#TheEnd

Although my presentation was a success, I feel as though it could have been much better. As far as Prezi content goes, I'm very satisfied with my work. However I wish the video I created along with Rondel and Kyle was more in depth and showed more of the work I put in all year. The video contained a 17 second snippet being looped throughout the video, I wish it could have been composed of more of my beats. All in all, I was very happy with my presentation.

#ALLISeeIsTees

As of lately, everything I look at seems to be on a t-shirt canvas. This t-shirt vision of mine is both a gift and a curse. On one hand, I would never have a shortage of creative t-shirt designs. That one thing I love about creating shirts designs, the possibilities, directions, and venues you can go with a simple tee are endless. But on the other hand, I would like to actually appreciate something for what it is, instead of metaphorically “placing” it on a t-shirt the instant I see it (lol). I’m not sure if Rondel feels this same way, knowing him he probably does, but one thing I know for certain, our first t-shirt is going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

#VideoOfTheWeek

N.S.A.F.*

This video from my big homie, the "Hot Spitta" himself, Curren$y, is an instant classic. What makes this video so dope* isn't the fact that Curren$y is one dope dude (although it definitely adds to the fact), it's the fact that the video actually has a storyline, which is often forgetten in hip-hop music videos these days...Jet Life to the next life..

N.S.A.F.= Not So Abrams Friendly

#SponsorVisitNumber?

My latest sponsor visit was real dope*. And this time it actually took place in his studio (lol). It started off like our typical meetings: him giving me a sample of one of his new songs, as well as new insight for beat-making, and him letting me do my own thing in the studio. After about thirty minutes of that, he came back into his studio to view a video a friend of his had sent him to critique. What started off as simple video suggestions turned into me and Ronnie rearranging the entire video, drowning the creator of the video with alterations. Speaking of editing, while over my sponsor’s studio, I was on the phone with my shawty* Deja Lee. I played the beat I was making at the time for her, she was digging* it, but also gave me ways improve on it, and I appreciate that. When it was all said and done, that sponsor visit was a success because not only did I make progress with my current beat, my sponsor and I got to bond without the involvement of music and that’s just as important.

#Leak

Last week I let the world know just how excited I was for Tyler, the Creator’s album “Goblin” which is set to drop May 10^th. Well with the help of YouTube, and a heads up from my lil homies Ronnie Tolbert and Osiris Jackson I was able to listen to the album, in its entirety. I know what you’re thinking “Larry if you’re such a big Tyler, the Creator fan why don’t you buy the actual product rather than listening to the leak?” The answer is simple: I have every intention to download the album; I just got a tad too eager and took advantage of the eagerness of others (YouTube).  I don’t want to spoil it for anybody so let’s just say I HIGHLY recommend the album to anyone seeking creativity at its finest….#OFWGKTA #GolfWang #SWAG

#OnlyTheDopestForYa'll

The other day somebody in our school asked me what some of my favorite clothing brands are, and any that I recommend. Because I like each and every one of you, I decided to share this list with you.

1. Obey
2. Diamond Supply Co.
3. 10 Deep
4. The Hundreds
5. Radisrad
6. Fur Face Boy
7. Dope Couture
8. Vans
9. Alternative Apparel
10. In4mation
11. American Apparel
12. IMking
13. Freshjive
14. Black Scale
15. Warriors of Radness
16. UNDFTD
17. Super
18. G-Shock
19. Stussy
20. Acapulco Gold

#CuttingItClose

#SuccessIsMyColon

Although he is Rondel’s sponsor, Mr. Colon has incorporated me into his plans for Hartava Lyon. I wasn’t at the meeting between him and Rondel concerning the clothing line, but I heard through the grapevine that it was productive and informative. Mr. Colon knows what it takes to be successful in the business world, thus proven by his thriving photography company, so any advice he gives us is prized. But more importantly to me is his enthusiasm and eagerness to get our line up-and-running. It’s apparent that he genuinely wants us to win, and that is what motivates me most. He also provided me with an Ah Ha! Moment. He told me and Rondel that is willing to front half of the money needed to get that shirts and even help sell them. Now that’s what you call a Sponsor my friends..

#BarbershopTwo

No this is not referring to Ice Cube’s sequel; it’s referring to my sponsor visit because like always we are unable to meet in the studio. Instead, we met at his barbershop. On the bright side, since he traded his Mac monitor for a Mac laptop, transferring all the files in the process, I was able to continue where I left off with my beat making. At first thought, making beats in the barbershop didn’t seem bad at all: I was surrounded by people who witnessed me make the transformation from a 5 year old in need of a hair-cut to the person I am today, insightful barbershop discussions, and jokes galore. Although all this was present, it was nearly impossible to focus on the beat at hand. However, I did make a beat. I channeled my inner Alchemist, and the sound reflected that…That’s about it

#GolfWang

Tyler, the Creator, of Odd Future (the breath-of-fresh-air music group I mentioned in a previous blog), is on the brink of releasing his first LP, titled “Goblin” on May 10th. I’m not even going to lie, I’m more excited than two electrons given energy from an outside source (pardon me). But in all seriousness, I’m eager to hear Tyler’s finished product because up until now, I’ve been steezin* off of his old material. Of all the OF members, Tyler possesses the most musical talent, hands down, so I’m positive he won’t disappoint. His first single off the album, tilted “Yonkers” racked in a million views on YouTube in less than 12 hours, reassuring me that I’m not the only one that’s stupid* excited about the release of his album.

#"IfYou'reMySponsorThenStartSponsing"..

Due to his hectic schedule, I was unable to meet with my sponsor for yet another week. Well I did meet with him, but it was out of the work place. Therefore, I couldn’t get to work on any beats. So we discussed a main aspect of my thesis paper: Quincy Jones’ aspect on Kanye West, and the similarities between the two. Being the old-school soul he is, my sponsor felt as though it was disrespectful to place Kanye West in the same boat as Quincy Jones, but being the official unofficial president of the Kanye West fan club I argued his right to be there until I was blue in the face. Overall, I definitely got something usable and unusable material for my thesis paper.

#RichHil...

(And yes there is only one ‘L’ in his name)
I admit, years ago when I first discovered him, I was a little skeptical of the validity behind the pain, emotion, and experience behind his music because let’s face it being the son of BILLIONAIRE designer, Tommy Hilfiger, is bound to have its perks. But as of now, Rich Hil is my favorite artist. Although we come from two different walks of life, I am able to relate to everything in his music-with the exception to the smoking. Rich Hil’s songs are remarkably similar to Kid Cudi’s, which probably explains why the two collaborated on a number of tracks. Both artists create an underlying sense of sorrow in their songs that is uncanny and distinguishable, making their music ideal for anybody feeling down-in-the-dumps. I highly recommend giving Rich a listen…

#ABDC?

My ‘AH HA!’ moment of the week was more like an existing from underneath my rock because up I might just have been the last person to know that a new season of America’s Best Dance Crew kicked off recently. As the huge ABDC fan I pride myself in being, I am embarrassed. Well with that being said, if you have a chance tune in to the new season of ABDC. I look forward to seeing if any of this season’s crew can bring something new to the table, territories that crews from the past seasons didn’t stumble upon. One thing that ABDC doesn’t do is disappoint. You have my word.

#Short&Sweet(shortestblogever)

This mentor meeting was brief to say the least seeing as though we met up in between periods. To make a short story long (HA) Moreland and I touched on my recent sit-down with Curran Swint, which ultimately lead to Moreland preaching the importance of networking in the industry. Well anything else would be nothing more than mere ‘fluff’ therefore I’m going to stop there.

#ThisIsMySong

Since it’s a free write, I decided to make a rap. Original? Yes. Corny? Most likely. Heart felt? Unfortunately.

If I scream/ ice cream would you sprinkle me with love? And if our magic ran out would you reach into your hat and pull out a dove? If I said this isn’t working out would you do a million sit-ups? Do you call me every night because no one else would pick up? If I buy you diamonds for our anniversary would you say I’m the best? Or told you I didn’t buy anything because our love is priceless would you love me less?

I’m going to end on that note. The moral of the rap is to don’t be afraid to take risks. Get your creative juices flowing because after all, everybody enjoys an artistic approach as opposed to the traditional and cliché way.

#Successories

While making my daily rounds on Facebook, I came across the ‘Successories x Ubiqlife’ photo shoot my big homie Curran Swint took part in. The pictures were for lack-of-better-words: dope. On top of that, it introduced me to the accessories driven line Successories. The vibrant colors, familiar characters, and retro inspired designs Successories has to offer instantly command attention and demand respect- which is why I went and ordered myself a brooch a few seconds short of immediately. I truly admire what the brand maker, Brandon Jones, has created. At such a young age, he turned a childhood hobby into adult business, a trendy one at that. Through Curran, I recently got in contact with Brandon. He was down-to-earth and treated me like an equal. It was during this convo that I expressed to him my admiration for his brand and told him of my aspiration of creating my own line down the road. He gave a few words of encouragement and even told me to keep in touch and to hit him up if I ever want a custom piece…With that being said, if you’re looking for something to add that extra flavor to your outfit I highly recommend checking out Successories.

#BarbershopBlues

Because my church was hosting an ongoing event this weekend, I was unable to meet with my sponsor in his studio. Luckily and conveniently, my sponsor also doubles as my barber, and I needed a hair cut this weekend. I think you can put two and two together, but just in case you can’t, I decided to take a “visit” to his barbershop. While there, my sponsor and I discussed everything from how rapper Big Sean is secretly a 47 year old in disguise to theories behind why one of his customers was smiling the whole time he was sitting in the barbershop. But more importantly, my sponsor told me that he traded the MAC computer I’ve grown accustom to for a smaller MAC laptop. Don’t worry he transferred all of his files to the laptop so all my beats are still intact. Well that’s all for now…..

#TheMightyMr.Moreland

This blog is devoted to a comment that Mr. Moreland left on one of my ‘#SeussicalTheMusical….AhHa!’ It read: “Look at what Quincy Jones has accomplished in the music industry. His use of orchestra music has been instrumental in the music of hip hop producers of today (Kanye West). I'd like to see you involve his efforts in your paper/project. I think he is important to the evolution of r&b, soul, and hip-hop.” Not only was this comment lengthy and insightful (Mr. Abrams comment forte), it provided me with an alternative way to go about my research paper, causing me to rework my lacking thesis in the process. And ultimately my research paper would reap the rewards of Moreland’s words of wisdom.

#VanillaVisa...

After hours of intense research resulting in sweat-stained keyboard keys, slight carpal tunnel, and broken dreams, I discovered that not all gift cards are online shopping ready. It all started when I returned home from eventful day that included our very own Rondel and Quashelle. After acquiring a “Vanilla” VISA gift card, I had my eyes set on an authentic Boston Celtics 1990 ANNCO snapback I seen on EBAY. I have some good news and some bad news: the good news is that I won the auction (thank you! Thank you!). The bad news is that I was unable to purchase the hat due to the fact that the VISA card I brought wasn’t the type that you can order online with (terrible, I know). The moral of the story folks is ask as many questions at the register as possible.

#OFWGKTA

Ever since I was introduced to Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All better known as OFWGKTA by my life-long friend Osiris I've been hooked. Tyler, the creator (‘Tyler, the creator’ is his actual stage name) , the group’s founder, is in a league of his own- well a league shared only by his best friends Earl Sweatshirt and Hodgey Beats as well as other OFWGKTA members. If the group COULD be defined it would probably read something like “SHOCK RAPPERS. SKATE KIDS. RULE BREAKERS. CONTENT CREATORS. DIY EVANGELISTS. DISRUPTERS” as seen on their recent cover for Billboard magazine. To make a long story short, Odd Future, is shaking up the hip-hop game akin to the way Wu-Tang Clan did during their reign, possibly making them the face of the future of the rap game. An odd future indeed.

Due to the vulgarness of their music it would be inappropriate to post ANY of their music on a school related blog. However I highly recommend listening to them when you have a chance.

#ICan'tStressItEnough

Although 99% of my being wanted to free write about my trip to Philadelphia, I feel as though I talked about that enough; leaving me with nothing in mind to free write about. Therefore, I intend to devote this blog to my lack of ideas.

My mind feels like a brick wall: bland, motionless, and dead. I feel like a hat, without a head to call bed…I feel like a new notebook, clean and bare. Like a fruit bowl, without any pears. Or even a forest, without any bears…I feel like a Garbage Man on a regular day. I feel like a farm, without any hay.

That was not an honest attempt. It was simply for humor purposes (lol). Please pardon the corniness.

#Moreland'sRadioVisit

In case you’re wondering why Moreland wasn’t in school today, I’ll fill you in. While attending a silent bidding auction, Moreland won a free trip to a local radio station (whose name I just can’t seem to remember) meet, sit, and chat with the radio personalities. Yup that’s about it. And In case you’re asking yourself ‘where does Larry come into play at?’ I was just getting to that. Moreland, told me he would give the radio personalities my contact information, and tell them my aspirations, in hopes that I can schedule an interview with them and broaden my knowledge of all things music. If all things fall into place I’ll be this much closer to reaching my goal of becoming a renowned music producer.

#NowThat'sDeep..

My Ah Ha! Moment stemmed from a man we interviewed in Philly. He said something that was so deep and thought-provoking that it will surely resonate with me for the rest of my life. Kyle, Rondel, Ron, and I vowed to not unveil the actual quote that was said until we drop the video because some things are just better straight out the horse’s mouth. It was one of those interviews that are so deep it can’t be followed up by another. You know, the ones that fade out into an outro of a documentary. Stay tuned for that video. It’s the answer to all problems.

#BestDayEver..

Because we all were unable to meet with our sponsor this week for various reasons, Ron, Kyle, Rondel, and I decided to take a productive trip to Philly. What I thought was going to be an average day of recording in Philadelphia, ended up being one of the best days of my life (definitely the best Thursday of my life).
We started off slow. Recording small things such as: a St. Patrick’s Day gathering at one of the local pubs, a statue of a bull with wings (of course we couldn’t pass up an “it gives you wings!” joke opportunity), and us just strolling through the city, enjoying a beautiful day. But these videos quickly transcended into in-depth interviews, unforgettable incidents, and things of that nature.
I don’t want to get into too much detail because that will spoil the actual video (which will be up soon). But I do want to touch on the fact that the brotherhood that we all formed from the trip was powerful. Not ‘bros’ but Brothers. And I look forward to our next visit.

##3!!!

Ahhh I cant believe it! Today marks the third week Anniversary of my first Sponsor visit! I cant begin to explain how happy I am. I mean I knew this day would come eventually but...I just cant explain this feeling I have (in my 50% sobbing 50% cheerful 100% exaggerating & sarcastic voice). But all jokes aside, my Sponsor has really laid a great foundation for me. He taught me the ins-and-outs of music producing. Everything from sampling to musical equipment. Each passing visit becomes less talkative and more hands on. In fact he is so confident in me that last visit he left me at his studio for hours alone working on beats while he carried out some errands. And I did it all on his MAC...

#SeussicalTheMusical....AhHa!

In case you haven’t heard, due to the fact that you live under a rock or just isn’t a member of Lindenwold High School or even aware of Lindenwold’s existence, Lindenwold High School is putting on it’s version of the Broadway musical Seussical the Musical. And you may have heard that yours truly was casted as a Wickersham Brother, but not just any Wickersham Brother, I’m Wickersham Brother number 2. But that’s not important. What’s important is the music-because what’s a musical without good music right? The music throughout the play is beautiful, but my favorite musical number is “Monkey Around” partly because that is the Wickersham Brother’s premier musical number. With that being said, the sound of a full orchestra is overwhelming and epic thus giving me inspiration for my next beat. Yeah definitely having an orchestra...

#AhHa?

This Isn’t as much as an Ah Ha! moment as it is an Huh?! moment. After listening to a couple songs on my iPod I observed that each of their respective beats had a sound in common: a tick that I couldn’t connect an instrument to. Hopefully, with the help of some of my more music savvy friends I would be able to successfully identify this anonymous instrument. I can already gauge the level of embarrassment that’s going to bestow me when I learn of how familiar all the music heads are of it. I’m determined to find out what it is and when I do I’m going to incorporate it in my next beat. I’m going to call it “unknown”.

#ThePowerOfNostalgia

Have you ever heard music that took you back to a time in your life where everything seemed perfect? Life was simple? And fun was in abundance? That was a rhetorical series of questions. Of course you have. With that being said, Kid Cudi's debut mixtape 'A Kid Named Cudi' does just that to me. This is undoubtedly my favorite EP of all time. Because I first listened to it during the best years of my life, this mixtape will forever be synonymous with the words serenity and bliss. If you haven’t heard it before, I highly recommend you give it a listen. Who knows, it might even change your life too...

#JustTheBeginning..Visit#2

This past Friday/Saturday (went past midnight) I created my first OFFICIAL beat. Needless to say, I was satisfied with my creation. Although it wasn’t the modern day Kanye West-like beat I was aiming for, it still possessed a College Dropout-like sound that I was more than happy with. After giving me a small reminder of last week’s visit, my Sponsor went back into his home (his studio is separated from his home by a large walkway), leaving me to fend for myself for hours in his studio. I prefer this style of teaching over everything else. Don’t get the wrong idea, he checked in regularly with me just in case I had any trouble.

This coming Friday, because it’s going to be an overnight visit, I intend to not only completely finish my last beat, but create three or four more as well. Since he is going to give me his full arsenal of sounds next visit, I can assure you these beats are going to be a hop-and-skip better than my first.

#ForTheLoveOfFruityLoops

Lately, I have been brushing up on my beat-making skills with the aid of renonwed music program "Fruity Loops". Because this is the program my sponsor uses-as well as famous producers such as Lex Luger and Polow Da Don- I decided that downloading the trial version in order to get familiar with the software would be proactive decision.Having an adequate knowledge of your intended suject can be taken by your sponsor one of two ways: you're a jerk whose only reason for seeking their help is attributed to the fact that in Senior Project having a Sponsor is mandated or they would be highly flattered by your devotion.

After hours of intense research, requiring a delicate balance of switching from YouTube to Fruity Loops, I finally managed to create my first beat. However, because I only possess the trial version, I am unable to save my creations. This means that my first beat is lost in the infinitely expanding cyber universe, and honestly I'm not complaining, due to it's terribleness. I'm going to end on that note, no pun intended (HA!)

#...DoesWhateverASpiderCan

As I promised in my earlier blog #Trebbles4MyTroubles, I have devoted this blog post to my experience at the Broadway blockbuster "Spider-Man". Honestly, the show can be summed up in one word: amazing! (emphasis on the exclamation mark) Although, some of the acting seemed bland, but the action-packed sequences more than made up for it. Every last cent, of the 64 million dollars spent on effects, was made apparent by the dazzling displays, astounding aerial maneuvers, and pimpin' (forgive me. At times, alliteration can be difficult) props. But that's not what I wrote this for. I wrote this to touch on the music of the play. The play's musical numbers were captavating. Upon viewing the play, I was unfamiliar with U2's music. However, Bono and The Edge's style of music was glaring to after leaving the play. I strongly recommend the play to any lover of music or admirer of action.

#...

Unfortunately, my sponsor is not available until Tuesday of next week; therefore I won’t be seeing my sponsor until Tuesday of next week. However, when we do finally collaborate, it’s going to be off to the races! My sponsor has been a friend of the family for as long as I can remember, so naturally we have a close bond, which in turn, is going to enable us to get down to business faster by eliminating the building-a-relationship aspect of the sponsor visits.

My sponsor seemed very passionate about teaching me the ins-and-outs of producing music, causing me to be as eager to get started as ever. He innocently bragged of his in-house studio, two beat machines, and more-than-adequate knowledge of all his music equipment. With that being said, come Tuesday, I’m going to leave my sponsor visit with a whole new understanding and appreciation for music.

#Trebbles4MyTroubles

As looked out the window soaking in the view of scenes previously unfimiliar to me, headed to New York City on a theatre trip to the Broadway show "Spiderman" (stay tuned for the post), I felt as though I was thrown into a cage at the Philadelphia Zoo: Non-stop howling, belligerent behavior, and complete choas-but don't get me wrong I love my fellow theatre kids-So I escaped the only way I know how; through music.Not only did I listen to a series of songs that always seem to soothe me (I've added a small playlist at the end of this post), I played my hand at beat-making with the use of the iPhone app "MusicStudio", A beat whose mediocrity can only be attributed to my lack of experience. But who knows, maybe this lack-luster beat was only the beginning of a lavish legacy.
* = Not So Abrams Friendly

1. Any Rich Hil song (There's just something about his songs that cause me to zone out) (NSAF*)
2. Kid Cudi's "Man On The Moon: The End Of Day" (Classic album)
3. Kanye West's "Late Registration" (Favorite album of all time)
4. The Menahan Street Band's single "The Traitor" (Influential)
5. Band of Horses' single "No One's Gonna Love You" (Beautiful)
6. Daft Punk's album "Human After All" (Otherwordly)

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#YouHereNowSoRockWithMe

I would like to welcome all of you to me. My name is Larry Hill. (point to mother)And that right there is my beautiful mother. (direct attention to Moreland) And that over there is Mentor Damon Moreland...

Now for what y'all really came here for. Due to difficulty finding a sponsor, I had to change my primary project, Fashion, to my second passion, music. I'm planning to learn the ropes of music producing. So for my project, I intend to write about how music producers must have an adequate knowledge of many different genres in order to be successful.

#OffToMusic

My father (left) and cousin Weenie (right) back in their hip-hop days.

My experience in finding a suitable sponsor is like a track runner jogging on a track; no matter how far he runs, he’s just going in a circle. Because of this, I have am forced to resort to my sure-fire Plan B. My back-up plan was to learn the ins-and-outs of being a music producer, a field that I would love to explore seeing as though I was raised in a music oriented family. My sponsor, who goes by the name Ronnie, is a Grammy nominated singer/song-writer/producer, therefore he is legit. Ronnie is a very close friend of the family; so naturally, he practically accepted my offer for sponsorship the moment it left my mouth. With the help of my sponsor, I intend to learn what it takes to make it in the music business.

#WaterBalloonFight

View Here

You're probebly wondering why me, an aspiring brand maker in the Fashion Industry, chose an article regarding water balloons. 1.) This pictures just might be the most captavating high-speed camera shots I have ever seen. 2.) I truly admire the photographers creativity. and 3.) Amazingly, he did this photo-shoot completley by himself.

In the near future, I, along with partner Rondel, intend to construct a brand ran only by us and a few others. Therefore, I am astonished by these beautiful, independent photos. This photoshoot required a ton of creativity (and even more timing), making it an inspiration to not only me, but to the other up-and-comming creative genuises of the world.

#NoGoogleAllowed

Although, seemingly random, this picture has supreme relevance. Andre the Giant, standing at an unreal 7'4 520 lbs, influenced an enitre brand. OBEY, which happens to be my favorite clothing brand or brand for that matter, revovles solely around Andre the Giant. And although he passed away years ago, Andre's legend lives on at the hands of OBEY.

#DressCold

Due to the inclement weather, I was unable to snap a flickture of the ever-so-intimidating 'Dress Code' poster. So until then, I leave you with the above picture.

When choosing this picture, the thoughts of captivity and restriction ran rampant through my mind. Dress codes are, metaphorically speaking, a lock placed on an individual's unique style, caging them inside a realm of characterlessness. Thus making this picture very relevant, seeing as though, my project is fashion-based.

tAzIs$oArnold!

Never in my years have I witnessed someone more passionate about fashion than Taz Arnold. His unique and distinctive approach to fashion, inspired me to revamp my future clothing line; rather than me creating clothing  based on the trends of the era, I intend to create clothing MY WAY, whether it be loved by all or hated by the masses. Hopefully, this video would be as inspirational to you, as it was to me because I feel as though the world needs more people like Taz Arnold, people who reinvent what it is to be original.

Dante's Inferno

I chose two do two videos for this assignment. My reasoning for this is because I felt as though, together, they perfectly portrayed Dante's feelings for the cause of his secret admiring, Beatrice Portinari. Although, Danted married Gemma, in which he was chosen to be with as a young boy, he possessed a deep love for Beatrice. He only saw Beatrice twice in his life, however he was heart-broken when he learned of her passing.

EVERYTHING IM NOT MAKES ME EVERYTHING I AM (In my Kanye West voice)

metroparkusa.com
www.karmaloop.com
mltd.com
johnnycupcakes.com
www.tisavision.tv
levis.com
urbanoutfitters.com
www.boundlessny.com

These are just a few of the places I not only purchase clothes from, but look to for inspiration for my future clothing line. Enjoy !