"Saturday in Wheaton" by Jimmy Watts

As we close out a pretty good month for the start of what will be a spectacular year, The Lab3l would like to introduce you to an aspiring hip-hop artist, Jimmy Watts. 

This DC native has always had a way with words and kills any open mic he comes across. While attending Bates college in Lewiston, ME, he began to turn his poetry into music. With the help of other students, he put out his first body of work called "The Breakthrough." 

Jimmy is currently working on his album "Curtain Call: After the Breakthrough" which will be available on Hotnewhiphop and iTunes when it drops. You can also be on the look out for collabs with other up and coming artists Mellow King and L.A. VanGogh from Chicago.

We know it's Friday but check out this dope new track "Saturday in Wheaton"! Stay tuned in with the Lab3l to hear more from this talented artist as he makes a name for himself in DC and soon enough globally! 

Follow him on twitter @Jimmy_Watts and click the link to like his page on Facebook! 

-LAB

The State of Us: Recap of the 2014 State of the Union Address

President Barak Obama, 5th State of the Union Address

President Obama presented his State of the Union address for 2014. "It's a Year for ACTION". In regards to all responsibilities of our nation: education, foreign affairs, military warfare, economic reform and equality. Here's what our President highlighted.

Education

• Not just filling in a bubble on a test but truly understanding and applying knowledge. 
• High Quality Pre-School
• Connecting students to high speed broadband access
• 10 percent of the income a factor in deciding student loan paybacks.

Economic Reform

• Women only earn 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. Equal pay for equal work. 
• No one who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty. Businesses Do what you can to raise wages 
• Give America a raise. Executive order to raise wages: increased to $10.10 an hour.
• Help more Americans to get ahead. Prepare for retirement. My RA will have the ability to save for our middle class for a greater future.
• Affordable Health Care: For well being the risk of bankruptcy should not be a thought in your mind in fears of sickness.
• Help all get all people covered! 
• Recognition through hardwork.
• VOTE! Not the size of our bank accounts that drive our democracy.

Foreign Affairs

• Americas longest war will finally be over by this year. Afghanistan will be responsible for it's own. With only a number of our soldiers just for attack prevention.
• Remain vigilant. Only sending troops for battles that need to be fought.
• America must remove itself from being heavily war footed.
• Close Guantanamo Bay.
• Backing Isreal.
• Prevention of Iran detaining a nuclear weapon.
• For the sake of our national security we must give diplomacy a chance. To prevent the risk of war. Promote understanding and goodness throughout the world.
• Alliance with Europe is as strong.
• In Africa, we are helping to eliminate poverty by helping with electric innovation.

Closing Remarks

• Our ideals and opportunities here in America are strong as ever.
• Officer Remsburg a second chance a gleam of hope and strength. Thanks for you and several strong and brave citizens of our country to stand strong for us. We support and honor your commitment to uphold the rough and honorable duty.
• None of it is easy. But if We work together. With our feet planted firmly in today but eyes cast into tomorrow it is within our reach. BELIEVE it! 
• Our President has spoken. Take the initiative, research and achieve all that you need and want to do. No dream can be silenced only executed. 

As President Obama has said "It's a Year of Action".

We can do it! 

How do you feel about the address? 

-LAB

#CurrencyNY

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"@CurrencyNY Get Yours today! Learn more at TheLab3L.com"

#CURRENCYNY

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"Like what you see? Learn more about @CurrencyNY at TheLab3L.com You don't want to miss out on these exclusive, trendy ,foreign coin collections ! Get yours Today"

Fashion Forward: Currency Collection

                    

 

For those who have not heard of Currency, you should get acquainted with this dope jewelry collection. The line was created in 2012 by Gee Powell and was inspired by coins given as gifts from friends. These coins come from areas all around the world such as Hong Kong, India, Israel, Africa, and many more.

The various necklaces and bracelets are simple yet perfect for any style you are trying to achieve. You can rock these must-have pieces at a nice dinner date followed by and evening out on the town or on a Saturday afternoon while running errands. 

 

So far, the Currency collection has collabed with the up and coming menswear line Pyer Moss for its 2014 Spring/Summer collection, which was featured in Ils magazine and Complex. It has also made its way into the hands of different stylists, music artists, producers, models, and many more. 

If you live in the NYC area, the collecton can be found at Amy Sachs located at 415 E. 72 St. NY, NY 10021.
 

To place wholesale and retail orders you can contact either Gee Powell (g.brandmanagement@gmail.com, 646.234.8831) or our great friend and creative director for the collection Louis Johnson IV, "LC" (louisj@gbrandmanagement.com, 312.860.1172).

Instagram: @currencyny

Tumblr: currency-ny

Website: http://currencyny.com/

                  

 

Also be on the lookout for Currency's very stylish creative director as he makes moves in New York! Check out his new online portfolio at luxxiverse.com which details all his projects where he has had creative control. You can also find a lot of Currency there too! Follow him on instagram and twitter @lcluxx as he breaks into NYC's world of fashion. Get familiar with this face because you will be seeing it a lot soon!

 

We wish much success to Currency in its future endeavors!

 

Peace & Love,

LAB

Nas The Don, Why Hasn't He Won??...Seriously

As a collective, award ceremonies like 'The Grammy's' and 'Oscars' are held to high esteem for music artists and those in the film industry. What sucks about these Award Shows is that sometimes the fan favorites walk away with no recognition. Take for instance, Leonardo Dicaprio.. This guy is a spectacular actor and has never disappointed with any role that he was given. However, with 25 years in the game, he has been nominated 4 times and walked away with no Oscars. 

On the music end, our underrated hero seems to be Nas, The Don. With 20 years in the game, 8 multi-platinum albums, 18 Grammy nominations and Nas has yet to walk away with a win.

However, when you see his name on any 'Hip Hop Best' list you will more than likely see his name at the top. Why? Simple, he's one of THE BEST! Don't think so? Well let us paint a picture of why we believe Nas to be not only a perfect nominee, but a Grammy winner.

• Classic Signature Flow: Nas is a poet who cleverly paints pictures, with metaphors, and internal rhyme schemes that many are still threatened by. You can count on Nas to take you on a lyrical journey by simply using logic. Now granted not many can keep up, but if you sit back and take a listen you'll find why he's literally one of the BEST Lyricist in the game.
• Ether: Commercially ..Jay-Z has definitely surpassed Nas, but lyrically who will you take? Ether will go down in rap history as the best rap battle song. Everyone expected it to be over after Hov's 'Takeover' but then Nas came with the 'Ether'(literally), placing himself respectfully on a mantle to this day. Believe us, it's probably your rappers favorite diss song.
• Overall Music: Nas musically is refreshing with every album he releases. Giving us that Ghetto Gospel, he has a unique sound that sets him as a trendsetter. You can see many influences from Jazz, Soul, Blues, R & B and even a little rock. Nas has a diverse music palette and it shows through his production, making him an all around great artist to vibe to. 

Still not convinced? Listen to our favorite songs from Nas and tell us he isn't sick with it. You have to admit, he deserves some sort of high recognition for his contribution to the Hip Hop culture.

(No specific order)

1. "If I ruled the World"

2. Life's A Bitch

3. Ether

4. Made You Look

5. One Mic

6. You Can Hate Me Now

7. NY State of Mind

8. It Ain't Hard to Tell

9. I can

10. Oochie Wally 

"Look who crept in with automatic weapons, Reppin QB till the death of him, That nigga that inspired lyrical tyrants like Kanye and Em. Track Record goes back to "The Essence". Smack adolescents who ask who the best is, I'm nasty like gas from a fat man, attested, I pass it, You gaspin for breath and you die fast, Gut em' like a gastric bypass" 

-NAS, 'Outro', The Carter IV

& on that note.. The Lab3L out

Cozzy: 'Man of His City'

With only 6 years in the game, Hip-Hop artist Cozzy has already been signed to a record label and even had his first mixtape 'Calm Before The Storm' nominated for 'Best Rap Album of the Year'  by the Independent Music Awards. He held his own among one of Hip Hop's favorite indie artist, Killer Mike who won the award for R.A.P Music.

Download Cozzy's current album, 'The Storm'

Hailing from the south, Pensacola, Florida to be exact, Cozzy's love for music seems to be deeply rooted. In Elementary School, he played the piano and transitioned right over to alto saxophone once he reached Middle School. By the time he made it to High School, he was on to writing and recording. 

Years later, and Cozzy is making a name for himself as well as putting his hometown on the map. Even though he resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, you can tell by his 'Fresh by Nature' tees, he is always repping Pensacola.

Click Tee to Purchase

                                     
His latest video, 'Gibberish' is another smooth joint from his newest project 'The Storm'. Cozzy has been releasing some pretty nice visuals since the release of the album, so we are pretty sure he won't dissapoint. Now sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy this cool video. 

For more music off of Cozzy's latest album 'The Storm'you can stream and download below:

Find out more about Cozzy at:

MTV Artists

CozzyBlog.Com

And Follow him:

 Instagram  @Cozzy_FBN

Twitter @Cozzy

$trictly Business: To Buy or Lease... Knowing the Pros and Cons

Have you been looking for a new car but don't wanna pay a high car note? Before thinking about buying a car, you should definitely consider a lease. Here is why:

Most people generally like nice things often. With a lease, you can return the car after the term (usually 2 to 3 1/2 half years) and get a newer car.  Why not go from this...

To this

Both are Ford Mustangs but the first one is a 2010 and the other one is a 2014. Can you tell the difference?

Think it's scam.. IT'S NOT. What's even better is that the car note is less than when you actually buy the car. Why? Because once you return the car after the term, the dealership resells the car and is able to make a profit. In addition, you should chose a car that still has value when you return to the car. For example, Honda cars can last a long time which make them very high in demand for their durability. Mercedes is a high quality car with a recognizable brand and is great reseller. However, cars like Ford Focus will have higher notes because they lose appeal and are harder to sell. Sorry, that was a lot to digest at one time...lol 

Need more convincing... There is ZERO MAINTENANCE COST!!!! Generally only the first two years but that means no oil changes, tire rotation, nothing!!!!

Sounds to good to be true huh... Well it's not. 

Before deciding here are the cons...

• Some leases require at least a $1,000 down payment.
• There is a limit on mileage driven per year. It's generally 10,000 a year. Any amount over is $0.25 per mile over.
• Any damage to the car is responsible by you before returning the car.
• Good credit is required but some dealerships will work with you.

Cars depreciate or lose value over time. The minute you drive the car off a dealership lot, the car will lose $2,000 in value. So why invest in a high note while the car rapidly is losing value. Everyone should try at least one lease in their lifetime. Maybe you have an attachment disorder and you like holding onto things for awhile. In that case, a lease may not be for you. But it is worth the research...

Never rush the process. If the dealership will not work you with go to another dealer. Also, try to go at the end of the month because salesman are trying to get as many sales as they can at the end of the month.

Need any other information, email me any time at jamaldstrickland@gmail.com 

Legacy Limitless: Chicago's Own Lab3L

A few of weeks ago we had the pleasure of sitting down with a couple of cool guys by the names of Chauncey (@bigchaun) and Barry (@barrydakidfresh). Together they built the up and coming Chicago brand, Legacy Limitless.

Founders, Barry  and Chauncey

The two met while studying art at Southern Illinois University and quickly became friends because of common interests and their sense of style. 

Creating fashionable tees,tanks,crew-necks and hats for men as well as ladies; Legacy Limitless' main focus is to inspire youth to 'Leave a Mark' by pursuing the infinite possibilities of their own dreams. 

At the 'My Crew So Fresh' Fashion Show, @AmanaYuuup rocking the 'Legacy Raptors Crewneck'

They have been featured in several fashion shows from Carbondale to Chicago, with hopes to mobilize and expand their brand outside the Chicago market. We're glad we had the opportunity to catch up with the young talents as they continue on this exciting journey. 

Welcome to The Jungle Tanks modeled by @T_F_Player & @SuperDuperFlyQ

We don't want to give too much away, so peep the full interview below: 

Visit The Legacy Limitless store today

Follow Legacy Limitless on:

Twitter: @LegacyLimitless

Instagram: @LegacyLimitless

Tumblr: LegacyLimitless

Aaliyah: Melodies from Heaven

Aaliyah Dana Haughton
January 16, 1979 - August 25, 2001

On this day 35 years  ago, the music industry was blessed with an Angel by the name of Aaliyah Dana Haughton. Some may call her babygirl, Liyah, Wonder Woman, Queen of Urban Pop, Princess of R&B, we just want to call her an inspiration. Aaliyah was every young girl's role model and every guys dream girl. Even past her trendy styles(that are still duplicated to this day)and her angelic ballads, Aaliyah left her mark on the music industry. There are even few that would even argue the careers of famous Pop and R&B artist today would not exist if she was still alive. Now while that is debatable, we can all agree, we were robbed of an amazing and beautiful artist. 

To honor her life, we want to highlight a few of our favorite songs that have sampled baby girl. Her music still lives on and has even crossed into new genres such as Indie Pop, Electronic, Experimental and Dubstep. So take a minute and relive Aaliyah in a refreshing light. Rest In Paradise Baby Girl

10. James Blake - CMYK 

(Sampled: Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody?)

9. Xx - Hot Like Fire (Hot like Fire)

8. James Blake - "I'll stay" (try again) 

7. Dom Kennedy - gold Alpinas (Never Comin' back)

6. The weekend - What you need (Rock The boat) 

5. Drake - Unforgettable (At Your best)

4. J. Cole - Best friend (best-friend)

3. Kendrick Lamar - blow my high (4 Page Letter)

2. Chris Brown - Don't think they know (don't think they know Digital Black ft Aaliyah)

1. Outkast - Pink & Blue (Age ain't nothing but a number) 

*Honorable Mention just because this was definitely a banger when it was released.

 Lil Wayne - 'Love Me' ft Future & Drake

A King Was Born

'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.'

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

History making Kings help evolve our young princes and princesses to be rulers of their own futures. Martin Luther King Jr., a monument of peace and faith, was born today, Janurary 15, 2014, and we are sure glad he was. Dr. King sacrificed his own safety to assure the safety of his generation and generations to come. With beliefs and principles that still hold great value, his legacy continues to be a beacon of freedom to many people still experiencing injustice.  To honor all that he sacrificed for us to have the freedoms many of us take advantage of; The Lab3L would like to extend a great big Thank You, to Dr. King for having the courage to dedicate his life to a cause bigger than himself.

Countdown to Coachella!

Weekend one of Coachella is only 86 days away so we've decided to highlight artists you may or may not know of until then! Where else will you be able to see Outkast, Nas, Kid Cudi, Pharrell, Lana Del Rey, and many more amazing artists all in one weekend?! Coachella is always making the impossible happen and we cannot wait to experience it. Last year Snoop was able to perform with a Tupac hologram and this year we're getting a much needed Outkast reunion. It just keeps getting better and better.

In light of this, we wanted to promote one of our favorite "Coachella Collabs" from Big Boi and Swedish Trip Hop band, Little Dragon. 

Big Boi and Little Dragon

Their collaboration took place in 2012 on Big Boi's solo album 'Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors'. With this latest album we were extremely happy to find Little Dragon featured on not just one, but 3 melodic tracks:

'Thom Petite' a bass heavy joint christened by lead singer, Yukimi's unique voice, exemplifies why Little Dragon continues to be a favorite band to collaborate with. 

'High Res' is a poppy, melodic tune that has enough boom to complement the versatile flow of Big Boi.

'Descending' is more of a airy, soft and heartfelt track that nicely blends guitar melodies and bass creating the perfect canvas for soulful verses from Big Boi and Yukimi. 

The dreamy band would have racked up 4 tracks on the album but 'Mama Told Me' which features Kelly Rowland couldn't be finalized for business reasons that remain unknown. However, it was nothing personal so we can look forward to seeing future collaborations. Who knows we may even see an Oukast and Little Dragon collaboration in the near future, fingers crossed! 

Big Boi and Yukimi 

Either way we can not wait to see both AMAZING groups and many more Artists, bring down the house at Cochella 2014! 

See Little Dragon and Big Boi perform 'Mama Told Me' for Fader Magazine in Austin,Texas. 

Diggin' Underground: Red Kiva X L.F. Entertainment presents...

Last night we had the pleasure of attending L.F. Entertainment Radio's 5 year Anniversary Event at Red Kiva. L.F. Ent Radio, prides themselves on being legendary entertainment that bring you new music and real talk from underground artists, producers, DJ's and actors from across the nation. 

  

Red Kiva, located in Chicago’s West Loop, is a music venue and lounge with a unique, laid back atmosphere that provide a comfortable setting for any type of occasion.

Mixing the Red Kiva atmosphere with the great musical talents chosen by L.F. Ent; the event was truly a wonderful experience. We were delighted to score couch seats placing us front and center of all the action. These seats were not only comfortable, but provided great entertainment during audience participation segments of artist sets.

Some of the local artist who performed included:

[Click Links to be directed to Artists Music]

Fare Games (@FareGames)

C. Rich (@CRichalchemist) 

Ace da Vinci(@MrSmartMouf)

Don Perrion(@ItsDonPerrion)

A.M. Abstract Mind (@AbstrakMind) 

Hellabeard (@hellabeard)

D2G (2GMakeAMove)

Jon Content (@joncontent)

Vic Spencer (@VicSpencer)

and our homie from Chicago's FYI, Few(@FewCobb).

While we wish we had footage of every artist from last night, we only caught one act. However, every single musician that performed is extremely talented and is worth the research. For now, here is a snippet from one of the great performances last night. 

Fare Games ft. Few 'Trill Young Nigg**' 

Stay tuned on the release of the full song, as well as more music from these artists.

#SupportChicagoArtists!

Chicago's Very Own: JFK presents 'The Emphasis'

     

Attention everybody! Check out JFK's newest video for "The Emphasis" shot by Crishonne Givens. This track is the first single off of his mixtape 'Care Package.' And has been featured on many sites including, Fake Shore Drive. You can also find more work from him and other upcoming Chicago artists including members of Chicago's rap group F.Y.I on his blog http://www.thefisforfried.com As JFK strives to make his name mentioned amongst Chicago's best , we have no doubt that you too will become a fan. 
 

 JFK thought it would be fitting to supply his growing supporters with 'Grounded' on January 24th to celebrate the 4 year anniversary of his first mixtape 'Venting'. However what we all are waiting for is his EP, 'Season 21' which will be dropping March 23. 

 In the mean time, check out the rest of his mixtape 'Care Package' below!
 

Support Chicago Artists!