Ottawa boy, DJ, Producer, Artist and good friend of my good friend (shout outs to Emi), Tom Wrecks does an incredible job on this Remix. I hope OVO and the team make this official. Check out the article my people at Format did on his previous release remixing KanYe here.
Tag along for the follow here and peep some more on Tom Wrecks here.
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Fueled with an insatiable desire to constantly leave a lasting impression, birthed from a life of moments stolen. His father incarcerated, his mother intently focused on financial provision. A young man faced with daunting challenges who has turned adversity into opportunity and obstacles into benchmarks.
Your history is who you were. Take hold of the present and give yourself the gift of your own future.
I’ve been doing research on photogs around the world for an upcoming project and I was instantly captivated by the riviting images of Jocelyn Bain Hogg. To give you some background on this fellow, he is an eminent British photographer who put together a series called ‘The Firm‘ which is a searing photographic document of the British organized crime world.
Upon it’s launch (some ten years ago) it received instant recognition. Going through hundreds of his images there was one that jumped off the screen as it is identical to the album artwork for Jay-Z’s masterpiece (both sonically and for it’s package design) ‘The Blueprint’ (Roc-a-fella/Def Jam).
I don’t have my jewel case and album artwork with me so I’m wondering if this was inspiration or if Bain Hogg lensed this frame for Jay? I know that MorningBreath was the design agency in charge of the creative for the project…If you know who shot the flicks let me know. Here’s some more info on Jocelyn Bain Hogg and ‘The Firm’.
Over a four-year period Bain Hogg documented different aspects of the underworld, from exile in Tenerife to the broad spectrum of activity in the United Kingdom. Since Brighton Rock in the 1940s, photographers and film directors have been trying to capture the personalities and characteristics of the British urban gangster on film. These are not the faces of criminals who hide behind the facade of respectability or the corruption of political influence. They are, in fact, the real thing, men who hold their head up when challenged, and who seek no false redemption in the face of public vilification. Bain Hogg has captured for the first time in The Firm the weft and warp of these faces to whom violence is common currency and to whom loyalty is above all.
The project is currently being revisited, ten years later now that the old capos have passed away and in the wake of escalating gang crime in the estates of the UK.
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Back in the 1998 when the only reality show on TV was The Real World and the MTV network still played music videos (if you didn’t know, it stands for Music Television) and when platinum plaques were stacked by the dozens and diamonds glistened while champagne popped MTV enlisted a trio of Hip-Hop’s elite for a classic series of print ads. Only focussing on crop’d areas of each of their bodies, these 3 stars images are so well known that even a smile, arm and hairstyle make them instantaneous identifiable. The simplicity and clarity of the messaging paired with the graphic approach is vivid and left an indelible imprint on me. 10+ years later it still resonates. Here’s a quiz for those that can read between the lines…Can you see what connects each of these 3 stars?
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This pic was taken after the sold out (fire marshall’s could have been called-lol-the ladies love these boys) show a while back when Jahvon shared the stage with the fellow up teen heart throb Justin Bieber. Heres a clip of the show. Click HERE. Also check out some of the incredible images captured by our boy Kevin Wong by clicking HERE.
