TEXAS


1
Feb 10

URB Mag Special Edition feat Amanda Blank & Maluca

URB magazine teamed up with the girls at Mean Red and put out a special edition Digital Magazine featuring Maluca and Amanda Blank. It was styled by Valissa and photographed by my former partner King Texas. The photos are great, some of the best I have seen from Texas. The interviews are also informative and easy to digest. I do have issues with the Digital Magazine format, and more specifically the page navigation which just doesn’t feel natural. I just think the Digital Magazine format is something that will find it’s home on mobile devices like the one by Bonnier that I blogged about a few weeks back. I prefer to scroll through information traditionally on a web page rather than toy around with the phony page turn and magnifying features. And I wish they had an embed function for the Digital Mag so I wouldn’t have to hyperlink you. Come on coders start slinging. Regardless it’s great to see the folks at URB mag taking chances and pushing the envelope. It’s well worth the read. I posted some screen grabs below, to check out the full feature click here.

TrevzNewPop

http://www.urb.com/2010/01/29/meanred-special-edition-with-amanda-blank-maluca-presented-by-urb


2
Oct 09

CHRONICLES OF A KING: Part 1

I think everyone knows who this kid is. He goes by the name Poppa Purp. He hosts great parties at Moomia, and other venues. And, he is also a very dope photographer. I had the opportunity to photograph him today at my studio in Brooklyn. Of course, one of the things I love doing is telling other people’s stories. No matter how grotesque, real, or extreme the story is — it has to be told. I remember growing up in East New York, and being exposed to a lot. Most of those things, I shouldn’t have been exposed to at a young age, but it’s not a perfect world. Since, this city is developing we often forget how dangerous some parts are and how protection is needed. One thing I learned in Guyana is as easy as it is to judge, we all have to have a clear understanding that people weren’t raised in the same environments that we were raised in. Everyone is different. There really isn’t any room to judge.

Check out Purp’s Blog

“Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.”


15
Sep 09

Mabaruma, Guyana


15
Sep 09

Georgetown, Guyana

“…I woke up on the plane.. I woke up to the stars reflecting off of my soul. I woke up to the horizon of my home. The clouds down here are symmetric, full, and healthy. The sunrise rose more confident then it does in the states…” – Except from my journal.

Words can not explain.

You know, this trip changed and saved my life and my creativity.

This year has been extremely difficult for me and the ones I care about. Financial situations, death, you name it. We’ve all been through it. Stepping outside of the United States made me gain much more than a “perspective”. I gained perspectives every single day here in Brooklyn before I left for South America. I was initially waiting for something to strike the core of my heart, and completely change the way I saw people, the world, and myself. That happened. I pretty much got wrapped around in a Epiphany, and it held me tight until I threw up all the negative feelings that were lurking in my body. All the insecurities, bad feelings/energy, depression that was surrounding my crown before I left is completely gone. Those feelings will never disappear though. I’m still human. We are still human. I am still completely aware that life will continue to obtain it’s hurdles, but when you fall down you must get back up. If you want something positive to happen within your life, it’s honestly up to you to stand at the foot of the world in order to put positivity within it only to receive it back.

The most exciting part of this trip was learning about my families history. My mother’s maiden name is Valenzuela. My grandfather’s name is Wilfred Valenzuela, and my grandmother’s name is Carmen Valenzuela. The majority of my mother’s side were planted within the Venezuela and Guyana regions. My grandfather emerged from the Wai Wai Tribe who are now located in Guyana and northern Brazil. Let us not forget that that some in my family are Amerindians, and Arawak. The list probably goes on, man.

There is still a lot to learn. It’s weird being back here in the states. Everything seems very claustrophobic, fast, and meaningless. However, you have to learn how to adapt while holding on to the things you learned. You have to live in the present, and the future without being devastated about the past. I hope that we as human beings can overcome the obsession of material things, alcohol, drugs, and parties. I’m sure those things are nice. It shouldn’t be the most important thing. Instead of trying to make it big in NYC, and have your name spread around the grimy streets of this beautiful city. Why not make an effort to make an impact in the world? Why not have your name sweep across the atlantic? Go on google and see how big this world is. What’s in front of you, isn’t all that there is. Open your third eye.

Peace!

Part 2: Mabaruma Photos soon!

Texas


31
Jul 09

Photo Story: Dominican Maroon (1)


1
Jul 09

Silence

I witnessed a murder this week around my apartment. This guy got shot, and before anyone could blink his soul ended up entering into an entirely different world. Sometimes, words can’t explain. I didn’t know how to feel about it. I came home and started editing immediately. For some reason, I found an appreciation for “darkness”.


2
Jun 09

A Mellow Life

Once we leave our boxes, and explore different parts of the world: We come back in a peaceful state of mind. Calm. Knowledgeable. Strong. Confident.

My whole point is, I love Melo’s vibe in these photos and it shows me where he is mentally: & where he will be in the future. Whenever we exchange artistic energy, its always amazing.

I just had de ja vu!

Check him out here: All Things Melo-X

melo-x_split_02


28
May 09

THE HEIGHTS

This is the shit I love about New York City. For way too long, I was surrounded by the “New” New York, and lately, I’ve been hanging out within the Old New York. I love the ghettos, being fearful of whether or not I am going to be robbed or shot, and the beautiful people that hustle every day to put food on their tables. As crazy as it sounds, I admire it. Life isn’t easy, and going to these parts remind me of that.

These are photos from the Heights. A little on the nicer side of things. I look forward to photographing more parts of New York that we have forgotten. NEW POP!


27
May 09

3200 Kings

Shooting with film is like entering a church and finding a brand new spirituality. I definitely missed it. Here are some photos from Sway last monday of my homies. Click to get the enlargements. I’m out.


16
May 09

Giants and Kings

3532863437_7ac5ca1b81

I remember the first time I met Nikki Ntu, and ever since then, the Kings connected and we are striving to change the world. We are not meant to only document one scene, one revolution, one person, one dream, or one light. We are here because we have to create some form of change within this world. We are here in order to become teachers for the future generation, and not drown ourselves in selfish arrogance because in the end, they have to carry on the torch.

Download Nikki Ntu’s single, Giant.

Uhuru

Download: Nikki Ntu – Giant