News Features
123456
A-Trak has been making moves lately, taking his start as Kanye’s awkward wonder-kid DJ and parlaying it into time in the spotlight as emerging style icon, putting Cudi on, and turning Fool’s Gold from a party series to a note-worthy record label. A-Trak’s visual partner in crime, Dust La Rock has been working with the young Canadian, designing Fool’s Gold graphic identities for a bit and A-Trak’s signature “Greatful Bear” icon, an image that the two just turned into an 8-inch 3-D vinyl figure with toy maker Kidrobot, which goes on sale today.
Today’s Buy It Now, is the Kidrobot x A-Trak x Dust La Rock “Greatful Bear”, essentially A-Trizzy as a Furry sucking down a tab of acid and rocking his calling card sunglasses—always a must when you’re messing with those psychotropicalsuperdingdongpills. Hit the jump for purchase info, and get on it, these are limited and priced to sell.
Read the rest of the story »
This coming Saturday, June 27th, the New York artist KAWS will release NO FUTURE COMPANION, a collaboration figure with Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama which was produced by Medicom Toy/Original Fake. The figure comes at the end of a three year process that started with Sorayama’s painted interpretation of KAWS’ iconic Companion figure in 2006. From there, KAWS and Medicom set forth with turning the image into a fully pose-able metal figure that comes on a removable stand. Check the jump for images of the KAWS x Hajime Sorayama NO FUTURE COMPANION as well as the original Sorayama illustration that was the base of the collaboration. $980, kawsone.com, sorayama.com
Read the rest of the story »
Chad “Please Don’t Call Me Mr. Johnson” OchoCinco is back at it again. This time the Bengals receiver released two photos—via Twitter, of course—of what were thought to be two tattoos on his face. On his left cheek (pause) was the state of Florida, and on the right cheek (pause) he had two crosses. Turns out, though, that Carson Palmer’s favorite ball-catcher was just trying to Ashton Kutcher the media, as retaliation for the way he thinks they treat him. Only problem was that homie’s stunt got about as much buzz as a nun’s vibrator.
But after seeing O.C. punk out of putting his face under the needle, we thought it would be a good time to salute those who have been brave enough to take some pricks to the grill. We aren’t really too sure what the story is behind all these tattoos, but they’re all worth a double-take when you see them in the streets…
Read the rest of the story »
When you hear the words “hip-hop opera,” you probably think about that wack-ass MTV movie with Beyoncé from 2001. But considering the fact that hip-hop has such strong a tradition in storytelling, the two art forms should really find a less corny way to get along. Enter City Of God’s Son, a unique new project that fuses sampling culture with the type of gangster storytelling that would make Scorsese proud.
Created by artist Kenzo Digital (who directed Taz’s eye-popping “Obama” video last year), the project consists of a 60-minute audio adventure created entirely out of samples. In the City Of God’s Son’s coming of age story, we follow three friends Nas, Jay-Z and Ghostface as they navigate through a surreal, alternate reality version of New York. Look for appearances from supporting characters like Biggie, Samuel L. Jackson, Raekwon and Lawrence Fishburne.
Whatever you want to call it'a hip-hopera for the blind, an audio movie, a “Beat Cinematic” (as Kenzo calls it)'City Of God’s Son is a one-of-a-kind experience. Watch the trailer and read an interview with Kenzo below…
Read the rest of the story »
Fresh for '09…Complex homie and world-renowned artist Todd “REAS” James just hit us with a teaser trailer for two Australian shows that open next week.
The shows, called “Unnatural Disasters” and “Double Disaster,” feature never-before-seen graphic art (including some cartoon-y titties!) for the browsing pleasure of REAS fans. Check the shows out at Camperdown’s Monster Children gallery on January 15 and Melbourne’s Don’t Come gallery on January 16. Or, if you can’t make it down under, watch the trailer below to get a taste…
Read the rest of the story »
Tonight, famed L.A photographer/Upper Playground creative mind Estevan Oriol will bring his infamous black & white photo style to a new exhibit in collaboration with Vans called ICONoclasts.
The Los Angeles-based exhibit, which opens tonight at 7 p.m. and runs through the end of the year, will feature Oriol's striking photos of icons from a number of fields, including Henry Rollins, Lemmy Klimister, Stacy Peralta and Robert Williams. To see some behind the scenes videos of the subjects click HERE, and if you're in L.A hit up:
Las Laugh Pop-Up Store
129 E 6th St. ( 6th & Lost Angeles St.)
Los Angeles, CA 90014
See a preview of the photos from the show below…
Read the rest of the story »
Your favorite Complex cover artist (or second, depending on taste) is at it again. Mr. Todd James a.k.a. REAS recently launched a new website, and today he’s debuting a brand new print called “The New Deal.” The piece, which is 29.2″ x 22″ and printed on Coventry Rag 335g archival paper, goes on sale today at noon with a limited run of 150. Complex recently got up with REAS to discuss his latest endeavors. Read on for the quick interview, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at a new piece he’ll be debuting in London next month…
Read the rest of the story »
KAWS draws on event host Miss Info
Two evenings ago, The Horticultural Society of New York held their Block Party fundraiser in support of their Greenhouse Program, which prepares and trains rehabilitated felons on Riker's Island for jobs in the New York City Parks Department. Hot 97 personality, and generally awesome lady, Miss Info hosted the event. Block Party Curator Dana Albarella, acclaimed editor of hip, and hop, classic tomes such as Bobbito's Where Did You Get Those? and ego trip's Big Book of Rap Lists, enlisted a slew of top-shelf artists to contribute original works for silent auction, and many incredible works moved at reasonable prices in support of the great cause.
Peep after the jump for flicks of the work'courtesy of headliners like Todd “REAS” James, Brian “KAWS” Donnelly, Steven “ESPO” Powers, Shepard Fairey, Eric Haze, Chris “DAZE” Ellis, and Barry McGee, among others'and candids of several of the contributors who showed face for the cause…
Read the rest of the story »
While most of us use photos for trivial shit like our social networking profiles, Canadian artist Susy Oliveira is making a living out of re-purposing flicks into sick 3D sculptures.
Combining photographs with foam, Oliveira has been churning out tricky-on-the-eyes paper crafts since 2005. Pictured above is Oliveira's “The Girl and the Bear” piece, a more recent creation she's added to her extensive portfolio that includes skulls, flowers, guts, and people re-interpretations. Sick. To see more of Susy's work, check out the gallery below…
Read the rest of the story »
Kanye’s latest video off of 808’s and Heartbreak, “Heartless,” leaked yesterday. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s another moment in the Louis Vuitton Don’s cool shit whirlwind. Think John Legend dancing around in Mulan, and you’ve got the gist. But how did they make the characters’ movements look so much like their live action counterparts? It’s actually not as complicated as it seems.
In Heartless, director Hype Williams uses a method called Rotoscoping. It’s an animation technique in which illustrators trace over live-action film movement and turn it into animation. Originally, pre-recorded films were projected onto frosted glass panels and re-drawn by an animator, but now it’s all computers. This technique allows animators to perfectly emulate a character’s idiosyncrasies, even someone as complex and nuanced as Kanye West! Watch 'Ye’s latest and some other classic pop culture uses of Rotoscoping below…
Read the rest of the story »
