InTheRough comments on art that is everywhere in our society, be it music, fashion, entertainment, what have you. Our commentary often focuses on the aesthetic, the surface level beauty, the hype, and the culture behind the product highlighted. While we find these aspects interesting and necessary to speak on, time may be better spent examining why the art and why the designs we examine and appreciate are important. At the Daily Front Row's first annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards Kanye West expands upon this thought as he presented Mazdack Rassi with "Fashion Innovator of the Year". Kanye states, "I believe that the world can be changed; the world can be saved through design. Through design, through unselfish design, through unselfish creation." Design has power, power to evoke emotion and conversation that goes a very long way. We see it in sneaker culture today as Nike, Jordan Brand, adidas, New Balance, and Asiscs, just to name a few, at a personal level reach the experiences and lifestyles of people across the globe. Design is a form of self-expression, ask Stéphane Ashpool, who translates his love of basketball played on the blacktops of France into streetwear with Pigalle. Design presents a certain relatability that births narratives and shares stories that cause action. This is so eloquently summarized by Kanye as he says, "Design is the closest to truth, problem solving. Truth is the closest to love. Love is the closest thing to God, and God is love." While colorways, silhouettes, and the pop culture behind art are cool, current, and trendy, they mean nothing without design's holistic authenticity. Watch Kanye's speech at the Daily Front Row's Fashion Los Angeles Awards below.
Ditch Snapchat, get Rapchat /
Despite the plethora of applications you probably have on your smartphone, today we present to you the only one that will matter: Rapchat. Cut from the same cloth as the now iconic “burn-after-reading” themed Snapchat, Rapchat follows suit with a unique twist that is sure to add an enjoyable aspect to your online presence and activity within your social networks. Featuring a simple design, Rapchat is an application for both Apple and Android platforms that allows users to choose from a variety of beats, and record 30-45 seconds worth of rap to upload to their social media profiles, or send to specific friends. The recorded raps can only be played once by the recipient, and there is no feature to save each set of bars as of yet. This application is great because it transforms the daunting task of rapping into a fun activity between friends, and allows for the users to flex their minds in a creative way throughout the day without any substantial time commitment or scheduling. Geared with all of the same destruction-based technology as Snapchat, those who are too embarrassed to rap in front of people can rejoice, and those who have never rapped before, can start. This app has the potential to change the way in which we view rap altogether, and virtually destroys any barriers that people might face when deciding if they want to experiment within the genre. Also acting as an incredible platform for upcoming producers, the app features beats from a variety of producers that were made exclusively for the product. This word of mouth offers producers a chance to delineate from the over-saturated environment of beat production, and reach customers and rap fans in a new way. This app represents the growth and discovery that technology can offer hip-hop has a genre, and we truly hope that you cop it for free at your respective appstore and see for yourself the reasons why we use and love it. Check out this page for more information on the software, and if you already have the application, send some bars our way to get featured on the blog! We dare you.
F*ck, That's Delicious with Action Bronson /
In the latest installment of "F*ck, That's Delicious", renowned foodie and rapper Action Bronson steps away from the bustle of the Concrete Jungle to the laid back streets of Los Angeles. During his extended stay, Bronson performs at the Odd Future Carnival before attending a studio session at the home of producer, The Alchemist. No episode of Bronson's YouTube series is complete without the indulgence of exquisite cuisine, as we see Bronson hit up some of the famous LA eateries with Simon Rex and B-Real. Check out the latest episode below and stay tuned with InTheRough for the details of Bronson's impending March 24th release of Mr. Wonderful.
VibeRotation 10 /
While most people do not have much to look forward to on Monday’s, our readers do. VibeRotation 10 is now available on our Soundcloud, and I hope it will help make this gloomy, cold weather a little better. This week’s rotation contains a chill, yet intricate vibe. I love music that features multiple instruments, beats, and surprises. I also admire those who can mix various genres into one song, because there is nothing like a simple instrumental followed by an amazing, elaborate beat drop. My ears constantly want to hear something new and different, and I try to show that through my playlists.
My favorite thing to do when creating a playlist is to imagine what it would sound like during a car ride. To me, there’s nothing better than blasting your favorite songs in the car, because not only does it sound best, but it makes your journey 10x better. Today’s playlist is for those car rides where you just want to relax and feel a sense of ease, or when you are by yourself and want to escape reality for a little while. With that, I hope you all enjoy my first VibeRotation, and make sure to follow us on Soundcloud for more!
SNL 40th Anniversary Special /
On Sunday, February 15 Saturday Night Live will have been making its audience laugh and smile for 40 years. For 40 years we have seen the stage Lorne Michaels created birth many a legends like Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase to the more modern Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. To celebrate SNL's success and 40-year air time the show is planning a three-hour primetime special for the 15th that features a reunion of former cast members, hosts, and musical guests. It is an all-star lineup of sorts as Chris Rock, Tina Fey, Kanye West, Justin TImberlake, Maya Rudolph, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, Tom Hanks, Amy Poehler, and many more are slated to appear. Below we have provided two promos for SNL's 40th anniversary special that reveals more of the reunion cast. Be sure to tune in Sunday, February 15 at 8pm on NBC.