adidas calls on a few of their celebrity endorsements and the voice of James Earl Jones, III to highlight the footwear brand’s best-selling, longstanding models: the Somoa, Campus, Gazelle and Superstar. Read the rest of this entry »

Kalia

5 Secrets Your Waiter Doesn’t Want You To Know [The Consumerist]

Freddie Gibbs Talks Major Label Saga, “Str8 Killa,” Rapping DJs & Rick Ross [Complex]

Essence Editor-in-Chief Responds To Controversy Over White Editor [The BVX]

Plot Of Charlie St. Cloud Recreated With Review Quotes [Film Drunk] Read the rest of this entry »

Atheana Ritchie

Banned Music: 20 Artists Censors Tried To Silence [Billboard]

Minority Births Drive Growth in U.S. Diversity [ABC News]

Memphis Outraged at VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Omission [The Boombox]

DJ Neil Armstrong In New Zealand [Hypebeast]

Behind The Scenes: Black Men Magazine Swimsuit Casting [Hip-Hop Honey] Read the rest of this entry »

When I saw Neil last November, he told me a couple of his “don’t say nothing” ideas & plans. Little did he know he didn’t have to worry; I have the memory and retention of a snail. The adidas collaborative project with Star Wars? One that stuck with me since there’s the whole dislike I have of adidas that lead to me ribbin’ Neil for being affiliated with such wackness. Of course, that idea came to fruition & worked well for all parties involved, bolstered by the commercial with Neil and others plus the wild publicity Snoop garnered by trooping NYC with Darth Vader.

Another idea on the hush was his plans to compile a mix that documented Jay’s Blueprint series, bringing back a few of the hits, spotlighting a few of the influences and sample sources, etc. Since he’s not on this leg of the The BP3 tour (a missing element, for sure), it looks like Neil finally had a chance to put together the mix and The DNA Of The Blueprint is the final outcome of his original idea. I saw it posted on several sites last week, most giving it favorable coverage while others didn’t hold it in regard with Neil’s previous mixes (Jay-Z backlash by association, maybe?). Moi? Obviously, I’m obviously biased, my listening perspective favoring both Jay’s music and Neil’s mixes.

“This project is my personal way of putting a distinctive bookmark in this chapter in my life, and a way to pass a sincere thank you to Jay-Z, Mr. Sean Carter, for all of the memories, the opportunity to rock on stage as an artist with him around the world, and for the kindness to me as a person. You know I had to do it in my language; a thank you in music. Read the rest of this entry »

Interesting. The shoes and the concept behind this video look book for Su-Yoon shoesthat Neil posted on his Hypebeast blog. It’s basically him, Clark Kent and a couple of long-legged lovelies cavorting around while the two DJ’s spin. Who said deejaying was a thankless job these days?

[Hypebeast]

Before Christmas, a friend hit me with an interesting question. He had met a fine young lady approximately three weeks before Christmas and did want to buy her a gift, but wasn’t sure what to get without spending too little/much and making sure it was still intimate enough to let her know that he cared about her. I said spend no more than $40 total and be sure to buy her some socks. Everyone loves socks.

Not sure how that worked out for him.

However, if you find yourself in a similar situation as we head into Valentine’s Day, I have a better option to suggest. Read the rest of this entry »

For all the people who thought “On To The Next One” was odd, how about Snoop, David Beckham, Darth Vader and the homie DJ Neil Armstong making cameos in the new Adidas Originals commercial, with TIE Fighters hovering throughout the sky? Screw flaming basketballs, that’s random. Read the rest of this entry »

The Neon Gorilla crew documented Neil during the The Blueprint 3 tour’s stop in Toronto, which was also the official release day of our Ransom by Adidas Footwear Collection. Take a look as he stops by the shop, the concert, afterparty, along with an interview.

Ransom via Hypebeast

Leonna Plays Peek-a-boob

The 10 Worst Movies Of 2009 [Metromix]

How Google Will Infiltrate the Real-World: Mobile Coupons, Barcodes, and Visual Search [Read Write Web]

Summer Of 2010 Watch: Nets A Much Better Option Than The Knicks [Dime]

Lazy Sex Pervs [Gawker]

Al B. Sure Could Teach Shy Ronnie How to Kill it… Softly [Suite903] Read the rest of this entry »

The rain drenched streets of New York didn’t stop the heads from coming to Illmind’s Blaps, Rhymes & Life IV event at Santos Party House last Wednesday. With the free beer providing my buzz, I ask Illmind who was hosting the event. He gives me one of those dude head nods in my direction. I replied “Fuck it. I’m down.” Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, Neil and I discussed the topic of how he finds time to still do tapes while touring. In a nutshell, it’s virtually impossible but I’ll share some of the rest of it later. The main thing that I wanted to share then and now was I told him how someone had literally just sent me a link for Sweet Pt. 2 earlier in the day. Now, I’ve had it – both the mp3 and physical versions – for a while. Hell, we debuted the teaser (so you know I had the full the whole time hehe). Of course though, I didn’t want to put it on Front Street since I knew Neil was hustlin’em via the 5th Platoon site. That would just be so so disrespectful © Marcus.

Being a little intoxicated courtesy of an end-of-the-door celebrating going on, Neil said “Shit man, you can share that. At this point, it’s for the people.”

Never one to let opportunity pass me by…

Download — DJ Neil Armstrong – Sweeet Part 2

At this point in my blogging career, there’s no need to describe situations as “surreal.” They aren’t, so using the word is hyperbole. Not to say that they aren’t unique and that doing this hasn’t afforded its share of opportunities that I know I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. If Jay could trip a referee @ MSG, I could have effortlessly reached out and tripped him up on Friday (thanks Laura @ 360). Read the rest of this entry »

I’m not sure if I have a true bucket list of performers I’d like to see, as I’ve seen the majority. KRS? Yep and it was amazing. The Roots? Baddest yet. The Wu, both as a whole, the solo sets and splinter groups? Yep, yep and yep. PE @ their peak. Cypress Hill when they first lit the blunt. Saw The God MC in A, as well as my favorite nigga Bigga. Kanye? Yessir. I’d like to catch Boosie but it looks like I’ll be waiting a couple of years for that.

“Who’s the best emcees? Biggie, Jay-Z and Nas…”

That’s where it gets cloudy for me. I’d obviously remember if I saw Biggie and I don’t recall that. Specifically Nas and Jay are hazy for me. I think I saw Nas around the time of whatever album “If I Ruled The World” was out and his pink suit was in. I remember him doing one of the shortest sets for a headliner ever. And in my mind, I swear I saw Jay perform during the Hard Knock Life tour. But coincidentally around the time the millennium was threatening to wipe away the earth so I was partying like it was indeed 1999, my system filled with the adrenaline that fast living creates, alcohol and other stimulants.

So in recent years, I wiped my list clean and started anew. And on Friday, I’ve been afforded “media access” (quotations because I’m not sure what media access means) to see Jay-Z, along with Wale & J. Cole, as they come to perform @ Vanderbilt University for the Nashville stop of the current tour. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Jason Hortillas

HBD to Neil!

The speculation stems from Neil’s mailing list email. He was so nonchalant about talking about his possible project with Drake, forgetting his name while mentioning it.

Well, here it from his words… Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Jason Hortillas

DJ Neil Armstrong is getting more and more shine nowadays and, for those in the know, it’s well deserved. In this MTV.com interview, Neil discusses spinning at the Obama inauguration and how he linked up with Jay-Z and why so many DJ’s are Asian. You know, all those pressing questions we want to know the answers to.

In all seriousness, it’s good to see Neil get his due recognition.