The Monday broadcast of the 2015 BET Honors, which took place in January, revealed Kanye West's acceptance speech for the Visionary Award. Co-founder of Rocafella Records, and the now largely aloof Damon Dash presented the award to Yeezy, speaking at length about West's inspiration and courage stemming from his late mother. In a nine minute speech, West spoke on a myriad of topics ranging from his polarizing wife, money, and slavery. Check out the clip of a humbled Kanye West below.
VibeRotation 13 by Yung Squire /
The music industry as a whole, and even the hip hop genre itself, is so rapidly progressing that it is difficult to be aware of every single project that drops. Luckily though, having connections to enterprising DJ's and influencers in the industry has certainly expanded our scope.
Today, we highlight one of those individuals with a curated VibeRotation by Chris Gellein, also known as Yung Squire, a Seattle-based DJ. His foray into production first started when he was thirteen years old while dabbling with the drums. During his junior year of high school, his hobby became a bit more serious as the Abelton computer program expanded the enterprising DJ's capabilities. Having drawn inspiration from Waka Flocka and Lex Luger, Yung Squire's production is noticeably trap; however, don't be surprised by the implementation of EDM nuances. You can check out some of Yung Squire's vibes now on his SoundCloud, and be sure to keep up with his Instagram and Twitter for his latest developments.
For VibeRotation 13, the theme is largely hip hop. Squire has included several new tracks such as A$AP Rocky's "Indie," "Six Degrees," the BADBADNOTGOOD and Ghostface Killah collaboration, and of course "All Your Fault" by Big Sean featuring Kanye West. The foreign track by Kaaris, "Comme Guccie Mane," is a welcomed surprise with the French verses sounding particularly hard against the trap beat. Listeners are offered a nice change of pace towards the end of the playlist with Southern Hospitality's chilled out iteration of "Party Girls." For a complete listen, check out this week's Rotation on our SoundCloud.
Ta-ku x Jaden Smith - Beast Mode /
At the age of 15 Jaden Smith could clearly see the host of non-believers in his rap talent quickly coming to devalue and under appreciate his work. Their doubt has remained constant throughout Smith's short career, but with every one of his new releases he changes the critics' minds. A new song with self-proclaimed "Genre Killer", Ta-ku, has appeared today that Jaden actually recorded at 15 years-old, and should put all negative commentary to rest. In the 9-minute track, "Beast Mode", the budding star proclaims, "Let me introduce you to rap, you jokers are bleeding on my adidas," going rhyme after rhyme explaining why he is not to be messed with. It is time to listen. Enjoy "Beast Mode" from Ta-ku x Jaden Smith below.
Nudie Jeans Co Spring 2015 "The Curse of the Little Bastard" Collection /
Every. single. wardrobe. needs. a quality pair of jeans and a t-shirt to make some marks in. Swedish denim purveyor, Nudie Jeans would certainly agree as it presents its Spring 2015 Collection, "The Curse of the Little Bastard". Very much like the 1950s archetypes the collection pays homage to, Marlon Brando and James Dean, Nudie has set itself apart from the industry and walks to the beat of its own drum, producing functional, comfortable, and sustainable denim. The brand's Eco-Cycle philosophy – wear your favorites, love them, repair them when they need and make them personal, adds a unique element to its apparel. In the Spring 2015 offering from Nudie Jeans, the cradle of denim and the rebels of today and yesterday are celebrated with vintage and staple pieces: big t-shirts, leather and denim jackets, varsity jackets, and Catalina jackets. The "Steady Eddie Mike Replica" is a perfect example of the personal aesthetic infused in Nudie's denim as it features Japanese Kaihara selvage denim with glue residue and handmade repairs on the front and back, made from 100% organic cotton. Browse the looks above and shop "The Curse of the Little Bastard" collection now at Nudie's online store.
A$AP Rocky featuring Rich Homie Quan and Sway Burr - Indie /
Today brings new music from A$AP Rocky. The track, "Indie" is a little rough around the edges as we assume it is a leaked cut from Rocky's upcoming album, A.L.L.A. Regardless, the song's solid baseline and styling from one of ATL's hottest rappers, Rich Homie Quan, and Sway Burr, an artist out of Bridgeport, CT, has it locked as banger material. Give it a listen below and stay tuned for A.L.L.A.'s concrete release date.