BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

Unless you've been asleep for the last 7 days, you would have heard about Italian Vogue's upcoming July issue featuring only black models.

The special issue include more than 100 pages of black-"ness", including the cover, which features images of black women taken by the acclaimed New York based photographer Steven Meisel. The pictures will be accompanied by articles on successful black women in arts and entertainment.

This issue has been regarded as "A breakthrough in fashion barriers"....what angers us is this idea that this edition is expected to be the worst-ever selling by the renowned publishers. Industry insiders claim black girls just "do not sell". What does that mean?

Is that implying that Vogue enthusiasts will suddenly not by their favourite read because a black woman is on the cover or black people don't have buying power or they can't read or are simply unfashionable?

I will not answer any of these questions cause these implications are simply too disturbing to comprehend.

ONCE UPON A TIME

This is British homegrown at its finest.

Sincere featuring Natty with Once Upon a Time

BRUTAL ANGLES

We're loving the new Rolling Stones Cover with Barack. We just hope it'll be from a different angle next time.

SLIPPIN' LITERALLY

You all know who this man is.



Ay yo I'm slippin' I'm fallin' I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin' I'm fallin' I can't get up
Ay yo I'm slippin' I'm fallin' I gots to get up
Get me back on my feet so I can tear shit up!

I been through mad different phases like Masons
to find my way & now I know that happy days are not far away
If I'm strong enough I'll live long enough to see my kids
doing something more constructive with they time
than bids I know because I been there
now I'm in there sit back & look
at what it took for me to get there
First came the bullshit the drama with my mama
she got on the fly shit until i split
and said that I'ma be that seed
that doesn't need much to succeed

How many of us held on to these words for years?......Only if he could have done the same.

DOGG IN HEAT

This is the disturbing mugshot of (not guest featured in a while) Nate Dogg, taken after he was arrested for trying to run his wife off the 405 in LA last night.

His 2001 duet with Mos Def and Pharoah Morch springs to mind:

Oh no
Brothas aint scared to hustle
Its been seven days, the same clothes
Ask them originals cause they know
Mos def, nate dogg, and pharoahe
Step away from the mic they too cold
The funk might fracture your nose

Yep.....but you didn't have to relieve it!

BADGE OF HONOUR: THA CARTER III

I have no words to describe how good this record is. You have to hear and own it to believe it!!

Yeah
To you foreva from me to you
I heard somebody say church, I'ma need a suit
I'ma need a coupe, I won't need a roof
Flyer than Beetle Juice Beetle Jucie Beetle Juice
I got the floor I'm tryna see the roof
Didn't wear a bulletproof so I got shot and you can see the proof
Blind eyes can look at me and see the truth
Wonder if Stevie do
But I'm a leave it to God not B but even U
Cause I'm a murder Y kill O and even U
Man I got summer hating on me cause I'm hotter than the Sun
Got Spring hating on me cause I ain't neva sprung
Winter hating on me cause I'm colder than ya'll
And I will neva I will neva I will neva fall
I'm being hated by the seasons
So fuck ya'll who hating for no reason

SW19: WHITE GRASS CHIC

Remember our SW19 chic post, where we suggested how to dress on and off the tennis court for the next fortnight in SW19 London. Well, it looks like it wasn't only fans who were taking note, the players also have dug deep and are displaying their own brand of individual style this year.

We are most proud of Roger Federer (donning a natty white cardigan) and Ms Serena Williams (spotting a short white mac coat), this is why Wimbledon is such a prestigious event. Nothing beats it.

Word on the street is - Maria Sharapova is going to re-invent women's on-court attire today. We look forward to it as she plays her first round match later today.

It's Grass baby!!

ANTI-OBAMA SLOGANS: SHAMEFUL

This truly wounds my heart. I've just found out about racist paraphernalia sold by a Republican vendor in Texas as part of the anti-Obama campaign. These buttons have slogans such as "Let's keep the White House White..."

It is really depressing that despite the triumphs of the Democratic party and the achievements of a potential great leader, some Americans still demonstrates ignorance of the highest calibre. Please don't get me wrong, I was never naive enough to think for a second that the next five months were going to be easy however I never conceived it possible that this type of derogatory message could make it into Republican campaign rallies. This is simply mouth-dropping.



C'mon Americans (white, black, yellow, blues ... whatever your political preference, we can do better than this). You are way too intelligent to treat democracy with such shallow roots.

FINALLY!

She's out.

You are the disgrace. How dare you use Islam as a crotch to behave like the uneducated buffoon which you are.

I hope you perish in obscurity.

SW19 CHIC

I'VE ACTUALLY GIVEN UP HOPES OF GETTING MY DESIGNER HANDS ON A PAIR OF WIMBLEDON TICKETS THIS YEAR.

I can't even get First Round Centre Court seats, can you just imagine? Yet I'm sure come Monday afternoon all you will see are these 2nd rate citizens with their ill-fitting clothes eating sweets at SW19as Roger Federer serves his trademark backhands. The injustice of this world. Do they not know who I am?

Since I can't get my hands on tickets, you can be assured that for the next fortnight my look will be GRASS chic. This is tribute to the delightful Wimbledon-inspired collection from Ralph Lauren.







So far everyone I have seen in the trademark green and purple jacket looks wrong so you know it means those rich-pansies just don't rock it right.

The collections has everything Belts, Caps, shorts and of course, the trademark Polo's. so whatever you're budget, you get something and look like me perhaps.

Just talking about it is making me what to purchase.

FIN.

VINTAGE BABY!

Vintage isn't such a bad word people!

Stay in some old-dusty ultra cool gear this summer. Invest in some out-of-this-world jackets, shoes, bags and other accessories. If that sounds good, it's all about Rokit Vintage Clothing. It is the vintage outlet regularly featured in the press and is a favourite amongst stylists and lovers of vintage.





I recently discovered their Covent Garden store and although it's a tad expensive, it's a guarantee for future purchases. Drop in this weekend -

42 Shelton Street
London, WC2H 9HZ
Nearest Transport: Covent Garden
020 7836 6547

WHO ARE THE THIRST?

This is 'em.

HOT RIGHT NOW: DONAEO

DON'T SPEAK JUST LISTEN!

This is Devil in a Blue Dress by Donaeo.

M-DOLLA: "...GET STUPID, GET STUPID...."

M-Dolla shows no sign of heading towards the anti-wrinkle cream and quite honestly I'm enjoying her recent efforts. We all agree that Confessions on the Dance floor was not popping hence it's nice to see her back grating her abdomen to great pop-tastic tunes with the little help of $1m-a-song producers but who cares, it's only money and it's M-Dolla.

The follow-up to my dance-floor ego-song "...I only got 4 minutes to save the world' is GIVE IT TO ME. Produced by newly-cool Pharell Williams (yep...it's cool to like him again).

The video will give you a headache with its over-excitable image shakiness but we like it all the same. Look out for the oversize Hermes purple Birkin which Pharell struggles with during the bridge. Soooooo avant-garde.

We like!!

N*E*R*D

The gang are back. Yep, the N*E*R*D maestros. Bizarrely titled, Every one's Nose - really challenging our intellect there.

The new music video has everything - Lindsay Lohan, drugs, unstable camera stills, bizarre antics but overall a great pop tune.

It's looking like the Resurrection of Pharell Williams is finally upon us.

RIHANNA EPIDEMIC

We can get enough of Rihanna at the moment. We are feeling the new Remix of Maroon 5's If I Never see your face again.

This is the most stylish video of the month so far.....

Enjoy!

PUSSYCAT DOLLS: TRAITOR & DANCERS

Okay, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought "what is she doing there" after seeing Nicole's strategically re-group with the Pussycat Dolls.

What happened darling, did your career burned? Boo-fucking-woo!

Ms Nicole Extensions herself decided to use her backing dancers after the group's dye attempt to find a replacement. Anyway, luckily the performance was smoking and I actually think the song "When I grow up" is a catchy number.

But on the whole, MTV needs to scrap these Movie Award soirees, seriously - they are just too mediocre....pure drivel!

THE ONLY WAY...

Congratulations to Senator Obama after last night's historic achievement. We must now unite the party and keep the hope alive for the many democrats and all of us whom have supported both campaigns.

This is the image I want to see in January 2009.

God bless America!