1) 4 old white dudes dressed as cops – carrying Kendrick, Schoolboy Q and his boys down the street “settee” style
2) Black and White photography – with incredible shots of LA (but why not in 4K?)
3) Special Effects – Kendrick floating over the city and all of the reactions are so on point. This video just has an exciting mood!
4) Eye Candy – only two female models and probably 4 seconds of screen time between them but they make their point quickly.
5) Dancers – Pays homage to the pop and lock bay area styles
My only gripe is with some of Kendrick’s styling – the DSquared shirt looks like last Winter’s fashion (although this video may well have been shot back then)
What do you guys think?? Post comments. We gon’ be alright!
We have Merch! I have been working with the incredibly talented Heyla (who knows how to sew!) to develop a series of modded T’s to get you fresh for the summer. I was inspired by a sweater that Gold Whistle chief Cobra Krames hooked me up with that was thrifted. The inspiring element for me was that none of the items were the same – my sweater had something in common with his but it was unique. A slightly different shade of green – a missing thread here or there – a ketchup stain j/k.
Hit this LINK to go to our new merch page and click on the PICS to buy things from us!
I still have five of the infamous Crocmode Bandanas from last May – and coming hot for Summer 2015 we have a ton of new items I’m stoked to share.
Series 1 and 2 have only one shirt each – like – super limited releases.
Series 3 is in development and I’m almost nervous to share but here is the early photo:
“I am sezza man from the royal fam never ate ham, never gave a damn”
The collabo between IAM and the Wu Tang Clan wasn’t the first time I heard this legendary rap crew but it is my favorite cut and one I was willing to invest in to own on vinyl.
I dug this show. It’s pretty wild how big of a following these dudes have to fill a venue in Lauderdale on a Wednesday. Nobody spoke English at this show. Which makes sense because the dudes on stage didn’t really speak any English either.
The show was pretty well done – no extravagant stage setup or lighting because they are flying in from Europe. Basically it’s 4 MCs and 3 DJs. The middle DJ has show tracks running in ableton. The two DJs on the wings are mixing and scratching. Not a lot of MIDI triggering or interaction between the DJs. The one time I was impressed the DJ on the left did a medley where the guys rapped over some classic instrumentals (think Sugarhill Gang and Run DMC)
Afterwards I went out in Lauderdale met some cool people and did a yoga pose in a bar that ended up with me frontflipping into giant jenga and having to replace a girl’s beer. Good times indeed.
Miami Music Week is a great excuse to explore my boundaries as a med student and take some pictures and meet some people. This week I met Nick Catchdubs, Craze, Vanessa from Posso, A-Trak, Jubilee, and Spankrock.
NBD
The secret to my success in getting into many shows was following around one of my favorite DJs and producers Sammy Bananas. This guy is one of the humblest – most interesting – coolest dudes in the game. He also has an incredible ear for funky house and makes some of the best edits – he really gets house music in a way that is very rare. He dropped this new track he’s apparently working on with Apt One (Philladelphyinz – Young Robots) that uses the herb alpert rise sample (biggie hypnotize for the uninitiated) and I’m really looking forward to that release. He had a great room to play to at Blackbird Ordinary in Brickel and I ran into some friends of one of my med school friends and they were really cool! Such a highlight of the night – music fans – people that like to dance – and mutual acquaintances. They bounced to catch the train and Sammy and I dipped to Grand Central to catch A-Trak’s set at 1AM at the Fool’s Gold party.
At this point my flash had died and I was also wearing a super goofy suit – and dude didn’t let me on stage so I didn’t get any good pictures of A-Trak. Did however get to meet him after his set. Have to say the Fool’s Gold boss blew me away last night at Grand Central. He plays so heavy and it’s very current. Makes sense with what he’s been doing with the label merging the worlds of dance music and hip hop and kind of looking past genres to the future. We talked about Danny Brown. He was super humble and eventually I ran out of questions I’m like “How do you feel?” He’s like “It feels great man we’re making music and going places – sorry I have to change my shirt” and spins around to take it off.
Talked with Vanessa from Posso for a while. She’s from LA and her musical project is really cool – she can actually sing really well although it seems like their show is mostly DJing for now. Asked her how she stays energized on the road and she said she doesn’t drink alcohol – makes sense. Also she likes cooking for people and makes a lot of the outfits they wear which is cool. Looking forward to seeing them next time they’re in Miami in April.
After catching the end of Martin Solveig and A-Trak and drinking some free beers we bounced to catch Crew Love in Wynwood. This party was really amazing. Reminded me of the poplar grove that is no more in Gowanus where I danced last summer with the Mister Sunday crew. I took some shots and gave away some stickers and danced and eventually materialized back in Deerfield Beach. Amen.
The venue nestled next to mini soccer fields that had games and lights well past when I left at 1:20. With a burger stand and picnic tables along with a ton of outdoor space this felt like the type of local hangout that could attract some of Miami’s finest.
True to expectation I collided with some of my all time industry favorites Codes and Durkin, and even got to meet one of the greatest turntablists of all time: Craze.
The music started with Spankrock dropping some RnB joints off his laptop which was an honest highlight. You can tell this dude is OG he played thoia thoing by R Kelly into new Kendrick and had the place vibing right away. Spank is super down to earth and not at all like who I imagined a crazy party nut jumping on bars and spraying booze everywhere. He also was doing the round lenses long before K Camp and that fool needs to get off SR’s nuts. He’s been working with Boyz Noize and Amanda Blank peep game.
Next I saw Kid Kamillion take over the decks. It was cool to see him cause he DJs on an MPD which is cool and also he was a heavy hitter in the Moombahton scene I was involved with in my past life as a member of Tranquilizerz. I was glad he played a little tropical set that felt fresh and not dated. Watch out for this one
The last performance I saw was Nick Catchdubs. This is a big deal for me also because he is one of the first DJs I ever listened to and if you don’t know “radio friendly unit shifter” it is the DEFINITIVE 90s mixtape and I had it in my itunes on repeat for over a year. He also runs Fool’s Gold with another former DMC champ (along with Craze) and brother of Chromeo frontman A-Trak. I liked how he played rap songs I hadn’t heard which makes sense since Fool’s Gold tends to find underexposed hip hop and bring it to light. Danny Brown is a good example.
The biggest deal with this event was just the lack of attitudes and how chill everyone was. Maybe when you think about Miami you think about coked out aggressive fucks but this was not at all the case. Probably had something to do with the fact that a lot of the artists were in from the East Coast and just how big of a ratio it was artists to plebeian.
Click HERE to see all the rest of the pictures with features from Durkin (Boston producer/DJ – Incredible) and Codes (Brooklyn’s own on Slow Roast and super dope).
Longtime friend of Croc Mode Kuf Knotz is dropping the newest single next month and the visuals and audio are exciting to say the least. Kuf is a rapper/raw vegan/generally positive dude who splits his time between Amsterdam, NYC, and Philly that I had the pleasure of working with through our mutual friend MH the Verb. One of his tunes ended up on an episode of Always Sunny if you watch that show. Check out the video and let us know what you think!
You know crocmode than you know LongArms. The dude is one of the original members back when we were “Infamous” and then “Famous NYC” in Fall 2012. Recently he has been getting a lot of love for his latest single “Cinnamon Sugar” and we figured it was worth dropping a line to anyone who’s still listening. Big Up!
The original song was a big hit for Calvin Harris and plenty of remixes have poured out since its release. Diplo and Grandtheft come together for a brand new remix that tops them all, maybe even topping the original. The dirty drops and booming bass combined with the popular hook will allow this song to reign supreme all summer long. Here’s the video for the OG.
2) Zeds Dead feat. Twin Shadow & D’Angelo Lacy – Lost You
This song is the lead single off the Zeds Dead’s upcoming EP, Somewhere Else. Rightfully so, this jam is perfect for your summer dance parties with its upbeat tempo and soulful chorus. The track has a nice retro feel that makes it seem almost nostalgic. The Canadian duo has steadily built a name for themselves these past few years, and this song will likely take their buzz to the next level.
3) Childish Gambino – 3005
Childish Gambino did not disappoint with his sophomore album, Because the Internet, and this song serves as a perfect example of his unique and versatile style. His rhymes and word play are impeccable. The production is stellar as usual, and the hook is so catchy that you’ll be singing it all summer. The album might have come out back in December but this song has really blown up lately. It’s become a hit single garnering heavy rotation on the radio airwaves; proving that good music cannot be denied.
Heathered Pearls is the project of Ghostly A&R Jakub Alexander. The genre is listed as “hypnosis” sometimes. This will be a great opportunity to hear him for free at the Pather Room in Brooklyn.
Thursday 6/26 – 8:30PM $12-15
Glasslands – Oddisee, Louis Logic
Don’t sleep on this show! Oddisee is a rapper/producer out of DC with a heartfelt underground vibe reminiscent of BLU. Louis Logic is one of the greatest lyricists in hip hop history who just happened to release a positive message album with all original production.
Hit the Jump to see the rest of the can’t miss shows in NYC this week!
CROCMODE 