Freestyle Friday (CUSH @ Columbia)

One of my favorite things about going to Columbia is Thursday nights at CUSH, Columbia University Society of Hip-Hop. I remember back when I was a pre-freshman and I came to visit Columbia for the first time, I found out that there was a student group that was not only just as obsessed with hip hop as I was, but also that held weekly cyphers and discussions about the happenings in the hip hop world. Due to my idiotic scheduling of classes, I usually show up about an hour late to most CUSH events, but I'm so glad I made it in time to see A. Cole kill it on his freestyle. His freestyle was backed up with a beat by none other than Columbia's Venom Step Team (my friend Doreen is in it!). Check out the video and see A. Cole's freestyle! 

Side note, iPhones take some pretty sweet videos/photos. I'm impressed.

Venom Step Team 

That's Doreen in the back!

taken with iPhone 

WILLIAMSON PR & SHOWROOM

 

Is where I'll be interning this summer in SoHo, NYC!

Ask me how excited I am. Here, I'll give you a hint...

I considered crying when I got the offer email. 

I seriously fell in love with everything about this place immediately after my interview and I cannot WAIT to be an intern here this summer. The showroom is absolutely beautiful, SoHo is my favorite place in all of New York, and as busy as I'm going to be, I can't wait to get started in PR!!

Also, I love this place. If you didn't know already.

AHHHHHHHH. yay :)

Shopstyle Create a Look

When you can't figure out how to dress for the weather, because (if you're in NYC right now) it's 45 in the morning and then 68 in the afternoon. I'd call this a safe pick. 

Sweater: Topshop

Knit Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Jeans: Modcloth

Boots: Urban Outfitters

Scarf: Bottega Venetta

Bag: Kate Spade

Everything Man

I don't, remember the first time I heard Kwe-li
I don't remember what I was doing
There were no remembered witnesses to my doings
But it seems like I've known him, forever
He who has, moved through mornings and midnights
Through, deaths and dawns
To document our bones our blood our lives
Listen, listen to his exact wings
Strumming mists from clouds
Listen, listen a man always punctual with his, mouth
Listen to his, revolution of syllables
Scoping lightning from his pores
Keeping time, with his hurricane beat
Asking us to pick ourselves up and become, THUNDER

--- Talib Kweli, Everything Man 

When I first heard Everything Man, off Kweli's album "Eardrum", I really thought that the intro was a real poem. I still think of it as a real poem. The poem and the song really do belong together, but I thought you guys would appreciate this one...a rap song with a real poem in it? Isn't that unheard of? Rap is supposed to be abou---

Let me stop. Take the poem for what it is and enjoy. 

Song of the Day: History

If you know me well enough, you'll know that when it comes to music, one of the first musician's names that comes out of my mouth is Mos Def (or Blackstar, if we're talking Mos Def & Talib Kweli). Although I've already posted one of his freestyles a little while ago, this song, History, is obviously totally different. Side note, I really don't want to call him Yasiin Bey, but for the record...he changed his name to Yasiin Bey; I never clarified that last time, so there you have it.

I listen to at least 1 song from a Mos Def album every single day, and today's song is off the Grammy nominated album "The Ecstatic" which if you haven't listened to it, you really should. Mos Def is not your typical "rapper" and this album is not your typical "rap album" -- i mean, he sings in Spanish on No Hay Nada Mas. But anywho, this song is pretty much perfection. J Dilla, one of the greatest producers of all time, is a ridiculous genius; thank you Brian for reminding me how much of a genius he actually is. The beat is amazing, Mos Def is amazing, Kweli is amazing.

This song is that.

The Art of Seduction

Art by Tony Roko

The title?

"I Don't Believe We've Met"

NYC International Art Expo (Update!)

Kal Gajoum's agent and I...and his paintings!

So remember that time I posted about an artist named Kal Gajoum? And made one of his paintings my desktop background because I loved it so much? (I don't expect you to remember that second one because I never said that...I'm saying it now). Well the night I made that post, and after spending an hour or so on his website, not only did I find out he was going to be having his work at an exhibit in NYC but it was going to be at the International Art Expo at Pier 92 along with hundreds of other artists from all over the country. After working things out with my Arts and Entertainment Director for our school fashion and lifestyle magazine, I got the chance to contact Kal's agent to do an interview for the blog! Not my blog, the magazine's blog. I still have to write that post; this post is just so I can keep talking about how amazing it was! Kal wasn't at the expo because (understandably) he is a super busy man, but i did get to meet his agent who was super nice and a very sweet lady. And she was right: his art needs to be seen in person. The man only uses a palette knife for his work and has to do it all in one sitting, i.e sometimes a painting can take up to 40 hours straight to work on. He is actually a genius and I'm still shocked that I got to see it in person. One of my new goals in life? Purchase one of Kal's paintings, obviously a Parisian cityscape. They're perfect.

For more info on the International Art Expo, click here. 

Same Stuff, Different Day

photo credits: B. Wright

I love that I can wear a different jacket with this romper and change the entire look of it. Last time I wore a blue blazer over it, and today I decided to go for a denim jacket with a brown belt to make it a little more casual and give a little bit of a springtime feel...regardless of the rain and lack of sunshine.

Romper: BCBGeneration
Jacket: Madewell
Belt: Forever 21
Shoes: Urban Outfitters 

A Picture Diary: France

One word: Tapas.

Mom and the boys.

A hanging ham leg. Sorry about the angle.

The best mussels in San Sabastien, Spain. They didn't lie.

Song of the Day: A Different Kind of Flamenco

Yes, more jazz for the soul. I used to think that "So What" off Kind of Blue was my favorite Miles Davis song, if not my favorite jazz song. After countless replays of what is actually hands down my favorite jazz album of all time, I've come to realize that my favorite song, and therefore the justified Song of the Day, is the alternate take of "Flamenco Sketches". Don't ask me why it's the alternate take because it's just a gut feeling as to why I like it more than the original. Like, whenever I see the original on my iPod I sort of wish that it were the alternate take instead. I don't know why, but I just go with it.

The Best Background at SXSW

I have never been to SXSW. I did not go to SXSW this year. Obviously I would have considered selling my soul to go, but that wasn't an option this year. I really can't imagine anything being better than being at a film and music festival for an entire week but I'd like to just be there one day. My highlight of the week (and by highlight I mean the only thing I saw from SXSW because I swore to not look at anything festival related in order to remove the risk of depression) was this gem of a performance. I've heard this artist's music before, multiple times actually, and Curbside Jones is definitely a name to look out for. Although it's only a few seconds long, the brief performance of Curbsides' background dancers made me laugh harder than I have in about a month. So obviously I watched it 3 more times. This video has about 71 views as of now and it needs about 4,000...at least. Watch it.

What an NYC Subway Cart Looks Like...

Dear Richard Meier,

Please build my future beach house?

via Decodir

                                                                                                                                                           Warmest Regards,

Bianca

Song of the Day: The Floesist and the Songstress

The saddest thing about this Song of the Day? Floetry broke up in 2007. 

Floetry...my definition of neo-soul, besides Erykah of course. Marsha Ambrosious (The Songstress) is pretty much unbelievable and Natalie Stewart (The Floetsist) is just dope. And I mean they're from London...how can you not love them? I was walking around campus the other day listening to my iPod and this song, Floetic, came on shuffle. Obviously, my mood brightened up immediately, probably because I didn't even know I had their album on my iPod at all. I absolutely love everything about Floetry, especially the fact that they do spoken word poetry together. I can't remember what season of Def Poetry Jam this is from, but I definitely know I have it on DVD (so it's either season 1,2,4 or 5) and I've watched it enough to sing along with Marsha while completely disregarding anyone around me. I'm sure they enjoy my lovely voice anyways.

Side note, someone told me the other day that I have the perfect voice for jazz or blues (a very nice way of saying you have kind of a deep, raspy voice for a woman). Too bad I can't hold a note without my voice cracking. Puberty will hit soon enough...

Anywho, the poem is called "Fantasize" and it's easily one of my favorites. This back-and-forth, overlapping kind of spoken word is my favorite style. More poems performed in twos coming soon!

Spring Break '12 x Paris Fashion Week

Last week may have been Paris Fashion Week, but it was all about midterms over here. Actually, my iCal alert let me know on Sunday night that "HELL WEEK Starts Tomorrow", which was both funny and depressing at the same time.  But none of that matters anymore because I'm officially on spring break and our team flew to South Florida for training!!! I don't think I've ever been so happy to see horrible drivers and stereotypical steroid-ridden guys in bro tanks; it's good to be home. My best friends even came to the airport to welcome me home. It was great. This spring break will consist of lots of tennis (obviously) but also a lot of blogging (!!!) and teaching myself how to use Adobe Indesign. I have like 13 days left on this free trial so thats 13 days to learn everything I can about this thing.

Speaking of Paris Fashion Week...

Street Style

Yves Saint Laurent 

Elie Saab

Mila Kunis in Christian Dior

...these are some of my favorite pieces of the week. Mila Kunis in CD was definitely my favorite though.  I wonder if i could pull off a pink lace dress...?

Shades of Blue

I don't usually do menswear fashion posts, but I love this outfit -- so I'll make an exception. 

Denim blue, navy blue, royal blue...and apparently the color of the sweater is unidentifiable (blue-grey?), but definitely blue.

- Sweater: J. Crew
- Button down: Polo Ralph Lauren
- Pants: J. Crew
- Shoes: Nike SB