METROPOLIS: The Chase (in stores today!)

TODAY, August 12, 2008 is going to be the most exciting day Music has known in a very long time and it is all because of you.

TODAY you will boast to all of your friends, "We did it! We brought the music we want to hear to the entire world!!"

TODAY you will tell people about the time you stood in that long line and saw the most amazing performance you have ever seen.

TODAY you will remember the time that you were amongst the many pairs of hands to pass Janelle Monáe through a sea of people as she stage dove and crowd surfed.

TODAY marks the dawn of a new era, not just in music but in the triumph of the human spirit.

TODAY your Imagination will Inspire a Nation.

TODAY you will call, email, text, messenger pigeon, St. Bernard, or Pony Express your friends and family and take them with you to the nearest Target, Best Buy, or Wal-Mart and purchase your very own Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)!!

Got an IC button? TODAY is the day, wear it!!!

TODAY you will take your Imagination Inspires Nations poster to work and start a revolution. You will gather up all of your office and cubicle mates and march to the record store!!

If you don't have a job, TODAY you will stand outside of the nearest music retailer and picket all day long!!! Do whatever you must, but make sure that everyone you know and love receives their piece of this musical revolution, Metropolis:The Chase Suite (Special Edition)!!!

If you can't leave the house, TODAY you will be apart of the internet crowd that shuts down the iTunes server by flooding it with purchases!!!!

TODAY you will be one of the millions who spread this movement of Imagination, Freedom, and Fearlessness.

Here's to a new day in music!
Here's to TODAY,
Here's to The Chase,

Your Chasemasters,
Jovian Zayne and George 2.0

JM at Afro-Punk + COP THAT SUITE NOW!

Remarkable. I mean, aren't we all just lucky to have an artist like Janelle Monáe in the business? Don't be last to jump on the future of music! To be "in the know" with all things Janelle Monáe, join me and her growing army of supporters at The Chase by signing up here.

Also, don't forget to pre-order your copy of JM's special new release "Metropolis" on sale NOW! Travel here to celebrate Christmas early!

KARINE'S NEW COMMERCIAL!!!

This here is my high school Drama Guild girlfriend, Karine Hyman. We both played "Auntie Em" in our school's production of "The Wiz" years ago and it's so amazing to see those you knew growing up still pursuing their dreams! We had a photo session before she left for Israel a few months back, and she's now landed a super cool gig playing "Murphy's" mommy in this very official film commercial! This is so incredibly awesome and I'm beyond estatic for her success! CONGRATULATIONS Karine!!! Wishing you many more AMAZING roles as a working actress in Israel!

The Main Event

I LOVE ice cream, but who doesn't really? Well, "The Main Event" is thee spot for all our ice cream needs where I live. We got in the car and drove a good fifteen minutes to find that the expected long line of 8-10 people was only down to 1 person! So running to the window like a kid in a candy store, I eagerly ordered my medium "mixed cone" - no sprinkles. And, my oh my, was it delightful. If only I could share some with you, then is when you'd truly understand.

Self portrait inspired by the "mixed cone" at The Main Event ice cream parlor in Pleasantville, NJ.

(This will probably be re-done, but it's all I have for now =)

Kaput goes the lens!

A couple days ago, a very unfortunate thing happened. I was in the midst of creating more self portraits, but decided I needed a quick snack - so off to the fridge I go. Right as I'm taking a mouth full of ma's leftover spaghetti (which was BANGING might I add), I hear a loud *THUNK upstairs. Hmm. Just assuming my sis had a nasty fall or something, I didn't think much of it. Well, she sure did and it was right on my bloody camera! When I returned upstairs to find my 30D turned upside-down on the carpet, I quickly grabbed it and began snapping away to see if any serious damage had been done. "Great." I thought. My baby was making blurry pictures on the auto-focus setting one after the other and there's was nothing I could do about it. Frustrated and broke -both literally and emotionally - I just sat there wondering where do I go from here...I'm still weighing out my options. This is certainly the last thing I need right now*sigh* ... as he always does, I trust God will make a way somehow.

Fast-forward to the following day, I'm cleaning up our kitchen and have this sudden urge to document it of course. Although one lens goes kaput, there is another one I have which is wider and actually works better for this particular project.

So here I be -



lol.

Now back to figuring out what to do about lens numero uno...

Alright, signing off. First day on the new part-time job tomorrow morn.

Lata gatas!

New Selfies!

For the newcomers, I started my "digital photography" taking self portraits in my college dorm bathroom. Yeah, I know. Sounds kinda funky, but trust me - the lighting is almost always perfect! (Ah! Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.) Well anyway, here are my latest creations. Slightly different from what I've done in the past, and that's why I'm really pleased to say the least! It's all the same photo edited differently for the exception of the last two.











So what do you think? Hm?

In a min, I'll be uploading these pics and more from this session on my flickr. More commentary on these images will be included.

Thanks for looking!

HAPPY JUNETEENTH!
Rejoice with the ancestors Mom-Mom!


(Mom-Mom's Tiger Lilies in her backyard. Pop-pop said they've never been so vibrant!)

"They are away discussing your going home services as I sit here, at 516 Adriatic in the still quiet. I'm trying to envision coming here not being able to hug you, kiss you and tell you that I love you. Listening closely, I can still hear you calling "Nay Nay" from the other room. Anxiously running into the kitchen, I plop down in the chair and quietly watch you mix the batter of your famous pound cake. You give me a little taste from your finger and I'd smile saying "Mom-Mom, you make the best birthday cake ever!" Then you'd say "You know why Nay-Nay? It's 'cause I'm your grandma. And don't you ever forget it!" I'd laugh as the cake mixer drummed on."

It's been a whole year and I know your smiling down on all of us!

We miss you dearly. I love you always.

Eternal...

-NayNay

Imagination Inspires Nations II

1927


I'm on a roll...! lol They really look cool side by side. So check THAT out on myflickr.

Imagination Inspires Nations

2719


up all night with this one...

JANELLE MONAE INSPIRING NATIONS!

She's A-MAZING. If you don't know, you better find out! Check her -

www.janellemonae.com
www.myspace.com/janellemonae

I've already seen this show twice and plan to see it once more before it comes to an end in a few weeks. Remembering back in December when the W.A.S. officially endorsed "ANY1MAN", I knew I was in for a special treat. George effortlessly portrays these characters with such conviction, it's enough to put a smile on your face, bust out in laughter or in more serious moments, quietly say "Ahem". All the characters are so necessary, but I think my favs are Willie, Wesley and most definitely Bishop. (Oh my goodness...pure comedy.)

I recommend ANYONE and EVERYONE to go see this incredible one man stage show. It's ONLY running for the month of JUNE on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Repertory Theater on 13th Street in NY. =( So please don't miss it! - www.ANY1MAN.com

Would you believe me if I told you I shot with Naomi Campbell recently.

No? Well, here's the proof suckas!



(Note: I'm just joshin'. Marisa Damillie is the beautiful model here. NOT NAOMI! I love to kid. hehe*)

Thou Shall Not Steal

I came across this link today:

OKAY PLAYER

Initially I was turned off by the fact that my photo was cloned on the sides to fit the blog dimensions, but at least they half created my name...

I know, I'm way too forgiving. But yet, I'm still flattered they used it. At least they didn't change the colours all together like this inconsiderate blogger:

OCBEEJAY

Anyway, Cheers to Janelle! Incredibly happy for her. I've always secretly wondered what E. BADU (who also is one of my favorite artist) thought about her, especially since people love to refer to JM as "the female Andre 3000."

Speaking of JM, it's gonna be a fine time in the neighborhood when I get to see her live with GNARLS BARKLEY this weekend!!

BTW, here's a look at the other version of the photo.

A bit behind with the uploading here, but a lot has been going on. Currently in the process of FINALLY setting up my long over due website. (YAY!) I'm so excited, I can't sit still! Chie, hurry up! lol But no, I really appreciate all his hard work and am highly grateful. =)

Take a look at some recent work from new clients!


Yasmine


Karine




Cherie

If excessively pondering over one thing or another is preparation to madness, then officially call me crazy now. I just can't stop thinking about where I want to take my photography and self portraits...!

So many places I have in mind...

So many ideas...

My imagination is currently running wild.

Stay tuned.

Dope, dope, dope! Here I was at another Janelle Monáe show.=D So glad my close friends finally came out to see her live. They wanted to see what all the fuss was about! And of course they dig her now too. Check out the "walking dead" imitation below! Haha



More fantastic images from the show will be uploaded to my flickr in a few. :-D

"Away at Youth Councils"

From my latest...this weekend I went with my Salvation Army Fam to Youth Councils. During a break, this was done back at my hotel room. More pieces from this session can be found on my FLICKR.

Natalie (1969)

My camera is the only anachronism. :p

A 3 yr old self portrait, revised. (Surreal)

Taken with my fuji finepix digital camera. Edited in CS2.

Super cool stuff! My work has been published on CONCRETELOOP.COM

Kudos to the CL staff for keeping up the dopest celeb blog on the web!

Rocket Mic

In the past 48 hrs, I'm estimating a good 8 that I probably slept. Crazy right? But I'm still as energized as I was when first beginning edits to this image! (and for the smarties, No, I'm not on drugs. lol) After a few times of looking at the first one I did, I started to hate it. So now, here we are. I'm thinking about doing a series of these with other images I shot...

If it wasn't 6.38 in the morn, I'd phone my sister to see if she'd like to join me for a run.

Feel free to critique/ comment. =)

p.s. There is a slightly different edit at http://flickr.com/photos/aarika