Cab Calloway

Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States' most popular African American big bands from the start of the 1930s through the late 1940s. Calloway's band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon "Chu" Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker, and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86.
Now beyond the Musical aspect of Calloway, he was a style icon in my eyes his aesthetic went beyond that era.

Fallen Star: Dedicated to Huey P. Newton

They could never understand
what u set out 2 do
instead they chose 2
ridicule u

when u got weak
they loved the sight
of your dimming
and flickering starlight

How could they understand what was so intricate
2 be loved by so many, so intimate
they wanted 2 c your lifeless corpse
this way u could not alter the course
of ignorance that they have set
2 make my people forget

- Tupac Shakur

The child asked what happened to the people? The old man replied, "They lost their history so they died."

Fela Anikulapo Kuti or simply Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick. James Brown cited him as one of the originators of funk. Afro-beat music is basically a fusion of American jazz and funk with West African high-life.
You can check out Fela's musical voyage and just his story in the Broadway musical presented by Jay-Z and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Human Trophies for Sale

Date back to 1673, in the heights of the slave trade, African kids being sold as trophies in Europe. Take it closer to home, celebrities making the voyage to Africa to adopt a child. My intent is not to take away from the genuineness of adopting, I'm just stating my observation. Take from it what you please.

THE TINGUIAN

The word "Tinguian" may have been derived from the Malay word "tinggi," which means mountain or highlands, and may have been coined during the early Spanish period. These are Filipino tribes from the mountains, I found myself intrigued with the women in these photos and decided to share.

The mother of us all.

Randomly found this image online. But it represents the mother of all humankind. And I think it's one of the most beautiful depictions I've seen in a while.

Merely by describing yourself as black you have started on a road towards emancipation, you have committed yourself to fight against all forces that seek to use your blackness as a stamp that marks you out as a subservient being.

Nnenna Okore is a Nigerian artist now working in the United States. She is an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Art Department at North Park University, Chicago, where she teaches Spatial Art, Advanced Studio, Two and Three Dimensional Design, Drawing I and Video Art. Okore often uses discarded yet reusable materials such as magazines and newspapers found in the United States. In redeeming these everyday waste and found objects, Okore’s works brings a focus on consumerism, excessive wastefulness, and transformation of materials. Other materials employed in her work include clay, rope, wax, wood, and burlap.

A Must See

Thom Browne for Moncler

The genius tailoring of Thom Browne added a new edge to ski wear. This season Moncler Gamme Bleue has definitely went above and beyond.

Hansel & Gretel

Lady Gaga plays the witch in this month's editorial spread in Vogue.

Levi Uribe was my first subject when I was trying my eye at digital photography.

Flappers

Flappers was the term used in the 1920's to describe this new breed of women. These women hiked up their frock tails and went against the "acceptable" behavior. They had bob haircuts, treated sex casually, smoked, drove their own cars and wore excessive make-up. Flappers redefined the role of women.

Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau, their necks embellished with bullets after they executed the most renowned drug lord.
There's a certain cycle that goes on in this country, and it may never stop. 3days after this photograph was taken, every soldier in this group picture was killed and sent back to their village to be buried. An eye for an eye, and 6 dead bodies for one(they call it the vengeance of the old testament.)

Daphne Guinness, member of the Guinness brewing family and style icon was spotted wearing Nina Ricci's gravity defying shoes from this season. She's been quoted to say "Dali had the right concept, evening gowns at breakfast."

Save Fashion

The ultimate sample sale of the year. Brands from Acne to Band of Brothers to Helmut Lang will be there.
Date: November 13-22
Address: 237 Lafayette Street (between Prince and Spring Streets), NYC
Hours: Friday, 11/13 - 7:00AM - 9:00PM;
Saturday-Saturday 11/14-21, 10:00AM-9:00PM;
Sunday 11/22, 10:00AM-5:00PM
For more details check out Savefashion.com

Her

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night hoping to find you laying beside me.

Roy DeCarava

"Photography is taking what is, and making it yours."
He said, the only thing he wants to capture is the wind. "I don't want to photograph what the wind makes move, I want to be able to capture the actual wind."
"Nothing worth knowing is instantly fathomable."

Janis Joplin

Today I was in a Janis Joplin kind of mood.