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Bordeaux (Vol. 4)

Life is a series of introductions. To new people, to new places, to new experiences, to new opportunities. What makes a good introduction is the same as with any story: ensuring that people have a sense of its character upon their departure. Whether it's an elevator pitch or that hook you've been painstakingly crafting in your isolation booth, people choose whether or not to remember you by the whims of intrigue.

Now you may be wondering just how this relates to music, or to clothing for that matter. In order to get from one place to the other, from tragedy to triumph, you're going to have to explain to people where you want to go and why you should be there. Knowing how to work a room or how to speak to a crowd isn't manipulation, but rather the highest level of self-mastery.

This means that in order to really convey your story the way it should be told, to have it be compelling, you must be comfortable with who you are. Some people lie to themselves to do this and end up suffering a mid-life crisis when loved ones in their circle begin to chant "I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

I wouldn't advise that.

Instead, I would take the time to outline who it is that I am. What is your thesis statement; that is, what is the fundamental thing you hope to achieve from any experience? Make it clear and concise. This will allow ease of articulation in social situations. This will make people feel comfortable and understand your purpose. By understanding your purpose, people can help you get to the next level. You can help yourself get to the next level.

As always, harness your talents and your creative differences. If you're a rapper, what is your differentiation strategy? What makes you unique? I found out all these things by first stating all the things I didn't want to be. I think that's a good way to start anything. Get your story so straight that other people can tell it on your behalf.

-Chance Fischer

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Exclusive Grape Cloth interview with Dirty Richmond's Brian McDaniel

When I first arrived in Richmond I was immediately struck by how cool everyone dressed. I was born and raised in Virginia, but in a much more rural area where "street style" was non existent. This was not just because the streets didn't even have sidewalks, but also because fashion was not a concept most people in the city, young or old, bothered with. Coming to the Richmond area was a culture shock that took adjusting to on my part in numerous way, with personal style and presentation being one of the biggest. Maybe it's being the capitol of VA, maybe its being a southern state, or maybe it's being home to three separate universities, but Richmond gives off a "do what you want, hey, if it makes you happy", kind of vibe. You see that translated into both the thousands of different styles of clothing and the harmonious way different scenes interact. There is no uniform or dress code. But what makes Richmond's style, Richmond's? Brian McDaniel, the blogger and super-friendly-cool-guy behind Richmond's own street style blog "Dirty Richmond" gives his insight on the matter.

-What defines "Richmond" street style? What sets it apart from another locale's style?

A few years ago I thought Richmond style was about skinny Levi jeans and flannel shirts, but the more and more I started blogging I think it is determined a lot but how easy it is to be yourself here, with the art school and with some many different people all crammed into one city. You can do what you want to do without worrying about being judged. You can get away with a lot more than you could in a small town.

-Where do you think Richmond style is born from?

VCU for sure. It's the heart of the city and brings people in from all over, especially since it has a big art school. I think a big factor is the stores we have here in Richmond that a lot of other cities or college towns don't. What stores you have access too definitely effects the way you dress. There's Need Supply Co., and American Apparel. Richmond has a lot of good thrifitng too, like Bygones and Rumors, I feel like Richmond is a cheap city, but with good quality and we're really lucky to have that. Here in Richmond we have a ton of stores with sort of independent spirits, that cater to all the different markets and pockets of groups.


-How do you pick a person out of the crowd, what draws you most to want to take someone's picture?

It depends on a lot. A lot of times fashion or street style blogs can be pretentious, it's all about wearing the latest designer shoes or something. Dirty Richmond has been successful because in Richmond, no one wears head to toe designer which forces people to come up with their own style. On my blog I try to not be predictable. I never show the same kind of person, or people wearing similar styles back to back. It would get boring, especially if I only showed what I like to wear.

I never look for just one thing. A lot of times it's about how the person carries themselves, their mannerisms. People will ask, 'how should I pose?,' and I usually tell them to just keep doing whatever it is they were already doing, whatever they want to do. Anything could attract me really, the way some one's dress moves in the wind, or a person's tattoos. Overall it is the persons presence. I can tell when some one's shy or not overly confident, most of the time when someone says no when I ask to take their picture, I'm not surprised, I could read it through their confidence before approaching. It's reassuring though because I'll approach someone who doesn't look like they would read a fashion blog and they will have heard of the site, which lets me know I'm reaching more than just the people who read GQ and Vogue.

-What trends around the area that you see out on the street do you just wish would die?

I don't want to be harsh or offend anyone but one of my biggest pet peeves is when you see someone in an otherwise great outfit but then you look at their feet and they have flip flops on. I understand they are convenient, but it just looks like you put in all this effort on your top half but not on picking out your shoes.

-Funniest/craziest encounter when approaching someone?

This was more attributed to my own personal awkwardness, which I try to cover up, but one day I saw this girl in the compass that I wanted to photograph and she was walking super fast so I had to really speed up to catch up with her. I finally get to her and I'm out of breathe and then I drop my lens cap and get really frazzled speaking to her because I hadn't had any time to collect myself. She was sweet but I think she just thought I wasn't legitimate, like I was just taking a picture for my own personal blog or something. Haha. The stars were just not aligned that day. After all that work, I don't think I even posted her picture, I just wanted the whole moment over with.



-interview by Katherine Roettger

Check out Brian's blog Dirty Richmond at http://dirtyrichmond.tumblr.com/
Images Courtesy of Dirty Richmond

GRAPE'S SKATE TEAM IS A PROBLEM.

Chance Fischer - The Blister

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Bordeaux (Vol.3)

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm famous for my rants, whether it be on Twitter or in person. People also know that I'm not one for being dishonest. One thing I've been particularly bothered by recently is folk's inability to accept constructive criticism. Better yet, I think the issue is that most people would, if your opinions aren't the same as theirs, prefer you to be completely dishonest. This is particularly relevant to music.

Meet an up-and-comer: He's full of life. He has a crew full of "yes" men. He happened to discover a way to make music in his closet or something (with no idea how to mix anything). He hands you his demo and asks for your opinion.

You tell him one of the following: this could use some work; I don't like it; this isn't really my cup of tea; it's trash. You have now crossed the threshold of hatred. Welcome to Haterdom.

Haterdom is a place most critics are subjected to. As soon as you tell someone you don't like something they have produced, immediately you become offensive. You have assailed the very person that asked for your opinion. Suddenly your opinion can't be yours anymore, it must be acceptable to the ear of the person asking you. This is just ridiculous.

In order to be a better artist you must learn to deal with your fair share of ridicule. Unearthing flaws drives us toward greatness. A friend once told me that fine points are the difference between a good man and a great man. Musicians need to focus on the fine points. They must keep their feelings in line for the sake of the business. This business isn't always going to be pretty and everyone isn't just going to give you a pat on the back.

Overcome adversity. If someone tells you that you're terrible, find out why. Discover your inner greatness, harness it, and share it with the world to make it a better place. Do not spend your time seeking vengeance on people that mean you no harm. In fact, don't spend time seeking vengeance even on the people that DO mean you harm because that's just counterproductive. You won't be good at everything. Find out what you're good at and run with it.

National "Go Skateboarding Day"

Catch our snapbacks and new beanie colors, as well as some of your favorite classic designs at Sprout! on June 22nd, and see the debut of our collaboration with NC-bred emcee Conrizzle at Epic Fest on the 24th !!!

A Word With Black Liquid

stop/verb

1. to hinder or prevent the passage of
2. to cease activity or operation
3. to keep from carrying out a proposed action
4. to arrest the progress or motion of : cause to halt
5. to break one's journey

I DON'T, I WON'T.

WOFTD

Bordeaux (Vol. 2)

It seems to me that all rappers dress alike. I mean, seriously. Walk into any venue and you can immediately identify the rapper. This culture is about uniqueness, having one's own identity. A snapback (God forbid you come across the horrid person that calls it a "fitted snapback"), some J's, Camo shorts, and a new tee just aren't cutting it anymore.

I apologize if I have offended any of my readers.

Now, maybe people would consider me one of those "I only wear Supreme" kids, with my nose turned up because everything on earth, besides the air I myself breathe, smells putrid to my delicate and refined tastes.

But I'm not on a high horse (I'm not on a horse at all in fact). It's just that I find it rather mystifying that we all look alike. Together we seem to compose one collective identity: a people who seem devoid of...well...identities. I'm sounding a little like Paul Cantor right now, haha.

We, rappers, seek to exploit and enhance creativity. We fashion ourselves the purveyors of all things cool, novel, and earth-shattering. Yet we have become a billboard for The Norm, the domesticating tool of Big Brother. In my opinion this represents utter disrespect for all that streetwear, and all fashion, should be. How is it that a majority of rappers have no personal style? Oh, I forgot, because rap music, and all of its subsidies, have been commodified.

Breaking it all down: modern rap culture is built on massive assembly lines to be shipped and exploited worldwide. We have become nothing more than products. So every time I walk into a venue I don't see rappers, I see goods and services. We have desecrated ourselves and relegated our existence to mere goods and services. Many of us don't even know what the brands we wear mean. Many of us don't even know if they mean anything at all. How many people know that Grape screen prints by hand or that they pride themselves on representing a generation that's more socially conscious?

I am in no way trying to instruct people how to dress, but rather I am trying to encourage us to strive towards true meaning, so that we can share our value with the world. Know your identity, know the identities of the brands that adorn you, and know your mission. This will allow you to embrace your value. Just as Grape, we will grow more comfortable with ourselves and get better with age. Our clothing is an extension of ourselves and should also be an extension of our mission. Let your creativity flourish and your inner light shine through what you wear, even before you grab the mic.

Chance Fischer

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

S/O to the Now Or Never crew for 

including us in their project. Stay tuned...

Good Times.

It's 2:30am on a Saturday and there are 50 more shirts to print. An iPhone 4 streams RVA recording artist Black Liquid's WRIR 97.3fm radio show, Hip Hop For The Rest Of Us, while swipe after swipe of plastic-based ink gets cured by over 1000 degrees of tightly coiled heat.

Solely constructed in the United States, American Apparel blanks become the canvas onto which we express our messages of equality and positivity. 


The 100% combed cotton surface these images are carefully printed on is in the upper-echelon of the t-shirt world. This decision, among all others, is very calculated, filled with pride and hope.

Hoping they become a representation of good times spent, allowing the wearer to feel strong inside and out.
Prideful because these shirts have high potential to thrive for the long term.

It's 2:30am and there's a light at the end of the tunnel: 

a job well done, filled with care and dedication.

A Word With Black Liquid

mo·ti·va·tion
1. The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.


2. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something

I rhyme.  That is my reason, that is my motivation.  I go through, through those who are through, with search of that which is thorough.
Why, what, who, where, that is my win, for the sake of enduring the amount of time necessary to "when."  Anything short of that is not living.   "Carpe diem."

WOFTD

TheSource.com presents the latest cut from Maybach Music's Audra The Rapper titled,"Coo-Coo." This track unveils a trippy poetic story of Audra's hallucination lust over a loved, and highly desired one. Audra The Rapper's next project to be released this spring titled, No Such Thing Does Exist, which will also be presented by The Source Magazine.

DOWNLOAD Audra The Rapper - Coo-Coo HERE

Grape met Skyzoo for the first time in Baltimore at boutique powerhouse PedX, and from the jump he was as supportive of our movement as we are of his. While having a Duck Down Records mixtape presented by the Jordan Brand, he still finds time to show love to the underground streetwear scene. This post was sent to us today:


Brooklyn phenom Skyzoo has joined forces with Jamla (IWWMG), DJBooth.net and Jordan Brand to bring fans his latest street release, The Great Debater. The follow-up to Live From the Tape Deck, his critically-acclaimed collaboration with producer !llmind, the project features 16 fresh cuts from the undergrounds stalwart (and freestyle series alum). Included on the project are reader-acclaimed leaks “Atypical,” “Test Drive,” “Written in the Drums” and “The Definitive Prayer.” Joining Skyzoo throughout Great Debater are Jesse Boykins III, Manhattan and King Mez. Beats come courtesy of 9th Wonder, !llmind, Best Kept Secret, Oh No and Swiff D.

Direct Download "The Great Debater":

http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/skyzoo-great-debater/

The Holik on scene.

"May 22, 2011 will go down in Richmond Hip-Hop history as one of the freshest shows ever. A fundraiser to benefit Japan, after the natural disaster they experienced not long ago, was held at The Camel. The event was hosted by Sleaze and J. Dangle of Just Plain Sounds, a Richmond based net-label specializing in progressive hip-hop music and geared towards exposing Hip-Hop culture to the people in a positive way in which they themselves can join in and help continue to keep Hip-Hop culture alive.

The Artists on the roster for Sunday night were among Richmond’s elite! Coming out to rock the mic we had Black Liquid & The New Joose Crew, Emphasys, Ghost World, Trin804, and Nyce, just to name a few. One of the most amazing and mind-blowing things I have ever witnessed was watching Ohbliv (a Just Plain Sounds Artist) and Gordy Michaels doing live beats! DJ Dizz held down the show and kept everyone’s energy high all night.

It was actually my first time performing in front of a live audience, and the feeling is amazing. A room full of people surrounding the stage, blinded by lights, commanding both the microphone and everyone’s attention, is a feeling that not many people are brave enough to even try and experience. Iain Duffus shot some great footage of my performance, and it was greatly appreciated.

Grape Cloth donated a red beanie and a t-shirt for the benefit raffle. One of the main ideas stated in Grape's mission statement is to give back to the community and society as a whole in a positive way. Spreading love, and teaching others how to follow in those same footsteps. This makes Grape far more than just a streetwear brand. It makes Grape a good example of what human kind can reach if we all work together. All in all the fundraiser was a success. I personally am excited to see what’s in store in the future for the next Just Plain Sounds event."

- The Holik, http://www.theholikart.blogspot.com

Sponsors:

Just Plain Sounds - http://justplainsounds.com/
Grape Cloth - http://grapecloth.blogspot.com/
RVA Mag - http://rvamag.com/
Global Giving - http://globalgiving.org/
OhSoYes Radio - http://ohsoyes.blogspot.com/
Ketchup Plz - http://ketchup-plz.com/
The Camel - http://thecamel.org/
Radio Rubber Room - http://naked-jester.com/

Route 5 CSX overpass:

RVA street art legends EXPERT & AEST ...

A Word With Black Liquid

week/wēk/Noun
1. A period of seven days.

7 days. Sunday, all the way through Saturday, and back to Sunday again. 
The storm that weathers man, "time," certainly takes its toll on us all, but why is "week" pronounced the same as "weak"? After some of the days I've had I can't help but think, someone out there so long ago had to be as tired as I get from all this sometimes! This week alone has been madness (the exhausting kind), and I've still got shows to do, plans to draw up, and so many more things to contemplate. Today I got a migraine, watched Indiana Jones, fell asleep, woke up around 3AM (even though I gotta be up at 7AM!) and got right back to the grind. So what. "From weakness comes strength," tomorrow from today, see you in 7, or however long it takes......

WOFTD

Here it is!!!

The brand NEW single off of the upcoming CranGrape & White Girls album which drops June 28th!!!

http://hulkshare.com/wf77t395td36

Bordeaux (Vol. 1)

How are we to define this thing we call Hip Hop? Many say it’s the genre where you’ll find rhythmic rhymes over soulful samples and powerful percussion. Some say it’s the raw, unadulterated true soul of black folks from the inner city. For a while it was called jungle music; it was uncouth, unfiltered, and unpleasant – think Radio Raheem.

I argue with people frequently over what Hip Hop is, partially because I’m tired of people trying to label and define things. This is how blacks progressed from Niggers to Coloreds to Afro-Americans to Blacks to African-Americans, when outsiders defined us. It’s also how the Gaza strip changed possession so easily and left a whole country, Palestine, nowhere to be found on a map. I digress.

Most people want hip hop to be the old Golden Era rap: the b-boy rap, the “I talk about crack because I really sold it” rap. They want the 36 Chambers Wu, the Paid in Full Rakim, the Ready to Die Biggie, and Illmatic Nas; just like mothers never want their sons and daughters to grow up. But Hip Hop has grown up; it’s 30 and bearing children of its own. Just look at the many sub-genres of rap that permeate our music and culture.

The only reason Travis Porter, Jay-Z, Chiddy Bang, Sam Adams, J. Cole, MIA, Kid Cudi, OutKast, and Tech N9ne can all exist within the same art form is that they capture different audiences. They are the spawn born from the sperm and egg of Sugarhill Gang. Just like parents, Hip Hop tried its best to raise its children with good manners and a sense of social responsibility. And just like children, especially true considering Hip Hop’s overflow of youth, Hip Hop’s spawn will grow evermore experimental and rebellious until a maturation point arrives.

I make all of these analogies to say this: Hip Hop seems, on the surface, no different from any other musical genre that has grown old enough to have its own babies. It just has a lot more drum and bass. The core of hip hop, however, has always stayed the same – to rebel and dictate youth culture. The younger artists will continue to rebel by having their fun, the older artists will continue to have theirs by speaking their mind about the world and it's politics (whether in the hood or internationally). Hip Hop is rhythmic rebellion.

We’re stuck trying to find an old feeling. We want that Golden Era hip hop to resurrect, those hard drums over jazz samples and raw lyrics. We’re addicts hankering for another hit. Where’s our next fix? Where’s our rehabilitation?

Instead of looking for our next fix, we should sober up and embrace what else life has to offer, what joy this new generation can bring us. Just because something is new doesn’t make it detrimental. It just makes it new. Progress is about taking pieces of the old and synthesizing them into something unique and powerful. I think Hip Hop’s done a good job of that. Survey everything, love only a few things, and never subject the world to having the same desires as you.

Chance Fischer