PIECEBOOK NYC LAUNCH 06/08

PIECEBOOK-THE SECRET DRAWINGS OF GRAFFITI WRITERS by Sacha Jenkins and David Villorente

PIECEBOOK NYC Launch
The Reed Space 28 JUN 08

Truly PIECEBOOK is the dream blackbook for anyone who is DOWN LIKE DAT. It is a veritable who's who of writer's writers, in an intimate format that looks so legit, you'd swear you could feel the grooves in the pages left by pencils and pens! As authentic & realistic as possible, there are even a few blank sheets left to get up on! Everyone tried to peel the sticker off the inside cover and now I actually have to SMELL THE INK on the pages to figure out which tags are new!

Half of these are MY photos, which I donated for love of the OLD SCHOOL and my big bro, co-author, Dave CHINO. I'm down with BYI since late '85, the one and only QUEEN JULIE BTS ;) Dave had the NERVE to crop me out of all the little ones! Check his blog @12ozprophet PIECEBOOK Launch 08

I have never seen so many Graffiti Kings in one building, live and direct, not on the walls! Much love to the many artists included in the book who represented! In no particular order, and no disrespect for those I forgot * SPone * SKID * TRIM TNC * VANAL KT * ATCO * SAST FSU * STERN * JALER * KEO * DIL * SCAN * HAZE * MARE 139 * KAVES * T-KID * They all signed my copy & DJ EMZ rocked major throwbacks all night! YO! The list went on and on, and I'm sure TFV Squad (inside joke for BET ;) must have had their own damned digital photo field day! Shit, it REALLY IS 1984 in many ways, and it ain't ALL GOOD!

Greg (SPone) Lamarche did an amazing job on the handwritten calliGRAFFITI intro to the book. It was like transcribing the Torah, every letter perfect or the whole page gets thrown away, not at all easy! I will be going to his studio for an amazing collage soon!
Greg Lamarche proving he still has mad SKILLS in publication!

This reception may have been more surreal than my recent Brooklyn Tech HS reunion, complete with a book to sign! Indeed, very similar, and filled with oddly familiar artistic faces from BACK IN THE DAYS recognizing mine. There were framed prints of a few pages, one was a TRIKE GND piece with an ODone BTS throwup (my HS ex and 1018 Prom Date)! UGH! LMAO!! Despite the sweltering 95 degree night- it was 110 inside the joint, the asthmatic air conditioner was NOT cutting it, the throng outside The Reed Space on Orchard Street on the Lower East Side of NYC was a-buzz with how cool the book is and that it came with a custom Sharpie! 10 Deep also printed limited edition t-shirts to commemorate the event!


More pix coming soon... meanwhile check out PIECEBOOK RELOADED

PIECEBOOK Signing New Haven, CT 06/08

PIECEBOOK-THE SECRET DRAWINGS OF GRAFFITI WRITERS by Sacha Jenkins and David Villorente

PIECEBOOK road trip!

Hip Hop Block Party/PIECEBOOK Signing
New Haven, CT 14 June 08

Sacha Jenkins and Dave Villorente signed copies of their critically acclaimed PIECEBOOK while over 30 talented artists from all over the East Coast showed off their skills with good old spraypaint.

The NYC contingent included TRIM TNC, KEO aka Lord Scotch, DIL(INGER) & SCAN.
About to set up on a beautiful day in New Haven, Connecticut!

...and so the masterpieces begin, always with an outline...
Mike, Blake, Tony and Cris.


The Block Party was a successful event with a huge turnout! Thanks to everyone at Channel1! Check out their video Channel1 The Block Party Recap

Dave signing autographs while being photographed...

DJs setting up the perfect tone... while Mike SCANs the crowd.

The brilliant and beautiful Raquel Cepeda-Jenkins Hip Hop Historian.

A long line of canvases was ziptied to a chain link fence, some taped to the buildings in the square & others were standing on easels. DJs spun the classics while breakdancers did head spins on a nice big piece of linoleum.



KEO & TRIM getting it done!

Tony and his handsome son. I let him know how his parents met!

Blake KEO, Tony TRIM and Cris DIL, 3 NYC Kings.

Fantastic job!

Dave had given me one of the coveted, limited edition, 10 Deep/PIECEBOOK T-shirts. In the smallest size they printed... men's medium! It was humongous! I'd seen a vid on how to slice one up, and I went for the groupie look, strumming up interest in the book while I roamed the crowd...

Much LOVE and continued success to my dear friend DaveCHINO and Sacha SHR!

Beyond Your Imagination!

A few more of my 300 pix... COMING SOON... meanwhile PIECEBOOK RELOADED is now available!

PIECEBOOK RELOADED NYC LAUNCH 10/09

PIECEBOOK RELOADED Graffiti Drawings 1985-2005 by Sacha Jenkins & David Villorente

PIECEBOOK RELOADED NYC Book Launch
The Etnies showroom 29 Oct 09

Much LOVE with continued success Beyond Your Imagination to my big bro Dave CHINO

 and the multi talented Sacha SHR! 

 
The next book in the critically acclaimed, historical PIECEBOOK series again gives owners the opportunity to add their own art to the ranks of actual graffiti kings and legends! So realistic, they even scanned the backsides of some pieces to give the illusion of ink bleeding through the pages. It's beautifully printed, looks completely authentic and continues the tradition they started in the original PIECEBOOK- creating a dream blackbook filled with only the best.

Dave and me. Doc TC5 in back setting up.

KAVES, Sacha & Dave

Full Royal House of Graffiti Kings

The party was jam packed! As expected, a who's who of all-city kings & international writers including most of the artists in the book came out to represent. To name but a few * SPone * ATCO * SAST FSU * JALER * KEO * DIL * SCAN * HAZE * MARE 139 * KAVES * T-KID * Cope 2 * DEZ * TATU XMEN * BANE SEIK * PYTHON * RAB CAC * RAE WIC * SIN * and * DOC TC5 * who kept us moving to vinyl along with Psycho Les of the BEAT NUTS!

CHINO, DIL, HAZE 

COPE 2 and CHINO, DOC TC5 on the 1's & 2's...

Les knew exactly what we want to hear, yeah, he gets Get Props Over Here, Top Notch! 

HAZE and CHINO 

SCAN, KEO, CHINO, et al... 

Cris DILINGER

Dave CHINO BYI 

The Etnies showroom was packed! Some fans actually brought in canvases to be signed!

Dave, DJ Bobbito Garcia, and Cris DIL. 

DEZ aka DJ Kay Slay 

KEO about to sign my copy, the beautiful Annabella Sciorra and Lee Lo.

SASTER FSU Streets Are Saying Things!

MARE 139 and TATU XMEN 

Lee Lo looking lovely as always! 

The iNternets Celebrity, that sneaker fiend, Dallas Penn aka BluCheez aka @FYMTG, blessed us with some blog love over at dallaspenn.com happy to see so many familiar faces from inside & outside our old alma mater Brooklyn Tech in Fort Greene, which boasts a long list of contributers to Hip Hop History.

Dallas et moi

Closest I'll ever get to natural "Double D's"... HAH!

Quick off the top- Bobbito Garcia (DJ Cucumber Slice), TATU XMEN Pres, Milk & Gizmo, RAE WIC, BIAS, RAB CAC, DIRE, G-BO The Pro and so many others down since wayback cut those classes! Our cheerleaders and boosters were even in Spike Lee's SCHOOL DAZE. Keep it real! 

(: Oh, yes - and there were also three lovely queens - Simone FSU, Jessie BYI & Julie BTS ;)

To B-Girl, or not to be, girl? 

Thanks again, Dallas!

At the end of the event, Psycho Les asked me & my girl Lee Lo where the afterparty was jumping off... ;)

Unfortunately, we were pretty hungry and tired after a long night that included last minute printing, buying markers and rustling up a table for Dave to sit behind!  We wound up at Lucky Strike, and ran into Sacha, his new wife Raquel and a sleepy young beauty, the same place we'd all gone after the opening night of Sacha's very successful contribution to the NYC Hip Hop Theater Festival, an off-beat, on-tempo stage production starring both halves of the Beatnuts, Juju and Psycho Les, along with Sacha himself, aptly entitled DEEZ NUTS.

Maybe I'll add some more shots... some day...

PUERTO RICO The View From La Perla - La Vista Desde La Perla

Orig posted on Myspace 28 AUG 07

PUERTO RICO 8/07 The View From LA PERLA!

PUERTO RICO!!!

What a great four days with the girls! The only problem with staying in Viejo (Old) San Juan is that you gotta DODGE las CUCARACHAS (JUMBO GIGANTIC TROPICAL ROACHES) in high heels on fkn cobblestones! It was very 'Creepshow' at times, and those mo'fo's fly right at you! YUCK!!!! We stayed at Hotel El Convento (The Convent), ha, ha, more pix to come...

I was on a mission to see La PERLA, the 'Hood, located on a cliff between the 500 year old walls built by the slaves for the Spanish, and a rough patch of the Mar Caribe, where only surfers and cadavers dare swim... To enter La PERLA... you can't be a VISITANTE (visitor) without a RESIDENTE (resident)! Enter at your own risk... We were supposed to get a graffiti tour on Fri or Sat, but it didn't work out. Sun nite we were introduced to 21 year old PAPOLO, from La Perla, and set up a tour with him. Papolo is a kid from the streets, he was kicked out of 6 colegios (high schools) and had an unhappy childhood... yet he has completely turned his life around and now empowers others to do the same. Somebody gave him a chance and he ran with it. He will soon be the first male from this neighborhood to graduate from college, he is studying to become a pilot, and he is a living legend over there!

We began walking through the 'PEARL', admiring the many colorful murals and narrow pathways connecting one casita (little house) from the next, and happened upon TEGO CALDERON filming a video for his single, "Ni Fu Ni Fa"... it's like a big extended family in there, con tios y primos (aunts, uncles and cousins) everywhere. The steep streets and numerous alleys zig zag through very intimate living spaces, and they have the best view on the island!

After La Perla, we saw the movie, Illegal Tender (John Singleton, Tego's in it), TERRIBLE dialogue, but it was the perfect ending to an incredible day, and the guy I had just copped my piragua (shaved ice) from was even in it!

LOVE 2 All!

¡Qué grandes cuatro días con las muchachas! ¡El único problema con permanecer en Viejo San Juan es que hay que ESQUIVAR las CUCARACHAS (ESCARCHOS TROPICALES GIGANTESCOS ENORMES) en TACOS (altos talones) en los guijarros! ¡Era mismo "Creepshow", y esos diablos volaban a encontrarnos! ¡YUCK!!!! Permanecíamos en El Convento (el convento), ha, ha, más pix del hotel coming soon…

Yo estaba en una misión para visitar el La PERLA, el barrio situada en un acantilado entre las paredes de 500 años construidas por los esclavos para la España, y un remiendo áspero del marcha Caribe, donde solamente las personas que practica surf y los cadáveres se atreven nadada… Para entrar en La PERLA… No puede ser un VISITANTE sin un RESIDENTE! Entre en su propio riesgo… Nos supusieron conseguir un viaje de la pintada el viernes o sabado, pero no lo se resuelve. El domingo, por la noche, nos presentaron a PAPOLO, 21 años , de La Perla, y fijamos un viaje con él. Papolo es un cabrito de las calles, lo golpearon con el pie de 6 colegios (High Schools secundarias) y tenía una niñez infeliz… con todo él ha cambiado totalmente su vida y ahora autoriza otras para hacer iguales. Alguien le dio una oportunidad y él funcionó con ella. ¡Él pronto será el primer varón de esta vecindad a graduar de universidad, él está estudiando para hacer piloto, y él es una leyenda viva allá!

Comenzamos a caminar pa' la 'PEARL' , admirando los muchos murales coloridos y caminos estrechos que conectan un casita (poca casa) del siguiente, y sucedido sobre TEGO CALDERON que grababa un vídeo para la cancion, "Ni Fu, Ni Fa" … tiene gusto de una familia extensa grande adentro allí, los primos de los tios y de la estafa por todas partes. ¡Las calles escarpadas y los callejones numerosos zigzaguean a través de espacios vivos muy íntimos, y tienen la mejor panorama sobre la isla!

Después del La Perla, vimos la película, Oferta Ilegal (de John Singleton, con Tego), diálogo TERRIBLE, pero él era la conclusión perfecta a un día increíble, y he comprado mi piragua (hielo afeitado) del hombre que estaba en el film! ¡AMOR para todos!

ROMA 2007 BLUECHEESE Presents EcoArt Village...

Orig Posted on Myspace 1 AUG 07

ROMA 2007 BLUECHEESE Presents EcoArt Village...

Un BACIONE alla Grande DJ Leo, e tanti abbracci a tutti gli amici virtuali che ho conosciuto finalmente nella realta'! L'EcoArt Village e' stupenda, sull'APPIA ANTICA, al Sepolcro di Priscilla, vicinissimo al famoso ristorante, QUO VADIS?... La cosa piu' bella e' stato che avete messo la torre del DJ davanti alla torre di antichita'! Solo a ROMA! Non vedo l'ora delle prossime Vacanze Romane!!!




A HUGE KISS to the great DJ LEO, and so many hugs to all my virtual friends who I have finally met in reality! The EcoArt Village is AMAZING, on the Ancient Appian Way, at Priscilla's Tomb, close to the famous restaurant, QUO VADIS?... The most incredible part is that the DJ tower is set up in front of the ancient Roman tower! Only in ROME! Can't wait for my next Roman Holiday!!!


You know what they say, "WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO"!!

Queen For A Day! 50th Annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade NYC 2007

50th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade 2007 NYC

QUEEN FOR A DAY - My View from the BACARDI FLOAT.

!!!QUE BONITAS BANDERAS!!! ALL 2 MILLION of them!!!

WEPA! !!!Que Viva Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto!!!

What a beautifully CHAOTIC day! It was GREAT - when I wasn't kissing ass! I was a multi tasking delegate between way too many Bad Lieutenants, beat cops, mentally fkn challenged traffic cops, parade organizers, Bacardi Suits, Bacardi Girls, DJs, artists, "Security", Bacardi "event planners" and my Philadelphia friends who refer to themselves as "Carnies", who setup, breakdown and drive the float. It was not easy, but I'm VERY good @ customer service, AND I even cleaned the damned plexiglass windows!

EL ABAYARDE himself, Sr. TEGO CALDERON, was RIGHT NEXT to us FOR HOURS!!!! They pulled him off the route right before the turn onto 5th Ave, because la gente goes bananas and mobs him, he IS the man, after all!

I had planned to be a journalist, armed with my camera, my video cam, and a cell cam - or perhaps the comic relief... I was dressed very modestly - strictly business, in a boxy black windbreaker and jeans, with a Puerto Rico visor. For most of the morning I was covered up, it was freezing out! JAJAJA (hahaha) and the BACARDI girls were BUSTED!! Seriously!! Cellulite for days, I could have PROUDLY worn my poompoom shorts, UM, two kids later!! ThankUVeryMucho! I was just as cute, OK, it's true, WAY FKN CUTER than those mujeres plasticas (plastic women, Gringos)! In the beginning I was nervous, expecting average, run of the mill (ridiculously fkn gorgeous) Boricua women would show up in bikinis, plus it was a quite "NIPPY" 69 degrees out, and let's be real, I'll never aspire to be a beauty queen (it's what's INSIDE that counts), but these broads were HAGS! OK, 1 or 2 were cute, but nothing like MY GIRLIES! I was telling everybody up on that float I could have filled it with calderas nand nalgas (hips & ass) in 20 minutes! Once I saw we started to roll I revealed a Puerto Rican flag spandex tanktop, my handy marine whistle, a flag in my back pocket, belt w/ flag buckle, y mucho - pero mucho orgullo!!!

Before anyone else, I was up on there with the crew, so that was MY float, but one Bacardi girl was trying to ask me for water like I was a waitress or something, uh, the cooler's over there, hon, I pointed with my flag, then turning my back to her, proceeded to "Party Like a Rockstar"!! Oh, NO you didn't, now go back to being my backup dancer! BK don't play!

A float has absolutely NO suspension, so when the music jumped off, I was literally 12 inches off the ground, holding on, waving my flag shaking what little my mama gave me like a doggone fool! It was Hip Hop Hayride heaven, and through some miracle I had become the prima ballerina, the one dressed differently! I played the back, by the fellas, dancing more like a crunk cheerleader than a video ho, while the Bacardi girls threw mad shade!

DJ Precise from La Kalle 105.9 (Heavy Hitter) made the most out of TOBY Love's "Tengo Un Amor" and other songs by splicing in El General, C & C Music Factory, Nina Sky, Frankie Cutlass and Fat Joe with little hits of old and new school into a hot loop... His crew from the South Boogie Down was cool, one guy kept "singing" to me, and I hammed it up like a true Broadway Baby, I was crying, swooning, walking away, it actually looked choreographed!

I had the GENTE raising those flags, on the left, on the right (alzando las banderas, pa' la izquierda, pa' la derecha), GOZANDO, picking out the Papi Chulos with my flag, calling out the city names, tirando besitos a los viejitos (throwing kisses to the little old men), WOW, I am still reeling from the ridiculous amount of Puerto Rican LOVE I ingested, and puro adrenalina (pure adrenaline)!!! What a dream come true for a Nuyorican!!!! Outrageous!

At the end of the parade route, DJ ENUFF, the King of the Heavy Hitters, Hot 97, my old pal from Brooklyn walked up, and to the surprise of Precise and crew, who had been nothing but nice to me all day, told them all just how far back we go! That's RIGHT! I was like, I TOLD Y'ALL I'M FROM BK!! Mad props to ENUFF... I love that guy, and I go far back enuff to have been to his Momma's house parties!!!

WHAT A DAY! Not only was I just as cute as the bodega beauty queens, diplomatic, energetic and funny, but I even had GUM, OK!? Will be doing it again next year, I think I earned my keep! Maybe I need to hop on for GAY PRIDE!!! I bet the BACARDI boys will be WAY prettier, and I hear they wave their "FLAGS" at HALF MAST for the WHOLE parade! OUCH, sounds kinda painful, but like "LOADS" of fun... OK, I'll stop now...

50th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade NYC
2007!

Con todo mi AMOR!JULIANA K MALA ERES! W E P A !
AMOR OMNIA VINCIT! Be the change you wish to see!