MUSIC. ART. CULTURE.

Kanye West & Zack De La Rocha are asking for a boycott of Arizona:

Zack de la Rocha has issued a statement on behalf of an organization called the Sound Strike urging music fans and fellow artists to boycott Arizona “to stop SB 1070,” which he labels an “odious” law.

Among those artists joining de la Rocha’s boycott are ……Conor Oberst, Kanye West, Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against, Cypress Hill, Serj Tankian, Joe Satriani, Sonic Youth, Tenacious D, Street Sweeper Social Club and Michael Moore.

In de la Rocha’s words, the new law “sanctions racial profiling, straight up,” forcing “cops to hunt down and target anyone they ‘reasonably suspect’ that may be undocumented. And if the people they harass don’t have proof that they were born in the U.S., they can be detained and arrested.”

He goes on to note that “Some of us grew up dealing with racial profiling, but this law (SB 1070) takes it to a whole new low. If other states follow the direction of the Arizona government, we could be headed towards a pre-civil rights era reality. This unjust law was set into motion by the same Arizona government that refused to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr. day as a national holiday. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, they arrested her. As a result, people got together and said we are not going to ride the bus until they change the law. It was this courageous action that sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. What if we got together, signed a collective letter saying, ‘We’re not going to ride the bus?’ “

The website includes a petition urging President Barack Obama to take action.

“Arizona’s new law is an assault on the US Constitution and an affront to the civil rights that were earned by generations who came before us,” the petition reads. “When states disregard the Constitution, when they sanction mistreatment of communities, it is the imperative of the Executive Branch to take the lead in defending the U.S. Constitution.”

The Sound Strike’s call to boycott follows recent protest cancellations by Cuban-American rapper Pitbull and Latino rappers Cypress Hill. A Phoenix New Times blog says this latest development feels like it’s “only the tip of the iceberg,” while AEG Live president/CEO Randy Phillips told Billboard he believes “the economic impact on the state from losing even a couple of tours might be enough for the legislature and the governor to realize that there is still a political concept called the tyranny of the majority which is just as dangerous to our democracy as illegal immigration, maybe more so.”

This will hopefully make an impact. The whole country has been trying to show Arizona how backwards they are, yet they still have not learned.

Source

by L. Ruano, May 17, 2010

Vinyl toy creators MINDstyle preview a new design under its P.O.P. Collection for Summer 2010. Familiar in appearance, this first development comes in the form of world-renowned boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. The toy features playfully exaggerated details of the superstar brawler, with his native Philippines recognized via vibrant boxing trunks and the “Pacquiao” name placed on the belt line. A release can be expected come this Summer season.

25 May 2010, 19.05 | Posted in Sneakers | No comments » Share

The limited edition Nike Air Collection continues to expand. The latest releases include 4 colorways of each the Air Max Trainer 1 and the Trainer SC 2010. Both come with colorful uppers and some nice details. Yet overall Nike keeps them clean in terms of design, resulting in some very strong versions among the bunch. The sneakers are now available from the Nike Store.

Detailed images of the new Nike Air Collection releases follow after the jump.

 

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SLAM Magazine – July Issue | Michael Jordan

Issue number 139 of SLAM Magazine (July Issue) features none other than Michael Jordan on the cover, since finally hanging up his Air Jordan’s for good, the G.O.A.T. as SLAM’s Ben Osborne calls him, has gone onto become the first ex-NBA player to own his own NBA franchise, having purchased the Charlotte Bobcats a few months ago. The newest issue will not only feature an extensive article on Michael Jordan by the great Rick Telander but it will also feature pieces on Gordon Hayward, Vince Carter, Stephen Curry, Zach Randolph, and more. via SLAM

 

Just about anyone could have written the feature about Mike as an owner—if you write for SLAM you likely know Mike’s career pretty well and have a feeling on this next stage, one way or another—but we went outside our usual cast of contributors for this one and asked the great Rick Telander to tackle the assignment. Having written about MJ for 25 years for the likes of the Chicago Sun-Times and Sports Illustrated, and privy to conversations and quotes with him none of SLAM’s comparatively new writers ever have, Rick has a perspective all his own.

If Playoff memories and a world-class piece by one of our favorite writers (relive some of our history with Rick via this link) about the best player ever don’t pique your interest, we’ve got stories with kids at the opposite end of the career spectrum from Michael (such as Final Four hero Gordon Hayward and our High School All-Americans, beautifully photographed in the heart of Times Square) and every phase in between (features on Vince Carter, Stephen Curry and Zach Randolph, a WNBA Season Preview, and an absolutely classic Old-School q+a with Reggie Miller, as conducted by the great former SLAM Ed. Tony Gervino).

Tonight, Ray-Ban is hosting a live event in New York at the Music Hall of Williamsburg to celebrate the re-launch of one of the most iconic sunglasses frame, the Aviator. Ray-Ban will release six new styles of the Aviator with slight twists on the classic frame, check them all out below. The event will be headlined by Iggy & The Stooges along with The Virgins, Free Energy and a DJ set from Roxy Cottontail. On May 26th, London will also host a similar event with the New York Dolls, The Big Pink and the Plastiscines and DJ set by Jarvis Cocker. Follow Freshness on Twitter and Freshness Live for live updates from the event. Prices range from $139 to $485, the lenses are available in two different versions, polarized and non-polarized and will be available starting June 2010 at Sunglass Hut.

 

Road Spirit: The Aviator gets a creative dress with the new Road Spirit. The details around the shapes confer a younger look to this evergreen model for the people that live on the road.

Ray-Ban Craft: On these restyled icons the top bar and temple end pieces are covered with soft hand-sewn leather. Ray-Ban Craft is a celebration of craftsmanship, an important and valuable element in the history of Ray-Ban. Ray-Bans have always made a statement about the bold and unique individuals who wear them. Now, the aviator model is enriched with premium details and skilfully handcrafted with genuine leather.

Ultra Gold: The Ray-Ban Ultra limited edition of this style icon features an updated design improved in its classic shapes, enriched with new, prestigious details, and updated with the contribution of cutting-edge technology: titanium, beta-titanium, and pure gold, combining contemporary taste with tradition, technology with beauty, solidity with legend. The entire frame is 22K gold plated and wears the new P3 (P-Cube) lenses that further reflect the quality and technological core of Ray-Ban Ultra designs.

Metal Glide: Ray-Ban re-works its most iconic models in an explosion of fresh color. The bright, bold colorways work to highlight the original and non-conformist spirit that remains an intrinsic feature of the Ray-Ban brand. The Aviator gets a new dress with ne w glossy colors. Shiny and funny colors with tone on tone lenses, that highlighting Ray-Ban’s unique and independent character, since 1937.

Tech: Carbon fibre is an extraordinarily sturdy yet extremely lightweight material. It has a very fine, threadlike structure and it is used to manufacture a wide range of materials referred to as “composites” because the fibres are combined with a matrix – generally resin – designed to hold these extremely strong fibres together, protect them and maintain the shape of the product. The result of this patented process is a frame that is extremely lightweight, sturdy, flexible and exceptionally durable.

Classic Aviator: This frame became an icon of style and design, and the model that signalled the birth of a timeless legend. The Ray-Ban Aviator has gradually earned its place as an essential fashion accessory for men and women. Ray-Ban lives up to its name by offering maximum wearer protection while delivering the distinctive style that has become world-famous thanks to the many Hollywood stars.