'Another Way to Die'...

Alicia Keys & Jack White

'Quantum of Solace 007'

Banksy in NYC...

So it seems like Banksy is continuing his tour of America, by putting up a huge mural on the corner of Wooster and Grand St. in Soho, New York.
There’s a thread over on the Banksy forum with updated pictures and skeptics questioning the fact that he’s employed someone else to do the work for him - and whether it’s actually a “Banksy” or not.

JR Hits Charing Cross...

JR is fast becoming one of my favourite artists, with his work combining art and activism, he opens his brand new solo shows on 3rd October at both Laz on Charing X Road and Laz on Greek St.

Like most of his work he’s working on a HUGE scale and is covering almost all of the side of Foyles bookshop on Manette St, just off the Charing X Road. With pieces on the opposite building and the whole front of the other building and a stunning piece on the side, this is setting the tone for what could be an amazing show come the 3rd.

Kano Album Launch...

I will be in attendance tonight and I'll be taking a few pics!

;-)

T Magic Presents...Loaded with Meaning

'Loaded With Meaning' opened this Friday from one of the UK’s most colourful talents, T.Magic. Featuring over forty new works consisting of original paintings, photography, sculptures and silk-screens the pieces in the show explore Magic’s dark social commentary.

His theme: the London Council Estate

Drawing inspiration from experiences growing up in what the 24-year-old street artist describes as ‘The Black Hole,’ which he feels is a distinct and unknown territory isolated from the rest of society.

“It’s a world of the displaced where no-one from outside enters and where the
inhabitants stay; an area synonymous - in the public mind - with poverty, crime
and ethnic conflict.”

After two successful exhibitions at The Air Gallery in Mayfair - along with counting Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams as fans of his art - Fans of T.Magic’s have been eagerly anticipating some new work.
For more information, check his site.

September 26th – October 5th, 2008 (11am – 7pm daily)
Nearest tube stations: Liverpool Street Station or Aldgate East

Jean Grae 'The Evil Jeanius'...

In the past I have mentioned my appreciation for Jean Grae, and like most her fans I rejoyced at the official release of Jeanius and nearly cried a small river when a statement was released saying she was retiring from Hip Hop.

But it seems like Miss Ibrahim has had a change of heart [Insert a big smile here] and is releasing a collaborative album called 'The Evil Jeanius' with production entirely by Blue Sky Black Death.

Scheduled for release on Tuesday 30th September 2008
[Pre-order link] Jean Grae & Blue Sky Black Death- Shadows Forever (From Hip Hop is Read mixtape)

Duro Olowo - Spring '09

Duro Olowu has delivered a flood of color and pattern, combined into a visual feast for spring 2009.
Inspired by West African masquerades and the film Black Orpheus, prints and accessories have a tribalism to them. With colorfully bold prints worked into sweeping gowns and patch-worked in other areas.


Despite all this visual commotion the silhouettes are classic and chic as Olowu’s cut allow the clothes to be wearable. Just not for the timid.






Images via nymag.com

Dave the Chimp x Vans...

For their first UK artist collaboration, Vans teamed up with skate and graff stalwart, Dave The Chimp. Having long been in the skateboard game, designing countless decks, merchandise and related magazines, the monkey man has also been a firm graffiti fixture on the streets of London, so the collaboration comes as no surprise.

The collabaration features a shoe, exclusive to Size?, a Hessen Metal skatedeck (Hessen Metal is the skateboard hardware producer that Dave is Head Designer at) and a homage to Dave’s fanzine creation with a Vanzine.
The shoe was launched in the UK on Wednesday September 24 with a party at Cargo.
Apologises for the late mention...i'm still playing catch-up :-/

Prescription Art 'Outside In'...

Prescription Art are having there first show, and they’ve brought together a collection of international artists over for what could be a very interesting exhibition in the familiar surroundings of the East end’s Truman Brewery.

To get your name on the door for the private view on Thursday October 30, RSVP here.

Mr Marfo 'Fresh Starts'...

Check out our good friend, Clement Marfo and his debut single 'Fresh Starts'. The single is out and you can REQUEST any version of 'Fresh Starts' on commerical radio, from Kiss, Radio One, 1Xtra, Choice and many others.

Fresh Starts Fresh Starts ft. Melvin Turner & Timz (Acoustic Version)

'Fresh Starts' Single (EP) OUT NOW! iTunes Napster Rhapsody Amazon

Visit his Myspace and show him love!

Rousseau x Insa...

English street artist INSA is back again with a new collaborative project by UK design house ROUSSEAU adding an innovative twist to the iconic Pop furniture staple, the bubble chair.

Featuring his trademark spiraling high-heeled graphics, the limited edition Lucite chair was unveiled at last week’s Designers Block London and is set to hit retail stores this Autumn.

Ghetto 'Sing For Me'

The official version of B.E.T nominated Ghetto 'Sing For Me', has recently been released with the remix included.

Ghetto has announced that a special edition of his second mixtape 'Ghetto Gospel' will be released in a unique cd/dvd pack (due for release the 20th of October) with Sing For Me as an added bonus track. In addtion to that there will be a music video for every track featured on the mixtape.
There is also news of a follow up mixtape entitled, '2000 & life vol. 2' to be released around Christmas and that’s not all, his debut album 'The Justification Of J. Clarke' is also in the making.

Dwld : Ghetto Feat. Tamzin (Produced by Rude Kid) - Sing for me
Dwld : Ghetto Feat. Tamzin (Electro Remix) - Sing For Me


All music featured on this site is for promotional use only

Sliverlink 'The Message is Love'

Silverlink, Badness & Jammer have released a video to the crazy grime/soca/rave/ what do you call it-esque song 'The Message Is Love'.

Am I the only one who is intrigued by Silverlink's dance moves?? lol

Sorry for the lack of post guys. For some reason I can't upload any posts at the moment and the only way I was able to post this was by editing an old one.

:-(

Back to regular postings in a few days!

Swiss...The Author?

So Solid member Swiss has revealed his new project, a motivational book entitled 'Spot The Difference'.

This is what he posted on his myspace page...

'WHASSUP EVERYBODY (HOTEP) (SALAAM) (NAMASTU) (NAMASTI) (RAAHUBAAT), ITS
SWISS. MY LONG AWAITED BOOK "SPOT THE DIFFRENCE" IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL TO
PURCHASE/ORDER FROM ALL GOOD BOOKSTORES.
"SPOT THE DIFFRENCE" IS A MOTIVATIONAL BOOK FOR ALL AGE GROUPS TO USE FOR
THEMSELVES, IN DAILY ACTIVITIES. NOW IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SWISS YOU KNOW I
LIKE TO PUT MY HEART AND SOUL INTO MY WORK AND THATS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE DONE.
IT IS A REFLECTION OF ME.
I AM NOT JUST SWISS THE RAPPER/DJ FROM SO SOLID I AM A
TEACHER/LECTURER/MUSICIAN AND NOW AUTHOR THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROMOTER OF
POSSITIVITY, KNOWLEDGE SEEKING AND BEING THE BEST WE CAN BE.
SO IF YOU HAVE THOSE SAME ATTRIBUTES OR JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING
OR TRUELY THINK THIS BOOK CAN HELP YOU BASED OFF OF WHAT I HAVE JUST SAID, THEN
INVEST IN "SPOT THE DIFFRENCE". I GUARANTEEE YOU CAN GET ALOT FROM SPOT THE
DIFFRENCE. BELOW IS AN AMAZON LINK THAT YOU CAN PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM.
http://www.
amazon.
com/Spot-Difference-SWISS/dp/1906169438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221759270&sr=8-1
TO MY FANS THANKS FOR ALL YOU SUPPORT..NEXT ALBUM ON THE WAY'

"The Official GoodLife Entertainments Launch Party"

Insa 'Heels'

UK artist Insa introduces Insa Heels. It was only a matter of time for this to come, after the artist has become known through his heels design in recent years.

Based in London, ‘Insa Heels’ is a bold backlash against mass production and aims to establish itself as a luxury footwear brand with limited edition colours, using only top end materials and European production.

The artist got together with Ruth Shaw, a London based shoe designer, to bring Insa Heels to life. The first release includes three colorways of the "Classic" stiletto, both featuring the iconic Insa Heels designs.

The website with online store will be going live tomorrow, September 17th

Click for more pics

All info and pictures are credited to High Snobiety

TooFly Spotlight...Will Kay

Will Kay may not be a name you are familiar with now, but his work is. In 2007 the East London artist and graphic designer created the infamous 'Grime Scene Poster', which featured notable and key figures within the music genre [Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Kano, Bashy etc.]

Without any support or backing from investors or galleries, 'The Grime Scene Poster' became, and still is, a bestseller on UKRecordshop.com.

The Bestselling Grime Scene Poster

After the success of the poster, Will has gone onto several projects including work as the official graphic designer for top UK female MC, No.Lay and his soon to be released clothing line; Odd Kingdom™. His work stands alone for its originality and pure raw style; much like the man himself.

'Lion Heart'

'Cooler Than You'

Grime Artist JME

The use of a fine or broadmarker pen to create his subjects is becoming a noticeable trademark of Mr Kay's work and will also feature in his new project entitled; Legends by Will Kay.

A collection of 14 artistic drawings, based upon historical Black figures such as; Mae Carol Jemison, Malcolm X, Kwame Nkrumah, Pelé, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Angela Davis, Huey Newton, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Afrikan Bambaata, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday and Muhammad Ali.

People who have not just influenced the artist but the world we live in.

'The mission behind this exhibtion is to educate and inspire all who see it...'

- Will Kay

Each image is accompanied by a description of how these heroes and heroines have contributed to the benefits we enjoy in our society today.

I've had a sneak peek at a few pieces and not only is it visually impressive its also thought-proving, I can't wait to hear and see the public's reaction to this. You can see more of Will's work on his myspace: www.myspace.com/willkay

The Cool Kids 'Delivery Man'

:-)

From Mountain Dew’s GreenLabelSound

Nails Did...Let's Eat Out

The Nails Did team are releasing a Autumn/Fall '08 line called 'Let's Eat Out'. The new collection will feature Jewellery and collaboration on a Nail Varnish line.

Here's a sneak peek at their new LET'S EAT OUT tee, which will be available soon...

The Message Is Love...

DJ/Producer Silverlink teamed up with Badness & Jammer to make this crazy grime/soca/rave/ what do you call it-esque of a track.

To promote the single, Jammer & Badness hit up Oxford Street armed with a CD Player and a megaphone to test their track on members of the public.

The guy's eyebrows at the 2.40 mark are killing me...lol @ Jammer!

'The message is love' is due out 22nd September.

Cocknbullkid @ the Royal Albert Hall...

Doors open at 7.30pm
Dels on stage - 8.30pm
Little Boots Djs - 9pm
thecocknbullkid on stage - 9.30pm
Little Boots Djs - 10pm

London Design Festival 2008

The London Design Festival was established in 2003 as an annual event to celebrate and promote London and the UK’s design creativity.


The festival brings together a diverse and unique group of partner organisations from across a range of sectors to stage London's biggest annual design event.
Each year it enables new collaborations which bring exciting new projects covering every aspect of the creative industry and beyond. Last year an estimated 350,000 visitors attended Festival events and its supposed to be double that amount this year.

Street Style Urban Gnomes by Vitamin



British furniture designer Matthew Hilton will launch his new collection at the festival

There are plenty of festival highlights including the following:

Urbantine Project at Tent London, a competition for young, up and coming architects. Visit the winning installation for 2008 by Working Architecture Group. 18-21, Truman Brewery, Brick Lane.


Designer Block
Usually this show takes place in a darkened, dilapidated industrial building somewhere in the East End, but this year the renegades of the London Design Festival are moving uptown to Covent Garden. You can also find a Designersblock pop-up shop on Selfridges' 4th Floor. No 1, The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E


Size Matter - Pavilion by David Adjaye
Last year it was the women, showing off their curves at the South Bank (Amanda Levete and Zaha Hadid), this year it's a man's turn. British architect David Adjaye [Toofly Spotlight on him soon] has been invited to install a conceptual pavilion for the duration of the festival. 13 - 30 September, South Bank Centre.

Up and coming design graduate Lee Broom's 'Neo Neon'

Dates: 13-23 September 2008
Location: Hundreds of venues across London.
Tickets: Depends on the event but a lot is FREE.

View this years event line up.

Immortal Technique @ The Coronet...

Shoreditch Shuffle...

Ever heard of the Shoreditch Shuffle??

Well its organised by Who's Jack Magazine and it’s taking place on the 13th-14th September.

Taking place in 15 different venues in and around 'The Shoreditch Triangle', this weekend bash will be showcasing new talent in the areas of Music, Fashion, Art, Short Film, Comedy and Literature.
If you love all things new, this is the thing for you!

You can find out loads of infomation about venues and acts here.




Here's one of the events I'll be hitting up...Join me!

M.I.A's Fashion Week Suprise

The M.I.A store is up and running guys! I've had a look and there are some fab pieces although I may have to wait till next year 'summer' to actually wear the ones I want lol. It's wonderful to see both her music and art come alive through pieces we can wear which is why I'm loving the collection, originally done for her Kala tour the limited edition collection features a vivid depiction of everything M.I.A

For the collection she only made 1000 pieces so if you want one you better get your skates on.

And the winner is...

Elbow for the Mercury Music Prize...the progressive rock band beat other nominees; Estelle, Rachel Unthank & The Winterset, Laura Marling, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Adele, Last Shadow Puppets, Portico Quartet, Burial, Neon Neon, and British Sea Power. Personally I was rooting for Estelle or Last Shadow Puppets, but congratulations to the winners.

'I AM AN AFRICAN' & 'BANG BANG in the Manor' Screening...

The critically acclaimed UK version of City of God, 'Bang Bang in the Manor' by Black film company RICE N PEAS will be screening at SOAS along with the London premiere of:

'I AM AN AFRICAN', a short documentary by rising film maker Kwame Blackdon that takes a controversial look at the history behind the hostile relationship between the British Caribbean community and their African brothers.




The evening will also feature:- A Q+A session lead by Ishmahil Blagrove Jr (Producer and Founder of RICE N PEAS) and London born Ghanaian film maker Kwame Blackdon on the featured screenings and related issues.

'Bang Bang in the Manor' is a social investigation into the disproportionate levels of violence and murder suffered by the black community of Britain, this documentary identifies the failure of the British educational system, the breakdown of family units, and consumerism/capitalism as significant contributory factors into this phenomenon. With interviews from gunmen, underground arms dealers, drug users and victims of the violence, the film attempts to define the social environment which conditions and nurtures the desire to consume and destroy.
Filmed over six months, Bang Bang In Da Manor has been described as the most graphic and disturbing documentary ever made in Britain ...Press Release




Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Khalili Lecture Cinema,
SOAS Russell Square Campus
Thornhaugh Street
London

Doin It & Doin It & Doin It Well!

Not Bad For a Girl is a streetwear brand founded by London-based designer Karen Jane in 2006, with the misson of representing the ladies side of the game with fresh designs. For those in the know, NBFG is more than a brand but an empowerment movement.

NBFG creates limited edition pieces inspired by and dedicated to ladies 'who show and prove on a daily basis'.

The first half of their Autumn / Winter 08 collection has just been released. It features three tee designs including the classic NBFG icon print and the much awaited hand-drawn typographic 'Doin' it' tee - a homage to Too Much an obscure female emcee responsible for the original track later re-released with LL Cool J.

Damien Hirst x Southeby Auction

Damien Hirst is set to make history with a massive auction of art, 'Beautiful Inside My Head Forever', includes a whole new body of work that covers the complete range of Hirst’s output and more. The auction will run over two days, commencing with an Evening Sale on Monday, 15 September, and continuing throughout the following day (Tuesday, 16 September) with a morning and afternoon session.




The two day sale, which will include 223 lots, is expected to raise a sum in excess of £65 million. Estimates will range from around £15,000-20,000 (for a range of new drawings) up to the £8,000,000-12,000,000 estimate attached to The Golden Calf –the monumental and arresting centre-piece of the sale.



Among the works to be offered will be new and exciting variations on many of the key themes that have defined Hirst’s work to date.

"After the success of the Pharmacy auction, I always felt I would like to do another auction. It’s a very democratic way to sell art and it feels like a natural evolution for contemporary art. Although there is risk involved, I embrace the challenge of selling my work in this way. I never want to stop working with my galleries. This is different. The world’s changing, ultimately I need to see where this road leads."

- Damien Hirst

Kano 'Hustler'

May NBSFW

Roots Manuva 'Let The Spirit'

The third single from Slime & Reason (released on Monday), produced by Metronomy.

[May NBSFW]

RocknRolla Teaser Campaign...

In the lead up to the release of Guy Richie’s new film, RocknRolla, this Friday (5th September), Warner Bros have enlisted the skills of a few of UK graffiti’s all-stars to step up their London outdoor campaign.

A handful of graffiti luminaries such as Solo One, Busk, Astek, Chu, Shucks and Panik were called in to watch the film and then subsequently asked to paint what they felt was on the mystery painting which forms the centre-piece to the movie.

Fly Boy...Thai' Matic

North London has birthed some of the leading players within UK Hip Hop and Thai' Matic is no exception. Hailing from the North-West (to be exact) Mr Matic carves out his own niche with intellectual metaphors and distinguished individuality.
I stumbled across his myspace and have been a fan ever since. Not only does this fly boy have a clear talent on the mic, he is also part of the fresh streetwear brand, Candy Coated Jewels . Check out his free Mixtape 'Girls and Things' and visit his myspace!

(click pic to download)

Donaeo 'Devil In A Blue Dress'

A video for Donaeo's big summer banger (did I just say banger?) has finally surfaced.

Directed by Luke Van Boom

Shout out to Mista Jam 'Energy, energy...give me that funky!'

Did you notice around the 2.40 mark he shows us a TFE stance? We're doing big things kids lol

Mishal Moore 'No Strings'

I saw this on the fly site Mad News and just had to share. 'No Strings' is set to feature on Mishal's free mixtape due out this month, check out her myspace for more songs.
I'm loving her voice and on top of a Doom beat too...Me likey :-)

Banksy in New Orleans...

Renegade stencil artist Banksy has been covering the city with art to commemorate the anniversary of Katrina, the hurricane that killed 1800 people when it struck the coastal city in 2005.

“Three years after Katrina I wanted to make a statement about the state of the
clean-up operation,”

He also attested that the city’s levee wall offered...

“the best painting surface in the state of Louisiana.”

In the art world, timing is everything, and as the anonymous bomber wraps up his project, the city once again braces for the onslaught of oncoming tropical storm Gustav which threatens to again devastate the slowly healing city.

All Pics are courtesy of Anthony Turducken

GOLD KATE MOSS “SPHINX” SCULPTURE

British sculptor and KATE MOSS fanatic MARC QUINN created sculptures of the supermodel in a variety of yoga poses in 2006. He has now announced that a $2.8 million, 110-pound solid gold statue of his most prominent Moss sculpture will be unveiled at the BRITISH MUSEUM in October.

Hailed as the largest gold sculpture built in the world since Ancient Egypt, the new work will take center stage at a group show of new artwork by leading modern British Artists including Damien Hirst.

"I thought the next thing to do would be to make a sculpture of the person who’s the ideal beauty of the moment, but even Kate Moss doesn’t live up to the image".

- Quinn