Fine Art Friday: Alexis Diaz

Globetrotting muralist Alexis Diaz continues to travel the world and paint his large scale hybrid creatures on walls and surfaces of all kinds. Diaz is Puerto Rican born and his native culture has influenced the artist's work by creating colorful and heavily textured images that combine human forms and animal forms into mind bending and fascinating creations. In addition to his solo work, Alexis often works collectively with his friend and fellow artist Juan Fernandez, under the name "La Pandilla" (The Gang). Both artists are know for intricate line detail, splashes of vibrant color and the melding of fantastical animal imagery.

ARTIST WEBSITE
http://cargocollective.com/alexisdiaz

Video: The Are - "Little Girl"

Early this winter, former K-Otix beatsmith and current instrumental producer The ARE released an inaugural project with blog site Rappers I Know entitled "Here, My Dear" as an ode to Marvin Gaye's famous album and his own family life. He recently released the visuals for the track “Little Girl”, dedicated to The ARE’s daughter Harlow doing what she does best—smiling, drawing, running around, and being her father’s joy. Good holiday soundtrack to appreciate your family with.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/here-my-dear/id728115610

Listen: DJ Snake - "Jingle Bells" Dubstep Reprise

How to crunk-up your holiday gift unwrapping party! Not my usual style of soundtrack, but trying to have fun with it via DJ Snake, Diplo and friends!



DOWNLOAD LINK
https://soundcloud.com/djsnake-king/dj-snake-bird-machine-feat

Listen: LuvJonez - "MISH MASH" album

For those of you that may be new to this blog, aside from supporting my favorite acts, I also drop an album of my own from time to time under the moniker LuvJonez and this latest effort is a 35 track instrumental collection for the end of 2013. The title "Mish Mash" is a reference to the catalog of sounds I used on the record. The foundation of this album is a mix of some of my favorite quotes from radio, movies, interviews, things I hear on the subway and in the streets of NYC, dusty vinyl, old cassette tapes, demo CDs that I pick up in my travels, my own unused beats, things that make me laugh, favorite jazz samples and many other sounds that I am always inspired by. I wanted to create an audio collage of instrumentals for the last days of 2013 that reflect many of the elements that inspire me during my daily grind, even in the rawest form, in hopes of connecting with global citizens of the hip hop universe. Download it, support it, remix it, rhyme over it or just zone out with it.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://luvjonez.bandcamp.com/album/mish-mash-2

Video: Run The Jewels - "A Christmas F*cking Miracle"

Always willing to make fun of themselves and talk serious when it counts, the lethal combo of Killer Mike and El-P rocked 2013 with plenty of gems and their latest video for the track "A Christmas F*cking Miracle" is a quality ode to one of their better tracks from the "Run The Jewels" album. Perfect timing for the grumpy holiday celebrator in your family and all the folks that question tradition.