On The Grind is a short documentary about kids of color growing up in Long Beach, California who escape their harsh realities through skateboarding. The film was predominantly shot at 14th Street Skate Park, also known as Ghetto Park, a run down facility that local Long Beach skaters treated as a sanctuary. The film explores their lives in the aftermath of losing their close friend, Michael K Green; a talented skateboarder who was in transition to becoming a professional skateboarder. …
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Today, Friday, September 20th and the next, September 27th, there will be massive climate strikes around the world. To join your local activists, check the locations, here. If your in Japan, click link. See you in the streets! …
At the top of 2019 rapper, producer, and artist Rhyming Gaijin made a pledge to make a beat, write a verse, and record a track for everyday of the year. He called it the 365-Day Challenge. When I first wrote about it, he was 54 days out and showed little sign of stopping. Rhyming is something of a unique figure within Tokyo, Japan’s music scene. Very few artists put themselves out there in the way that he does. Rhyming’s music …
I just wrote an album review of “Alefa Madagascar.” This compilation of classic Malagasy music is a press play and walk away type of record. Its a time capsule of sorts that resurrects a lot of beautiful forgotten music, some of which has never gotten its rightful place in history. Listen to “Alefa Madagascar” and read the review here. …
I talked to vlogger and fashion designer, Reggie Casual for Tokyo Weekender, read it here. Reggie’s videos are a gulf of information and insight into Japanese fashion. While I enjoyed watching them and I think The Casual is one of the most unique vlogs in Japan, I couldn’t get away from the obvious influence of the black aesthetic on this country’s pop culture. Granted, The Casual is about Japanese fashion, but for him to not address the obvious is what …
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