With his rising celebrity as one of LA’s best DJs, and his indie record label “Dim Mak” (which means the touch of death in Chinese) gobbling up all the hottest indie bands and now his Dim Mak clothing line that’s on every hipster’s xmas list (I’m totally obsessed with the hoodies), the incomparable Steve Aoki can’t seem to do no wrong and boy is it paying off — in spades.

Steve Aoki’s blurbs:

Dim Mak media cartel, ground zero. A record label as a tangram. It all started in a small room in a college co-op books, records, magazines, one-sheets, records, stickers, records, records, and records. People filing in, one at a time or three at a time, hands being given where needed. Support is free. Passion is free. Silkscreened Pretty Girls Make Graves posters aren’t free, but that’s nothing personal. Everything else is.

Found on: Steve’s Myspace page

Must reads:

Steve Aoki’s website

Dim Mak Collection

Next On The Decks w/Steve Aoki

A native of Seattle, HeavyGrinder currently resides in Los Angeles where she is part time student, model and full time DJ. At age thirteen, she began to actively pursue her love of music and being on center stage by taking up vocal training and modeling.

After years of traveling and successful model work, she made her way to L.A. in 1998. It was in the City of Angels that she realized her new love, cozying up to the sounds of underground dance music, captivated by the power of the DJ and the reaction of the crowd.

Heavygrinder’s blurbs:

Music is an unspoken language… A way to express feelings and emotion… Speak through the music, not through words.

Found on: Heavygrinder’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

Heavygrinder’s Website

Heavygrinder Interview

There’s been an escape from the planet of the BAPES, I repeat, there’s been an escape from the planet of the BAPES!

I’ve been rockin BAPE gear forever now, yes, way before Pharrell started wearing BAPE BBC tees on MTV and way before all the bootleg stuff started showing up at swap-meets across the country…don’t get me started.

Anyway, I was at a party the other night and someone asked me who started this cultural phenomenon and I told him, it’s a dude named “NIGO“. You mean JIGGA he replied back with a puzzled look on his face…ah, no, NIGO (too late) - now totally enamored with himself and his answer, he started into “jigga who, jigga what?” - yeah, that’s him.

NIGO’s blurbs:

I never set out to become Japan’s hottest fashion designer or an internationally famous arbiter of style, or to show young people how to rebel without losing their cool. But the fact that I am now one of the most influential movers and shakers of our generation does not strike me as particularly odd either. In fact, I focus on my passions, rather than on society’s expectations, as the secret of my success. I never planned too far ahead, wearing a T shirt and jeans plus two necklaces and a giant watch dripping with hip-hop quantities of bling. I just tried to do what I love and create the things that I wanted to create — I LIVE IN MY OWN WORLD

As long as there ignorant fools like the one I met at that party, I think I’ll be rockin my BAPEs for awhile longer - yay yay!

Found on: Nigo’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

Vintage Kicks

BAPE Website

What do I do with my robot girl?

This age old question has been debated on forum boards and in IRC chat rooms for decades now and for millions of Otakus out there, it’s a very serious problem.

Lucky for all us, EMO grindcore master, “Mochipet” just pulled a Dr. Phil to shed some light on this taboo subject.

His new track tittled: “Ellen Allien - Robot Girl” featuring Ellen Allien on his new album “Donkey Disco” helps to expose the inner “robotic” demons and the turmoil that many in the Otaku community have to deal with — all along, raising some much needed awareness.

Mochipet’s blurbs:

Born in Taiwan R.O.C. to rocket scientist father and kindergarten teacher mother, David Wang (a.k.a. Mochipet) did not get his start in music until the age of 15, when the urge of metal guitar overtook him in Livermore California. Rocking through a set of 2 in speakers and a cheap stiletto six-string, David Wang conjured up the forces which began his music adventure.

So what do you do with your robot girl? Well, Mochipet may not have the answer you’re looking for but what he does have are fat beats, hypnotizing samples and a great track and new album you have to get.

Found on: Mochipet’s Myspace page

Must Reads:

New Album “Donkey Disco”

I’m Teaching @ SFSU again… (view more)

Had to report on one of the best shows that I have been to this year, DJ Shadow and Lateef the Truth Speaker at the Avalon. I was not expecting much out of this show becuase of the venue not being my favorite and my not completely being sold on Shadow’s latest album, The Outsider. I knew I needed to take advantage of the opportunity to see Shadow on a solo tour, so we hit up the Avalon on Sunday night.

It was a visual escape, watching Shadow playing on top of a raised stage surrounded by 9 projector screens with video and animation timed to his beats. The set list was a perfect mix of past and present and Lateef was a crowd pleaser. He really got the crowd started. Good times, good music and got some dancin’ in!

Shadow’s blurbs:

“I’m sure you’re probably thinking ,’Yeah, something’s changed with him’,” says Josh “DJ Shadow” Davis as he tries to explain a little of the life-changing journey he’s been on since his last LP, The Private Press, was released in 2002. That the change has been dramatic is evident on even the briefest of exposures to The Outsider, his fabulous, fascinating, fire-breathing third album: but it’s also there in the way he speaks, the way he looks, and the iron-clad confidence he now brings to his work.

Found on: Mangopop

Must Reads:

Shadow’s Myspace page

DJ Shadow and Lateef performing Enuff

I’ve been a “Myspace” friend and admirer of Kai and his music for a long time now. He recently sent out an email asking his friends to support him get voted as one of DJ Mag’s top 100 DJs, I voted for him and so should you!

Here’s the email:

Hey everyone,

Just asking for your support this year with the DJ Mag top 100 voting. As you may know, this is THE DE FACTO popularity contest that can literally determine a DJs career for the next few years!

If you’d like to drop me support please vote “KAI YING” (or even to be doubly sure “Kai” in the 2nd box). Last year most of my votes went to Kai Tracid so I want to avoid that problem this year.

Link to vote is below

link to vote KAI YING for DJ Mag top 100

Thanks!
-Kai

Kai’s blurbs: