LEGENDmag.net » In the Mood For

"Who's Buying" brings new payment options to the table for jet-setting iPhone lovers worldwide

kc! Bradshaw — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:51:46 +0000

We’ve all had those moments: You are out to dinner with a group of friends—and while it didn’t start out family-style eating… definitely ended up there. The bill arrives it’s a mad rush to calculates up how much they should contribute. Those who ate the most prefer to just split the check, while the one guy in the corner who only had a beer is waving $5 at the pile.

Well, I would propose a better solution: gamble!

I recently checked out Who’s Buying for iPhone (made by JetSet Games) and can attest to it’s usefulness. Granted, in the end, one of you will be grabbing the whole check—but there is no one at the table who would deny that a chance at not paying completely is worth the risk!?

The system consists of 3 unique games of chance (see screenshots below) and 2, 4, or up to 12 players. While my personal favorite is The Wheel, there are a variety of fun options to choose from to help make that final decision.

There are some things I would like to see improved about the game—specifically the awkwardly large/small typography, and adding a few more fun games to the list—but we here at LEGENDmag love all thing indie, and a unique way of cashing out at the end of a great dinner with friends certainly fits that bill!

Available now: $0.99 iTunes App Store Link

"Who's Buying" brings new payment options to the table for jet-setting iPhone lovers worldwide is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

Out and About: The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival keeps it indie in NY

Russell Merritt — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:54:35 +0000

What’s left to be said about Brooklyn and its place in the annals of rap history? How many songs have been written singing its praises? Who knows and who cares? As long as there are rap albums to be made, you’re more than likely to find at least one rapper claiming the BK Borough as his home, natural citizen or label-implanted resident. The irony of it all is that although rap ‘started’ in the Bronx, NY’s biggest impact upon rap on a whole has no doubt come from Brooklyn. Say what you want about Queens’ contribution (Nas, Run-DMC, Russell Simmons, 50 Cent, LL Cool J., etc.), Brooklyn has been absolutely pertinent to NY’s impact on rap worldwide. From the pioneers, such as Whodini and MC Lyte, to the current auto-tune slayer, Jay-Z, Brooklyn has single-handedly kept NY on the rap map. Knowing this, it seems only right that Brooklyn be the place where an annual festival celebrating NY rap is held on the other side of the Hudson River.

The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (BHF), started by Wes Jackson of BrooklynBodega.com, is in its fifth year, thanks in part to low ticket ‘donations’, superb performances and massive support from local fans who crave more than the current hit of radio jams and club hits. Many who flock to BHF each year may be just as inclined to attend bigger concerts with huge ticket prices, but make no mistake, BHF’s independent feel is geared towards the more lyrical, political and socially conscious side of rap music made popular in the 1990’s. Unlike the various summer jams you can find in most major cities, shows like BHF and Guerilla Union’s Paid Dues are produced for the artist that commercial radio has forgotten. Well known acts such as KRS-One, Ghostface Killah and Lupe Fiasco have all made appearances alongside lesser known artists such as Homeboy Sandman, Fresh Daily and Bilal. The first BHF concert in 2005 drew approximately 1000 people. Not bad for a city which had seemingly forgotten its underground hip hop heroes. The number of fans in attendance has risen steadily ever since.

The BHF ’09 line up was definitely Brooklyn heavy with acts such as Torae, Buckshot of Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, Homeboy Sandman (methinks he’ll become something of a staple), Tanya Morgan, Chip Fu, Milk D., DJ Premier (by way of Boston and Texas), Smoothe Da Hustler and J. Period. Westchester made an appearance via Styles P., Sheek Louch, D. Block and Brand Nubian. Incidentally, the show’s most energetic performances came from Dead Prez (Florida) and headliner, Pharoah Monch, who is a Queens, NY native. The only real odd man out was super surprise guest Black Thought of The Roots. Black Thought may hail from Philadelphia but he’s as Brooklyn an emcee as any and he proved it in spades. Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box fame hosted again as he’s done previously. Uncle Ralph, as he’s known throughout the rap universe, knows how to control a crowd and didn’t hold back as he gave DJ Parler cues on what music to play between sets.

As with most rap concerts, you don’t get much of a show. There’s no props or funky attire . Most rappers wear the same clothes on stage that they might wear to a fast food restaurant or the mall. The unwritten motto is that real rappers don’t do costumes (sans André 3000). The age of the background dancer is dead as well. But that’s okay because the type of rapper that’s invited to BHF is there for you to hear, not see. The messages thrown at us on Saturday were plentiful and chunk full of positivity. Dead Prez alone drops more messages in one song than most groups drop in their career. Whether they’re telling you to respect yourself or (for lack of a better term) ‘forget’ the police, they do so with a ferociousness that is pretty much unmatched by any hardcore act today.

Rap music, in general, has an ego driven sound. Somehow, BHF ’09 wasn’t overblown with it. You never felt that you weren’t as much a part of the show as the groups you came to see. It’s as if DJ Premier was DJ’ing for me personally. Styles P. spoke to us, instead of just ‘spittin’ at us. He performed his radio hits such as Good Times alongside his more underground hits like I’m Black. Brand Nubian has always maintained that it’s one for all, all for one…so it was no surprise that they connected so well with the crowd with songs such as Slow Down and Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down. Torae got the crowd hyped with a few cuts as well. But Wait, from the Double Barrel album he did with Marco Polo, really set the tone for the rest of the concert as the beat is simply and embodies what I feel are the best type of beats for NY rap. And If anyone there was paying attention to anything that day, you knew the show was over once that familiar Godzilla sample from Simon Says boomed oozed out of the speakers. Monch could barely contain his appreciation of the crowd as he smiled through the lyrics. The crowd got so rowdy that the press pit I was standing in suddenly became thinner as people pushed on the railing separating us. The performance had a thicker sound as Monch performed in front of a live drummer as well as his DJ.

All in all, BHF maintained its place as the realest New York-based hip hop concert in the last few years. Wes Jackson runs a tight ship, from security to the volunteers to the various vendors selling t-shirts to flavored water. So long as the acts aren’t mega stars asking for too much payola, the low admission price and real emceeing will keep the crowd coming each and every year.

Out and About: The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival keeps it indie in NY is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

On the download (free indie music): Alice Russel and Raashan Ahmad (mp3)

Rai-mon Nemar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:43:07 +0000

Alice Russell – Got the Hunger
Download

With a voice that fits perfectly in todays soul landscape of strong traditional voices with solid instrumentation Alice Russel is doing her part to keep good music alive. I’ve been dying to see her live and haven’t had the chance to do so as of yet being that she’s in England. Her love for music is obvious and even more apparent when you hear her talk about it.

“Music is communication,” says Alice. “Even though I grew up in the countryside in England, the music helps you to understand the issues that a song expresses—be it love, prejudice, not being able to pay your bills, happiness, sorrow, racial inequality, your aspirations, dancing, mourning … life itself. Music is an expression of human life and we are all drawn to different types. I’m moved by all the world’s many genres of music. But soul music is what resonates most strongly in my heart.”

Raashan Ahmad – Mobstar Life
Download

So what is “Soul Power” all about as an album? we’ll let Raashan tell you himself. “Thirteen original songs mostly recorded in early 2009. After touring the United States to promote my first solo album THE PUSH, I discovered that I wanted to add more bangin’ songs to my live set as well as speak on some more topics that I have been dealing with. ”

Check out the LEGENDmag feature on Raashan Ahmad! In the meantime, you can purchase Raashans entire album here

On the download (free indie music): Alice Russel and Raashan Ahmad (mp3) is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

As big car companies strike out, inde car companies step up to the plate

Rai-mon Nemar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:34:22 +0000

Car companies like Tesla and Aptera have made Cali the go to location for car innovation. Look, design, and most of all technology is what’s driving the push. So it’s should be of no surprise that yet another company is throwing their hat into the ring for the first ‘real’ fully electric car for the masses. The President and CEO of Coda automotive had this to say about their sedan due out 2010 “The Coda sedan is an all-electric vehicle for everyone…It’s a practical revolution for real drivers who need reliable transportation.” At $45,000 I’m not sure if the care if for “everyone” but it seems like a great step forward.

Here’s the rundown on the car from the horses mouth. “Scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2010 in California, the four-door, five-passenger, fully-equipped mid-size Coda sedan will be available for $45,000 (mid-$30,000s after including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives). Powered by a 333V lithium-ion battery with a real-world range of 90 to 120 miles depending on individual driving habits, the Coda sedan travels far enough between charges to satisfy 94% of daily driving routines. The onboard charger plugs into any 110 or 220V standard outlet and completes a full charge in less than six hours at a 220V service. Charging the battery for a 40-mile commute can be completed in two hours.”

As big car companies strike out, inde car companies step up to the plate is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

"We made it" from Keely and Zaire

Rai-mon Nemar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:49:21 +0000

More good music for your eardrums. I’ve been loving everything I hear from Keelay and Zaire lately so I figured I’d share.

We made it” from Keely and Zaire
audio

"We made it" from Keely and Zaire is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

Varsity Theater Shows That Indie Film Is Alive and Well in Small Town USA

CJ Guest — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:12:55 +0000

As the antithesis to the modern multiplex, the art-house, Varsity Theater in Davis, CA, proves that indie film culture can thrive in the smallest of towns. For nearly 60 years, this single room cinema, has been offering independent art to the residents of this Sacramento Valley community. To give you an idea of just how long this theater has been around, it was the first building in Davis to have air-conditioning. With so much history behind this jewel, I couldn’t wait to check it out.

Upon arrival, it’s easy to note, through the architecture, that the Varsity has been around for a bit. Flanked by noticeably modern buildings on each side, the theater’s Art Deco styling (Streamline Moderne to be exact), stands out as a beacon of cinematic history. On this day in that history, I was there to watch the ’08 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominated Sunshine Cleaning.

When I visit art house cinemas, the screen is usually too high and too small. Not here! Even though much of theater has resisted the multiplex look, luckily such resistance stopped at the screening room itself. The screen was huge and at the proper height. The sound quality was more than adequate, although it’s sometimes hard to tell with independent narratives focusing on the story instead of special effects. The seats were plush and the rows were spaced enough for my 6’6″ frame to fit comfortably. The only con that stood out was the faint sound of the projector operating during the film. Even so, at least it was harmonious with the Varsity’s ol’ timey character. Here’s the trailer to Sunshine Cleaning…

The film was pretty good, but the ambiance of the theater, somehow made it better. After all, it’s experiences like that which will make film fans go out for movies, instead of waiting for at-home releases. If you happen to find yourself in Davis, CA one night, treat yourself to this little piece of indie film history. And when you do, make sure to bring cash, so you don’t have to walk the two blocks to the nearest ATM, as I had to.

Varsity Theater Shows That Indie Film Is Alive and Well in Small Town USA is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

Look who’s teaming up: Indiebound.org and LEGENDmag

Rai-mon Nemar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:27:31 +0000

We recently covered Indiebound in Issue 25 of LEGENDmag. The story was really well received and we were happy to find another ally in the indie movement. We’ve taken things to the next step and formed a partnership with Indiebound.org

They have alot of great tools, tips and tricks and we are doing our part to make sure you know about them. Look for alot more from LEGENDmag and Indiebound, in the mean time check out their indie map feature. Sign up, list your favorite indie businesses and rate them so that everyone can share in the goodness.

Here’s a note from Indiebound:

IndieBound.org’s Indie Store Finder map is the go-to resource for finding independently-owned retailers in the United States. If your favorite business isn’t listed, it’s free and easy to sign up! Visit http://www.indiebound.org/join to create a user account, and then add your store by clicking the “Add a Store” link at the top. More information: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-community

Look who’s teaming up: Indiebound.org and LEGENDmag is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

INDIEGUY ep1 – Taking advice from yourself, reviewing the Peek, why to shop indie, and photographer Trevor Traynor.

Rai-mon Nemar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:13:04 +0000

Take a look at our new video series INDIEGUY and get thoughts, products and people all in true indie fashion!

The Peek
Trevor Traynor

INDIEGUY ep1 – Taking advice from yourself, reviewing the Peek, why to shop indie, and photographer Trevor Traynor. is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

The Strangest Place I Ever…

Amber Milner — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:55:38 +0000

I really stepped out of my comfort zone last weekend and went to an underground porn party. Some might be surprised to know that things like that are not my bag. At all. Some people enjoy going to sex parties and watching strangers get busy on dirty mattresses and lord knows what else, but for me, I think it’s creepy. Call me close minded if you must, but I’ll never understand why you’d want to spend a Saturday night dressed like a magical mystery character while strangers do the nasty for your viewing pleasure. It makes me crave some Purell just thinking about it. Yech.

Regardless, my old friend Mikey invited me to this party, Pornivale and told me it would be the party of the year. How could I say no to naked contortionists, naked sushi, naked roller-skating, dildo races and swordfights? It was expressly stated that this was NOT a sex party. While there would be porn on 23 screens throughout the party, no one would be having sex in person. Maybe you think it’s hypocritical that I don’t have an issue with porn, but don’t want to watch people have sex live and in person. Maybe you’re right, but I don’t care what you think. So there.

Read all about it (including NSFW photos) after the jump.

So we arrived, and I was already nervous, assuming that I would be insanely uncomfortable and that everyone would be tripping on E and breaking the NO SEX rule on all of the filthy mattresses that we spied as we drove up. There was an enormous red rocket on the back of a flatbed truck parked out in front of this warehouse in the cuts of the very sketchy Bayview district. We met up with Mikey as he donned his attire for the evening, transforming into his alter ego, Vic Doublelongo (VD). People began to arrive, dressed in all manner of costumes, mostly 70’s in nature, all slightly scandalous. There were kinky clowns arriving, alerting me the fact that there exists a kinky clown fetish. Who knew?

We work up our herbal courage and enter the warehouse to be greeted by a tall man who looks as though he just stepped out of a Romanian gypsy camp. He leers at us as if he has already undressed us and welcomes us to the event. We are “guided” through the maze by a woman with a riding crop who “suggests” that we veer to the right, walking around the “Grope a Clown” box. This free-standing room has holes cut out of the walls, where you can stick your hand and grope a kinky clown. I tried it and got a handful of clown ass. These are words I hope never to utter again.

The room was sparsely decorated with various freestanding rooms for making out and whatnot, though thankfully I did not witness any of that. There was a trailer with a stripper pole in it, which to me just screamed “lawsuit” and a wall of painted women where instead of putting your head through a hole to have your picture taken, you inserted your chest. There were these enormous balls of yarn in the middle of the room, where people perched or danced. One woman, who was clearly under the influence of something intense, decided that the ball of yarn was her own personal stage for sexual release and performance. She certainly seemed to enjoy herself.

There were not 23 screens of porn, as had been promised. Instead there were four, and that was more than enough. The DJ was great and really got us moving, but every now and then, you’d look up and there would be unspeakable acts taking place on the screen above your friend’s head. After awhile it became slightly less shocking but I never got comfortable with it.

The majority of the attendees were what you might expect. Mostly hardcore Burning Man types, very free, very colorful and extremely creative. After all, who else could have constructed a seven foot, red-white-and-blue penis that shot flames from the tip when you stepped on a pedal? Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I spied an exceedingly normal, exceptionally good looking guy. Normal, outside of the fact that he was 6’7” and built like an Abercrombie & Fitch model. But in his plain t-shirt and jeans and clean cut good looks, he stood out in this crowd of fun-loving freaks and geeks. He was entirely too good looking for me to talk to. I instantly placed him in the “way out of my league” category. Besides, meeting someone at an underground porn party is not exactly the stuff of fairy tales.

Before I knew it, he was dancing with me. His arms were raised over his head and he suddenly looked really gay and therefore no longer intimidating. When I asked him what he called that particular dance move, he said “The triple Romanian half pike.” Wait. You’re hotter than hot AND you’re funny? And you’re straight? And talking ME? What the hell is going on here??? We ended up dancing the night away until I thought I would die from overheating. I gestured to the bar made of ice (which had melted into a puddle covering the entire warehouse floor at that point) and said “I’m so hot, I just want to lay down on that.” He grabbed my hand and led me to the bar where he proceeded to rub his hand on the ice and then place it on my neck and shoulders. Before I knew what was happening, he was rubbing my shoulders with his deliciously icy hands and nuzzling his face into my hair. It was so simple, so erotic and so strange as the porn played above us. What the heck was going on? This could certainly not bode well for a “how I met your mother” story. Or could it?

To answer your question…No. He does not frequent these parties any more than I do. It was his birthday and some friends had brought him to the party. While meeting someone at a porn party is the last thing I’d want, I am in no way surprised. If its going to happen to someone, its going to happen to me. The question becomes, “how do you follow up meeting someone amidst a sea of debauchery and degradation?” Why, with a date to the opening of a new exhibit at MOMA, of course. From one end of the artistic spectrum to the next, this will prove to be one of the more interesting dates I’ve ever had. Stay tuned for details. Lord knows what will happen next.

Next time, I’ll invite all of you to the porn party. You know you want to go.

Peace

The Strangest Place I Ever… is a post from: LEGENDmag.net

Wine and Beats: 1st Course – Ravenswood Shiraz and Finale

Rai-mon Nemar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:14:02 +0000

1st Course:
Ravenswood – Vintners Blend Shiraz California 2006
Finale – A Pipe Dream and A Promise

When it comes to quality I feel the wine industry and the music industry have some similarities. One of them being they both suffer from a great variety of product that without further inspection can be hard to determine quality at price consumers are willing to pay.

Of course there are alot of great products out there but whether you’re looking down the wine aisle at your local grocery or the music store in your city, you’re faced with alot of options and not alot of ways to know what’s what! There are tools to help you find products in both categories online and yet again even more options with less input on how to choose.

In step Wine and Beats, a whimsical way to share our favorite musicians while enjoying our favorite libation.

While enjoying any wine there’s always a concern that the meal won’t hold up it’s end of the bargain. It’s rare to order a bottle and have the food outshine the wine and this was my initial concern going into this pairing.

Ravenswood Winery is based in Sonoma, California and in general is known to be a decent wine at a great price (one of the few wineries to have gone public, and be bought out) of course wine like music is totally subjective but trust me, Ravenswood usually holds up.

Finale on the other hand I just wasn’t sure about. Sure I heard Finale on a couple of tracks before and of course the press release is sure to mention that he’s from the city that can do no wrong for hip hop right now, Detroit. Despite that, I wasn’t convinced.

Taking my first sip of the wine was fairly shocking to my system. Buying a Shiraz from California just didn’t seem right and upon my first “whirl” (shout to Gary V.) it seemed a little spicy and had a hint of the dreaded “bad wine spice”.

*As an aside I’m not a Sommelier (wine expert) nor do I aspire to be one. Having been to enough tastings and working in the industry for a short amount of time, I’ve learned that wine is like anything else. The more you have the better you get at choosing what you like and what others might think will be pleasing. Putting that into words however is yet another skill. And so the “bad wine spice” was born.

Finale, unlike the Shiraz was impressive right out of the gate. A drum fill kicks off the album, the next thing you know he’s mid sentence and you’re feeling like you better listen to every word or you might just miss something. Considering this was the first 10 seconds I was impressed.

This is where the wine also took a turn for the better. After the first song, I the wine had loosened up a little (It’s called letting the wine breath). This was just what this Shiraz needs as begin to pick up the pace on this bottle.

Skipping over the fact that the packaging for both products leave alot to be desired the substance vs. flash justification can definitely be used.

The wine although slow out of the gate, didn’t seem to have alot of tannins, which is that part of a wine that adds bitterness and is always sure to turn a newbie away quickly. It did however seem to be just a bit “hot” on the back end which can be great depending on what you’re having with it.

If you’re having Finale with this wine I’d say you’re good to go. Finale holds up just fine to a spicy wine. If anything I’d say that Finale was a little too complex for this simple straight forward wine. He goes from being street on one track to fairly soulful and melodic on others. The sign of a true master on the mic.

In the end Finale comes through with a solid performance. This guys has styles, upon styles, upon styles (he switches his flow quite a bit) and the wine held up it’s end. It’s not a great wine but I would definitely keep a bottle in the house for my friends with an underdeveloped pallet for wine.

Ravenswood – Vintners Blend Shiraz California 2006
Finale – A Pipe Dream and A Promise

Wine and Beats: 1st Course – Ravenswood Shiraz and Finale is a post from: LEGENDmag.net