Gallery Music Who is Sozay?

February 21, 2011 - 1:12 pm

Sozay is a rising Los Angeles rapper who aspires to step away from today’s overdone rap lyrics that cater to egos and empty messages. Striving to provide fans with meaningful rhymes packed with emotion and heart, Sozay prides himself on his ability to comfortably expose his insecurities and give people a true insight into who he really is. Considered a lyrical mastermind, Sozay isn’t afraid to push boundaries and challenge today’s hip-hop standards. He looks to rappers of the past as sources of inspiration and constantly pulls elements of these iconic performers into his music today.

With a persistent work ethic and exploding fan base, Sozay is making his mark on the rap scene. He recently released a teaser EP titled, “Who is Sozay” and his track “High Hopes” is rotating through West Coast stations. Sozay is currently putting the finishing touches on his upcoming debut “Black September” and is about to hit the road in March to share the stage with hip-hop legends, House of Pain.

On February 10th, LA guests were treated to a pre-Grammy party, featuring a special performance by Sozay. Before the guests arrived and rushed the open bars, the rapper, who is soon to be on everyone’s radar, gave ChinaShop a behind-the-scenes look at his booming career.

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Featured Gallery Music The Real Deal: Dani Deahl

February 21, 2011 - 11:58 am

Dani Deahl is well on her way to becoming one of the most widely recognized female DJs. A Chicago native, Dani conquered the local club scene in her first year spinning, going on to tour internationally while releasing records along the way. She has played at Lollapalooza twice, hit the Billboard charts for singles such as “Poppin’ Bottle,” and runs Satellite Records, a label that produces some of today’s best dance music. Dani also writes for top industry publications including URB and TimeOut and runs a music blog titled D Squared.

She’s known for rocking her signature pink and black locks and bringing her rock meets electro vibe to the DJ booth. Her career keeps expanding and she isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. ChinaShop was able to nail down this electronic superstar for a quick Q & A and a photo shoot that may or may not have resulted in her falling into a swimming pool fully clothed in designer threads.
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Event Gallery Finding Love on The World’s Longest Couch

February 21, 2011 - 11:08 am

Being dateless on Valentine’s Day wasn’t the plan for 150 hopeful singles that plopped down on the world’s longest couch in the middle of Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade for a chance at finding love. “The event, titled “The World’s Longest Sofa Speed Date” was hosted by Hurry Date, the nation’s leading speed dating company, in conjunction with BoConcept, the mastermind behind the 213-foot red leather Guinness World Record couch that daters sat upon.

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Contributors Teresa Jusino: Writer, Badass, GeekGirl

February 19, 2011 - 10:13 am

Teresa Jusino

I don’t have a TV, I rarely get out and admittedly, I’ve never been to a book reading… but it was quite special getting my listener’s cherry popped Wednesday night by one of ChinaShop’s own Teresa Jusino as she read some of her work at The Talking Stick in Venice.

Teresa, a talented New York based writer and activist from Queens, is in Los Angeles for a limited time in support of her contribution to the recently published book Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon By the Women Who Love Them.

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Film Film Fridays Film Fridays: Brad Pitt vs. James Franco for ‘Akira’; Robocop Gets His Own Statue; New Trailer For Thor

February 18, 2011 - 5:48 pm

film fridays lead2

In a desperate move to get the live action AKIRA off the ground and recoup the serious $$$ they’ll be doling out, execs at Warner Bros. supposedly phoned Brad Pitt in a bid to get him as the lead.

Apparently there’s some serious sh*t brewing between the Hughes Brothers and Warner Brothers honchos in the pre-production stages for the film adaptation of what is arguably the greatest Japanese animated film of all time. The general consensus is that it’s also possibly the worst idea in a long time, even more than re-making Footloose.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/18/11

February 18, 2011 - 12:21 pm

Gil Scott Heron

We’re New Here the (insanely awesome) Jamie xx remix album of Gil Scott Heron’s I’m New Here doesn’t come out until the 21st, but the folks over at The Guardian have provided us with a full album stream this week! *Happy panda paws in the air!* I. Love. This. Album. So much. 

The visual for Cee-Lo Green’s “Bodies” is not merely a music video but “an animated short motion picture,” which is kind of pretentious but as it’s Cee-Lo (and I love him) he gets a pass. The “animated short motion picture” was directed by Mikael Colombu and features appearances by Kerry Washington, Janelle Monae and Karl Lagerfeld. Bam. It’s an… interesting piece for sure, though the song isn’t my favorite off the album. Check it out below.

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Fashion Gallery Derick Melander Laces Up

February 18, 2011 - 11:19 am

Derick Melander loves clothes. Perhaps not in the same way that you and I love clothes, as Melander makes ambitious sculptures from carefully folded and stacked second-hand clothing.

I discovered him at Project in Vegas quite accidentally while wandering the show floor. A “shameless self-promoter”, Melander told me that he connected with Project through a friend designer who exhibits here each season. Paramount Apparel International (PAi) and Tom’s Shoes both donated their wares to let Melander have his way with them.

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Music Friday Night at Pianos NYC

February 18, 2011 - 10:42 am

Piano's NYC

It was a chilly night in the Lower East Side last Friday when Headless Horseman finished night one of their four performance residency at one of New York’s most ubiquitous indie music venues, Pianos. The downstairs stage was packed with stylishly sloppy girls in red lipstick and plenty of furry boys drinking whiskey– its a good crowd to spend a Friday night with.

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Music Legendary Bauhaus Frontman Peter Murphy confirms US Tour and New Album

February 17, 2011 - 12:40 pm

Peter Murphy on tour 2011

Following his cameo in the movie blockbuster ‘Twilight: Eclipse’ last year, Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy‘s new solo album ‘Ninth’ will be released worldwide on 7th June. His first studio album in five years, it was recorded in Woodstock NY with the current live band featuring guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite (The Mission/Tricky), drummer Nick Lucero (The Flys/ex Queens of The Stone Age) and bassist Jeff Shartoff (Human Waste Project), it’s aptly titled as the Ninth album release for Peter as a solo artist. The world 2011 tour kicks off in the USA, with the following dates…

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Social Media SMW Day 4: Discovering New Music Plus Ian “Enable” Wyatt

February 17, 2011 - 11:59 am

music writers

Ian “Enables” My Gaming Habit

Red Bull Space knows how to do Happy Hour. Not only did they provide alcohol for Social Media Week attendees last week, but they provided video games! Each day of SMW11, attendees could hang out in the Gaming Lounge and drink Red Bull & Vodkas as they tried their hand at Wii Snowboarding, raced in Gran Turismo, or shot at enemy soldiers in the new HALO Reach game. The star of the Happy Hour on the third day of SMW, however, was Ian “Enable” Wyatt. At only 17 years old, he’s one of the top HALO players in the world! Gaming fans had the opportunity to play with Wyatt in a relaxed atmosphere, allowing them to get into the minds and play-style of one of their gamer idols. And so did I!

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