradition of urban street photography, Shabazz here shows his subjects striking a pose and staring straight into the camera. The resulting images become less documentary and more yearbook-like in style. At first viewing, the clothes and posturing seem almost ridiculous, until we remember the excesses of the 1980s. By comparing the styles and attitudes of this bygone era to contemporary hip-hop culture, Ernie Paniccioli's essay places Shabazz's photos within a historical and social context..



Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture 1960-1987: by Bobbito Garcia. The first of it's kind, the lavishly illustrated and remarkably comprehensive, Where'd You Get Those?, is an insider's account that traces New York City sneaker culture back to its earliest days. Describing how a small and dedicated group of sneaker consumers in the 70s and early 80s proved instrumental in establishing current corporate giants like Nike and Adidas, aficionado Bobbito Garcia writes with the exactitude and affection that only a true believer could bring.

Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists: Talk about addictive: Rap Lists will run your life for at least a week after you break the spine. You'll ask it for permission to leave the crib, the way Richard Pryor had to ask his pipe. The wealth of historical detail is staggering...It's a hip hop history that picks up the challenge that hip hop has been posing to the rest of the pop world for the last twenty years.

Ricky Powell:New York City. Ricky Powell, best know for his hip-hop photography and escapades touring with the Beastie Boys. His site features photographs from his second book, The Rickford Files.Due to be published by St. Martin's Griffin in mid-2000. The site also features articles by and about Powell which have appeared in various media throughout the past ten years. Video clips from Powell's TV talk show, Rappin' with the Rickster, will be added to the site early next year.The new photographs include many never-before-seen photographs of rap artists (Run-DMC, Easy-E, Slick Rick, Beastie Boys and others).Ricky Powell is a photographer and writer from New York City. He has contributed to The Source, Vibe, Grand Royal, Paper, Ego Trip, Popsmear, High Times, and many other magazines. He co-hosts a weekly radio show and has hosted his own Public Access cable TV show, Rappin' with the Rickster. His first book, Oh Snap! was published in 1998 by St. Martin's Griffin.

HAWK: OCCUPATION: SKATEBOARDER: He went pro at the age of 12; is credited with inventing nearly 80 tricks; won 73 contests in the course of his career; started his own (now multi-million dollar) company in 1992; had a PlayStation game named after him; reportedly rakes in over $1 million a year in endorsements (from The Gap, to Mountain Dew, to the "Got Milk?" campaigns); and during the 1999 X-Games, became the first man ever to land the 900° (that's a 900 degree aerial spin on a vertical ramp…I did my homework). As if this weren't enough, Tony Hawk can now add author to his already ridiculously long list of accomplishments.


In the early 1970s, the sport of skateboarding had so waned from its popularity in the 1960s that it was virtually non-existent. In the Dogtown area of west Los Angeles, a group of young surfers known as the Zephyr Team (Z-Boys) was experimenting with new and radical moves and styles in the water which they translated to the street. When competition skateboarding returned in 1975, the Z-Boys turned the skating world on its head. Dogtown - The Legend of the Z-Boys is a truly fascinating case study of just how an underground sport ascended on the world. These are the stories and images of a time that not only inspired a generation but changed the face of sport forever.


The Graffiti Subculture: Youth, Masculinity and Identity in London and New YorkBy Nancy Macdonald: This book is the most extensive contribution to our understanding of the graffiti subculture to date. Using insights from ethnographic research conducted in London and New York, this book explores the varying ways young men use graffiti to construct masculinity, claim power, and establish independence from the institutions which define, and often limit, them as young people. Forging a link between subcultural practice and identity construction, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in new understandings of youth and their subcultures


Graffiti NYC: By Hugo Martinez: New York City is where the quintessential contemporary people's art of graffiti was born. The top "writers" go "all city" when their tags can be seen throughout the five boroughs. This exhilarating selection of their work, assembled by Hugo Martinez, a leading authority on the history of street art in NYC, takes the reader on an "all-city" tour of New York, displaying the extraordinary range of its taggers and bombers. More than two hundred photographs showcase the artwork of the most prominent names of the past five years, including CASE 2, KEZ, MÖSCO, SKUF, VFR, and MQ. As graffiti comes to be embraced as a medium in its own right, its most important practitioners in NYC confirm the power and creativity of this vital contemporary language.



Dondi White Style Master General: The Life of Graffiti Artist Dondi WhiteBy Andrew Witten, Michael White: "In the beginning, there was the Word. On the streets and in the yards, the word was the Name. And the name was everything. It was persona and place, form and content, truth and fiction. The name was an act of self-invention, a pure visual manifestation, through alter ego, alias, and nom de plume, of personal expressions in the public realm. The name was a line and the line begat the Mark. Then, in the great style wars toward the end of the second millennium, medium, meaning, and message were joined in a golden era where the name became the source and signifier of Style. And when the name became wild style, the word was Dondi."

Monday, April 21, 2008

Green Day at BlackFlag




Black Flag goes Green in support of Earth Day.

We at BlackFlag ask that today April 22 2008. Friends of  BlackFlag, both young and mature do their part in support of Earth Day. There are many activities taking place today in communitys across the world, so please take the time to find out how you can make a difference. 
Here are some ways we can make a difference today 

Unplug Electronics from wall when not in use .... even when turned off, things like Phone chargers, Tv's, and hairdryers use energy !! 




Replace a regular 
incandescent light bulb
with w/ a compact fluorescent bulb(cfl)
 



I hope BF made going Green a little easier !
For more ways on how you can become Greener then David Banner visit these links 

www.climatecrisis.net
www.fightglobalwarming.com


Say BlackFlag !!

Thanks to all those who stopped by this week to show BlackFlag that much appreciated love, here are some of those great people ...."Kat" the fashionista,'Talent" Jersey Designer, "Q" of Peace Denim Japan, "Ouigi" of TheBkCircus, Allen "A.d" Davis of Garbege/CSH, Ruben,  Allen Aka Chino, John, Ralph, Mike, Mark & Son Alex and friend, Big Moe, Elvis and the other great people we didn't get a chance to flick up !! 
Catch you next time !
You Never know when You'll be asked to smile for the Camera!!
Shop Locally !!

Black flag ... waving the white flag is not an option !!



Saturday, April 19, 2008

BLACKFLAG X MURAKAMI @ THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM

On April 12th the BFK went out to the Brooklyn Museum, to check out the work of acclaimed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. They were more than ninety works in various media on display. Our Camera action was kept at bay due to tight security and no picture taking allowed, still in all we managed to catch a few pictures. So take a look and enjoy the works of one of the illest artiest on the planet & if you get time to make it out to the Brooklyn Museum check out the exhibit you won't be disappointed. The exhibit runs until the July 13
Dope Stuff !!
Medicated Genius for BFK 





Friday, April 18, 2008

Blackwork Tattoo Studio

Here is a person I believe is a little too underground (I never thought I'd hear me say that) we all know how I feel about the mainstream , but with the talent I know This guy has, he should def get all the recognition he deserves, I think his work should be In art Galleries across the globe...... as you know I am Lifestyle shop, walk into BF and you will get the feel on how much I love and respect the lifestyle. What most people don't know is that I used to run the streets with Ses in the early 80's, not to blow up our age and shit , but he was def a huge reason why I fell in love with the "Lifestyle " Graff, B-Boying ,Hustling, Biking , Skating , and Djing , we did it all .... I watched and at times helped erect these huge pieces of art from paper to wall and everything in between, its nothing this guy didn't bomb lol as time went on and bombing became a little harder and Haters from other areas of our town started to point fingers and the boys in blue knew exactly who we were , we had to express the love for this game in other ways.... so he started tatting all of the homies on the block for free, and in no time at all he had a list of people wanting to get some art done  ... 10 yrs later he's still going strong , along the way he opened doors for alot a dudes in this game , some will admitt that and some wont ... you know how that is!  I just wanted to let people know a little about SES ONE ..... the dude is nice... Not a tattooist, which in some cases Is having a steady hand and having the ability to trace ... He's a tattoo Artist, check out some of the pics ..... stay tune as I will be heading to a tattoo convention  in Philly some time today ...  BF will keep you posted on some of the Kool stuff im sure to run into .... enjoy The PICS !!! 
BLACKWORK TATTOOS x BLACKFLAG CALLABO In The works ... watch out for that !
ZEE BF Krew !        
                                   
                                        Me & SES 





Thursday, April 17, 2008

Brooklyn's In Da House !

From Bk to NJ .... 
This Past Tuesday we Had One Of BK's Finest in the house , for those who are in the know will know exactly who this " Bearded Brooklynite " is ..... and those who are Familiar with CAS/BLACKFLAG  will also know how close we've become in the few years of knowing each other .... now that i got all that out the way lol ..... let me tell you a little about our day , as you know Ouigi is very Proactive in his community as well as the Lifestyle community , when we spoke that morning it was no surprise to me when he told me that he was Hosting A career day at a H.S  in Harlem,  and that the day before he was @ F.I.T.  discussing , and answering questions on the reality of starting, running, and managing, your own business, He talked about retail, graphic design, marketing , and merchandising .... after catching up and talking about upcoming projects and ventures , he began trying on some goodies and doing what I believe is his true love .... Taking photos ! 
Ouigi its always a pleasure homey .... see u in BK !!! 
O & Les 
Be sure to check out The Brooklyn Circus!