zen symbol

A few weeks ago, my friend and Bondfire co-host, Conscious sent me an article: “How to be Insanely Productive and Still Keep Smiling” from zenhabits.net. It was like the article had been written with me in mind. It outlined all I ever wanted to be. Happy, energetic, and self- sustainable.

In my journey transtioning out of the formulaic 9-5 grind to the supossed bliss of being a freewheeling artist “type” I found that both lives are NOT easy. The reason most people remain status quo or 9-5 is because it’s all laid out for them: wake up, eat, go potty, goto work, eat, go potty again, sleep, and collect a check at the end of the week. Those that haven’t found a day job they’re in love with swallow the pill for the insurance of getting a check.

On the other hand, the freewheeling artist “type” in me enjoys working my own schedule, and waking up with creative thoughts I wouldn’t have otherwise had. Alas, it’s not without its very low moments. Much time is spent establishing a name for oneself, money very rarely exchanges hands, and i’m met with hunger and uncertain thoughts more often then not.

Then I think about how it was before, when I would curse myself for having to wake and have the life force sucked out of me for guaranteed wages. Now I wake up with ideas. Ideas I can be proud of offering to the world. A piece of myself to share and mix with like minds.

Even in my most financially fragile state i’m pushing myslf to the edge, learning and asking questions. That’s how my latest idea came to fruition….TK Classics, a collaboraton between myself and several designers that take the plain white tee shirt to the next level. It’s an excersize in cooperative economics, seeking talent from the community which you live and breathe, and pooling resources to make something great.

In the coming weeks, i’ll be posting more details as the TK Classics project develops. You’ll be meeting the designers and learning more about them and why we’re working together.

I’m so excited!!!

“I may never get rich, but I’m gonna have the best life ever”. -TK Classics

I just came home from spending some time in New Orleans, Louisiana as it led up to the 5th year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. A hurricane that ravaged whole cities and put people through so much turmoil. I went there on a whim and made a conscious decision not to “bother” those good people with my curiosity. I explored neighborhoods and saw the sights and through natural conversation learned more than I ever bargained for. I have more video and pics, please stay tuned while I get them up for you

One of the sights I saw was the To Be Continued Brass Band, playing right there in the open on Bourbon Street for everyone to enjoy. I bought a CD and caught some footage of these talented young men rockin hard for the people LIVE in The Big Easy!

[VIDEO] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZfdHb521U

I have a TBC Brass Band x MJ treat!

We all LOVE MJ, and many of us try our best to follow up his genious, generosity, and hardwork with our own. On this day of his 52nd Birthday, I give to you The To Be Continued Brass Band playing The Jacksons “Blame it on the Boogie“.

Enjoy!

*Please refresh the page if you don’t see the audio or video. Thanks!*

Everyone is talking. Talking about the debt. Talking about Wyclef and the election. Talking about the tents. Talking, talking, talking…Talk is cheap. Surely we can do more than talk? Can we? Most of us can’t get there to sink our hands into the rubble and dirt and rebuild, or sit with a bunch of kids and read to them, or physically pass out the simplest of supplies to make life easier.

Most of us can’t do any of this. Most of us want to do more than this.

For a moment, even I had lost my mojo. I wanted to make a difference and it hurt to know that all of the things my friends and I collected were stacked up in a warehouse going unused.

But I am not deterred. I will try again. Hopefully you can help me.

Before I post the image of the vision I had, I will look for an organization on the ground in Haiti that some of my collegues work with to ensure any proceeds donated will REALLY get to Haiti. Hand to hand, by air or by land.

Thank You.

On the set.

I was intrigued and more than happy to join him at his video shoot almost two years ago. Labtekwon is an extrodinary music maker, very diverse in his musical knowledge, and creative with the wild concepts. It was the one of my first times on camera and I got to portray one of the crazy nightmare ex-girlfriends…kind of a dream role. Taking part in this video shoot was also a precursor to working with my fellow mogul minded ladies of NYC, DJ Brina Payne and Mary Pryor. Check us out in the video, let us know what what you think of our demented performances!

[VIDEO]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PBkk4ujLzU

Check out the Labtekwon’s Di Na Ko Degg: Soul Power album on iTunes!

Here’s my overzealous intro to the night:

[Quik VID] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Iuu02V0kk

SocietyHAE.com Creative Director, Ngozi Odita put together an awesome program with The Brooklyn Museum that wasn’t just some DJ in a big room, but a true person to person, multi-media experience. We had a photographer, we had The Ahficionados on the wheels of steel, we had a HUGE screen that broadcasted our #15minsofFame twitter feed, and we had Team SHAE dispatched throughout the crowed parking lot TALKING TO party goers about what they would like as their 15mins of fame!

Find more photos like this on SOCIETY HAE
[SLIDESHOW] http://www.societyhae.com/photo/albums/15-minutes-of-fame

We bumrushed Brooklyn’s beautiful First Saturday Party goers and asked:
Who are you?
What do you do?
What do you want to be remembered for?

The answers were great and there are too many people to list. So, go ahead and find yourself or a friend in the video by Team SHAE member, Ndada Vaz!

Society H.A.E. Presents: 15 MINUTES OF FAME from ndada vaz on Vimeo.

[VIDEO]: http://www.societyhae.com/video/society-hae-presents-15

The evening of July 3, 2010 showed what it looks like when the underdog wins. We’re not the biggest, flashest website, with the most hits but you get a party everytime you click!

*BONUS: July marked RECORD BREAKING attendance for First Saturdays. Check out this press release from The Brooklyn Museum: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/press/uploads/1st_Saturday_Record_Attendance_Release.pdf