Voltron Sneakers, FREE Magazine, Make It Right, Rocawear Beef, & 7 Style Secrets

Voltron Sneakers...you read it right.


If you were born in the late 70's or early 80's then the Transformers and Voltron were THE topics of discussion for you and your friends everyday. Real talk, and if they weren't then I don't know what planet you lived on. My mom told me that everything comes back into fashion in a 20 year cycle and I be damned if she wasn't lying. This product dropped back in October but this is just too cool to not bring to your attention. Reebok has released the "Voltron Collection" or the "Voltron Lion Force Pack" {depending on who you get them from} which is a collection of sneakers inspired by each of the five lions that form Voltron. Sneaker heads, anime freaks and 80's babies can all get their rocks off while rocking a fly pair of kicks thanks to Reebok. In addition to purchasing a dope pair of sneaks you also get a complimentary action figure of the lion that inspired your shoe. Tell me that ain't fly. Prices range from $85 to $135 depending on what pair you purchase. I'm partial to the Omni Pump {Yellow Tiger} myself and don't sleep on the ERS Racer {Green Tiger} either. Aww hell. Just give 'em all to me. Check out the rest of the collection here.



FREE Magazine

It's exactly what it sounds like. A free...magazine. Duh. This magazine is the brainchild of a dude I can honestly say I admire and ever since my first encounter with FREE I've been smitten. Todd N. Triplett and PKHDMC, in partnership with Parks-Hall {a non-profit arts organization} helps FREE Magazine reach the cool masses, by focusing on art, fashion, music, luxury, current events and professionalism, while offering exposure to independent artists. The crazy {amazing} thing about FREE is that a complimentary CD is included with each issue of the actual magazine. THIS IS CRAZY!!! I don't know about you but I've never picked up a mag from the rack and walked away with a mixtape of independent artists. FREE turned me on to J*Davey {dope to infinity} and a lot of cool art, designers, photographers and writers. And don't EVEN get me started on the release parties. Step into FREEdom and check out a taste of the current issue {No. 9} here.


Make It Right

Just when you think the media and this current administration has created enough ill-will towards the surviving citizens and mindset of New Orleans/Gulf Coast something like Make It Right comes along and on its tail something like the NO protest gone of December 20 happens . What's important is that progress is being made in New Orleans and unfortunately it isn't happening at the rate, and in the fashion, we'd all like.

Brad Pitt and Stephen Bing have teamed up to create Make It Right. This organization's purpose is to provide 150 low-income houses for citizens of New Orleans. 13 architecture firms are competing to create the most impressive and environmentally-responsible green designs for the housing communities. Unlike projects of old; the Make It Right properties will be sustainable homes that are projected to keep maintenance costs down by 75%. "Each house will be around 1200 square feet with three bedrooms, and each will cost around $150,000. {http://www.joshspear.com/item/make-it-right/}" Pitt has even put up his own money {$5 mill} for Make It Right and everyone from individuals to corporations can donate money and materials for this initiative. {Design by Concordia Architecture above.}

Seems like things are looking up for the N.O, right? Not so fast. A good friend of mine told me about this protest that took a violent turn. A group of citizens chose to physically show their disapproval of the demolition of a set of New Orleans public housing properties and police made forceful attempts to control the crowd by pepper spray and tazers. No matter what happens in New Orleans it seems that tension is always at the surface and if anything that is a sign of passion and commitment. Say what you want about New Orleans but its evident that the citizens of that city and even the region have a pride and love for their home that is not understood by many. To find out more about Make It Right and ways you can help the progress to improve New Orleans take a jump here and for contrast's sake check the CNN clip of the protest here.


Rocawear it at Your Own Risk

Before some of you pull out your Jigga Man Official Fan Club membership cards just sit back and read the rest of the blurb. In Jan of '07 the Humane Society of the United States conducted some test and revealed that Jay-Z and Rocawear were selling faux-fur clothing that feature fur from raccoon dogs on the Rocawear website. Apparently this is a regular move in the faux-fur game cause Diddy was accused of doing the same with his Sean John women's line. Damn. Wow.

To be honest I've never been a Rocawear or Sean John dude and after strolling through Perimeter Mall a few weeks ago I probably will never be. Nothing personal against the lines or the heads of the companies. While in Dillard's me and my homeboy came across a Rocawear t-shirt that was more ignorant and stereotypical than progressive and witty. To understand the absurdity of this shirt you have to understand that Perimeter Mall is in Sandy Springs, GA, a predominately white city immediately outside of the Atlanta city limits. So imagine my surprise to see a Rocawear shirt {wait for it} in Dillard's that shows the Monopoly logo drenched in blood and Mr. Moneybags with a bandana, fitted cap and bag of money running {tolerable}. The kicker was the line {in small text} above the remixed Monopoly logo that said something to the extent of "Properly Getting Cash from the Hood Brothers." I'm paraphrasing so don't trip. The issue is that 1} how does blood and bandanas signify properly doing anything and 2} what muthaf***ing "hood brothers" are in Sandy Springs, Georgia? The more I think about this shirt, and others like it ,the more I think about the stereotypical behavior and image of today's hip-hop, how it's manufactured to appeal to those who can't completely relate to it and how it demeans those it's supposedly representing. Us.



Get Your Grown Man on with 7 Style Secrets

When I had my hair twisted in college I took it upon myself to perform a small experiment. If you didn't know I'm here to tell you that dreads/twists have a bad wrap in society {especially in the south} so I wanted to see what I could do to change people's perceptions in my small town. For one week I wore nothing but baggy jeans, timberlands and over-sized shirts to school, work and all over town. As you've probably guessed I was treated like and talked to like I was someone who wasn't educated...a thug basically. I'm far from that. The following week I switched the game up and wore fitted clothes, button-down shirts, loafers and I even bought a pair of reading glasses with a very weak prescription. The only constant variable from week 1 to week 2 was my hair and the way I was treated was a complete 180 from the prior week. My hypothesis was correct...fashion, style, clothing, whatever you want to call it has the power to attract positive or negative reactions. That's why I'm always cognizant of my appearance..that and I'm a Kappa so I make it my business to be on point all of the time.

I came across this article on MSN.com written in partnership with Best Life magazine {great magazine by the way} about 7 style secrets for men. For some reason fellas think that getting your wardrobe up always means being uncomfortable in tight clothes or wearing clothing that doesn't represent their personality. Where in the hell did this come from? It's far from being true and some of the most stylish brothers know that true style means you put your own mark on conventions of fashion. We as black men excel at this but as of lately I've noticed a few brothers have steered way off track.

Of the 7 secrets I'm only agreeing with 5 of them. Not because I'm defiant but because they don't fit my personality but this is good info for any kat who is thinking or working on getting his style game in order. Every man needs a new suit. "The easiest way to upgrade your office look instantly is to add a suit that isn't corporate gray" and one way to separate yourself from the pack is to add a fly workbag with the get up. Leather is always in style {Wilson's chelsea contrast stitch messenger to the right}. No offense but it's not cool to be wearing a backpack to work. In addition to the new suit try coppping a gig that pushes your envelope a little bit. Nothing crazy like Ye at last year's Grammys but something that is current, well-fitted, relevant to your personality and confidently says "Damn I'm a fly mother...shut yo' mouth!" Instead of pleated pants think about "flat-front trousers that will make you look taller and thinner. There are four more tips for you so strut on over to the link and read the rest of the article Mr. Debonair.





Quote of the Day

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

-John F. Kennedy