Ill-Lust

The visions I crave to share

[datwon-blog]

Had to give @kendricklamar our @vibemagazine Feb 2016 cover! The man has snagged 11 Grammy nominations for the big show tonight. And we wanted to celebrate the moment, regardless of what happens win or loss wise. The power of his artistry is known and will be respected for years to come. Now this particular piece is one that I conducted just under 5 years ago. June 2011. I was gonna blast it out there a few different times since I've been sitting on it. But kept saying there was more he was going to accomplish. Yet, even with so much success ahead of him still, this moment felt right. So here is the crazy long convo I had with K. Dot just before Section .80 dropped. It's truly one of my favorite interviews I've ever done. Click the link in my bio. Enjoy. Photos taken exclusively for this story back then by the grand wizard Ian Reid @snitchonthis PS...I hope he wins all them shits tonight!! #KendrickLamar #KDot #HiiPower #TDE #Grammys #Circa2011

[datwon-blog]

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New Hat Alert: Better hurry! #FamousNobodys always sell out fast! Www.twnty-two.com right now is where it's at!! #TwntyTwo #WeHere #SUCCESSFUL

[datwon-blog]

What a night...got the chance to interview the great @KevinPowellinBrooklyn at #AppleSoho. We covered so much and so many showed up and got inspired by his life and views. Get his memoir "The Education of Kevin Powell" at the Apple Store and be on the look out for our interview podcast shortly. (And more Apple Talks with me...I'm putting it in the air!) #Salute #Wow Thanks to all my fam that showed up and supported! Repost By @chuckcreekmur ""The Education of Kevin Powell" is out in stores now! Just watched an engaging interview with @kevinpowellinbrooklyn and @Datwon Thomas. Get this book!"

[datwon-blog]

Join me Nov. 5th at 6:30pm #AppleSoho as I host "Meet The Author" w/ @KevinPowellinBrooklyn as we talk about his life (wild), career (former @VIBEmagazine Editor) and inspiration for his new memoir "The Education of Kevin Powell". Click link in my bio to RSVP. This man is usually the first name I say as the main influence that got me thinking I could write about what I loved...hip-hop music and the culture it lives in. It'll be a great convo between us, as it's a total full circle moment for me and a glorious celebration for him to have his life story on display for everyone. Come through and check us! #LifeIsGood #AppleSoho #DreamInRealLife #VIBEMagazine

[datwon-blog]

The work of @artbyjayb just strikes that same amazement as the photo for our cover. Jay, thanks for taking the time with our offering with your talent. #EazyE #RuthlessRecords #NWA #ArtWorld #Painting @soalife @gregsstuff @laurastylez @leslierosales @drdre @icecube @lileazye

[datwon-blog]

Get ready... #TwntyTwoHat Sale At 2:22pm EST! For 22 minutes! #WeDoItForYall #ThanksForTheSupport #TwntyTwo www.Twnty-Two.com #Sale

[datwon-blog]

@davidchoe is so ill... Strange Love - Oil on Board. #ArtWorld #ManyStyles @soalife @laurastylez @gregsstuff @leslierosales

[datwon-blog]

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Roc Raida...such a dope dude. @djrobswift would take me to his and Raida's crib and I watched them practice for hours. Raida used to dj in his socks in the crib and spin like Michael Jackson while DJin'. He was mad funny too. Hate to be like "You Wasn't There" but the X - Men battles at Rob ' s crib were better than the ones they had for the public. Some great times. Miss dude. Love to his family...especially his 3 daughters. Respect to @atrak for posting. Repost By @atrak "What a legend. Grandmaster Roc Raida left us 6 years ago. This guy was really like a mentor to me when I was coming up. One of the greatest that ever touched a turntable. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 #riprocraida"

[datwon-blog]

The work of @allenmhirsch of @handliberation The gentleman you see is a muse of his from Venezuela Cruz Miguel who passed away last year. Oil on canvas. Painted from life. Www.allenhirsch.com #ArtForLife #RealPeople #ArtWorld @soalife @gregsstuff @laurastylez

[datwon-blog]

The work of @allenmhirsch of @handliberation The gentleman you see is a muse of his from Venezuela Cruz Miguel who passed away last year #ArtForLife #RealPeople #ArtWorld @soalife @gregsstuff @laurastylez

[datwon-blog]

A poem by #TupacShakur titled "And 2morrow" To go from despair to uplifting dream...this man had big plans...bigger than entertainment. #Pac #GrammyMuseumLA @VibeMagazine

[datwon-blog]

Can't front...I'm really feeling my shots from the @bevel piece haha! Check the interview. Link in my bio. #HoodieDay #MyUniform #CreateSomething #NYC #FlatironBuilding #OldStompingGrounds

[datwon-blog]

Marvel just keeps hitting us illness. Over at Vibe.com we just dropped four new covers from the House that Stan Lee built that pays homage to iconic hip-hop album covers. This one by artist Damion Scott for @kingpush Lord Willin' album is insane! You have to see the Redman "Dare Iz A Darkside" cover as well. We even interviewed the man who spearheaded this creative concept, Marvel's Axel Alonso. Check it at www.vibe.com #MakeMineMarvel #StanLeeIsTheHomie #ForRealTho #MarvelManiac @vibemagazine @Marvel @robmarkman

[datwon-blog]

Big shout to the great people of @bevel @tristanwalker @mari18 (on Twitter) w/some dope photos of the kid and #MarciaHoward with an insightful interview. Thanks for getting my early days and vision of repping our culture respectfully. #Bevel is the truth! Link to the piece in my bio! #HardWorkPayingOff #StillPushing #IloveHoodies Shout to @JasFly for supplying said hoodie: "Create Something" #TwntyTwo Www.bevelcode.com #ReadIt!

[datwon-blog]

Up early doing the #MorningPrime show with my brother @shaheemreid on #Trinidad TV! The hosts were super cool. We live yall!! #DoinItLikeImDoinItForTV #IslandVibes @vibemagazine Repost By @lauraleeliving "VIBE Editor-in-Chief @datwon and the legendary @shaheemreid and @ammbcon CEO Stephen Howard talking music business on Trinidad & Tobago Morning Prime. #musicisbusiness #ammbcon2015"

[datwon-blog]

Wow...that's all I can say. It's out here for yall to enjoy. Enormous amount of work went into this. I'm just proud of the staff and all who contributed to shining light on the man....link in my bio. Repost By @vibemagazine "A Letter From the Editor-In-Chief (@datwon) When watching @outtacomptonmovie you have to remember that the way the story is told is a squishing of 10 years of drama and success rammed in 2 hours or so. There is no way to get all the golden nuggets of detail and worthy-of-inclusion moments the proper screen time. There has been more praise for the film than extreme criticism. Which is cool considering the way the story is presented by the executive directors @DrDre, @IceCube and Eazy- E's widow Tomica Wright. If you want the version that ties it up perfectly, then you have #StraightOuttaCompton. Yet, there was and is so much more complexity to the incredibly inspiring and iconic story of the N.W.A crew. Funded and lead primarily by Eazy-E, the group fed off his raw street hustler energy. A natural star but a put together rapper, his drug dealing days helped sharpen his early executive moves as he formed Ruthless Records. With most of the media hype being swirled around Ice Cube and Dre, we felt that E's story needed more touch ups. More spotlight on his personality and how he was as an individual. We painstakingly interviewed many of those who worked, won and willed his success to also see his loss to AIDS devastate his plans and fracture his support system. I want to thank every single person that helped our writer, the tireless Keith Murphy and myself for the last few weeks, on contacting people on our behalf to make this story the greatness that it is. This goes for our family, friends and industry connects as well. Special thanks to @PeterDokus for the cover image. You came through bro, I'm sure Eazy appreciates you as well. Read on (in our profile link). #WeWantEazy #RuthlessRecords #TheStoryIsLongAsHell #ButItsDopeTho #WeWorkedHardSoReadIt! #NWA #ThxVibeTribeStaff"

[datwon-blog]

@VibeVixen newest cover rocks with the awesomatic @sydinternet! She gives her take on life, loving self and growing into a new space both musically and mentally. @chicmonae you did ya thing kyd! Congrats on your first cover! #TheInternet #EgoDeath #VibeVixen #MessageMusic @vibemagazine Link in my bio.