[Video] Alexis Neiers Talks Burglary, Addiction, and Sobriety
With the production of Sofia Coppola’s 2013 film The Bling Ring, the spotlight shone down incessantly upon “The Bling Ring” themselves, the group of status-obsessed teenagers that have traced celebrities’ whereabouts in order to rob their homes back in 2010. One of the original Bling Ring members, Alexis Neiers, went through life post-robbery in a very publicized manner; the press had documented her experiences in court, which eventually lead up to her no contest plea in robbing the home of Orlando Bloom, serving 30 days out of a 180-day sentence, and being granted with the reality TV show Pretty Wild.
While Pretty Wild set out to be a show documenting the life of a seemingly glamorous LA party girl, whose mom is a former Playboy Playmate and father was the director of photography on Friends, Pretty Wild became less about the LA party scene and more about following Neiers on her forthcoming path to jail. Jail-time, in the meanwhile, clouded other issues of hers that were kept fairly hush-hush in the public eye, predominantly her abuse of heroine, crack, meth, and painkillers. Check out the VICE Profiles episode on Alexis Neiers below, which goes into depth on her criminal involvement with The Bling Ring, her battles with addiction, and where she’s at today as a sober mother.
[via VICE]
Tens: Sunglasses that Simulate Real-Life Instagram Filters
Tens, tinted sunglasses that physically simulate Instagram filters, refine what we see without the use of technology. According to testers, the sunglasses come closest to mimicking the filter “Kelvin,” and essentially serve to make life more interesting by stimulating the ocular senses.
Tens were launched on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo in May to battle aesthetic blandness of the real world by mimicking warm image-enhancement grounded in digital customization. While the campaign aimed to raise about $15,000, they already brought in well over $50,000 and will continue with funding until July 5th.
While the product isn’t considered a luxury item, its pricing is set at around $77 a pair, and stirs considerable confusion amongst potential customers. While the aim of the lenses is to imitate Instagram filters, Tens only imitate one, thus offering only a miniscule fraction of the social media form it claims to be inspired by. And with only one filter, Tens are carrying out a slight variation on what tinted lenses have been accomplishing since 1752.
As Tens evolve and crowdfunding continues, it’s likely that we’ll see a leap from having only one filter available to a medley of visually manipulative lenses. Whether customizing what we see before us in real time will yield positive or negative effects is to be determined, but looking like a 10 in Tens is readily available at $77 a pop.
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[via Indiegogo]
Firearm Sales Looming in Chicago's Near Future
In response to a federal judge’s ruling in January that Chicago’s ban on guns is unconstitutional due to its violation of the Second Amendment, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is suggesting an ordinance that would limit where firearms are sold and implement a videotaping of every sale made. Chicago has until July 14th to approve of store restrictions, and is currently moving in the direction of the village of Grayslake, Illinois, who's long since been preparing for its own shift toward approving the sale of firearms.
Under Emanuel’s ordinance, gun stores would be kept out of 99.5% of the city, and would be limited to specific zones on the North, West, and South Sides and at least 500 feet away from schools and parks. Aside from special-use zoning, quarterly audits of gun sales would have to be administered by storeowners, and police would have permission to investigate their records. Stores would be required to prepare a safety plan that details exterior lighting, surveillance cameras and alarm systems, and keeps track of both storage and ammunition. Background checks on employees would be enforced, as well as fingerprinting and training that prepares for identification of potential gun traffickers.
Emanuel is also requiring stores to keep a log of gun sales that tie back to firearms recovered in a crime scene, which would aid employers in identifying likely gun traffickers, and putting forward the idea that Chicago gun stores can only sell one handgun a month to a buyer. Once a store’s business license is revoked due to violations of the ordinance, it could not reopen at the same location for a minimum of three years.
In Grayslake, if an amendment to the village’s zoning ordinance passes at its next board meeting, retail gun and ammunition shops will be allowed in business zones and light industrial areas. While Grayslake has its own regulations that are distinguishable from those of Chicago, when it comes to the zoning ordinance, sales function in a similar vain and are not permitted to occur within 500 feet of public or private schools, parks, libraries, houses of worship, of liquor license holders, nor in home businesses.
With Grayslake being an hour drive away from Chicago, and taking the measures that foreshadow Chicago’s next move with regards to the sale of firearms, it becomes apparent that Chicago has taken more than a few steps toward the opening of an official gun shop since Concealed Carry was passed last July. It appears that the proposed ordinance has locked down on regulations that manage both site and sale; however, taking steps to expand the gun market of a city with a murder rate surpassing the combined rate of New York and Los Angeles’s remains a valid cause for unease among Chicagoans. July 2014, exactly a year after the passing of Concealed Carry, will be very telling of the future of Chicago and the subsequent role guns will play in the time ahead.
[Video] Katie Couric Interviews Lupe Fiasco
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Celebrity ambassador and hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco’s new single, “Mission,” off of his fifth studio album Tetsuo & Youth, is coming out with the intention of empowering those struggling with cancer and paying tribute to those who have passed from it. The first minute and a half of the track consists of cancer survivors sharing their story, but the crux of the song is personal, pertaining to Lupe’s experience losing his grandmother to breast cancer.
Lupe’s interview with Katie Couric concerning “Mission” starts off on a distinct note, with Katie addressing Lupe’s statement pertaining to Obama being “the biggest terrorist” he recognizes in his fight against terrorism. The repercussions of this statement have resulted in Lupe being blackballed, losing friends and board members of the Lupe Fiasco Foundation, and various sponsorships. Questioning America’s first black president in the public eye ignited a slingshot effect right back at Lupe, in which many questioned not only his loyalty to his own race, but his overall role as a celebrity ambassador.
Hashing out political views with Katie segues into deeper discussion on Lupe’s reputation as a “pioneer of the conscious hip-hop movement,” ultimately bringing the spotlight on source material that transcends identity, race, political ideals, and religion: the issue of disease. Lupe’s focus on cancer aims not only to cope with his personal loss, but also to bring attention to the illness and highlight a sense of strength that evolves through adversity.
Lupe’s currently working on a remix of “Mission” called “Re-Mission,” which will include many more voices and testimonials. This remix includes Katie Couric herself contributing her story of losing both her husband and sister to the disease. While Lupe continues to be vocal about controversial subject matter and issues that hit close to home, he proceeds to move forward as a social figure despite any heated noise that may surround him.
Check out the interview with Katie Couric and Lupe Fiasco above and listen to "Mission" below.
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Guerrilla Truck Show Celebrates Chicago's Day of Design
The world's largest international trade fair, Neocon, is back in Chicago tonight, June 10th 2014, to celebrate their 10th anniversary and Chicago’s “Day of Design” by hosting the Guerrilla Truck Show at 5:30pm - 9:30pm at the corner of Aberdeen and Fulton Market. The event is hosted by Morlen Sinoway Atelier and offers a creative perspective on gallery space, with artists exhibiting their pieces within the confines of a series of trucks. The Guerrilla Truck Show eventually started out with only 13 exhibition trucks to having 62 for their 9th Annual show last June.
This event is free and no RSVP is needed. Off-site happenings include a showcasing of three events under one roof (948-950 W. Fulton Market): “Chicagoland,” a showcasing of contemporary design work in collaboration with local manufacturers, “Object Society,” an organization of local designers, and SAIC’s “Whatnot,” a channel for experimenting with contemporary design and innovative ideas in design education. Other events include “Swing Set Drum Kit” by Dave Ford with Packer Schofp Gallery located on Fulton Street, an interactive sonic sculpture that encourages people to build rhythmic sounds by means of swinging, and the Chicago Farmers Markets Fulton Market Kick-off on Fulton Street between Green and Peoria. The event will close with an after party at Colab Space on 312 N. Carpenter Street, featuring Kahil Elzabar’s New Ethnic Ensemble. Check out the flyer below for more details on the off-site events and the local, independent artists and designers showcasing their work at the Guerrilla Truck Show tonight.
Autograf: "Gust of Wind (Remix)"
Chicago-based producers Autograf came through with a debut for volume one of their remix series, Future Summer, that’s exceptionally appropriate for soaking up the sun, whether that’s through your car window on the way to work or while lounging by a body of water. The song is a remix of Pharell’s “Gust of Wind” feat. Daft Punk and is reminiscent of summer hits like Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers (Magician’s Remix)” and Eric Prydz’s “Pjanoo (Ibiza House Remix)” of 2008.
The “Gust of Wind” remix merges bass-influenced pop vocals with subtle, soulful electric synths, creating a unique spin that plays off of summer vibes. The glitch synth pattern and disco elements fused into the rhythm make this song hard not to dance to and establish this remix as a promising jam of summer 2014. Check out Autograf’s “Gust of Wind” remix down below, and keep an eye out for the rest of the Future Summer remix series due out later this summer.
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[Video] Teklife Brings Footwork to Serbia
Feloneezy and Jackie Dagger, Serbia and Mystic Stylez’ two officially inducted members of Teklife, have taken Chicago footwork and bestowed it upon Eastern Europe. By doing so, they have radically changed up the music scene of a country that has been equally as stagnant and conservative as its political infrastructure, and have honored the legacy of DJ Rashad, the father of footwork, to a level that transcends the music scene alone.
Footwork took off after Feloneezy saw DJ Rashad’s right hand and Chicago’s own DJ Spinn perform in Graz, Austria. Immediately after returning to Serbia, he joined forces with Dagger to resurrect their country’s music scene, a scene heavily infused with outdated hybrids of turbo-folk, a synthesis of original melodies and electronic beats, techno, “mainstream” music, and electro house. This scene has been considerably impacted by the Balkan wars, which to this day contribute to Serbia’s struggling market economy, exceptionally trickling downward and discouraging the growth of Serbia’s artistic community.
The Serbia x Teklife collaboration started taking shape at the 2012 SHARE conference in Belgrade, where Feloneezy and Dagger hosted guest Fatima Al Qadiri. Fatima informed Rashad about Belgrade’s exploding footwork scene, which triggered communication regarding joining forces and bringing Rashad to perform in Serbia’s capital. A few months down the line, Rashad and Spinn came out to Belgrade, played with Feloneezy and Dagger, extended their stay, and invited them to join Teklife.
Each time I visit my family in Belgrade, I notice a prevalent sense of fragility in the atmosphere that has stemmed from countless accounts of historical and political turmoil. The turmoil runs from the wars in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo and the separation of former Yugoslavia to the NATO bombing of Belgrade in the late '90s. It also stems from visa controls and sanctions that have limited imports and travel, ultimately converting Belgrade from an avant-guard and forward-thinking city to one of isolation and stagnation. For a country with such a deeply disturbed past, a healthy music scene plays a key role in constructing a healthy future. Witnessing Feloneezy and Dagger spin in Belgrade did more than just encourage me to rep Chicago while lifting a weight of historical guilt off of my chest; it allowed me to be a part of one of the largest steps that Serbia has ever taken toward transforming its music scene. This is history in the making.
Check out the Boiler Room session below, where Feloneezy and Dagger represent Teklife by channeling Chicago from Belgrade.
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[Video] Vic Mensa x Damon Albarn: "Clint Eastwood" (Live)
Header photo by Derek Brad
Damon Albarn and Vic Mensa tag-teamed the stage on day one of Governors Ball in New York City, performing a live rendition of the Gorillaz classic “Clint Eastwood.” This performance was a big moment for Chicago, seeing their up-and-coming rapper share the spotlight with a music legend, but an even bigger moment for Vic himself, whose performance with Damon was a celebration of his 21st birthday.
Vic contributed to the piece with an improvisation on Del Tha Funky Homosapien’s verse, referencing Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey, and OutKast's "Ms. Jackson." However, the one celebrity he should’ve shouted out was Chris Brown for inspiring his blonde hair and the look he went for with his outfit that night. I’m Team Vic as much as the next Chicago hip-hop enthusiast, but I wasn’t feeling the new “post-Disclosure tour, eclectic zebra print couture,” especially during such a momentous sharing of the stage with an iconic performer.
While Vic’s eccentricity is one of his admirable traits, I would respect if his look was as consistent as his music. Although his grind is not fashion-oriented by any means, syncing up his outward appearance with the vision he’s crafting as a rapper would help the public better interpret his image and understand what he’s going for as an artist, thus making him more marketable. Then once he reaches the fame he’s aiming for, I’d say it’d be cool for him to pull out whatever kooky prints his heart desires (just as long as he keeps his hands to himself).
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