House For Sale: Prince Street

Saw this gentleman on Prince St selling house music on CD. He goes by DJ NYCK, and clearly knows how to create a bit of sanity and sanctuary for himself on a little slice of sidewalk in New York City. I mean, cmon, check out that garden! Men who rock out with their own personal gardens are, far the most part, hotter than any of those you'll see on The Sartorialist, save for elderly european men maybe. So now you know.

You can see in the photo at right, his play on words doesn't end with the sign at his feet. His discs contain real estate jargon, and his business is called "Soulful Real Estate Locations." Indeed.

Below is a sample track from the CD. If you enjoy it the you might like to try the whole CD. DJ NYCK can be reached at Houseforsale [AT] Yahoo.com.

DJ NYCK: House For Sale - Track 9

Suhyun Hwang, Penning Love Letters To NYC, Anonymously And Publicly

All three were seen on 3rd Ave, near 23 or 22nd St. Written by someone who states his name as Suhyun Hwang. "I would like you to understand my bed english please, to be my friend...I love trip so I went various countries...I wanted study in New York. I love novels"

Click photos for larger view

New Poster Boy At 72nd St C Train Downtown Station?

The poster above seems rather simple in comparison to other work done by the artist known as Poster Boy, a young man who cuts up and repurposes the subway ads that are ubiquitous in our daily lives. The artist keeps a Flickr page of his work, and the work above has not yet appeared there, so it's possible the work is not his, but of someone he inspired.

UPDATE: NYC The Blog asks, and ANIMAL New York answers. "ANIMAL reached the underground culture jamming artisan by email and asked him about the piece. While he admitted that he wasn't directly responsible for the vandalism, it's still attributable, 'I didn't do it myself, but it is Poster Boy.'"
-ANIMAL New York, practicing journalism for those who don't since 2001.

Animal, Gawker, Gothamist, and even New York Magazine have all been covering the Poster Boy beat, with NY Mag recenetly scoring an interview with the artist, where he explained his art as "A social thing, as opposed to being an artist making things for bored rich people to hang above their couch."

Below, the anatomy of a Poster Boy piece.

NYC The Blog Recommends: I ♥ NY Subway Maps From EQ

EQ is an artist who holds court on Prince St in Soho, off Broadway. You can find him there spray painting the ubiquitous I ♥ NY on subway maps, along with a variety of other original designs he works with. He will also do commissioned pieces on request. The piece he creates in the video, spray painting I ♥ NY on the map are sold for a very reasonable $20, and might make the pickiest tourist/friend/sibling happy to receive one.

You can find him via MySpace or by emailing him at groundzeroartsATyahoo.com

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Otis Houston Has A Posse

Otis Houston first came to my attention, as he does for most New Yorkers, while driving on the FDR. Later, I spotted a sheet hanging on a fence on 125th St pictured at right, bearing the words, Goggle ME Otis Houston Jr. Artist Sam Cooke. Via the comments at that post, I learned that he is also known as Black Cherokee.

Known for his eccentric and thought provoking art displays he graciously displays from his spot aside the FDR, blogger The Eagle View took the time this past spring to shoot a great video interview with Houston.

Following the posting of a picture of the sheet, a number of his fans visited the page to leave their support and encouragement in the comments for the man known as Black Cherokee.

"Yo, Black Cherokee, I've been seeing your exhibits for years now, Keep it up! Art on the highway"

"Yeah, Otis, keep it up man. wimps + bbusters represent. Been seeing you for years... navy blue subaru."

"'goggle me' it has a different meaning think about it, it is not that difficult, its almost genius!!! BLack"

"His best quote had to be, 'Bruce Lee + Muhammad Ali= ME'"

"This guy is a genius, no matter how he spells Google!!!!!!"

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Metrocard Art By James Phillip O'Brien

Fenex2001, originally uploaded by jphillipobrien2006.

EavesDrop2003, originally uploaded by jphillipobrien2006.

Previously:
Metrocards As Art Displays, Collected And Coveted

Street Fighting On 14th St.

Getting off the subway yesterday at around 5pm at Union Square, two young men were verbally sparring with each other, directly in front of the Circuit City. They went back and forth with verbal bravado for about 20 seconds.

"You!"

"No You!"

"You!"

"No You!" etc...

I'm not really sure what they were arguing about, but I believe that the one in the white shirt was selling candy, and the one with the dreads had some words for him, and/or bumped into him.

"What?"

"No you what!"

"What?!"

The man with dreadlocks seemed content to just have some words and let it go, while getting the last word in as he walked away. Prolly something like "Now go home and get your fukn shinebox." But the one in the white shirt had enough. "Let's do this right here!" And with that, they both moved to an imaginary ring in the middle of the sidewalk. An audience member on the sidewalk excitedly exclaimed, "Oh yah, a real live street fight!"

Both fighters did a good job floating around like butterflies, but they forgot the part about stinging like bees. One step in, one step back. A quick jab from afar to keep the enemy away. Though honestly, as angry and and aggressive and ready to fight as they were claiming to be, it appeared they didn't really want to hurt each other. Which was relieving, as not much else is more disheartening and scary then watching someone get violently beaten. Neither of them went for it, neither of them tried to hurt the other, and I only saw two fake jabs thrown the whole time. Neither seemed to be too comfortable with the actual physical fighting part of the argument.

Another 15 seconds later, and the one in the white shirt through his back into it, charging at his opponent and backing him into the wall. The one in red quickly gained control of the one in white, wrestling him into a headlock. They rested against the wall, physically intertwined, while the one in the white shirt pulled at the dreadlocks of the man who now held him immobilized. At no time were punches thrown, knees given, anything of the sort. I nervously waited for a friend of either fighter to enter the fray sight unseen to deliver a violent blow to someones head, but thankfully, neither the fighters or their friends watching ever did that.

Someone in the crowd said to a friend of the man in dreadlocks. "Yo call your boy off before the cops come!"

It was all over in about 60 seconds. The cops did come. And everyone was on their way.

"What's the problem here?" the officer asked?

"nothing."

"Good. Thank you gentleman."

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A Conversation With Harlem Resident And Author Of 'Side Step Me', Alex Geana

Alex Geana, Harlem resident, blogger, and author of Side Step Me, recently sat down for a coffee date at the Hungarian Pastry Shop with NYC The Blog. Side Step Me draws on Alex's personal experience with "pill popping culture; a never-ending need for one night stands, conspicuous consumption, intoxication...encouraging the sensation of happiness through the lonely intimacy and sometimes fever of New York."

Having already done a question and answer session on Gawker with their commenters, and with a blurb appearing in Allure magazine about his book, NYC The Blog is putting Alex and his book in front of our huge audience. He handed me a copy of his book, and in return, I read it and sent him some questions via email.

NYCTB: Where do you live? And what do you like and dislike your current nabe? Do you have a favorite establishment in the neighborhood?
Alex: I live on 137th and Broadway, but moving shortly to 148th and Broadway, I really like the spacious apts in this area and the diversity. I love Fairway, I'm a huge grocery store buff and love cooking as often as I possibly can. Artists can't afford the East Village anymore, so it seems as though everyone moved uptown and I can't deal with the Brooklyn commute.

NYCTB: Why a book of poetry, as opposed to a fictional narrative for instance? Though a narrative does seem to run through the book, one of loneliness, glimmers of hope, anecdotes about chemically/substance altered states, and of acceptance of life on life terms. Is that accurate? In that respect, how is your life still the same/different from the times the poems reflect?
Alex: You're totally right. The narrative and through line came later, as I was editing and piecing the work together, I thought long and hard, about shared and common themes and how to tell a story using a poetry book. So in this way, it's unique. If you got the connectivity that holds the book together, then I feel confident other people will. All books should tell a story, to captivate. I wanted to put my poetry and short stories out there, with a sprinkling of photos. So this is was a great start. I wanted to do something different and I think I succeeded.

What I write is always written in the moment. I'm an observer above all else. Yet making the work come alive was important. Each poem at times, becomes it's own character. (i don't know if I'm making sense here). That was my primary goal. To tell a tale in a unique way, about the times we live in, the pills that are supposed to cure us, yet just contribute to the apathy that permeates our world.

NYCTB: Any parting shots?
Alex: Thanks for taking the time to review the book. I really hope people connect with it. It's been a work that's near and dear to my heart. I love hearing feedback.

NYCTB: Where can people buy your book?
Alex: They can buy the book through www.sidestepme.com, at Amazon and even at Target.com. It''ll be available in independent and gay book stores shortly.

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Welcome to the fukn neighborhood

Video shot on the corner of B'way and Bleeker.
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Painted Subway Maps by EQ, On Prince St, NYC

The artist EQ sets up his stand for business on the sidewalk of Prince St.

More information about the artist and work will be forthcoming, as well as a short video interview.

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Harlem Preacher The Honorable James David Manning: "Obama's Mama Was Trash"

"a low-life, snail-eating white woman. That's the kind of woman that Obama's mama was. And that's what my mama told me. And if you don't like it, go tell my mama that you don't like it...."

The video runs for 8 minutes. It really is something, watch the whole thing. He saves his best vitriol for Chris Mattews, Keith Olberman, and their children. This is the first I've heard of this guy, but it appears the church, Atlah World Ministries, has a slew of these sermons up on a Veoh channel, here.

UPDATE: Ah yes, now I remember.

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Ellis G. Installation At Sara Tecchia Gallery in Chelsea

Ellis G. temporary installation installed at Sara Tecchia Gallery 529 W.20th St. Bet. 10th and 11th aves. NYC.

Ellis Gallagher, AKA Ellis G., has a temporary installation up at the Sara Tecchia Gallery until Nov. 1st. You can view more photos of the installation here.

Ellis is a well known artist from nyc who has been using chalk as his medium, tracing shadows cast on the street from a a variety of street furniture, such as bicycles, trees, fire hydrants, and more. Wooster Collective has a great video of Ellis creating and talking about his art, here.




Related:
Ellis G. Hits Northampton, MA

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More Street Shots From Bryant Park Fashion Week

Click the above montage to see the latest set of photos. Below are my five favorites photographs shot that week. You can view the first set of photos here.







As Ben Stiller would say, "Huh Scott? What do you think about that!" (karate chop)

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Apollo Braun, L'enfant Terrible Of The Lower East Side. Part Duex

Video with Apollo Braun, proprietor of eponymous named boutique at 193 Orchard St. NYC, as he expounds on Apollo Braun, the controversy over his t-shirt line, his right to creative license, his recent break-up, and more.

Relatedly, Apollo was recently at Bryant Park where Time Out NYC reporter Julia Allison interviewed him on camera, where Apollo preceded to tell Julia the dress she was wearing "is shit!" He's right you know, I saw her in that dress, and it was not the best choice. "It could be Lauren, or Forever 21, it doesn't matter."

Previously:
Apollo Braun, Part One

Heckler At Bryant Park Fashion Week Skewers The Fashionably Fabulous

Monday afternoon, around the back stage entrance to the tents at Bryant Park for NYC Fashion Week, was the gentleman in the above video. He was out there for at least a good half-hour, and initially he appeared drunk, with others around kinda aghast at the developing situation. He did indeed seem to be an obnoxious intoxicated heckler, and his cat calling and heckling seemed to be just that, initially. But after crying out to an asian man, "Jackie Chan! Jackie Chan!" the anonymous heckler/comedian got a few laughs, and his routine started to pick up steam. He won the crowd the over, and people began to enjoy themselves, laughing along. He was skewering models and others alike with cries of "You're so famous!" "You wear that fabric so well!" and my personal favorite, "What are you eating? Where did you get that? I follow the trends! I want to buy it too!"

At one point he left to "get another drink." I never did see him return for a second act at the back stage entrance.

Bryant Park Fashion Week Street Shots

Click here for more.

Marie Salter; Bryant Park Fashion Week

Marie Salter for Bootzwalla; Bryant Park, Sept. 08 08

NYC The Blog is back online. Holla.

Will be back to regularly scheduled posting soon.

Video With Apollo Braun, L'enfant Terrible Of The Lower East Side?

Apollo Braun on Gawker and the Holocaust. (video url)

NYC The Blog recently spent about 30 minutes with Apollo Braun at his Orchard St boutique, on camera. You know, the Obama Is My Slave T-shirt guy, fashion designer, agent provocateur, songwriter, poet, activist, "race-bating media whore", etc...

Talking with the NY Press recently about the sometimes angry feedback he receives over his line of shirts, he pleaded, "They don't understand what I'm doing. They think I'm spreading hate." Just what is Apollo Braun doing? His Wikipedia page which he no doubt edits, states, "He is a full-scale pop-artist that is creating fashion, paintings, poetry, plays, and music."

Who is Apollo Braun? Who is this man people love to roll their eyes at, to dismiss as irrelevant, to hope failure on. This man whose fashions steadily lured customers to his store while I was there. This man who is such an adept media manipulator, whose shirts became must have items for Britney Spears, Bjork, and others who pass thru. Who is this man who so carelessly voices his disdain for Jews, and approval of Hitler?

Camera in hand, I went to 193 Orchard St to find out. Apollo spoke about a wide variety of topics, including the conflict in the Middle East, the Iraq/Iran dilemma facing the United States, his desire to have anal sex with Gawker reporter Hamilton Nolan, his recent break up with his BF josh, and his admiration for Adolph Hitler. He spoke about the Holocaust, Jews, Blacks, and Whites. He sang a song, read some poetry, and offered to show me his underwear and then backed out. We spoke about his clothes, and a pair of one off pants priced at $10,000. Apollo is a performance artist, and everything he does is all part of the play. Vulgar and offensive? An artist pushing the envelope? A performance without any filter? All three? Watch the videos and you tell me.

Over the next few days, I'll be posting video clips of the extensive interview. The first one is posted above, and you do not want to miss the bomb he drops at the end.

p.s. Today is the last day of his "every item is 69$ sale" and that is literal. Any item at Apollo Braun at 193 orchard St is 69$. If it was marked at $10,000, $580.00, or $128.00, today it is $69. He really does have some very cute stuff down there that I would def buy if I had any money.

Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half-Steppin' Live @ Marcus Garvey Park

As promised, here is a video of the show Big Daddy Kane performed last week at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. The video shows him putting on a shirt an audience member gave him, a full clip of Ain't No Half Steppin', and a dance Kane and Scoop Luva performed at the end of the show.

Grandgood has video of Kane performing Warm It Up Kane, and catches the full dance routine with Scoop here. UPDATE:: Grandgood's YouTube page has a total of nine videos from the show. (!!) It's great to watch Kane perform these songs all over again.

Big Daddy Kane @ Marcus Garvey Park

Kane, warmin' it up at Marcus Garvey Park

Yesterday evening, come rain or shine, Big Daddy Kane performed at Marcus Garvey Park, in a free event courtesy of your friends at City Parks Foundation. The show was advertised as running from 7-9pm, though the B-I-G D-A-double D-Y K-A-N-E left the stage at approximately 7.45. Seri, he's the original, asiatic, acrobatic, it got dramatic. I'll have some video up on Monday. You know the show was mad dope, fo real. It was dramatic, asiatic, not like many. Holla 1988. Holla.

Here is a complete listing of concerts put on by CFD, you can still catch a few before the summer is over!