King Culture Hats by Xaivier Ringer now on Sale

For a special introductory price, get these dope ass hats online. Truly one of a kind!

King Culture hats are one of a kind, hand painted hats designed to display a fusion of funk, hip-hop and street fashion. The artist and creator, Xaivier Ringer hails from Rome, GA by way of Boston and the SF Bay Area. King hats can be ordered (existing designs) or tailor made.

Get one of these NOW http://one3snapshot.bigcartel.com/

 

Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel

It's crazy how time flies and I'll look back and I'll see that my last post was in March...and it's May now. Just like that. Crazy. Coordinating hundreds of people to get ready for San Francisco Carnaval Parade. Planning a wedding. Getting used to holding down a family/household. Chasing a speedily growing baby who at 9 months is giving me a run for my no-money. Trying to maintain some level of physical and mental health. and on and on...

Ya it's spring time and my life is just that. Still, I am going to trying to check this out before it ends on May 27, the bills at the BART station has been catching my eye for months. I was firstly intrigued by this bright image (of course), but mostly drawn by the Yoruba twin name Kehinde....but was like wtf does a Nigerian first name with a non Nigerian last name, got to do with Israel... I was hella confused.

But I did my research and found out. And I'm there. Someone who's all about putting images of black men into the "high" class of art and culture. So the shi shi pinky up side of me thinks I ought to dress cute and get out to see this, and nod my head solemnly and ask my hubby what room he thinks one of these may look good in.

Read about it

Check this article about him in GQ

Romanticizing My Heritage: Igbo

Nairaland is the place to be to talk about all aspects of Nigerian culture. Sometimes I get too sucked in, it ends up being a time warp. A lovely one nonetheless. I've found myself here from random google searches, to my husband and I doing research for our Igba Nkwu wedding ceremony, and to creating atmosphere for my book (*cough*).  Was just looking at some really cool photos folks posted of Colonial Igboland. Make me both smile & tear up. (More about this in another post)

 Check out that hair!

See more

This Igbo Boy can Draw!

Why take digital photos when you could just spend 100hrs drawing realistic images?
read more
You know how we like to claim ours. Yeah! Gotta rep Igbo. Nigeria. *Shrug* Very cool especially from a culture that typically doesn't support art as a professional endeavor.

The Lijadu Sisters sing and tell

I'm hella late on this but...it's never too late for cool ish.
Now, I don't know which of my emotions to express. Or which of my opinions to blab on about.
fierce. inspiring. sexy. motivating. strong. creative. talented. superfreakingawesomecoolyeah!

Check out these women that make me proud to be associated with the word Nigerian (read the interview, watch the video). Cousins of Fela Kuti, and recording artists from the 70s who made a come-back via Knitting Factory Records.

For Hungry Girls who eat Fried Chicken when the Salad is enough

Yeah. I started a food blog. Check out my cool photos and shit.

Oh and send me some ideas while you're at it.

don't hATE. just appreciATE. (teehee)

The Only Redemption to Gangham Style: Condom Style

Jamaica Condom Time

All my favorite things in one video: Jamaicans, Dance for Social Awareness, Public Health, STD Prevention and Sex. Wow. Is there any better?

Crawling the Art of the Twin Cities

I've been playing this game of: if not one in the Bay Area ...in what other cities could I see myself possibly living? I may have just added the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul), Minnesota to my short but growing list. I've had hints of an interesting arts/culture scene coming from this area but never was quite convinced and since I hadn't visited and explored it as an adult it was never really on my map. Hmm...

From the homey streets, nostalgia-inducing buildings to the menu boards at Golden's Deli, an eatery that boasts fresh, local and tasty all wrapped in pretty. I was mildly smitten.
(I have been intrigued with the mysterious-to-me art of Menu signage and this place has one of the best I have seen in the country/world?)

After my delicious garden omelet and fresh squeezed lemonade I was able to get a sneak peak of the St. Paul art crawl which I unfortunately didn't get to check out in all its glory because I had other engagements elsewhere, but the little I did see made my heart pitter patter, and maybe my love for this place became full blown.

I met two artists/artisans who had items that I adored and I'm sure you will too.

The first was Storm

I think Storm is my Mid-west Jewelry concept counterpart...I always wish that I had the patience or diligence to make necklaces but I may have just been inspired to actually do it.  love the found pieces put together to create something new and fresh. I started making earrings from using old/broken jewelry and random found object things so this is really cool to me. From a little e-birdie I've found out she's a May baby. Lightbulb! Of course she is... her work is fabulous (not that I'm biased or anything). She is definitely a May Fly!

The second was "Deli Girl"

I love the bright colors of her pieces, and her unique style. She had originals, prints and sketchbook and journals. I meant to purchase a journal book (addict that I am) but had a brain fart and planned to go back but ended up not having time.

Still as much as I crushed on Twin Cities..Cali trumps... Weather, Racial & Cultural diversity, unlimited fresh healthy food options at low prices. So I won't be moving to the Twin Cities any time soon. I'll be back to visit though!

Visual Inspiration: Nobel Ladies

2011 Nobel Peace Prize winners: Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee; and Tawakkul Karman, a Yemeni opposition leader and mother of three.

This time for Africa!

Thelonius Monk’s advice to saxophonist Steve Lacy (1960)

This is old (duh) but the music and design hag in me has a doublemint appreciation for it. My pleasure is definitely doubled. It's on the list of Top things that can make my day.

 

Visual Inspiration: Art by Anneli Akinde

I'm constantly amazed by the artwork our resident artist, Anneli Akinde creates. I don't care if she ever tires of me saying: Anneli, your work is amazing! I will still say so anyway because it really is. Check out some of her print work available for sale at anneli.one3snapshot.com

Red, Bike & Green First Friday (August 2011)

I adore my bike. I do I do.

Oh gosh. I can't believe I'm writing a freaking blog post about my bike. This may be worse than posting pictures of food (lol I'll need to check with my sister).

Anyway back to my bike. One thing I love more than my bike.
Oakland.
One thing I love more than Oakland
Black folks.
One thing I love more than Black folks
My friends.

So...
My Bike + Oakland + Black Folks + My Friends = Hella Love!

So I just want to give a shout out to Red Bike & Green and myself and my friends for finally doing our first ride with that crew!

Red, Bike and Green is a community-building collective of Black urban cyclists seeking to improve the physical and mental health, economy and local environment of African Americans by creating a relevant and sustainable Black bike culture. (Learn more)

Almost 11miles in Oakland. It was so delicious. Took some photos throughout the ride (look ma no hands). There were a few hiccups in my ride...i.e. my gears being messed up so that 1st gear the easy gear is as hard as my 3rd gear, and my bike is the heaviest bike on the planet, so when I tried to go up that steep uphill freeway overpass...it was a wrap. But thanks to the guy who was sweet enough to trade bikes so I could make it over...lol even though that was a disaster because then I was so used to riding on this hard gear that his easy gear was like flipping me out...

all in all it was the best time ever. check out the rest of the photos on good ol' facebook.

Speaking of Bikes

This is FREAKIN Hilarious. Because it's SOOOOO True. This may be only funny to people really familiar with SF or from the Bay Area...but I'm dying laughing here.

Lol @ the Haight and the Castro. Financial District is sooo on point because I always see them fools with their fold up bikes getting on the Bart, and I curse the fact that Bart hasn't somehow considered bikes and commuting... *sigh*

And damn why did they have to play Tenderloin like that?

the Pencil vs. the Gun

On this past weekend the SOS Rally/March happened in Washington D.C. Lots of things were said. Lots of things happened. Below are two videos I've selected to highlight.

Okay see now the problem is. Goodness! Okay I'm glad that the people in this video are the ones who are doing it, because if that was me, there would have been some weave pulling and butt kicking. I know I know, not a good example for the kids. sigh. woosah. meditate. visualize.
If you know half of anything about me, you know that I don't joke with providing the best and equal opportunities for all! But I'll just let you watch the video.



Jose Vilson (click to visit his blog) who is one of my favorite educators and activist that keep me going from afar had this to say:



p.s. Jose you need a "Teacher  Don't Teach Me Nonsense" tee

I Hella Heart Las Gidi (Video Post)

I always said that if I even move back to live in Nigeria, I CAN'T live in Lagos again. But this video & song "Ijo" by SIJI makes me want to move back with the caveat that I create a utopia where most days are like this.  I'm a proud Igbo but I rep Lag, and this video makes me lightweight wanna jock my inner Yoruba hard! Lol


SIJI - 'Ijo'(Official Video) from SIJI on Vimeo.


P.S. There are 12 dance signs in this vid...I can do 7 of them...I need to get to work on the 5 and a few that are a bit rusty. Until then...back to my summer romance...

novel.

and framing art work

and watching Instant Star on netflix

and drinking my 32oz

of water

and planning

world domination.

yes i'm all that awesome. multi-tasking queen

-n

Art + Social Change: Turf Feinz for Oscar Grant

When people ask me what we (one3snapshot.com) are about; I can show them this video. Sometimes I get crippled with feeling like I can't do anything about the fkd up state of the world we live in. This is the kind of thing that keeps me going...

What Would the Heroine of my Summer Romance do?

I was just reading this harlequin romance novel of a woman who is as an exec of an ad/design agency that her father owns. She falls asleep on a late night at the office and dreams (time travels) herself back into the sixties to an ad agency where the women where 'horse corralled' in the typing pool; their only purpose to type and serve coffee to the men while dealing with taunts, jabs and lewd comments (being that they are subordinates) from the men. I'm not sure... because I don't watch it but I imagine it looked something like Mad Men? Anyway...the dream follows her as a love interest of the main boss of the ad agency while she 'fights' to increase the significance and relevance of the women in the ad agency.

I wonder what she would think about this ad...

Visual Inspiration: Africa Reloaded

Check out beautiful imagery from Ghubar Magazine's May issue: Africa Reloaded. The first was equally amazing.

Visual Inspiration: Magic

PROFESSOR PELLER AND LADY PELLER (1969)
Folorusho Abiola a.k.a. Professor Peller (1941-1997) was a popular professional magician. His children, Kayode and Nike, have followed his footsteps into the entertainment business in the years since his murder on 2nd August 1997 (the same day Fela Anikulapo-Kuti died).
via The Nigerian Nostalgia 1960 -1980 Project

Visual Inspiration: This One's For Queens

Listen to this Les Nubians interview on NPR by one of my favorite hosts Farai Chideya, glad to hear her voice again on NPR. I love the regal pose in this picture.
-via Fly Girls