Fashion: BU After Hours At Sean John Showroom NYC

Last week Wednesday during Creative Week in NYC BU was invited to partake in a fabulous event at the Sean John Showroom in NYC. A dope event filled with great people and an open bar filled with Ciroc! It was an invite only affair with some of the most creative and passionate people in NYC. Alongside BU a few other brands were spotlighted, all young Black people doing the damn thing! What an honor to be chosen and mingle with a crowd where everyone the same drive. Here are a few pics, for more about the event and pics head to The X-Stylez

BU Special thanks: Passport Project, Marcus Graham Project and The Marcus Graham Project for hosting the event.

BU Varsity Coming this Fall !!!

(Source: bu-clothing.com)

Below are visual recaps of how the After Hours Event went. Enjoy!

Inspiration: The Forbes Five: Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists 2012

1. Sean “Diddy” Combs ($550 million)

Diddy has remained a mainstream mainstay for 15 years thanks to his knack for self-promotion. Lately, he’s been channeling that energy toward Ciroc vodka, much to the benefit of his bank account: he receives double-digit millions annually as a share of the spirit’s profits. Better yet, he’s entitled to a nine-figure chunk of cash if Ciroc is ever sold. He also boasts stakes in clothing lines Sean John and Enyce, marketing firm Blue Flame, record label Bad Boy, a handful of tech startups and cable channel Revolt, slated for a 2013 debut—all of which means he’s well on his way to becoming hip-hop’s first billionaire.

2. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter ($460 million)

Unlike his fellow Forbes Five members, Jay-Z still churns out music and goes on tour—most recently with pal Kanye West—adding to his considerable war chest. He sold his Rocawear clothing label for $204 million in 2007 and signed 10-year $150 million deal with Live Nation in 2008, and also holds stakes in the New Jersey Nets, his 40/40 Club chain, ad firm Translation, cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter and other businesses.

3. Andre “Dr. Dre” Young ($260 million)

Fittingly, the bulk of this super-producer’s wealth comes from headphones. In August, handset maker HTC paid $300m to buy a 51% stake Beats Electronics, the company founded by Dr. Dre and Interscope chief Jimmy Iovine in 2008. Sources say each owned a third of the company before the deal, placing Dre’s cut at $85 million after taxes. The agreement also values his remaining stake at $100 million, which could increase rapidly as the company continues to expand.

4. Bryan “Birdman” Williams ($125 million)

The Cash Money Records cofounder would be higher on this list if he held sole ownership of his label, but he shares it with brother Ronald “Slim” Williams. The duo founded Cash Money two decades ago, inking very favorable $30 million distribution deal with Universal in 1998. The label’s value has soared with the success of rappers Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne (who shares in the ownership of sub-label Young Money). There’s even more cash on the horizon—the label’s deal with Universal is up this summer, raising the prospect of a bidding war for the right to distribute Cash Money’s releases.

5. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson ($110 million)

The Queens-born rapper earned $100 million for his Vitaminwater stake in 2007, and then spent freely on cars and renovations to his Connecticut mansion, formerly owned by Mike Tyson. But a nice cushion remains from his back catalog, acting gigs and 50 Cent-themed videogames, books and clothes, as well as new headphone line SMS. Next up: an energy shot called Street King, which promises to feed hungry kids—and 50’s bank account.

(Source: www.Forbes.com)

(Source: rebelsocialitenyc)

#BigRip - Life and Rhymes of Biggie Smalls

This week, we’re celebrating the life of the late, great Christopher Wallace, aka theNotorious B.I.G., who died fifteen years ago this week. One of hip-hop’s most important teachers, Biggie Smalls, as he was affectionately known, empowered corner boys everywhere to tell the story of their struggle through eloquently violent rhymes. A highly beloved figure, Biggie was gunned down onMarch 9, 1997, following a highly publicized East Coast/West Coast rivalry. We all know the story, and over the course of the week, we’ll study the rhymes of one of the greatest in the game. Brooklyn, stand up.

“Juicy,” the standout single from Biggie’s debut album, Ready to Die set the tone for his intricate and descriptive storytelling. Employing the sample from Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit,” Big details his life of poverty and living in the crime-stricken neighborhood of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy.

The song is credited as co-produced by Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, Big’s longtime mentor, producer and friend, but Pete Rock, one of hip-hop’s greatest producers, fights to the end that he, in fact, produced the song and that the track style was stolen from him after he played it for Puff and company in his basement.

Regardless, the track is timeless, classic and many hip-hop heads maintain that it’s one of the greatest joints of all time. Notorious BIG spoke on current events, the reality in his rags-to-riches story, and chronicled some of the most important figures in hip-hop with his verses. Here, we dissect some of the lyrics to “Juicy.” Check the rhyme:

“Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl”

Mr. Magic hosted the first ever rap program to air on mainstream radio with his Rap Attack segment. When Magic died in 2009, DJ Premier hailed him as one of the most important figures in rap.

Biggie takes aim at hip-hop ridicule with the line, “Remember Rappin’ Duke, duh-ha, duh-ha/You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far…” Rappin Duke was a parody rap song out in 1984 that poked fun at the rapping braggadocious style. This line re-affirms Big’s commitment to hip-hop and the progression of the movement, by any means necessary.

“Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri/Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky/
I’m blowin’ up like you thought I would”

This is a shout out some of the most prominent DJs on the radio and running the music scene in NY back then, including Funkmaster Flex, who was one of the first to play Biggie’s single on the radio in 1994.

The theme of trial to triumphant continues as he speaks on material things (“Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis…money green, leather sofa”) and reflects on relieving himself of money worries (“Phone bill, about two G’s flat/No need to worry, my accountant handles that”) to his mother being proud of him for making the cover of The Source, one of rap’s most important publications at the time.

Many of us know all the words to this tune, and can rap the lines at the drop of a hat, signaling just how important Biggie’s influence still remains on the hip-hop game. He is sorely missed, but his words live on and on.

(Source: Westword)