THE RAPPER COMMON AS ELAM FERGUSON, AMC'S 'HELL ON WHEELS'

Rap and hip-hop goes way back in the day. Common, dressed down, as freed slave Elam Ferguson.

GQ MAGAZINE'S NOVEMBER ROCK ISSUE: THE SURVIVORS

A photo-shoot with the members of ATL's Dungeon Family makes this issue worth flipping through. Andre 3000 in the x mask and fedora puts it over the top...in dopeness kind of way!

JASON SEILER, ILLUSTRATOR: KANYE WEST, LIL WAYNE, ARETHA FRANKLIN...

Visit Jason Seiler's site for more dopeness.

NIKI MINAJ ON THE COVER OF 'W' MAGAZINE'S NOVEMBER ART & FASHION ISSUE

Hip-hop on the 18th century tip?

Francesco Vezzoli gives Niki a new look.

'30 AMERICANS EXHIBIT'

NOW SHOWING





Produced by the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C.


we decided to call it “30 Americans.” “Americans,” rather than “African Americans” or “Black Americans” because nationality is a statement of fact, while racial identity is a question each artist answers in his or her own way, or not at all.

















































































































Artists in the exhibition:

Nina Chanel Abney
John Bankston
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Mark Bradford
Iona Rozeal Brown
Nick Cave
Robert Colescott
Noah Davis
Leonardo Drew
Renée Green
David Hammons
Barkley L. Hendricks
Rashid Johnson
Glenn Ligon
Kalup Linzy
Kerry James Marshall
Rodney McMillian
Wangechi Mutu
William Pope.L
Gary Simmons
Xaviera Simmons
Lorna Simpson
Shinique Smith
Jeff Sonhouse
Henry Taylor
Hank Willis Thomas
Mickalene Thomas
Kara Walker
Carrie Mae Weems
Kehinde Wiley
Purvis Young

BRUCE DAVIDSON'S 'SUBWAY' BOOK [APERTURE/MAGNUM PHOTOS]

"I wanted to transform the subway from its dark, degrading, and impersonal reality into images that open up our experience again to the color, sensuality, and vitality of the individual souls that ride it each day."

—Photography Bruce Davidson
















From Magnum: Since the ground was broken, New York City's subway system has been the stuff of legend as well as a source of inspiration and fear. This dim, democratic environment provides the setting for photographer Bruce Davidson's re-issued first extensive series in color. This new edition contains 42 additional photographs not previously included, a new forward by Fred Braithwaite (Fab Five Freddy), a graffiti artist who has become famous for his contribution to hip-hop music, and a new introduction by Arthur Ollman, the Director of the Museum of Photographic Art in San Diego. It also includes essays from the first edition of the book by Bruce Davidson and Henry Geldzahler.

'BLACK POWER MIXTAPE—1967-1975' MOVIE POSTER

A younger and sho' 'nuff afro topped Angela Davis blesses the illustrated poster of the 'Black Power Mixtape' film.



















If you have not heard about the film, out now for the past month, view the trailer.

DEF JAM RECORDINGS: THE FIRST 25 YEARS OF THE LAST GREAT RECORD LABEL [RIZZOLI]

The Rizzoli published Def Jam coffee table book, an oral history work written by Bill Adler and designed by Cey Adams, has hit the street.
























You can find an interview conducted by Ted Panken with the book's designer, Cey Adams on the branding of Def Jam Records, on themortonreport.com.

KANYE WEST DEBUTS HIS 'DW' WOMENS FASHION LINE

This month Kanye West took his talents into another arena with the debut of his 'DW' clothing line—a line for women named after his late mother, Donda West. Russell created Phat Farm, Diddy did Sean John, and Jay w/Dame brought forth the street reflection fashions of Roc-A-Wear. However, West's efforts in the women's realm of fashion may be the first time a member/rapper/producer from the Hip-hop scene/industry/nation/generation, etc.

Whether you approve of his fashion sense as it pertains to the creations he's manifested in tribute to his mother, West, like a small crew of other Hip-Hop industry shapers, has pushed the boundaries out even further as to what talented young Black men in Hip-Hop can do.