Good Morning: Drake - "Find Your Love"

Drizzy doesn't spit a single line on the second official single off June 15th's Thank Me Later. Although this track - which was produced by Kanye West - is kind of nice, I need to hear some more rapping before I can get excited for this album again...

Download here.

Lupe Fiasco - "I'm Beaming" (Video)

Lupe drops the video for the first single of his upcoming album Lasers. The video, directed by IllustriveMedia, mixes a variety of mediums to create a good set of visuals. Enjoy.

Theophilus London – “I Want You” (Mixtape)

If you only listen to one new thing today, make it Theophilus London’s “I Want You” mixtape, hosted by Va$htie.

Download here. Hit the jump for a video of "Life of a Lover".

Good Morning: Talibanksy

Following in the footsteps of the extremely popular British street artist Banksy, some young anti-war artists in Afghanistan have taken the stencils to the streets of Kabul to get their message out. They call themselves the Talibanksy and offered the following statement:

Selling the peace’ AKA (also known as) winning the war, has also become a big industry. Propaganda is everywhere from counter-narcotic campaigns to counter-terrorism to army recruitment. You can’t move without some form of visual purposeful persuasion burning a hole in your soul. Social and politically driven graphics, AKA street art, can evoke thought and stimulate discussion. Watch your public space.

Hit the jump for more images and a sweet video.

Skam Plays with Light for Contact 2010

Toronto photographer Steve Carty hit the streets of our lovely hometown to shoot graffiti artist Skam as he worked on some light writing installations for the upcoming Contact festival. I have to admit I had no idea what the heck light writing was until I saw this video but wow; give it a peek.

Shouts to Format Mag

Status Update: J. Cole - "Who Dat"

Here's the link for the explicit version of "Who Dat", the first single of J. Cole's upcoming debut Cole World. I'm feeling the artwork too.

Eminem - "Despicable" (Freestyle)

Slim slaughters two popular beats. I won't divulge anything else but I suggest you give it a listen. Download here.

Via Xclusive Zone

Levi's Red Tab F/W 2010

I love video lookbooks, especially when they're done this well. Featuring some upcoming outfits for both guys and girls from Levi's Red Tab collection, this short clip follows a few friends as they travel to NYC hot spots like Williamsburg, Brooklyn and the Chelsea hotel in Manhattan.

Props SartoriallyINC

M.I.A. - "Born Free" (Music Video)

I know I just posted the song this morning but the video also hit the net last night and wow... This 9-minute mini-movie absolutely destroys "Telephone - sorry Gaga. It's political, violent and extremely thought provoking. But I have to warn you, there is LOTS of sensitive material (blood, beatings, nudity) so be careful before choosing to watch it. Oh, and make sure to hit the "Full Screen" option.

Music Monday: The Link Dump Edition (Part 2)

Here's some more new music I've acquired over the week. Enjoy!

Lupe Fiasco – "Love Letter To The Beat" (Feat. Alicia Keys)

This is most likely off Lupe's upcoming Lasers. Download here.

N.E.R.D. - "Hot N' Fun" (Feat. Nelly Furtado)

Here's the first single off N.E.R.D.'s upcoming album Nothing, which is set to drop June 15th. Download here.

M.I.A. - "Born Free"

M.I.A. returns with "Born Free", a track that will appear on her as-of-now untitled third album, due out June 29th. Download here.

B.O.B. - "Airplanes (Pt. 2)" (Feat. Hayley Williams & Eminem)

The much-hyped about collab wth Em dropped this past week and it's awesome. This will appear on B.O.B.'s debut LP The Adventures of Bobby Ray, due out tomorrow. Also, I've never listened to Paramore but Hayley Williams has a great voice. Download here.

B.O.B. - "Not Lost" (Feat. T.I.)

The King jumps on this track with Bobby Ray. Unfortunately this won't make the cut for the aforementioned album due to issues with clearing the Coldplay sample. Still a dope track. Download here.

Good Morning: Changes (Pt. 2)

Last week I mentioned that some things would be changing, and literally the day after I wrote the post it all started to happen. But for the sake of not wanting to look like a tool, I waited a bit and here we are a week later, and with some experience under my belt, I'm ready to let you guys you know that I am now blogging for Think Contra. As stoked as I am for this opportunity, it means that sometimes ATP will get the short end of the stick, so if ever you log on and nothing has changed since the last time you visited, head over to Contra and see what's good there. Just so you're forewarned, some of my posts will overlap because I feel they are useful to both of the sites' readers, but many posts will be exclusive to either/or so make sure to check both anyways :)

That being said, I want to thank you guys for the great responses since this all started only 6 months ago. Your support has encouraged me to do things I never even could have imagined and I thank you all whole-heartedly for it. I still have no idea what the ultimate goal in all of this but I'll ride it out for as long as possible.

Have a good start to the week guys.

RockSmith S/S 10

Here is the latest collection from NYC/Japan-based street brand RockSmith. The shoot features punk/rap collective Radical Outing and is a series of stills that showcases them as they make their way to CDR Radio in Brooklyn one afternoon.

The collection features a boatload of items including tees, jackets and hats, all of which I'm definitely a fan of. Some of my favourite pieces weren't even featured in this shoot but you can still check them out on Karmaloop.

Hit the jump for some more pictures courtesy of High Snobiety.

Louis Vuitton "Core Values" Campaign

Louis Vuitton brought three fútbol legends - Diego Maradona, Pelé and Zinedine Zidane - together for their latest "Core Values" campaign shot by longtime LV photographer Annie Leibovitz. The shoot took place in Madrid's Café Maravillas, where Pelé took on Zidane in a game of metegol a.k.a foosball. Head over to Louis Vuitton Journeys to watch a short video and vote for who you think won the match.

The rest of the shoot's after the jump. Pictures via La Nación.

Ransom x Adidas S/S 10 - Video Lookbook

Ransom finally let this one loose on Youtube yesterday. We've seen two previews and a few photoshoots but here is the entire lookbook presented in one neat video directed by Neon Gorilla. Enjoy.

Eric Bailey x adidas "Wood Rich"

This shoe is crazy on so many levels. Artist Eric Bailey threw all of his creative juices at this piece by mixing interesting patterns with symbolism and a very unconventional colourway to actually works. Props to you man.

Plus I can't hate on any artist who throws in a maple leaf on their design - whether it's Canada-specific or not.

Scotts MLB Authentic Collection Grass Seed

With the release of the new MLB Authentic Collection, Scotts is helping baseball fanatics-slash-lawn lovers bring the ballpark to their backyard. Each bag contains the real grass seed that is used in one of 5 various big league stadiums available so far. This is a little ridiculous but also fairly hilarious.

Gant Rugger's Varsity Jackets S/S 10

I'm very happy to say that Gant Rugger has perfectly executed one of my favourite trends for Spring, the varsity jacket. Available in two colourways at two very different price points, these jackets are cut to fit perfectly and ensure you look damn cool wearing them.

Hit the jump for more shots provided by Por Homme.

Shepard Fairey "Mayday" Mural

You all know Shepard Fairey, you just may not know you know him. Mr. Fairey is most known for his famous cartoon-ish "HOPE" rendition of Barack Obama, but he's hardly a one-hit wonder. The American artist is the creator of Obey clothing, a brand whose pieces is largely based on Fairey's designs. He's also an accomplished artist.

His latest project can be seen above. It's a mural at Bowery & Houston in New York City entitiled "These Parties Disgust Me" and was created for the “May Day” show, which opens May 1st and is hosted by Deitch Projects.

Hit the jump for an interview with Fairey in which he discusses every aspect of the project and even touches on the new Banksy film. Picture by Wooster collective.

Is George Costanza A Streetwear Icon?

This is kind of scary.

Via Start & Finish

Benny Gold Headwear S/S 10

Fresh off the heels of his flagship store opening, Benny Gold releases his newest collection of headwear. Featuring snapbacks, fitteds and 5 panels, Gold lets it all out in terms of diversifcation. And yet despite this, I can't decide if I like them. Any opinions?

Lacoste Bateau S/S 10

Your favourite alligator comes hard on these new boat shoes from French brand Lacoste. Available in two French flag-inspired canvas colourways and an all-white leather version, the Bateau line will ensure a few compliments at your next regata.

Ciara - "Ride" (Feat. Ludacris) (Video)

Ciara goes off in the video for her latest single "Ride".  After posting the track the other day, it would be an injustice not to post the video. And for the record, I know just as many girls that want to dance like her as I do guys that want to *drops mic*.

North Star Sportswear Summer 2010 Collection

After a 20 year hiatus, Canadian sportswear North Star Sportswear is back at it with their new Summer collection. The creative combo that brought you Team Canada's gear for the Vancouver Olympics, a.k.a. award-winning designer Adrian Aitcheson and Arcade Agency’s creative director Pablo Mozo, have hooked up once again to lead this iconic Canadian brand through its re-birth. For now, North Star will be available at the Hudson’s Bay Company as well as select boutiques across Canada but the plan is to eventually expand nationally.

P.s. I finally updated my Post Editor hence the new jump feature. It makes the blog a lot less cluttered; I'm a fan.

H&M Fashion Against AIDS 2010 Collection

May I present to you H&M's newest "Fashion Against AIDS" collection, which draws on some serious Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison looks and updates them without sacrificing style. The drop occured right before Coachella as this collection is specifically designed with the Summer music festival-goer in mind and comes complete with some necessary accessories for your trip.

Head over to Definitive Touch and peep the rest of the collection. It's definitely worth a look.

Good Morning: Alexander McQueen Knuckle Duster Clutch

This is a weird post for me for a few reasons, not the least of which is the fact that this is about a women's accessory. I'm not someone who routinely looks to designers for inspiration - it's just not my style of clothing - but with this piece, I understand the relationship between art, design and McQueen himself. I promise I'll be back posting about menswear soon but take a minute to realize why this purse is so much more than what you carry your money in.

Nike SB Summer 10 Apparel Collection

Nike Skateboarding - commonly known as Nike SB - has released its spring/summer apparel collection and it looks fresh. Despite its sportswear roots, Nike is such a definitive company in both the clothing and equpment industries that even when they branch into something like skateboarding - which is a very interesting market in its own right - they still receive respect for their product. Plus I love that blue-white striped hoodie.

LCD Soundsystem - "Drunk Girls" (Video)

Spike Jonze gets behind the lens to direct the New York electro troop's first single off their upcoming album This Is Happening.

Chairless by Alejandro Aravena

Chairless was designed for furniture brand Vitra by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, and unveiled recently at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan.

Chairless is a simple tool for sitting – a textile strap joined into a loop, measuring 85 cm in length and 5 cm in width, which can be wrapped around the back and knees in order to stabilise the body and relieve tension, while in a seated position. Chairless is mobile. Weighing less than 85 grams, the strap can be folded into a compact size allowing it to fit easily into a pocket – the ideal sitting aid while out and about.

I think this is a brilliantly simple innovation and would probably make sitting in the park a lot more comfortable.

Sperry x Band of Outsiders

Two of the hottest brands hook up for this fantastically-executed collection of shoes. The set features a low-top boat shoe, a penny-loafer and a chukka, and they come in some beautiful colourways and very interesting patterns. All in all, I am extremely impressed by this collaboration. The shoes are available here.

Uniqlo UT All Stars Commercial

Uniqlo drops a new commercial to promote their new UT All Stars t-shirt collection.

Reflection Eternal - "City Playgrounds"

Yet another leak off the upcoming Revolutions Per Minute, this time with a slow groove. Download here.

Change

I usually don't do these types of posts but a lot has happened this week and this has some consequences - consequences aren't always bad - for ATP.

First and foremost, I'd like to inform you that ATP is now solely run by me as Josh will no longer be contributing. I wish him all the best and know that he will continue to do great things. Keep up with him on his new sports blog, Sideline Scuffle!

Second, I have some crazy opportunities coming up in the next few weeks and months (ThinkContra, whatup?; Life Connoisseurs, whatup?) and I can't wait to share everything with you as they come.

That's all I've got for now so be sure to check back often. Let the homey Sam Cooke take you away...

New Jays Marketing Campaign

1LoveTO threw this up on their blog this morning and I'm wondering what you think. Does a good campaign entice you to go to a game or will you only go when the team starts winning consistently?

Saturday Night Music Dump

I have acquired way too many songs in the past 48 hours to post them seperately so here they are all at once for your parties tonight.

Drake - "Miss Me"

This unfinished track leaked today and will be featured on Thank Me Later. Download here.

Trey Songz - "Till the Day I Die"

ThisIsRnB let this one go without tags. Download here.

Ciara - "Ride" (Feat. Ludacris)

This is the first single off Ciara's new album Basic Instinct. Download here.

The-Dream - "F.I.L.A." (Feat. T.I.)

Another banger off The-Dream's upcoming Love King. Download here.

Nas & Damian Marley - "Land of Promise" (Feat. Dennis Brown)

This track will be featured on Nas and D. Marley's collabo album Distant Relatives that's set to drop May 25th. Download here.

Uffie - "Add SUV" (Feat. Pharrell)

I don't really like Uffie but with Skateboard P, I can deal with her. Download here.

Usher - "Secret Garden" (Feat. Robin Thicke)

Robin Thicke jumps on this body bumper with Usher and let me tell you, it's real nice. Download here.

All links provided by Xclusive Zone

Reigning Champ S/S 10

To understand Reigning Champ, you first need to understand CYC Designs, the Vancouver-based brand's parent company. CYC designs, headed by Craig Atkinson, is responsible for the fleece production for some of the industry's best-known brands including Supreme, Alife and their in-house brand Wings + Horn.

So it comes as no surprise that Reigning Champ is a label heavily predicated on combining cotton and fleece to create simple and clean tees and hoodies. This collection is no different, as the Canadian label continues to make waves with a strong Spring/Summer effort that features some interesting takes on classics like the orange t-shirt that looks like it could be a crewneck and the yellow crewneck with the button.

The collection is available at Haven.

Oakley Holbrook by Shaun White

Everyone's favourite carrot-topped snowboarder has collaborated with Oakley on a new set of shades by enfusing new school attitude into an old model, the Frogskin. The shades are available in 5 colourways.

Jay-Z brings out a special guest at Coachella

Jay-Z brings out the better looking half of his power couple to join him in a very nice performance of "Young Forever" at Coachella music festival last night in Indio, CA.

Seen at Rap Radar

The NBA Playoffs

Today is one of my favourite days of the year: it's NBA playoff time. The festivities kick off this afternoon as the Chicago Bulls head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers at the Q.

There are so many story lines these playoffs that I don't even know where to start nor do I think you have the patience to read them all. But I will tell you I like the Hawks, the Nuggets and the Cavs, I think Oklahoma City will prove tougher than L.A. thinks, and the Magic are ready to make up for what never came last year. 40 games in 40 nights? I'm pumped!

And in case you slept through the regular season, here the Top 10 plays of the year.

Comme des Garçons Moncler 365 Collection

For a much hyped about collaboration, Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo handpicked items from Moncler's S/S 10 collection and customized them to reflect a stylistic balance of the two brands. The collection is currently for sale at a special retail space in Tokyo that will be open for exactly one year (hence the 365) and a new collaboration is set to drop in July under the same theme. If that seems mystical, it is, and I can't wait to find out more about it.

Want Les Essentiels for Opening Ceremony

Coming off a strong collaboration with J. Crew, the Montreal-born Peart twins have hooked up with Opening Ceremony to create an interesting looking line of accessories. Unlike conventional black and brown male accessories, the two computer bags and the cosmetic case combine elegance with a little bit of flash in a green/orange colourway that is sure to cause for a few extra glances in your direction.

Benny Gold Flagship Tour Video

Skater/designer Benny Gold presents a brief intro for his new flagship store in San Francisco. The shop is set to open tomorrow and looks good so far.

Via Hypebeast

Jackie Robinson Day

Unfortunately I got around to this much too late in the day but every single player and staff member in a Major League Baseball uniform today will be donning the number 42 in rememberance of a great player and a better person, Jackie Robinson. If you don't know who he is, Robinson was the first black player to ever play in the Major Leagues and ushered in a new era for professional sports in the United States.

Below is the Blue Jays active roster from tonight's game; very cool!

If Designers Looked Like Disney Characters

Spanish Elle has just released a spread of illustrations depicting some of the world's most famous designers as Disney characters. I think my favourite is Donatella but Karl Lagerfeld is fantastic as well.





Images via Buzz Feed and Coco Perez

“Our Park” A Documentary on Tokyo’s Nike Miyashita Park

Hypebeast dropped this mini-documentary on their Youtube channel this morning and I highly recommend you check it out. All you need to know will be explained in the video.

Blue Jays Retro Tees

Downtown specialty jean shop Over The Rainbow has released a set of old-school Blue Jays tees as part of their "The Golden Age of Baseball" series. This is just Part 1 of the series and has been labelled the "Toronto Edition" so if this picture is any indication, some dope Expos tees are sure to follow suit.

Unfortunately I have no clue how much these tees are but I do have a way for you to win one! The boys from 1LoveTO have a contest going on and all you need to do to qualify is name your two favourite players from the 1992/93 World Series-winning teams. Enter the contest here, and good luck!

Hit the jump for more images.

Good Morning: Ticking with Medea Vodka

This is slightly insane; it speaks about our culture in two ways: 1) spoken communication is turning into a novelty in our digital age and 2) we drink too much. Essentially this bottle represents the need for moderation. And on a less profound note, when you're done with the vodka in the bottle - which will take you less time to drink than actually programming these messages - can you get a re-fill or is that the end of the bottle's life? What are your opinions on this?

Seen at Core77

Snoop Dogg Feat. Kid Cudi - "That Tree" (Video)

Mr. Solo Dolo and Big Snoop cut down some bush in this cool video for their track "That Tree".

Donnis - "Gone" (Video)

Here's the debut video from the homey Donnis for his track "Gone". Fashionably Late mixtape coming soon!

Terry Richardson With Pharrell and Lupe

Terry Richardson dropped a few preview shots from his shoot with two hip-hop heavyweights on his blog this morning. Honestly, T. Rich makes any of his subjects look like they're having the times of their lives. On a sidenote, I can't wait until we get some new music from these two - which I hear will be sooner than later so stay tuned.

Melanie Fiona - "Ay Yo" (Video)

I love Melanie Fiona so it's no surprise that I'm feeling the video for "Ay Yo", one of my favourite tracks on her CD The Bridge. The video is about leadership and community building, while having fun at the same time. Also, I was thrilled to see Andrea and Shannon from Those Girls Are Wild jumping in the crowd at the 2:43 mark; Toronto rise up!

Drake - "Over" (Video)

Drake premiered his video for "Over" this morning and I have to admit that I'm impressed. The video isn't phenomenal but it's definitely solid and features a bunch of interesting concepts that play with your senses. It doesn't exactly follow a story line but the visuals do a nice job representing the emotion that Mr. Graham tries to highlight in his lyrics. The clip's directed by Anthony Mandler.

Good Morning: Ideall Clothing - "The Wealth Series"

Last night, the big homey Bryan "be." Espiritu dropped the lookbook for his new collection "The Wealth Series", and it's absolutely crazy. It was shot entirely by Toronto photographer Paolo Azzaraga, but unlike the usual visual-only lookbook, this one features some absolutely brilliant insight into the concept of money and wealth by Bryan. If any of you follow him on Twitter, have him on Facebook or have read his blog, then this shouldn't come as a surprise considering how open he is with his audience, often touching on sensitive subjects.

I'd been waiting on this collection for a few months now, ever since be. previewed the "Money Runners" t-shirt that you see above (and that I plan on ordering very soon). Besides a variety of t-shirts, the Legends League New Eras are pure crack; simple yet full of meaning for those who know anything about them. I suggest you become informed and check out the whole collection here.