Blog

 BABA WHITE BOY

December 14, 2011

Pashupati. River-side in Nepal. The smoke filled the morning air as multiple human bodies burnt beneath stacks of flowers, hay, and wood on the stone banks. Smoldering ashes and unburnt larger remains swept into the flowing river below. A continuation of an unbroken journey everlasting. BABA WHITE BOY is one of a group there, who every morning, in a reflection of death, life and impermanence, cover their entire bodies in fresh human ashes and river water.

He also charged me the equivalent of 10 bucks for a few flicks. Savage.

 

 C.R.E.A.M.

November 29, 2011

On a run through Cuba with Aceyalone. We were shooting in this local bar, when I stepped outside to get out of the shot. I saw this beautiful little girl in her school uniform hustling down the street. I imagined at first she was bringing her little brother one, but the second I asked if I could take her picture she looked incredibly guilty. And once I started popping off, the neighbors stared yelling at her, and teasing her in Spanish for something I can only imagine was about two ice cream cones in a communist state…but probably not. The people there are fucking amazing, so warm and open hearted, and about living in a present moment, content.  They show so much love, especially when they find out your from Nueva York. People always say it’s so sad how Cuba’s going to go to shit after Castro dies. I think thats so racist, everyone there is too ill to let that happen.  Fuck off, viva la revolution.

 HEART OF A LION

October 17, 2011

“At the end of the day,day my momma told me don’t let no one break me let no one break me
At end of the day, day, nobody, nobody, ever could stop me ever could stop me
At the end of the day, day you can’t regret it if you were trying if you were trying
At the end of the day I’m walking with a heart of a lion…”

 

 Mandela

September 14, 2011

Mandela. South Africa. I was on a World-Wide run with Pharrell. We found ourselves somehow inside the Mandela Compound in Johannesburg. The security was beyond anything I had ever experienced before, but once we got inside the walls,  and through the checks, and past the gigantic guns it was an awesome atmosphere of complete comfort. Amidst the gorgeous rose gardens, African art, and precious grandchildren running around barefoot,  I remember sharing a brief moment with P. It was a glance of humble disbelief, and a shared sense of being in the right place at the right time, and knowing it.  Nelson was relaxed, full of light, and kept saying what an idiot politician George W was…

He could then, of course, recognize a sense of our American shame, so added how he liked George W. personally. He told us the first thing Bush asked Mandela when they met was if he wanted to do a shot of whiskey with him…God Bless America.

 Gangster Jesus

August 17, 2011

Leimert Park, California. We were shooting a video for Aceyalone, and I was walking towards Project Blowd, up Crenshaw Blvd. I saw this guy standing by the park facing traffic and asked if I could snap a few off. He looked at me somewhat confused, agreed, and then waited a moment and said, “he does though nigga, I’m living proof…” Great moment.

 BABA SUNSHINE

July 5, 2011


One of my personal favorites. Baba lived on the river banks of the Bagmati in Pashupati. Half  Spiritual beings of heart, and half Brooklyn card hustlers, these spiritual men deal with both corn ball tourists and “true seekers” all day long. They live a simple life with no possessions, eating and smoking what’s given to them by the people. They’ve thrown everything in their lives to the wind and live in the present moment.  This particular Baba was so full of warm light. He wasn’t smiling when I framed him up – I took a second, and he just stared at me. Then I peered up from the eye piece of my camera and made eye contact with him. He erupted in sunshine and I pushed the button without looking.

 mutual wonderment

May 10, 2011

Brazil. Rio de Janeiro. Being mad famous as an artist means you must really be talented. Which means you really must be sensitive. Which means it must be really weird to be really talented and really famous. I often found Pharrell inside of a complex bubble. A strange almost debilitating safety bubble that somehow traps him inside his own little world of art. Everyone deals with this differently, I always loved Pharrell’s attitude of reverse wonderment. This photo is a personified instant of mutual momentary wonderment.

 smoking with ace

May 6, 2011

My first official music video was for Aceyalone’s “I Think.” I was fucking geeked just to meet him. He came up to the Cal Arts film studios and we shot in a few hours. I remember once it was edited and colored I drove down to Project Blowed on a Thursday night and gave him the video on a 3/4 tape. We played it on the projection screen. I was so nervous. A young white boy in the hardest most legitimately judgmental spot in LA. Once it was over, everyone chanted “again” and we played it again. Afterwards, he walked me out to the trunk of his Impala and gave me an old Freestyle Fellowship poster and a handful of “Mic Check” stickers…and to me, I had arrived. 16 Years later we’re still smoking together at Project Blowed.