It’s
time to stop thinking of turntablism as hip-hop’s nerdy
cousin in the A/V club. On Built From Scratch, the X-ecutioners
manage to keep all the techy stuff that would look hot during
a DJ battle in the mix without sacrificing the involuntary
head-nodding beats. Yeah, the group worked with the likes
of Primo and Xzibit to maintain their hip-hop foundation,
but they also threw in some audible curveballs from the
likes of Tom Tom Club, Everlast and Linkin Park. If anything,
Built From Scratch is proof that the X-ecutioners don’t
need to choose a particular side of the fence to be on.
Now will you give it achance?
>>>
DVDs
Brother Columbia Tri-Star Entertainment
A big bag of money and a really bad attitude
will take you a long way in Los Angeles—at least if
you’re a Yakuza gangster who has been exiled to Los
Angeles after your crime boss is murdered in a bloody Tokyo
gang war. Normally you might even expect this kind of kind
character to turn over a new leaf when arriving in America,
but not Yamamoto (Takeshi “Beat” Kitano), who
instead hooks up with his half-brother, the leader of a
small-time drug ring. Together the brothers, along with
a local street hustler (Omar Epps), decide to start the
meanest power struggle that the City of Angeles has ever
seen. Brother offers a stylistic look at the Japanese mob
but yet still manages to avoid the typical cultural stereotypes.
And while not as forceful in terms of raw action as John
Woo’s Hong Kong films or the numerous recent Americann
imitations, this “East meets West” mobster tale
instead concentrates the intense loyalties and family bond
that hold these characters together.
>>>
GAMES
NBA 2K2 Sega
For Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Dreamcast
When it comes to basketball video titles, Sega represents
the realest of the real with NBA 2K2. Graphically beautiful
play, which includes the usual exhibition, season and practice
modes, is pure, straightforward and silky smooth. Mastery
isn’t easy, however, and faking defenders, timing shots
and cutting down shooters requires finesse. Each superstar
has many of his own signature moves, such as Shaq bricking
free throws and Iverson executing slippery crossovers. The
only thing missing from the experience is a seven-figure
salary.
>>>
BOOKS
Style Master General: The Life of Graffiti
Artist Dondi White Andrew “Zephyr”
Witten & Michael White Regan Books/Harper Collins
During graffiti art’s explosive,
early-‘80s surge from outer New York train yards onto
the art world's stage, Donald “Dondi” White emerged
as a giant among men. From the fame of train cars racing
city subway lines fully emblazoned with his glorious mark
to the introspective details of his more abstract gallery
work, Dondi remained true to perfection. Between 1977 and
his semi-retirement in 1984, Dondi rocked over 100 subway
cars and buses with style and grace (many are pictured and
described in this colorful book). Painted often under the
cover of darkness, with heads turned quick for the rush
of transit police, the furtive dexterity and detail of Dondi's
ever-evolving “wild style” letter forms and symbols
were unparalleled. Over three continents, from Hong Kong
to Holland, Santa Cruz to the Brooklyn, Dondi inspired new
generations while helping to win the art form a rightful
place in contemporary culture.
See all the photos and read the complete story in KING Magazine, on sale now!
