Get there early, Giant will only be signing for about an hour and the decks/tees are extremely limited!

Stones Throw says that the shirts are slightly delayed…rest assured that we’ll post them as soon as we get them.

Update: We are now not getting any shirts due to “Stussy’s company policy regarding online retailers”.  Sorry about that.  Please hop over to stonesthrow.com to pre-order.

Off the new album “Rise up” out 4.6.10

Really stunning, terrible news from the world of fashion…Alexander McQueen was found dead in his home.  McQueen was a huge influence, and he will be seriously missed.  Thoughts and prayers to his friends and family.

Pics from the opening are all over the web, but Viviane took some nice close ups showing the detail…

Celebrating the life and legacy of Mike “Dream” Francisco.

Pics from “Dream Day” February 5th, 2010 at The New Parish, Oakland, California.   February 17th, 2010, is officially Dream Day in the City of Oakland.  Photos courtesy of the lovely Viviane Oh.

Message from Vijay + Mike:

Tonight we’re presenting the beginning phase of a new project, Holding it Down, about the dreams of young veterans of color returning home from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We’re honored to be joined by a third collaborator, poet, ex-Marine, Iraq veteran, and project co-author Maurice Decaul. We’re also working with a stellar group of performers, many of whom have worked with us on previous projects.

Listen to a radio feature that ran this morning on WNYC

We had an amazing experience performing this work-in-progress for the first time in Milan last weekend. Now we’d like to share it with those of you here in New York.  More info here.

HARLEM STAGE presents
HOLDING IT DOWN
by Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd & Maurice Decaul
work-in-progress performance

Vijay Iyer – piano, laptop, compositions
Mike Ladd – lyrics, voice, electronics
Maurice Decaul – poetry
Pamela Z – voice, live electronic processing
Guillermo Brown – voice, auxiliary electronics
Liberty Ellman – guitar
Okkyung Lee – cello
Kassa Overall – drums

TONIGHT! Wednesday, February 10, 7:30pm
THE GATEHOUSE at HARLEM STAGE
corner of 135th St. & Convent Avenue, NYC
directions: www.harlemstage.org/visit#getting-here
(we recommend the subway!)

“This particular song is about elevating your art form past the norms and standards of an industry with an ever narrowing emotional range.” – Opio

The Video:

West Coast/Midwest trio Chosen Few (comprised of MC’s Cold Showda, Charles “Chop” Cooper, and producer Unjust) are preparing to drop their highly anticipated Hiero Imperium Records debut, New World Symphony, on April 6th. The first official single, “Elevation,” hits the streets  today, and the crew have been hard at work finishing their chilled-out, yet heavy-hitting new video to go along with it. Shot up close and personal with the emcees spitting to the camera, the video takes place in a small and shadowy room – representing feelings of isolation, confusion, and loneliness that so many can relate to feeling at some point or another. But on the flipside, despite the track’s dark and almost bleak feel, listen closely, because the message is one of motivation rather than misery.

“Elevation” features a guest appearance from lyrical maestro Opio of the Bay Area’s Souls Of Mischief, who true to form, delivers a tight package of carefully crafted lyrics that get straight into your head. “The idea of always elevating, getting better, wiser and stronger is something I always try to do in all aspects of life, music, art, business, spirituality” says Opio. The song is about taking a stance, being aware of your surroundings, and elevating past limitations.

Buy the song at itunes.