What’s a DJ?

As someone who’s played music to a crowd live, in the living room or in a club this comes up not as often as it once has. A DJ has become synonymous with nightlife but really not may people notice mediocre DJs just really bad ones or really good ones (and there are many of the former). I have a shirt I wear sometimes and for those that don’t get a chance to read it:

DJ (dee-jay) I. n.: a retarded individual who receives undue credit, extravagant amounts of money, fame, recognition and sexual favors in return for playing music created by other people. 2. a moron who plays records at volume levels which prohibit coherent thought while you are attempting to have a conversation at the bar. 3. an arrogant idiot adored by countless lobotomy cases who attribute this ability to talent (sic.). 4. a legitimate argument for mandatory sterilization. 5. a first class parasite with delusions of grandeur who inexplicably makes a living by leeching off the talented individuals who have actually bothered to the hard work involved in creating individual music. 6. I really wish they would all fuck off and die.

In reality there are many fucktards that buy a pair of ipods, or a Mac computer, download some MP3s and play it over a loud system – then claim themselves to be DJs. Just because you push play does not mean you know anything about rhythm, style, flow, focus and moving the crowd. Even some good DJs have let their skills go because the standards of a DJ have slipped so far. I find this despicable and coupled with the decline in focus of the club scene from the Music to selling bottles to douchebags, the nightlife scene has forever failed to live up to it’s heyday in the early 90s.

The Saftey Catwalk for Awareness

A Condom Fashion Show in China

Models parade in outfits made of condoms during a fashion show at the 4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies & Products Expo in Beijing July 11, 2007. Condoms of all shapes and sizes were used to make dresses, hats and even lollipops. Models fought through extravagant soap bubble special effects to show off tight-fitting wedding gowns, scaly-looking evening dresses, outrageous bikinis and other garments made entirely of condoms. The show was held at the Fourth China Reproductive Health New Technologies and Products Expo and organized by China’s largest condom manufacturer, Guilin Latex Factory, to promote the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It also marked World Population Day, organized annually by the U.N. Population Fund.









Sneaker shoppin’ NYC style

From Complex Magazine’s Buy It Guide for New York City; comes a great list of sneaker shops in NYC, now if only I had more checks to walk in these spots:

ALIFE RIVINGTON CLUB

158 Rivington Street
New York, NY
212-375-8128
www.alifenyc.com

Rivington Club’s country club d’cor and consistent supply of rare Nike and Reebok footwear, as well as the Alife line at RTFT, has made it an NYC sneaker staple.

Adidas Nike Quickstrike, Puma, Reebok, RTFT, Feit, Visvim, Married to the Mob, Iraq NY t-shirts.

CLIENTELE

267 Lafayette Street
New York, NY
212-219-0531

Clientele hunts so you don’t have to. Every great sneaker has at some point graced its shelves, but be warned: Turnaround is quick. Impulse buys are strongly recommended.

Hot items: Nike, Jordan, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, New Balance, Converse, DVS, Vans, Spring Court, Feit, MIKE (Clientele’s footwear line)

ATMOS

203 West 125th Street
New York, NY
212-666-2242
www.atmos-tokyo.com

Fresh off it’s Levi’s and North Face collabs, this Japanese transplant/giant has a whole crew of exclusives flowing in from the motherland, as well as new signature long-sleeve tees and button-downs for winter.

Hot items: Nike Quickstrike, Feit, Timberland, Ubiq, Adidas, assorted Japan exclusives, Nike x Atmos Air Max 90

DAVE’S QUALITY MEAT

7 East 3rd Street
New York, NY
212-505-7551
www.davesqualitymeat.com

Zoo York vets Dave Ortiz and Chris Keefe thought up this butcher-themed skate/sneaker shop and have been killing it with an array of Nike SB and Nike Quickstrike footwear as well as clothing from UXA and Mighty Healthy.

Hot items: Callous, DC Shoes, New Era hats, Nike SB Dunk

FLIGHT CLUB

254 Greene Street
New York, NY
212-505-2330
www.flightclubny.com

At New York’s only consignment shop for footwear, you never know what you’ll find. Just don’t forget that shoebox full of bills.

Hot items: Nike SB Pigeon Dunk; Jordan 3,4,5 and 6; Nike SB Supreme Dunk

GOLIATH RF

175 East 105th Street
New York, NY
212-630-7683

Since September ’04, this spot has given sneakerheads all over the city one more reason to trek up to Harlem. Here you’ll find the Nike Quickstrike and JB Classics as well as tees by Orchard Street and coup d’etat.

Hot items: Etnies Plus, DC Shoes, Penguin, Scott Langston polos and denim, Weight shirts and polos, Triko warm-ups

KICKZ INC.

47-09 91st Place (Corona Ave.)
Elmhurst, NY
718-271-1600
www.kickznyc.com

This Queens shop may be a little out of the way, but it’s a definite go-to for the flavor-of-the-month Air Jordan, Nike AF1 or Nike Dunk footwear.

Hot items: Nike AF1 Mita, Easter and Carolina low’s; Nike SB T-19 Dunk and Tweed Dunk low

NOM DE GUERRE

640 Broadway
New York, NY
212-2532891
www.nondeguerre.net

Hidden underneath this Swatch store, this high-end streetwear boutique is one of two New York shops to get special release Nike and Nike Quickstrike sneakers. Other highlights include clothing from Nom de Guerre, Rogan, and Absurd.

Hot items: Russel Moccasin x Nom de Guerre boot, Converse, Y-3 Adidas, Feit, Rag & Bone, APC, Reason, C.O.D.

NORT 235

235 Eldridge Street
New York, NY
212-777-6102

Nort pulls in some of the best Nike footwear New York has to offer. It’s the only other location in the city to stock special release Nike and Nike Quickstrike. Nort is Nike exclusive, but sometimes that’s all you need.

Hot items: Nike Zoom Spiridon and FC, various silent Nike drops

RIVAL

225 Hudson Street
New York, NY
212-929-7222

Located in the TriBeCa neighborhood, Rival boasts a Nike SB and Nike Quickstrike account as well as snowboards from Burton, button-downs from Oliver Spencer, tees from 10Deep and Misericordia gear.

Hot items: Nike SB and Quickstrike, Clarks Wallabee, Burton Idiom and Maharishi gear.

TRAINING CAMP

1079 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY
212-921-4430

Training Camp attracts everyone from professional, briefcase-toting types to sneaker collectors in search of Nike Quickstrike, Reebok, Penguin, Converse and Adidas footwear

Hot items: Jordan X, Nike Air Force 180, Adidas Zizza, Nike Air Max 90 in OG Colorways

PACKER SHOES

941 Teaneck Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-837-2022

Packer generated quite a buzz at its opening when customers saw rarities such as the Nike Air Tech Challenge and the Nike Air Carnivore on the shelves. The staff at the shop is cool, and it’s one of only a handful of stores to carry the New Balance “Made In England” series. Stop in for Nike and Reebok as well as an assortment of vintage and Japanese-release sneakers. Clothing brands include King Stampede, J$ and anything.