Last year I waxed on the state of music videos because I felt there was a lack of true critics on the subject. Vic Reznik, the director for works like “The Last Huzzah” discussed the current revolution happening on the New York rap scene since 2011, up to the most visually stunning videos of 2012. Mass Appeal recently tapped Vic to discuss videos like “Wikispeaks,” A$AP Rocky’s “Peso,” and more. Click here to read the feature.

The latest offering from DJ Mick Boogie takes selections from the lineup at the Mass Appeal x Decon x Karmaloop showcase at SXSW and gives you a sense of what to expect next week.

Last time Mick Boogie and I crossed paths, our Leaders Of The New Cool project for Complex raised a flag for a wave of talent like The Cool Kids, Fashawn and The Knux. Here we are again with one of those moments.

Full tracklist below.

Mass Appeal: SXSW 2012 Mixtape

1) Nneka: God Knows Why (ft. Black Thought)
2) Curren$y: The Day (ft. Mos Def & Jay Electronica)
3) Hudson Mohawke: Cbat
4) Mobb Deep: Conquer
5) Raekwon: Just A Toast (ft. JD Era)
6) Gangrene: Jet Luggage (ft. Roc Marciano)
7) Curren$y: Moon and Stars (ft. Big K.R.I.T.)
8) Hudson Mohawke: No One Could Ever
9) Raekwon: A Pinebox Story
10) Mobb Deep: Nighttime Vultures (ft. Raekwon)
11) Mr. MFN.eXquire: Home Team (ft. Troy Ave, Action Bronson & Maffew Ragazino)
12) Gangrene: Vodka & Ayahuasca
13) Ninjasonik: Turned Up
14) Bad Rabbits: Stick Up Kids
15) Bad Rabbits: Advantage Me
16) Ninjasonik: Around The World
17) Mr. MFN.eXquire: The Gold Watch
18) Nneka: Soul Is Heavy

RSVP. Stalk. Feel.

“The lava alone…”

Mahalo to the late Russell Jones.

A rambling series of things that caught my eyes.

Feast those peepers on the crib-o I stayed at on the northern shore of Pūpūkea. The Pow Wow board of directors are the hosts with the most that put me up there with a bunch of artists and press. The rich and bold color is known as Red Dirt. No, you won’t find it in your kid’s Crayola box, just on islands like Maui and Oahu. The saturation of lava in the soil dies it that fiery red that you wish you could sprinkle on some French fries, as if it was paprika. Colors like that can make you happy as a clam in the Pacific or even better–cheeky as a Flying Fortress Teddy Bear. Ear to ear son.

After traveling up to an hour back into town from the humble red abode, artist Flying Fortress painted his teddy bear soldiers in the nooks and crannies of Kaka’ako. A garage here, a warehouse wall there, Fortress was building a small army of his characters that could steal the spotlight at Pow Wow. I snapped a bit of his pieces that killed with kindness. POW!!!

The streets need to be fed. This mix entitled Try The Veal is part of a three-course serving of music I just threw together for my enjoyment.

Why veal, you may ask? Back in the day, comedians would close out their sets by saying things like “I’m here ’til (insert day of week here) don’t forget to tip your waitress, and try the (insert random dish here).” During the Vaudville era of comedy, when comics would tell jokes in restaurants, they were known for such shameless promotion. I thought by using it as an outro would make listeners chuckle or spit out their beverage as a reaction. Between comedians and deejays, they are similar types of performers: they interact directly with their audience; they stand up and perform, sometimes for an obscene amount of time in front of people. They are true masters of the stage. I’ve already said too much. You’re hungry, I’m hungry while writing this. If your ribs are touching, Try The Veal should be satisfying.

Oh, I skipped the first installment for no apparent reason. I just think this mix sounds better.

– FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY –

Try The Veal: Second Serving

DJ Shadow feat. Zach de la Rocha – “Artifact”
M.I.A. – “Born Free”
Santigold feat. Karen O – “Go”
Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Welcome To The Jungle”
Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire feat. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown and El-P – “Huzzah!” (Remix)
Gangrene (Alchemist & Oh No) feat. Prodigy – “Dump Truck”
Lloyd Banks – “Bangers”
Lloyd Banks – “Shock The World”
Busta Rhymes – “Tear Da Roof Off”
Red Cafe feat. Diddy – “Let It Go”
Thirstin Howl III feat. Rock-Lo, Big Boo and Skillz Da Realz – “Stole”
Thirstin Howl III – “Dreams of Fucking a Cartoon Bitch”
Timeless Truth – “Leave It Alone”

A rambling series of things that caught my eyes.

That’s a bad photo of Pow Wow’s after party flyer, but what’s worse is that I’m leaving town before the festivities begin. I’m pretty sour about it, especially because I just chatted with Honolulu’s nightlife queen about Anton Glamb deejaying the blowout. Bombs keep getting dropped on the kid, so it’s only right I drop one of my own: the remix Anton Glamb cooked up for my homie Jade<3 (aka Blind Benny). Enjoy, it's alls I got, for now.

If you knew Blind Benny the way I know Blind Benny, you outta know that everything they do gets better with time. The release of “No Honor,” from BB’s forthcoming EP is their watershed moment. Their future is now, and it just shifted into emo-hyperdrive.

I didn’t know that moment would happen today on Valentine’s Day. I could safely say it was imminent when I first heard “Bad Dreams” in 2009. Like “No Honor,” “Bad Dreams” gave me the standard goosebumps that pop up when someone stirs your soul. The question was, how many times over would I experience those rare chills? Too many to count, really. What adds a deeper wrinkle to Blind Benny’s story is the imagery provided by director Gogy Esparaza. It will leave a stain on your brain. Maybe because it looks like it was shot on film, it feels like Jade<3, the band’s frontwoman left a piece of herself behind with the audience. Hold onto it, so that when you look back on today you’ll always remember.

[Via WeAreVane]

In HAWAII, you’ll meet characters you’ll never forget—Amelia Whipple, the missionary; the sea captain who founded a dynasty of sugar barons; the Chinese concubine who became a great banker; the gigolo beach boy who might have been king, and hundreds—literally hundreds—more!

The excerpt from a review above appears on the inside sleeve of HAWAII, a novel I’m currently reading that tells the island’s history through a motley crew of characters. Unconventional as the story’s cast is, the author, James Michener portrays them as the figures who came to live in Hawaii during World War II. During those critical times, Hawaii was a promising place (and still is!) that attracted people from all walks of life.

Kind of like the optimistic characters mentioned in the book, I’ve converged upon Hawaii with family and friends—the ones in my circle of media professionals. We’re attending the Pow Wow festival in Honolulu this week, a five-day gathering where press will observe and document visual artists painting new pieces throughout the community. Already the fabric of Hawaii is weaved together by ethnicities of Polynesian, Japanese and Filipino, so imagine what Honolulu will look like when the artwork matches the city’s blanket of diversity.

Check back for my updates from Pow Wow. “Like” Pow Wow on Facebook here and follow their celebration of art, music and culture on Twitter and Tumblr. Big up all the sponsors. Pow!