Re:Form School, a REDU project - Screenprinting x HipHop Workshop = Creative Heaven

A few weeks ago I signed the kids up for a screenprinting workshop taught by the art duo known as FAILE. The day of the workshop Lil Charnier, Jasmin, Deandre and I jumped on the train and trooped to the Mott Street location.


We arrived and were welcomed like VIP attendees, the kids were really impressed by the setup. And I saw that look in their eyes.


On October 9-11, an old school that was no longer in use, was transformed into an art gallery/creative space. The Re:Form School included the artwork of over 150 artists. In the old principal's office was a giftshop in which old children's books had been reshaped into sketchpads. There were also drawings and prints on sale by some of the artists featured in the show. Each purchase from the giftshop was accompanied by a toy from the artist team FriendsWithYou (the young lady working the register gave us a box to split between the kids, thanks again).

The artists FAILE, along with the couple who run one of my favorite blogs about street art, WOOSTER COLLECTIVE hosted the screenprinting workshop in the old cafeteria. The kids were shown screenprinting techniques by FAILE and their magnificent assistant. The kids were able to create a poster to hang in the space and a poster to take home, along with a gift bag that included pencils, notepads, a sketchbook, tshirt, stickers and other creative projects.



While the screenprinted posters dried, we walked around the school and saw the whole exhibit. There was really a lot of work in the space. WK Interact showed some sweet skateboard sculptures in the room with a wooden bus sculpture and floor to ceiling drawings.








Marc Ecko put some presidential busts in the show and the kids knew who all the faces were. There was even art hung in the stairwells, and the neon piece with words from one of my favorite Eric B. and Rakim songs stole the show for me.


I'm into Bruce Nauman and the piece was very reminiscent of his work. A guy told us about all the activities going on over the course of the exhibit, including a breakdance class taught by the legendary Rock Steady Crew, a party hosted by BlackThought and ?uestlove of the equally legendary Roots crew and a hiphop class taught by recording artist Lupe Fiasco was being held on the 4th floor.

We ran up to the room and the session was just starting. The class was for teens but the good people from WorldUp let the kids attend the workshop. I enjoyed everyone but watching Jasmin, Dee and The Boy was a real treat.


They all seemed to be relaxed and participating in the discussion about music with older kids and adults. The group was split into teams for "production" and "writers". Charnier, Dee and Jasmin stayed with the production crew, led by the phenomenal DJ SpazeCraft and were shown how to use different instruments, the computer and other beat making machines to produce the track for which the writing group created the lyrics.

The young people in the writing group were so gifted and Lupe Fiasco worked with them to create lyrics to illuminate and showcase their musical talents.

Extra special shout out to all the people involved in putting together such an impactful event. I was in creative heaven and I was there with my lil ones enjoying all the energy flowing through the Re:Form School.






Viva Los Treps!!!

Sept 4th @ Rock Yard in Brooklyn = Bun B X Curren$y X Big K.R.I.T.

Dickies and Jelly Present Saturdays! at Rock Yard.

This brand new outdoor space will be home to Six FREE shows brought to you by Dickies, Jelly, Veoba, Six Point, Lagunitas, Less Artists More Condos, The Meat Hook, Newtown Radio, and Band of Bicycles.

All shows will be 2-8PM, all ages, and hold 800 people.

The first show is this Saturday, July 17th. Skip taking the train to Coney Island and come over to 354 Wythe Ave instead. Thanks.

SOURCE

Viva Los Treps

One Step Beyond at The American Museum of Natural History presented by The Fader

Something that I never do, that I am going to start doin more often; calling in favors. One day I saw The Fader was hosting a show with Theophilus London, Ninjasonik and The Very Best. I contacted my good friend Graham at The Fader and asked him to do me a solid. He did more than do me a solid, he got me press passes for the show and put me in contact with everyone I needed to talk to.
The day of the show was rained the fuck out. I was sure the event would be affected...I was wrong. The American Museum of Natural History was sold out and people were in front the building asking for extra tix. I made my way inside after the usual delay, "...No, you need to go to the front desk...I'm sorry sir, I don't see ur name on Kim's list...Max, sorry to call so late but people are giving me a problem in the front...I'm sorry sir, I didn't know you were on the press release...sorry for the delay."
My guys NinjaSonik were onstage running through their high energy set with their always present brand of skinny jeaned "I-don't-give-a-fuckness". I really like to see them perform for their sheer commitment to "drinking and drugging and never growing up"! The guys are really nicer than you think too!!! After they started performing "Daylight" acapella (soundman cut they shit cuz they was running into Theophilus set) the beat miraculously started blarring out the speakers and Rev. McFly crowd-surfed (has to be the first time crowd-surfing was attempted in The AMNH lol). Ninja F*ckin Sonik, Sonik F*ckin Ninja!!!

I did some crowd watching between sets and saw some familiar faces. Tony Peralta, one of my fellow Sound of Art bethren was in the house! Tony is responsible for some of the craziest silk-screens you have ever seen (check his work out at: www.theperaltaproject.com).

I also saw a pretty young lady with a beautiful mane of raven black hair. I took a couple pics and soon noticed she was not just beautiful, but the girl could saaang...she was one of The Lovers.

Theophilus greeted the crowd next and he did not dissapoint. For those who are familiar with this blog, I shouted TL out last year because of his two great mixtapes (get em, if you don't have em) and a show I saw. TL brought out his band The Lovers to enhance the show along with Dev Hynes (who is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and song-writer).


Theophilus danced and sang familiar hits like "Hum-Drum Town" and his crowd pleasing rendition of Whitney Houston's smash "I Will Always Love You". He finished with a new cut off his forth-coming mixtape entitled "I Want You", a remake of the classic Marvin Gaye track of the same name. If the song is any indication of what the new mixtape has to offer, we can rest assured that Theophilus London will soon be the next cross-over sensation from the borough of Brooklyn.


Viva Los Treps!!!