Music & Snowboarding

I titled this post music and snowboarding because the two activities are intertwined in my life, like the twin serpents on a Caduceus.

First, snowboarding in the Czech Republic. The trip was dope... minus all the distractions off the mountain. When I arrived it was too late to take public transport so I used the hotel's shuttle service. This is the first and last time I use that service due to incompetence. The driver strapped his and my snowboard to the roof of the car with thick elastic bands. The coils seemed sturdy, and the driver seemed to have complete confidence they would hold the equipment safely during our journey. 

Two hours into our three hour drive from Prague airport to the snowcapped mountains of Spindleruv Mlyn, the driver pulls off the highway for cigarettes and discovers both our snowboards missing. Needless to say..."I was not happy." Upon further inspection we found that the elastic coils snapped and the boards fell off.

We drove back over an hour and made several detours along the way before finally finding both snowboards separated by a few hundred meters on the side of the road. It was a bad way to start the trip, but I was happy to have my board back.

When I was on the mountains it was superb! Fresh powder, long wide, lines and endless points to off-road free-ride. This year I got to try night riding! This is when they open the brightly lit mountain of Hromovka at night, so riders can snowboard or ski in the dark from 6-9pm. Yo! It was off the hook...like a telephone receiver. 

The night sky was so clear, the stars looked like tiny Swarovski crystals, glittering on an obsidian canvas... that stretched to infinity. Everyone on the mountain was a serious rider who could carve the powder like a sculpture. There were no more than twenty of us, but once I hit the slopes it was like I was alone on the mountain. Smelling the fresh pine scented air, while carving the snow in intricate "S" shapes... riding the contours of the mountain like a surfer does a wave. I did more riding than filming, but the video below is footage of me riding down a mountain trail.

Aside from winter sports the small village of Spindleruv Mlyn has activities (bowling, snow biking, casinos, aqua-park) to keep tourists entertained off the mountain. I saw a few people bowling, but most of the people who weren't on the mountain were drinking. They have more varieties of liquor than flavors of potato chips. 

I came back with some souvenirs of Absinthe and a Pear liquor that's similar to vodka. The Absinthe, looked like this Chartreuse liqueur I used to drink with a friend when I lived in California. They taste nothing alike. Chartreuse has a sweet, almost liquorish flavor, and the Absinthe tasted like toothpaste flavored formaldehyde. The only upside is that it's so strong, one shot and you got a buzz. I haven't opened the Pear liquor yet...cuz I'm saving it for a celebration occasion.

Now the music...Yesterday, the album became available on iTunes and Amazon.com for download. This came as a total surprise to me, since "Tha Audio Bully" wasn't set for release until the 17th of March. I'm not complaining though, cuz you can buy a digital copy of the album RIGHT NOW by clicking this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tha-audio-bully/id968917907?uo=4 

In conjunction with the album release, Vinumous Records will be doing a promotional contest where fans win free merch. I'll post more information on the contest in the next post. For now, check out the rest of the pics from the trip below. Also go check out the album and if you like the music...share it with a friend.  

Release Date

The album is DONE! The release date for "Tha Audio Bully" is March 17th 2015, and It will be available digitally and on CD. 

Along with the album release my label Vinumous Records will be doing a contest for the fans to win free merchandise. To find out more details on the contest and to see our original selection of T-shirts and caps, check out our store page. While I was recording the album I also recorded songs for “The Bonus Traxx” EP. The EP will include songs that didn’t make the album, as well as a few extra tracks.

2014 ended strong for me with the single “New York Spit” reaching #1 on the Starfleet Music Charts. The single stayed on the charts for twelve weeks and the video has over 20,000 Youtube plays and is still climbing. It’s all thanks to you fans!  The next video project will be for the single “Love Hip-Hop” off the new album. Be on the lookout for that video in the next few months. 

Everything was done just in time for my trip to the Czech Republic tomorrow. I'm taking a week off to shred some powder and relax. I'll post some pics from the trim when I return. Until then...check the tracklisting for the album in the pic below. 

Much luv to everyone who contributed to the project! 

 

Holo-Tech

There is a quote by someone I can't remember that says. "If civilization was confronted with a technology so advanced that it baffled our imagination. That technology would be perceived as magic." To some people who have viewed Microsoft's new product HoloLens...magic is here.

HoloLens is a pair of goggles containing a Windows 10 operating system that generates holographic projections (in midair or on a surface) that can be manipulated by the user. This Holo-Tech (Holographic Technology) produces an interactive form of augmenting reality that's user friendly. It uses sensors, a high-definition 3D optical display, and spatial sound to allow users to manipulate augmented reality through gaze, voice, and hand gestures. 

The concept behind HoloLens was to take all the tasks done behind a computer screen and bring them off the screen. Blending the digital world with the real world where the users can interact with their projects in augmented reality. Who is this technology made for? Everyone. The diversity of how HoloLens can be is applied to everyday life depends on the user. Engineers, architects, designers, jewelry makers, and visual artists can make 3D scale models of their projects.

There's a similar gaming product about to hit the market this year named Oculus Rift which also offers augmented reality. The major difference between the two is, Oculus Rift was designed primary for gaming, while HoloLens was developed to be more project oriented and used in everyday life. HoloLens will be available this year. It's release will coincide with the launch of the new Window's 10 operating system.

Below I posted a video displaying HoloLens in action. It's the demo for the new product and shows how science fiction can be made real. 

Appreciation

I want to give a big shout out to all the fans! For making "New York Spit" #1 on the StarFleet Music Pool "Top-50 Indie Urban/Hip Hop/Latin Charts" and #2 on the "Top-50 Urban/Hip Hop Charts" in November.

The single stayed on the charts for twelve weeks...I appreciate the love. It was a success thanks to all of you. Big things are on the way. 

The merch is HERE! Get your Tyger Vinum T-shirts in all sizes from the website store page. The shirts are available in colors Silver and Gold, because everyone who wears one is royalty.
 

The album is done and being mixed and mastered as I write this post. Once it's turned in, it takes one month for the album to be available on all digital platforms. So expect the release to be at the end of February. I'll post the exact date in another post. 

For now check out the shirts...while listening to some tunes. Next month we have fitted and snapback caps in four colors available, so check back soon.

Peace,

Tha One an Only 

AniManga: Akame Ga Kill

Now that the album is done, I have a little extra time to go snowboarding and catch-up on my manga. My latest love is AniManga: Akame ga Kill!  which literally means "Red-Eye Kill!"

I can describe the manga in three words "Off The Hook." The story focuses on Tatsumi, a villager who travels to the Capital city to raise money for his village only to discover the Empire was covered in corruption. The assassin group Night Raid recruits Tatsumi to help them in their fight against the Empire to end its corruption.

Night Raid, is a group of assassins comprised of the swords woman Akame, scissor wielder named Sheele, the string manipulator Lubbock, armored warrior Bulat, the sniper Mine, beast fighter Leone and their leader Najenda. They work together with the Revolutionary Army to take down the evil prime minister and free the citizens of the empire. Pay attention to the original line-up of names, because this series kills off main characters faster than the show "Game of Thrones".

All the members of Night Raid and most of the powerful fighters in the series use "Imperial Arms" also known as a Teigu. Imperial Arms were created by fusing parts of supernatural Danger Beasts with alchemy over 900 years before the series begins. Forty-eight of these items were created. Half of the Teigu were lost to history and the rest have been collected by the empire and rebels to become more powerful.

Although Teigu are weapons, they can be human and animal based which makes some hard to identify. The easy to identify Imperial Arms are swords, firearms, scissors, cosmetic box and armor. The difficult ones are a shape-shifting dog that has a fetish for consuming human flesh. And Susano, a powerful warrior who is also a Teigu who has lived over 1000 years. Not everyone can use an Imperial Arm. When a person chooses to use a Teigu, they must be compatible or the user risks death.

Throughout the series Night Raid collects and loses members and Imperial Arms battling the Empires most powerful general Esdeath. She has her own team of Teigu wielding warriors named "Jaegers" who protect the Empire and more specifically protect the minister. Aside from being crazier than the mad hatter on an acid binge, Esdeath is powerful and has an attraction to Tatsumi that borders on the psychotic. During a few points in the series Esdeath kidnaps Tatsumi and Night Raid has to rescue him from her icy clutches.

The manga series and the anime diverge with the anime no longer following the canon material during the "Wild Hunt" story arc. The anime chose to skip that whole arc and add their own ending to the series. I personally don't like how they ended the series, because they made up the ending and it seems rushed when you compare it to the rest of the anime series. 


 

With that said, I recommend checking out both the anime and manga because the series is worth it. Above I posted the final fight between Akame and Esdeath. 

If I had to describe the series to a new viewer in one sentence...it would be. Akame Ga Kill, is a mix of hardcore action, high speed battles, tragedy, madness and a whole lot of dead people.

The Fire Painter Art

There's a man who uses a rare and often destructive medium for his art. He uses fire.

Canadian, Steve Spazuk better known as the "Fire Painter." Spazuk uses the soot left on canvas from the wick of a candle flame. To draw out a rough out line of the objects he desires. Then he uses paint brushes and tools to bring detail and depth to the image. 

The technique is called Fumage, and Spazuk has perfected it. For the past 14 years, Spazuk has worked on this amazing technique that allows him to use a candle or a flame off a torch, to create his paintings.

Below I posted two videos. The first shows how Spazuk uses Fumage to make a painting. The second is an interview with Spazuk. To learn more about the  Fire Painter or see more of his art. Go to his website www.spazuk.com.

Big Bank Takes Little Bank

There's a new trend in America that's becoming increasingly popular with law enforcement. It's similar to a game children play called "Big Bank Takes Little Bank."

The kids game is simple, two kids bet who has the most money in their pockets. Both kids empty their pockets and who ever has the most money wins, and takes the other persons money. In the kids game after the big bank (person with more money) takes the little bank (person with less money) sometimes they give the money back.

In the adult version of the game the rules are different. The big bank is law enforcement and the little bank is YOU. There's a law called Civil Asset Forfeiture which allows police to take your money, house, car and property without any evidence of a crime. 

The law was created back in the 80's to stop big drug dealers from profiting from their illegal activities. Currently the law is being abused to steal from people during routine traffic stops on the highway. There are numerous reports from across the country of people being straight-up robbed by (gun carrying) police officers. 

Not everyone is taking this illegal abuse quietly. The few who have fought back have found that it's a difficult battle. There are two results when citizens have legally attempted to retrieve their stolen money. 

First the bad result. To avoid going to court the police offer a settlement of 50% of your lost earnings. That way you don't lose everything, even though the money was yours legally to begin with. 

Now the worse result. You go to court and by some divine act actually win the case. The results are almost the identical. You automatically lose 30% in court fees and taxes. Add on attorney fees and whatever other costs were accrued during the legal proceedings and the loss is close to half.

Below is a video explaining the Civil Asset Forfeiture Law in detail. Watch the video and know this law. There are a lot of videos on youtube with people telling sad stories about how the cops took their money. Don't be one of those people. The more educated you are on the law the easier it is to defend yourself. I don't know anyone who can afford to lose a few thousand dollars...on nothing. (food for thought)

New Video and Art

What's poppin people!

It's been awhile since my last post. During that time I've been through more up's and down's than a roller-coaster.

The "down's" were having leg surgery to remove the metal plate and 5 screws I got a long time ago. The surgery went well but due to a hematoma I had to keep my leg elevated and couldn't walk for a month. It's been a month and a half since surgery and the hole on my leg has finally closed up. 

The "up's" by far outweigh the "down's" in terms of creativity. Once I was mobile again, I shot the video for New York Spit. The song is Dollarmentary and I trading bars about our love of Hip-Hop over a classic 90's beat. The video was shot in Amsterdam and New York City. This was the second single off "Tha Audio Bully" album coming January 2015. The song is available on iTunes by clicking the link.

 

During my recuperation I spent entire days drawing and writing. The results from those endeavors were primitive colored creations. The drawings were done in blue, red, and black ink. Not by choice...those were the only pens around me at the time. With the exception of "Gun Pop Art" which was drawn and shaded in black pen. Then it was colored in marker by a friend.  Some of the images will be used in future painting like "Lucky 13" or "Cat in Baby Suit,"  the rest were for practice.

There are more videos, music, and blog posts coming in 2015. I had to focus less on the posting and more on the creating for awhile, but in 2015 I'll figure out how to balance the two. Check out the new video and art. If you like what you see leave a comment and repost it to a friend. 

Portable Tech

It's back to school season. What better way to start it off than seeing new tech that will  make studying easier?

For everyone whose ever needed a printer on the go, there's now a printer so small it can fit in your pocket. This portable tech was designed by former students at the Jerusalem College of Technology, who were annoyed that no printer was small enough to carry around. They researched portable printers and came to the conclusion it was better to design there own. 

The pocket sized printer will soon be available from Zuta Labs and can be operated by your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. By using bluetooth technology you can wirelessly print anything a full sized printer can do. It's shaped like the droplet colour icon use by most printers to measure ink levels. The tip of the teardrop is aligned with the corner of the paper and it prints from there. Once it's activated a hatch underneath the printer slides open, revealing the inkjet.

Using an omni wheel system that allows it to move in multiple directions, the machine rolls across the page, printing in grey-scale. When it reaches the end, the device moves down the page and continues on to the next line. The printer utilizes a high resolution optical sensor to control movement, speed, and location of the documents being printed. The inkwell is capable of printing 1000 pages before needing to be replaced, and the battery allows continual use for about an hour. Currently the machine will print 1.2 pages per minute at a resolution of up to 192 dots per inch. 
 

The dimensions of the pocket-sized printer are almost as impressive as its performance. Measuring ten centimetres high and 11.5 centimetres in diameter, it only weighs 300 grams and fits into the palm of a your hand. Made from polycarbonate and available in black or white, each pocket printer has a thin illuminated blue strip to indicate when it is switched on. This is truly a printer for someone on the go...and it will be available for commercial use soon.

Wicked Travel

I just got back from a visit to Copenhagen and it was some wicked travel. Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It's a beautiful city with architecture and history in every direction.

I was only there a week but I learned a lot about Danish culture. The Vikings who are credited for being some of the best and furthest sailing warriors in history come from Denmark. Their long ships could use wind power and oars so were able to travel further than any other sailing vessel during their time. Thanks to these ships the Danish colonized the rest of Scandinavia and several other countries. 

One of the biggest tourist attractions was the "Green Light District."  The Green Light District is like the "Red Light District" in Amsterdam accept instead of prostitutes behind windows you have hash and weed. It's a small village named  Freetown Christiania in the center of Copenhagen, full of squatters, hippies and artists. The Green light District was once an abandoned military base that squatters  and hippies took over back in the 80's. Although it's in Copenhagen, Christiania has it's own laws and rules. The most important two rules are "No Violence and No hard drugs". During my visit there were several reggae artists scheduled to perform on a modest sized stage in the center of Christiania.

Aside from Christiania, there were museums, monuments and amusement park throughout Copenhagen. One place named Tivoli Gardens had an Amusement park with a full sized pirate ship refurbished into a restaurant. It also had cool rides and several varieties of exotic flowers for the tourists. There's also a shopping street named the "Stroget" that is famous for being the longest shopping street in the world. 
 

Close to the Stroget were tattoo parlors with different styles of artists. I got a tattoo at the first tattoo parlor in Copenhagen. The place was small and covered in photos displaying the King of Denmark getting tattoos. The place had a old school look with new equipment and excellent artists. I got an "Infinity Wolf" tattoo by a talented artist named Orre.

Overall the trip was fun, informative and full of amazing experiences. In September I'm off to Bordeaux, France for a week. That's wine country so I foresee it being a fun trip. If you're curious about Copenhagen check some of the pics from the trip below.