Big ups to the homie Pat. Go check his and Munk One’s show 8/14 in downtown LA!

+ + + + + + +

Upper Playground in association with Fifty24LA Gallery presents…

A new collection of works by: PATRICK MARTINEZ and MUNK ONE

Opening Reception
THURSDAY AUGUST 14TH 2008
7P - 9:30P
* Showing through August 14th - October 4th, 2008

FIFTY24LA
125 E. 6TH ST.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90014

upperplayground.com
fifty24sf.com

Just wanted to give you a quick heads-up that we’re having an appreciation sale for everyone’s support and in celebration of 4th of July weekend.

It’s our biggest sale yet…we’re calling it,

“THE 48-HOUR JASON MARKK SALE”
JULY 5-6; 48 HOURS - ONLY THROUGH JASONMARKK.COM
ALL JASON MARKK ITEMS 40% OFF!!!*
*excluding items 6175 & 6780

don’t sleep.

Greetings. Here’s a little sumthin’ for you gamers…

I would like to invite you to come check out a new experience presented by SA Studios (Mister Cartoon & Estevan Oriol) and Upper Playground. Situated in Downtown Los Angeles, the new storefront experience will host, for a limited time, a VIP PREVIEW this Tuesday 5.27.08 and Wednesday 5.28.08 for the video game “NINJA GAIDEN II”.

DETAILS:
Upper Playground – Downtown Los Angeles
125 East 6th Street (Between Los Angeles Street and Main Street)
Tuesday 5/27 & Wednesday 5/28
7p – 10p

* RSVP (MUST include which day attending): events@secretempireagency.com

Food and drinks will be served.

Invited guests will be able to experience the game Ninja Gaiden 2 before anyone else on two 46 inch plasmas. They will be able to play the game with a Ninja Gaiden specialist, eat some good food and have a few drinks.

Attendees will be qualified to receive the special sneak peak pre-release teasers as well as post-release full-length Ninja Gaiden II versions. Additionally, SA Studios will give out 25 special Zune’s pre- loaded with Ninja Gaiden trailers.

More info on official grand opening for the Upper Playground x SA Studios Experience coming soon.

I look forward to seeing you there!

After countless hours walking the tradeshow floors these past couple months (those pics coming someday), your guaranteed to see a ton of crap with a few quality surprises thrown in the mix. Big ups to all those I linked up with over the last couple months. Its been a busy first quarter of the year and I look forward to working with everyone going into Spring and Summer. So on that note…

First up is my boy Evan and his bro Chad. These cat’s are definitely on to something and have developed their own footwear brand called “100 STYLES AND RUNNING.” With the idea of keeping the footwear on the level of super clean designs, comfortable and premium materials, 100 Styles has already seen the first season come to fruition this past Fall. Now embarking on Spring 08, retails such as Bodega, Ubiq, Sportie LA, American Rag, PHLI, True plus a few others have already shown the brand support by bringing them in. Spring/Summer 08 includes The Abbot, The Colston and The Dylon.

What set’s 100 Styles and Running apart from the rest is their attention to details. Key features on the footwear include:

- Premium Washable/Treated Nubuck Leather (Yes, you can throw them in the washer and dryer if needed)
- Cutting-Edge Premium Waterproof Suede (Wear in the rain and watch the water bead off)
- Premium Full Grain Leathers and Materials (No short-cuts here)
- Pig Leather Lining, Custom Molded Sock Liner w/ “PRS - Pod Reaction System” Technology for added comfort (Comfort is priority)
- Laser Logo Detail on sockliner and tongue (Details, Details.)
- High Abrasion Rubber Cup Sole w/ Herringbone Tread (Extremely Durable)
- Wax Laces (For added protection)
- Classics styles and colors (For the office or club, gallery or shopping)

Footwear for the young professionals, and did I mentioned these bad boys are super comfortable. Fall 08 will see the introduction of their newest model The Chase along with a couple fresh bags to compliment the footwear.

These cats are doing it big…. don’t sleep!

SPRING/SUMMER 08:

THE ABBOT -

THE ABBOT (Limited Colorways)

Royal

True Red

Melon

THE COLSTON -

THE DYLON -

For more info, check out: www.100styles.com

It’s been a minute now since I last posted… my bad, not enough hours in the day and I forgot my logins. doh! No worries, we’re back up and running. In my attempt to catch up, I’m gonna post some random thoughts and images from the last couple months along with some present cohesiveness and future looks. We’ll see how long this streak goes… Let the posting begin.

commercial break: in the meantime, go check out www.akiba-ch.com i love this city. all news surrounding Japan’s Akihabara wonderland. enjoy.

Going down in the LB this Saturday… don’t be late for class!

NEW SHOP “CLASS SYSTEM” OPENING UP IN THE LB FEB. 1ST.
SPECIAL INVITE PRE-OPENING KICK OFF THIS SATURDAY!!!

RSVP: shopclasssystem@gmail.com

So the Worship Worthy event jumped off Tuesday night as well as the Staple Xmas party, 1992 and a ton of others, all the same night. Our event was only going till 11p, which left the whole night to celebrate. Jason and I made our way to the venue at around 5pm to set up. Their was a table and cloth ready for us, so all we had to bring was our stock and display… easier said than done. In LA you can just throw everything in the car and your outtie, but in NY it was all train. hahaha. Our table was located in a good spot, which was between Haze’s table and the free appetizers, plus you had to walk by us to get to the open bar. The display was the same we did at Sneaker Pimps LA, which is our little mobile version of a zen garden… and yes those are real rocks, which we had to carry to the venue.

The event was dope as was the turnout. I saw a bunch of familiar faces and linked up with some great minds which will hopefully open up some more doors for the brand. Big ups to everyone that came by to check us out or to purchase. We really appreciate your continued support. A big thanks to Haze for co-signing during our battle test (YES, YOU HEARD IT. DURING THE NIGHT THE JM SOLUTION WAS PUT TO A BATTLE TEST DUE TO SOMEONE SPILLING WINE ON ANOTHER BRANDS PRODUCT. JASON MARKK CAME THROUGH TO THE RESCUE!). A humungous THANK YOU goes to Jennifer and Gaby from the Worship Worthy crew for inviting us to be part of this. It was a great event and we were honored you thought of us.

The event wrapped up around 11pm so we hustled to breakdown and get everything back to the crib so we could celebrate. First up was the Staple Xmas party over at APT. We get in and the first thing we see is Jeff on the tables rockin’ it. Jeff played everything from BBD, Lisa Lisa and my favorite, a little West Coast set of Dre and Snoop. Thanks Jeff! I turn back to Jason and he looks at me then yells “let’s do some shot.” So I guess it was on from there. We met up with Chico (I guess Nico and sis were on their way to Singapore for the Holidays), so we kept her company and kicked it for a bit. Big ups to Unkle Chippy. It was fresh to see everyone come out and celebrate with Staple/Reed Space. They are a talented group of individuals who continue to push the bounderies of our culture. Jason and I are honored to be part of their circle. Thanks to Jeff, Nico and the rest of the Staple Fam for all your hard work. Happy Holidays.

Then it was off to 1992. Throughout the entire evening, heads kept telling us to go swing by there. So we did. I get there around 2am and the place is still packed. Now here’s the thing I love about New York. In LA, last call is at 1:30a and lights go on at 2am sharp to kick you out. In NY, the party goes on till your body drops. haha. From 2-4a, drinks were still flowing and that’s basically all I can remember. lol. Oh yeah, we did see Sky G pop out of the sea of people on the dance floor to come say hi. Big ups to Dante gettin down on the dancefloor all night and Neil Armstrong for holdin down the tables and co’ rockin da party. I didn’t really get to see Vashtie’s premier of her new video, so the youtube clip will have to do for now. Big ups to Vashtie… great job. Left the club around 4am blasted. Thank god for the designated driver… the subway. We got back to our train stop safely and headed to Ray’s Pizza for some last minute grub. Then off to COD for a couple rounds an then KO time. I love New York!

Enjoy.

J and I on the way to the venue, hauling our stuff on the train.

The set up…

The legendary HAZE. Go check out his new line at: www.interhaze.com

The food and drinks…

Gaby and Jen with us. These girls are awesome. Check them out at: www.riottt.com/worshipworthywire

Some more awesome ladies… Khalym and BiJules.

The guys from Eriffs. I see their stickers everywhere. Good job guys. They also had the illest Starters.

Jen with the guys from MyOpenBar.com

The Worship Worthy fam holding down the Haze/Worship Worthy booth right next to us. Good job girls.

Brad Digi and myself… Playa, Playa.

The crowd…

THEN IT WAS OFF TO THE STAPLE PARTY…

Jeff holdin’ it down on the tables…

Unkle Chippy also rockin’ da spot.

THEN OFF TO 1992 TO FINISH THE NIGHT, I MEAN MORNING.

and that’s all she wrote, until next time New York…

So I hit up NY this week for some meetings and the Worhsip Worthy Holiday event (those pics coming shortly), plus we just launched the JM x STAPLE collab last week so it was a good opp to get out there. The temp out there was in the low 30’s with a nice little wind chill to make it feel like low 20’s/ hi teen’s. yikes! Not to worry, I got a nice little early holiday gift from my man over at Freshjive (The Warrior Tiger Jacket) to battle the cold. It’s definitely a battle out there, even to smoke a cig your fingers start to freeze. lol. I have to admit, this jacket saved my life. If your looking for a great outerwear piece to add to your collection, Freshjive’s got you. Full zip with snap button closure; Four flap with snap button pockets; zip at collar with hidden hood; epaulets with buttons; interior drawstring to tighten waist; 100% cotton… perfect for a Southern Cali windy day or battling the rain and snow out on the East Coast. Big ups to Chris for the look and go check out their Storm Troopers tech line. www.freshjive.com

It was good to get back out there. My brotha-from-another-mutha and long time roomate just moved to Manhattan a few months back for a job and was the first time I’ve seen him since the move. Thankfully he’s right in the mix (54th/7th) so everything was pretty much was just a train stop or two away. My boy Paul is one of the most talented graphic designers I know, who just so happens to be a Creative Director for one of the largets ad agencies in the world, Ave. A/Razorfish. Big ups to Pfunk for the hospitality. I landed on Sunday, so the first thing we did once I got in was head out to Chinatown. You know I had to take the homie to Joe’s Shanghai for some soup dumplings. Game Ova! Then back to the crib for some COD on 360. This game is addicting.

The rest of the week was all biz, well during the day at least (evening and event pics coming in the next post). Alot of running around, from meeting to meeting but all worth it. From Kid Robot (What up Chad and Paul), Nike iD, Worship Wothy, Haze to the highlight of the trip, or one of the highlights I should say, was a meeting with Dante Ross. I have been a long time fan and admirer of his work. Coming from the music industry, his name to me means gold. This cat has made more moves and progressed hip hop further than anyelse I can think of during the 90’s, the Golden era of Hip Hop. He was the cat that brought us De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Digital Underground, Brand Nubian, Leaders of the New School, 3rd Bass, Ol Dirty Bastard, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, Gravediggaz, KMD, Grand Puba, Fu-Schnickens, Kurious, D-Nice and a ton of others not to mention being a Grammy winning Producer and Writer. He co-wrote and produced, 12 times platinum in the U.S. and 20 times platinum around the world, “Put Your Lights Out” album for Carlos Santana. He received a Grammy for Best Alternative Duet and Album Producer of the year for 1999. The he released his own imprint, Stimluated Dummies and produced tracks for everyone listed above plus the likes of Del, Casual, Camp Lo and countless others. You can now find him with his hands in Mass Appeal as one of their editors as well as extended 10Deep fam and over at Loud.

Google his name and do the research. Big ups to Dante for taking some time to build and chop it up. By far, this guy was in my top 5 of all time to link up with. Being a product of the 90’s hip hop era and spending the first half of my career in the music industry… well let’s just say it made my trip! He’s also a sneakerhead, so you know I had to lace him with a JM x Staple Kit. Merry Xmas. Check out his site and blogs at: here, here and here.

Then it was off to the Nike iD Studio for some “Me” time. hahaha. Big ups to Jacie, Chico, Amaury and the rest of the iD Studio team for making our time enjoyable. Thanks for the xmas present… can’t wait for Santa to drop it off at my door. I’ll post pics when they come in.

ok, now for the pics…

Dante Ross. The man, the myth, the legend…

Kid Robot.

Seriously, its that cold out there. haha

Kid Robot office toys…

Kid Robot’s couch pillows…

Nike iD Studio - NY
Here we go…

Yesssir… 2′ o clock on the dot.

Where all the magic happens…

iD team.

Amauri makin’ sure it’s all good…

You know who…

Jason and me…

the studio…

NEW YORK, NEW YORK BIG CITY OF DREAMS…

Hopped on the R and off to Chinatown for some soup dumplings…

You know da spot… soup dumplings are soo good, especially on a cold day.

J and Pfunk waitin’ outside for our table.

The aftermath… I was too busy grubbin, I forgot to take a pic of the soup dumplings. oh well.

The next fixed gear bike.

a big Neckface tag near Lombardi’s…

Lombardi’s. We sat in the basement, but fuck it, they had some awesome pizza. hahaha

Car hotel…

I guess I have my own toothpaste. lol

Snow on the ground = freezing your ass off.

Perfect for the munchies.

outside Union Station rocking Freshjive’s The Warrior Tiger Jacket in 30 degree weather. This jacket is dope. Definitely saved my life out there.

Icicles…

More munchies… try the lamb. yum!

more pics of the Worship Worthy event coming shortly.

Headed to NY this Sunday - Wednesday for the Worship Worthy Xmas event goind down next Tuesday 12/18 in New York. Here’s your chance to re-up on some Jason Markk individual solution bottles, brushes or micro fiber towels. Just in time for the Holidays, snow and rain.

If your in New York, drop by and say hello. Check below for details.

+ + + + +

Here’s a holiday shopping event we put together for all of us last-minute shopping. Gifts for guys and girls! Complimentary Bass Pale Ale!

BASS PALE ALE
MYOPENBAR.COM &
WORSHIPWORTHY.COM
present:

THEY JINGLIN’, BABY!
A Last-Minute SHOPPING Holiday Event!

Tuesday, December 18th, 6-11pm
A Benefit for Toys For Tots

Music by DJ Iron Lung

17 Independent Brands Under One Roof!

Sweet Tater • Gabe Urist • Secta • Hood by Air
Absurd • Haze • Dirty Librarian Chains • Cliche’
Claw Money • Lisa Levine • Sir Hayes • WW†
Magic Propaganda Mill • Jason Markk
Bijules • Coat of Arms • Tucker by Gaby Basora

Bring an UNWRAPPED children’s toy to donate
for free entry, or $5 donation.

833 Broadway, 3rd Fl.
@ 13th Street

Complimentary Bass Pale Ale!
BRING CASH!!!