Yameen

I mad randomly stumbled upon this new 2008 “re-imaging” of the original 1995 Ghost in the Shell feature film which was re-released to theaters this past Summer.

One of my favorite (if not all-time favorite) anime directors, Mamoru Oshii released his latest film, The Sky Crawlers in 2008. To help promote that film, they also released this updated version of Oshii’s former, worldwide breakout hit, Ghost in the Shell, with fully re-recorded dialogue, a 6.1 surround sound mix, updated coloring, “new scenes” (which I’ll get to in a sec), some audio support from Skywalker Sound, and a new voice actor for “The Puppet Master” (changed from Iemasa Kayumi to Yoshiko Sakakibara).

Regarding the new scenes…The introduction of the film with Major Kusanagi jumping off the building was entirely re-done in CG. The title sequence, also, which inspired The Matrix films’ “green rain” title sequences were also entirely re-done. There’s a bit of continuity jarring as the movie begins in 3D CG and then jumps back to the traditional 2D. It is in no way a slick transition, as seen in contemporary anime, such as that of Tekkon Kinkreet or even Ghost in the Shell: Innocence.

I haven’t watched the 2.0 update in its entirety yet, but apparently there are a few more changes: all helicopters in the film, for some reason (aside from looking dope?) are now represented in 3D, and all computer terminals are now an orange-redish hue, replacing their former green hue. This is perhaps to distinguish itself from, quite possibly, The Matrix films and to also bridge Ghost in the Shell 1.0 to its sequel film, 2004’s “Innocence” which used those colors predominantly.

Here are a few screenshot differences taken from the Bluray versions of the original Ghost in the Shell and it’s 2.0 update:

Ghost in the Shell 1.0 / 2.0 comparison

I trekked out to the Shigureden museum in Arashiyama, Japan — within Koyoto — and close to the corporate home of Nintendo. Here, the founder of Nintendo, Sekiryo Yamauchi has created an interactive museum which at the time used the Nintendo DS to interact with live installations. The entire building and all of the interactive installations are based on a Japanese anthology of poems.

We were fortunate enough to have an attendant present that spoke English. This was not normally the case, so if you are considering going, just assume you will be “on your own”, as English-speaking translators are not normally on hand.

When you walk in (after removing your shoes, of course) there are huge LCD panels on the floor. As you navigate the floorscape with your DS in hand, the Wifi tracks your position over an interactive map of Kyoto. Your DS is represented by a virtual bird which you can see in the video. As you walk around, the bird will circle or migrate towards focal points of Kyoto. When we came across Nintendo HQ on the map, Mario popped out with the iconic “coin” sound. You’re also doing this at the same time with other people, which is really cool because it becomes this social experimentation in traversing this interactive field, your DS serving as a “GPS”/Navi/Pokedex:

There’s a lot of interactive content. Unfortunately for me, it was all in Japanese. But it was pretty bugged out. The building had some dope architecture.

It was also an interesting trek/walk to get to. Kyoto is definitely worth checking out, especially if you want to see Japan beyond the bright lights of Tokyo.

Peep the video. Here’s the website with the sick rock garden jawn:

http://www.shigureden.com/english/index.html

My man, D-Nice has always maintained a dope internet presence. The former MC/producer of the Boogie Down Productions crew has become an amazing photographer and is now flexing some serious video skills as well (on the Canon 5D MKII, no less…I’m jealous, dog!!).

On his blog, D runs a series called “True Hip-Hop Stories”. The first two entries out the gate feature Masta Ace and Doitall of Lordz of The Underground; both from the Marley Marl school of hiphop.

So check it out, and be sure to hit up D-Nice’s blog for more great hiphop media.

True Hip-Hop Stories: Lords of The Underground from D-Nice on Vimeo

True Hip-Hop Stories: Masta Ace from D-Nice on Vimeo

I received this album cover and email today from my homeboy Richie Dees back in Philly. Here’s his email:

Forgot I had this album. It features the smash hits “Tootsie Rock”, “Let Me Come Inside” and my personal favorite “Bubble Gum (I Chewz You)”. Its on TEC Records out of Philly which was located on the S.E. corner of 13th and Spruce streets in the heart of the Gayborhood.

Captain Sky is actually Chicago-born bass player Daryl Cameron who under the Captain Sky banner lead a group of revolving artists beginning in 1979.

Titles under Cameron’s belt include Pop Goes The Captain, The Adventures Of Captain Sky, 1980’s Concerned Party No. 1 [featured above in picture] and The Return Of Captain Sky in 1981.

That oft-sampled “Super Sperm” vocal clip in hiphop (Method Man, Redman, Sugar Hill Gang)? Yea, that’s Captain Sky:

Captain Sky on Soul Train? Oh yea, we got you:

Cream and Sugar:

The good news is Captain Sky is well represented online, as I managed to find his Wikipeida page, his Discogs.com profile, and this great background on Captain Sky.

How the movie Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow fits into all of this, I am not sure. But thanks to RIchie Dees for sending in the pic.

I came across an interview I did with my homie, Blockhead in 2001 — right before Aesop Rock’s Definitive Jux debut, Labor Days dropped.

I’m going to re-post it here since it is no longer available online anywhere else. I’m also going to re-post the original images that were used for the interview since everyone is mad young and looks funny as fuck (Block is 24 in the interview).

(Photographs Courtesy CentralCali.com)

Yameen: WHATS UP BLUD???

Blockhead: Nuttin…Chillin like the internet villain that I am.

Y: So, yo. Aesop Rock’s, Float (Mush Records) was the shit. How much did you produce of it?

B: I did 8 joints and the three little instrumental interludes…

Y: And you’re doing some work on the next joint too?

B: Of course. I did 9 joints out of 16. Movin’ up in the world…

Y: Does the next one have a name yet?

B: Yup, Labor Days. Ironically enough, that’s about when it’ll be dropping too.

Y: Hot. How did the El-P / Definitive Jux team-up come about?

B: Well…Aesop’s publicist is also El-P’s. I think she gave him a CD and he liked it enough to what to put out his new record on Def Jux. Also, being down with Cannibal Ox and the Atoms Fam is a bonus.

Y: Do you wanna talk about the kind of equipment you use?

B: Sure…I use an ASR 10. No more, no less. What do you want to know about it?

Y: How long you been rockin it?

B: Hmmm…about 5 or 6 years now. I just paid my last installment a year ago though.

Y: Have you been able to perform live? Do you bring the ASR out with you to shows?

B: Nope…that would be hell. The ASR is like a big ass keyboard. It weighs about 80 pounds. I’m not trying to move it anywhere. I think DATs, records and CD’s work better for live shows anyway. I’d look like a dickhead on stage pressing buttons.

Y: Do you make a ton of beats and Aesop picks the ones he digs?

B: It’s different. Most of the time Aesop will come over and just listen to my new beats. If he likes something, he takes it. Sometimes he will actually write to the beat but most of the time he just picks a beat that suit whatever mood he’s written for. I got mad beats too so it’s not like he’s limited to just a few kind of tracks. He surprises me sometimes. Sometimes he’ll pick a beat I would never think he’d be into. Other times he’ll not be feeling a track that I would assume he’d be feeling…You never know with him…

Y: A little background history if you would please: Age, residence, preference in female anatomy?

B: 24 years old. Downtown NYC and and round ass with a flat smooth stomach connected to some nice titties

Y: A lot of cats may not know this, but you’re a sick freestyler and rhymer in your own right. Do you still get down?

B: Hah! Sick rhymer…that’s funny. Nope…I gave up emceeing a while ago. I realized that my voice just wasn’t there for emceeing. Too bad more mc’s don’t realize that…I will tell you this though: Me and my boy Jer (you know, from the Overground) are working on a parody album. We rap on that. We got a bunch of tracks so far but we just need to fine tune them. It should be dope. We did the illest R&B song ever. [This album became Party Fun Action Committee, released on Definitive Jux in 2003 - Ed.]

Y: What was it like working with Dub-L and the rest of the Overground crew. Do you guys still hang out?

B: Of course. We chill all the time. It’s just now we’ve seperated musically. Dubs is doing his own thing. I’m doing mine. Jer is doing instrumental work. And Niles is going to be a famous filmmaker. But we do shill on the regular. That’s my party crew. We get fucked up together.

Y: The thing that always struck me about your crew was the amount of creative talent and things ya’ll were into, like the public access show or making music together. How long have you known Aesop? And how has it been for you personally in the Do-It-Yourself age of indie hip hop?

B: I met Aesop in 94 at Boston University (where he graduated from and I dropped out). I think the Overground was a dope thing. I will always be a silly person. I’m not serious about much. Some heads take life too seriously. The Overground and the Baby Show public access TV show really put that in me.

As for indie hip hop business…man I have no clue. When it comes down to it, unless you’re the boss, you’re getting fucked one way or another. Indie or major.

Left to right: Murs, El-P, Blockhead, Cryptic, Aesop Rock

Y: So what’s up with your solo record, Let A Player Be A Player?

B: Well…it’s pretty stagnant right now. I got like 6 or 7 joints done (Aesop, Illogic, Slug, Percee P, Chase Pheonix, Beetlejuice) but the rest I’m just waiting on. I do all my recording at Aesop’s crib so with him being the busiest man alive (believe that!), I haven’t had a chance to record. It’s be a while…let’s just say that…

Y: You are, in fact, one of hip hop’s O.G.’s as far as the Internet and Usenet are concerned. Has feedback been good regarding your production and to the album as a whole online? Do you feel the internet serves any true advantage to the artist beyond promotion?

B: Well, as far a album feedback, it’s been mostly good. People’s biggest problem with me is that apparently I have weak drums. Who knew? It’s funny to me how people can go out of their way be like “He’s ai-ight but his drums suck.” I’m a pretty realistic person. My drums ain’t the illest but they’re good enough. Other then that, it’s been mostly positive. As for the Internet helping…oh yeah. Man, this whole shit wouldn’t have gone down if it were not for the net. But at the same time…sometimes I think the net is too much. Like, I never imagined Aesop or my fanbase would be what it is. For better or for worse. The net’s got it’s fair share of newjacks with opinions that just piss me off. Other than that, it’s all gravy.

Y: A lot of cats on the net, you have to remember though, keep to themselves and don’t express their opinions vocally. So, for as many people that are quick to talk shit, there’s just as many not saying anything at all, nahmeen? For better or for worse.

B: Of course…I just wish the vocal ones would pipe down once in a while and instead of talking shit, maybe learn the history of the music they think they know everything about. As much as I talk shit about the net I can’t deny what it’s done for me. Not just me but a lot of good music that would otherwise go unheard.

Y: And with that: your thoughts on MP3s? Aesoprock.com launched a successful promotional campaign targeted at MP3.com and shot “Obedience” to number 2 on their charts [At the time MP3.com was the largest MP3 portal -Ed.]. Do you feel MP3 technology empowers artists such as yourself and Aesop or does it detract from a larger potential?

B: Well…in the case of Aesop’s early shit, it did nothing but good. It’s because of shit like that we’re where we are now. But nowadays when some new Aesop joint leaks on to Napster, that’s money out the pocket.

Y: You’re entering new territory being signed to Def Jux, huh?

B: Oh yeah…Def Jux is real deal.

Y: Will you guys be touring?

B: Aesop will. I won’t. They asked him to go in June but he works a full time job, has a serious girl and has mad bills to pay. Hopefully it’ll work out for him. I’ll be chilling in the cut regardless. He-he.

Y: So next up for Blockhead: More ass, more videogames, solo joint and new Aesop joint?

B: Hmmm…hopefully more ass (as apposed to the same ass, ha!). I’ve been steady playing Nba2k1. That’s my shit. I’ll challenge anyone. My solo joint will come out but when I have no clue. Also keep an eye out for this breakbeat record I did for Mush Records, Blockhead’s Broke Beats. That should be out soon. And of course Aesop’s shizzle will be heard by all. I swear…heads ain’t ready for his new shit. Oh and I’m working with a bunch of different MC’s that will be named later…

Peace to Stinke! Aesop, the Overground…Anyone I’m down with.

I’m on a Philly potato chip roll, apparently, following up on my entry last week about Chumpies.

This week I found a bag of RAP SNACKS featuring Bell Biv DeVoe on the cover. The chip flavor? “Back at the Ranch”!

Rap Snacks, like Chumpies before it, was started in Philadelphia. Created by James Lindsay in 1994 according to Wikipedia, the company is currently headquartered out of Greensboro, North Carolina. In 2007, Lil Romeo bought the company for an undisclosed sum.

Philadelphia still represents heavily on the company’s website, with the Philly skyline draped in plain view and pictures of Allen Iverson sprinkled throughout.

Here’s a scan of the back of the packaging, with a little description about BBD and record stores in Philly, Baltimore, DC and Los Angeles where to pick the album up.

Be sure to check out this dope photo gallery of the various Rap Snacks covers. And here’s a great article with Lindsay discussing the company’s genesis, and how Poor Righteous Teachers fits into the equation!

I’ve been pretty hyped on Capcom’s upcoming HD remix of Street Fighter for Xbox Live and Playstation Network.

Capcom just sent out a press release announcing the game’s long-delayed, but finally cemented November 26th release date. But what caught my eye especially was mention of the Street Fighter Underground Remix album featuring the likes of Qbert, Hieroglyphics, DJ Toure (which I am assuming is Toure from Hiero), Zion I and others. Here’s a quote from the press release:

Capcom will be releasing a direct-to-download music album of hip-hop tracks inspired by the Street Fighter series. Street Fighter® Underground Remix will feature the musical flavor of artists such as DJ Qbert, Hieroglyphics, Redman, Oh No, DJ Toure, Mistah FAB and Zion I. Each artist has produced a Street Fighter tribute track that will be free of charge and exclusive to the PlayStation®Network when Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix launches.

A bit of a bummer it is for the PSN only (unless you own a PS3). But pretty cool nonetheless.

Here’s the link to the Capcom Press Release.

I was browsing through some old things around the crib, and oh snap! — look what I found: A bag of Chumpies!

Chumpies is a brand of potato chips started in Philadelphia in 1991. They were still around when I left Philadelphia and you could pick them up in bodegas and the like. They were fairly common and I took them for granted as a Philly thang (in other words, I assumed they were available nationwide which is not quite the case).

Chumpies, aside from having the flyest graphics on a bag of chips ever (not to mention the dopest name ever), were also positively-inspired: each bag has anti-drug messages, as well as no pork byproducts (non-cipher, kid). You should definitely check for them in your local markets.

UPDATE: I scanned the back of the bag in too, but the shiny packaging didn’t take well to the scanner, making it rather unreadable. But I wanted to transcribe the literature on the back of the product as well. It’s represented below:

Home Boys (H-Boys)

This product is an acknowledgement of our American urban experience, and culture. This experience can be found in the term “Home Boys”.

Many youth today are unaware that this term has been used in our community for over 25 years. And many of our “Home Boys” have gone on to become the pride of their neighborhood.

A lot of the time we weren’t the best kids on the block, but many of us went on to become Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Ministers, and even Police. We salute the “Home Boys” of the past and dedicate ourselves to taking back the corner of today, from the dealers of drugs. We have to make the corners drug free again.

Also, be sure to check out my latest article about Rap Sancks, another Philly-born potato chip brand.

I kinda bugged the other day when I turned on my Xbox 360 to play some Gears of War 2, when who is staring back at me from my dashboard but Murs??!

From the screenshot, it appears you will be able to play against Murs over Xbox Live on November 16th, 2008 between 7PM - 9PM EST, in Rockstar Games’, Midnight Club Los Angeles (which just so happens to be the city Murs is from).

I did a website with Murs a few years ago. Dude is super talented, extremely hard-working and mad focused. If you’re not up on some Murs, git crankin.

And check out the latest album from Murs, Murs for President in stores now.

Wow, check out this clip of Lisa Wu-Hartwell rocking some dope Nicacelly fits on Bravo TV’s, Real Housewives of Atlanta television series:

Here’s a screencap from the video:

Nicacelly is a close friend of mine from way back. She has been working hard at this, and I think it shows in her original, one-of-a-kind women’s clothing.

To see more clothes from my homegirl, Nicacelly be sure to visit her website at: www.nicacelly.com.

Nicacelly clothing is available online at TheGiantPeach.com.