Smooth Moves Feat. Royal Elastics

Check out Royal Elastics in Footwear News...

To check out the article and slide show, click here... http://tinyurl.com/34dx9py

Study NYC

Chris Stamp, of Study and Stampd' LA, recently hit up NYC for a little market travel. Also check out the new Study commercial.



Untitled from Study on Vimeo.

Special Thanks to Jason and Extra Butter for their hospitality

The Salvation Army girls spreading a lil holiday love 

One of Williamsburg's  gems 10 Single by Stella Dallas

Sweet Sierra Leone: Melonie Kastman's Forgotten Diamonds Improving the...

Melonie Kastman's Forgotten Diamonds Improving the Literacy Landscape in Sierra Leone

Melonie Kastman Photo by Bode Helm for D Magazine

Photo Credit: Melonie Kastman

Parachute Photo Credit: Melonie Kastman

Melonie Kastman is a commercial film maker who traveled to Sierra Leone for the first time in September, 2006 to document a friend’s fashion design business. Struck by the warmth and kindness of Sierra Leoneans who were struggling to survive, and wanting to do something to complement their efforts, she organized a “Secret Santa” program. This paired families from The Bonthe Mining District and 40 families in Texas. She personally delivered the gifts with her daughter, Ruby, including letters which sparked a Pen Pal Program. Today, over 600 children are involved. Melonie continues her trips, and in the process has filmed local students, teachers, mothers, professors, doctors, business people, and government ministers. When asked the most effective way to improve life there, time and again they have said that education is the key.


In Fall of 2008 Melonie met Kelly Cox and they immediately recognized their shared values and discovered a common interest in Africa. Kelly dove in with energy, enthusiasm and a business background. She secured the support of West Lake Academy, with her 10 year old daughter Camilla, initiating a pen pal program there and secured another 10,000 books as well as sports equipment, toys, and 40 leap pad battery operated computers. She helped turn the idea into a reality. Together they opened the doors to the Ruby Rose Library in February 2009.

This is the first new library established in Sierra Leone since the war started in 1991. It is in a 150 kilometer area with a population of 100,000 where no library or access to books has ever existed. Since that time over 10,000 students and countless adults have visited a library for the first time. The structure currently consists of 2 large rooms, one is a children’s library, the other is for adults and secondary or high school students.

The Ruby Rose Library is operating at maximum capacity, serving approximately 2500 students a month. Because of the distance between villages and lack of transportation, students come as classes with their teachers, some walking up to 3 miles. They enjoy a special full day of learning with books, pens, pads, creative art or music activities, participate in games and sports with new equipment. It is a warm inviting bright environment meant to inspire. Attendance is organized on a rotational basis between 24 schools, representing about 12,000 students.

The Mission of Forgotten Diamonds is to deliver educational resources to the poorest people in the shortest period of time. As a community based, charitable organization, the FD invests and works with local villages and businesses in partnership to benefit the citizens and their children.

www.forgottendiamonds.com or find them on facebook

Levi's Grand Opening in Meatpacking District

Levi's celebrated their grand opening in the Meatpacking District Thursday night. Located at 414 W. 14th St., this location will serve up some of Levi's premium and vintage pieces, along with collaborations. Also located within the store is a tailor shop, where you can get alterations and even customize your 501's. 

Levi's Tailor Shop

Words of inspiration from Whitman

Levi's Photo Workshop

To celebrate the city and its people, the iconic Levi's brand has opened up the Photo Workshop. So whether you are a professional or amateur make sure you drop by as it'll be open till 12/15
www.workshops.levi.com

NIKE X NYC Marathon X WEST

NIKE X NYC MARATHON X WEST LAUNCH

Congrats to WEST NYC for their NYC Marathon collaboration with NIKE. The spot was packed and Hennessy Black was pouring!

"I Ain't For Everybody" By Feets Malone

C+R will be posting guest blogs as often as we get them....the topics are individual expressions...thank you in advance to all who share and to all that read and digest....

"I Ain't For Everybody" By Feets Malone

LIKE  ERIC  B.  FOR  PREZ….

Whether by force or earnest it can be yours. It should be yours! I was taught  to take mine and demand nothing less. If you did not give it to me it was cool to physically impress upon you how serious I was about getting mine Malcolm reaffirmed what my Pops taught and surmised it should be “By Any Means Necessary.” Bishop, Q  and  Raheem  knew, all too well, that it had to  be earned by force and Hov wanted  his  like  Eric  B. So, why should it be any different for me!?

Maybe because that was my life yesterday. Today I am charged with being better than my worst days and the days of those who came before me. Or maybe it’s because the people around me from whom I have to take it  from simply aren’t built like me! I’m different and it becomes more and more evident with each conversation, doubting word, passing glance and comment  about where  I’m from or how I dress. They aren’t built like me!  I’m cut  from a different cloth and they are paper soldiers; created in the mold of what  society says they should be. Their lives are lived through the pages of  XXL, VIBE & Rap Radar, through NahRight, MissInfo.tv and World Star Hip Hop.  Life for me is as real as it gets!  I’ve been there, done that and survived and even more brolic I continue to go back and long to be there while I’m away. 

I’ve also been through the societal aspect they have as well and I did it better than they could have ever. They aren’t built like me! They can’t stop my  physical and my mental is far beyond their reach. I outshine and outlast all of  their roadblocks disguised as speed bumps. Mentally they are equipped only  to throw rocks from a far but it’s funny how everyone who have had rocks  thrown at them usually sit atop a throne? Intellectually, I was fortunate enough to have my mental prowess proven by virtue of an 8.5 x 14 sheet of  paper. But I don’t walk around with it hanging around my neck so people tend to forget and when that happens I have no problem reminding them. Don’t get me wrong,  I don’t expect you to know, but it’s when you flip that  makes me go in. You see, when they forget is when they slip up and say  something sideways, or misuse a word in an attempt to belittle me. In this  instance a correction via the correct definition is equivalent to an open hand smack in the mouth.  They aren’t built like me!  I am a verbal Hattori Hanzo.  It’s enjoyable for me to slice you up linguistically and if ever you want to  take it outside I’m nice with these too.

But that’s where my dilemma lies… I know the latter is not conducive to this environment, so I have been forced to stretch across the conference table and smack fire out their ass at every opportunity, making it impossible for them  to ever forget. That way there is no question and when they step over that  line it is blatantly evident they are attempting to get my goat.  Mere child’s  play because… they aren’t built like me!  So, I have to be savvy in my approach and how I inflect discomfort. Constant follow up and extensive use  of my lexicon infused with emotionless conversation in order to get what I need done. And away from the eyes of the feeble‐minded employee or  watchdog I implore my Iceberg chronicles. As it was put to me: work 90% below the surface and keep only 10% showing. Only the strong survive and I  stay working out. When it’s all said and done the only thing for certain is: LIKE ERIC B. FOR PREZ…they will RESPECT ME IN THIS BITCH.