Santi on Norah Jones' The Fall

Soooooo…I love Santogold. Santigold. Ok, Santigold. Just in case you haven’t received the memo, she had to change her name to Santigold because an 80’s throwback named Santo Gold called and wanted his name back. Really, he wanted to sue. It’s not so bad though, because her real name is Santi anyway. Whatever you want to call her, I was really happy to hear that she’s remixed a track for Norah Jones’ upcoming album fourth album The Fall.

While I’m on the topic of Norah Jones, I cannot wait to get her album because she’s worked with some prolific artists for this project; keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Al Green), guitarist Marc Ribot (Tom Waits) and quite a few more. There also remixes that will be done by Beck and The Beastie Boys. Can’t wait!

My Artist Find!

I really love music. Like, I LOVE music. Everything I do has a soundtrack or a song. Corny, I know, but I don't mean to do it- it just happens. Some of my favourite moments in life are when I listen to an artist that I can totally relate to, an artist that takes me back to a place that my memory alone can't take me to. I'm reeling right now because I've just been transported back to a point in my life where nothing really mattered- except contemplating the complexities of life, and not necessarily living them. But I'm older now, and the real world is oh so real. I now engage with music on a very real level: I question why Snoop leads two black women on a leash into the MTV Awards (and then consciously listen to his music selectively). Ja ne... Boys need better role models. So do girls. Lil Kim is a self confessed ho and her face is falling apart. Foxy Brown stays beating people up and the lesser known Trina's music straight up puts her out there as a whore. Then again, maybe she isn't a whore, seeing that Rick Ross isn't really gangsta. Still, we need good role models.

So here I am stalking the e-streets and I find AMANDA DIVA. Think Lauryn Hill circa '96 when she killed the Fugees' album The Score- before she flipped, cross that with the fierceness and feeling of Mary J, Gil Scott-Heron's poetry without the heroin- actually, scratch that- Ima give her Saul Williams smooth poetry. Oh shit, this woman's got me. According to Amanda's myspace, she's about to save female mceeing from itself. I know we all listen to all the Lil Kim's; the Trina's and the rest of their ilk but for real, we don't take them seriously, and I doubt the industry does either. If the case is that women won't be taken seriously unless their half nekked (lies, because no one takes Kim, Trina and Foxy seriously) then it's time for someone to step up and rep for a women on a smarter level. I hope Amanda proves that you don't have to be a Hip Hop bimbo to be heard. She's with The Aphilliates and everyone knows if you roll with DJ Drama's movement, everyone is bound to PAY CLOSE FUCKIN ATTENTION. For real though. Listen to this chick. I'm digging her.

Amanda Diva Official Site
Amanda Diva on Myspace

?uess who got their own Kicks!??

The man is excited that Nike finally decided to give him a pair of kicks and shit, frankly, i don't blame him. I would be crazy excited too, because I think every self respecting queen and princess across the world deserves a shoe modelled after my dynamic and complicated personality. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, ?uesto's very own kicks- they're called the Air ?uesto 1. Complete with an image of ?uesto with an afro pick and everything!


Pics via the ?uestosphere

Hottie of the Month: July

I should've actually changed this month's hottie to hotties but I have a thing for uniformity. This month I have not one, but TWO hotties! So here goes...

LL COOL J

Contrary to popular belief, Ladies STILL Love Cool James! The man is now 40 (in my years, that's like 90 years old!), he's toned down a little on the 90's lip licking thing. And Hey Lover just touched all the right spots for a 10 year old...lol

Honestly, any female that tells me that they never had a crush on LL are lying. Or in denial. Plain and simple. He's been killin it in the game for 23 years. Damn, I'm 23! Anywho, he's comin out with a new album and I just had to share this cover he did... Sure, I wouldn't want a man so big (or maybe I would? who knows?), but you gotta acknowledge this man is knocking at death's door (in my years) but he's still looking like he's 17! All his albums have been released via Def Jam- including his final one (due out this year), so I have to add that I love a loyal man! Peep the picture beeeelowwwww, and hit me back with the verdict.

BARACK OBAMA

Well, what can I say? The man's swag quadruples every two months! He brushes his shoulders off and of course, publicly gave his wife Michelle The Pound! I don't need to remind you that the man is half Kenyan (yes, Africa shall claim him), and he's running for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! Not only is he a black man in America, he's a black African man in America and his middle name is HUSSEIN! Do you get my drift? Whether or not he wins the elections, I find him so inspirational! A black man that seems so family oriented- *loves it!* And then... have you seen the number of magazine front pages he has? And he's just been featured in the Ebony "25 coolest Black men" edition! You gotta love it.

Thoughts....?

Images via Gawker, Mark Pasetsky, and Def Jam

My name is so special...

I've known the meaning of my name, Keitumetse, forever (obviously). But it's definately fun to know that my nickname means something so special and meaningful for some people around the world...

The Tumi is a sacrificial ceremonial knife distinctly characterised by a semi-circular blade, made of either bronze, copper, gold-alloy, or silver alloy used by some Inca and pre-Inca cultures in the Peruvian Coastal Region. In Andean mythology, the Moche, Chimu and Incas were descendants of the Sun, and had to be worshipped annually with an extravagant celebration. The festival took place at the end of the potato and maize harvest in order to thank the Sun for the abundant crops or to ask for better crops during the next season. During this important religious ceremony, the High Priest would sacrifice a completely black or white llama. Using a tumi, he would open the animal's chest and with his hands pull out its throbbing heart, lungs and viscera, so that observing those elements he could foretell the future. Later, the animal and its parts were completely incinerated.

Other Andean cultures have used the tumi for the neurological procedure of skull trepanation. Many of these operations were carefully performed, suggesting that the surgery was done for the relief of some body disturbance other than that associated with injury, perhaps an organic or mental condition.

On November 26 '06 archaeologists announced that they had unearthed 22 graves in northern Peru containing pre-Inca artifacts. Among the artifacts were the first tumi ever discovered by archaeologists. All previous examples had been recovered from grave looters.

In Peru, to hang a tumi on a wall means good luck. The tumi is the national symbol of Peru and has become a symbol used in the Peruvian tourism publicity.

....OR YOU COULD GO WITH THE FASHIONISTA'S MEANING....

Tumi is a manufacturer of luggage for travel. The company was founded in 1975 and is named for a Peruvian ceremonial knife used for sacrifices. The products are known for their black-on-black ballistic nylon. The company is based in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Tumi is known among consumers for its exclusivity, and quality stylish products. Today, Tumi's award-winning products range from luggage, business cases and handbags to wallets, writing instruments and watches. Tumi is available at department stores and specialty stores as well as over 50 Tumi stores around the world.

Tumi was, at one time, made entirely in the US and offered a lifetime warranty. Since 2004, however, Tumi has moved production of items to China.

Tumi Website

I'm on my sneaker shit...Chuck Taylor All-Star Gold Zipper

I have no words. Only available in Hong Kong or on ebay. Certainly not at your local South African Converse stockist. Watch me get em. Watch you sip on that haterade and hate, hate, hate!!

Since today seems like Sneaker Day...

Coming from S.A, the best Converse you’ll get are plain black/white/red
or corduroy or some other lame shit- and quiet simply: I'M FED UP! Through my travels and online surfing, I’ve seen some really interesting colours, shades and fabrics used on Chucks that go beyond the usual wack ass garbage that South African consumers are fed. I'd venture to say that the S.A market gives a sizeable chunk of revenue towards Converse, yet we still get all the usual and hella boring Chucks dumped into the market. Either Converse S.A needs to step up their game or employ some young people who are more in touch. (does Converse even really have an S.A office??? Those people don’t even have a real website.)

On another note, I’ve been seeing some nice Converse kicks released to mark the 100^th anniversary of Converse. Basically what they’ve done is commission 100 of the world’s creative designers, artists and musicians to design their unique Converse. 50 have apparently already been designed, expressing each individual artist’s commentary on HIV/AIDS. New releases can be seen on the Converse website. And no, it's not a local site. Pics below.

PUMA CLYDE - POISON PACK

I saw these a few weeks ago and wasn't sure if I was feelin em. So I went back tot he site and checked em out and I've decided that I like em. My fav's = the strawberry frogs

THE STORY SO FAR:

Puma dreamt up three patterns and colourways based on unique and distinctive textures taken from different species of the Poison Dart frog from Central America. In reality, the bright colours repel predators, and indicates their toxicity. But of course, just as humans do with their feelings/emotions; some reptiles imitate poisonous colours to outsmart predators.


First pair is Dendrobates pumilio (or Strawberry frog)
Second pair (the green) is Dendrobates leucomelas (or Yellow-Banded frog)
Third is Dendrobates azureus (or Okipipi frog)

A Sneak Peek...

Just a few of my babies...it's really hard to find hot kicks as a chick- esp in S.A. so I'm proud of my little collection. I have many more pairs of shoes and kicks but these are some of my fav's- plus I recently went on a binge; thanks to my brother's wedding. I have recently retired my tweed dunks (not pictured)-I think I need to hunt down another because they became such a staple of my look and now I'm ashamed of what they look like right now.

D'banj on MTV Base Player

For the show that I work on, I had to create short aspirational pieces on influential young Africans. 2008 EMA winner D'banj was one of the people I chose to profile. Let me know your thoughts :)

Loving It...

This man is too cool. I'm no photography fundi but I love him.



His name is Hiroshi Sugimoto and he's a Japanese photographer and in his opinion, "art is possible even without artistic intention". CLICK THE PITCHAS FOR MORE