coolography

jay electronica @ the jazz cafe

Posted on: 27 February 2010


Jay Electronica has been around for a while. Blessed with a penchant for intelligently referenced rap, charismatic delivery, and a remarkably good ear for beats, he has nonetheless remained a relatively obscure figure outside of only the most hardcore hip-hop nerds. Similar to other professed futures of Hip-Hop, Drake and J. Cole, Jay Electronica has also yet to release a full studio album, instead having mixtapes, guest features, and an always welcome predilection to rhyme over J Dilla beats escalate his hype. In recent weeks he has truly blown – backed by the neverending crescendos of Just Blaze’s production on ‘Exhibit C’, Jay Electronica has now been pushed firmly in the spotlight. With further backing from the well respected Gilles Peterson and DJ Semtex, Jay is slowly garnering more exposure to a wider UK audience. So, when Jay touched down in London for his first ever UK show at the legendary Jazz Cafe, we were sure to be in attendance to see if his live act could stand head to head with the internet hype… continue reading »

livin’ proof x pause NYE

Posted on: 18 December 2009

flyer

New year’s eve is always a tough one. The first, and last, party of every year should be a special thing indeed, yet between grotty house parties, extortionate central London venues, and underwhelming fireworks displays, coolography’s NYE record is a bit hit and miss. This year, our hopes are up, with London’s finest hip-hop collective Livin’ Proof throwing a house-party vibed NYE at the aptly named Big Chill House. Playing hip-hop, soul, new jack swing, boogie… coolography sees nothing finer than ringing in the future with some old school tunes. DJs Mr Thing, DJ Snips, Rags, Budgie and Khalil battle it out in the main room, with marketplace fixture PAUSE heading up the second room for more of the same. Never disappointing with their previous special events, expect a cool crowd, cool vibes, and of course, coolography propping up the bar and cuttin up the dance floor.

Details follow… continue reading »

gap 40th anniversary party with v.v. brown

Posted on: 15 September 2009


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Last week saw the global launch of Vogue’s Fashion Night Out, both a celebration of fashion, and yet another attempt to revive flagging consumer confidence in the retail industry. Comprising of over a dozen events worldwide, we were curious to see what events were planned in our very own London town. On a last minute tip, we decided to leave well alone the pretend paparazzi at Debenhams, a futile flashmob at Lambretta, and lo, even a Yo Sushi sponsored Uniqlo ‘party’. Instead, coolography opted rather atypically to visit global high street basics peddlers GAP, for their new ‘1969′ concept store opening and 40th anniversary party… continue reading »

only built for cuban linx 2 (p)review

Posted on: 3 August 2009

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As the sequel to one of the most celebrated hip-hop albums of all time, Only Built for Cuban Linx 2 is perhaps rivaled only by Dr. Dre’s ‘Detox’ in terms longstanding fan anticipation. Rumours and half truths abounded for both releases over the years, but recently, Raekwon’s LP has stoked fan fires by showing signs of actually existing. Being fed an agonisingly slow diet of tracks such as Criminology ‘09 and the glorious banger that is ‘New Wu’, fan expectations for the new album are now reaching stratospheric levels. Considering that the original OBFCL hits coolography’s speakers with a near religious regularity, to say that the self-confessed Wu-heads at coolography accepted invites to an album playback hosted by the chef himself gladly is a ridiculous understatement… continue reading »

work it vs livin proof

Posted on: 28 May 2009

flyerAs we approach a new decade, the current wave of retro cool begins to slowly flow from the current hipster fascination with the 80s to the much harder to define period of the 90s. No complaints from coolography, though; as 80’s babies we grew up predominantly in the nineties.

Musically, two London nights spearheading the revival of the pre-millenial decade are the Dalston based Work It, and Hip-Hop specialists Livin Proof. So when word hit coolography inboxes that these two nights were holding a joint event, at Shoreditch’s Cargo, on a bank holiday Sunday, and for the entry price of ‘absolutely free’… continue reading »