First off, big congrats to the fine folks at the FADER on their 10th Anniversary Special. Issue #58 has dual cover stories with Kanye West and No Age, features on Erol Alkan, Curators and Joyriders, shorts on Warp's DJ Mujava, Illa J,...
expand review The Muslims, Fan Death, Ron Browz and more, and the usual spray of music, film, drank and book reviews. 192 pages. -Van Hammersly
Clout, the West Coast's most no-nonsense graffiti/hip-hop mag is back with another issue, complete with interviews with Trax-A-Million, Smif-N-Wessun, Aloy MSK and more. All the hip hop album reviews in the back are hella old (Graduation, American Gangster etc) but I'm...
expand review feeling that cause it's kind of like a time capsule from this time last year. Peep the video preview!
-Hires
Shuggie Otis and MF Doom grace the green-tinted covers for issue #31 of our favorite music rag going. Inside - in addition to our man Monk's great chat with the supervillain and a revealing Shuggie interview by Ronnie Reese - you'll find...
expand review bits on Brooklyn funk/soul all-stars Menahan Street Band, legendary Brazilian weirdos Os Mutantes, Mikey Dread (RIP), J.Rocc, Slick Rick, Patrick Adams, Grant Green, Count Bass D and Chin Chin, plus the usual array of tributes and obscure diggery. 128 pages. -Van Hammersly
Debut issue at the Lab! We had a promo of this mag come in last year that featured a beautiful young model (with quite a backyard) on the cover. Needless to say, that pictured remained on the Shipset wall for months, until...
expand review P. Gorgeous ruined the image by putting Blu Jemz' face on it! I'm still recovering from the horror. It wasn't until this issue came in that I actually took a good look. Unlike my first impression, this mag prides itself on clean design, in-depth articles and rich photography. As seen from the magenta foil stamped "P" on the front, Prophecy carries a certain eloquence... not unlike Tokion, but with a different flavor. This issue focuses on the innovative architecture of Peter Cook (who's built everything from art museums to Olympic Stadiums), artists Jill Freedman & Pedro Barbeito, traveling in Brazil (hence the indigenous Brazilian graf on the cover), music by Cali neo-soul star J.Davey, LA's Mickey Avalon, Spain's Lasser Moderna and a sizzling fashion photo spread. Best of all, they have a fiction section! That alone racks classy points. -C'mish
UK's Shook magazine continues to come correct with issue #3. If you didn't already know, Shook is kind of like the UK equivalent of Wax Poetics, with clean, fresh design and quality writing throughout. Like Wax Po, Shook delves into the depths...
expand review of music's past but also shines light on the future with relevant articles on today's emerging artists. This issue focuses on many diverse topics stemming from the cover text that read "68 88 08." There's an revealing article about all that went down under the radar during the Mexico Olympics of '68, a thorough article on the acid house scene in London during the summer of '88, and for '08 there is an article on Stones Throw's left field beat man James Pants, the art of Lab homie Cody Hudson, and tons of new music reviews. Other articles of note include a history of Prince's other music projects, the blues of Charles Burnett, Kid Creole and the zoot suit days, and an interview with Chaka Khan. Recommended.
-snackmaster
Sneakers, sneakers, and more sneakers. Issue 49 of Vapors is all about 'em! Get the lowdown on everything sneaker related from interviews with big sneaker dudes like Bobbito and Charles Lamb of Supreme, the history of the Orchard street dunks, Converse 1Hundred,...
expand review the art of shoe reselling, shoe spots across the country and America's most wanted kicks. OK there's some non-shoe stuff too (just a lil bit) like Vapor's "Hello My Name Is" section with people like Shae from NERD, Diamond D and Tera Patrick, and talks with Dante Ross, Clyde Singleton and others - but really this issue is all for the sneaker heads. -snackmaster
Issue #16 of Re:Up features a cover and pull-out poster by the Little Friends of Printmaking, plus a feature on the late, great Hunter S. Thompson. Also includes profiles of Flying Lotus, Chico Mann, Booka Shade, Mapei, Portland's Ace Hotel, Crystal Castles...
expand review and others, plus the usual ace photography, fashion, book and record reviews you've come to expect from this mob. 80 pages. -Van Hammersly
#30 is "The Rock Issue" of WaxPo, an issue which editor-in-chief Andre Torres has been in the works for two years and which comes with a great juxtaposition of covers, featuring Bad Brains on one side and Elvis Presley on the other....
expand review In addition to features on those two icons, we get pieces on Detroit's soul-rock mainstays The Dirtbombs, Black Rock Coalition, The Rascals, Black Merda, Dave Bartholomew, Ernie Isley, Prince's early days and tributes to a number of recently-passed legends (Jimmy McGriff, Buddy Miles, Bo Diddley, Ike Turner). 128 pages. -Van Hammersly
Vapors does one for the bike massive with their 2 Wheel Issue. In addition to bits on Mash SF, Peddy Cash, London Fixed Gear, Mishka's Death Adders Road & Track (D.A.R.T.) team, expect all the usual attention to clothing, gear, games, goods...
expand review and music (Bun B, MURS, PPP, Cool Kids, Plantlife, Tokyo Police Club, etc.). They even have some ill customized soccer balls from Grotesk and other designers. 112 pages. -Chris Lemon-Red
New Issue of ReUp magazine ya'll featuring Canada's most esteemed modern pop duo Chromeo. Also look out for Brooklyn's rising star Santogold, a spotlight on New Jack Swing, getting in the funk pocket with Budos Band, fresh designs by Miami's Freegums, and...
expand review New disco anchor Prins Thomas. Check it out... -C'mish
Another month, another quality issue of everyone's favorite music mag. Al Green and Q-Tip take the respective front and back covers this time; inside are features on Phil Ranelin, Flying Lotus, early James Brown accomplice J.C. Davis, Karriem Riggins, Dam-Funk, King Britt,...
expand review ?uestlove on the making of Al Green's Lay It Down, Estonian music, plus all the usual bells, whistles and drool-inducing rare record reviews you've come to expect from WaxPo. 128 pages. -Chris Lemon-Red
Vapors continues to fill you in on the goods. This month's issue covers the art of Skullphone, Anthony Lister, and Hacula, along with articles on Skateboarding's notorious stuntman Jamie Thomas and the girls behind the Pros, C.R.A.C.(which I just put on...
expand review the Daily), Them Jeans(LA, I see you), Atmosphere's new album, and much more. 111 pages. -C'mish
Between the great cover shots of Grandmaster Flash and Eddie Harris, the new issue of Wax Poetics features pieces on the Hot 8 Brass Band, Camp Lo, Build An Ark, Newcleus, S.O.U.L., Blue Note, Brownout, Cuba, Chuck Brown and more. The issue's...
expand review centerpiece is a collection of stunning photos from music journo / renaissance man Tom Terrell, including pics of Kurtis Blow, Rashaan Roland Kirk, Mississippi McDowell, Bob Marley, Funkadelic, Howlin' Wolf, Ras Michael and more. 138 pages. -Chris Lemon-Red
The first Vapors of '08 is pretty jam packed. Along with the cover feature on skater Keith Hufnagel, there's features on Peanut Butter Wolf, Arabian Prince, Damfunk, Prodigy talking about the NYPD Hip Hop Task Force, 10 Deep, 12 Bar, Yak Ballz,...
expand review Jason Goldwatch, Steve Berra, Dante Ross, Nicolay & Kay and... Everlast. And of course you get the usual array of streetwear, kicks, gear, video games, DVDs and music reviews. All this, plus a surprise picture of Blu Jemz! 136 pages. -Larri Byrd
The annual "Now Issue" from the FADER, featuring loads of artists that most folks won't hear about 'til 2009. Brooklyn's own Santi White (of Santogold) and Timbo collaborator Keri Hilson grace the covers, and there's pieces on Sebastien Tellier, Teyana Taylor, Hercules...
expand review & Love Affair, Black Kids, Mexico City's rock scene, Alabama's Paper Route Recordz, White Flight and the Lawrence, KS scene. All this plus the standard party pics, music and alcohol reviews, etc. 144 pages. -Larri Byrd
Vapors has got your back once again for the latest in streetwear and skate culture. I'm not up on skaters really, but when Commish found out that Issue 44 had a cover feature on Chris Haslam he got all amped. Here is...
expand review what he had to say "Chris Haslam is the most rippingest skater, everybody knows it! His combination of old school burliness with new school tech capabilities truly sets him apart from everyone else." Dude must really be legit. On the music side of things - check articles and interviews with the likes of beat master DJ Krush, OG rasta-punkers Bad Brains, Percee P, and Keith Murray. For the gear and design heads check out interviews with Mark Ward of Graphiknonsense, the dudes of Twelvebar, In4mation and of course - tons of reviews and previews of the latest gear. -snackmaster
Special Sound edition of high-design periodical Visionaire. Visionaire is known for their elaborate, one of a kind editions, but this one might trump them all.
Packaged inside a specially produced domed case, this issue consists of five 12-inch picture disc records, that...
expand review together contain more than 100 minutes of sound content - from audio experiments to unreleased songs, samples and spoken word pieces.
Also included is a MINI Clubman "Vinyl Killer" record player: a battery-operated toy car, containing speakers and a needle. As the little car moves along a record's groove, it plays each track, acting as a fully portable record player and sound system.
Beyond all this, the issue also includes two CDs with all of the sound content gathered digitally, as well as a booklet of credits and instructions.
Contributors include: musicians David Byrne, Courtney Love, Michael Stipe, Adam Horowitz (Beastie Boys), Antony & the Johnsons, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Karl Bartos (Kraftwerk), Andrew WK, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Danger Mouse, Malcolm McLaren, Ruyuichi Sakamoto; artists Robert Wilson, Yoko Ono, Christian Marclay, Doug Aitken, Gary Hill, Sylvie Fleury, DJs Miss Kittin, Trevor Jackson, Towa Tei, Michel Gaubert; fashion designers Alexander McQueen, Helmut Lang; bands Littl'Ans, Fischerspooner, Unkle, Animal Collective, SunnO))) and many more. -the mgmnt
It's the Hip Hop Issue from WaxPo, as always comin' correct with the meticulously detailed articles and jewels of knowledge you won't read in any other mags. In addition to the usual vintage singles reviews and solid photography, there's a piece on...
expand review the life of Bobby Byrd, hip hop history with 9th Wonder, NYC public access talk with "Uncle Ralph" McDaniels, plus pieces on Just Blaze, Devin The Dude, Percee P, Alchemist, Evidence, Osaka Monaurail and more. Naturally, they squeeze some funk and soul in there too. Great front and back cover paintings from Zachariah O'Hora seal the deal. 138 pages. -Larri Byrd
This issue of Scratch has a cover story on Timbaland and 50 Cent, plus: a way skinny David Banner, Stones Throw's Egon discussing Turkish psych, MP3 ripping groups, the new look Irv Gotti, the history of Stax sampling, Soulja Boy, and contributions...
expand review from Just Blaze, DJ Camilo y mas. 106 pages. -Larri Byrd
T.I.P. and 'Clef grace the cover of Scratch this month, but the articles inside are the real draw. Check the history of "Triggerman," aka The Showboys, and how an 80s NYC rap record basically spawned the Dirty South movement. Or the in-depth...
expand review piece with Atlanta's DJ Toomp, beat supplier to Jeezy, T.I., Luda, and now Kanye. Or the other pieces on Yung Joc, Black Milk, Saigon, J.R. Rotem, Erick Sermon, and so on. 114 pages. -Chris Lemon-Red
New issue of Vapors, and the cover goes to David Flores! I remember this guy from back in 2000. He used to do all the drum n' bass flyers for this ill club called Ecclectic in SF. Good to see he's gettin'...
expand review his. If it's not obvious, the cover portraits are of KRS-One, Madlib, and Jazzy Jeff, which are featured inside. Keep up with those cats, plus Chris Pastras, Slick, Blu, Polyrhythm Addicts, Zeph and Azeem, Nando Costa, and the designers of the clothing company, The Hundreds. Keep on it. -C'mish
Lil Wayne and DJ Khaled take the cover for the 18th issue of Scratch. I don't know about Khaled, but Weezy is everywhere these days! Get the details on his upcoming album "The Carter 3" and the inside scoop on why Khaled...
expand review is Miami's biggest hip-hop DJ/producer at the moment. Also features an interviews with Cash Money Millionaire turned Def Jam affiliate Mannie Fresh, a lengthy article with Snoop on how he's trying to put down the mic and step up to the production game, DukeDaGod on how he uses myspace to find hit records, DJ Quik and AMG on their new group the Fixxers, Marley Marl modelling gear, and mad production tips and tactics. This magazine keeps getting better and better with each release. -snackmaster
Damn, I miss an issue and am like, "Wow, rim companies have skate teams?" Yeah, and it's got Terry Kennedy and Stevie Williams on it, too. That's page 48. Also check in with skater Jimmy Gorecki rippin' out in Philly. On the...
expand review music side, check out Fishbone's return (is this the return of ska?), Pharoahe Monch, Egon and the future of funk, Devin The Dude and Lifesavas. On the art side, London Police is still piecing and Mike Giant gets as clean as ever. That's only the tip. Keep up the intensity, there's a lot to digest. -C'mish
It's Re-Up time once again, and for issue 13 Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth fame takes the cover (and a lengthy article). As usual, the gang at Re-Up has delivered another awesome issue, exploding with good content from the most relevant artists...
expand review of today. Check the table of contents: Huge interview with PBW on the 10 year anniversary of Stones Throw records, Parisian crunksters TTC drop knowledge on Lil Wayne and Serge Gainsbourg, Brooklyn's own Ratatat on redefining electronic rock, getting to know Bay Area rapper Kirby Dominant, why people in France don't know Air, the ins and outs of the music business with Ruthless Records honcho Jerry Heller, Chk Chk Chk, One Self, and lots more. Get up on it. -snackmaster
Scratch #17 gets you behind the scenes with the hottest producers and rappers running the game right now. This one features new pieces with Young Jeezy, The Runners (the producers behind "Hustlin"), Danja, 9th Wonder, Rich Boy, Swizz Beatz, G-Unit's Sha Money...
expand review XL and Bone Thugs (on the comeback!), as well as a comprehensive look into the works of the late Disco D. Keep up. -C'mish
indepth
