This is my iMovie debut as a director, cinematographer, editor, first boy grip and soundtrack scorer. I shot the entire thing on a Sony Cyber-shot with an Optical 3x lens. Using all 8.1 of my mega pixels, I viewed the footage in real time on my 2.5″ LCD monitor. I transfered the footage into my MacBook using new technology called a USB stick, and got to work.

Last year on tour throughout the land that is known as the “Midwest,” my friend Grieves gave me an iMovie tutorial. At first, I was hesitant to open the program and try my luck, almost a year after my initial lesson. But I think we can all agree, I did my thing thing baby.

I’ll be applying to couple festivals in the fall with this bad boy, including Snohomish Carnegie International Film Festival (SCIFF) and The Watcom Falls Home Video Challenge (TWFHVC). Wish me luck yall! And don’t forget the most important part…buy the T-shirt!

*Shout out to Inner City Empire! And no, JR was not really sniffing anything

The king of all things Ballard is back! DA Grynch (aka Grynch) teamed up with the extremely talented Stephen Gray (see Fresh Espresso’s “Big or Small” video) to create some brilliant visuals for his ode to the VOLVO. That’s right, the car that your parents forced you to car pool in when getting to and from soccer games, with the kid who never scored a goal and whose real passion lied in “Magic The Gathering,” is now the leading vehicle in a post modern, 12th wave, rap game take over. With it’s catchy/sing along melody and relatable lyrics “My Volvo” has been a crowd favorite around local shows for a while now. Delivered by a man with a voice that sounds about 10 years older and 7 shades less honky then what you would expect, Grynch is to Ballard as what Sam Perkins was to Sonic’s fans who smoked weed.

But what is Grynch REALLY trying to say by making a cut about his beloved Swedish import? Is he dissing Bentley’s and the rappers that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to stunt on the next man? Is he claiming that even though his whip has yogurt stains on the carpet from the mid 90’s, Volvo’s are still preferred over waiting for the bus? Or, is Grynch taking a swing at the current most controversial means of public transportation the Seattle Hip-Hop community has ever experienced: THE SPACESHIP??

That’s right, Grynch hates spaceships. “My Volvo” is a not-so discrete jab at all the 4th/7th and 17th wave folks that are sonically rolling around on hubbercrafts. “Come back down to earth” Grynch seems to be saying “and I’ll give you a ride to Ballard High School, where there are no aliens. It’s better here.” You see, Grynch comes from the 3rd wave, KEXP, WWF revolution of Seattle Hip-Hop. An era where the modern man still has a car, a pair of Dickies and loves Chop Suey. And although Grynch didn’t comment on anything I’m writing right now, his Volvo hates Mad Rad.

All in all, the Volvo IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CAR TO COME OUT OF SEATTLE IN THE LAST YEAR. Not since The Blue Scholars “Coffee and Snow” video where the duo rolled around a Beacon Hill winter wonderland in some sort of what looks to be Toyota or potentially Chrysler Mini van, has a car made such a ripple in the city. Grynch has captured the essence of his car, and Stephen Gray has added the perfect touch of visual Nostalgia to it.

As for the underlying diss towards all the ET friendly medley’s that are popping up around capital hill? “Fuck a martian” Grynch would most likely say. “I’m out here. In this Volvo. In real life, dealing with situations in Ballard. I don’t have time for no space ships.”

*Grynch didn’t say any of this, but it makes for a better story.

I’ve posted about Saunjay before. He is Bean’s son. Last time I checked he was 7. He miiiiight be 8 now. I use to impress him with my Tech Decking ability. Now he can do my tech deck tricks…on a real skateboard…that is almost bigger then his body.

If Manik, Goods or 35th doesn’t sponsor this kid, I’m going to start making boards just so I can. Thrash on young blood.

The main reason why I haven’t been posting on here the past month and a half… I’ve been making this T-Shirt. It probably took me over 50 hours to design this. Each Icon was individually drawn in Photoshop, using 2 different grays and a black. I wanted to pick people that are from Washington that have made an impact on our region, and given the Northwest a reason to be proud. That’s why I picked Steve Pool. That motherfucker is a legend.

This is the second T-Shirt I’ve designed and I’m hella happy with the way it came out. I printed up 130 of them for the back to back shows at the Showbox and they sold out before the Scholars hit the stage during the second show. I just put in another order, and will be getting a brand new shipment by the end of the week. They are instant collectors items and I’m pretty sure one day they will be hung in the Museum of Flight. Get yours in the store section under merch.

*RATIONALIZATION I was trying to figure out what women to put on the shirt. It was a tough call. After a Twitter vote, the most famous women from Washington happen to be Jean Enerson, Amanda Knox and Amelia Erheart. You can’t have 2 newscasters on there and Steve Pool trumps Jean everytime, no question. Amanda Knox is being wrongfully accused as a freaky ass killer which is really messed up and all, but including the Seattle Prep Alumni on the T-Shirt might have made Bill Nye pissed and messed up the chances of getting Mike McGinn to wear this when he’s out at Hip Hop shows (yes, he was at the Showbox). Amelia Erheart is really good at flying, but let’s face it…nobody knows what she looks like. I was doomed to be a sexist before I even started designing it. There was a lot of people I wanted to put on, but honestly you can’t include everyone. I have to start writing raps again. So I am deciding to make this the first design of a 2 part series. The other shirt will come out in the summer for our next show, and feature everyone else that deserves to be on here. Until then, rep Seattle, wear it with pride and make your city look good. It will look perfect on you.

Maybe I should make a “Free Amanda Knox” shirt in the mean time…yep

Yes, the rumors are true.  There’s been a lot of speculation going around Twitter, Perez Hilton and Chatroullete about where I’ve been the last month and a half.  Some people thought I was doing shows.  You are wrong.  Some people thought I was taking time off to focus in the studio.  You too, are off base my friend.  The truth of the matter is, I took time off from posting on bengalyucky.com to reconnect with my spirit animal (da orca), remember why I am a blogger and more then anything else, direct my time and energy to these new white kids I just adopted!

Stay At Home Dad by macklemore-1

Young Thyn in this mother! Thaaaat’s right, he’s bout to let you know whose the coolest. Make sure to peep the merlin magic effects at a perfectly timed 2:06. This track goes hard right about now, with where the Seattle community is at. First it was the Blue Scholars, now it’s Young Thyn’s turn to fuck the Bumbershoot committee up in the head and take over that mainstage as opening support for a more established National Artist such as a De La Soul or a Shaggy.

A frequent problem that arises while thrift shopping is when to cop sports gear, and when to let it go. The initial adrenaline rush of finding a vintage “Rose Bowl” sweatshirt or a Shawn Kemp jersey can lead to irrational justifications, binge spending and a closet full of bullshit. The key is to check yourself before you get attached. Nostalgia is a motherfucker, and so is entertaining the possibility that some complete stranger’s childhood throwaways have any monetary or sentimental value. Play out a scenario in your head. “That’s not memorabilia, that a children’s size Mark Price Jersey. The only thing vintage about it is the 22 years of saturated waiting pool piss that has soaked into the mesh. I’m gonna pass on this one.” Good. Let’s try it on some real items.

I know, I know. IT’S THE HAWKS! Back when they had a cool logo and everything. And it’s only $2.99! FUCK YES! Alright, calm down. Whoever wore this back in the late 90’s (it’s not THAT old) rocked it enough to leave perma dandruff stains and sweat induced stretch marks around the collar. That dingy doo doo brown color that is fighting the royal blue and winning, will never be fresh. And here’s the kicker…will you ever wear this? The answer is no. Put it down. Move on.

Unless you coach the women’s Softball team at the UW there is absolutely no reason why you should ever consider buying this. The person that coached the women’s team hated the jacket enough to give it away. You don’t need it either.

If you squint hard enough it looks like a wool Members Only with a Mariners Logo on it. In theory, this is a great jacket. But take another gander at the pocket area. Yep. Someone got a little too excited while screaming “1, it’s under 1!” during the “Hat Trick” and ruined a perfectly good jacket.

Skeet. The death of 2nd hand goods.

I feel you. It does kinda look like a starter. And if you lived in Russia I’m sure you could trick all your homies. But let’s evalute this situation. One, it’s a Russian hockey jacket. “But that’s kinda cool, it’s different” you think to youself. No. You have no idea what that Soviet Missel Crisis/USSR gang bang/Communist symbol really means. You rock that shit around town and you’re liable to get slapped by this guy.

If it looks like you could be interpreted as a gang member in the Ukraine, let the jacket be.

Nope, your names not Judge James. But fuck it. That little Moose logo is killing the embroidered horse riding midget any day. Now turn the jacket over.

Not only is there a big woven depiction of a grazing moose about to get sniped in the woods…it’s an International Moose! Rare find indeed my friend. You rationalize the killing of an innocent animal “hunting isn’t a sport…it’s a lifestyle!” Charlton Heston would be proud. But take away the blood in your boner and what do you have? A jacket that is going to sit in the closet. After you wear it to the hipster dive bar, desperately fishing for compliments, you’re never going to touch it again. It’s close, I agree. But worth $6.99? Don’t do it.

This artwork is awesome. That is the reason why I am posting this. Makes me want to get on my photoshop game. Not sure about the mixtape, because it dropped like 5 minutes ago. Currensy has been growing on me a little, but overall I never saw much in the dude. Either way here’s the link via the homie shake at 2dopeboyz.