Tomorrow night the weatherman is calling for a brutal snowstorm, and what better place to be snowbound in? Celebrate Black History Month and remember J Dilla. Live performances, art, and music will be on deck. Don’t know how to get to the museum? Try this, one of the greatest sites ever invented.

-Nakeya B.

It’s been five long years since we were last graced with an LP from NINA SKY and much to our liking the wait is up. In anticipation of their upcoming sophomore album entitled Starting Today Nina Sky put on one hell of a show at SOBs in front of a packed and HEAVILY diverse crowd (Spanish, Black, White, old, young, gay, straight, women, and men- LOVED IT).  Opening the show was NOLA DARLING, another tag team of hip chicks with a lot of promise and a wicked sense of fashion.

-Nakeya B.

What do you get when you mix a music savvy design artist with a rich, vibrant color palette? –the work of New York based artist Andy Gilmore of course! His illusionist combination of geometric shapes and lines create a virtual “disco dance floor” for the eye.  Epic art! Check out his site for more work!

-Nakeya B.

dig it!

-Nakeya B.

According to the Population Reference Bureau’s 2009 World Population Data Sheet, our Mother Earth will have an estimated 7 billion children by 2011! Imagine that, no wonder it’s to hard to catch a train these days. It’s only right to include German photographer Andres Gursky‘s photos to help put this huge number into persepective. So one day we will live a world like these? Hmmm….

Nakeya B.

Occupation: Journalist
Resides: Linden, New Jersey

You know what they say about a woman who dons animal print?– Neither do I, but I thinks it’s safe to assume they tend to be a tad bit feisty. Sophia is definitely just that, we did a bunch of different looks for this shoot and in each of her outfits she incorporated some sort of animal print. I call her my little lioness in a dress and in this case her roar is just as bad as her bite. DOPE!

-Nakeya B.

Angela  Davis,  Malcolm X., Haïlé Sélassié, Aimé Césaire, Miles Davis and Muhammad Ali are just some of the many Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean leaders, activists, and intellectuals fine-art photographer SAMUEL FOSSO has embodied  in his latest series African Spirits. Toying with the constructs of sexuality and higlighting the importance such figures have had on the Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean experiences, FOSSO’s ability to create timeless photographs has made him into a highly sought out photographer.

After having to leave his mother and his native country Bangui  at the outbreak of the Biafran war, Fosso began shooting himself to keep her visually connected with him.

Never would he imagine his work would be landing him solo shows at the Guggenheim, ICP and Jack Shainman Gallery and exclusive representation at Jean-Marc Patras in Paris.

Sheer beauty and brilliance.

CHECK THE LINK TO SEE MORE WORK.

-Nakeya B.

Nothing like an AMAZING cover, in this case two were released by COMPLEX featuring Kid Cudi and Keri Hilson. I’m a sucker for the art splashing the front pages, looks like the ANNUAL DESIGN ISSUE will sell out fast.

*Side note: Marc Ecko is living proof that not all Rutgers graduates are jobless…and Kid Cudi’s penciled in hair line is just perfect.

Issue hits stores August 11.

-Nakeya B.

In recent news, meet traffic barrel monster created by JOSEPH CARNEVALE, a 21-year-old N.C. State student, part-time construction worker, artist, and now convicted “vandal”.  This is pure comedic genius, guerrilla art at its finest.  Apparently cops did not find the humor in this over sized traffic terror, but I’m sure a shitload of drivers did. Mark Jenkins better watch his back, there’s a new street artist on the loose.

-Nakeya B.

If his art had game, EL MAC, an L.A. based visual artist would pull in some of the baddest girls in his part of town.  His love affairs with spray paint, acrylics, pencils,  inks, and stained glass have produced countless numbers of lovechilds in the form of murals, paintings, and designs. Infatuated with figures and the curvature of the femme form, MAC creates photo-realistic renditions of women appearing sensual, and enticing. My 12th grade English teacher would kill me for this but, dude is damn dope. Check out his site so see more of his work.

-Nakeya B.