MAKE'n NEWZ

LoveGalo x Christian Louboutin x Neiman Marcus - Sunset Strip

2012-01-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

GALO1D2

2011-12-19T14:37:00.001-08:00

Quick drawing.....SPRAY2D2

Paint It Ultra-Flat Back

2011-12-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

ahhhhh....the smell of Ultra-Flat Black Krylon was the best - Today I woke up thinking of this scent and this old friend of mine, so I decided to post some images on this very missed can color.

#1602 Ultra-Flat Black Krylon.

Too bad today's version is watered down.

The Rolling Stones with Paint It Black

EXHIBICION - GDL MEX

2011-11-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

GoPro Venice Beach -

2011-10-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Wassup everyone? Last month Binho from Brazil was in town and I had the pleasure of meeting the guy while I was setting up for the ROCKIN' 2011 Art Exhibit. He managed to come to the opening and closing reception as well

So we managed to get together the next days or so and headed to Venice Beach for a quick paint session before he left to t he airport to catch his flight back home.

Equipped with two hand held GoPro cameras that belong to Doc43, we captured most of the footage. I grabbed all the filed and dropped them on my box and came up with this short video to the song of Cafe Tacuba's El Borrego.

ROCKIN' 2011 - Art Exhibition Video Teaser

2011-08-16T13:00:00.001-07:00

ROCKIN' 2011 - 20 years later - Art Exhibition

2011-08-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 27th 2011:

Los Angeles – CA, LoveGalo and KGB Studios are proud to present ROCKIN’ 2011 – 20 years later - An Art Exhibition and Tribute. ROCKIN’ 2011 – 20 years later is a large-scale group exhibition curated by none other than Los Angeles and Mexico’s pioneering graffiti artist, Galo “Make” Canote, also known as LoveGalo and by associated curator and legendary graffiti artist, Oscar “BeskUno” Rivera.

It features over 30 internationally acclaimed artists: local and underground, legendary graffiti artists and well respected photographers.

The ROCKIN’ 91 piece was a memorable graffiti piece executed by legendary graffiti artists, Besk and Make, at the historic Belmont Tunnel Yard. The piece paid homage to all the pioneers of the graffiti art movement, honored those that paved the way and mindfully respected those that have also passed away. In 2001, Besk and Make teamed up once again at the Belmont Yard to execute their ROCKIN’ 01 piece which possessed the same theme and concept, and celebrated another 10 years of continual and significant contribution to the movement.

2011 marks their 20th year anniversary and ROCKIN’ 2011 will be an art exhibit that continues the same tradition as the first piece. It will also have a special emphasis on the vacant location, The Belmont Tunnel Yard, that served as a public street art gallery space where local graffiti artists, from throughout the U.S. and the world would gather and express themselves artistically - The Historic Belmont Tunnel.

ROCKIN’ 2011 will showcase art by legendary, pioneering and well-respected graffiti artists. In addition, photographers who have documented the graffiti art, lifestyle and history of the Belmont Tunnel will share the spotlight. A video ephemera by Mr RTD1, will also be provided for further historical context and information surrounding The Pacific Electric Railway’s Belmont Tunnel and its monumental contribution to the graffiti movement.
There will be an altar installation depicting the graffiti artist’s lifestyle by Ofelia Esparza & ZANlovesEastLA. Ofelia Esparza & ZANlovesEastLA are an esteemed team of artists highly noted for their stunningly beautiful and elaborate Dia de los Muertos and traditional altars.

Artists participating are:

Anger - Arco - Baba - Bash - BenBaller - Ben Esparza - Besk - Cale - Chubbs - Cre8 - David "Some" Arquette - EarnOne - Eriberto Oriol - Fear - OG Graff - Hex - Just195 - Augustine Kofie – Mear - Mosh - Mr RTD1 - Ofelia Esparza & ZANlovesEastLA - Pyro - Relic - Risky – Sergio “Doc” Rueda - Shandu - Size - Skan - Skept - Spurn - Steve Grody - Trina Calderon - Unit - Volt - Vyal - Wisk - YemOne - Zuco - and many more plus special guests.

About the curator:
Galo “Make” Canote, AKA LoveGalo, is a Los Angeles born graffiti artist. He has gained international recognition and recently captivated the attention of famous urban art critics in Japan with his Karan Koron show. He’s been known to successfully curate art shows and exhibitions that are thought provoking, enriching, and controversial: “Too often many of the pioneers who have paved the way are often forgotten, overlooked or neglected. Never getting nor receiving the recognition and credit they deserve. This applies to anything: music, art, literature…but in this case, it’s graffiti art. A lot of these pioneers paved the way for many well-known artists and did it without a blueprint, the internet, documentaries or any other sources easily accessible today. My intention is to highlight and pay tribute to some of these artists”. He says about The ROCKIN' 2011 Art Exhbit.

About the associated curator:
Oscar “BeskUno” Rivera is a well-respected legendary graffiti artist. Known mainly for his unique and intricate letters, Besk has played a significant influence in the graffiti scene. Being amongst the first to be highly regarded as a letter master, he has become one of the few true graffiti artists in the scene that is looked up to and has inspired many.

About KGB LA Gallery:
KGB LA Gallery is an ever-evolving creative space. Their location is located in an untouched area of LA, right outside of Downtown and Chinatown. It has existed as a hidden gem and has served as the ideal location as an art gallery, music venue, photography studio, presentation area, and much more. The gallery is located at: 1640 North Spring Street Los Angeles CA 90012

The opening reception on Saturday - August 27th, 2011 from 7:00pm to 11:00pm will be filled with amazing art, music and an installation by Bash, Cale, Make, Size and Vyal.

A special musical performance by: Rakaa Iriscience (Dilated Peoples) and special guests.

Rockin' the turntables: DJ Sheak, DJ Dashone-WCA, DJ Ralph M (Funkdoobiest/KDAY) and DJ Hapa

There will be A VIP preview for artists, serious buyers and collectors on August 27^th 2011 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm at the KGB Studios. Hor d’oeuvres provided by Mas Malo Restaurant’s very own - Chef Luna

You must RSVP for the private reception –

Email makeonestn [at] hotmail [com] or contact [at] kgbla [dot] com for more information.

Some of our very proud sponsors are: Asahi Beer, Mas/Mas Malo Restaurant, Art Primo, Jarritos, Epise Music, Sino Tequila, Noble Royalty and others.

End
# # # # #

CBS Alt Games San Diego

2011-05-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend The Dream Team gathered up early morning and headed down to San Diego for the CBS Sports Alt Games - It was a cool day filled with sports, surfing, skating and most importantly - girls.

The event took place at San Diego's Beachfront Amusement Park & Entertainment Center - The Historic - Belmont Park -

I along with other cats: Aero, Bash, Ezra, Phade, Verse and Vyal rocked hats for guests throughout the entire event. It was all good times an fun under the San Diego Sun.

Peep out the short video of us rocking out...

Rocked it in South Central

2011-01-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

So I hooked up with the homies: Opea, Perl and Swoe-FDS and we rocked a little painting action in South Central. The last one of the year...

We were supposed to start at 8 AM but of course that did not happen. We roughly started at noon and finished around 4PM. The buff, without placing him on blast, was kindly donated by a homie who rolled up to visit briefly. Big thanks meng and good seeing you too!

Anyways - this is the end result...we may go back to add background and characters and stuff.

OPEA FDS

PERL-FDS

MAKE/GALO/LOVEGALO


SWOE-FDS

REBORNZ-HWC

LA's BYRDGANG -- HAELONE --

2010-12-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

Now many ya'll know this blog of mine, as mainly anyone else's personal blog, is purely for my own shameless self-promotion, adventitious rants and the occasional random posts that highlights something, someone or a story I either find interesting or feel merited writing about and/or placing on my blog. And whether or not you care about what I think of what is a worthy mention for my blog, I can care less too. It's my blog...and this for me is MAKE'n NEWZ...

Anywho...for this quick blog blurp, Ima bring ya'll an interview on one of LA's tuffest BYRDS...thee All City, AT LARGE mob king HAELONE.

From bus mobbing, to scribes, to stickers, to bombs, to throwies, to font-stylized pieces, to pooping on people...this all around graff king was recently interviewed and featured exclusively on Skate All Cities.

Skate All Cities did a fantastic job and even went old school on all ya'll. Keeping it OG, SAC conducted this interview the old fashion way...via... paper!!!...whaaaaat???? PAY-PER???...YEAH! How you internet, computer using, never handwritten a letter, much less held a pen, phone texting, tech communicating, non-snail mail knowing, computer generating-sticker making, spoiled bratz like that???

THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A "PAPER" WRITTEN INTERVIEW EVERYONE

hahahaha....anyways...here are a few more pics before the SAC's intro...


HAELER - IN THE LADIES RESTROOM - photo credit: COY


WHAT HE THINKS OF YOUR PRESIDENCY

HITTING THEM TRAIN RAILS UP

So here is the interview....

What do you write and what crews do your represent?

I write HAELER, HAELONE, HAONE, HAELISM and I rep TNT, OTR, AL, MSK, LOD, DMS and the mobb BTM.

Which part of LA are you originally from?

I’m an Eastsider (Boyle Heights), East Los, Downtown LA. Born and raised.

You came from a couple generations of graffiti writers that have called it quits, so what keeps you going?

Yeah, I came from the Bus Writers, Bombers, Tag Bangers era and back to my roots again – straight bombing.

To answer the question, “What keeps you going?” My boy SKILL UTI put it best. Ten years ago he asked me, “I see you’re going hard right now, but when are you gonna stop? Eventually the gas in your tank is gonna run out.” Well I just seen him recently and after ten years he told me, “Damn I see you’re still going.” I said, “Yeah, I still got gas in my tank.” SKILL replied, “You know you’re the last of our bus mobbers generation that’s still going hard and you’re doing what I was doing when I stopped. I see you in me.” For him to say that to me coming from a good friend who inspired me growing up is what keeps me going. The whole AL squad and the rest of my crews from coast to coast is what also keeps me going as well. They all inspire me as much as I inspire them!

When will you or can you stop?

To read the complete dope interview on SKATE ALLCITIES click here ------> FULL STORY

Directorial Debut

2010-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

While hanging out with my boy Doc over the weekend, I felt the sudden urge to do some filming. Yep, you heard right...some filming.

So I asked him to grab his camcorder, some cans and told him to rock a little sumthin' sumthin' on his wall. Nothing huge or elaborate...just something small, quick, simple and just for kicks.

With camcorder in hand, I began to mess around by capturing some footage of him painting from all kinds of angles. I would cue him in, yell "Action!"... and be like "Do this"..."Do that"..."Now try this"..."Now try that"... "No wait! Don't do that...." and at times he'd be like, "What about if I do this? or that?" (all excited) and I was like...straight up "uhhhhh...how about?...NA!". At times, I don't think I would even let him finish his suggestions. And between you and I, even if some sounded pretty good, I was like "NOPE!!!" I thought to myself, "if I was gonna debut as a director, it was gonna be all or nothing"...anyways....Back to the scene....

As he was finishing up what he had painted...I captured the last minutes of my footage and yelled "annnnnnd...CUT! - That's a wrap!" - it actually felt pretty good to say that.

But now came the real challenge. Placing it all on video format, editing it and adding a score to it. Never have done any editing whatsoever at any capacity. I dove straight into iMovie. Yes people, I have a Mac...don't hate now! and began to mess with it.

The score came about by accident which pretty much sparked the idea for the editing. And after 4 or 5 hours of sitting in front of the computer and messing with iMovie I came up with a running time of only 2 minutes. Anyways, peep it out...

Let me know your feedback and make sure you peep the credits out too.

**There are plenty of behind the scene shots that will, perhaps, be posted. And also be on the look out for an alternate ending too....**

FADE TO BLACK....

Cemita Challenge -

2010-07-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

Old interview for Relevant Magazine - 2008

2010-06-24T07:42:00.001-07:00

Click on image and flip through the pages to read my interview...GOOD STUFF

Open publication - Free publishing - More relevant

SANER illustrates for Televisa

2010-06-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Televisa of Mexico has been celebrating great artists and thinkers through a series of video/commercials entitled IMAGINANTES.

For this series, they highlight one of the great artists of Mexico, Jose Guadalupe Posada

During the late 19th century, a young kid by the name of José Clemente Orozco would stop at a press/printing shop on his way to and from school. The shop had large windows and Posada was in plain full view. Orozco, confessed, he would stop by on his way to school and spend endless amount of time watching Posada at work. It was the dark, rich work and finishes of Posada's calaveras (skulls) that awakened Orozco's imagination who'd later become one the of greatest artists/muralists of Mexico and the world. It was an encounter of two great visionaries.

My friend, Saner, follows in Posada's footsteps and tradition. Known for his elaborate artwork of skulls, Saner was asked to illustrate for this series. Check out the work...

Trivia: Who are the other 3 greats of Mexico?

FUCT interview on LA Graffiti Girls

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share this with ya'll.

Fuct of AL/OTR/3A/EE/LGF interviewd on LA GRAFFITI GIRLS

FUCT Interview by LA Graffiti Girls from Tiffany Evans on Vimeo.

Feel free to visit the site as well. GRAFFITI GIRLS - A great site purely dedicated to girl graff writers.

New interview up on Senses Lost

2010-04-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

check it out for Senses Lost -

When people speak of the L.A. scene, names such as Saber, El Mac, and Retna are quickly mentioned (and rightfully so, they are talented) but what about the people who came before them? Enter MAKE ONE, a legend and pioneer not only in Los Angeles, but Mexico, as well.

Los Angeles’ brand of graffiti has always interested me, so I felt it would be appropriate to interview Make One and get his view on such topics as [his] roots within L.A. and Mexico, the many contributions of female writers, the immigration debates in America, his evolution as a writer, and the importance of competition within the graffiti culture.
SPOILER ALERT!!: While on the topic of competition, Make One issued a challenge to NY graffiti icon, Cope2 for a graffiti battle. Legend vs. Legend?? Imagine that. Will Cope2 accept?? Keep your eyes open … in the meanwhile, absorb this Make One piece.
Starting off, I want to treat this like a job interview and simply get you to introduce yourself to the readers and educate us on the story of Make One. Who is he? When did you start? What crews are you affiliated with? Etc.

MAKE: The name is MakeOne from Los Angeles, representing the following crews: WCA (West Coast Artists), LOD (Loks on Dope) and AM7 (Angelz of Madness). I am co-founder of the legendary LA crew STN (Second To None). I started writing in 84′ and like many writers, have had different names. Names such as: Fraze, Axis, Mine, and Time (as featured in Spray Can Art). One day, while watching Style Wars, I saw Mare139, I liked his style and demeanour and so I swapped the “R” for a “K” and
MAKE was born. I have been writing Make or FakeMake since and also rock my real name, Galo or LoveGalo.
I am a proud born and LA raised native who’s of Mexican/Ecuadorian descent.

Read entire interview by clicking here

CAN - by Kaymen Barber

2010-02-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

What's up people? -

Last year I had the privilege to work with a film student by the name of Kaymen Barber; a student from The Echo Park Film Center. The Echo Park Film Center is a non-profit media arts organization that is located in the Echo Park. They focus on developing young and local students in film and media.

Anyhow - this is a short film she did for her "Persistence of Vision" class where each student met with various Graffiti Artists and/or Muralists in Los Angeles to talk about the significance of street art in our neighborhood. The film was screened at The Downtown Film Festival In Los Angeles. The tiltle of the film is CAN and it interviews some of my old students from Art Share LA: Jonathan "KILOE", "JANS" and Ivan "AISE". oh...and of course it kinda interviews me too.

Make sure you also check out her other short films such as La Nueva Vida and L.A. River.

Keep your eyes open for her...she has mad talent. Kaymen Barber

WHO AM I and WHAT HAVE DONE? --- PART 1

2009-12-08T09:35:00.001-08:00

So many have known, as I've attempted to make every effort possible to inform you, that I've been featured in several magazines. From magazines in the US, to Mexico, Japan, Taipei, UK, Australia to name a few. In addition to print, I have also been featured/interviewed in sites such as: 50mm Los Angeles to LA TACO, FAT CAP, Guerilla One, Graffhead to also name a few. I've also been on TV shows and featured/interviewed in shows such as: Eye On LA, Mun2, Latination, Univision and so on.

Anyhow - For this quick little post, to sorta end the year, I decided to gather up and put together a compilation of interviews and features. You can click on the links above to check out the interview(s) on those sites listed and/or also cruise through the pics of these mag features below.

I will be adding more as I have more time. I will also be uploading the TV features as well once my boy gets to them and will also be including book features as well. so enjoy ya'll.

Elemental Magazine 6 Page Spread - 2005

RIME MAGAZINE 2007 small feature on my art show Karan Koron

Ilegal Skuad - Mexico - 2007

Tokyo-Drive Magazine - JAPAN - Voted 200 of Japan's Most Favorite People

US Magazine - USA

Vapors Mazgazine - USA - 2006

X-Funs Magazine - 2006

LOVERMAN - that's who I am

2009-11-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

There's a devil waiting outside your door
(How much longer?)
There's a devil waiting outside your door
(How much longer?)
It is bucking and braying and pawing at the floor
(How much longer?)
And he's howling with pain and crawling up the walls
(How much longer?)
There's a devil waiting outside your door
(How much longer?)
He's weak with evil and broken by the world
(How much longer?)
He's shouting your name and he's asking for more
(How much longer?)
(give him more, give him more)
There's a devil waiting outside your door
(How much longer?)

Loverman! Since the world began
Forever, Amen, Till end of time
Take off that dress
I'm coming down
I'm your loverman
Cause I am what I am what I am what I am

L is for LOVE, baby
O is for ONLY you that I do
V is for loving VIRTUALLY all that you are
E is for loving almost EVERYTHING that you do
R is for RAPE me
M is for MURDER me
A is for ANSWERING all of my prayers
N is for KNOWING your loverman's going to
be the answer to all of yours

Loverman! Till the bitter end
While empires burn down
Forever and ever and ever and ever
Loverman! So help me, baby, So help me
Cause I am what I am what I am what I am
I'll be your loverman...

There's a devil crawling along your floor
(how much longer?)
There's a devil crawling along your floor
(how much longer?)
With a trembling heart, he's coming through your door
(how much longer?)
With his straining sex in his jumping paw
(how much longer?)
There's a devil crawling along your floor
(how much longer?)
And he's old and he's stupid and
he's hungry and he's sore
And he's lame and he's blind
and he's dirty and he's poor
Give him more, give him more, give him more...
Give him more, give him more, give him more...
There's a devil crawling along your floor
(how much longer?)

Loverman! Here I stand
Forever, Amen
Cause I am what I am what I am what I am
Forgive me, baby
My hands are bound
And I got no choice
No, I got no choice at all

I'll say it again
L is for LOVE, baby
O is for O yes I do
V is for VIRTUE, so I ain't gonna hurt you
E is for EVEN if you want me to
R is for RENDER unto me, baby
M is for that which is MINE
A is for ANY old how, darling
N is for ANY old time

I'm your loverman!
I got a masterplan to take off your dress
And be your man
Seize the throne, Seize the mantle, Seize the crown
Cause I am what I am what I am what I am
I'm your loverman!

There's a devil lying by your side
(how much longer?)
You might think he's asleep
but look at his eyes
(how much longer?)
He wants you, baby, to be his bride
(how much longer?)
There's a devil lying by your side
(how much longer?)

Loverman! Loverman!

Life Over Death

2009-11-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

Day of the Dead...often celebrated on November 1st and 2nd throughout Mexico and Latin America. A day that is normally focused on remembering our loved ones who have passed away. People build elaborate altars, pray, celebrate, visit graves, throw parties etc etc.

As for me, this year, Day of the Dead has more of a symbolic meaning. It is not a remembering of my dead loved ones, which I remember regardless, but it is a celebration that represents a death to many things in my life. It is the death of old habits, the death of any anger issues, any trust issues, of my complacencies, sour friendships, some relationships, living conditions, lifestyle etc - you get the point.

Over the course of this weekend, I received many news that has totally placed things in perspective and has taught me to view this season as a season for turning new leaves. It is also the beginning of a new month that is also near the end of this year and close to a beginning of a year that places me at a 40 year mark. All these things I gather, analyze and meditate on.

I received news about a new place to live. I was notified of getting a position I had applied for and had long awaited for. There was an end to an old tarnished friendship that unfortunately went bad for nearly 5 years. The reunion of some old friends and re-connection of "friends" from long ago. The making of new friends. Receiving an invitation to participate in a project that I would be more than honored to be a part of. The confirmation of hearing news to seal the death of an existing relationship. The constant reflection and assessing of my current life and re-realizing I need to once again journey out on the spiritual journey I once set out on years ago.

I am excited about this coming year. Day Of The Dead was definitely a day that many things died and have made room for many things to re-blossom or grow.

Hope your Day Of The Dead weekend was a good one.

This is Miserable Lie

2009-10-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

There are often times that lyrics to a song(s) literally express how one either feels or relates to what one is experiencing. I am certain many people have a song or two or even a list they can apply to or relate to what they are either experiencing/facing or have gone through. Some songs may just be the tone or tune that express the emotion felt or others just the lyrics alone but there are those times too that a song is a perfect harmonious tone, tune and lyrics that really speaks to us and expresses what or how we feel clearly.

This song, to me, speaks about how the word "LOVE" can easily be a miserable lie. That whom we say we love can easily crush us and at times not only once but often times more than once. And so the best thing to do is say goodbye and go on each's separate ways. Near the end of the song it is an intense cry for advice. "I need advice, I need advice" he cries out as often times when extremely devastated over a loved one we cry out for advice, for any kind of advice, that can help us get through or momentarily ease our pain. But then again, no one cares to hear our cry and never looks at us twice.

The song is "Miserable Lie" by The Smiths from their album The Smiths This album has other great songs such as "Pretty Girls Make Graves", "What Difference Does It Make", "Hand Glove", "Still Ill"...well pretty much the entire album. HAHA. Anyhow, enjoy the song and lyrics are included below.

So, goodbye
Please stay with your own kind
And I'll stay with mine

There's something against us
It's not time
It's not time
So, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

I know I need hardly say
How much I love your casual way
Oh, but please put your tongue away
A little higher and we're well away
The dark nights are drawing in
And your humour is as black as them
I look at yours, you laugh at mine
And "love" is just a miserable lie
You have destroyed my flower-like life
Not once - twice
You have corrupt my innocent mind
Not once - twice
I recognize that mystical air
It means : I'd like to see your underwear
I know the wind-swept mystical air
It means : I'd like to seize your underwear
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
Just a rented room in Whalley Range
What do we get for our trouble and pain ?
...Whalley Range !
Into the depths of the criminal world
I followed her ...

I need advice, I need advice
I need advice, I need advice
Nobody ever looks at me twice
Nobody ever looks at me twice

I'm just a country-mile behind
The world

I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...

I'm just a country-mile behind
The world

I'm just a country-mile behind
The whole world
Oh oh, oh ...

Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh...

Take me when you go
Oh oh, oh ...

I need advice, I need advice

Inspiration to Write

2009-10-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a while since I last posted. It's been about 2 months. Honestly, I have just been either lazy to write and/or not inspired to. This morning, I woke up with crazy mixed emotions storming through my body. From hate to anger to frustration to sadness, love, emptiness, lonliness, I felt betrayed, I felt happy and relieved also and so on.

These feelings are evidently spawned from recent events or situations I am dealing with or facing. How much importance I give each thought will, of course, determine the degree of my feeling(s). It is there where I need to work on focusing on positive thoughts in order to overcome the others. right? so it is said so to do. but often times it is not as easily done as many claim it to be.

I don't know, not even sure why I am writing this but I think I need to in order to help me deal with most these feelings. I know I want to be my usual self which is often times, at least I think, happy and optimistic but as mentioned earlier - not really recently. This is what has inspired me to write.

Aside from my recent feelings and what not I was also inspired by a conversation I had with a fellow blogger this morning. I am happy to know this person who always seems to motivate me or push me to blog.

All I can say is that I am grateful for her and glad she pushes me to blog at least whatever

Anyhow, my next blog will be about a documentary I recently saw entitled "La Vida Loca" - It is about the gang life of 18th Street in El Salvador. A very sad movie indeed. In the meantime I leave you with this video by The Smiths:

"In my life Oh, why do I give valuable time To people who don't care if I live or die?"

Graffhead Small Feature

2009-08-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Check out Graffhead for a small interview and feature about my design for Esquire Magazine.

1. How did you get involved in working on the September issue of Esquire Magazine cover?
It was more a fluke than anything. It started out with me contacting them and proposing the idea. It took several attempts. When the idea of Sam Worthington holding a spray can came up, guess who they had in mind and contacted to do something graffy?

2. How much freedom did you have on the design? Were there other designs that did not make the cut?
I had complete freedom. The initial idea was to redo the entire masthead in graffiti form. But after thinking it over, I thought to myself, that it'd be best if I kept the actual script and just tweak it out a bit with drips and over-sprays. They fell head over heels over it and were totally not expecting it. It was pretty much the only design submitted.

click HERE to read more

Esquire Magazine Cover

2009-08-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Wuddup Wuddup?

Quick update status here. Just excited to let everyone know that my cover/masthead design for the September 2009 issue of Esquire Magazine is out on stands. The cover is also graced by Sam Worthington holding a spray can. LOL.

Anyhow - MAKE sure ya'll grab your copy.

Thanks ya'll

FUN Gallery

2009-07-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

If ya'll know you know! Patti Astor, who co-founded The FUN Gallery in the early 80s will be re-opening FUN Gallery in Los Angeles. Oh yeaaaah!

The FUN Gallery was located in the East Village in New York. It was amongst one of the first galleries in that area and it was responsible for some of the first graffiti art exhibitions.
Artists such as: Fab 5 Freddy, LEE, Zephyr, Dondi, Lady Pink, and Futura 2000. Just to name a few. And also great art icons such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat showcased there.

People Magazine once called The FUN Gallery “The most famous art gallery in the world”

Patti was heavily involved in the underground movement. It is also said she is responsible for popularizing Hip-Hop. If you have seen Wild Style she is the blonde reporter who plays Virgina in the movie. And if you have seen Style Wars it is the gallery featured in the movie.

I can go on about her. Watch this trailer. It is for a documentary she is currently working on.

To know more about her, you can read this interview too - CLICK HERE

Anywho - She will be having an art show soon that I am excited I will be participating in. i will post more info about the show soon.

Purple Rain 25th Anniversary

2009-07-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

Read it and weep, people. This summer marks a quarter-century since the release of Purple Rain—both the seminal Prince album and the movie of the same name. While it’s hard to imagine today, this slight man in eyeliner and his nine songs—especially the dramatically explicit Darling Nikki—struck fear in the hearts of parents everywhere, as he managed to subversively educate a generation of teenagers about masturbation, grinding, and Minneapolis.

If you live in New York City, consider yourself lucky, as there are many anniversary showings of Purple Rain on the horizon, starting this very weekend at the venerable Lincoln Center. (What's more American than Purple Rain on 4th of July weekend?) And THE free musical event of the summer will happen in Prospect Park on August 6: the Purple Rain Singalong. If you don’t live here, why not plan your own party? Get out the eyeliner, scare up some purple food, rent the DVD, and invite your friends.

Rather than wax cinematic about the lasting impact of the film (directed by Albert Magnoli—who?), the rousing power of the music, or the mercurial appeal of the man himself, we’ve decided to let the original fans (now "of a certain age") speak for themselves.

to read more click HERE

Can't wait for this to come to my town!!

Re-cap of the Fin De Semana show

2009-06-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

The show "Fin De Semana" was a great success. I was happy and pleased with the outcome and am also grateful of the hard work the FDS's put in to the show.

Having begun as a small, humble and casual show, the show sorta evolved to a more semi-formalized exhibit. It was definitely more than I had anticipated. The over all concept of the show was to experience a weekend paint session (hence Fin De Semana). BBQing, drinks passed around, painting, and chopping it up with friends and acquaintances, talking about old graff stories while signing blackbooks and slapping stickers. It was sure a great way to kick off the summer.

FDS - "From Da Street" was an uncut true street-like production. No matter how often we try to confine graffiti to galleries, sanctionize it and legalize it...in all of its recent hoop-la of commercialization and sensationalism...true graffiti is raw and From Da Streets!!

Here are some photos of what was exhibited by photographer: Eriberto Oriol. The images are of the L.A.'s very own FDS crew painting and rocking the wall.

PLEASE NOTE - All photos are by and copyrighted by Eriberto Oriol

PLEASE NOTE AGAIN - All photos are by and copyrighted by Eriberto Oriol

and here is are a jam that can very well be the theme song of the show. I will follow up with images of the day of the show soon.

And for those that came out to support. Thank you!

And maybe look forward to a Fin De Summer or Final Days of Summer exhibit similar to this towards the end of summer. Just a thought to start brewing.

FIN DE SEMANA ART SHOW

2009-06-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Wuddup peeps?...group show with L.A.s very own FDS crew this saturday June 20th at Jun-Keez - 5pm - 9 pm

Photography by Eriberto Oriol

Live Music Performance by: The Leeches

Dj Set by Dj 215

Artwork by LA's:

Envy
Kween
Krys
Opia
Perl
Secret
Suny
Swoe
Yikes

Brought to you by LoveGalo

More Early West Coast Hip-Hop

2009-05-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more videos of stuff I used to listen to in the early days... these songs bring it way back! too bad many of these songs do not have actual videos but listen to these jams anyhow -

This is the World Class Wreckin Cru - with Dr Dre and DJ Yella with Michell'e on the vocals. word...

This is Egyptian Lover again rocking the dope beats with "My Beat Goes Boom"

And this here is another cut by "Uncle Jamm's Army" oh yeaaah - "Dial-A-Freak"

I tell yeah - I wish I was pulling out my KDAY cardboard or my vinyl floor sprayed with pledge and bust.

Early L.A. Hip-Hop

2009-05-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Woke up yesterday thinking about my early days again. Don't know, but for some reason, I have been thinking about my old days a lot more recently. It is either a sign that I am getting old or just simply wanting to go back to them days when music such as the ones I will talk about and are posted here were first been aired on the radio.

KDAY (1580 AM) was the station I would listen to most. It played all the jams. Jams by Uncle Jamm's Army, Egyptian Lover, Arabian Prince, World Class Wreckin Cru and the L.A. Dream Team just to name a few.

All these groups were somewhat tied in and they all had cuts* and also legendary rappers that would later embark on their own projects and have successful musical careers. Rappers such as: Dr Dre and DJ Yella who both were in World Class Wreckin Cru and of course all know went out to form N.W.A.. The first gangster rap group to also place Compton on the map. Another such was Ice-T who used to be part of Uncle Jamm's Army and is attributed to actually spawning off the gangster rap sub-genre. Of course there were/are more like: Kid Frost, as I mentioned in one of my previous posts, DJ Pooh, Chris "The Glove" Taylor and so on.

I remember Friday Night Jams when KDAY used to play about 2 hours straight of just jams. I would pull out my boom box* and throw in a cassette tape(s) that would have the little holes on the top stuffed with napkin pieces or tape them up so I can record over them. I would rummage through my mom's tapes and would ask her is she still wanted them and/or just snag my dad's tapes and scratch off the artist's name and info. And I, thinking I was slick, would hope my dad wouldn't find out but of course he would and he'd beat my ass. LOL

Anyhow, as I type I remember more and more about them days like Bobby Jimmy and the Critters which was a Los Angeles comedy rap group. They had songs such as "We Like Ugly Women" and "Roaches" which was a parody of the song by Timex Social Club, "Rumors".

Those were some fun days. And once again, as some of my previous posts, I will continue about this more on future posts. LOL (or not) But here is why I was motivated to blog. I had recently spoken to my boy Earn-One and we spoke a little of old school cats like: Minus-UCA (R.I.P) and Easie-UCA/STN/LATT (R.I.P) and how we used to chill in those days. And every time I think of them, I also think of Dorsey High School. Yeah boyee...Dorsey. They used to have pep rallies during lunch and I must say they had the best pep rallies ever. I always remember heading out there on the bus to just hang with Minus, Skil, and Easie during school. Chase-UCA would often be around too. The wild thing about this is that although I was not attending the school I would sit in their classrooms as a student just so I'd be there for the pep rallies. LOL. I never really knew how some teachers would not know while a couple would be cool about it.

Dorsey would often have the LADT perform and they were the shizzle* with jams like "The Dream Team is the House" and the electro jam "Rockberry Jam". It'd get wild with hot cheerleaders dancing wearing short skirts and everyone freaking in front of the stage getting down to the sounds of LADT.

Sadly, after their quick success, about 4 years later, I ended up working with Chris Wilson of the LADT at the Universal Cineplex Movie Theater. It was sorta surreal to be working with him and could never really comprehend how he was working as an usher for minimum wage after being on tour and all that. I guess it happens more than often as we have seen with many musicians and child stars. right?

So here are the videos: hope you listen to them. Some don't actually have videos per se but you can still listen to the jam.

L.A. Dream Team - "The Dream, Team is in The House"

L.A. Dream Teaam - "Rockberry Jam"

Bobby Jimmy and The Critters - "Roaches" - HAHAHAHAHA - can't help but laugh every time I hear this song.

Egyptian Lover - Freak-A-Holic"

That really takes me back. In a couple of days I will post a few more videos and maybe continue talking about the West Coast Hip-Hop days. i will also talk about the L.A. Street Scene and the Radio-Tron as well.

Alright ya'll peace

MAKE's GLOSSARY
cut - used to describe a song. More applied to a song that was either really good or greatly liked.
shizzle - a variation of the word sh**. Mainly used to describe something really good.
boom box - a term used for hnad-held radios or cassette players. The term is still used today.

Old School Cans....

2009-05-13T10:20:00.001-07:00

So my homie Earn UCA sent me a couple of pics today. Within those pics there was one of me holding a Jungle Green and a Plum Purple...ahhhhhhh - those colors!

I miss those colors by Krylon. Plum Purple, Clover Green, Hot Pink, Aqua Turquoise, Baby Blue, Coral, Avocado Green, Rasberry Pink, Icy Grape, Brick, School Bus Yellow....

How's that for a rack full of paint....nice right?

Man, those were some colors, specially Brick which was only around for a little bit. Other colors that were or are dope are: True Blue, Banner Red, the old Cherry Red...pssss...I can go on about the colors Krylon used to bust out with. I don't know what happened to Krylon too. Their paint got way watery and then recently converted their tips to this weak female fan tip which sucks.

I guess it is their way of "fighting and preventing" graffiti since they have, over years, claimed to be anti-graffiti even though I believe that writers have maintained them afloat and in business for years.

I can clearly remember the first time I used these colors. Any of them. And I have seen some colors that Belton and Montana put out that are similar but to me they seem to fall short of the actual shade of these colors. I get excited when I see a color by any of these brands that are similar to the colors listed above. I know you may be like, "Galo, calm down, It ain't that serious" but these colors were some of the first I used when I began rocking the walls back in 84.

Anyhow - here is the pic...what ya'll think? sitting like a king right?

PHOTO BY EARNONE-UCA

Sunday Afternoon....

2009-05-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

I must say my Sunday was good. I had some bomb food, the weather was great, hung out with some of the homies*...chilled, laughed, ate and maintained myself well hydrated throughout the day.

Such a good day had me reminiscing. The year was about 1990. I would go visit The Montebello Town Center a lot, with one main objective...to rack* and of course check out the ladies. My homie Besk and I would spend hours or days at the Town Center racking everything possible. Our normal times to hit the stores were during the weekdays around 10:30 AM when the stores were just opening, the crowd was almost zero, security guards were perhaps still in the employee lounge getting their coffee and complaining about their job to each other while the first-shift store employees were busy setting up the store for the day. So busy, that we'd get ignored. PERFECT. So with a little handheld demagnetizer that I had racked from a Bullocks we would casually remove the sensors and either place our stuff in large bags that we'd ask for from different stores or wear them under our clothes after trying them on in the dressing room. Mannnn, we'd walk out with jackets, shirts, pants, colognes, ties, high-end boxers...you name it. Not that I am proudly boasting about it - that just was the case.

Anyhow - well one of these days we walked in to a record shop. A little one located on the second floor near the end of the mall. It was in the east wing where the first Hot Topic (before it went to caca and turned rave) was at. It sat right above Hot Topic. As I schemed through tapes in the Hip-Hop section, I noticed this one tape. It had a fist pumping upwards and the name A Lighter Shade Of Brown with a pic of three Latin dudes wearing tight overalls and caps. A Lighter Shade of Brown? WTH was this? Wellllll, I racked it.

Immediately upon getting into Besk's Metallic Blue Buick Regal with Daytons, I popped the tape in. It initiates with the first verse of the Mexican Anthem and it cuts to it's first track. I was like, hmmmmm...ohkay..my head was kinda bobbing...next we heard "El Varrio" and I liked that song a little more. The third was "Spill The Wine", of course sampling Santana but then, towards the end, this song called "Latin Active", a song that had sampled one of my favorite songs, "Radio Activity (Lets Jam)" by pioneering freestyle rappers MC Frosty and MC Lovin C. It was a dope rap song that had a jammin* beat and I totally liked how this track had sampled it and how it was composed. The song also featured female rapper Teardrop, who threw in some dope lyrics too.

I became a big LSOB fan. I can claim that Besk and I were perhaps some of the first kats bumping them. Peeps* would get in our Buick (hahaha, I said our Buick but it was Besk's) and they would just rag and laugh at the music. I didn't care, I like them, they were Mexican as I am and they repped* for the browns* right?

These dudes really introduced the entire Latin Hip-Hop movement to me. Which of course, at that time, could have been counted by hand. This was also way before Kid Frost's "La Raza" was out. Even though Kid Frost was in the circuit doing stuff and being a breakdancer for L.A.'s first rap collective - Uncle Jamms Army

The guys of LSOB had some dope rap names. ODM which means One Dope Mexican and the other was DTTX, which means Don't Try To Xerox...meaning don't bite* or copy. Which by the way, XEROX doesn't mean copy, it is actually the brand name of a copy machine. It is just often used to refer to a copy of a document. It is much so like asking for a Kleenex as opposed to asking for a tissue.

Okay okay - back to why I am writing about this. Well these guys had another track on that album that was dope. It did not peak the charts until maybe a year later. The track was "Sunday Afternoon". The song has actually been played out. It has become the Sunday BBQ anthem. But often times I can think of it when I get home from a good BBQ with al the friends.

So here it is. "Sunday Afternoon" by A Lighter Shade Of Brown.

MAKE's GLOSSARY:

homies = word used to describe close friends or acquaintances or even those that we may kinda know
rack = to steal or borrow from a store w/o the intent to return. Commonly known shoplifting. It can also apply to borrowing from someone indefinitely
peeps = short for people. form of an abbreviation
bite = to copy (like I explained above)
jammin = to be good or like "it rocks dude"
repped = short for representing and abbreviated form indicating that it is coming correct
brown(s) = not any of the sport teams such as Cleveland or Chicago etc. It means Browns, as in referring mainly to those that are of or considered of Hispanic decent..oops, I mean descent

Belmont Memories Part 1

2009-04-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

I was going to continue my write ups on my entire PRINCE obsession that I began blogging about a couple months back. A write-up that slowly became an extensive series of memoirs. I have gotten a little lazy about. And today, as I was about to begin writing part 3, I came across some old photos of the Pacific Electric Railroad Station.

Known globally as the Belmont Tunnel amongst graffiti artists, this vacant yard once served as an outdoor gallery for urban arts. Graffiti artists from all over the world, when visiting Los Angeles, made it an effort to come and paint the massive walls of the yard or at least set foot on this soil and be visually stimulated by the multi-layered elaborate pieces done by resident graff writers or out of towners.

I began hearing rumors about 20 years ago that the lot was sold and we no longer would have this yard. Cops would even often swoop in and hassle some of the writers notifying us that the yard would no longer be open to the public and if found painting would get arrested for not only trespassing but also vandalism. Well those rumors never came true and the yard remained open.

Those rumors would resurface every five years or so so when hearing them rumors again in 2002, that the yard or property was finally sold, I took it as "one of them rumors again". Albeit, I began to see developers, construction trucks and workers slowly move in, I still thought to myself - "this ain't gonna happen!" - not sure if I was in denial.

As writers began to storm in, some coming out of the woodworks or retirement, to paint their last piece at the tunnel, more and more construction workers moved in. The walls were still in tact and no serious tear down had begun. All seemed as it was just planning and settling before they all commenced to destroy our safe haven. Stash Maleski began to round up troops to prevent the yard's closure and tear down. Still, I was in disbelief and my attitude was a shrug of shoulder and a "if it happens it happens. Oh well." thought.

Not until I saw a video that my friend Ben Higa did did I feel the impact of what was truly happening. The reality of it all. I teared up and felt complete sadness when I saw the footage of a wall being torn down and watched the chunks of concrete crumble to the ground. It was as though a piece of me was being torn with it. I just couldn't believe that this place, where I made friends, almost got shot, got jumped, painted at, first saw the pieces that influenced me, witnessed the best graff battles, met my favorite writers, got hassled and gaffled up by cops, got chased, saw COLORS and other movies filmed, or just simply chilled and enjoyed the day drinking beers, eating some tacos or carne asada, while listening to the trios play rancheras and shooting the breeze with the homies would be no longer. I was devastated.

Anyhow - that's it for now...I will write more about this on a later date (maybe). I will also upload some articles I wrote for some magazines about the Tunnel. In the interim, I leave you with those images I ran into today. I have also included some links below for additional information.

From Crown Hill to t he Belmont Tunnel
Belmont Hearing Notes
Belmont Protest March

PRINCE is actually King pt 2

2009-02-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

On my last post I wrote about my first encounter with the musician Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson. I wrote how my HOT baby-sitter and neighbor had introduced me to his music and how there's a correlation of my first memories of listening to Prince to her.

In this post I will touch on albums Dirty Mind and Controversy. Not much of a review on the albums and the music itself, albeit, not a bad idea to continue as a series, but more about how they helped open my mind and roughly expose me to relationship needs and what many may consider now-a-days as "unwanted sexual urges" to a young buck at the tender age of 9.

I remember Lorena and her family had moved from their apartment. It literally happened overnight. The building was old and their entire kitchen roof had caved in. We lived in a two-story apt complex and luckily no one was at home in neither apts when it happened. All I remember was never seeing her (them) again after.

We did not move out of the building til maybe a month after. I clearly remember it was 1979 because we welcomed 1980 in our new apt, which ironically I find myself back in...but that is another story.

I immediately befriended some of my neighbors. Specially my boy Douglas, whom I still keep in contact with until this day. And of course some others around the hood. Now everyone during this time was either into The Commodores , Kool and The Gang or Van Halen or bands like Devo who had come out with their Freedom of Choice album and other rock bands from the 80's or 70's that were still around.

So here's is this new kid in a new hood and a new school (Laurel Elementary) who liked Prince. Now, some of the kids already thought listening to Kool and The Gang and bands of the sort, whom I may add I liked also, was kinda "GAY". So imagine what they said when I told them I was into Prince. They wouldn't really look at me the same even though I told them I also liked bands such as: Queen, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Janis Joplin etc - stuff that I had grown up listening to also cuzz my moms would listen to it.

At this age you had to be cool. I even remember my good friend Sergio asking me while in our school lunch line what bands I liked. When I told him Prince he was like "Oh!" and staring at me asked "Who's that?"

Anyhow - fast forward. There was a small record shop a few blocks away from my house. I miss the days when record shops were like liquor stores, one on every corner. I walked into one one day and saw the Dirty Mind album and at first, when I saw the album cover, I was like ehhhh. I shrugged my shoulders and a few days later asked my mom if she would come with me to buy it for me. When she first saw the album she was like "ay mijo que es esto?" and I was like "Mom, just buy it."

I'd played the album whenever my dad was at work. When I first heard the album, I was not sure if liked it. It was not as catchy, and now in retrospect, as "discoy" as the other albums. It was totally different from what I've heard from Prince. Then as I listened to the song "When You Were Mine" and I was like - Lorena. Paying more attention to the lyrics:

"Oh girl, when you were mine
I used to let you wear all my clothes [which she would. she would play with my clothes when she would bathe me - and aumm long story here too]
You were so fine (So fine)
Maybe that's the reason that it hurt me so

I know (I know) that you're going with another guy
I don't care (don't care) cuz I love you, baby, that's no lie
I love you more than I did when you were mine"

I know one can argue that other bands during this time had similar lyrics and perhaps were a bit more overt on sexual content and relationships; but as I mentioned in my previous post, it was not until becoming in touch with my feelings towards Lorena that I began to listen to songs for their lyrics and content other than simply their sound and beat.

Well I was also going to talk about the album Controversy but I guess I would have to continue with it for my next post.

And I leave you with this video of Prince performing "When You Were Mine"

Prince - When You Were Mine
by halloaluile

Cheers!

Prince is actually King

2009-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Alright people...many are aware and many aren't - but I've been a PRINCE fan since I was a youngen. I remember when I first heard PRINCE, I was only 8 years old when my hot babysitter Lorena introduced me to his music. She'd play the song "Soft and Wet" over and over again and she would sing and dance to me all sexy and seductive as I watched and I was like "Hell Yeah". I didn't know what it was I felt as I watched her sing and dance but it was an immediate BAMN!!! - I'm a fan.

You should have seen her. A 16 yr old hot and beautiful girl signing:

"All I wanna see is the love in your eyes
And all I wanna hear is your sweet love sighs
All I wanna feel is burning flames
Tell me, tell me, baby, that u feel the same
Tell me that u feel the same way I do
Tell me that u love me girl"

I still imagine her singing to me every time I hear that song. Oh mannnnn - the stories I can tell you about her too. pheeeeew!

She lived across from me and one day she knocked on my door and invited over to watch American Bandstand cause PRINCE was about to perform. Oh man - when I first saw the guy I was like WTH? this guy is kinda funny but the first song he sang "I Wanna be Your Lover" ...I was like yeaaaah. "I wanna be your brother, I wanna be your mother and your sister, too" those lyrics!! I may not have understood the entire lyrics of the song but I knew I wanted to be her brother. As we sat in from of the tube watching, I'd occasionally glance over at Lorena and she was there...singing to the music...looking angelic.

This is suppose to be PRINCE's first televised performance and interview. It was shortly after the release of his self-titled album Prince, released in 1979. He was only 19 and had already made some noise because at the age of 15, he had turned down offers from major record companies because he wanted to produce his own albums and they wouldn't let him.

In this interview it is also rumored that PRINCE seemed a bit indifferent to Dick Clark because of some of the comments Dick made when interviewing PRINCE. i.e. "You would never think music like this would come out of Minneapolis" - Dick Clark

anywho - so I became a fan and here I am to this day, 30 years later, still a huge fan of PRINCE.

This is just part one of my stories with the man and his music. The second part will be about albums Dirty Mind, Controversy and maybe 1999 and some of the stories tied in to his music and how I also bloomed at an early age because of it. yep yep

alright ya'll see you soon...

Blogging...

2008-12-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

okay okay okay ya'll...amidst hanging with the fellas a little birdie who seems to swapmeet a bit reminded me that I have not updated my blog

so lo and behold...here I am...writing, venting, blogging, blabbing.... - and what about?? hmmmmm.....let me see...well nothing really. I've got really nothing to say but say happy holidays to all. AND even though it is after Christmas - I say Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to all - and even though we are a politically correct en-drenched nation - I still say it - simply for tradition sake. And to those whom may find it offensive...well then Happy Kwanzaa, Hannakuh, Winter Solstice (which is the true holiday) and happy Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and of course my favorite - Happy Festivus...

I can go on and on about why Christmas really has nothing to do with the actual birth of Christ and how all Christmas decorations such as: trees and mistletoes and whatnot were taken from non-Christian pagan traditions that pre-date the birth of Jesus....and so on and so on and so on..hehe - sorry to sound like a sourpuss but it's the truth. click here to read up on some of the origins

I guess in some sense I take what Thomas Gray once said into consideration..."ignorance is bliss"...and I guess there is some truth to it..yes?

anyhow - in light of real truth of it all I can "traditionally" still celebrate the "holidays" or Christmas, even though I also think it's way over-rated.

but you know - I can also still find humor in it and thanks to the great, Frank Costanza, founder of Festivus I leave you with this video....

see what you did swapmeetera!!!!

Black Friday -

2008-11-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

Today is Black Friday, a day dedicated to our basic and most pathetic inclinations.

It is a day designed by desperate retailers to bait and reel you in to buy and buy and aummm...oh yeah consume. Buy items: HDTVs, Wiis, PS3s, Guitar Hero's and stuff you probably don't need at a ridiculous bargain that you can only supposedly get once a year. And it is only possible on the day after Thanksgiving - the day after many are to give thanks for what they have and whom they have it with.

The way I see it is, these so called "doorbuster" sales are strategic designed sale boosters geared mainly to lower incomes who almost desperately rely on these discounts and sales. Most of them camping out in front of a mall in almost below-freezing temperatures (depending where you are at) on a night that should be spent with your family, friends or shoot...just at home, warm in bed with a cup of hot cocoa watching old classic movies. It is almost as though the insane early-hour doorbuster sales (starting as early as 4AM) force people to physically suffer for their purchases. Sorry, but no cheap Blu-ray player, PS3, Wii, Flat Screen is worth that.

What is even more pathetic about this whole thing is how many of the behaviors become animalistic. i.e. This morning I just read that in Long Island, New York, an employee of Wal-Mart got trampled and died!!! in addition a pregnant woman was pushed and knocked over to the floor. What is a pregnant woman doing shopping at 5AM in a sea of people??? New York News

We can also see in the following video how people are sooooo damn fixated on the "deals" that some continue storming in not bothering to help those that fall. $$$$$$$$$

In previous years, it was the shoppers who were desperate on Black Friday, with retailers playing the role of sleazy, slimey opportunists. But now, with a financial crisis in full, brutal swing, I guess both sides are equally desperate. LOL. The retailers need the shoppers as much as the shoppers need the deals right?

It's a sad situation, one that lends an extra air of patheticness to the whole ordeal.

Piece...PICO BLVD and Windsor Place...

2008-11-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

so here is yet another peep of the piece i did on Pico with Ezra-DTK and Pose2 and Muck - the full photo will come soon hehehe - just need to go get some nice shots when the sun ain't hitting it so hard.

this here is one of the girls of that showed up to shoot some shots in front of my piece. the photographer's name is Frank! he is dope. the shots are ool right?

alrightee just dropping these flicks

more photos to come

Okay Okay....

2008-11-20T15:59:00.001-08:00

I have soooooo lagged on my blog. Not that many may care and frankly - i don't care whether you care or not. haha - this is more about venting out and getting my writing itch taken care of than anything...and of course also to jot down my doings and haps. gotta let those that care know right?

so over this week. I painted a wall on pico and windsor pl - which is two blocks west of crenshaw blvd. it was a great turnout. we had many lookie-loos, kids, some models and some photographers and you name it. I will post pics up tomorrow when i have time to download my photos, or better said, feel like it. I also want to upload fotos of a piece that my buddy Doc43 and i did. it came out pretty dope and in fact - here it is - i am sure many have seen it already but in case you have not here it is.

Photos of yesterday's work soon to come up - just need to get some good lighting to take good shots of it...

Dodger Blue - Think It!

2008-10-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Wats up everyone?

The Dodgers, our Dodgers for some, are playing the Phillies tomorrow in their first game of the NLCS. I, personally, ain't much of a die-hard fan or a sports person at that, honestly I hate sports, but I am an LA fan. Yes people, as much as I hate LA I can't help but love it dearly. (just like my women)

Anyhow - in light of all what has been going on with the Dodgers; Joe Torre taking them (us) to the playoffs, Manny Ramirez changing the dynamics of the team and boosting morale, the Dodgers beating the best team in the league and sweeping them at that, and so on and so on and so on...I couldn't help but be inspired to do something for the team. So as opposed of doing something that can only feed my ego, God knows I've done enough of that, I rocked a little something something for not only our team, hehe I said our team, but for the fans as well, the community or the neighborhood and, I guess for me too.

So here it is...the pictures are not that great but hopefully someone will be kind enough to take some dope photos of it and forward it (them) to me soon. I will make it up to you if you do.

Remember to WEAR YOUR BLUE AND LOVE GALO TOO!

ROCKnROLLA....

2008-09-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

So you guys must have been catching the trailer for Guy Ritchie's new movie ROCKnROLLA - if you have not well here is the trailer...

Thanks to a friend of mine, Brandi Hugo, whom I met working on another film project I was hired by Dark Castle Entertainment to do the title art work for the movie. What is exactly the title artwork?...mainly just the lettering for the movie. Like the words you see in the trailer above that were also used for some of the posters as well.

Upon commencement of the project, I was placed in touch with graphic artist Tina Charad. Who is well rounded in many areas of film making. I was placed in touch with her because my graphic designing majorly sucks, well...actually there is none. LOL - serious!

I pretty much had to explain what I envisioned over numerous phone calls and had to draw and re-draw rough sketches for her to understand what I wanted. Surprisingly, it was not as cumbersome or as difficult as you would think. Specially if you have clear and good references/samples to go by.

Upon her completion it was sent back to me for approval and later then forwarded to the bad ass Danny Yount to animate and create/use for the trailer and prologue to the film. the result? - a very siiiiick and appealing trailer that will also serve as the prologue and end credits to the film.

So anyhow- check it out...the lettering are my designs, which are mainly stencil letterings, as well as all the drips used in the sequences and posters. I can not take full credit though, since all were vectorized and mainly positioned by Tina (love you Tina) and animated and enhanced by Danny. (you the man Danny! thanks for making my shizzle look good)

Throughout all this, I was attempting to shinagle my way to getting flown out to London for the premiere and possibly meeting the ever so hot Madonna...but as they say....NOPE! didn't quite happen. HA!

Anyhow-make sure you go out to see it. It's really good.

MAKE Sure to visit the website - you can see a little more of my work there...

ROCKnROLLA WEBSITE
ROCKnROLLA IMDB

Red Bull Street Style Part 2

2008-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Word - So I had told you guys about the street style event I painted at last Saturday. Carlos Lopez of 365 Visionent rocked a couple of videos for the event.

here is one of them - check out the skills of each player as you can see me rocking a piece and grooving in the background.

word...for more info visit...click here... Red Bull Street Style

hopefully i will be heading out to the mexico event too.

2008-09-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

So I am finally getting around to posting the pics of the production Panic, Neo, Size and I did a few weeks back. The photos were actually taken by Hadley of LATACO. I personally have not gotten arround to taking photos cause aummmmm...I just haven't it. I hope Hadley don't mind. By the way, I will be contributing also to LATACO...anyhow here are the photos...

Galo - The Urban Vaquero rocking out with his boom box..

Neo-MAKs siiick piece -

the Can dude -

Panis sick piece -

Sizes dope piece -

character....look familiar to anyone?

LA's fiinest -

Thank you Hadley for the pics...

Street Style....

2008-09-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Wassup everyone...

so yesterday I headed out to Whittier Narrows to go paint for the Red Bull Street Style event. What is street style? well it is a soccer type event that is all about dominating the ball. more known to many as freestyle. For those that still dont undatand - it is similar to the stuff Pele used to rock except these dudes are on some other level.

The event was pretty tight and the place was filled nicely with women. So I basically reproduced their logo...

Still gotta go with Pele though - he's the man...hands down...

woroord...more pics coming soon.

Meet El Pugz

2008-08-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Part of the our little Sunday session with Biser, Mandoe, Neo, Thiser, Bash, Wram, Sims and Dsrup - El Pugz makes his first significant public appearance after attempting to appear several times but failed too becuzz he suffered from buff plague.

El Pugz is a world called Mazetonia. He's relatively shy and hates the limelight or any kind of attention. He likes all kinds of music and does not care for fashion, likes hats and Converse and also likes eye-glasses. He has a custom chrome belt buckle that is also his mouth. He enjoys eating paint, drinking coffee, cupcakes and loves tacos with whipped-cream. He likes hanging out with his buddies but especially his friend Bizzarro - who is the only one that can understand his language.

El Pugz travels and occasionally settles-in in different worlds but only wishes to continue his journey of finding his way back home to Mazetonia. He has not met an Mazetonians in his journey nor knows how he ended up in different worlds.

The group picture with some of his friends and associates will come soon.

Saturday Session Sneak Peek

2008-08-10T09:13:00.001-07:00

Well yesterday, Saturday, we painted at our old Brandon alley spot. Under the crazy sun, we managed to rock, or better said begin, to rock the wall. With a proper line-up of: Neo, Panic and Size the production is definitely gonna come out sweet.

I am rocking most of the characters and some of the background. I also sorta plugged in or incorporated a little piece that will read Galo...

For right now, I leave you with one of the characters. The famously known Ghetto Cowboy or the Urban Cowboy (better known as me)

more pictures coming soon

Today - Sunday - Will be rocking another wall with some other heads. Pictures will be added soon

Peace

Emo attacks

2008-07-29T11:14:00.001-07:00

What is going on people? There has apparently been a high number of EMO attacks throughout Mexico.

Gangs, so called hardcore punks, darks, rockabillys and rockers, joined together not to attend a concert or an all day music fest but for what?...to bash on EMOs. Yes, you read right - EMO bashing seems to be the new trend in Mexico. It is a movement that has become known as the "Anti-Emo Movement"

This so called "Anti-Emo Movement" recently received global attention when roughly 800 young people made up of gangs, so called hardcore punks, goths, rockabillys and rockers, movements that at one point may have been discriminated against, got together from all over Mexico to go to the city of Queretaro with the sole purpose of beating up Emo kids. This whole thing was obviously propagated through message boards, network sites and other internet blogs and whatnot. It is said it is all retardly due to the fact that these people don't like “the emo look or their attitude.” - are you serious?

It is also reported that a television figure by the name of Kristoff, a VJ for popular TV channel Telehit, is mainly responsible for fueling the anti-emo movement. He publicly launched anti-emo and derogative remarks on national TV. It was on more than one occasion that he rants messages packed with curses and obvious hate. I must admit that there is some validity to some of what was said such as: "the current movement is mainly inspired by "image" rather than a genuine music form" but still, it is no reason to televise such hateful words against someone's choice of wardrobe or look.

After becoming aware of the violent attacks he went on to condemn the violence against Emos on a subsequent broadcast after the riots occurred.

Anyways - what has happened is not cool. I don't understand why it is such a big deal how these kids dress and how they choose to be. I totally believe in protecting a culture. As a graffiti artist myself, I have experienced many robbing, or better said, appropriating our culture or sub-culture. BKA (better known as)- "Culture Vultures" - I do get upset at these wannabe graffiti inspired artists whom claim to have graffiti influences and adapt the graffiti/street lifestyle and aesthetics but I don't think I get upset enough to rally up people and bash out on them. Now for clarity, I am not against the real artists who do have street culture influence just those that fake the funk. I don't want to give reason for some to start an Anti-Galo movement.

Here's a video that aired recently on MTV.

Here are a couple more videos on the bashing throughout Mexico.

For more in-depth cocverage and reports on this please visit my friend's Daniel Hernandez' blog: or read the article he wrote for Gatopardo

Alrite ya'll - gotta get dressed in case another earthquake comes...

Old School videos...

2008-07-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ever wake up one day wanting to go back in time and watch some old music videos? Well this morning I did. I have been wanting to watch this video of Tarrie B for a long time now. It seems it just recently got uploaded 4 months ago. Not sure if any of you may know who she is. Her career, as a rapper, was short lived only making one album "Power Of A Woman" under Ruthless Records . Some of the featured appearances in this album were Eazy-E and also Everlast when he was with Rhyme Syndicate - way before his most notable stuff such as: House of Pain, his solo Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and as of recent La Coka Nostra. Which, by the way, I also had the Forever Everlasting album too. Some of my favorite tracks on that album were, Goodbye and The Rhythm which featured Ice-T

Anyways - the reason I am so hard up over this song and album is not that I like it so much, cuzz I actually kinda do like it but more because it reminds me of a girl named Yu-Ling China Tse. and welllll...that is all I can say. I also recently went to see Tarrie B perform...but not as a rapper but as a hard-metal band called My Ruin - which was ehhhhhh...okay...it's a trip how much she has changed. I almost thought she looked hot. But she was pretty raw on stage. Check out the videos below...

Tarie B - rapper

Tarrie B - Rocker

alright - laters...

New interview....

2008-07-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Wassup? it's been a while...a new interview went up Monday afternoon on LA TACO. The interview was done a few months back while on house arrest. Thank God I am no longer on that. Not that is was all that bad but not as good as I am now...FREE

anyhow, the interview is a bit lengthy...lengthy for those that may not read much. LOL!

So the interview is pretty thorough. I am candid about a lot of things. Hands down it is one of my favorite interviews. Thanks to Hadley for the great questions. I am overwhelmed with the level of comments made. I was not expecting so many. I am just about to reach Julia Bond's amount of comments.

anyhow - here's the link to the interview. CLICK HERE

If you didn't know - now you know...

Thanks to everyone for the comments and the votes...serious!!!

The Pilot

2008-05-08T14:31:00.000-07:00

wwwwwe je je je yeaaaah! after years of searching and Googling and Yahooing and you name it and even a ummmm poor attempt to sell my body to obtain a copy of this. I finally came across a 30 minute short that was aired back in the early 80's. In addition to feeding my cravings for anything BREAK related (and that is break-dancing for you whom may not know) this short also featured my good friend OzRock of the Air Force Crew.

This short, "The Pilot", was aired on ABC as one of their Weekend Specials; very similar to the after school specials. Part of those "scare-you-straight" type of shows/series that dealt with moral issues. Don't know if many or if any recall seeing them but they had episodes such as: "The Boy Who Drank Too Much" starring Scott Baio as a high school hockey player struggling with alcoholism. He also starred in "Stoned" which premise was set around peer pressure and its resultant drug abuse. Or the one entitled "What if I am Gay?" (which for the record I liked very much...I mean hated) I swear I did not, I repeat, DID NOT! relate to that one. (insert wide-eyed look)

anyways - For it's time, those may be considered "strong" subjects but they had softer more traditionally based ones. But they all had the same formula. A morality play that dealt with issues that may often be confronted by youth, of course in a prescriptive manner...right?

anyhow - here are the links. It's a bit long but I assure you you will enjoy watching it. It's broken up in to three parts. It surrounds the character Carla, played by Kelly Jo Minter. An insecure high school kid (girl) who's ostracized and ridiculed and deals with the issues of being different and not necessarily fitting into everyone's ideal view of "beauty" or norms. Yet, to their surprise, she is a bomb breaker and the show leads to the climatic battle between her "The Pilot" and OzRock.

watch it all - it's pretty cool. It stars Kelly Jo Minter (Doc Hollywood, Lost Boys) Katie Rich (NYPD Blues) the hot Kim Delfin (Asian cheerleader) OzRock, Crayone doing the graffiti in part 3 and all topped with a great soundtrack by Egyptian Lover.

enjoy and peace -

Saturday's TV Narrative

2008-04-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

I was about 14 years old. I remember turning on the TV one early Saturday morning. I sat down with my bowl of Lucky Charms (save the Leprechaun jokes for later) in front of the TV to watch my morning cartoons. Having to tune in with aluminum foiled antennas I hear this guy DJing come out. A piece that read Graffiti Rock followed as people danced in the background while Kool Moe Dee rapped. I was like what the heck is this? I look at the clock and I was like it "This isn't Soul Train cuz it isn't 11am yet." So I turned up the volume and watched with enthusiasm as my Lucky Charms got soggy and my milk turned different colors. Not realizing I was to watch one of the dopest Hip-Hop shows till this day -
GRAFFITI ROCK

here's the intro - hahaha - if you watch closely you can see Debi Mazar at .36 seconds and occasionally dancing here and there. She's a hottie.

In this "ahead of it's time type show" Michael Holman, the MC of the show, who was also the producer along with Vincent Gallo back then "Prince Vince" goes on and breaks it down for the Hip-Hop movement. It was attempt to develop a show that was similar to Soul Train and American Bandstand.

With the New York City Breakers, a stage embellished with graffiti by BRIM and an MC battle between Run DMC and the Treacherous 3, this pilot show became one of my favorite shows ever. Till this day, can never grow old watching it. It always brings back good memories.

This is the New York City Breakers getting down.

The New York City breakers were managed by Micheal Holman and it was a elite crew comprised of some of the best breakers in NYC

A bit of information too. The Beastie Boys has an excerpt of the this show in their song "Alright Hear This" from their Ill Communication album.

Stop Thinking Negatively

2008-04-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

"As a man thinketh so he is" - What are you thoughts filled with?

Life is usually what you choose to make of it. What you choose or choose to believe often dictates an outcome; your outcome. I am not referring to ones actions. We all know there is a reaction to every action, but further more referring to the thoughts conceived that more than likely shape and form who we are and what and how we do things and more importantly how we view ourselves. And too often, negativity resides in the neurons of many.

Negativity is a force that holds us back or slows us down from accomplishing anything we may set our minds to accomplish or achieve, or better said, wish to accomplish or achieve. We too often focus on and nourish the negative, stagnating ourselves and stunting our growth and development in life.

I hear, too often, people limiting themselves by their own thoughts and even words they speak about themselves. Not realizing how powerful our words spoken affect us as well. Words have power to give life or death - But I will leave that for another blog.

What "negative" thoughts or elements are affecting or hindering your life? ask yourself? Do you lack faith in yourself? Do you believe you can not? Are you afraid to fail? To lose? To look silly? Afraid to be yourself? Afraid of being disliked? Uncomfortable in certain social settings because you feel un-worthy? etc etc etc. Whichever it is, it will clearly reflect in your life, attitude and demeanor. It is the mirror to your heart and mind.

Well I am here to encourage you to transform your mind, your way of thinking. Do not allow yourself to be conformed to negative thinking. WAKE UP PEOPLE!! Identify you negative thought patterns and decondition them. Replace them old patterns with new positive ones. Little by little you can overcome these futile thoughts. But you gotta choose to do so.

In addition, cutting loose friends or people who are negative and/or have negative vibes is helpful. Those that are always complaining. Always knocking someone coming up. Always discouraging you or others. Always hating on someone. Always focused on the worse in someone. Always judging. Never forgiving. Vengeful. Hopeless. Do what they do or say cause more stress in your life? Do they wear you out emotionally? blah blah blah...cut cut cut. Laters man have a nice life. To me there's nothing more annoying and obnoxious than a pessimistic person.

People's attitudes are contagious man!! whether it is positive or negative.

Surround yourself with those things that are positive. With those that have faith in not only themselves but in what you do and support you in what it is you wanna do. Forward Thinking man.

Being optimistic may be a sham for many. But I'd rather be optimistic than negative. I've learned to be optimistic about everything, not to the point where I set myself up for disappointment but enough to believe in myself that I deserve it. I'd rather always see the glass half full and or as they say if lemons are thrown at you make lemonade.

So Stay Strong - Stay Positive

And keep in mind that I, my fellow readers, I support you. I believe in you. I have faith in you. And I know you can.

Corporate Graffiti

2008-04-11T07:48:00.001-07:00

Recently there has a been a hype over the removal of the extremely large, can-not-miss, horrendous, in-your-face, monstrosity of ads that have been surfacing up like rabbits throughout our City of Angels.

If many aren't aware, and presumptuously am certain many aren't, these "graffiti tactic" type ads are completely illegal. Yes people - ILLEGAL.

"OMG!! what are you talking about Galo? How can a billboard from a reputable company be illegal?" (in sarcastic tone)

Glad you ask. Well it's simple, their approach is pretty clever. A marketing type company scouts for a space (a building) to "hit up", once found they contact the realtor or owner, persuades them for X amount of dollars to rent or lease the space, generates a large ugly digital print known as "supergraphics" and has them installed, on the building for us to be bombarded with its imagery and be seen every morning while we either drive to work or every evening while we drive home. And just like graffiti, the larger the better and the more up the more seen.

"But Galo, these people are paying for this space! how can it be? and how does that make it illegal?" (in now inquisitve tone)

Well...that's a great question. Let me explain. You see young one, these ads are illegal because they are placed randomly throughout the city without the approval of Board of Building and Safety Commissioners hence without any approval - translation = illegal

Any kind of billboard ad(s) or sign(s) or even murals have to go through a very extensive approval process. The surrounding community plays a significant role as well. They have to be notified! very much so as a filming crew notifying you that they will be filming in your neighborhood. And if that was not enough, the ward councillor also needs to be notified and okay it as well. In addition, there are numerous other forms of approvals to go through through the city.

These companies simply found a new way to "get-up" while going or getting around the sign and ad law act. And it doesn't stop there! oh no no no no - it branches out to those poster type billboards you see on the side of stores or buildings. Those are...Illegal. Posting bills as those seen on construction sites those too are illegal. Even some of the billboards that are on top of some buildings are illegal. The owner just decided to build a billboard space and charge corporations for their ads. Ilelegal illegal illegal.

Very much like a graffiti artist defending their graff as free speech, these companies also defend them as free speech and say city leaders are discriminating against them by forbidding them from posting or installing these "supergraphics". HA! that cracks me up. I wonder what kind of punishment they receive. Similar to one as a graffiti writer? I think not!

All this sounds pretty much like graffiti to me. It has the same undertones, same principal, same tactic, same objective, same approach, same accomplishment. The only difference? one is "corporate" and the other?? well we know what is said.

Graffiti is always cast as an "urban blight" - but peeps, an ad where an almost nude 50 foot man in underwear advertising a cologne that I do not wear is an "urban blight" to me. Why would I want to see that? Do you enjoy it? I am sure most don't and like graffiti is to many a nuisance these corporate ads are a nuisance to many. To me at least.

Anyways - here's a little billboard for corporate America!!

have a great weekend all.

Sleep Troubled Nights

2008-04-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well not necessarily

Troubled

I just couldn't think of another word that began with the letter T that can be used for STN while describing my Sleepless Nights. so many T's make it so negative. Sleepless Tough Nights, Sleepless Terrible Nights, Sleepless Turbulent Nights, Sleepless....eeeeh.

Anyways - I was heading down Sunset yesterday and saw Never Sleep written across a yellow truck. I should have taken a picture but when I read it - it hit me. yeah...Never Sleep!!...It inspired me! Funny how a simple "tag" a on a truck, a vandalized truck, something so looked down upon, can actually inspire you and motivate you.

So I just wanted to say Sleepless Nights for me this year. I am gonna be on Never Sleep mode for this year and hopefully for a couple more.

I have a lot of work this year, which is good, not complaining, but I want to do more and if I want to do more I gotta sleep less (and even socialize less) - screw it...I am almost hitting 40, yes people 40, and I have so many ideas, things I wanna do and accomplish, goals I wanna achieve that I just need to tighten my belt and grind on them. It may very well require Sleepless Nights.

This whole thing reminds me of a poem written by a great poet named - Mary Oliver

"The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning."

excerpt from The Grass Never Sleeps

I am the grass. I am the ROSE - I AM NO SLEEP!!

peace

Breakin is not a memory

2008-04-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday and I am ready for the weekend. Looks like it will turn out to be a great day but any day I am not pushing up Daisies is great for me.

So Ima try to get out, since I can now, and head to the theatre today, or some time this weekend. Not to go watch a typical blockbuster type movie that lacks substance, is overfilled with explosions, has unnecessary almost irrelevant sex scenes, has minimal mental stimulation, has no artistic creative flare or touch to it but to go watch Planet B-Boy a movie by Benson Lee.

Well it's more a documentary than an actual film. A documentary that focuses on the ever evolving movement and current scene of breakdancing mostly known as B-Boying. Yes people, breakdancing!! Please don't call it a comeback!! because it's been here for years. Just cause it is not in

"THE LIMELIGHT"

of the media attention like back in the 80's does not mean it's a fad that came and is now gone. It just went back to it's natural roots.

Anyhow - Planet B-Boy combines breaking scenes with interviews and some old-school footage that I anticipate will be nostalgic for me. The film goes throughout the "planet" to capture the phenomenon of breakdancing and how it has advanced from its early stages of breaking on street corners or cardboard boxes.

If you go watch this film, I am sure you will get an eye treat full of power moves, complex freezes and pozes, amazing acrobatics and fancy footwork that I am sure will leave you mesmerized and will have you going back home trying to break.

Here's a little trailer of the film. It has a couple of scenes of one of my favorite breakdancers from Japan in t he begining. Love the scene. I also dig the train scene too.

here's a little something something too.....

yeaaaaah...ya'll didn't know I can bust huh?

alright ya'll gotta go - Hannah Montana is on.

places to go watch it:

Laemmle's One Colorado
42 Miller Alley
Old Pasadena, CA
www.laemmle.com

Imaginasian Center
251 South Main Street
Los Angeles, CA
www.theimaginasian.com

FRIENDS

2008-03-19T21:54:00.001-07:00

I was about to log off, drink some hot chocolate and watch Seinfeld when I thought of this song. I was like yeaaaaah. So I thought I'd share it with you. Great lyrics and great beats.

I remember seeing Whodini at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles. It was for The Raising Hell Concert 1986. On the bill: Run DMC, LL Cool J, Ice T, Whodini and some others I don't remember - The Beastie Boys were supposed to be there but was a no show for this part of the tour.

I went with friends Easie (R.I.P) and Minus (R.I.P) I couldn't find a good video for the song nor any footage of the concert but here is a video of live performance of the song. CHECK THE LYRICS BELOW

Friends
Is a word we use everyday
Most the time we use it in the wrong way
Now you can look the word up, again and again
But the dictionary doesnt know the meaning of friends

And if you ask me, you know, I couldnt be much help
Because A friend is somebody you judge for yourself
Some are ok, and they treat you real cool
But some mistake kindness for bein' a fool

We like to be with some, because they're funny
Others come around when they need some money
Some you grew up with, around the way
And you're still real close too this very day

Homeboys through the Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall
And then there's some we wish we never knew at all
And this list goes on, again and again
But these are the people that we call friends

"Check Is In The Mail"

2008-03-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

They say that the “root of all evil is money” but that is a misquote. It’s actually “the love” of money that is the “root” of evil. And not that money itself is evil but the love of it may lead to evil actions. There are two things in life we love most Self and Money. They pretty much go hand-in-hand and we are willing to do anything for both.

Now - I’ve lost many friends over money as well as have had many relationships tarnished over petty amounts. Whether it’s been friends promising to pay me back and not paying me or lack of fulfilling and/or honoring their half of our verbal agreement. Some being evasive, not returning calls, screening calls etc. Some of them that have owed me money have blatantly sported new threads in my presence, bought fresh new phones (i.e. IPhone), had lavish parties and BBQs while still having the audacity to invite me.

Now is this necessarily evil?…I don’t know – but it sure makes me think it can be. Think about it. One who doesn't pay lies and deceits a friend. Betrays trust. Not only that, but opens the doors for anger and resentment to give birth. In addition, not paying back as agreed may very well place the loaner in a bad financial situation because he or she may have been counting on that money. Which, dependent on the amount, can have a detrimental domino affect on their life.

Now I ain't saying to not lend money to friends or family members. Sometimes friends or family are in a financial jam and are actually good for the money. But I am referring to those that aren't or may not be.

If you do decide to lend money - make sure you can afford to loose it. If you have a verbal agreement, make sure you articulate well the payment arrangements.

All I know is that when I have borrowed money – I come through. I make sure I pay. If I owe someone 100 bucks and all I have is a $100 then I strap myself and pay those $100. I believe being a man of your word determines who you are and really measures you as a person as opposed to the level or amount of money you have or make. That to me is the world’s system. In addition, coming through with your word nourishes a relationship and strengthens trust. THAT? money cannot buy. This is also in light of "loving thy neighbor" - putting them before your own selfish needs or desires.

On that note I leave you with these:

A modern day proverb says: “Want to never see a friend again? Lend them $20”

Another “Neither a borrower nor a lender be; for loan oft loses both itself and friend.” - by the great W. Shakespeare

And for you Bible readers out there (clearing my throat):
Proverbs 6:1-5

I also leave you with this great song by Divine Sounds -

And remember – “the check is in the mail”

What's going on??

2008-03-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Been spending a lot of time at home the last few weeks. I often turn on the TV just to keep me company as I go on doing about my things at home. And as I occasionally pause to watch a "news story", I realize why I never watch TV!! or better yet, never watch the news. Everything that airs on the news is completely depressing.

Over the last weeks all I've heard has been a rampage of killings - left and right. Some guy killed his mom, another his family, a school shooting, a high school star killed, a 6 year-old boy shot in the head, another man shot and killed, a racial war is rising - and so on and so on and so on. Dude...what the hell is happening?

Call me naive but I never realized how much tension or hatred is really out there. I guess media television served or serves its purpose. It is said that ignorance is bliss but being informed does not contribute to anything either - it seems to nourish bitterness and depression and at times anger more than anything. Perpetuating the lies of exaggerated segments that only fuel fear in us. And for the record, I am not saying to be ignorant. Be informed by all means! but also, learn to control how it may affect you. Whether you believe it or not, what you read, see, watch, listen to, etc...affects you. But I will save that for another post. I can feel anger slowly rising deep within me.

Back to this - As I type, one thing just seems to yell over all my thoughts. Love thy neighbor as thyself - for many it is the golden rule - a moral principle and meme which simply means treat others as you would like to be treated.

I strongly believe it is the solution to everything. The antidote. The formula. The serum to all this hate we are experiencing. This is not a moral sermon or a religious exhortation. But a reminder or a kidn admonishment that many of us can fight back by loving one another. This rule abounds in all religions and philosophies...so there must be something right about it.

I leave you with this video/song by the great WAR and some last words by someone who greatly inspired Plato:

"What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them." - Pythagoras

- THE LOVE MAN

Talked About....

2008-03-02T11:24:00.001-08:00

A great man once said There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

Throughout my years. I've been talked about - good and bad. Of course the good is always good but the bad??...one may not be too receptive to it. But for me? it's OKAY. I actually welcome it. One my say I encourage it. And frankly, I don't really care if you talk "good" or "bad" about me.

I've learned that if I am out there doing my thing, people talk. If I am out there not doing anything, people talk anyways. So why not embrace it, take a positive twist to it? As a matter of fact, I see it as promotion. So go ahead - talk about me - it promotes me, promotes my name, my art, my personas, my doings...my everything.

and all them rumors?...keep them perpetuating...on that note I leave with these lyrics.

...it ain't that I'm too big to listen to the rumors - It's just that I'm too damn big to pay attention to 'em...- Dr Dre

Buffalo GalOs

2008-02-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist. I had to do it. My friend Stevio posted the old school song - Buffalo Gals by Malcolm McClaren and it was a throw back. I know the song and play it often but some times, timing is everything. When I heard it on his blog - the timing was great! Thanks Steve.

Buffalo Gals is in Malcom McClaren's DUCK ROCK album. The song skyrocketed during the early years of the Hip-Hop movement. The song became almost synonymous with Breakin' and Poppin' and was pretty much an anthem. In the video you can also see the great Dondi White rocking some graffiti on the wall. A "Sky's the Limit" piece

Malcolm was a great promoter. Knew how to work the scene. Many may not know but Malcolm once managed the Sex Pistols!!! yeaaaah!!! and has been credited for bringing the punk scene to London. He also managed Adam and the Ants!!

Who is Adam & the Ants you ask?? (shaking my head) check it out and take a trip down New Wave lane- for all you Goody two Shoes....

make sure to visit my fotolog or my links to the right hand side....

Blue Monday....

2008-02-25T08:57:00.001-08:00

Shup? nothing blue about this Monday. Don't really know why Monday's are blue anyways. I guess it has to do with it being the day following the weekend. I am glad I don't go through those anymore. And even if i had a 9-5, I think I wouldn't consider any day BLUE...albeit, I love blue the color...here's a little something in light of that....

so back to this...

I just heard my all time favorite musician will be going to surgery. The purple man himself PRINCE - YEP!! He will be getting hip surgery. The 49 year old ARTEEEST needs to get his hip replaced otherwise he'd get a limp and will be walking with a cane. dang!! only 49 years old too.

I remember ditching Jr High School to go se his movie, Purple Rain, at the Westlake theater in MacArthur Park. I sat through the movie the entire day. I think I watched it three times that day. I was with friends Corey Dixon and his girl Sheila...I?? well by myself. I wasn't much of a smooth ladies man so it was just me and PRINCE - hahaha...

Back In the Circuit or Scene??

2008-02-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Wellllll aummmm....sorta...

Okay - it's been a while. Last year was good. I was in and out of the city and country. Last year, towards the end I was in Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco and Mexico and Guadalajara...

My trips to these cities were great. I completely dug Seattle and of course SF is great and being back home in Mexico was great abeit I did not like DF that much.

DF is PACKED like one may have no clue unless you've been there. Cogested, dirty, noisy and so on....Put it like this...I ran out of Mexico - ran straight to my lovely land and city Guadalajara...ahhhhhhhhhhh....calm, clean, nice, greener, and on top of that my old school homies some old aummmm flings and of course my beloved familia.

anyways - I am listening to Joy Division as I type this early Sunday morning. Sunday?? hmmmm...the Lord's day. But for some. it's NFL day or Soccer day or on this occasion Oscar Sunday...blaaaahhhh...it's like 8 hours of coverage dude...who can sit through that?? I guess some can...

anyways - for me well it's a usual day - as many may know, suprisingly more than I would want knowing, I got in a bit of jam upon my return from MEX last year - a day before Christmas - yes...a JAM...so now assigned to "remain at home" for another month I have a plenty to do. things such as: clean, draw, catch up on blogs and stuff, paint, write, watch movies, sleep, and eat...eat and EAT...I think i must of gained like 10 pounds already...woooo...anyays - plug back in - I need to get everyone back on the hook of things and update this everyday or so....so swing by and tell your friend..

my promise this year is o be completely open..

I will post some pics up too...

Stay Tuned N

peace everyone.

Painted and am going to Mexico

2007-11-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

What's going on people. just here dropping by to drop everyone a few lines about a couple of things I have been up too.

I recently painted with long time friend Doc43, one of the original members of the STN crew. We rocked a little something something fun with some playful letters and colors. I totally dig the spray cans and the action of the writing of letters and numbers. hope you likes -

I will also be heading out to Mexico with some heads from LA to do a show out in DF and also participate in a graff expo.

will keep you posted about that

see you guys

been busy...which is good...I guess!!

2007-10-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

yeah man - been crazy busy. have not had no time for myself. I guess I should be thankful. but sometimes I am like "when will it end?" I wish it can all be summed up into one large event or gig get the pay and just chill. anyways, I just got back from, well a week or two ago, from back to back trips. exciting. tiring - but exciting.

I went to Seattle. Seattle was amazing. I had an awesome time. I loved the weather and definitely loved the food. I also styed with some friends up in Seattle that treated very well. While in Seattle I got a chacne to paint and anyways - here is what I painted in Seattle.

Upon my return I went to SF for a teacher's conference - yes a teacher's conference. I went to do a graffiti presntation. AWESOME!! SF and Oakland are fun. I had a blast while up there. Surprisingly I ran into four people I knew in different parts of the city. It's funny when that happens specially if you are amongst people from SF and the people you happen to run into are from different cities.

So on Saturday, October 20th - I painted at the West Coast Graffiti Party 2. It was fun it was a great turn out. Ran into so many people and friends I had not seen in a long time. Specially my old elemntarty freind Jason Vasquez - better know to ya'll as Son Doobie of the Funkdobbiest. it was a blessing to see him. Hadn't seen that fool in a lonnnnng time.

and sooooo last night. October 24th - I painted at an event up in Hollywood. Got a chance to meet Efren Ramirez, better known to ya'll as Pedro of Napolean Dynamite. He was DJing???? didn;t even know he DJ'ed. anyways here is a pic I took with him. check him out as i sport my Graffiti Saved My Life Shirt - that Vyal hooked me up with.

2007-09-21T10:51:00.003-07:00

So I used to break more often. I actually wished I had not stopped but I may be hitting the floor again soon. This pose/freeze is a bit lazy and I realized I need to brush up on my game. I don't think I will ever be like dope to battle or anything but dope enough to rock on some young fools on the floor. I will serve them and school them.

you should see more of me breakin soon - watch out!!

Anyways - Meeting of Styles is this weekend. Over a hundred artists are coming out to rock a 10,000 square foot wall in the LA River - come check out history being made. for more info visit
www.meetingofstyles.com or
www.mos-la.com

Media will be present, artists from NY, SD, Germany, Mexico - you name it. Come through -

peace

new event....and laziness.

2007-09-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

what up peeps...I have been a bit lazy to come on here and blog. but I have been getting reamed by some telling me what's the point on having a blog it if I ain't blogging. I was like ehhhhh...how about some coffee?

anyways - so this one will be a bit short. I will be painting live at an event this Saturday. check flyer...come by if you around

in addition - i will also be having a B-Day coming soon. still have not decided what i want to do but will let ya'lll (who care) know...

see you guys soon and i will drive myself a bit more to rock some writing here. specially with a couple of events coming up soon...

and if you nag about my blogging then - how about commenting on it...

Friday....just got paid - yeah right!!

2007-06-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

I wish that was a song I can sing. Does anyone even remember that song? am I dating myself here? - come on? everyone needs to know... "Just got paid - Friday night - Party hoppin', feelin right - Booties shakin', all around - Pump that jam, while I'm gettin' down" ...hahahaha - more like if I got paid I'd be broke already. Man - IF I GOT PAID!!

anywho - I am just coming off my sabbatical. pheeeew! a week long one. man I have not slept like I have the last week. I think I have a few bed sores already. I must have been way exhuasted or somethiiiiiing!

so now I need to get on the ball - heavy burdened financially I need to do something!!! I attempted to sell myself on an undisclosed area but man....people wanted refunds. I was coming back home with empty pockets...more like more in debt! I was like - what the heck - i should be making money!! righhht? plst plst plst...so I quit - Now I owe the IRS, my credit cards, the library and my pimp! oh well...the american dream right? DEBT!!

so let's see what I got in store this weekend. I hope everyone has a great one - Ima keep it short this time around!

see ya!!

10 more days.....

2007-06-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

.....well really ten pluz one. but yeah; ten more dayz until perhapz the craziest and funnest show I have organized and curated. I have dealt with many people at one time before but having to deal with 80 different artistz and from different countries, 80 different requestz, 80 different attitudez, 80 different personalitiez, 80 different level of egoz, 80 different "I want thiz and that", 80 80 80 80 80 80 80...it's definitely been something else.

anywayz - although stressed, filled with some uncertaintiez and a bit tired but restless I am very pleazed with what the turnout will be - or at least appearz to be. Working day in and day out I have not invested so much time into something without generating any kind of revenue in return - or let alone anything in return. (soundz a bit like my previous relationshipz) Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of it but at the same time I am like - I am over it!! why do I do it?? to keep my sanity I guess.

When I go to bed and rest my head on my pillow (As and FYI - I use a BEAN BAG as my pillow cuzz I couldn't find a pillow large enough for my head) - I am like - "what the heck did I do today?" - "where'z is the money?" - probably somewhere in the unseen realm waiting to materialize at it's ripe time.

so - I hope most of you reading thiz actually MAKE it out. It would be nice to see many of you whom I have not seen in a while. If you have never been to any of my shows or any of my gigs, this is definitely one to get de-virginized at.

If you do come out, pleaze, pleaze don't get ALLLLLL bent out of shape if I do not pay the attention YOU feel you deserve or at the level YOU feel you deserve it to be. Just come out and enjoy the show, enjoy the drinkz, enjoy the art, enjoy the ladiez, enjoy the men, enjoy the music, enjoy the performancez, enjoy the vibe, enjoy the people, enjoy the drinkz....and ladiez, in particular the cute ladiez, and of course if BORN ladiez, come and enjoy ME!!

see ya'll soon.

2007-05-31T09:04:00.001-07:00

Wassup everyone?? It's been reallly busy over the last weeks with many things in addition to many things with the Karan Koron Exhibition. The exhibit is just around the corner, June 14th, and things seem to be getting a bit hectic. Already dealing with some minor issues, usually the kind of stuff that is imperceptable to people the day of the event. but oh well...it's what I choose to do. I am sure after the event - I will be happy with its fruits

I must say that many of my sponsors have been nothing but supportive. Yaegaki Sake www.yaegakiusa.com has been one of the most supportive. Hirotaka-san and staff have been absolutely awesome. I must also say that their sake is among one of the best too. And ya'll need to make sure you come out to Karan Koron, not only to enjoy the show and see me but also try some of their sake and maybe even get a 300ml bottle in the 50-100 gift bags given out to the first 50-100 people that arrive. kampai!!!

Well it's Thursday morning, and honestly have only slept maybe two hours. Among my worries of work with the exhibition are the worries of living my life as a full fledge artist. Often known as the "feast and famine" lifestyle.......well I can assume you know where this is going. It's been rough - but I have to try to pull through and MAKE it. I've been very happy but at the same time not. And even though I have highly considered returning to a 9-5 - I have to hold on tight. This is my time and I have to try to do it. I've learned that life can throw some un-expected curves - and I'm just waiting for that pitch - aside from meeting an amazing small, beautiful, sexy, intelligent woman - the pitches thrown at me lately have been sinkers. I swing - but miss.

Come on ya'll - humor me!!! ya'll know I don't know JACK about sports and from somene who is oblivous to sports, I think I pretty much came up with a pretty cool analogy of my existential dilemma. nah? anyways....see you guys at my show.

2007-05-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Yo - so I just found out that one of my favorite musicianz of all timez will be reigning the Roosevelt Hotel this year.

Prince is expected to do a 7 week residency at the historic Roosevelt Hotel ya'll!!!! what the heck???

It iz said that on 7 Friday nightz starting June 15, the hotel will close itz lobby at 9 pm. Then!!! at 11:30 pm, He (in capital H) will give a 2 hour performance. duuuuude!!! Then at 2 am His private chef will take over the kitchen of the Roosevelt's Dakota restaurant!!! It will then be turned into an after hourz dinner club thingy. And as part of a jazz ensemble, Prince will entertain dinerz until 4 am. DEWD - tha's just plain bad. Seriouzly - the man is a genius. Always had some crazy ideas

As of yet I have no clue, whatsoever, what the price of admission may even be. After thoroughly searching the internet, all I keep getting is that the ticket information will be available within the next weekz or so. oh-kaaaaaaay! I can't even begin to imagine what thiz will cost: My kidney? my arm? maybe my big ole gigantic giga head? - I don't even think that will even cover how much it will cost.........I may have to work the streetz in order to afford going!!!....naaah. don't want to do go back there again.

Anywayz - az a treat - ya'll on this newz list can pull your chippiez together and hook a brotha up!!! nah?? DANG!

They've alwayz said I've alwayz been a dreamer. But! I must say, some of my dreams have come through -

Prince Make

Friday....

2007-05-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

it's Friday and thank God it is it. this is supposedly a three day weekend and well, for some it may be and for some not. for some it is 4 days or 5 (aerrrmmmmm for those short CSM's that live in Big Bear)

regardless, it is the weekend. what do I have planned this weekend? I....don't.....know!! As much as I try to be organized and calendar everything I always seem to forget something or someone or.....I don't even remember. I know I have something to do this weekend I just don't know what. I forgot. It will come to me after the fact right?

I was supposed to go see one of my idols last night at The Mint. >>Sarah Silverman<< I had this whole thing planned if I went. I was gonna bum rush her, hopefully, and tell her about my show and beg her to come. I was like I hope I touch her a bit. Shake her hand - something. (pathetic huh?) But I didn't go DANG!!

I straight love her. She to me is the hottest comedian out there and overall she is just plain HOT. Jimmy Kimmel is lucky!! I have had the hots for her since her days at SNL. Now she is all big and whatnot with billboards and stuff. (sigh) Don't matter, she is still hot and still hotter than before. You know what's funny, I always seem to have the hots for someone who eventually becomes big. meaning I usually follow peeps before they are big. hmmmm...something to think about.

In case ya'll don't know and have cable you can see her hosting the MTV awards on June 3rd. and no I am not her publicist.

alrighteee all - talk to you soon.

busy busy busy....

2007-05-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

wassup everyone....been busy - although it's all work and really no money. but oh well, I am sure it will pay off soon.
I will post information about the show I am woking on little later. I am still trying to get on the ball with this new blog thingy.

Above is a little action painting we did about a month ago at the venice contemporary. www.thevenicecontemporary.com
it was a good event. Ryan Gosling was hanging out in the crowd. cool dude

aiiight everyone....talk to you guys soon.

peace

2007-05-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

yo wassup everyone. today is sunday and I woke up early thinking about my event and of course God, life and all my girlz. No everyone!!! - not referring to the ones I blow-up. those get their own seperate time of thinking.

Anyways - I am exicted - the show seems to be snowballing into a major event. bigger than I assumed and/or believed it to be. I hope all reading this really decides to come by at least for a minute or so. I assure you, you will enjoy your time at the event. besides - it's an opportunity to see me too.

anyways - so I started this blog thing...yes yes yes!! another one. so what!!???

this is my official first post. so stay tuned to my newz and feel free to visit once in a while. the web addy is
http://makestn.blogspot.com

anyways....all righty gotta go ya'll

I need to get used to this thing too so it may take me some time.

make-stn

STN cru

2007-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

the kings of rock...little tribute to Run DMC as STN CRU