There is so much talent in Baltimore when it comes to music. I mean music all stars were made here like Dj Frank Ski, Dru Hill, Ms. Tony, K-Swift, and the one and only RYE RYE. It’s so many to list. I just think that Baltimore musicisians should get more credit and exposure than they do. I am definitley here to push that!

Grad Dai a dope band from Baltimore who’s on their way to stardom! So check out this exclusive detailed interview of the all star band Grad Dai!

1. So how did the band all start, the name? Who makes up the band and who does what?

GRADDAI: GRADDAi is a six member “PowerSoul” band from Baltimore Maryland originated in 2008 by Kato Ceaser the writer/poetic lyricist and Josh Zeno the writer and melodic vocalist/lead guitar player. The name “Graddai” is short for graduation day. It demonstrates the day nerds will over come.  The “i” in Graddai is a symbol of solitude within the band. Back in 2008 Josh Zeno and Kato Ceaser were separate artist In Baltimore moving forward in different directions. Zeno had a passion for producing and writing R&B and soul records, Kato was performing Poetry and writing hip hop and rock records. Kato and Zeno met through a mutual friendship and became best friends and business partners.In the Fall of 2008 Zeno became a finalist in the Baltimore Apollo and asked Kato to perform one of the hit acoustic records they’ve writing. Accompanied an intricate pianist by the name of Smoke. After the success we decided to bring in the dynamic drummer Caddi Chris, the sexy soothing saxophone player Gary Who,   and the ground rumbling bass guitarist Jay Alsina. As a complete set GRADDAi was born and we’ve never lost a competition ever again.

When you first starting, what were your thoughts on being a band from Baltimore and striving to make it? Did you guys think it would difficult?

GRADDAI: In the beginning GRADDAi was just a brotherhood, a bond of people with the same interest and equal love for music. We just wanted to make art even if no one could hear us. Yes, we’ve thought it would be difficult, with the amount of notoriety we have now it’s even more difficult. I believe anyone can build something, but it takes a brute force to maintain the success. GRADDAi has been through a lot, and we aren’t going to stop at any cost.

How do you guys feel about the music scene in Baltimore? Is it vibrant, supportive, combative?

GRADDAI: The music scene in Baltimore is congested. I say congested because although there is tons of real artist out here doing it for the passion of music and the enlightment it brings to the world there are a lot of “music makers” out here that are just making music just to make music. It’s like a new fad. “Music is not a fashion, it’s a passion” –Kato Ceaser.  However we love to go to organic club nights to hear poetry and music with messages, so it’s a bitter/sweet experience to say the least.

What would you say your genre is? How would you classify Grad Dai?

GRADDAI: Our music is a fusion of well organized sound and emotion. Every sound is strategiclyplaced in its perfect position to tell a story with not only with words but with our instrumentation.  We’ve mastered the control of dynamics and emotional balance, this sound is classified as “PowerSoul”. Powersoul music is an artistic collection of soul music with a more aggressive commercial edge, fused with other popular styles of music such as rock, hip-hop, pop, jazz, and R&B.

How are you guys different from other bands? What makes you stand out?

GRADDAI: We are very different from other bands. For starters we’ve been forced to create our own genre due to our unorthodox style of music. We separate ourselves from today’s cliché image with a unique sense of style that compliments our music ability. This nerdy group of young men pushes the envelope by mocking the current impression of today’s pop culture by rebelling against what is accepted in society. Although our music could speak for itself, our success has been reared by our ability to stand out in a crowd visually and musically.

As a group or individually how would you describe you guys fashion style?

GRADDA: Our  fashion style is a depiction of our personalities and a visually to our genre. We are a bunch of artistic geeks living outside of the box. We are the voice for everyone that is not afraid to be themselves. We believe UNcool is the New Cool.

What’s the next move for Grad Dai? What’s coming up next?

GRADDAI: Our  next move is a big one. We are currently in process of moving our style and music to the west coast. We are planning our departure from Baltimore to L.A California. Until then we are working to drop our freshman album “seize the dai” in the winter of 2010/2011 in the city that made us. We also are performing in the Fells point music festival in downtown Baltimore Oct 1^st, and we are currently working out a deal to perform a benefit concert in ATL with Kerri Hilson late October. For more information on our upcoming shows and release dates and videos go toWWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GRADDAi and to purchase songs go toWWW.REVERBNATION.COM/GRADDAi

Photo Courtesy of Racked NY

Photo Courtesy of Racked NY

I guess you can call Marc Jacobs one of the Kings of New York. Top designer, makes Louis Vuitton magic, branding master, and now he wants to assist your rhetorical skills. BookMarc is now open for business in the West Village on Bleecker Street, NYC. I mean he definitely owns West Village with BookMarc being the six MJ addition in that area!

BookMarc will have shady punning Marc Jacobs journals, and other MJ merchandise like pencils,pens, and book marks. Holding books on photography, art and BookMarc will also be selling vinyl records! There will also be book signings and cool performances there from time to time. I must say it’s a cool idea and it looks like Marc Jacobs will be the new Rockerfeller of fashion. [LOL] Go Marc go!

My buddies over at LeopardMilkShake.com are embarking on doing visual concepts which I think is a dope step for bloggers!  See more of the visual concept here LMSVC.

What was the fire starter of LMSVC? What is the mission for this new project of LMS?

LMS: The fire starter of LMSVC was basically just us wanting to expand more and to give viewers a better look into mens fashion. We wanted to make it exciting. The mission is to take over the world.

Is this is how you guys will transition into a Magazine?

LMS: Yes, eventually. We hope to do quarterly editions of LMSVC.

What was concept and inspiration of this visual concept?

LMS: For this VC the concept was rebelliousness, playtime…nothing to dramtic. And we loved the idea of having the shoot outside so you could feel the energy and rawness of the city.

Ok, so what trends do you see coming this Fall for men? What trends or fashion aesthetic are you guys going to display in your next visual concept?

LMS: For this fall? Honestly i have no idea. Im personally (Torr) am in love with Damir Doma…and as far as the next project the leopards are currently in the decision making process.

EatOnThis always digs fly guys and Quinn Aston is definitely one fly guy. The co-editor of AstonMozie.com, co-designer of the AstonMozie brand, and soon to be releasing his own mixtape titled “Imagi Nation: The Red  Jedi”, this kid is on the way to being an all around fashion and music figure.

What’s your niche? I have heard of you doing art and it looks like your doing music too, what is the artisry of Quinn Aston?

Quinn Aston: I just look at every thing I do as an art man from humming and rhyming words to what were doing in fashion as a youth right now. And that’s for everybody up here in NY doing they thing. Self expression is back.

So your style is definitely unique. Explain the inspiration for the hair and the clothes? What’s your fashion aesthetic?

Quinn Aston: What I wear is just my inner child going crazy. From attaching wings on a shoulder to going out in some 1996 pippens with a button up. It’s just my childhood.  My hair is just Malcom X natural, that’s what I call it.

Where are you from, your growing up playground? Does that have any infulence on your style and crafts?

Quinn Aston: Houston, Texas. Yes I love that real (trill) vibe. I love my ninjas back there. They keep me grounded and they play a big roll on my life. My family, close friends, they on all my team.

What can we expect from The Red Eye Jedi?

Quinn Aston: My “Imagi Nation”….. my mind. People know me as a silent kid but I think people will be surprised just for hearing me speak. And if you love classic Dilla, Premo, Nujabees, Flying Lotus and that’s what it is. It’s music that will hopefully make you think. It’s for all the weird kids mixed with 100% me.

How do you feel about every one doing music or trying to have an artistic grind? Is it fake or is art(music,fashion,art) starting to be more appriciated as it should?

Quinn Aston: I don’t really pay attention to that. I just express my self and my soul. I have people in my family from back in the day that were incredible musicians. But my music is not just music. I consider that I’m creating me and expressing my own and other every day dreamers mind but in sound.

What’s to come of Aston in 2011?

Quinn Aston: Every year is just a x10 better, so whatever I’m doing this year expect it to be x10 better next year.

Fall is approaching, what trends do you see men rocking this season and your self?

Quinn Aston: I see myself in classic sneakers boots got boring to me. I love Jeremy Scotts’ collection with Adidas Originals every season. I’m looking forward to seeing that. Black & gold will be everywhere I think; well at least on me!

Imagi Nation: The Red Eye Jedi (mixtape) from Quinn Aston on Vimeo.

It’s so many definitions and dimensions of what it is considered art or what isn’t. Are we as bloggers artists, the wheelers of modern language, persuasion, and inspiration or are graphic designers who spend hours at the computer perfecting or abstracting  images to give them more beauty than they already possess true artist, such as Brandon Harley who is the designer of Harley Art.

Brandon is definitely fucking talented. His aesthetic of graphic design is no other than fab. His consistency is what is really impressive to me, as he often puts up new designs of flyers, fashion concepts, or just revamping a cool picture to make his own. His colors, shapes, line usage, and just the spark in his work is what makes him really stand out. I dig his shit totally and wouldn’t be surprised to see his stuff in V Mag or NYLON one day.

Not only does he want to be the best of graphic artistry , he wants to do video editing like is inspirer Anthony Mandler. He is also embarking on a new project with fellow photographer Brandon Moore(WIERD RIGHT?LOL) titled “FLASHING PAINT”; which will be a collabo between flashig light and a can a paint collide. Sounds interesting. “FLASHING PAINT” will be celebrated and laucnhed in late November and I will be sure to be there. So get into Harley Art x Brandon Harley and soak up all the  inspiration you can get just as I did!

“I think of my work as complex simplicity because of the amount of detail and high quality put into the overall piece. The work features a variety of colors, textures and levels of illumination which I consider as a love potion for the eyes.  I like to think I’m a scientist in a lab beneath a pool of pixels, mixing candy paint and luminous chemicals creating unpredictable works of art.” – Brandon Harley

Photo Courtesy of Style File

Keith Haring is by far the most referred and  popular artist known today. Fashion eats him up and often uses Keith Haring as fuel for inspiration. From the Keith Haring x Patricia Fields collection and now you can walk the streets pumping in Keith Haring  FABULOUSNESS in the Keith haring by Nicholas Kirkwood collection.

Photo Courtesy of Style File

Photo by Katja Hentschel ft Model Shaun Ross

Wall Paper Magazine

I love designers who challenge the ideas of culture, society, and what is suppose to be. I came across a fresh passionate designer who as soon as I saw his work, it made me melt. George Bezhanishvili, a Georgian designer based in  the beautiful Vienna is an upcoming men’s, women’s, and accessories designer who has great talent beyond measures.

Photo Shoji Fujii

What  sparked your interest in design?

GEORGE BEZHANISHVILI: I was interested in design from my deep childhood, and I guess I’m still addicted by that. It’s an endless passion for me. After  finishing a collection, you  just want to start on a new one. It’s a process of getting empty and getting filled up again and again.

Kanye's DOped Out Wrisk

I now have a fascination with watches. It’s some thing about a man wearing a watch that really is chic to me. Is it because man who wears a watch values his time? Or is it because it simply compliments his physique in ways most people do not recognize? I don’t know.  But I think this Fall, gentlemen  gear up and get a watch or two for the start of the Fashion New Year and besides it is just more fashion savvy to be time efficient. Check out my picks for watches and can all be found at Karmaloop!( I digs this store).

The Newton Watch Men's Watches By Nixon $100.00

The Zub 20mm Zenv By Nooka Watches $130.00

The DW-6900CS-1CR By G-SHOCK $110.00

The Time Teller P By Nixon $55.00

he Tableturns Gold By Flud Watches $80.00

Of course you can see TI$A sporting a few of the pieces of the MCM x TI$A collection and he is rocking the Ralph Lauren Teddy Bear Sweater which I was just crying about getting into my wardrobe! With the clothes being on point the song is too. I love the little message at the end. The world is our hood and we should all appreciate it and take care of it. Hip Hop can be eco-conscience too.

TAZ ARNOLD AKA TISA, SOUTHSIDE BLOOD CUZN, FT. MAJOR from Creative Control on Vimeo.

Check out TI$A performing at the Grammy’s Party x Lemirrors

tAz Arnold aka ti$a x L.A. grAmmy pArty x lemirror$:: from ti$a vi$ion tv on Vimeo.

Who knew digital fashion could be so damn chic!? Grafikcube is a funky edgy street chic line created by Sérapis Joël Dirat of France! I found this robotic urban flare brand on one of my favorite blog sites Paris Most Wanted which the editors Sandy & Andrea are featured models in Grafikcube’s 201o look book!

Sandy & Andrea are also doing a collabo with Grafikcube which I know is going to hot ish! They released a little teaser of them shooting the Grafikcube X PMW looks on Vimeo! Check it out here GCXPMW!

You can also purchase Grafikcube here Shop Grafikcube;  you too can be digitally fresh!