Jayceeoh x Akrobatik x BRASIL!!!!

My homie DJ Jayceeoh just got back from an ill two week tour of Brasil with Beantown's favorite MC, Akrobatik. They ripped it up from SP to Curitiba as the video below clearly shows. Expect Jay back very soon. And this time we goin to Rio - Babao I see you!

Iz We!

Last week I linked up with Lucas Penido of TheHypeBR to talk about his domination of the Brasilian hype site scene. This week I'd like to present his newest project: Iz We. Teaming with his longtime parceiro Gabriel Menezes, who just so happens to be the son of legendary Brasilian singer Jorge Ben, Iz We is a multimedia musical experiment designed to combine Baile Funk, Electro, Rock, and Hip Hop as well as number of other sonic influences to form an international movement all its own. Performing under the monikers Luke Skywalker and Gabezzz Boy, the duo will formally introduce Iz We this summer. However, there is a sneak peek available now on their myspace page. For a listen click here.

While there are no limits to the sound Iz We will produce, the group is operating under one unique guiding principal - they never plan to sell their music - it will always be available for free. Given their legacy as well as their online reach, they could easily attempt to exploit their notoriety for monetary gain, making it all the more impressive that they've chosen not to. Peep the pics below as well as hear Luke speaking about Iz We in both English and Portugues. Ironically the record Gabezzz is holding is a DJ Edgar release! E Noi$$!!!



English

Portugues

DJ Edgar Ao Vivo Na Suecia!!!

Meu grande amigo DJ Edgar from Rio is on a Scandinavian tour right now. A true godfather of the baile funk scene, Edgar started DJing with the Furacao 2000 sound system when he was 16. After building for years as the DJ for pioneering funk MC Mr. Catra, Edgar is now killing it as a solo artist. Watch him rip it up in Stockholm below. DJ Edgar will be in Vienna, Austria this Thursday and in Copenhagen, Denmark this Friday and Saturday. Interview coming soon! E Noi$$ Parceiro!!

Cachorrada!

Explosao!

The Hype BRASIL!

With the entire so called streetwear world's attention focused on Asia on some "Japan runs shit, Malaysia and Singapore are on the come up and China is about to take over," one particularly relevant nation seems to be continually overlooked. We're talking about Brasil. With 186 million people, it's the 5th most populous in the world. It's also the 5th biggest country on the globe in terms of land mass and the 4th biggest democracy for whatever that's worth.

Brasil is completely diverse, but not in the completely divided way shit is here. Blacks, asians, hispanics, and white people all get down and although its still mad gully in spots and they have one of the world's illest situations with regard to crooked cops, Brasil is inarguably one of the dopest places on earth.

And although Brasil is mad well known during World Cup years and for fly chicks and maybe a couple of skateboarders and Os Gemeos, as well as a shitload of good music, the country doesn't really have much of a direct link for conversation with the majority of the urban culture world. This is largely to blame on an English/Portuguese disconnect that keeps the information exchange moving slower than to other parts of the world where English is more well known. This is a tragedy since Brasilian people come from such a dichotomous madhouse of a country that they offer some of the most unique perspectives around. But the reason it exists is that Brasilians speak Portuguese proudly and honestly don't give a fuck about English. That and the fact that most people who speak English are too lazy to learn another language. But that just is what it is.

Enter Lucas Penido. Born in Belo Horizonte, Brasil's 3rd largest city, but raised predominantly in Queens and Manhattan, and currently bouncing between NYC, Florida, Sao Paulo, and Rio, Lucas is closing the gap between the streetwear, music and art worlds of Brasil and the rest of the globe. A year ago, Lucas began transmitting images and writeups on street culture products, people and happenings in Portuguese on something he named The Hype BR. Initially modeled after the English speaking world's well known hype blogs, Lucas immediately differentiated himself by reviewing products and penning editorials which assessed each subject from a particularly Brasilian point of view. This led quickly to the attention of Brasil's hype starved populace, who began devouring post after post. After only 12 months in existence The Hype BR is now seeing 6 figure unique visitors monthly and has become the most widely read blog of its kind in South America.

Although it was never the intent, Lucas is blowing up. He's been featured in Vogue Brasil, has an upcoming piece in the men's mag Trip and is quickly becoming the voice for Brasilian streetwear aficionados everywhere. No surprise then that The Cobra Snake caught him just recently at Sao Paulo Fashion Week. I caught up with Lucas at the Copacabana Grill in Astoria where we politiked over some Guarana amidst the din of the pay by weight buffet and a dining room full of Brasileiros. Here's a bit of what he had to say.

em ingles

em portugues

Hint Hint

In telling you that Cool Tom and I have a birthday coming up, I neglected to mention that specifically it's on July 3. I'm not sure what Cool Tom has on his list yet, but I've got these Brasil Dunks on mine. First homie to hook it up wins!