Nikki & Rich and London

Just got home from London where Nikki & Rich had their first international exposure with a showcase in London. Like usual they killed it. We have a ways to go but there's no better feeling than being so passionate about something and watching it come to fruition. Theres a few REALLY BIG things I cant announce yet that are going put them on a national stage.. Not to mention an incredible video Anthony Mandler just finished up. Couldnt be more grateful to work with talent like this.. Life is good.

if you havent seen check out
NikkiandRichattheRoxy

Why Not?

The Catholic Church

Out of respect to those who find solace in the Catholic Church I will do my best to keep this light. I grew up in a hardcore Irish Catholic neighborhood in Philly where people where identified by which parish they belonged too more than anything else. I attended Incarnation Catholic School until the 8th grade where I was an altar boy for about 4 of those years. I remember even then not really understanding religion outside of the fear and guilt they seemed to drill into my head. I saw the irony of people who spent Monday thru Saturday at the corner bar that cleared the slate by going to mass on Sunday. No one seemed to act "religious," it was the rituals that mattered. Baptism, Communion, Confession (which i always found ridiculous, even as a kid,) Confirmation, Sunday Mass, etc.. What stuck with me the most as I grew up was the fear and guilt instilled in me by the nuns and priests in school. Its something I didnt really overcome until my 20's.. Being told you were born a sinner and would burn in a fiery lake for all eternity if you didn't follow certain rules is tough on a 8 year old. Little did I know across the world little boys were being traumatized by "celibate" priests who used their power to manipulate and ultimately destroy the innocence they were supposed to protect. Every year a new scandal erupts. In any corporation this type on ongoing problem would be its downfall. But religion seems to be untouchable. I know there are millions of cases where people have and continue to have positive experiences with the Catholic Church. For some it gives them strength and hope. I just wish those in charge had the balls to admit it mistakes and put these people in jail as opposed to just transferring them to another Church and sweep the issue under the rug. Entire lives are being ruined while the Church seems to look the other way.. My experience within Catholicism helped me realize that I needed more than something so fear based and for that I am grateful.. I feel closer to my interperatation of God then I ever did back then.

What is happening to us?

This debate has gotten to this.. and its a sad representation of the propaganda being fed people who dont take the time to actually do the research. Its become visceral and emotional. Its being associated with welfare and socialism when the current bill itself fully supports privatization. In fact the health insurance stocks have gone up since the conclusion that this bill will pass. Sure its not perfect but its definitely not a government takeover of healthcare. Its actually not even close. If the argument is solely about cost and some people refuse to agree with the CBO's assessment that it is deficit neutral then where are they on defense spending? Where are those picket signs? Why are they belittling a man with Parkinson's disease making his own statement? Sad..

Today in Batshit Crazy News

From HuffingtonPost
Glenn Beck and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) expressed harmonized outrage on Beck's radio program Thursday about news that the House might vote on the health care reform package this Sunday. Voting on a Sunday, they said, was offensive and heretical.
"They intend to vote on the Sabbath, during Lent, to take away the liberty that we have right from God," King said.
"Faith has been perverted," Beck responded, then repeated. "They are going to vote for this damn thing on a Sunday, which is the Sabbath, during Lent."
Beck continued:
"Here is a group of people that have so perverted our faith and our hope and our charity, that is a -- this is an affront to God."
Though Beck conceded that he didn't believe that the Sunday vote was consciously chosen as a plot against God, he did find the timing apt.
"I think it's absolutely appropriate that these people are trying to put the nail in the coffin on our country on a Sunday -- something our founders would have never, ever, ever done. Out of respect for God."

I must say this is awesome, you couldnt make this kinda of shit up if you tried.. And even if you bought into this whole thing you would lose the argument off of the classic "What Would Jesus Do?" question.. The irony is overwhelming. Helping the sick and poor has become ungodly. Wow. Brilliant.

Teabaggin' against health care

As someone who has been in marketing for most of my adult life I cant help but stand in amazement at the absolutely incredible job the far right does in playing the emotion card. Its a fairly simple tactic. Tap into the dark emotions in people and facts simply dont matter. You could tell them the sky is red and they will believe blue is a government conspiracy. This whole abortion thing is a perfect example. Whos got time to actually read the bill especially when guys like this will just hand feed you what to think. Now truth be told the health reform bill is so watered down at this point its become a political bouncing ball. That said its impt that we dont allow this fight to be lost on manipulation and just plain false information. Its amazing how hard people are fighting against health care. Its actually mindboggling.. Lets just get the damn thing passed so people will realize the world wont end because of it. 30 million more people will be covered that currently cant afford it. Lets do it for the voiceless in this country.

Punk Rock

I cant even tell you how many times I listened to this as a teenager.. It was no different from Metallica to me at the time. It was a punch in the mouth and I loved it. I also learned about the struggle of black culture through Public Enemy. I had grown up in in a white Irish Catholic neighborhood in Philly where streets were used as race lines, and was at that time living in Tempe AZ which was somewhat of a white zone.. In their own way Public Enemy educated a nation of white kids who up until then lived in somewhat of a bubble when it came to race. To a teenager angst just made sense. Circumstances and details were different but the energy was the same.. it was punk rock. and I was hooked..
P.S. Note to rappers and producers, this is what music with actual emotion sounds like.. Its called having a "voice." Also can someone pls copy the Bomb Squad vibe again...

London bound

Heading to London tomorrow for a Nikki & Rich showcase.. Lots of great stuff happening with them.. I love when passion works. Believe, work, and allow...

Fresh Balls.. (an actual product) hilarious

Think Im kidding?

FRESHBALLS.COM

Guilty Pleasure

Song Therapy

This is probably the 3rd time Ive posted this song but truth be told this song is the equivalent of about 6 months of therapy and a valium prescription. .. The lesson? Well I suppose that depends on the individual but for me Vienna is the present moment and everything in life that is worth living for lives there.. that includes success, happiness and peace.. The mind is always stuck in the chase of the future or the regret of the past and the gift of the present is lost.. Cant get that time back and you definitely wont be thinking about that stuff on your death bed.. Follow your passion and instinct in the present moment and the world is yours..

"When will you realize, Vienna waits for you.."

Home Schooling Biology Textbooks

this is taken from an actual home schooling textbook on Biology.. Home schooling is the fastest growing education option in the country. I'll let the below speak for itself. Sick.

“Those who do not believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God will find many points in this book puzzling,” says the introduction to “Biology: Third Edition” from Bob Jones University Press. “This book was not written for them.” The textbook delivers a religious ultimatum to young readers and parents, warning in its “History of Life” chapter that a “Christian worldview … is the only correct view of reality; anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is.”

Mans Best Friend

Man this is tough to watch but sums up why Ive always been attached to dogs. I have learned so much in my life from my own dogs about loyalty, letting go and living in the moment. For a lot of people their ego wont allow them to even think its possible to learn from an animal. You can. I cant imagine life without one by my side. RIP Boo. Long Live Bodhi!!

video taken from SHANEPOWERS.COM

BIG's day

In my Top 5 hip hop songs of all time

The Cove: Oscar for Best Doc

If you havent seen this movie, take the time.. Educate yourself. The fact that this goes on will blow you away. The more people know the better the chance it will stop.

Palin: God wrote on his hand..

You Betcha!!!!

Converse First String Chuck Taylor Ox

Clean.

Exhibit A: Eminem/Jay Z

Ive probably been in at least 500 in depth conversations in my life about who is the best rapper ever.. It almost always ends as some debate about BIG vs Pac.. Problem with this convo is theres so much to consider. I personally am a Biggie guy but I also get the Pac argument.. Sure theres 10 others that are up there and worthy but if your talking about straight lyricism there is no one who touches Eminem. Period. The closest to me is Jay and its hard to argue his spot at the top with 11 #1 albums.. Point is these talks can go on for days or you can simply hit play on the above and listen to what to me is one of the top 3 lyrical displays in hip hop history by Em and Jay.. Follow the lyrics.. Has any of the top rappers on your list done anything close to that? Probably not and both of these artists have done it consistently on every track on every album (ok a few have missed but you get the point..)

Dear Vegas

Look I know theres a TON of people that look forward to their yearly balls to the wall Vegas trips and I get it. A chance to blow off some steam is good for people. That said you remind me of cocaine. A lot of wasted money to get stressed out. Ive never been a sensory overload kind of guy.. Im also definitely not an Affliction clothing overload kinda guy. I understand why DJ Pauly D loves Vegas.. He is Vegas.. I also get those who enjoy to gamble and keep it classy although those people are few and far between. Your more apt to see people with those massive bong looking cups filled with alcohol reliving some sort of frat boy past. Most seem to thrive on the "What happens in Vegas" vibe and allow the worst of them to simply take over. Im not hating Im just saying once a year you get me for 24 hours at the most and that is enough... till next time...

69 Year Old DJ Rippin Paris

from RAPRADAR.COM

Wale on ESPN debates Jay Z

Absolut/Jay-Z

Wayne/Em video preview

You and I

Our anniversary is a few days away and since we aren't celebrating until later this month and I was having a flash of gratitude for all that you are to me and my life I figured an early post is ok.. This song rings as true today as it did on our wedding day. Thank you so much for the wife and mother you are. It is my single greatest inspiration. Thank you for making me strive to be everything I can be. You are my definition of love in its purest form. These lyrics sum up so well.

Serious Drag (from Shanepowers.com)

Guru, from my absolute favorite hip-hop band of all time, Gangstarr is in a coma.
THIS fuckin blows.
I always measure a dj with one question. Do you have the "militia"? If they don't....
JOKER. And you'd be AMAZED at how many D.J.'s don't.
Of the THREE BILLION hip-hop artists that have made a killing doing nothing of any artistic value, there's only a real handful of amazing hip-hop artists.

Get well.

SHANEPOWERS.COM

Couldnt agree more, this song has been one of those songs in my life that just made me feel like superman.. Sure only for a few minutes but Im those few minutes I was a bad ass motherf*cker. One of my 5 favorite hip hop songs of all time. "One of us, equals many of us, disrespect one of us, and see plenty of us. Conflict is what I predict."

Dear AT&T

Please stop bombarding me with horrible advertising about how great and complete your coverage is when I cant get service on my couch in LOS ANGELES! Seriously, in the next 6 months people will be able to buy jet packs and theres about 758 dead zones in Los Angeles.

Perfection in 2:22

There's 20 examples of perfection with Hendrix but this one always gets me. A good friend of mine used this song in his wedding when his wife came down the aisle and it was amazing. I dont think you have to be a Hendrix fan to appreciate the beauty of this song. If you dont theres prob a decent chance you also dont like puppies or the sun.

Sanitarium

The whole Sea World thing got me thinking about how outta hand we've gotten with our expectations from animals.. many of which have been on earth longer than us. I think the Sea World incident speaks for itself.. Killer Whales captured and put in swimming pools will become agitated and eventually be true to their name. Zoos on the other hand have the energy of insane asylums. You can see it in the animals eyes. The soul and beauty is gone. All so we can point and entertain ourselves. These animals cant even run. Imagine how much pent up energy is sitting inside a wild animal that cant run. Taking away EVERYTHING that comes natural to them and putting them in a cage the size of my spare bedroom. Im not a member of PETA but I dont think u need to be to understand something is just plain wrong with this. I have a 2 year old daughter that I hope to instill the appreciation of animals, which is why I would never take her to a zoo. Imagine the imprint on her brain. Whats the lesson? Some of these animals may be more intelligent than us in ways we've yet to understand. Elephants communicate over hundreds of miles with sounds the human ear cant pick up. They feel emotion.
I'll stick to the Discovery Channel and an African Safari one day..

Its the details..

I would imagine most people don't give too much thought to their sock game. That said its all about the details and theres not a better sock on the planet than the ones Undefeated make. Its time to ace the Foot Locker 6 pack and step it up. My feet wont even allow another sock on them anymore.

www.undftd.com

I wanna meet the dude at Reebok that approved these.

USLU Airlines x Reebok Courtee Mid

and you thought I was bullsh*ttin about jetpacks!!!

Im so in..

Dichotomy

I would venture to guess there's a part of all of us that relates deeply to this song. I know there is for me. In a world consumed by the chase and accumulation there's always the other side of us that craves simplicity and peace. This song articulates it very well. That dichotomy is part of being authentic.
Eddie Vedder: "Society" from "Into the Wild" Soundtrack (great book and movie)- Lyrics are included and amazing

Fear

Your most vivid fears are almost certainly not the most important ones.
We pay attention to the loud and the urgent. This can lead us to ignore the important and achievable paths open to us--because we're so busy defending against the overwhelmingly dangerous (but unlikely) outcomes instead. - Seth Godin

Seth Godin blog HERE

Respect: Brian Westbrook

Westbrook is no longer an Eagle. Got a lot of mixed feelings about this one. He had a few years where he was one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL. He was a game changer. Consistently. Unfortunately that consistentsy translated to injuries as well.. time and then 2 back to back concussions made him a lose a step. Understandably. One thing you never second guessed was his heart. I f@cking loved Westbrook and Im gonna miss him. If he chooses to continue to play football or retire I will always be a fan.

Attn: Fox News (from Shanepowers.com)

Sometimes Shane just says it better than me....

It's official. You have nothing to do with news.
I know, I know... Fair and balanced.
I'm a marketer. It's an amazing tagline.
The problem is that you aren't a news channel. You are a "pulpit" for Conservative and Christian progression in this country.
I can only surmise this when you allow a news anchor to have a PERSONAL opinion on the air about a way a man seeks God.
And then you allow that moron to reaffirm his position.
I'm not interested in HOW BRIT HUME feels about Tiger Woods' religious choice. And the idea that you think Brit Hume should have an opinion about another American's personal religious choice, well, makes you not a news channel.
It make your channel a VEHICLE to promote a value system on a country.
Entertainment? Sure.
But not news.
You have proven to be part of a "machine" that's tryin to promote a religious ideal, that is suffocating, seperatist, and damning.
I want no part of it anymore.
It's INSANE to me that you would allow your MAIN NEWS ANCHOR to push HIS religious beliefs on ANYONE else.
I can't wait until Brit is caught with three whores in a hotel room with a crack pipe.
Please, MY GOD, make this happen.
I wanna hear the shim-shammery that comes out of his mouth.

SHANEPOWERS.COM

The Church of Fox News

Brit Hume needs an explanation the the word boundaries. He's a newscaster. Report the news and stay out of peoples search for their own light.
p.s. Hey dipshit, the "tenet of forgiveness" is a major part of Buddhist philosophy.

Respect

What more can you say about a guy who started Def Jam out of his college dorm room with Russell Simmons that started a revolution. Just look at a portion of the albums he's produced. Its almost reads like a bio of my life. There are a few great producers today, most of them stay in their lane. What separates Rick from them is the ability to look and live in all lanes equally, whether its LL Cool J, Slayer, Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Jay Z or the Dixie Chicks. Who does that?

(just of portion of discography)
LL Cool J: Radio
Slayer: Reign in Blood
Run D.M.C.: Raising Hell
The Cult: Electric
Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Ex. Prod)
Danzig: Danzig
The Black Crowes- Shake Your Money Maker
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magic, Californication
NIN: Further Down the Spiral
Johnny Cash: Unchained
System of a Down: Self titled, Toxicity
Rage Against the Machine: Renegades
Jay Z: 99 Problems
Neil Diamond: 12 Songs
Dixie Chicks: Taking the Long Way
Metallica: Death Magnetic

I mean c'mon are you f@cking kidding me..

Authentic and missed.

To me Fiona Apple is one of the best songwriters Ive heard in my lifetime. Sure a lot of people remember the spazzed out little girl fresh to fame at her first MTV Awards, but underneath that is someone who articulates life and its emotions as well as anyone Ive ever heard. I always go back to her albums at some point. The problem is she puts out albums about as frequently as Dr Dre. She needs a comeback.. She needs to get into a studio with Rick Rubin.

"I Know"- to me one of the best love songs ever (tough guys, go ahead and skip this one unless your looking for something cool to write in a card to a girl your trying to sleep with)-- some of the lyrics are below..


So be it I'm your crowbar
If that's what I am so far
Until u get out of this mess
I will pretend
That I don't know of your sins
Until u are ready to confess..

You can use my skin
To bury secrets in
And I will settle u down

When the crowd becomes your burden
And you've closed your curtain
I'll wait by the backstage door

While you try to find
The lines to speak your mind
In pride, open, hopin for an encore
But if it gets too late
For me to wait
For you to find you love me and tell me so
Its ok. Don't need to say..

"Never is a Promise" - speaks for itself.


You'll never see the courage I know
Its colors richness wont appear within your view
I'll never glow the way that you glow
Your presence dominates the judgements made on you
But as the scenery grows I see in different lights
The shades and shadows undulate in my perception
My feelings swell and stretch, I see from greater heights
I understand what I am still too proud to mention to you..

You say dont fear your dreams, its easier than it seems
You'll say you'll never let me fall from hopes so high
But never is a promise and you cant afford to lie.

Quicksand (from Shanepowers.com)

Poppa.

It's time.
Time to forget about bi-partisanship.
Everyone on Earth but YOU seems to get this.
No President in the last 50 years had a 61-39 majority SUPER mandate, and you squandered it because you were too worried about bein liked.
There's is no leadership.
If you told the Republican minority the sky was blue, the would say you were a liar.
I know you ran as they guy that would "change Washington", but it aint gonna happen.
They are gridlocking you into doin nothin, so they can vote you out in 2012.
WAKE THE FUCK UP.
Your election will always be historic because you were the first Black man elected President. The history books will always remember you for that no matter what.
But you ALWAYS ran as a man. Regardless of color. And now you're stalled.
It's time to cut bait, and do what you have to do.
It's time to do what you asked us to believe in.
It's time to lead.
And that means knowing your base, and gettin shit done.
Quit bein a pussy.

Love,
Shane

SHANEPOWERS.COM

Nike 2010 Spring All-Court Canvas

Kinda on the fence with these.. I appreciate the effort tho.. need about 48 hours--

Im back and off the fence. Im in.

Edwin shoes

Mad I am not. Although you gotta be 30 or older to rock these right.