Support.

Blaq Artist Supporting Other Blaq Artist

A$AP Rocky at HBA store opening in Los Angeles, CA

Drake in his music video Worst Behavior

Shayne Oliver (HBA Designer) for Interview Magazine in HBA 

We have to stick together.

-A

Chronicles of a Naturalista

The crispy cold air is a blowing, and my hair is a drying.

What to do, what to do!?

Inspiration:

Me:

Great, fun protective style for the winter, or a little something to cover up a bad hair day!

What do y’all think? Did I nail it?

-A

King Kendrick

Kendrick Lamar kept his throne mighty warm last night at the Oracle Arena, in Oakland, Ca. 

Kendrick Lamar is the opening act for Kanye West, according to the Yeezus tour. According to me, King Kendrick was the headliner last night in Oakland.

Getting to the arena a tad bit late, I rushed over to my seat, to find the handsomely dressed K.Dot on stage. Wearing all black (from the hoody to the black Timberland boots), with a flannel vest to keep him in style, he had me on my feet for the full 45-minutes or so he was on stage. He takes the audience on a tour through C.O.M.P.T.O.N. with the video monitors going while he performs banger after banger off his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Critics say Kendrick is a lackluster performer, but last night he was jumping jubilantly around the stage, and there was no way you couldn’t feel the energy pulsating through the whole arena. He even paid homage to 2Pac with a little “Hail Mary” chorus, representing Cali to the fullest. He even had something to say to the critics, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”. The vibe was set, and everyone was chanting his name as he exited stage right. 

“Kendrick, Kendrick, Kendrick.” We wanted more.

-A

Chi-Town

From LA to The Bay & From Oak-Town to Chi-Town

It’s about that time to make a move … soon. After graduation (May 2014), I will be embarking on a new journey to Chicago. Every time I tell someone I want to move to Chicago, I get the same question: Why?

The neighborhood of Lakeview, in Chicago, is now one of the most fashionable places to live in Chicago. The fashion scene is up and coming, and I want to be there in the beginning. I want to get my foot in the door, and build my resume. Why not start there? I feel like it’s so cliché to move to New York, and I definitely DO NOT want to move back home to Los Angeles.

I am already looking at internships, places to live, and jobs. In the mean time, do you guys have any suggestions? Different places to live, fashionable places to work?

Let me know how y’all feel!

-A

Foxy Brown? No, Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles, looking like a modern day Foxy Brown, made her presence known at this years Met Gala on Monday. From head to toe, she was very afro centric, while keeping up with the times. She is easily one of my favorite natural sistas, and I can’t wait from my hair to get that big. I want to rock the Solange ‘fro! Her earrings scream texture, just like her dress but when you look close, its a bunch of different colored diamonds and they just set off the entire look. Now this dress by Kenzo, is amazing to me. The cut outs on the top, followed by the leg baring split on the left side made her look tall and statuesque. Drop dead gorgeous honey! And anyone who follows trends, knows these sandals, are it. The perfect style find, and she matched them perfectly with this spring look.

Thank you Solange for staying true to yourself, rocking your kinky curly in a society where it should be straight! Go head girl, and rock it!

This look gave me life, what do y’all think?

-A

(photo credit: Huffington Post and Ms. Drama Tv)

Ordered Chaos

 Domo is a 23 year old student athlete at the Academy of Art University. She is studying to be a visual merchandizer, but she really has a passion for hair and make-up. She has a very eclectic personality and a style to match it. I spotted Domo on Market & 7th st in downtown San Francisco, next to this wall. This wall, in my eyes, matched her outfit. Very traditional, black and white on top, and pops of colors on the bottom. Domo is wearing a black leather sleeved jacket (Zara), a black and white shirt, black pants (Zara) and some old school Air Max Nike tennis shoes (Nike Town). An outfit that would normally be paired with a pair of classic heels, was paired with a pair of classic tennis. I loved it, and was obsessed. Now, I want a pair of Air Max Nikes!

What do y’all think? Did she nail it?

I love it girly, keep rockin’ it!

 

-A

An Outer Space Face to Face

With Raphelle Andrews, an up and coming Bay Area R&B sensation

A fresh face to R&B with a sound that is out of this world, this talented singer/rapper/songwriter represents San Francisco, CA with style. With countless performances around the Bay Area, Raphelle Andrews has been in the studio recording the story of his life. Furthermore, his unique flow and rare vocal style is incomparable. Raphelle Andrews as The Jinxx (his alter ego) has been featured on albums as a rapper & singer for The Game, Too Short, Young Buck, Juvenille, San Quinn, Dem Hoostarz, and a number of other Bay Area artist. Currently Raphelle Andrews is working on the completion of his debut R&B Album “Confessions of an Astronaut”. With “Confessions of an Astronaut” he wants to come with a bicoastal sound, a mix of Alternative Hip Hop, Organica, Pop, and R & B. Get ready to enter the mind of Raphelle Andrews.

What or who got you started in rapping/singing?

I was brought up in a musical family. When I was nine years old my cousins were signed, and I was in the studio with them watching them create songs. And when I was forced to sing in a choir, which I hated. On the hip hop aspect; my sister is highly responsible for that. She played rap songs for me, and had a high volume of hip hop in her life. But MC hammer takes the cake, the first time I saw him made me want to do music for the rest of my life. 

Where did you get the name/concept for the new album?

The name of my album is “Confessions of an Astronaut”, and I got the concept of the album from this song that I did with this band and it was a spacey beat that got stuck in my head. The concept is me taking my fans into another world with my genre bending music.

How do you approach making an album?

Basically I come up with a song and then lead from there and venture off to the topics of the album, or coming up with the title and then going off of that. I build a variety of songs all around the title of the album.

How did you start writing “Confessions of an Astronaut”?

I just grabbed he sidekick at the time [we have a laugh] and started jotting down different ideas, I was brainstorming because I had came up with three different concepts for the beat that I received. Then it just ventured from there and the album started to take place because I got beats from the same producer.

What was your inspiration for the album?

Diversity, that’s the first thing I think of when I pick up a pen or I’m jotting down notes. Its like I have to make this song different and this song different.

What is your process of putting together your music? When do you decide that it is actually ready to go?

I make from 30-50 songs, and then take the songs with a similar sound but with variety. And then I sum it down, pick, a couple which turn into 15-16 songs, which include skits that coincide with the songs of my picking. And then comes the order, which then makes me listen to the songs. I’m the type of artist that listens to my songs at least 15 times. Picking, pulling songs, and then feeling like something’s missing because I am my own biggest cretic.

When you make songs do you think about what you’re going to wear when you perform them?

When I pick up a pen I visualize the whole aspect of where the song could go.  The video, the performance, the dance and I need a wardrobe that goes along with the movements, especially for the lady’s. Lady’s Love Cool Jinxx. I always picture some fancy attire, something upscale.

Where do you see yourself a year from now, realistically?

I see myself, based on the notoriety that I’ve gained in the last six months on a consistent basis of perusing this, I see myself being more successful. Especially if I stick with networking more, and venturing off to more than I can reach and using the tools that are at my dismay. Still, almost there.

What are some words you can give to a young Bay Area artist that you wish you would have heard when you were younger?

 Networking is key and consistency: You have to stay consistent to be relevant. Also, making songs for women is key [he winks].

New Song: Turn Up N’ It . Listen and tell me what y’all think!

-A