Italian brand Slamjam hooked with Stussy to create this simple tee that will delight nu-ravers from Milan to Moosejaw.

Info.Image: Hypebeast

Upper Playground reps San Fransico with this homage to local sports hero/cultural supervillain Barry Bonds. Bonds is two homeruns away from breaking Hank “Bad Henry” Aaron’s all-time record. The only bright side to this sordid affair, other than this stylish tee, is that the MLB might one day go the way of the Tour de France.

Info.Image: Hypebeast

The heads behind Futura Laboratories have just started to drop some new pieces for late summer / early fall, including some t-shirts, polo’s and denim. The polo’s feature some vibrant all over prints mostly incorporating Futura’s distinguishable hand-style and figures. The polo’s along with the rest of the new collection should be available at your local Futura Laboratories dealers shortly.

Info.Image: SlamXHype

Lifestyle objects are coming from more and more brands these days and Goodenough hit it right on the nose with this one (corny, I know). This great design will help you keep track of your glasses as well as add some nice flavor to your current home set up. These will be available soon at Hideout.

Info.Image: Hypebeast

You’ve got to love the ingenuity and the whole aura surrounding UNDRCRWN. UNDRCRWN recently released their latest summer products aptly titled the Ball-Hog Collection. The collection features two tees, a New Era fitted, and a pair of UNDRCRWN’s Layup model sneaker. Everything is available at your favorite shops now, so definitely go check em’ out.

Info.Image: Glltn via Hypebeast

Set to release within the “Horror Pack”, these dunks feature all that the Fredster is about. His burnt disfigured face is modeled in the insole. His red and green striped sweater is recreated on the toe box and side panels. Also these dunks host a blood splatter pattern which makes the shoe even more eye popping. So sweet dreams until November, because after these drop it will be hard to catch a good nights rest.

Info.Image: Colmilludo via Hypebeast

When editors of magazines like GQ and Details gather with administration from retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales to advise the assembly of a trade show that savvy public relations firm, Brand Pimps, executes, the result is Capsule Trade Show.

Through July 23 and 24, Capsule was the venue for 50 designers whose obscurity is an attribute to their uniqueness. “We scoured the world for the 50 coolest, independent, progressive menswear designers that we could find and we invited them to the show,” says Edina Sultanik Silver, co-founder of Brand Pimps.

The success of Capsule may be attracting over 700 buyers in two days, however, by fusing a healthy mix of casual and tailored fashion that includes S2VS, Wood Wood and No Mas, Capsule is spearheading a higher level of street couture.

“We scoured the world for the 50 coolest, independent, progressive menswear designers that we could find and we invited them to the show.”

Format: Please explain your role in Capsule and how Capsule came together.
Edina Sultanik Silver: I’m one of the co-founders of Brand Pimps and we were the producers of the show.

Format: How was your turnout?
Edina: We had over 700 buyers and they were all the best buyers in the world. All the great stores, everyone from Bill Hallman, Fred Segal, Scoop, Barneys, Saks and a lot of Japanese stores and Canadian stores. The turnout for buyers was great and there were a lot of great editors there, too.

Format: What sets Capsule apart from fashion trade shows like MAGIC or Bread and Butter?
Edina: First of all, it’s a much smaller show, we only had 50 designers. It was a highly selective show. We scoured the world for the 50 coolest, independent, progressive menswear designers that we could find and we invited them to the show. We didn’t announce the show to people, so we were not solicited by brands, we hand picked the brands. MAGIC is much more mass market orientated and we’re catering towards small boutiques and specialty stores. We wanted to foster a sense of discovery and a sense of community at our show. The show was about commerce, but it was also about community – we really wanted to do business, but we wanted everyone to join together to grow businesses together.

Format: MAGIC and Bread and Butter feature several streetwear brands, however, Capsule is leading its trade show in a different direction. Are there any challenges in straying from the streetwear trade show formula the other trade shows follow?
Edina: I think the direction of menswear is moving away from premium denim. I think denim and streetwear are still important, but I think men are looking for collections, so I think a contemporary market for men will build up and I think there are a lot of menswear designers that design collections by taking casual elements mixed with tailored elements and that’s what Capsule focuses on.

Format: Of the 50 brands that Capsule selected, did any of the brands provide clothing for women?
Edina: About 20 of them did womenswear, as well. The show started out with a menswear focus, but it’s really both.

Format: What entertainment features did Capsule offer?
Edina: We had a great DJ, for starters, and we had really great food, which is rare at a trade show. We didn’t want to do too much to take away from the business at hand. A lot of people came and they wanted to work, that’s what these shows are all about. But we did have element called the Time Capsule that invited different industries to submit three items that would represent a snap shot of what was cool right now. We put those items on display on the lower level of the venue.

Format: A lot a people attend trade shows with the impression that they’re going to walk away with the next trend. What trends did you see at Capsule?
Edina: I really feel that blacks, grays and whites are still going to be very strong, but I was surprised to see a lot of colors out there, as well. I don’t know if the average, regular guy will wear it, but a lot of designers were showing bright, bright colors for next season. I think the nu rave element from Europe is influencing America. I saw skinny silhouettes, but maybe a little more relaxed. I saw a lot of dropped crotched pants, vests are getting big and I think there are a lot of blending of tailored looks with casual, so you’ll get a tuxedo front shirt made out of T-shirt material.

Format: Capsules’ board of advisors has a huge range of professionals on it. How did you assemble all these people?
Edina: These guys are the kingpins of the industry and you can’t get bigger than Kevin Harter who is the fashion director at Bloomingdales, or Michael Macko of Saks. As far as the little boutiques that are making headlines, someone like Joseph Quartana of Seven – these guys are the big dogs. The editors, too, like Brian Coats from GQ, Tyler Thoreson of Men.style.com, these guys really call the shots and influence a lot of things. We have relationships with these people and they’re always willing to help with things. They gave us their names, gave us their support and their help.

Format: How did you attract the retailers?
Edina: Brand Pimps operates a sales showroom and we represent about 12 brands. We work with a lot of the top retailers across the country and we have strong relationships with them. In addition, we encouraged participating designers to invite their contacts. We did a lot of PR outreach, too.

Format: Hotel accommodations and restaurants are two of the several considerations for Capsule attendees. How do you organize everything with ease?
Edina: We started late in the season. We did it quickly, I think spent three or four months on it total. As far as little details like hotels, it’s a no-brainer, people are coming from out of town and need a place to stay, and there so many great hotels on the Lower East Side. We tried to partner up with hotels, caterers and local businesses.

Format: There are stories from MAGIC about brands making crass comments to each other. Essentially, all the brands are competition and are gathered in one venue. How do you diffuse tension at Capsule?
Edina: We didn’t have any tension. I think everyone got a long and was happy to be there. I don’t think things were duplicated, everyone was so unique that each one of these designers stand on their own. No one was next to someone they didn’t like or thought they were better than the other designer.

Format: Is Capsule exclusive to New York City?
Edina: No, we’re thinking about other cities right now.

Format: Sometimes, trade shows attract celebrities who place faces on the trade shows. Will Capsule try to use celebrities to attract attention?
Edina: We talked about it and we work with other trade shows so we know the ups and downs of that. The focus of this show, right now, is for brands and retailers to do business. I think if you have celebrities coming it may draw attention to the show and get it more press, but I don’t know if it will help sell clothing to a retailer. While we would love to have celebrities and musicians to come, because it would be very appropriate for them to come, I don’t think it’s crucial for the success of the event. But if a band wants to come and make contacts with designers I think it’s a great place for them to come.

Format: How does Capsule attract sponsors?
Edina: Sponsors definitely help the show, especially with young designers participating that may or may not be able to pay fees. There are a lot of costs involved in doing a show like this. We definitely welcome sponsors. One of the largest benefits of sponsoring a show like this is getting your brand in front of the coolest people in the world – you’re getting the most influential buyers, designers and journalists, and to get your product into their hands at such an intimate venue is tremendously valuable for a brand.

Founded in Buffalo, in 1920, New Era has grown from its humble family owned roots into a multi-million dollar apparel and Headwear Company. The company transcends its sports heritage as the official hat of Major League Baseball and manages to create a product popular to a variety of demographics. On any given day, people are as likely to see a New Era fitted cap on Jim Jones as they are on A-Rod.

New Era is a company that has always been about creating quality product with lasting appeal. The company values its longevity. Sid Dey, director of New Era retail operations, says, “We’ve been here for 87 years, so far, and we still feel like we’re growing on so many levels.” Growth is definitely in the plans for New Era as it attempts to make a presence in the worldwide market through its chain of retail stores. With the first store opening in New York in May 2006, the chain is expanding the brands global reach through stores in London, Toronto and Los Angeles. Also, in the works is a full apparel line which will further aid the brand in branching out from their iconic 59-Fifty product.

The newest New Era Flagship store be opening in Toronto on August 3 and will feature several hundred exclusive caps in a new spacious retail space.

“It’s just longevity, you’re here for the long run, not here for the quick buck.”

Format: Please introduce yourself and the New Era brand.
Sid Dey: My name is Sid Dey, I’m the director of retail operations with New Era caps. New Era is 87-years-old and started in 1920. It is a family owned business that started in 1920. We have our world headquarters in Buffalo, New York with satellite offices located around the world including Canada, Japan, and Europe. Our focus has always been just making headwear, but we’re starting to broaden our scope into retail and apparel.

Format: In the last year, New Era’s flagship opened in New York and London and, soon, in Toronto. How do these stores fit into the overall brand strategy?
Sid Dey: The retail is just a presence for us on the street. Kind of like a showroom on the street, it allows us to interact directly with the customer. A way to showcase the brand and try out new ideas; it’s a bit of a marketing vehicle. It’s a laboratory in which we get to test new ideas and see what’s going to work. The New York store opened in May of ’06 and holiday season of last year, we opened the Buffalo store. And this year, we will have a London store open, Atlanta, Toronto and L.A. before the year’s done.

Format: Why did you choose Toronto to open a New Era retail store?
Sid Dey: We rate Toronto up there as one of the fashion hubs of the world. One of the energy centers for the brand and just a lifestyle city. We rate it up right up there with New York, L.A. and London. The strategy of retail was to have a global presence, not to have a bunch of stores in one country, but to have stores around the world. By the end of the year, we’ll have six stores across three countries and Toronto just seemed like the best place in Canada.

Format: Recently, New Era changed the materials, liner and shape for the on-field 59/50 model. What was the rationale for the change?
Sid Dey: A big chunk of our business is the business we do with MLB. It’s still considered a performance cap so we do whatever we can to help the players on the field. The new hats is designed to helps wick moistures away when players are sweating, so players won’t have sweat dripping down their faces. These technological advancements just help enhance performance on field.

Format: Streetwear companies like Supreme or Huf seem to have a very close working relationship with New Era. How does the company accommodate their creative takes on the 59/50?
Sid Dey: Huf or Supreme would send us their ideas for headwear. New Era is basically just executing it for them; those guys are already experts for the lifestyle aspect of their brands. So if they have a collection, we’re just adding onto it on an accessory level and they’re just feeding us their designs. We obviously kick in our two cents by offering different fabrics and things above and beyond. They come to the table with what they want, we come to the table with what we can do and we find a happy medium.

Format: Recently, there are a lot of stories coming out involving poor working conditions in China. Seeing that New Era has moved much production to China, could you speak of your relationships with manufacturers there, and any ramifications of bad press?
Sid Dey: I mean we have a really stringent approval process involving our manufacturing facilities whether it’s domestic or international. Almost half of our product is made in the United States. The other half, there is a certain amount that is made in the countries where it’s their expertise in crafting the caps. There are things over that they can do over there that we can’t yet master over here or master at an affordable price.

Format: Last month, a story broke about custom gang New Era’s being recalled in Cleveland. Did this incident cause more reflection over what New Era would produce?
Sid Dey: We’re pretty strict in the first place about collaborations. At the end of the day, New Era is a heavy custom manufacturing company. A big chunk of our product is custom product, and we do have a committee that reviews every design that comes forth, but, in that case, that is one that slipped through the radar. We’ve tightened up the process on our side, we have a task force we’ve worked with police agencies. We take it very seriously, so as soon as we found out there was a correlation with that product associating it with a gang we pulled it from shelves immediately.

Format: New Era caps seem much more popular in North America than in Europe or Asia. Why do you think this is the case?
Sid Dey: I think it is very much in growing in Europe and Japan, and those places. It’s not as big as it is over here, but those markets are still in the early stages, I would say. In two or three years from now, it’s going to be a different stance on where it’s going to be. We opened a store in London this year, and the market gravitated towards it really well over there. The store has been busy day in and day out. Maybe they want the product but it’s not just there as much.

Format: A lot of people associate New Era with the 59/50, are you trying to branch out from that product at all?
Sid Dey: That is our heart and our core, the soul of New Era is the 59/50 product. There are other aspects to the brand. The hip-hop market took on and embraced the 59/50, so that’s the one that gets the most media play and is out there in music and videos. We do have the EK product which is a higher end product as far as fashion goes. It goes back to the Gatsby look; similar to the stuff you may see Common wear. It’s gaining popularity again and its one of the headwear things we’ve had for years that are growing again. If the market takes to different things we have it in our back pocket.

Format: Right now, New Eras are ubiquitous in hip-hop culture. Watch any music video or photo shoot and you are bound to see the familiar baseball caps. Obviously some trends come and go how you feel about the longevity of the company considering the fall of brands such as Starter.
Sid Dey: I mean one thing, we’ve been here for 87 years, so far, and we still feel like we’re growing on so many levels. That market has gravitated towards our product, and it’s becoming an accessory but it hasn’t become a trend. It’s just become a part of it. I don’t think people are going to stop wearing hats and we keep pushing the boundaries with designs and innovations. I think it will always be a part of hip-hop culture to tell you the truth. I definitely don’t think it is a short-term trend at all. It could be said that the fitted is a staple good. Any brand or any lifestyle Nike, Adidas, and I think New Era has it. It’s just longevity, you’re here for the long run, not here for the quick buck. Not here for the in and out fashion, you’re just here to make your mark.

Format: Could you speak on the New Era clothing line?
Sid Dey: New Era apparel line will be launching globally in the spring of 2008. There is a small collection that is strictly available in New Era Flagship stores, right now. It’s tiered up into the basic T-shirt collection and a high end cut and sews collection. The T-shirt collection is inspired by our 59/50 product, so that’s like your core polo’s. The cut and sew is above and beyond fashion forward product.

Format: What about the customizable Soul Capture package, where did you get the idea for that?
Sid Dey: Retailers and different brands we work with are customizing their own product. Some of our consumers just want to play around with products so the cap becomes a canvas for them to play around with and do something creative that suits their lifestyle. It’s a very limited edition product, about 3000 hats made globally. It comes in a pine box that’s engraved and branded and it’s going to come with eight markers on a white leather cap. You just do it up, some people are going to put their name on it and some people are dying to put whatever they want it. Some people are painters or artists so they’re going to draw cartoons or make it into a comic strip. It’s your canvas, a true expression of who you are, kind of how New Era came to be in the first place.

Format: What else should fans of the brand in Toronto look forward to with the Toronto store?
Sid Dey : August 3 will be the grand opening of the New Era Toronto store. It’s a huge space with several hundred different caps on display. A lot of unique product, I say at least half the store will be custom product. A lot of product that’s been in our NY store, which has got great feedback. There will be a lot of Toronto exclusive product that will be tuned into Toronto lifestyle. It’s a chance for consumers to really engage with what New Era is really about. Grand opening August 3, definitely something you want to be there at; doors will probably be open at 1:00 p.m..

The T-shirt Emporium and Skateshop in Westfield, New Jersey is where I-Path truly began. Bigfoot met co-founder and fellow Pisces, Matt Field, at the shop and around skate parks in the city.

Both moving to San Francisco in the summer of 1992, however, not knowing of their simultaneous relocation, the two ran into each other at a Jerry Garcia Band concert. “He went pro for Real Skateboards in 1996 and I was lucky to do his first board graphic. It’s been eight years running,” says Bigfoot.

The two are like brothers. Matt, now with a wife and three kids, has made the smooth transition into adult life. While Bigfoot gives off the impression of the inability to socially adapt, “I’m kind of a loner and a hermit. I’m withdrawn in my cave. That’s the only thing that separates [Matt and I].”

Recently, completing an art show, “Survival in the Modern World,” at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City, California, after six months of preparation, Bigfoot has found success in new heights, “It was definitely the best show I ever had on many levels, financially and publicity-wise. It was the first show my dad ever came out for.”

Somewhat of a manic man mid-way through the interview, Bigfoot says, “I’m leaving to go drink beer. Any more questions? I can answer in the morning, thanks!” Bigfoot continues the remainder of the interview next morning.

“I kind of do think I’m faultless other than the fact that I buy gas. I am, basically, pure animal trapped in the body of a human. I got a right to hate. People piss me off every day and I really am a nice person. People are a disease – way too much over population.”

Format: In 1998, I-Path was founded by pro-skater, Matt Field, and yourself. Please explain how your relationship with Field and I-Path’s creation materialized.
Bigfoot: Me and Matt Field have been friends since about 1988 or, even, `87 at the earliest. We both grew up in New Jersey [and] always saw each other at the skate shop in my town I grew up in, Westfield. He was always rolling around with Quim Cardona and Mike Cardona.

He met this financial entity guy in 1998 and that’s where we started I-Path. Me and Matt came up with the name. I said Sacred Path and he said I, as in I and I Rastafari, and we put it together to form I-Path. We decided the logo should be a capital I. I quickly drew pages of variations of I’s. We chose the one we use today. It’s been a long eight years, a lot of perseverance. We created this whole image and aesthetic dealing with the other politics and people – isn’t always fun. We have remained silent warriors.

Format: As an I-Path art director, how much creative do you produce and what was your inspiration for the I-Path logo?
Bigfoot: I’ve always been more of the behind the scenes art director, probably, because I’m not well versed in the Illustrator and Photoshop programs. I’m more of a pick up a pen and let my spirit come out on the paper kind of guy. What I do for I-Path is pretty multi-faceted: T-shirt illustrations, graffiti, some shoe design and product design – I promote and represent in so many ways.

The logo’s inspiration I attribute to many things, mainly, my love of ornamentations from Japan, China, Native American decorations. At the time I drew that, I was looking at a lot of Chinese swords and things like that. I wanted something strong and ancient! I got I-Path shoes and T-shirts, with my name on them, coming out for at least another year from now. But right now, I’m working on a book, which I just met with some people today to talk about and a new line of vinyl figures with Strangeco.

Format: You have one figure out there already. What is the new line of figures you’re working on?
Bigfoot: The next figures I’m working on are going to be smaller than the first one I did, which were 12-inches tall. These will be around six or seven-inches and there will be four different Bigfoot characters emerging from the forest – they are very pissed off at the humans and they’re ready to do some damage!

Format: Can you please tell us a little bit about this book?
Bigfoot: Yeah, I have different people that want to do a book, but I’ve chosen this one group. It’s not going to come out until like 2009 probably. It’s just going to be a bunch of everything: old sketches people haven’t seen before, photos, paintings, and pictures of me as a little kid. All the usual stuff you see in books but this is the artist known as Bigfoot book.

Format: Recently, I-Path was purchased by Timberland. How will I-Path sustain its grassroots after Timberland, a multi-million dollar corporation, purchases it?
Bigfoot: This just happened at the end of April. It’s all pretty much up in the air, who knows – this thing me and Matt created with our pure visions, and we created it in every angle – except the financial and sales aspects – it’s our spiritual creation and now it’s going take on a life of its own. Me and Matt are bonded together no matter what the outcome is.

Format: You sound skeptical of Timberland’s post-purchase leadership.
Bigfoot: Well let’s just say that I’m skeptical of the whole world of humans, in general. We believed it would take the brand to new heights and have our shoes made in a more eco-friendly manner than we already had. I think they got in touch with the financial guy, because they liked us.

Format: You dropped out of San Francisco Art Institute describing the experience as “a lesson in aesthetics, but, also, learning about the kind of art that [I] didn’t want to make.” What kind of art did you not want to make?
Bigfoot: Yeah, I dropped out in my third year there, in 1995. Teachers didn’t really teach me and couldn’t teach me anything. I was, and still am, really in my own world! I was happy to get a broader learning of art history than what I got in high school and to be in an energetic atmosphere of artists. But through that, I learned to be annoyed by the people who made minimal conceptual art, something I’m not really into. The experience, basically, was a reaffirmation that I should go with my gut instinct and make the art I wanted to see: drawing, painting, primitive, graffiti, cartoon and nature madness!

Format: Recently, you completed a show, Survival in the Modern World, at the Corey Helford Gallery, in Culver City, California, where you displayed a seven-foot sculpture of Bigfoot, was this the first time you had attempted a woodcarving of this scale?
Bigfoot: I, actually, commissioned an expert redwood chainsaw carver to do it for me. This guy, located up in Humboldt County, California, has been doing chainsaw sculptures for 25-years. I was so swamped trying to create enough paintings to fill up the space and I needed a sculptural element really bad. This technique and material is what I ultimately wanted to have but there was no way I would be able to learn it in two weeks time. I’ve never even held a chainsaw in my hand. So, I got in touch with this guy and gave him the drawings I used for my first action figure for Strangeco and he did a pretty good job of interpreting my vision on this redwood tree that was already fallen, naturally, not by the hands of man.

Format: Previously, you’ve spoken of formalities and your dislike for them. Would you say that a gallery space is on the formal side of art?
Bigfoot: Yeah, it’s definitely the formal side of art. I mean, a gallery in form is square and white, and is taking an artist’s spirit and soul, which is infinite, and trading it for money, which enslaves us all. But I’m bringing my organic primitive nature scrawling into these settings, which is good for people to see and maybe get something out of.

Format: What do you think people experience from your art?
Bigfoot: I think people get a sense of freedom and the magic of the natural world, among many other things such as a look into my psyche, inspirations and how I see the world.

Format: How do you still stay grassroots while being immersed in I-Path and gallery shows – is there still time for throw-ups?
Bigfoot: Yeah I still do throw-ups, mostly when I’m traveling and am in a new city. I don’t worry about staying grassroots. I mean, I paint Bigfoot characters, which, to me, is the opposite of the human empire that is taking over the planet. I have a lot of standards about the companies I would work with and I’m representing the power of Mother Nature by depicting her race of warriors that defends her hiding in the mountains and forests. What’s more grassroots than that? I’m happy to get the word out there, because people are fed such garbage by the powers that be.

Format: How is your graffiti background incorporated into the work you do today, like your work from the Corey Helford Gallery?
Bigfoot: Graf, to me, is a certain level of abstraction of lines, colors and shapes to an exterior surface in retaliation to human authority. All of this is always what makes up my work.

Format: The Bigfoot is a repetitive image that has become very widely known as your signature. Have you or will you approach a different subject matter, ever?
Bigfoot: No, I don’t really plan on switching it up to another central image. I’m not frustrated by the repetitive Bigfoot. I’m frustrated by people, which makes me identify with the Bigfoot more and more everyday.

Format: How do you continue to draw inspiration for projects working with a subject matter that is constant?
Bigfoot: Inspiration is all around me in everything I see and encounter on the surface of this planet. I listen to a lot of music, so when I listen to music that I love I take on their persona, all other times I see the world through the eyes of the Bigfoot’s. I know no other approach to art making.

Format: Who inspires you?
Bigfoot: All the primitive beings, out there, that could pick up some type of implement and rock the world with. Whether it is with a piece of charcoal from a fire on a cave wall or a rock scraped along one of the earliest masonry cement formed surfaces, all the people in medieval times in Europe that had artistic skills. These artists were forced to tell lies and false stories at the hand of their oppressors. I got to say what’s up to Picasso and Van Gogh, these are people that took super contrived technical art and took it back to the rawness!

All the ancient Indigenous people for doing their art before the crusades came and infected the world and continuing after! For me, in my lifetime, I got to give it up to everybody in New York in the late `60s, `70s and `80s for creating such beautiful forms on and in the subway cars. We were a long time overdue!

Cartoons! All of it before 1995 just like hip-hop. Hannah-Barbera is my favorite! Scooby Doo is so cool. That show taught me to be skeptical of people and not to trust the old people trying to get the treasure!

Format: Why are you so frustrated by people? I mean other than the capitalist bullshit, disrespect to nature, and hypocrisy in general, we all have pros and cons. We all have faults. Do you think that you are faultless?
Bigfoot: I kind of do think I’m faultless, other than the fact that I buy gas. I am, basically, pure animal trapped in the body of a human. I got the right to hate. People piss me off every day and I really am a nice person. People are a disease – way too much over population. People have attitudes for no reason, and they are contributing to their destruction. When a person questions my existence, I lose my shit and get in their face. They usually have a blank robotic stare. I show no mercy! Face the real world! You will all turn to dust. Tonight, and on most nights, I have vowed to myself to die fighting for what I believe in. I am a warrior and like all others my time will come to die, but unlike most mortals, I will die for a real cause; the purity of mine and our Mother Nature will live forever and that all greedy and polluting robots will be crushed.

Format: At Juxtapoz.com, a comment read “talentless hack” in reference to your work. How do negative comments affect you and your art?
Bigfoot: People and all those humans, they think what they want. I don’t think they have much of a voice out there in the spiritual world, let alone in the streets. They say what they want on the Internet. Come up to me and say it in my face. I’m not doing it for people, I’m doing it to represent the Bigfoot race, to show how cool the Bigfoot’s are and what nerds the people are. I’m just really happy if one person out there respects my art.

Format: You’ve caused Internet controversy by raising discussion of what is good art. In your opinion, what defines good art?
Bigfoot: I don’t give any validation to any sort of academic entity, first of all. I like to see some sort of skill of rendering, a unique hand style, if some kind of issue that is relevant in my life or other worthy cultures is conveyed to me, or if an art is pointing out some sort of struggle against an injustice.

Format: As an artist, how do you feel your artwork is developing, over the course of the past 13 years since you began writing Bigfoot?
Bigfoot: I first began art, seriously, when I was very little, maybe when coloring books proved to not be enough for me. I felt like I mastered realism in high school, a bunch of shading for a month to say what I can say now in a minute. It’s really all had the same intent and opposition, just through new arenas, platforms and outlets. What’s changed is the evolution of my characters, tags and approach. I’ve set many bars for myself as far as technique and cleanliness. For instance, I really like my lines in my art clean and that limits my work – my standards for myself raise everyday. I feel like I’ve been saving all my prolific stuff for the future.

Format: You’ve named your imagery as “art-illery” against the opposition. Who are the opposition?
Bigfoot: It’s pretty much me against the world, which means all the humans out there! Except, maybe, for about a hundred people that are down for me – all my friends and family. There’s a lot of injustice out there in the world. Nature has been betrayed for too long. None of my friends invented all the industries that contributed to the worlds ruin. I feel that there’s a group of people out there that have planned to ruin the world for a long time

Format: What is up next for you?
Ultimately, I will be looking for a final battlefield to slay the modern day Paul Bunyan. And hopefully there will be some forest unaffected by the human plague. Besides that, some Bigfoot portraits along the way.

Talib Kweli has never been the flashy type. He’s a reliable rapper. While the radio is telling youth in America what dance to do, Kweli, a Brooklyn native, stays true to himself. With his third solo album, Ear Drum dropping in August, Kweli is on the road, doing last minute promotion. He stopped at London’s premier hip-hop spot Deal Real for an afternoon in-store performance, before answering a few questions about his Lyricist Lounge days, the pressures of being a label CEO, his greatest accomplishments in the rap game and whether New York City has ever really fallen off.

At 32, Kweli is taking the game even more seriously than before. This is, after all, the occupation that puts food in the mouths of his son and daughter. Far from being pessimistic about declining SoundScan figures, he believes that people now, more than ever, have the chance to broaden their musical horizons. “With the Internet, there’s no excuse not to expand your horizons,” he says. “And if you go on the Internet and you really participate in the hip-hop lifestyle you’ll see there’s plenty of artists – artists right here and artists all over the world doing progressive, positive music.”

Having been a visitor of London for almost a decade now, his three date residency at the Jazz Café, backed up by his favorite rapper and Blacksmith artist, Jean Grae, was well received and for those who couldn’t make it to the world famous Camden venue. Having carved out success as a solo artist and as a member of a group with DJ Hi-Tek and Mos Def, Kweli has steeled himself for the next frontier of the industry – being the boss.

“There’s a reason why music has to be pop and it has to be cookie-cutter. There has to be balance.”

Format: There are a lot of artists out there who stay in the limelight. Your movement is slightly low key. How is the movement moving?
Talib Kweli: Things don’t have to be seen to be moving, but when you finally see it, the impact is great. I came in this business with a lot of artists. I’ve been coming here to London since Mr. Bongo’s was open. I’ve been here for a minute and the reason why I’m able to come and some of my peers who started out with me can’t, because of the moves and I never said I’m just this or I’m just that. I’ve never said I’m going to do Deal Real and not go to HMV or I’ve never said I’ll just go to the underground club and not to the commercial poppin’ club. I do it all and I try not to let the trends affect my music, but I pay attention to them, because I’m still competitive.

Format: You had a bunch of guests like Norah Jones, UGK and Sizzla on Ear Drum. Was there anyone you wanted to get on the album who you couldn’t sort things out with?
Talib Kweli: Yeah, Bjork and Premier.

Format: Did you actually contact Bjork or was it just one of those dream collaborations?
Talib Kweli: I didn’t try. As far as joints that I did, I did joints with Marsha Anbrosius from Floetry and that didn’t make the album. I got one with Justin Timberlake, which is going be one of the bonus tracks on the album and Sizzla, which is also going be a bonus.

Format: Why didn’t the track with Marsha Anbrosius make the album?
Talib Kweli: I don’t want the album to be too long. The song with Marsha is dealing with deliverance and I’ve got a track on the album called “Hostile Gospel” where the hook says ‘deliver me’ and I felt that the song was more necessary for the album.

Format: Whose your favourite rapper out at the moment?
Talib Kweli: Jean Grae.

Format: And who do you enjoy working with?
Talib Kweli: I enjoy working with Kanye, Hi-Tek and Mos Def, but someone I learned a lot from working with in a studio is DJ Quik. He’s a genius when it comes to sonics and when it comes to the studio. That’s the first time I went to the studio and somebody produced my vocals. That had never happened before. I think when I talk about how I was influenced, about how to record and what I learned in the studio – I learned more from Quik than anybody.

Format: So what made you want to leave Geffen?
Talib Kweli: They didn’t really know what to do with me. They’re in the business of selling records, but they’re not really in the business of artist development, so when I got there they had artists that were already developed like The Roots, Blackalicious, GZA, Common, Mary J. Blige – none of these people started at Geffen. But they ended up at Geffen halfway through their careers, because Geffen was lazy, they didn’t want to develop nothing. Years later they didn’t know what to do. They worked hard on Common’s album, because Kanye did all the beats and they really wanted to be successful with that. The Roots had to go to Def Jam, I had to do my own thing, but you know, that’s what it is.

Format: Is there another Blackstar album coming out sometime soon?
Talib Kweli: No, not sometime soon, but we might do one. It’s not like I ain’t busy. I’ll tell you why you say I should do one, because I’ve been so prolific. If I hadn’t been as prolific you would have been asking Mos Def, ‘Yo, what happened to that nigga you used to rap with?’ I appreciate the love. The reason why you love it is because me and Mos Def have still been working hard. If we didn’t work hard at what we’re doing you wouldn’t care about Black Star.

Format: How did your collaboration album, The Liberation LP, with Madlib come about?
Talib Kweli: I’m a big fan of Madlib, he’s got three beats on Ear Drum. When I was working on the Ear Drum project, I was working with so many Madlib tracks that I felt I could do a whole Madlib album. So I did and I didn’t want to worry about who’s going put it out, how it’s going come out, so I just put it out.

Fomat: What do you think about Oprah and Al Sharpton’s recent comments about hip-hop?
Talib Kweli: I love Oprah and I love Al Sharpton. I think they are wonderful, respectable people and they have been on the frontline of black culture for a long time. I do think that their stance on hip-hop, right now, is misguided. I think Al Sharpton, sometimes, he’s right on point and sometimes he’s misled. But, I think their intentions are grand and they deserve a lot more respect from our peers and contemporaries, even if we don’t agree with everything they say, we have to disagree respectfully, because we owe them that respect as elders and people. The stuff that Oprah went through and the stuff that Al Sharpton went through is pretty tough stuff, so we got to give them respect, even if we don’t agree with them.

“…people say New York has fallen off, I’m in London doing shows. I’m good.”

Format: Are you checking for any British artists?
Talib Kweli: There are artists that I’m associated with like Ty. Me and him did “Down For The Count” and we talked about doing some other records. One of my good friends is Est’elle. I spend a lot of time with her in the States, I really love that girl. Kano, I like Kano a lot. Last time I was here, when I was performing at the Kanye show, Kano ripped it down. I like Roots Manuva, I like Blak Twang – the classics. I like Kano a lot, I don’t know what his label situation is, but I think he a style that could work, not just for the UK, I think it could work worldwide.

Format: On a global level, what do you make of hip-hop today?
Talib Kweli: Well, I think hip-hop is progressing. I think sometimes people get angry when they have no access – when they listen to the radio and watch TV and they get very depressed with the hip-hop they see. But at this stage, in 2007, with the Internet there’s no excuse not to expand your horizons and if you go on the Internet and you really participate in the hip-hop lifestyle you’ll see there’s plenty of artists. Artists right here and artists all over the world doing progressive, positive music. It just doesn’t reach the mainstream, so people get mad like, why can’t the majority of people hear this artist or that artist, but it’s not really designed that way. There’s a reason why music has to be pop and it has to be cookie-cutter. There has to be balance. I wouldn’t be able to be what I do so successfully, if it wasn’t for someone like Nelly being so successful with what he’s doing. It’s symbiotic, we all need each other.

Format: Are you planning to rap for a while longer or are you going branch out into something else?
Talib Kweli: I don’t look at it in terms of how many albums I have left. I don’t want to have to depend on hip-hop forever. Right now, it’s my career. If I want to do something else I’d have to make a complete shift.

Format: Would you get into movies?
Talib Kweli: Sure. I went to school for acting. I’d rather write something and own it. I’ve been on a bunch of auditions and that’s not a very fulfilling experience.

Format: What do you think of the assumption that New York has fallen off?
Talib Kweli: That doesn’t really have anything to do with me, because while people say New York has fallen off, I’m in London doing shows. I’m good. Everybody knows I’m from Brooklyn, I talk about Brooklyn and I identify with Brooklyn, but people associate me with hip-hop. They don’t associate me with New York City and I’m not regional like that. But you know, I do think it’s over hyped. Everybody has their chance. The West Coast was making big noise a few years back and down south.

“When I started performing over those Hi-Tek beats, my style really started to develop and I started to develop a following.”

Format: How did you get your start in hip-hop?
Talib Kweli: I made a demo tape, a whole bunch of demo tapes, but for one I was part of an artistic community. Before I thought about making a demo tape I was going to Washington Square Park, I was freestyling in the park with Bush Babees and John Forte and Supernatural and 8-Off The Assassin, and it was just like a crew and my only goal in life was to be nicer than them. Then I started making my demo tapes but no one listened. I was in New York City so I’d go up to every label, sit in the lobby and try and meet with the A&Rs, promotion man or whatever and no one listened – my tapes would end up thrown out. I went out to Cincinnati to start making music with Hi-Tek. When I made music with Hi-Tek, my goal was to perform this music instead of trying to shop it. I used to perform and people were like, I love his lyrics and it’s cool he can rap, but it wasn’t like I was getting my thing off. When I started performing over those Hi-Tek beats, my style really started to develop and I started to develop a following. And around the time I started doing shows, Mos was doing shows and Shabaam Shadeeq was doing shows and Company Flow. My roommate was John Forte and he was best friends with Jarrett from Rawkus, they actually started the company. John was the first A&R at Rawkus. He bought them down and I met those dudes and they were already doing a thing with Mos, so it made perfect sense from there.

Format: What kind of advice would you give to up and coming artists?
Talib Kweli: Create a community of artists that can critique each other and make everybody better. The more you do these type of events, not like how you all were just freestyling before, you should do this at least once a week here, at least. Create a community, so there’ll be stars in this community and then when one person gets a deal, there’s always a backing behind them.

Format: When Jay-Z shouted you out on “Moment Of Clarity” you had a whole bunch of extra eyes on you. Did you feel more pressure then or now with this album, knowing you’ve got a label on your back?
Talib Kweli: Yeah, when Jay said that it was great, but I do feel more pressure now, because now it’s not just about me as an artist, it’s about Blacksmith and Blacksmith’s failure will be my failure. I’ve got Jean Grae and Strong Arm Steady, and they put their trust in me. They could have signed with anybody, but they ran with Blacksmith, not because we have a track record, but because of my track record, so it’s more pressure, but it’s good pressure.

Format: Finally, what would you say the highlight of you career has been?
Talib Kweli: Being able to raise my children and pay for what they need through music is a highlight. As far as getting to meet certain individuals like Nina Simone, like Harry Belafonte, like Prince – getting to meet these people and chop it with them, that’s always nice.